PS5 restock hunters, you're going to have to hunker down for the holidays, because it's going to get even rougher.
If you feel like Sony's current-gen console is already hard to find, you're in (bad) luck: it's only going to be tougher to find one. That's because according to BGR, Sony is slashing their PS5 production output.
Supply constraints are the official reason for the company's decision to limit the production of PlayStation 5 consoles.
Instead of producing around 16 million units, Sony is bumping it down to just 15 million just before their fiscal year ends in March 2022 (it started in April 2021).
This news comes after Hiroki Totoki, Sony's Chief Financial Officer, warned the company that supplies of the hardware needed to build PS5 consoles will be greatly affected by the global shortage, reports Fox Business.
But despite that, Totoki claimed that the company is doing everything it can to bring consoles to people who really want it.
As such, Sony is reportedly in almost daily contact with their suppliers to confirm whether console shipments would be delayed or on-time.
Chip Shortage Still Has PS5 Supplies On The Ropes
It has been a while since the global semiconductor shortage began, and it hasn't slowed down enough.
PS5 supplies are still low because there's simply not enough hardware around to build a lot of them. And while opinions on when the shortage will end vary, many industry analysts believe things would only ease up by 2023 at the earliest, writes PopSci.
It's going to be a long wait, but analysts say the production is going to catch up sooner or later. Prices will go down, according to them, if you're willing to wait.
Read also: Verizon PS5 Christmas Restock to Arrive: Here's What You Need to Become Eligible for the Deal
PS5 Sales Are Still Through The Roof
The PlayStation 5 has been out for only a year now, and yet, it's already one of the fastest-selling gaming consoles of all time.
Sony revealed back in October that they've already sold 13.4 million PS5 units, even if stocks of the current-gen console remain scarce in official retailers' shelves.
Retailers Getting Crafty
While Sony claims they're doing what they can to solve the supply issues on the backend, retailers are now getting creative just to help folks get their hands on the new hot commodity.
Big-name retailers such as Walmart are instituting PS5 order paywalls, in an attempt to ensure that only actual people could place orders. That's because part of the supply shortage is due to scalpers using bots en-masse to place multiple orders for PS5 consoles, so they can re-sell them at inflated prices.
Walmart's solution involves asking buyers to spend an extra $13 a month for a Walmart Plus subscription. Best Buy is also using a paywall to curb bot-based purchases, by asking folks to put down a $200 yearly fee just to get a PS5 order through.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
