Despite the fact virtually nobody can get their hands on a PlayStation 5 right now, Sony's next-gen console has played a blinder so far this year. According to a new report, the PlayStation 5 outsold the Xbox Series X by more than double in the first three months of 2021 - although the Nintendo Switch beat both rivals combined.
This is according to research from data and analytics firm Ampere Analysis (thanks, VGC), which claims Sony sold an impressive 2.83 million PlayStation 5 consoles in the first quarter of the year. The same firm found that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles managed a combine total of 1.31 million in the same period.
Nintendo sold 5.86 million Switch consoles during the first quarter; up a hefty 12% compared to Q1 2020.
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Take a look at our interview with Aaron Greeberg about the future of Xbox below!
It's important to note that Microsoft hasn't actually provided any official figures for Xbox Series X/S, although it did confirm that hardware revenue was up 232% year-on-year, driven by demand for the next-gen consoles. Both Sony and Microsoft expect supply issues. Sony is of the opinion that PlayStation 5 shortages will run into at least 2022, while Microsoft expects its short supply to least until June 2021. It'll be interesting to see if that shifts the balance at all.
"Both Sony and Microsoft's new consoles are suffering from supply constraints and unpredictable availability," explained Ampere Analysis analyst Piers Harding-Rolls. "Sony will be pleased that its PS4 market share is continuing into the new generation but it is very hard to gauge real demand under the current market conditions."
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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is one of the biggest manufacturers of semiconductors - a vital component in both consoles. The company CEO has predicted that the difficult Sony and Microsoft face in precuring these parts will be a long-term issue that could last for a few years.
"We see the demand continue to be high. In 2023, I hope we can offer more capacity to support our customers," a statement from the company reads. "At that time, we'll start to see the supply chain tightness release a little bit."
Featured Image Credit: Sony/MicrosoftTopics: PlayStation 5, GAMING, News, Xbox Series X, Microsoft