Helldivers 2 “far exceeded expectations” from Sony, selling 12 million units in the first 12 weeks since launch, the PlayStation parent said in its earnings call on Tuesday. The live-action shooter is now the best-selling PlayStation title of all time, surpassing the record set by God of War Ragnarok in the same period following its release in November 2022. Sony also revealed that cumulative sales of PS5 units reached 59.2 million after the company sold 20.8 million PS5 units in fiscal year 2023.
Sony said Helldivers 2's sales number includes copies sold on both PlayStation 5 and PC. Arrowhead Games Studios' online co-op shooter became a surprise hit when it launched on February 8 on both PS5 and PC. In its earnings call, the Japanese electronics giant confirmed that Helldivers 2 had sold 12 million copies by May 5, 2024, making it the most successful PlayStation game launch of all time. The record was previously held by Santa Monica Studio's God of War Ragnarok, which sold 11 million copies in the first 10 weeks after its release.
PS5 unit sales hit a record 20.8 million in the 2023 fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, just above Sony's revised target of 21 million for the year. The PS5 has now sold 59.2 million units since its launch in November 2020, trailing only the PS4's 60 million units sold in the same period after launch. The PlayStation parent, however, expects PS5 sales to decline, predicting the console will sell roughly 18 million units in fiscal 2024.
In light of the success of Helldivers 2, the company said it expects the release of live service titles such as Destiny 2: The Final Shape and Concord in 2024. Sony also reiterated that it expects PS5 sales to gradually decline as the console enters. 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, down from 123 million at the end of the third quarter. The number of PS Plus subscribers, however, grew to 47.4 million, up from 46.4 million at the end of the third quarter.
Helldivers 2 has become a phenomenon since its simultaneous release on PS5 and PC. The streaming service title remains one of the most played games on Steam months after launch, with developer Arrowhead Game Studios regularly releasing new content and updates. The game, however, has had some obstacles on its way to success. Last week, Sony went back on its decision that made it mandatory for PC players to link their PSN account to Steam in order to continue playing the game. Sony's investment came after widespread backlash from gamers, who bombarded Helldivers 2 with negative reviews on Steam to express their displeasure.
