More than a year after its launch, PlayStation 5 continues to be very difficult to buy, due to the semiconductor crisis, which shows no sign of diminishing in intensity. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, to cope with the shortage of next-generation consoles, Sony would be increasing the production of PlayStation 4, a decidedly bizarre, if real, strategy.
PlayStation 5 nowhere to be found: Sony focuses on PlayStation 4?
It is important to underline, first of all, that there has not been any kind of official announcement from Sony on this subject, so what we are talking about is in effect a rumor. According to Bloomberg sources, the Japanese company would have asked its own producers in China to step up production of the PlayStation 4 compared to last year, despite the fact that the sales figures for this console are physiologically lowering.
According to what is reported by the Bloomberg editorial staff, the idea behind this strategy would be to guarantee potential PlayStation users a relatively affordable alternative to be able to play on the Sony ecosystem, without exacerbating relations with manufacturing companies at the same time.
Sony will continue producing PlayStation 4 consoles throughout 2022 as it navigates supply-chain disruptions that have limited output of its pricier PlayStation 5 https://t.co/IO2ctMPUqU
— Bloomberg (@business) January 12, 2022
In this regard, many have already theorized a possible price cut for PS4 in the near future, even if here we are moving in the field of mere speculation. This is a bizarre strategy, as we said at the beginning, but it makes sense if we think that the micro chip crisis should last until at least 2023.
From this point of view Sony would be doing nothing but maintaining relations with its producers, trying to take time to find new sources of supply to use for the production of new ones. PlayStation 5. Of course, it must be said that from the consumer’s point of view the situation is not exciting.
Sony’s answer
As soon as the rumor in question reached the international press, Sony’s response was not long in coming, in the form of a statement on the Japanese site Gigazine. In this speech, the Japanese giant denied that it intends to increase the production of the PlayStation 4 to address the shortage of PS5 stocks, however it has also confirmed that it will continue the production of the last generation consoles.
The 500 GB black PlayStation 4 continues to be produced and marketed, while the others are currently out of production. Element that suggests that actually filling up the lack of PlayStation 5 is not in Sony’s plans, given that the more performing versions of the old console have not been put back on the assembly line.
In short, Sony’s plans regarding the next gen remain rather cryptic at the moment, but it is likely that the technology giant is gearing up behind the scenes to ensure stable supply chains. Unfortunately, however, it is very likely that before 2023 the situation of scarcity of consoles is destined to remain so.