With the ongoing pandemic putting a strain on the video game industry, there have been tons of gamers curious about how it could affect the upcoming console launches. While some expect that the PS5 and Xbox Series X to eventually shift to 2021, both console's manufactures seem steadfast in their belief that fall 2020 release dates are happening.
But although the PS5 may still launch this year, a new report suggests that it might be harder to find. According to an anonymous source speaking to Bloomberg, Sony is expected to limit the PS5 supply in its launch window because it “expects the [console's] ambitious specs to weigh on demand.”
The report claims that the price of the upcoming PS5 will play a large factor in both production and early adoption. Compared to the PS4, which sold 7.5 million in its first two quarters, Sony expects the PS5 to have between 5 to 6 million units available before the fiscal year ends in March 2021.
By no means is this a massive disparity, but it could mean that finding a PS5 will be a lot harder than some anticipate. The PS4 sold very well at launch and even broke some records, but it was not impossible to find. However, if the PS5's stock is smaller, there might be a lot of gamers left wanting this holiday season.
On the flip side, the decreased supply is also a response to the lower anticipated demand for Sony's console. The anonymous source thinks that the PS5 will be at least $499 and could be as much as $549. When Sony launched the PS4 with a price point of $399 it was seen as a big power move, and it helped the company dominate this current console generation. Where Microsoft took risks in its pricing and packaged features, Sony tried to keep things simple and was rewarded for it.
This time around, though, things might not be as easy. With the current pandemic likely limiting developers, there have been rumors that the next-gen launch line-up for games will be fairly small. Both companies will instead rely on backward compatibility with the current-gen fall releases to help move systems, but that might be a difficult task the more these consoles cost.
If the report is accurate it does sound as though Sony expects players to be more reticent to the PS5 out of the gate. Still, with the current situation, it might be best to try to secure a PS5 pre-order as soon as possible.
Sony's PlayStation 5 is set to release fall 2020.
Source: Bloomberg