Sony’s latest financial results suggest that digital game purchases continue to dominate PlayStation, with 78% of full-game software sales coming from downloads during the company’s second fiscal quarter.
According to Sony’s second-quarter earnings report of 2026, the figure represents a six-percentage-point increase from the same period last year, highlighting the ongoing shift away from physical media. However, the quarterly trend tells a slightly different story. Digital purchases accounted for 85 percent of full-game sales in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year before declining to 82 percent in Q1 and 78 percent in Q2.
The results arrive as Sony prepares to end physical disc releases for new PlayStation games beginning in January 2028. While digital downloads remain dominant, physical games still accounted for 22 percent of full-game unit sales during the quarter. Interestingly, physical software revenue increased 21.7 percent year over year to ¥43.1 billion, suggesting that physical releases continue to attract buyers despite the broader shift toward digital distribution.
Sony’s Game & Network Services division generated ¥1.2 trillion in quarterly revenue, up 9 percent year over year. Operating income climbed 83 percent to ¥220 billion, supported by stronger network services and first-party software sales. One major contributor was Marvel’s Wolverine, which is now confirmed to have sold 2.4 million copies following its September 15 launch.
Meanwhile, PlayStation 5 hardware sales fell to 2.6 million units, down from four million in the same quarter last year. Sony reported that lifetime PS5 sales reached 93.7 million units, continuing the hardware trend outlined in its previous earnings report. Network services revenue also increased nearly 20 percent, with PlayStation reporting 127 million monthly active users.
Looking ahead, Sony raised its full-year gaming revenue forecast to ¥4.8 trillion, citing stronger software and network services performance.
The company also reiterated plans to continue preparing for its next-generation PlayStation hardware.
For players concerned about physical game ownership, the latest results offer a mixed picture about the landscape. Digital downloads continue to gain ground year over year, leading Sony to drop physical games. However, physical software sales remain a meaningful part of PlayStation’s business in such a way that they can’t be overlooked.
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