Data from research and analysis firm Ampere Analysis indicates the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are selling on par with last-gen consoles, yet stock shortages for both systems are significantly curtailing sales potential. Sony and Microsoft launched their new hardware last November, and the inevitability of stock issues was made apparent during the chaotic preorder phase for each device.
Unfortunately, hardly improved upon release; in fact, the confluence of coronavirus, parts shortages, and scalpers only exacerbated such woes. It doesn't appear as though customers will be able to reliably get their hands on the latest consoles for quite some time, either. AMD, the company responsible for each system's chipsets, has said it continues to contend with supply constraints that could last well into the year. Meanwhile, one Microsoft executive recently stated Xbox Series X|S will likely remain in short supply through this coming June. The two systems are still managing to sell remarkably well, however. Xbox Series X|S moved more than one million units on launch day alone, while PS5 had the best console launch in history.
Research and analysis firm Ampere Analysis estimates that though the new consoles are performing on par with their predecessors, the stock shortages are significantly impacting sales potential. According to a GameIndustry.biz report, data from the firm indicates Xbox Series consoles have sold 2.8 million units, just shy of the 2.9 million Xbox One systems shifted during the same launch timeframe. PlayStation 5, on the other hand, is at pace with PS4's post-launch sales, which reached 4.2 million units sold in the months following its late 2013 roll out. As GamesIndustry.biz notes, the PS4 accomplished this feat despite Sony's home country of Japan not receiving the console until February 2014. Ampere is of the mind that PS5 would've eclipsed five million in sales were in not for supply constraints. In addition, the firm anticipates PS5 will sell between 7.6 million and 8 million units by the end of this March. Should this prediction come to pass, the new console will have outperformed the PS4's sales of 7.5 million by the end of March 2014.
While Ampere's analysis of the situation seems to point out the obvious, it's interesting to see real data reflecting what fans and pundits have been saying for months. Under normal circumstances, these consoles from Microsoft and Sony would have undoubtedly achieved even greater market performance.
Perhaps that's not as true as many have come to believe, though? After all, the effects of the pandemic pushed digital sales and individual gaming divisions to new heights. Both Xbox and Ubisoft just reported their most profitable quarters ever, for example. Plus, Activision's stock reached an all-time high earlier this year. While the pandemic is undeniably stifling potential sales of next-gen hardware, it's also possible the pandemic has simultaneously created unprecedented demand for said devices.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz