24/7 Space News
INTERNET SPACE
Sony hikes profit forecasts after strong quarter for games
Sony hikes profit forecasts after strong quarter for games
By Katie Forster and Kyoko Hasegawa
Tokyo (AFP) Aug 7, 2025

PlayStation-maker Sony raised its annual profit forecasts on Thursday, citing strong performance in its key gaming business and a smaller-than-expected negative impact of US trade tariffs.

The Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate said "user engagement continued its strong momentum" in the video game sector.

Its shares surged more than six percent in Tokyo after the announcement.

Monthly active users in June and total gameplay hours on PlayStation consoles in the April-June quarter both increased six percent year-on-year, it said.

It added that "the situation surrounding the additional US tariffs is still fluid, and we intend to continue to monitor it and take action to minimise its impact".

"The impact of the additional US tariffs on operating income is estimated to be approximately 70 billion yen ($470 million), a decrease of 30 billion yen from the previous forecast."

The company hiked its net profit forecast for the current 2025-26 financial year to 970 billion yen ($6.6 billion), up from the previous estimate of 930 billion yen.

But even the higher forecast would not top the record net profit of 1.1 trillion yen that Sony logged in the previous financial year.

Atul Goyal, an equity analyst at Jefferies, said ahead of the earnings release that the massively anticipated global release of the game "Grand Theft Auto VI" in May 2026 "could lead to peak game profits" for Sony.

GTA VI, which will be released on the PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's XBox, will be set in Miami-like Vice City and features a playable female protagonist for the first time.

The PlayStation 5, which launched in 2020, is entering a "late" stage of the usual lifecycle for a console, Goyal said.

"Sony's outlook hinges on navigating tariff headwinds near-term, leveraging GTA6's blockbuster potential... and cyclical console risks," he said.

"A sensors spin-off could transform valuation, while music provides steady growth and pictures provides stability."

Music streaming is an important business pillar for Sony, which has an impressive back catalogue and a current roster that includes artists such as Beyonce and Lil Nas X.

The Japanese giant, which saw net profit jump 23 percent on-year in this year's April-June quarter, also raised its operating profit forecast on Thursday.

Sony last month said it had bought a strategic 2.5 percent stake in Japanese game franchise giant Bandai Namco, which owns "Gundam" and arcade classic "Pac-Man", with a view to growing its anime business.

With the 68 billion yen transaction, the companies plan "to create new and emotionally moving experiences for fans", they said in a joint statement.

Related Links
Satellite-based Internet technologies

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
INTERNET SPACE
Google must open Android to rival app stores: US court
San Francisco, United States (AFP) July 31, 2025
A US federal court ruled Thursday that Google must open its Android operating system to rival app stores, after the internet giant lost an appeal in an antitrust case filed by Fortnite maker Epic Games. The ruling clears the way for the Epic Games shop to operate within the Google Play Store despite the latter's requirement that apps use Google's payment system, which collects commissions on transactions. US Ninth Circuit Court Judge Margaret McKeown said in an opinion that a panel of justices d ... read more

INTERNET SPACE
Water recycling is paramount for space stations and long-duration missions

Russian space chief to meet NASA head for first time in eight years

NASA says it will lose about 20 percent of its workforce

Jensen Huang, AI visionary in a leather jacket

INTERNET SPACE
4D images show heat shield damage goes below the surface

Eris rocket debut signals new chapter for Australia's launch ambitions

SpaceX scrubs static fire test of Falcon 9 due to issue

New MachLab rocket test site launches UK into next phase of space engineering

INTERNET SPACE
Life Could Thrive Underground on Mars and Icy Moons Thanks to Cosmic Radiation

China Focus: Chinese scientist details first planned Mars sample-return mission Tianwen 3

Skyfall Mars helicopter fleet to scout future astronaut landing sites

Curiosity Rovers Boxwork Campaign Reaches New Heights on Mount Sharp

INTERNET SPACE
Six Chinese universities to launch new low altitude space major this fall

International deep space alliance launched in Hefei China

China launches international association to boost global access to deep space research

Chinese Long March Rockets Make International Debut at Paris Air Show

INTERNET SPACE
Firefly Aerospace launches IPO with Nasdaq listing planned under ticker FLY

SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites days after service outage

Cascade raises 59M to develop full stack satellite communications platform

Sidus Space unveils plan to raise capital through public stock offering

INTERNET SPACE
Dangerous dreams: Inside internet's 'sleepmaxxing' craze

All five miners found dead after Chilean mine collapse

Ancient Roman concrete longevity offers mixed sustainability benefits

US tech titan earnings rise on AI as economy roils

INTERNET SPACE
Chemistry that shaped the cosmos revealed in helium hydride reaction study

Building blocks of life found in distant star system suggest origins in interstellar space

One billion years of protein evolution reveals surprising design flexibility

Diverse rocky planets found around nearby red dwarf including one in the habitable zone

INTERNET SPACE
Simulated ice volcanoes reveal how water behaves on distant moons

China eyes Neptune for groundbreaking ice giant mission

JunoCam revived by onboard heat treatment just in time for Io flyby

Rare Trans Neptunian Object Reveals Unexpected Orbital Dance with Neptune

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.