While demand for the PlayStation 5 remains quite high, it seems that the console is less powerful than its PS4 predecessor in several regions, including the UK and Japan. According to the industrial analyst @BenjiSales, it seems that the reason is that Sony fails to respond to the request for more offers. In a follow-up Tweet, the analyst says that information for all regions is not yet available and it is possible that things may be different in some territories. However, given some of the ambitious goals that Sony mentioned before the launch of the console, it seems that there are problems from the production that hinder the momentum of the system.
The tweet from @BenjiSales can be found embedded below.
Despite a world record debut, PlayStation 5 is now selling slower than the PS4 launch lined up in multiple markets (e.g., both Japan and the UK)
Sony has said it wants the fastest transition in history, and the demand is huge. I need to find a way to speed up production
– Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) January 11, 2021
In October, Sony chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki said the company planned to deliver 7.6 million PS5 consoles by March 2021. This number is significantly higher than the 6 million PS4 units the company has delivered in -a similar time interval. With a PS4 underperforming system in some regions, it will be interesting to see if Sony can make up for lost time or not!
These supply issues could be a major issue for Sony. If they continue until 2021, it could affect global console sales and persuade gamers to look for alternative options. Analysts have been divided on whether or not the PS5 can beat its predecessor. In June last year, Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis predicted that the PS5 would fail to sell as many units as the PS4 and predicted the same for the Xbox Series X on the Xbox One. However, Japanese analyst Rakuten Securities estimates that sales for the entire PS5 could exceed 200 million, which would be almost double that of the PS4.
Despite this shaky start, it seems that Sony remains positive about the future. In today’s CES presentation, the company again quoted that the PS5 had the largest release for any Sony console. However, it remains to be seen whether that success will continue or not.
Do you think long-term sales of the PS5 will overshadow the PS4? Have you already found a console? Tell us in the comments or share your opinions directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp let’s talk about all the games!