Sony is preparing for the PS5 release in 2020, but now they must reduce their production. The reason for this is the system chip, which cannot be manufactured quickly enough. Now Sony contradicts the reports: They have no intention to change production.
By the end of the year 2020, Sony wanted to produce 10 million units and 15 million by the end of the fiscal year. Sony’s fiscal year always ends on March 31 of the following year. However, according to Bloomberg.com, that will not happen.
Update: Meanwhile, Sony has responded to the report by Bloomberg. Sony states:
We have not changed the production numbers for PlayStation 5 since the beginning of mass production.
Sony, via Bloomberg.com
This means that Sony still wants to produce 15 million units by March 2021. However, Sony does not comment on production issues with the chips.
Reasons for the reduction in production: The central component of the PlayStation 5 is the system-on-chip (or SOC).
In an SOC, almost all important functions of a system are integrated into a chip. Especially smartphones or small computers like the Raspberry Pi rely on a so-called SOC architecture.
However, there are reportedly problems in manufacturing, as anonymous sources explain to Bloomberg. This is mainly because the production is not as efficient as it should be. Production is currently reported to be at 50%.
Fans are still waiting in vain for important information like a release date and a price for the PS5. Here, the competition is already further ahead: Microsoft has now officially confirmed the release and price of the Xbox Series X.
Update September 16, 2020: We have adjusted the article with new information.
Will the reduction impact the release of the PS5?
The PlayStation 4 sold 13.5 million units worldwide in the first year after its release in 2013, including 1 million units in Germany (via PCMagazin.de). Since then, the user base of the PlayStation has grown significantly, which means the demand is likely much higher than it was in 2013.
To avoid potential shortages and delays, Sony has reportedly ordered around 60 cargo planes to ensure that the consoles reach the markets on time, according to the head of the transportation company “Delta Airlines Cargo” (via gamerant.com).
Fans remain optimistic before the PS5 release
This is what the fans say: Fans have also commented on the reduction in production. Here, the concerns are lower than among analysts:
- For example, Aclysmic writes on reddit, “11 million is a lot, so there’s no need to worry about not being able to get one.”
- Also, Shatt77 is optimistic: “I can’t believe 11 million still isn’t enough. Come on… 11 million. I can’t imagine only a million people are online refreshing the page to preorder in the first minutes.”
- Other fans also say: The price is higher than with the PS4 and the number of units is also higher. What could go wrong?
What “alternative” is there? Should the PS5 be sold out, there is still the option for some hardcore fans to buy a gold PS5. The gold PS5 console is unlikely to sell out quickly, but it will cost a large amount of money.
