Sony is still struggling to keep up with demand for the PlayStation 5 and expects stock shortages to continue into next year.
According to Bloomberg Sony shared the details at a private briefing in late April amongst industry analysts, with the shortages being partly attributed to a global shortage of semiconductors.
Semiconductors are a crucial piece of consumer electronics and therefore their shortage has lead to widespread disruption across tech industries, affecting everything from automobiles to mobile phones. Unsurprisingly the shortage is also affecting Sony’s competitors Microsoft and Nintendo, with both Nintendo’s Switch and Microsoft’s Series X and S consoles facing similar supply constraints.
This can partly be attributed to the effect the pandemic has had on consumer trends, with many resorting to console gaming in order to keep entertained during lockdown. However, Sony believes this demand will continue for the foreseeable future with Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki reportedly telling analysts “We have sold more than 100 million units of the PlayStation 4 and considering our market share and reputation, I can’t imagine demand dropping easily.”
In fact, Sony seems to attribute console shortages to high demand for the console over superconductor shortages with Totoki also telling analysts “I don’t think demand is calming down this year and even if we secure a lot more devices and produce many more units of the PlayStation 5 next year, our supply wouldn’t be able to catch up with demand.”
Since the console’s release, many have had difficulty getting their hands on the PS5 due to the efforts of console scalpers who have been mass buying consoles since the pre-order stage.
Sony has at least found a silver lining to this news, attributing supply shortages of the PlayStation 5 in part to the console’s unprecedented popularity. Sony previously anticipated limited stock for the PS5 at launch but was weary of low demand due to the console’s high price, leading to the console being sold at a loss in order to appeal to consumers.
Despite these concerns the PS5 has proven to be a huge success with 4.5 million PS5 consoles being sold last year, comparable to the numbers of the PS4’s sold during that console’s launch window. This makes the PS5 the most successful console launch ever in the US.
Words by Jake Abatan
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