PlayStation 5 first launched in several territories, including North America and Japan, earlier this month on November 12th. Sony remains silent about specific sales numbers, but there is reason to celebrate. This particular release now counts as the company’s “biggest console launch ever.” With that in mind, along with the drama surrounding the product’s scarcity, it comes as no surprise that Sony is boasting about PS5’s “unprecedented demand.” Thankfully, Sony aims to satisfy said demand as the year wears on. By the end of 2020, the console manufacturer promises that more consoles will be available at retailers.
Sony made note of all of the above in a celebratory tweet earlier this morning, thanking players for their ongoing support. The post in question appears as follows,
We want to thank gamers everywhere for making the PS5 launch our biggest console launch ever. Demand for PS5 is unprecedented, so we wanted to confirm that more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year – please stay in touch with your local retailers.
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) November 25, 2020
Considering the PS4’s launch in late 2013 counted as the biggest console launch in general, this indicates that PS5 now takes on the crown. GamesIndustry.biz notes as much in its own write-up, recalling how PS4 moved over 2.1 million units in only two weeks’ time. If PS5 is indeed the biggest console launch to date, it stands to reason Sony’s latest hardware has shifted at least a couple million units and then some, thus far. Again, the company’s silence about specifics makes it difficult to pin down any concrete comparisons at this time.
As many have noticed, limited supply isn’t the sole issue with regards to the console’s scarcity. Scalpers are using shady tactics and bots to secure as many PS5 orders as possible, all in an effort to resale the devices above market price. In fact, a scalper group in the UK, CrepChiefNotify, has reportedly obtained upwards of 3,500 systems, more than any legitimate retailer seems to have in stock. What Sony and its retail partners will do to combat this issue presently remains to be seen.
The PS5 is out now in most parts of the world, though many asian countries have yet to receive the product. It hits stores in Malaysia and the Philippines on December 11th, while Indonesian launch is slated for early 2021.
[Source: PlayStation on Twitter]
