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Analyst Reports Starfield PS5 Sales Figures and Broader Financial Performance

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Analyst Report on Starfield Sales and Strategy

A new report from analyst Rhys Elliot, citing data from Alinea Analytics, provides sales estimates for the video game Starfield following its release on PlayStation 5. The data has led to questions about the game's financial return and Microsoft's multiplatform release strategy.

Reported Sales Data

According to the analysis, Starfield's sales and revenue performance is summarized as follows:

Platform Sales Estimates:

  • PlayStation 5: Approximately 140,000 copies sold in the first week of release on that platform.
  • Xbox: Approximately 1 million copies sold. The analyst noted this occurred despite the game's availability on the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
  • PC (Steam): Approximately 3.7 million copies sold prior to a recent update. The launch of the "Free Lanes" update alongside the PS5 version led to an additional 55,000 copies sold on Steam, generating about $2.3 million in revenue.

Financial Estimates:

  • The additional Steam revenue reportedly pushed Starfield's total Steam revenue past $200 million.
  • The analyst estimates Starfield has generated over $300 million in revenue across all platforms since its launch in 2023.
  • The analyst stated that, in the context of the game's budget and a development cycle reported to be around a decade, Starfield has likely "barely broken even."

Context and Comparisons

  • Release Timeline: Starfield was initially released for Xbox and PC in 2023. The PS5 version was released approximately 2.5 years later, in 2024.
  • Comparative Data: For context, the analyst cited Alinea Analytics data showing that Forza Horizon 5 has sold an estimated 5.7 million copies on PS5, generating approximately $320 million in revenue. That game launched on PlayStation about 3.5 years after its initial Xbox release.
  • Market Comparison: The analyst noted that the recently released game Crimson Desert has sold 5 million copies and is projected to surpass Starfield's lifetime sales by the end of 2026.

Analyst Commentary on Strategy

The analyst's report included several observations on sales performance and corporate strategy:

The analyst described Starfield's PS5 sales as "lukewarm" and stated the overall revenue "probably isn't good enough for a high-profile Bethesda game."

  • The report questions the long-term viability of a strategy where games are released on PS5 significantly after their launch on Xbox and PC.
  • The analyst suggested Starfield's commercial performance might have been different if it had launched simultaneously on PS5 and was not included in the Game Pass subscription on Xbox and PC.
  • It was noted that Starfield's PS5 first-week sales were higher than those of other recent Xbox titles ported to PlayStation, such as Avowed, South of Midnight, and Age of Empires 4.

Microsoft's Current Release Approach

The report notes Microsoft's evolving approach to multiplatform releases:

  • The company currently tends to launch its games on PS5 simultaneously with Xbox and PC releases.
  • Exceptions to this simultaneous release strategy exist. For example, Forza Horizon 6 is scheduled to launch on Xbox and PC in May, with a PS5 release planned for later in the same year.