“GTA 6” didn't start, boosting Sony (SONY.US) PS5 sales soared 22% in the US, and the $900 PS5 Pro sold out of stock worldwide

The Zhitong Finance App learned that, according to the latest data from market research agency Circana, Sony Group (SONY.US) PlayStation 5 console sales in the US jumped 22% in September as consumers prepared for the upcoming release of “Grand Theft Auto VI” (GTA6).

According to research data, the console hardware revenue increased by 43%, making the Tokyo-based company the highest-grossing game console manufacturer. This increase was further fueled by price increases over the past year and the popularity of the performance-enhanced PS5 Pro. This upgraded console costs $900. Currently, it is basically sold out on global online channels such as Amazon (AMZN.US), Best Buy (BBY.US), MediaMarkt, and Youdu Baxi, and only a few are in stock.

“GTA 6” will land on the two major console platforms, Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox, and is scheduled to be officially launched on November 19. The market generally anticipates that the first release of this game will sell millions of copies, setting a new game industry record. The Sony console ecosystem has a larger audience base, and outsiders generally believe that PS5 Pro is the best choice to experience the high-definition image quality of this new game until the game later hits the PC platform.

The GTA6 exclusive short film launched simultaneously by Netflix (NFLX.US) further ignited market expectations. The short film reached the top of the streaming platform popularity list in September. Twitch director Dan Clancy even reminded game makers that during this holiday season, market attention will almost be sucked away by “GTA 6.”

For Sony, “GTA 6” has injected new sales momentum into a console platform that has been on the market for nearly six years and is close to being replaced. Like its peers, Sony is facing pressure from rising memory chip prices, putting pressure on the profit margins of every new console. Circana data also showed that after the price adjustment of Nintendo's new Switch 2 console this year, sales fell 14% year over year in September.

After the news was announced, Sony's US stock rose more than 3% at the beginning of the market as of press release.