The revenue of the sci-fi action game Saros was approximately 20% lower than that of Returnal for a comparable period after release. According to estimates by the analytical company Alinea Analytics, the new game generated about $40.4 million, while Returnal's result was $50.5 million.
According to analysts' estimates, Saros sold approximately 522 thousand copies. For comparison, Returnal's sales at a similar stage reached 649 thousand units.
Returnal was released in April 2021, less than six months after the PS5 launch. During that period, owners of the new console lacked major exclusives, so the game became one of the main releases for early adopters of the platform. In addition, Returnal effectively utilized the capabilities of the DualSense controller and spatial audio, which were then perceived as new features of the gaming experience.
The situation with Saros turned out to be different. The game was released amidst a busy 2026 gaming calendar, which included projects such as Crimson Desert, Resident Evil Requiem, Hades 2 on PS5, and Pragmata. Competition is also created by other major releases that continue to come out throughout the year.
Another factor was the accumulated library of games over the PS5's lifecycle. Although the console's installed base is now more than 11 times higher than at the time of Returnal's release, this does not mean a proportional increase in the audience ready to immediately buy a new niche exclusive.