The Playstation 5 will reach 100 million units sold, according to Sony. In a presentation, Sony’s CFO is confident that they can get these numbers.
In a report, Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki noted his confidence with the Playstation 5. As per the report, they are banking on the gaming boom caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strong consumer clamor for the next-gen consoles can skyrocket its sales.
Sony raised its annual profit guidance by 13%
Sony announced the sales goal they had last Wednesday, raising its annual profit guidance by 13%. So far, this amount helped cushion the big hit they received over their camera lens sales to Huawei.
According to Totoki himself, he’s expecting sales of over 7.6 million units in the first year. The long-term objective of 100 million units is something the PS4 has done six years after its rollout in 2013.
“We will be launching the PS5 in the best ever condition,” said Totoki. The entire success of the system depends on how it performs out West. If it can create good enough demand in the US and Europe, they have a chance.
The PS5 will face an uphill battle against Microsoft’s Xbox Series X. So far, both consoles have an equal buzz across their own market space. PS5 is trying a different approach to its market compared to its competition.
Sony is aiming to use exclusivity as a selling point for their devices. Sony is clamping on more exclusivity deals that can entice players to their side. Microsoft is doing something else.
Xbox, on the other hand, is trying to make their platforms more open, with the Xbox Games Pass as the crowning jewel.
They encourage their players not merely to focus on the Xbox but other platforms, too, like PC and xCloud.
Playstation has a history of reaching 100 million units sold
So far, the Playstation 5 is offering two console options, each with the same power. The only difference for either is the lack of physical disc drive for the other. The PS5 will come at $499, while the Digital Edition will be will $100 less.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEkjgwiq0QM
For the last quarter between July to September, Sony’s operating profit recorded 317.8 billion yen. This was much more than the previous year.
So far, three Sony consoles reached 100 million throughout its entire lifespan. These include the PS1, PS2, and PS4, with the PS3 missing the mark during its lifetime. The last report about the PS3 notes it sold 87.4 million units as of March 2017.
The only part of Sony that declined so far is hardware sales, but this is normal. In anticipation of the Playstation 5, gamers are preparing to buy next-gen consoles. This includes the significant loss of demand for the current-gen consoles.
Featured image courtesy of Playstation/Youtube Screenshot