Helldivers 2 significantly “exceeded Sony’s expectations,” selling 12 million units in the first 12 weeks since its release, parent company PlayStation said in an earnings report on Tuesday. The live-action shooter is now the fastest-selling PlayStation game of all time, surpassing the record set by God of War Ragnarok for the same period following its launch in November 2022. Sony also reported that total PS5 sales reached 59.2 million after the company sold 20.8 million PS5 units in the 2023 fiscal year.
Sony said Helldivers 2’s sales figures include copies sold on both PlayStation 5 and PC. The online co-op shooter from Arrowhead Games Studios was a surprise hit when it launched on February 8 on both PS5 and PC. During its financial results report, the Japanese electronics giant confirmed that Helldivers 2 had sold 12 million copies as of May 5, 2024, becoming the most successful PlayStation game of all time. The record was previously held by God of War Ragnarok from the Santa Monica studio, which Sold Out 11 million copies in the first 10 weeks after release.
In the 2023 fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, PS5 sales reached a record 20.8 million units, falling slightly short of Sony’s revised target of 21 million for the year. Since its launch in November 2020, the PS5 has sold 59.2 million units, slightly behind the PS4’s 60 million units sold in the same post-release period. Parent company PlayStation, however, expects PS5 sales to fall, predicting that the console will sell around 18 million units in fiscal 2024.
Following the success of Helldivers 2, the company said it is looking forward to launching live-action games such as Destiny 2: The Final Shape and Concord in 2024. Sony has also confirmed that it expects a gradual decline in PS5 sales as the console arrives. the second half of its life cycle. The number of active PlayStation Network (PSN) users also fell to 118 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, from 123 million at the end of the third quarter. However, PS Plus subscribers grew to 47.4 million from 46.4 million at the end of the third quarter.
Helldivers 2 became a phenomenon after launching simultaneously on PS5 and PC. Live remains one of the most popular games on Steam months after launch, and developer Arrowhead Game Studios regularly releases new content and updates. However, the game had some obstacles on its way to success. Just last week, Sony reversed its decision to require PC players to link their PSN account to Steam in order to continue playing the game. Sony’s rejection comes after widespread backlash from players who bombarded Helldivers 2 with negative reviews on Steam to express their displeasure.
