News A Year with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S: Pandemic Demand and Different Business Models

[Admin]

One year into the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S life cycles, we look back at a year of incredible supply and demand, lots of scalping, comparisons to PC gaming and which games made their marks.

A Year with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S: Pandemic Demand and Different Business Models : Read more

 

[Heat_Fan89]

It was a trudge but I managed to score a Series S and X and a PS5 disc version. This situation is only going to get worse with supply shortages.

 

[cryoburner]

It was a trudge but I managed to score a Series S and X and a PS5 disc version. This situation is only going to get worse with supply shortages.

In terms of hardware sales, the PS5 sold roughly the same number of units as the PS4 during their first four quarters on the market, with both selling around 13.5 million units worldwide. Microsoft doesn't release specific sales numbers for their consoles anymore, but has stated on multiple occasions that the Series S/X have been selling faster than their prior console launches, with it being estimated that they have sold somewhere around 8 million units during that same period. So, it's not like supply has fallen significantly behind what they had planned. They undoubtedly reserved their chip production years in advance, after all, so chip shortages are unlikely to be that much of a concern.

There was likely an increase in demand, however, due to people spending more time at home, particularly last year. And while their supply of components has likely met what they had planned in advance, they have likely been unable to increase supply beyond those initial plans. While console availability might still be tight this holiday season, I would expect it to get better, unless there happened to be another major pandemic surge or something that were to keep a large portion of the population at home. But even then, I think businesses and medical institutions should be more prepared to minimize disruptions at this point.

The situation with graphics cards for PCs is a bit different, since much of the current shortages are the result of crypto mining demand, similar to what happened a few years prior. So card shortage recovery will be more dependent on mining profitability, or the lack thereof.

 

[adamboy64]

Can't wait for them to hit shelves!

 

[elementalRealms]

~Meanwhile : Nintendo is sleeping.

 

[blppt]

By the time I actually find a PS5 (non digital edition) in stock at a local B&M store, we'll be months away from PS6.

 

[TerryLaze]

~Meanwhile : Nintendo is sleeping.

Nintendo is selling people n64 games as a $35 premium subscription..what more do you want.
It's not like nintendo has some magical way of making more consoles than ms or sony.

 

[VforV]

I stopped looking for a PS5 and upgraded my PC when BTC was lowest this year and the prices too, and that proved to be the best decision so far.

Seeing Sony will release even more exclusives on PC, reaffirms that decision. I know those games will look and play better on my PC (not to mention mods).

Now if they would only bring Gran Turismo 7 and all the Soulsborne games to PC, that would be amazing. It will probably never happen, with GT7 at least, but I bough a PS3 only for GT5 and GT6 and I bought a PS4 Pro only for Bloodborne, so those games can still "force" me to buy a PS5 eventually LOL.

 

[gggplaya]

The situation with graphics cards for PCs is a bit different, since much of the current shortages are the result of crypto mining demand, similar to what happened a few years prior. So card shortage recovery will be more dependent on mining profitability, or the lack thereof.

Bitcoin just hit an all time high of $68,000. I don't think that's slowing down anytime soon.

 

[TerryLaze]

Bitcoin just hit an all time high of $68,000. I don't think that's slowing down anytime soon.

Well, bubbles are called bubbles because they can pop at any time...
Not saying that it will happen soon or that it will happen but it can happen extremely fast if and when.