Despite Strong PS5 User Growth, Saros Earned Less Than Returnal!

According to a new report, despite receiving positive reviews and critical acclaim for both games, Saros has earned less than Returnal, even though PlayStation 5 user numbers have risen significantly since Returnal's release.

According to a new report, despite receiving positive reviews and critical acclaim for both games, Saros' earnings were lower compared to Returnal; Also, since the release of Returnal, we have seen a significant increase in the number of PlayStation 5 console users.

According to estimates by Alinea Analytics, the sci-fi action game Saros grossed around $40.4 million in the same time frame after its release. This figure reaches 50.5 million dollars for Returnal; Therefore, Saros's revenue was almost 20% lower than the previous game from Housemarque studio. According to analysts' estimates, Saros has sold about 522,000 copies so far, while Returnal's sales reached 649,000 copies at the same time. In this way, the difference in the sales of the two games reaches about 127 thousand copies.

Returnal was released in mid-2021, less than six months after the launch of PlayStation 5. At the time, owners of Sony's new console faced a dearth of big game exclusives, and many early adopters of the console expected to experience a flagship. At that time, Returnal was one of the most important exclusive games for PlayStation 5; This effect was able to attract the attention of many players. Another factor in Returnal's success was its effective use of the DualSense controller capabilities and 3D sound. These features were still new to many users at that time and played an important role in providing a different experience from new generation games.

The release conditions of Saros were different. This game was released in 2026 and in a dense period in terms of the release of great works; A period that included titles such as Crimson Desert, Resident Evil Requiem, the PlayStation 5 version of Hades 2, and Pragmata. In addition, the release of other prominent games in the second half of the year has also increased the competition for players' attention and spending.

Another factor that could have affected Saros' business performance is the accumulation of a large collection of games in the PlayStation 5 library over the years. Although the number of PlayStation 5 consoles in the hands of users is now more than 11 times higher than when Returnal was released, this increase does not necessarily mean a proportional growth in the number of potential buyers of a specific and relatively different exclusive game.

In other words, the expansion of the PlayStation 5 user community does not necessarily lead to more sales of works like Saros; Because these games are competing for the attention of an audience that has access to a wide selection of titles released throughout the console's lifetime. As a result, some users may continue to experience their previous works or postpone their purchases to another time instead of immediately buying a new game.