Sony releases its financial forecast for the 2016 fiscal year, predicting that 20 million more PlayStation 4 consoles will be sold by April 1st, 2017.

This past fiscal year has been impressive for Sony, with the PlayStation 4 beating its annual sales forecast, and earning the title of best-selling console for nearly every month. For the next fiscal year (April 1st, 2016 to March 31st, 2017) Sony expects that success to continue, with PS4 hardware and software sales predicted to increase by 8.3%, which would equate to 20 million more PS4 units sold by April of 2017.

If Sony's prediction of 20 million PlayStation 4 units sold in the next fiscal year is accurate, that would put the PlayStation 4's lifetime sales at 60 million. This would help it stay on the track to becoming one of the most successful home video game consoles released to date, but it's unclear why Sony thinks sales will increase by 8.3% in the next fiscal year.

One possibility is that Sony believes PlayStation VR will give the console a sales boost. With the PlayStation VR headset releasing in October, it's dropping just in time for the holiday season, and if virtual reality catches on, PS VR's cheaper price point could help it best the competition. However, it's not clear if people would be willing to buy a PlayStation 4 specifically to use PlayStation VR.

A more likely scenario is that Sony is counting on a sales boost from the PlayStation Neo. PlayStation Neo, also known as the PlayStation 4.5, is rumored to be an upgraded PlayStation 4, with the ability to output at 4K resolution. With the PlayStation Neo rumored for a September release, it's possible that the upgraded hardware could entice PS4 holdouts to finally pick up the system.

Besides releasing an upgraded PS4 or launching PlayStation VR, Sony may be relying on high quality software on the horizon to increase PS4 sales. Uncharted 4 sold almost 3 million units in its first week on sale, and Sony has a number of other high profile releases coming up. Sony's E3 2016 presentation is sure to bring with it even more big game announcements, and perhaps Sony is counting on some surprise game reveals next month to increase interest in the PS4 even further.

PlayStation 4 sales have been impressive since the console launched in 2013. The PS4's lower price point compared to the competition, a number of well-received E3 press conferences, and a growing library of strong exclusive games can be credited for this success. With the PlayStation 4 dominating the eighth generation sales race, it seems like Sony's prediction of 20 million more PS4 units sold in the next fiscal year could very well come true.

Do you think PlayStation 4 sales will increase by 20 million units in the next fiscal year? Get at us in the comments below, and leave us your thoughts on the matter.

Source: Sony