Sony Radically Doubles PlayStation 5 Production – Because of the Pandemic
Sony is expecting demand to boom for its PlayStation 5 going into 2021, due to the pandemic. | Source: PlayStation/Sony
- Sony is reportedly radically doubling the production of PS5 units ahead of launch later this year.
- The gaming giant aims to produce 5 million units by September, and a further 5 million by the end of 2020.
- The increased demand for gaming products due to the pandemic is reportedly behind the move.
According to new reports from Bloomberg and Nikkei Asian Review , Sony is radically expanding the production of PS5 units ahead of the console’s launch later this year.
Earlier this year, Sony’s plans revolved around pushing out 5 to 6 million units by the end of March 2021. The gaming giant is now reportedly intent on doubling output to 10 million units in response to the heightened demand for entertainment products stirred by the on-going pandemic.
The original figures, arguably conservative given the dominance of Sony’s PS4 during the current generation, were scaled back to the reduced manufacturing capabilities in China spawned by the pandemic’s impact. Supply chain and production levels have since stabilized close to pre-pandemic levels .
According to Bloomberg, Sony has significantly increased orders with assembly partners and suppliers of the console itself as well as the DualSense controller. A similar figure of 10 million units by March 2021 is being reported for the new PS5 controllers to match the console output.
PS5 Forecast Turnaround
In what is a complete turnaround in fortunes and plans, Sony now reportedly expects the demand for the PS5 to far surpass initial expectations as more people turn to console gaming for entertainment.
Fears of a second wave and the expected prolonging of lockdown and work-from-home measures suggest that demand is likely to spike further.
Production of the console began in earnest last month and Sony expects to have 5 million units ready by September. It plans to have a further 5 million PS5 units ready by December.
An anonymous source speaking to Bloomberg claims there are concerns that despite the increased volume of consoles, Sony may struggle to get the PS5 into the hands of would-be owners.
With most units produced in China, there are concerns that shipments may be delayed due to the pandemic, as we saw earlier this year with a worldwide drought of Nintendo Switch . The report points to the volatility of the sea transport, both in terms of travel time and possibly pandemic-linked constraints. Demand for Nintendo console spiked as people stayed home, causing stock shortages that the Japanese giant struggled to refill.
Although the pandemic derailed Sony’s PS5 marketing plans and initial forecasts, these reports suggest much has changed in the interim.
