PlayStation makes nearly £3bn in Q3

Sony has reported an increase in sales and income for the quarter ending December 31st.

Revenues were up 6.5 per cent to 14.4bn, with operating income up by over 100 per cent at just over 1bn.

Favourable exchange rates were credited as the main reason for the boom, although PS4 certainly played its part – Sony’s Game & Network Services unit bought in revenues of 2.98bn, which was up 16.8 per cent year-on-year and more than any other business within the company. Operating income grew 122.8 per cent to 154m.

6.4m PS4s were sold in the period, up from 4.5m in the same period a year beforehand. Overall PlayStation unit sales were down, however, from 7.8m to 7.5m. It was the strongest quarter for the PS4 so far this financial year.

The numbers also included 63m write-down of the company’s Vita and PlayStation TV components business due to lower than expected sales of PS TV, in particular.

Sony says it now expects a better full year sales performance from its Game & Network Services division than previously forecasted, thanks both to the PS4’s ongoing strength and the growth of PSN revenues. However, the appreciation of the dollar means that operating income will still be in line with expectations.

Sony said earlier this month that global PS4 sales had passed 20m.