PlayStation 5 Output is Expected to be Limited in First Year
Sony reportedly plans to produce fewer units of its upcoming PlayStation 5 in its first year than it had for the previous-generation console’s launch, according to Bloomberg.
The company is limiting its initial production run in part because it expects the PS5’s ambitious specs to weigh on demand by leading to a high price at launch, Bloomberg reports, citing unnamed sources. The global Covid-19 pandemic has also affected Sony’s promotional plans for the new device but not its production capacity. The company has reportedly told assembly partners it would make 5 to 6 million units of the PS5 in the fiscal year ending March 2021.
Game developers who’ve been creating titles for the next PlayStation anticipate its price to be in the region of $499 to $549. Currently, Sony sells the PS4 for $300 and the higher-end PS4 Pro for $400. The company may cut these prices around the time of the PS5 launch to stimulate new subscribers for the PlayStation Plus membership program and PlayStation Now game-streaming service.
Sony’s strategy could be to rely on PlayStation 4 models as a bridge to get new users onto the PlayStation platform’s network services while the PS5 remains in limited supply.
Sony declined to comment.
Sony archrival Microsoft Corp. is expected to release its next-generation Xbox at the end of the year. The close contest for attention between the PlayStation and Xbox may force both companies to sell their new consoles at a loss.