Sony explains why PS5 restock drama continues worldwide
Sony's PS5 restock situation is illustrated in weak sales numbers, and explains why May 2022 has been without PlayStation5 stock
Sony is explaining why its PS5 restock struggles continue worldwide into 2022, more than a year-and-a-half since it launched PlayStation 5 console orders in the United States and other parts of the world. The answer? The global chip shortage persists.
Illustrating this is the fact that it sold 19.3 million PS5 consoles since November 2020, which is actually 3.3 million off from its initial forecasts for global PlayStation 5 sales, according to its most recent financial earnings. Demand for the new console remains high, but Sony just can’t keep stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy and GameStop supplied for longer than a few minutes every month
The Xbox Series X restock situation has finally stabilized – it’s back in stock most days of the week, but Microsoft has also struggled with the same lack of chips for its console. It’s once again hard to find the Nintendo Switch OLED in stock, too, and the new Nintendo Switch price drop has certainly driven up demand this week.
Come Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022, we may see big demand for each and every PS5 restock event in the United States, meaning you should strive to get the Sony console before October 2022. That’s when demand will surge again.
Sony’s PS5 restock strategy shift
Plot twist: Sony forecasts it’ll sell 18 million PS5 consoles in the next fiscal year, which is a lofty goal considering the fact that in 17 months, it has only sold 19.2 million PS5 systems. Can it really sell the same number of PS5 consoles in just 12 months?
American retailers who I’ve talked to hope that’s the case because consumers come into their stores every day asking when the next PS5 restock will take place. My PS5 restock exclusive news shows that GameStop will have an in-store restock at the end of the month. But it’s been a very quiet May 2022 at all retailers in the US. We’re still waiting on an Amazon PS5 restock in the next two weeks and see how the changes to the Target PS5 restock shake out in the coming days.
What’s working is the invite-only Sony Direct PS5 restock queue, which includes sending out emails to PlayStation Plus members. GameStop and Antonline selling PS5 in bundles have also deterred resellers, which I can confirm scoop hundreds to thousands of PS5 consoles at Target, Best Buy and Walmart just to profit.
While many of my PS5 restock Twitter tracker followers are demanding the PS5 at MSRP – $499 for PS5 Disc and $399 for PS5 Digital – I expect that come October, we’re going to see people willing to pay through the nose again for that elusive holiday gift, especially if the PSVR 2 pre-order date emerges by then.