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The success of PS4 – and the yen’s exchange rate – have helped Sony to a decent Q3.
The console shifted 6.4m units in the month ending December 31st, up from 4.5m units in the same quarter the year before. Portable hardware sales fell from 2m to 1.4m units, however, while software sales climbed from 128bn in Q3 2013 to 147bn.
Network sales doubled year-on-year to 100bn.
The company has upped its console sales forecast for the full year from 17m units to 17.5m, while it still expects to shift 3.5m portable consoles in the period. Software sales are now forecast to reach 420bn, up from the previously forecast 390bn.
Sales at the company’s Game & Network Services division are expected to climb 16.8 per cent year-on-year to $4.39bn, with operating income soaring by 122.8 per cent to $228m. Increased PS4 sales and network service revenue, as well as a favourable exchange rate, were the main drivers, offsetting PS3 declines.
The division’s operating income more than doubled to $228m.
However, while PS4 is soaring, Sony has admitted that PS TV has not hit its sales targets, hitting lower than expected unit sales for the quarter.
Overall Sony Q3 forecasts expect sales to climb 6.1 per cent to $21.1bn. On a constant currency basis, however, sales are expected to fall one per cent year-on-year. Operating income is expected to double to $1.48bn, purely due to the success of PS4.
For the nine months ending December 31st Sony expects sales to jump 6.3 per cent, or two per cent on a constant currency basis.
Sony said in January that PS4 sales had passed 18.5m units worldwide.
