Saros: sales figures and reviews for the new PS5 exclusive

Saros, the latest PS5 exclusive developed by Housemarque, has drawn both strong reviews and concerns over its sales performance. The game, which launched on April 30, 2026, is a third-person roguelite shooter and has sold around 300,000 copies so far. That figure is notable because it is considered below expectations for a first-party Sony title, especially given the reported $76 million development budget.

Critical reception

Critics have praised Saros, with a Top Critic Average score of 87 and a recommendation score of 91 on OpenCritic. The game has been applauded for its accessibility, challenging boss fights, and improved combat mechanics compared with its predecessor, Returnal. Thanks in part to positive feedback, the development team has helped shape a smoother difficulty curve.

Sales performance and financial concerns

At launch on PS5, Saros’ sales figures have been relatively modest. While it generated $22 million in revenue during its opening sales period, that may not be enough to recoup the high upfront costs. Alinea Analytics’ analysis suggests that roughly 30% of sales came during the pre-release period.

Comparison with Returnal

Although Saros launched to a much larger PS5 user base — nearly 100 million owners — its sales were significantly lower than Returnal’s, which performed much better in its earliest days. Returnal, which arrived earlier in the PS5’s lifecycle with only 8 million console owners, sold more than 866,000 copies in its first weeks.

Long-term analysis suggests that players who bought Saros are highly engaged with the game. Daily active users (DAU) rose from around 43,000 on the early access days to a peak of nearly 142,000 on May 2. Despite the challenges, players continue to value the game, and engagement appears to be holding steady.

It is also clear that Saros has learned some important lessons from Returnal. It now offers more automatic saving and multiple save slots available from the start, a feature that had been widely requested before. Housemarque creative director Gregory Louden said this was done intentionally to adapt the experience to fan feedback while keeping the challenging elements intact.

The question remains whether Saros will eventually come to PC, as Returnal did, but that remains speculation. So far, neither Sony nor Housemarque has shared official sales figures, and fans are wondering what the game’s future will look like. The rise of larger budgets and reluctance toward PC releases could affect Saros’ sales and eventual success.