Sony has made a striking pivot after realizing that releasing games outside the PS5 ecosystem hasn’t produced the desired results. The company has eliminated cross-platform revenue from its strategic metrics for its own “single-player experiences.”

Sony seems to have made a significant adjustment in its corporate roadmap by removing cross-platform revenue from its key strategic indicators. The Japanese tech giant, which surprised many by releasing some of its titles on PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch in recent years, now appears to be doubling down on PlayStation hardware and player engagement within its own ecosystem.

In its latest Corporate Report, a document compiling detailed insights into company performance, operations, and strategy, Sony dropped the category of “revenue from games outside PlayStation hardware” from its list of metrics. This category was still present in the 2024 report. Instead, suppose this change holds for the rest of the fiscal year. In that case, the company will focus on three main indicators: console and first-party software sales, monthly active PlayStation users, and total hours played on PlayStation products.

This strategic shift clearly underscores Sony’s intention to highlight hardware as the main gateway to the PlayStation ecosystem. The company has long stressed that user engagement and playtime are priorities, and this move reinforces that stance. Removing external revenue from the equation firmly establishes the PS5 as the cornerstone of its strategy.

One factor driving this decision is that in fiscal year 2024, multiplatform releases accounted for just 2% of PlayStation division revenue. This included titles like Helldivers 2 on Xbox Series X|S and LEGO Horizon Adventures on Nintendo Switch. While these games attracted some attention, their impact was negligible compared to first-party console sales.

Looking forward, Sony hasn’t ruled out pursuing opportunities on PC and other platforms “when appropriate.” Still, the report’s wording is unambiguous: Sony will continue “to advance as a creative leader in single-player experiences.” With PS5 at the heart of its model and player loyalty as the goal, the company is doubling down on an identity that had recently seemed less defined.

Physical PlayStation Game Sales In Sharp Decline

At the same time, one of the most troubling issues that likely pushed Sony toward this renewed strategy is the steep drop in physical game sales during 2024. Once a strength for the company, first-party and exclusive titles in boxed format have collapsed. Although Sony still sold 73 million physical copies last year, boxed sales represented just 3% of revenue, compared to 20% for digital software sales.

Source: 3djuegos