Sony ‘to double PS5 production to meet demand due to pandemic’

Sony is reportedly boosting production of the upcoming PlayStation 5 console with an expectation that home entertainment demand will be higher due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company is now aiming to manufacture around 10 million units of the PS5 ahead of the launch this winter, up from a minimum of five previously.

However logistical challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic could suppress sales by preventing Sony from shipping the product and getting it on to shop shelves, Bloomberg reported.

According to Bloomberg, which spoke to suppliers, Sony began mass production of the PS5 in June and expects to have assembled five million units by the end of September – with another five million coming between October and December.

Two versions of the new console were revealed online in June, a standard PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition, which appears not to have a disc drive.

Sony also showed fans the PS5’s new haptic controller, HD camera, pulse 3D wireless headset, media remote and dual charging station.

A specific release date and pricing are not yet available.

It comes seven years after the launch of the PS4 in November 2013, and suggests Sony is confident it could far surpass the record 4.2 million units which that console sold by the end of the year.

The PS5 will be competing directly with Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X console, which is due to launch around the same time.