Sony CEO Confirms PlayStation 5 Is Sold Out Around The World
If you haven't got your mitts on Sony's PlayStation 5 yet, we've got some bad news. Sony Interactive CEO Jim Ryan has confirmed the latest addition to the family is officially sold out around the world.
Well, that didn't take long, did it? We always knew it was going to be a close-fought race as Microsoft and Sony rolled out their next-gen consoles. Although the PS5 had to play catch-up, it sounds like it's overtaking the Xbox Series X at an exponential rate. In Japan alone, the PS5 outsold the Xbox Series X by four times.
Sadly, if you don't have a PS5 already in your possession or someone's has bought you one for Christmas, don't expect to find that giant box under your tree on December 25. We always knew the PS5 would be a big seller, but in the midst of COVID-19 affecting supply chains and manufacturing, Sony has struggled to keep up with demand.
Discussing PS5 stocks with TASS, Ryan told the site, "Everything is sold. Absolutely everything is sold. I’ve spent much of the last year trying to be sure that we can generate enough demand for the product. And now in terms of my executive bandwidth, I’m spending a lot more time on trying to increase supply to meet that demand".
Although it's great news for Sony's bank balance, it's a cutting blow for anyone hoping to nab one in time for the festive period. With the PS5 officially sold out, expect to see resales to go through the roof and the console going for ludicrous prices on auction sites and online marketplaces. Expanding on what the console's break-neck launch has been like, Ryan mused, "Of all the things that I've learned this year, one is that I wouldn't plan on doing another big console launch in the midst of a global pandemic, and I wouldn't recommend it to anybody else.
"It's been difficult, it's been challenging from the production side, not being able to get anybody into the factories in Asia... Before we started production, we had to do all the manufacturing preparation by camera remotely. I mean, just imagine that for a precision device like the PlayStation 5".
Of course, just because Sony has shipped all its consoles, that doesn't mean they can't be found elsewhere. There are whispers that some retailers have been holding consoles back for their Black Friday bonanzas, however, be warned, stock is expected to be very limited. Ryan is hopeful that more stock will be "coming soon" - which is about as vague as you can get when it comes to restocking.
The pandemic has been a double-edged sword for tech companies. There's been a boom in the gaming industry in general thanks to us spending a lot more time at home. That being said, it means manufacturers have possibly underestimated demand. Sony is still keeping its exact sales figures under wraps, but by the sounds of it, it's been a bumper period for the PS5. Here's hoping we get more stock soon.
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