Tag: game sales

  • Starfield Achieves 140,000+ PS5 Sales and $7.7M Revenue in One Week

    Starfield Achieves 140,000+ PS5 Sales and $7.7M Revenue in One Week

    Key Takeaway

    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.

    Sources
  • Nintendo Switch 2 Sales Strong, But Game Purchases Decline

    Nintendo Switch 2 Sales Strong, But Game Purchases Decline

    Key Takeaways

    1. Nintendo’s Switch 2 has sold 10.36 million units, surpassing its predecessor’s popularity, but game sales are lagging behind.
    2. Analyst Amir Anvarzadeh warns that weak game sales could negatively impact Nintendo’s share price.
    3. Switch 2 software sales stand at 20.62 million units, roughly twice the console sales, but the original Switch had better game-to-hardware sales ratios.
    4. Backward compatibility is crucial for Nintendo’s strategy, but the limited selection of new games has left some consumers dissatisfied.
    5. Criticism arises over how Nintendo reports revenue, particularly regarding digital upgrades versus digital title sales, affecting the perceived success of the Switch 2.


    With 10.36 million units sold, Nintendo’s new console has surpassed its predecessor in popularity. However, Switch 2 games aren’t moving off the shelves as quickly. Bloomberg took a close look at Nintendo’s latest financial report and uncovered some unexpected trends. Nonetheless, the company’s method of documenting software data might create some confusion in comparisons.

    Analyst Insights

    Takashi Mochizuki from Bloomberg shared insights from Amir Anvarzadeh, an analyst at Asymmetric Advisors. While Nintendo is seeing robust sales for the Switch 2, it heavily depends on the device’s backward compatibility. Anvarzadeh cautions that “any weakness in game sales from next term could hit its share price hard.”

    Sales Figures

    As of September 2025, Nintendo reported Switch 2 software sales of 20.62 million units. This is roughly twice the number of consoles sold, but the original Switch had achieved three times the game sales compared to its hardware sold by this stage.

    Nintendo’s approach aims to get as many gamers as possible to buy the new hardware. However, consumers appear to find the selection of new games unappealing. Mario Kart World had a boost from a well-liked bundle, but few other first-party titles were launched in the console’s initial four months. Fans will have to wait for the impact of upcoming Switch 2 games, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A, in future reports.

    Current Gaming Landscape

    At the moment, buyers are satisfied with Switch games and the available free or paid upgrade packs. Whether they prefer quality or quantity, Nintendo is pushing Switch 2 owners to gather older titles. Thanks to backward compatibility, the aim is to have the hardware in homes by the time newer releases come out. However, given that game sales are more lucrative, Bloomberg sees some risk in this strategy.

    Criticism of the Analysis

    Mochizuki has faced some backlash regarding his analysis of Switch 2 sales. The Nintendo Patents Watch account on Bluesky highlights that the company counts digital upgrades for the Switch 2 as part of its revenue, while purchases of purely digital titles aren’t included at all. Still, the success of the new console remains closely linked to the software from the previous generation.

    Source:
    Link