In order to offset rising RAM prices, Sony’s talked about how it wants to monetise its core users more than ever.
The thing is, that’s something it’s been successful at all generation.
We know the PS5 is already its most profitable console ever made, and there’s one tidbit in its PS Portal update announcement that jumped out to us.
Writing on the PS Blog, the platform holder shared some rare statistics about its hardware and services.
Product bigwig Takuro Fushimi nonchalantly confirmed that since introducing cloud streaming functionality to the PS Portal, usage increased by 162% year-over-year.
Here’s the really interesting bit, though: he added that 50% of PS Portal owners are subscribed to Sony’s most expensive service, PS Plus Premium.
In the US we know around 7% of PS5 owners have bought a PS Portal, and we now know around 50% of those are PS Plus Premium subscribers.
These are PlayStation’s power users, and this data confirms to us that they’re willing to spend more money than ever on Sony’s products.
Consider this: the PS4 never had an equivalent accessory to the PS Portal, nor did it have an elite subscription tier like PS Plus Premium. So these are all customers who are spending more on PlayStation than ever before.
Sony will have access to the exact data, of course, but even with this small sliver of information, we can clearly see how the Japanese giant is increasing the profitability of its brand without necessarily expanding its install base.
While it may seem slimy on the surface, the main thing we’d point to here is that fans generally seem happy with these products: the PS Portal has become a phenomenon and lots of people are liking the streaming functionality.
So here is a rare example of a company delivering more value to its customers, and significantly increasing its profits in the process.