by 
Sony’s been fighting fires all generation, from pandemic-induced supply shortages through to tariffs. But its latest PS5 price hike, powered by rising component costs, may be a headache it just can’t overcome.
The Games Business journalist Chris Dring reports that sales of Sony’s console fell by 50% in the UK in May, meaning it could only manage to outsell Xbox Series X|S by a 400 measly units. Switch 2 outperformed both without breaking a sweat.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft’s machine saw sales rise by 12% on the back of Forza Horizon 6’s anticipated release. In addition, Dring notes that sales of the PS5 may have been brought forward by the price hike; in other words, consumers likely rushed to get the console before it went up.
But I imagine it’s going to be a really difficult year for Sony, as it limps towards the 100 million units milestone.
Ultimately, like the platform holder has said, it’s going to focus on upselling its existing install base – that’s why you’re seeing so many accessories, like the FlexStrike arcade stick and new 27” PlayStation monitor. It’s also trying to push players towards 12-month PS Plus subscriptions.
While it’s hard to feel sympathy for any billion dollar corporation, I do think Sony’s been dealt a bad hand this generation. Who knows where the PS5 could be without coronavirus, tariffs, and global economy crashes? At the end of the day, it’s just going to have navigate this as best it can.