Sony PlayStation revenue per user up 59% since PS4 era

Sony is generating 59% more revenue per active PlayStation user compared to the PS4 era, according to data analyzed by Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research and Insights at Niko Partners.

Average annual revenue per active user rose from 23,580 yen in fiscal year 2018 to 37,485 yen in fiscal year 2025. Ahmad attributes this growth to several factors, including the transition of users to higher-tier PlayStation Plus subscriptions, increased spending on game software, downloadable content (DLC), and microtransactions, as well as higher hardware prices.

This analysis follows comments from Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki regarding the company's current marketing strategy for the PS5. The data suggests that because Sony is extracting more value from its existing user base, there may be less necessity for aggressive hardware marketing. Ahmad noted, however, that growth has remained relatively flat over the last one to two years.