No one could accuse the PlayStation 4 of getting off to a slow start. At last count, Sony had sold seven million next-gen super machines, and that number is almost certain to be nearer to the 10 million unit milestone at the time of typing. However, while the company is incredibly satisfied with the system’s sales, it’s also frustrated, because that figure could be even higher.
“We haven’t yet caught up with the initial demand across Europe,” an always honest SCEUK boss Fergal Gara told Trusted Reviews. “We are still dealing with the day one market. We are very close to being in a full supply situation, but we are not quite there yet.”
That lack of availability may have caused the company to lose some sales, with some impatient customers potentially opting for a competitor’s console instead of waiting for more stock. “We may have lost some sales,” he continued. “There is no update on PS4 sales figures right now, but suffice to say it is still selling – and selling very well.”
Gara continued that the shortages haven’t been particularly bad in the UK, but the situation is dire in Germany, where the company can’t keep the console on store shelves. “[They] had phenomenal sales figures last week, but they just haven’t had enough stock so far,” he sighed.
Nevertheless, the executive is confident that the organisation will be able to steady the ship ahead of the busy holiday season – and Gara believes that there’s more than enough content on the way, too. “We have spent a lot of time at E3 talking about the plan for Christmas, and I think that we’ve got enough exciting content to be able to rekindle that interest,” he concluded.
Will you be purchasing your first PS4 this Christmas? Have you been struck by stock shortages? Complain in the comments section below.
[source trustedreviews.com]
Comments 14
I think it's a ploy, personally. When I Tried to preorder a ps4 last summer I was constantly told that I would have to wait untill phase 2 of preorders which would have been around Christmas time.
Good job I didn't take any phase 2 offers as I was able to pop into Game at midnight on launch day and pick one up with no bother.
It sounds like they say there aren't enough but I know of no one who has had a problem buying one!
In Belgium you still don't find any on the shelves, you have to order one.
@Jcp83 Basicly all my friends (Im in austria) who haven't pre-ordered months before release (like I did) still don't have a PS4 now because it's so hard to come by in the shops!
There is no loss of sales in this case, you can't lose a sale that is not their and as for profit they aren't losing money in the playstation branch so this is all bunk to begin with. I think they need to sit this guy down and have a good long chat with him because it's people like this that will drag a company down and we certainly don't need another Howard stringer.
@Demi_God "Hi, can I take one PS4 please?" "No, we don't have any in stock" = definition of lost sale.
I pre ordered my ps4 about 2 weeks before it came out and still got it on release day 😂😂
I'm in Berlin, Germany and I have still to see a PS4 in the wild. I don't say there are none, but every time I am in one of the bigger stores, they have no PS4s in stock.
All my friends who wanted one do have one by now, though, although not by going into a store and buying one, but by buying one online on Amazon or such. And one of my friends was so desperate for next-gen gaming that he considered buying an X1 for a short period, when the PS4 was out of stock online as well for quite some time...so I'm pretty sure Sony has lost sales that way on occasion.
I preordered from GameStop in July. I was only the 39th preorder so I wonder if that means I would or wouldn't have been able to just walk in cold. Hard to believe they're still trying to get it in people's hands from launch
I dont know. For this kind of product you usually know what you want and willing to order it and wait for a few weeks to get it IMO. The weeks leading to Christmas maybe a problem though
The same goes for the Vita too. I've been looking into getting the new slim model but its literally sold out everywhere (in NA.) The only place that has it is 3rd party sellers on Amazon and its 50 dollars more. I called gamestop and they said they've been sold out of them since it launched.
@dok5555555 So that's why I haven't been able to find the PSVita Slim anywhere, thanks for the confirmation.
I thought I was going crazy lol.
Slow and steady wins the race. Though I feel bad for Microsoft this generation, I'd rather Nintendo and Sony be the main contenders forevermore when it comes to video games.
@Scollurio
I have sympathy for your situation there in OZ. I can only talk from my experience here in the UK, even last week I was in Game and the store assistant was telling me that I would have preorder Destiny if I wanted to get a copy on launch day. I know for a fact that I could walk in to game or any other retailer or super market and get one off the shelf on day one.
I didn't mean to be ignorant of the situation in your region, I was merely stating that in it seemz to be used as a ploy to garner more interest and ring fence day one sales in mine.
By the way, I did preorder Destiny so I could get a beta code
@Jcp83 Hehe thanks for your sympathy, but I'm not in australia, im in AUSTRIA, you know, Mozart, Falco and Hitler. No kangaroos!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...