The PS4 supply chain is apparently in good shape, keeping shortages to a minimum.
Finding a PS4 is pretty difficult right now if you don’t already have one: After selling one million units in North America last Friday, it would be silly to think they wouldn’t be. Console shortages have become a console-launch tradition, but Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andy House says that the PS4 will not be hard to find this holiday season.
“[This is] the first platform launch that I’ve ever been involved with where we’ve had such a good production ramp up and a good sense of supply,” House told Game Informer. “I think that we will be in good supply in the countries that we’ve launched in.”
House attributes that steady stream, in part, to the PS4’s single SKU. The last generation of consoles and the Wii U launched with multiple versions of the hardware available. According to House, having multiple hardware SKUs at launch apparently bothers North American consumers, though the practice plays well in Europe.
As Sony continues to build up stock for their remaining global launches – the PS4 hit stores November 29 in Europe and February in Japan – Sony has to balance their international stockpile with supplying retail stores. Despite the conundrum, House seems confident that everyone who wants to buy a PS4 this year will get the chance.
“We are ensuring that we have the broadest reach to ensure that people are satisfied, especially when they’ve been loyal to brand for so long. On the other hand, we’re not engendering frustration by having a shortage of supply. I think through the holiday season that we’ll be in good supply.”
Sony expects to sell 5 million PS4s worldwide by the end of their fiscal year next March, so they need to get as many consoles as they can into players’ before our national spending frenzy draws to a close.
Source: Game Informer
