The PS5 in figures

PlayStation 5. © iStock.

While you may have had extreme difficulty buying the new console since its launch in November, Sony’s manufacturing lines have not been idle since 4.5 million PlayStation 5 were shipped worldwide in 2020. The company’s latest earnings report also shows that Sony did very well overall in the video game business last year, with USD8.4 billion in revenue and a profit of USD763.3 million. These figures are the combined result of the pandemic and the launch of the PS5. The same report also states that the PS5 is a loss leader for Sony, meaning that the consoles are sold for less than they cost to make, Sony banking on the income from game sales and PlayStation Plus subscriptions (87% of PS5 owners have a PlayStation Plus subscription). If you were hoping for PS5 availability to improve in 2021, Hiroki Totoki, Sony’s CFO, has bad news: the worldwide shortage of semiconductors and other components means Sony will be unable to increase production capacity.

⇨ The Verge, Sam Byford, “Sony sold 4.5 million PlayStation 5 consoles last year.”

⇨ Ars Technica, Kyle Orland, “Sony says semiconductor shortage makes increased PS5 production difficult.”

2021-02-03