Although the PlayStation 5 is expected to be an expensive games console, it looks as though purchasing one over the holidays is going to be easier than previously thought.
As The Verge reports, multiple sources are reporting that Sony has decided to ramp up production of its next-gen console by 50 percent. Back in April, it was reported that Sony was thought to be limiting production of the PS5 due to the high price, but also because of coronavirus limiting component supply and pushing up costs. However, the situation has changed.
Sony was originally planning to get six million PS5 consoles manufactured by March 2021, but now the estimate is as high as 10 million. For comparison, over the same launch period for the PS4, Sony managed to sell 7.5 million, so there's at least a chance the new console could beat the old one if people are willing to pay whatever the final price is. Also, we can't forget Sony is offering two versions of the PS5 at launch, one is expected to be cheaper than the other due to a lack of an optical drive.
As to why production is being increased, apparently Sony has seen an uptick in demand for at-home entertainment driven by the coronavirus pandemic forcing consumers to not leave home very much. The positive feedback from the PS5 unveiling last month has surely also filled Sony with confidence that millions of gamers are eager to buy the new console.
Microsoft has an opportunity to put a dent in that enthusiasm next week when new footage and fresh details for a number of first-party Xbox Series X games are set to be revealed. It's also thought that Microsoft is waiting to see what price Sony reveals for the PS5 before undercutting it.
Further Reading
- Robots Assemble a PS4 Every 30 Seconds
- Nintendo's President Apologizes for Joy-Con Drift
- Xbox Dev Kit Release Notes Mention Lockhart
- Sony Offers $50K for Critical PS4 Vulnerabilities
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