Finding a PlayStation 5 for retail prices has been a real headache for a while. And Sony says it’s not going to get better anytime soon. While chatting with analysts, Sony warned they probably wouldn’t be able to meet demand through 2022.
“I don’t think demand is calming down this year and even if we secure a lot more devices and produce many more units of the PS5 next year, our supply wouldn’t be able to catch up with demand,” Totoki told analysts according to Bloomberg.
These comments differ slightly from those made by SIE CEO Jim Ryan, who struck a more hopeful tone last month. “We are asking our suppliers to allow us to increase production, which will flow into the market this year.”
A global chip shortage is causing issues across the board. Graphics cards, PlayStations, Xboxes, and Nintendo Switches are all difficult to find. Toss scalpers and bots into the mix, and it takes a lot of hunting (and waiting) to find these products at retail prices.
Auction sites like StockX are a popular way for scalpers to make a quick buck flipping new console hardware. With StockX, you can even track how many sales have been made. About 140,000 PlayStation 5’s (US version) have been sold. And if you want one today, you’re going to be paying close to $800 for the Blu-Ray version and $720 for the digital version.
The Xbox Series X isn’t quite as expensive at $660 today. Think these prices are ridiculous? Don’t even look at GPUs. An RTX 3080 goes for 200%+ its retail price.
With the global chip shortage showing no signs of slowing and scalpers looking for easy money – expect the PS5 shortage to continue until the end of the year. And if you can’t wait any longer, prepare to fork over a couple of hundred extra bucks for one.