A report has found that stocks of the PlayStation 5 will not recover from the impact of the pandemic within this year, and Sony itself has issued a statement on the situation.
It's well documented that the scarcity of the console has led to mayhem across the world as gamers attempt to add one to their basket without the entire Internet imploding. The PlayStation 5 sold 4.5 million units in 2020, and the company was as pleased as punch with its performance. Yet, this wasn't an easy win for Sony. "Of all the things that I've learned this year, one is that I wouldn't plan on doing another big console launch in the midst of a global pandemic, and I wouldn't recommend it to anybody else," said SIE's big cheese Jim Ryan last year. "It's been difficult, it's been challenging from the production side, not being able to get anybody into the factories in Asia... Before we started production, we had to do all the manufacturing preparation by camera remotely. I mean, just imagine that for a precision device like the PlayStation 5."
It is definitely a "precision device," offering an incredible amalgamation of super speedy loading times, unbelievable visuals, and it's as quiet as a mouse. If you're still um-ing and ah-ing over buying a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X, check out our video review below. Our Xbox Series X review is here.
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Bloomberg states that Hiroki Totoki - the chief financial officer for Sony - told those who attended a briefing on its recent fiscal results that the company is being cautious about replenishing its stocks of the PlayStation 5. "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," he explained. He continued to say that Sony will be buying back $1.8 billion of its own shares following slightly more modest profits from this quarter. However, Totoki argued that the company will be "ramping up production as soon as possible" and will consider the impact of the coronavirus crisis on this front.
"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," he said. In the UK, none of the major retailers have stocks of the PlayStation 5 ready to sell. There is apparently going to be a restock some time in May, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: News, PlayStation