Why it matters: There’s little doubt that Sony fans decided they wanted a PS5 the second it was rumored. With Covid-19 making indoor activities such as gaming the new preferred pastime for many, demand for the next-gen console is expected to be through the roof. As such, Sony is reportedly increasing production of the machine to ensure consumers are not left disappointed.
Both Bloomberg Japan and Nikkei Asian Review report that Sony aims to produce 10 million PS5 units before the year is out and has already informed part suppliers and manufacturing plants of its intentions.
Back in April, Bloomberg wrote that Sony expected initial demand for the PS5 to be subdued due to its predicted high selling price. The company was reported to be releasing 5 to 6 million units before March 2021. Now, that figure is said to have doubled and will be met before 2020 is out, though we don’t know how many will be Digital Editions (disc-less), as opposed to the standard version. For comparison, the PS4 sold 7.5 million in its first two quarters, and that was with a delayed-release in Japan.
Stay-at-home orders increased the time people spent playing video games from 4.5 – 5.4 hours per week to 6.8 – 8.7 hours, and even though lockdowns are easing, more people are choosing to stay in and play games rather than go out.
We still don’t know the selling price of the PS5—it’s something that’s said to be a sticking point for Sony—or its release date beyond “holidays 2020.” But if a recent German Amazon listing is correct, we know it’ll be the second-heaviest console of all time.
https://www.techspot.com/news/86007-sony-reportedly-doubles-ps5-production-10-million-units.html
