Sales figures for 2020 continue to roll in. The latest to join the party is Sony, which is boasting some figures that, on the face of it, are impressive. Especially considering the widespread console shortages that saw 2020 out.
Sony Sold 4.5 Million PS5 Consoles in 2020
Despite Sony only launching the PS5 in November 2020, it sold 4.5 million consoles between launch and December 31st that same year. Obviously, this figure splits between the standard and digital editions of the PlayStation 5.
These figures come to light thanks to the latest earnings release from the electronics giant, which covers the months October through December.
We shouldn't scoff at sales figures like this; the PS4 was in a similar position at the same time in its launch quarter, again selling around 4.5 million consoles in the same time.
In the same report, we see that PS4 sales have dwindled, yet Sony still sold 1.4 million consoles. Which makes you wonder why it has discontinued most PS4 models.
However, while these PS5 sales figures are impressive, are 4.5 million gamers actually playing on them?
How Many PS5 Consoles Did Scalpers Net?
We don't get a breakdown of these figures from Sony. But, judging from reports every single time a fresh wave of console stock arrives, scalpers account for a LOT of these console sales.
What we really need to see from Sony, is how many active PS5 consoles there are. That would tell us roughly how many PS5 consoles are in the hands of scalpers and not in the hands of the people who want to play on them.
This is the crux of the matter and surely kicks sand in the eyes of those unlucky gamers who haven't secured a PS5 since Sony launched it. Knowing that Sony sold so many consoles will hurt the community when it also knows that a huge number of PS5s are just sitting in a warehouse somewhere.
Will Scalping Ever Cease?
As long as the PS5 remains a rare commodity, scalpers will hang around like the proverbial flies that they are, waiting to swarm any PlayStation 5 consoles that arrive in stores within seconds of their availability.
The best thing you can do is NOT BUY from scalpers. That way, it leaves them with a load of inventory they can't sell, meaning they must reduce the price so that gamers get a fair deal.
For now, it is best to hang on to your PS4 before upgrading to the PS5. Stick it out until Sony solves its supply issues and don't pay over the RRP for a console.