$SONY

SK Hynix forecasts a structural memory supply shortage until 2030, driven by high demand from AI data centers. This is expected to keep memory costs elevated, impacting console and gaming PC markets. Companies like Valve, Sony, and Nintendo have already raised prices due to these pressures.

Sony Group shares fell 1.96% after Sucker Punch Productions, a PlayStation-owned studio, cut 26 jobs, over 10% of its workforce. The cuts follow a review of market challenges for an upcoming project, despite strong sales of Ghost of Yotei, which sold 5.4 million units in its first year, generating $407 million in revenue. Sony owns Sucker Punch, which it acquired in 2011.

Sony's Soneium blockchain ecosystem will launch its SONEIUM coin on October 26, aiming to connect entertainment IP, creators, and fans. The platform supports 250+ apps and plans tokenized IP projects, including Moriusa and K-pop royalties. Soneium's infrastructure could enable new funding models and fan participation in gaming economies, raising questions about PlayStation and GTA 6's future involvement.

Sony has reportedly stopped shipping its last 4K Blu-ray player in Japan, the UBP-X700/K, suggesting a potential withdrawal from the 4K Blu-ray market. This follows declining support and rumors of discontinuation, though no official statement has been made. Sony's PS5 will end 4K Blu-ray disc support for new titles in January 2028.

PlayStation 5 sales rose 22% in September, driven by Marvel's Wolverine and anticipation of GTA 6, according to Circana data reported by Bloomberg. Wolverine, despite mixed reviews, was the month's best-selling game and boosted hardware sales, including a sold-out hardware bundle. The PS5 Pro's price surged to $1,400 due to high demand ahead of GTA 6's release.

Credence Research forecasts the blockchain in media and entertainment market to reach USD 3.33 billion by 2035, growing at a 16.11% CAGR. The market includes spending on blockchain infrastructure and services for digital media assets, rights management, and content provenance. Key applications include digital collectibles, gaming assets, and content authentication, with North America and Asia Pacific leading adoption.

Circana reports US PS5 sales rose 43% YoY in September 2026, with unit sales up 22%, while Xbox sales hit a record low. Nintendo Switch 2 sales declined but remained second. Total gaming spending fell 1% YoY to $4.76B, with hardware spending up 12% despite fewer units sold.

Sony Japan has discontinued its last UHD Blu-ray player, the UBP-X700/K, with sales ending October 22. The company has not announced a successor or global discontinuation. The PS5 remains the only UHD Blu-ray player in Japan, lacking Dolby Vision HDR support. Sony previously exited the Blu-ray recorder market. Panasonic is now the only major brand selling UHD Blu-ray players.

The American Federation of Musicians is demanding Universal Music Group, Sony, Warner, and Disney's Hollywood Records obtain consent and compensate musicians for using their recordings to train AI systems. The union's 'Human Made, Human Paid' campaign, launched ahead of contract talks, seeks approval rights, credit, and payment sharing for AI training use. This follows a lawsuit against Universal and Warner for alleged violations of labor contracts in AI licensing deals with Suno and Udio.

Sony Group Corporation sold 419 XR patents to Meta Platforms, including 180 in the U.S., effective December 2025. The patents cover XR technology and will remain valid until 2041. The sale does not involve Sony Interactive Entertainment, raising questions about Sony's XR hardware ambitions. Meta continues to develop its own XR hardware.