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This holiday season will be very interesting to follow; not only are PS5 consoles more expensive than ever, but the biggest game of the generation, GTA 6, is on the way this November.
These two facts are somewhat intertwined, as there will be many people looking to pick up a PS5 so they can play the latest Grand Theft Auto game, which is of course skipping PS4.
In a recent report from The Game Business, it’s possible that, despite the major price hikes for consoles, supply won’t be able to meet demand, leading to shortages.
An anonymous source from a “major games retailer” says consoles will be in short supply over the holiday season.
“We’ve been informed that because of the on-going issues around hardware component availability, we won’t be getting the units we want ahead of [GTA 6],” the source tells The Game Business. “Demand will likely outstrip supply during the year end period.”
As mentioned, GTA 6 is only launching for current-gen machines, meaning there could be a vast number of PS4 owners looking to finally upgrade in order to play Rockstar’s latest.
You have to wonder whether the sticker shock of even a base PS5 these days may put many people off.
Interestingly, PS5 had a dreadful month in May this year — the worst in terms of unit sales in over 25 years. That’s largely because of the increased price tag.
This doesn’t quite align with the warning about shortages, but the GTA 6 factor could change things.
Anyway, The Game Business says Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki is confident enough PS5 consoles have been produced. However, on the Xbox side, chief strategy officer Matthew Ball says it already can’t keep up with demand.
Tricky stuff. If you’re planning on picking up a PS5 along with GTA 6, it might be wise to get one sooner rather than later. They might not be readily available, and the way things are going, PS5 could go up in price even higher.
[source thegamebusiness.com]
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Stephen has been part of the Push Square team for over six years, bringing boundless enthusiasm and a deep knowledge of video games to his role as Assistant Editor. Having grown up playing every PlayStation console to date, he’s developed an eclectic taste, with particular passion for indie games, arcade racers, and puzzlers. He’s also our go-to guy for Sonic-related matters, much to his delight/chagrin.