Sony Corp. plans to produce far fewer units of its upcoming PlayStation 5 in its first year than it had for the previous-generation console’s launch, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Tokyo-based tech giant is limiting its initial production run in part because it expects the PS5’s ambitious specs to weigh on demand, by making it necessary to set a high price at launch, the people said, asking not to be identified because the subject is private. The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected Sony’s promotional plans for the new device but not its production capacity, they added.
The company has told assembly partners it will make 5 to 6 million units of the PS5 in the fiscal year ending March 2021, according to other people involved in the machine’s supply chain. When Sony released the PlayStation 4 in November 2013, it sold 7.5 million units in its first two quarters.