Have you tried getting a PlayStation 5 recently, or really ever? If you have, then you know just how frustrating it is to get one. Sony’s newest console sells out quick due to extremely high demand, but unlike previous console generations, this one has not been able to increase the supply. The materials needed to make the PlayStation 5 have been difficult to come by for Sony and that has kept production low for the highly-desired console. That production has been such an issue that it’s now causing Sony to shift its entire console strategy.
The previous-generation PlayStation 4 was supposed to be discontinued at the end of 2021, but according to reports, it seems like Sony will be extending the life of the PlayStation 4 to counter the PlayStation 5 shortages. This means that while PS5’s will continue to be hard to come by, PS4’s should be filling up local shelves and online stores. Via Bloomberg:
Sony Group Corp. will continue producing PlayStation 4 consoles throughout 2022 as it navigates disruptions to the global supply chain that have limited output of its pricier PlayStation 5.
The Japanese conglomerate, whose flagship PS5 console has been in scarce supply since its debut in November 2020, told assembly partners late last year that it would continue making its earlier-generation machine through this year, according to people familiar with the matter. While Sony never officially announced when it would stop making the PS4, it had previously planned to discontinue assembly at the end of 2021, they said, asking not to be named as the plans are not public.
While this is certainly disappointing for anyone who wants a PlayStation 5, it’s not the end of the world. Due to how difficult it’s been to create PS5’s, Sony has been slow to fully transition games over to the PS5 generation. Many of the games that Sony is publishing are also available for the PS4 — it’s only a small handful have truly been PS5 exclusive, and with so many players unable to get a PS5, we can likely expect that to continue. It helps that the difference between this generation and last have so far been minimal, but we do wonder how long that will continue.
The difficulty of producing games for two different generations is that the game being made is either not being pushed to its full capabilities on a technological level, or it’s pushing the previous generation console to its limits. Towards the end of the PS4 generation, we saw games like God of War and Control push the console to its absolute breaking point. Control, in particular, was almost unplayable for anyone with an original PS4 and not the upgraded Pro model. Unfortunately, until PS5’s are readily available, Sony is going to have to continue pushing through these pains.