This week, a report surfaced that offered some stunning details about the production of Sony's PlayStation 5. According to inside sources, the company is struggling to compete for specific components and as such the manufacturing costs of the PS5 have risen. This has also led Sony to cut at least one feature from its plans, in order to ensure that the next-gen console is both affordable and available this holiday season.
Among the changes to the PS5 plan, Bloomberg reports that there was once a mirrorless camera included with the console but Sony has since had to abandon that idea. The feature was abandoned not because it didn't work or wasn't viable but because a supply shortage for parts has increased the manufacturing costs of the console.
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While unconfirmed, the report claims that a shortage of DRAM and NAND flash memory has put the manufacturing cost of the PS5 around $450. The components are in such short supply because mobile phone manufacturers are also vying for them in use in the next generation of 5G-capable phones.
Based on that $450 manufacturing cost, estimates suggest that Sony could be looking to sell the PS5 at a bare minimum of $470 just to make a small margin. The report points out that Sony's focus is not on making a profit out of the gate, as most PS5 launch games will also be available on PS4, but that is still on the high end of PS5 price projections.
But although Sony is forced to overpay for certain components, the company is also reportedly opting for higher-end parts to ensure a quality product. The PS5's cooling system, for example, is said to be much more expensive than what is typical in a similar product. Apparently, Sony wants to ensure optimal heat dissipation for a console that is going to have high specs. This detail could also lend credence to the rumors of the PS5's design, which features a large V shape of vents on the top.
It's unlikely that Sony will confirm any of the reports about manufacturing costs, but this is a significant detail if true. This is reportedly why Sony is waiting to hear the Xbox Series X price before announcing the PS5 price in order to ensure the console isn't too far above its major competition. Still, it sounds like Sony doesn't have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to pricing the PS5 any lower than the high $400 range.
Source: Bloomberg