The launch of the PS5 marked the beginning of next generation gaming for Sony fans, but many are still waiting for their chance to get one. Discussing its plans for the console in the future, a Sony spokesperson set out a few goals the company has and explained how likely it is to reach them. According to the report, Sony is on track to sell 7.6 million PS5s by the end of March, but its long-term goal is by no means guaranteed. By the end of the next fiscal year (April 2021 to March 2022), Sony wants to sell more than 14.6 million PS5 consoles in hopes of outperforming the PS4's second fiscal year sales.
If Sony were able to produce PS5s as fast as customers are wanting to buy them, reaching this goal would be a piece of cake, but unfortunately that's not the case. Instead, it faces shortages of certain parts that are vital to the composition of the console, in large part due to the effects of the global pandemic that is still ravaging the world.
The part in question is called a semiconductor, and it's currently suffering from a global shortage. This means that AMD won't be able to make as many PS5 chips, resulting in continued supply issues for the console. This is expected to last at least through the first half of 2021, but the problem could continue beyond that depending on a multitude of factors. This affects Sony in terms of meeting its sales goals, but also directly affects customers and prospective PS5 owners, as it means shortages will continue for some time.
Under normal circumstances, it's not unusual for Sony or Microsoft to struggle to meet the demand for their new consoles, but the pandemic has made this issue exponentially worse. Fans would expect to see stock steadily entering the market by April at the latest, but instead it will likely continue to trickle in. That said, if Sony does manage to meet its goals, a lot of people will finally get their hands on the console.
If Sony sells 7.6 million PS5s by the end of March that will have been an average of approximately 55,000 PS5s sold per day. As long as the rate of PS5 sales can keep up with that pace, then Sony will meet its goal and even exceed it by a few million units. It's difficult to gauge just how many people are trying to buy the PS5, but over the next year there will continue to be more added to the market.
The PS5 is available now.
Source: Sony Q3 FY 2020