Sony Acknowledges Struggles in Live Service Shift but Remains Optimistic
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Key points
- Sony remains optimistic regarding its live service endeavors in the video game industry.
- The company’s CFO, Lin Tao, has acknowledged that both Concord and Marathon painted the move in a negative light.
- Despite this, Sony’s Gaming and Network Services remains its most profitable division.
In an earnings call that happened on Aug. 7, 2025, Sony revealed that it would’ve preferred its live service transformation to have had a smoother transition than what it’s going through today. CFO Lin Tao mentioned that both Concord’s shutdown and Marathon’s delay painted the move in a negative light.
Tao added that there have been changes since five years ago, when PlayStation Studios did not have any live-service games in their portfolio. “But if you look at the past 5 years, 5 years ago, live service games was almost nonexistent for the PlayStation Studios. We have held Driver 2 MOD, NGT7, and Bungie’s Destiny 2. So we have these 4 live services contributing to sales and profit in a stable manner.”
Sony’s Bungie purchase was all about the company hoping the studio would help it catch up in the live service market. However, Bungie has proved to be shaky lately, especially with Marathon’s plagiarism accusation, which led to it being delayed indefinitely.
Despite this, Sony’s revenue from its Gaming and Network Services segment remains its most profitable division. Just the first quarter alone, live service games have accounted for about 40% in the division. Additionally, PlayStation 5 has also reached more than 80 million units shipped, according to Sony’s latest financial report.
