Many people really want to have a PlayStation 5, but the demand is so high that retailers can hardly keep up. Now it was possible to buy a PS5 at the official PlayStation Direct store in the USA. But the joy lasted only about half an hour. The demand for the hardware remains unbroken.
Here’s the deal: As soon as PlayStation Direct announced that consoles were available, they were already sold out again. PlayStation Direct is Sony’s own sales platform for hardware and console accessories in the USA.
But even here, the restock did not last long. For about half an hour, the PlayStation 5 could be bought at PlayStation Direct, but after 34 minutes the supply was exhausted.
And this is not an isolated case. Anyone who has been diligently following PS5 offers will have noticed how interested parties rush to every possible deal. Whether you have successfully managed to purchase a PS5 can be told in our MeinMMO survey on PS5.
Buy PS5 – the demand remains unbroken
The quick sellout at PlayStation Direct also shows how high the demand for the new next-gen console is.
Sony released the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition about 4 months ago, on November 19, 2020. However, the demand has not decreased since then. Since then, numerous interested parties have been trying their luck to get a console under unusual circumstances.
Meanwhile, many users wish that Sony could manufacture more consoles so that bots and scalpers do not continue to do their thing, buying up consoles and then selling them expensively on eBay.
Here’s why everyone wants a PS5: There are various reasons for the high demand:
- In terms of price, the PlayStation 5 promises to be a good offer. For 500 euros, you get a console that offers 4K performance. Graphics cards for desktop PCs cost significantly more. The PS5 costs only slightly more compared to the PlayStation 4 Pro (currently around 300 euros).
- Due to the Corona pandemic, many people are sitting at home and spending their free time in front of their PC and console. Many want to buy graphics cards or gaming consoles as a result.
- Sony has created a large user base since the release of the PlayStation 4. Officially, over 100 million PS4 consoles have been sold. Here, interest in a new console is correspondingly high.
- It had been known in advance that interested parties cannot buy a PS5 in retail and therefore rely on online trade.
The Corona pandemic also restricts production, resulting in fewer devices being available.
Even Sony’s hands are tied in production
How is Sony trying to meet the demand? It had already been stated in advance, that Sony wants to significantly increase PS5 console production. Around 10 million consoles were to be manufactured. However, one must consider that the consoles are sold worldwide.
On the other hand, Sony’s hands are tied because they are dependent on suppliers in manufacturing. Sony’s CEO Jim Ryan has now explained why it is so difficult to get a PS5.
And the biggest problem here are semiconductors, which are needed almost everywhere. Due to Corona, the demand for office devices such as laptops, computers, and monitors has increased, making the materials highly sought after as well.
If you are interested in why Sony has difficulty keeping up with restocking, check out this article. Here we explain the reasons for the current shortage:
Demand for PS5 is still enormous – Why is there so little restock?
