With all of this talk of the European PlayStation 4 launch, it's easy to forget that the shiny new console debuted in Australia overnight as well. And it seems that, as has been the trend worldwide, Sony underestimated the huge demand for the machine. SCE Australia managing director Michael Ephraim was shocked at the numbers that he was receiving. "I’ve never seen demand like we are seeing now with the PS4," he said in a statement.
Ephraim makes it clear that the Japanese giant intends to keep Aussie shelves well stocked, but warns that hardware may still be limited. "Even though we are getting more PS4 consoles in before Christmas, our retail partners tell us that they don’t expect many to be left on the shelves by the time that Christmas comes," he continued. “We will continue to supply the demand, starting in January and every subsequent month until we satisfy Australia’s appetite for the PS4. In the meantime, we thank our fans for their patience – we promise that the PS4 is worth the wait.”
Does this news come as a welcome relief to our Australian readers, or are you too busy winning the ashes? Scream and shout in the comments section below.
[source polygon.com, via vg247.com]
Comments 10
This is genuinely good news for me. I pre-ordered my PS4 months and months ago, but recently found out that I won't actually be getting it till mid December because of shortages. And even then, they couldn't guarantee that it would arrive on time. So to hear an official word that Sony is sending out a tonne more is very heartening.
@k_andersen Did no Australian stores have "spare stock"? It was rare here in the UK, but some shops were selling non pre-ordered units.
@get2sammyb I checked with my local retailers, and they all basically said that they were completely sold out, and weren't expecting any more units till either a second shipment (which appears to be the case here), or until after Christmas. As usual, it's been pretty slim pickens out here in the land of oz. At least in my area, that is.
Let's hope the Mega Pack arrives at my island before the end of the year..
I called every shop and none here had the console of release date and they said that they didn't know when they would arrive.
WOW
@k_andersen D'oh, that's a shame. I suppose it's good that you're getting another shipment before Christmas, though. Hopefully everyone manages to get one.
I got mine today. Small suburban JB Hifi store and they had a surprising amount stacked up behind the counter - 100+. I don't know if they were all pre-orders or not, but I went back to the same store 3 hours later and they only had a half dozen uncollected (at that time) left - presumedly pre-orders of people who didn't have the day off of work. PS4 is going to be huge, just hope Sony can keep up with demand and capitalise on the love they are deservedly getting.
Speaking to the dude at my local (tiny) EB while picking up my PS4. They had over a hundred preorders and thirty consoles come in. Guess lots of people were disappointed . (still had xbones on the shelf!)
@k_andersen There was no stock available anywhere for launch as far as I am aware (perhaps some obscure store). Also, from JB HIfi and EB perspectives, the new pre-Christmas shipments have all already pre-sold (sounds like you are one of those). So none of that stock will actually hit the shelves either. Next stock to physically put a PS4 on the shelf is scheduled in Feb 2014 at this point. Who know if that will pre-sell before we get there too.
It is worth adding that the 360 is huge in Australia. As for as I am aware the PS3 outsold it from about 2010 onwards, but not by massive margins, and the 360s install base from 2006-2009 was much bigger than Sony's. So Xbox is a big brand in Australia with a lot of support.
They've been sold out everywhere since July until January in NZ.
@Ginkgo Yeah. When I suggested to the man at my local JB Hi Fi that there might be extra stock to sell on launch day he just flat-out laughed at me. It seems that Sony sent Australia about 3 PS4's total.
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