The PlayStation 5 broke the record for the biggest console launch ever in the UK, VGC understands.
According to publishing sources speaking to VGC, launch sales of the Sony console far exceeded the previous UK record holder, the 2013 PlayStation 4, which sold some 250,000 units in the past. its first 48 hours.
This means the PS5 far exceeded sales of the launch of the Xbox Series X and S in the region, which VGC said had sold around 155,000 units on day one.
Largest console launched in UK
VGC understands that the most popular PS5 model at launch was the most expensive disc player edition, which, like the X Series, accounted for around two-thirds of UK launch sales.
However, there are a few caveats with the sales figures: Due to significant supply constraints for the Xbox Series X / S and PS5, the consoles would likely have sold even better if more stock were available.
Likewise, any additional stock during the Xbox Series X / S or PS5 launch window will almost certainly be depleted, especially as pre-orders made up the vast majority of current hardware sales, limiting the number of units. available to first day buyers. .
The owner of the platform that sells the most consoles in the coming months will almost certainly be the one who can get the most shares in the market.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has not yet shared any sales figures for PlayStation 5. However, last week it claimed that, globally, the PS5 had the biggest console launch sales in the world. story, suggesting that she has sold over 2 million world records previously set by PS4.
Sony has previously said it plans to sell more than 7.6 million PS5 units by the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2021, outperforming the PS4 launch for the same period.
Supply issues are expected to continue for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 this year, due to the impact of Covid-19 on delivery times.
A Microsoft executive recently said the company expects Xbox Series X / S shortages to continue through April 2021, while PlayStation said demand for the PS5 was “unprecedented.”
With the availability of consoles not meeting launch demand, PS5 scalpers are currently looking to cash in on them by selling them at exorbitant prices in markets like eBay, where a significant number of consoles have already sold for more than double their cost. Retail price.
More PS5 and Xbox Series X / S stock should be available as Christmas approaches, but Microsoft has suggested it could change the way future consoles are pre-ordered, to avoid the kind of chaotic online retail experiences. observed this month. .
Xbox director Phil Spencer told The Verge that Microsoft has considered giving customers the option to deposit a deposit and reserve a console with a guaranteed delivery date.
“We had some real discussions internally on, should I be able to reserve my slot? I am going to put in some money, I know my machine will be built on January 20, and I will have it on February 1, ”he said. “We have clients who would do it today.”
He added, “We want people to feel like there are consoles to buy, and it’s not just the day when everyone can go get their console.
“I don’t know if this is the right decision in today’s world. It’s a very old thought, people will line up outside a store, kind of like the thought of the last decade. I think we should question ourselves about this. Is this really the consumer supply chain we’re talking about a reality? We have also discussed this with our trading partners. “
Spencer went on to say that he believed Microsoft and Sony were “bemoaning” the way pre-orders have gone for their next-gen consoles, and the “many upset customers” they were having trouble getting hardware.
