Sony released its latest fiscal report today and is the first one to include PS5 sales given that the console released only a couple of months ago. As of March 31st, 2021, the company has sold some 7.8 million PS5 consoles. In comparison, the PS4 sold 7.6 million units within the same timeframe (March 31st, 2014). Despite the PS5 outselling the PS4 in a similar window, demand is still higher than supply for the console.

Sony's report also indicated that during the past fiscal year, it earned $24.4 billion in gaming revenue, sold 338 million games sold for the PS4 and PS5 and that it recorded 47.6 million of PlayStation Plus subscribers (up from 41.5 million at the same point last year).

SOURCE

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

Sony, your wearing your big bobble head on too tight. Maybe deflate it a bit?

(Considering people HAVING TROUBLE BUYING CONSOLES!?)

 

[subcon959]

It kinda shows you how much the demand has risen if they sold more consoles and yet so many people still can't get one.

 

[PewnyPL]

Now the question is, can it be trusted? With how much scalping has been going on, how many consoles are actually with people who want one, and how many are unused, waiting as an eBay listing at a ridiculous price?
How many consoles would actually be sold if not for scalpers?

 

[driverdis]

of course PS5 systems are outselling PS4. Scalpers are buying a majority of the stock as they come out and Sony is sending retail stores very little to no PS4 systems most likely due to parts shortages and the PS5 getting priority when it comes to manufacturing parts.

 

[subcon959]

How many consoles would actually be sold if not for scalpers?

Probably the same, the problem isn't the supply it's the ridiculously high demand due to the massive boom in gaming during the pandemic.

 

[Arras]

of course PS5 systems are outselling PS4. Scalpers are buying a majority of the stock as they come out and Sony is sending retail stores very little to no PS4 systems most likely due to parts shortages and the PS5 getting priority when it comes to manufacturing parts.

it's PS5 sold around PS5 launch compared to PS4s sold around PS4 launch, not compared to now. It's not that Sony's making stupidly low amounts of consoles or something, but production for these (and GPUs too) literally has to be scheduled more than a year in advance, and there was no way to know demand would rise this much. There really isn't anything they can do about it.

 

[Foxi4]

it's PS5 sold around PS5 launch compared to PS4s sold around PS4 launch, not compared to now. It's not that Sony's making stupidly low amounts of consoles or something, but production for these (and GPUs too) literally has to be scheduled more than a year in advance, and there was no way to know demand would rise this much. There really isn't anything they can do about it.

The fact that we're going through a silicon shortage *and* a pandemic at the same time isn't helping either. They're churning those things out as quick as they can, but in my area the systems are sold out within seconds from being put in stock. For the first time in... Well, ever, my preorder actually made sense and was beneficial to me - I don't think I could be bothered following the stock situation if I didn't just have a system with my name on it ready to pick up at launch.

 

[spotanjo3]

I am glad that I got PS5 standard version and I still have a PS4. I will sell PS4 when PS5 get a jailbreak and will be perfectly playing PS3 and PS2 emulators on it. Can't wait!

 

[Deleted member 534570]

That's hilarious seeing as how most of these sales aren't from actual legitimate customers but instead bots and scalpers. What a shame. What also sucks is that the "one-unit-per-customer" rule didn't even work.

 

[raxadian]

Probably the same, the problem isn't the supply it's the ridiculously high demand due to the massive boom in gaming during the pandemic.

There is also a chip shortage and rising shipping costs.

 

[Dust2dust]

People should never, ever buy from a scalper. Let them rot with their overstock. Wait for the console to become available through normal retail channels. If it takes a year, it takes a year. Let the scalpers rot and learn their lesson.

 

[Kraken_X]

People should never, ever buy from a scalper. Let them rot with their overstock. Wait for the console to become available through normal retail channels. If it takes a year, it takes a year. Let the scalpers rot and learn their lesson.

Scalpers will have low firmware models, so they will always be able to sell over MSRP to people looking to mod.

 

[subcon959]

There is also a chip shortage and rising shipping costs.

That probably wasn't relevant for these sales numbers as the orders with TSMC would've been made way before any signs of chip shortages. I think Sony genuinely thought sales would be similar to, or slightly better than, PS4 and only made that many units. Now of course they are losing out on millions because they can't meet demand and are fighting everyone else for wafers. I imagine if they had taken a chance and produced twice as many that they probably would've sold all of them and had crazy launch numbers. Microsoft did pretty much the same thing and are probably kicking themselves too.

 

[Dust2dust]

Scalpers will have low firmware models, so they will always be able to sell over MSRP to people looking to mod.

I gotta admit, you have a point. There had to be one positive aspect of buying from a scalper. But still, that's the exception that confirms the rule.

 

[chrisrlink]

yeah but it's the software sales that brings in the income if scalpers buy 99% of stock (and assuming no idiots feed the scalpers (not likely) then sony is in for a rude awakening cause sold consoles =/= profit it's the software sales which they will lose more of, more than Piracy itself, but personally if hacking bank accounts was legal i'd hack scalper accounts drain their profit from ps5 sales and donate it to charity just for kicks

 

[Xzi]

How many consoles would actually be sold if not for scalpers?

Probably the same number, because the pandemic caused a spike in demand for gaming hardware, and it also created the silicon shortage. With over a hundred million PS4s out in the wild, a ton of those people would love to play their library with PS5 enhancements, doubly so if they could get a PS5 at MSRP.

 

[Deleted member 194275]

People should never, ever buy from a scalper. Let them rot with their overstock. Wait for the console to become available through normal retail channels. If it takes a year, it takes a year. Let the scalpers rot and learn their lesson.

Not ever product released on USA/wester Europe will be available everywhere. It is not the case for the PlayStation line, but a huge range of products arrive in Brazil (and many other countries) only thanks to scalpers.

 

[guisadop]

nice, I guess, but that's basically expected as living standards are slowly raised across the globe and more people have money to spare for frivolities like gaming.
may be a good sign

 

[Viri]

How many of those consoles are being used, and not rotting in some guy's closet?

Also, Sony is creating these consoles at a loss, so scalping is fucking awful for them. They depend more on the person buying the console getting PS+ and blowing money on games. They make their profit back on software and subs.