Despite Boycott Threats, PS5 Player Count Broke Records
Despite facing boycott calls due to Sony’s recent controversial decisions, the number of PS5 players continues to grow. New financial data released by the company shows that the PlayStation ecosystem has reached more active users than in previous years. However, the true impact of the backlash against physical games will require waiting for the results of the next period.
PS5 Player Count Reaches 125 Million Active Users
According to Sony’s first quarter results for fiscal year 2026, the number of monthly active users on the PlayStation platform has risen to 125 million. This figure was 123 million in the same period last year. Thus, the platform gained two million new active users in just one year. The fact that there were 116 million users in the same period of 2024 and 108 million in 2023 shows that growth has been steady for several years.
However, the figures released cover the period before Sony announced it would cease production of physical game discs from 2028. Since the company announced this decision on July 1st, it’s unclear from the current report whether the boycott calls had any impact on user numbers. Any potential decline or account closures are expected to be seen for the first time in the results of the fiscal quarter ending September 30th.
Sony’s data also reveals a surge in players’ shift towards digital games. Throughout the 2025 fiscal year, 78% of full games sold for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally. In the last quarter, between April and June, this figure reached 82%. This suggests that the online reaction to the physical disc decision doesn’t fully reflect sales habits.
The strong performance of the PlayStation division also allowed Sony to raise its annual revenue forecast. The company previously estimated the gaming division would generate approximately $3.75 billion in operating profit, but has now increased this expectation to $4.1 billion. A significant drop in user numbers or revenue would be necessary for the decision to revert to physical discs. For now, the number of PS5 players continues to grow despite boycott calls. Sony has also reiterated its commitment to the decision.
For details on the planned PlayStation protest, see our article “PlayStation Protest PSBlackout: When Will It Happen?“.
