PS5 restocks will remain a mess — but Sony feels 'bad' about it

PS5
(Image credit: Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan has commented on the continued PS5 stock shortages that have plagued the console since launch. It’s not good news for anyone hoping to buy one without having to play the PS5 restock game. 

In an interview with Reuters, the PlayStation big boss said: “We’ve built more PlayStations faster than we ever have before which makes me happy. But on the other hand, we’re some time from being able to meet all the demand that’s out there, which makes me feel bad.”

Ryan goes on to explain that one of the key issues impacting the company’s ability to manufacture consoles is the ongoing global chip shortage. “Our partners are performing really well for us, but the chip shortage is definitely a challenge that we are all navigating,” he said. 

These quotes seem to confirm that being able to pick up a PS5 without the hassle of regularly check retailer listings and following various stock tracking social media accounts is still a ways off. At least for the foreseeable future, the PS5 will continue to remain extremely elusive to anyone who isn’t committed to putting in the work. 

Furthermore, with the holiday season only a few months away, the demand for the console will likely only increase presumably without a significant stock boost to accommodate either. Flagship console exclusives Deathloop and Horizon: Forbidden West are also scheduled to launch before the year is out, which could also result in even more gamers eagerly hunting for a PS5 console. 

While frustrating this news doesn’t come as a great shock. Previously anonymous industry analysts told Bloomberg that PS5 stock levels aren’t expected to improve until 2022. Sony has also called the demand on the machine “unprecedented” and that demand hasn’t eased even more than six months after the console launched in November 2020.  

It was also revealed this week that the PS5 is the fastest-selling console in PlayStation history. The next-gen console has sold 10 million units to date, a feat which took its predecessor, the PS4, around nine months to achieve. 

The most popular exclusives on the platform are Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which has sold 6.5 million copies, and the recently released Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart which has sold 1.1 million in little more than a month of being on sale. These figures at least confirm that some people out there are managing to actually purchase a console even if it does feel like the majority of stock is sucked up by scalpers. 

If you’re hoping to get your hands on a PS5 in the coming weeks, then make sure to keep checking our PS5 restock hub. This is where we put all the latest restock information and updates as we get them. We can’t guarantee you a PS5, but we’ll certainly offer you a helping hand. 

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.