If Sony is expected to share pricing and pre-order details for its PlayStation 5 during a new digital event tomorrow, the company may not be in the best position to kick off the new console generation. According to a new report form Bloomberg, production yield issues with the PlayStation 5’s SoC, which is manufactured by TSMC, have forced Sony to decrease its PS5 production numbers to just 11 million PlayStation 5 consoles for this fiscal year ending in March 31, 2021. This represents 4 million less PS5 units than what the company expected to manufacture during this fiscal year.
“The Tokyo-based electronics giant in July boosted orders with suppliers in anticipation of heightened demand for gaming in the holiday season and beyond, as people spend more time at home due to the coronavirus. But the company has come up against manufacturing issues, such as production yields as low as 50% for its SOC, which have cut into its ability to produce as many consoles as it wishes, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the deliberations aren’t public. Yields have been gradually improving but have yet to reach a stable level, they added,” the report reads.
With the PlayStation 4 being the clear leader of this console generation, demand for the PlayStation 5 is expected to be very high this holiday season. According to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Masahiro Wakasugi, Sony could price its PlayStation at $449, undercutting Microsoft’s Xbox Series X by $50, while the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition “may dip below $400.” Microsoft also has a discless console with the $299 Xbox Series S, though this console is less powerful than both the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X.
Microsoft will open pre-orders for the Xbox Series X and Series S on September 22, and the two consoles will be available on November 10 in all Xbox markets. Sony is also expected to start shipping its PlayStation 5 consoles in November, and we hope to get more details during the PlayStation showcase at 1PM PT tomorrow.
