1. The PS5 release of Starfield sold approximately 140,000 copies in its first week, generating about $7.7 million, which is lower than expected for a major RPG launch on a new platform.
2. The launch coincided with the “Free Lanes” update, which improved gameplay features such as manual planet travel, and also boosted PC Steam sales by 55,000 copies.
3. Overall, Starfield has faced performance issues on PS5, including crashes and save load problems, which Bethesda is working to address with a forthcoming hotfix.
Starfield’s Long Awaited Console Debut
Starfield was initially released back in September 2023 for PC and Xbox, rapidly becoming one of Bethesda’s most significant game launches. More than two years later, on April 7, the game finally arrived on the PS5. Despite this, the performance on Sony’s platform didn’t seem to meet many fans’ high expectations with regard to sales and gameplay experience.
Sales Figures and Revenue
According to data from Alinea Analytics, Starfield’s PS5 release sold roughly 140,000 copies in the first week, which brought in about $7.7 million. While these figures are respectable, they are somewhat underwhelming for a title of this magnitude making its debut after such a long wait, especially on a popular console like PS5. It seems the sales didn’t quite hit the high marks many had predicted for the game.
Game Updates and Boosts
The PS5 launch coincided with one of Starfield’s biggest updates so far, known as the Free Lanes update. This update addressed a popular community request by enabling players to fly manually between planets, adding a new dimension to the exploration experience. Interestingly, after the update, the PC version saw a rise in sales on Steam, with approximately 55,000 additional copies sold, increasing revenue by roughly $2.3 million and pushing total Steam earnings past $200 million. Before the PS5 release, the game had already sold 3.7 million copies on Steam alone.
Performance Issues On PS5 Devices
However, not all players on PS5 and PS5 Pro had a smooth experience. Reports of crashes and save load errors have surfaced, causing frustration among gamers. Bethesda has commented on these issues and mentioned that a hotfix is underway to address them. But, quite likely, these technical troubles have already had some impact on sales and player enjoyment, indicating challenges still remain for the game on Sony’s platform.