The PlayStation 5 (PS5) shortage is strongly felt by gamers ever since its release in November 2020, with the consoles selling out as soon as they hit shelves and a secondary market that constantly drives up prices.
Sony, in order to relieve the pressure from demand for the PS5, will continue to manufacture the PlayStation 4 (PS4) throughout 2022. This runs counter to Sony’s previous unannounced plan to stop producing the PS4 at the end of 2021. (via Bloomberg)
This suggests that the demand for the next-gen PS5 console is immense, and while this approach would add about a million PS4 consoles into the market, it is not at all clear how effective it would be in addressing the shortage. If anything, this feels more like a band-aid, a stopgap solution to buy Sony more time to tackle any production concerns.
The PS4 uses less advanced chips, is easier to make, and was first released in 2013. As such, most people who wanted to get a PS4 would’ve gotten one already, and many want a PS5 precisely because it’s a cutting-edge console that’s an upgrade from the PS4. With the PS4 remaining a fully supported console and boasting 104 million active users monthly, looks like it’ll be a while before the production of PS5s catches up with the demand and the next-gen console becomes the “default” Sony console for gamers.
For those who want to get a PS5 still, keep your eyes peeled on Amazon and Qisahn. The next-gen console does get restocked from time to time.
Brandon shapeshifts between being a nerd and a geek like Mystique, but with fewer options. He reads an unhealthy amount of comics and manga, while playing a healthy amount of board games and video games.
Si Jia
Kevin Low
