Global Chip Shortage Reaching "Crisis" Point As PS5, Xbox Series X Remain Difficult To Find

Months after launch, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S remain very difficult to find online, and that's partially due to a widespread semiconductor shortage that is affecting several different industries. However, the chip scarcity is now reaching "crisis" levels, impacting everything from car to console production. PS5 and Xbox shortages could be the least of our concerns.

According to The Guardian, the shortage has been "steadily worsening since last year." Mirabaud media and tech analyst Neil Campling told the publication that the shortage is likely to worsen because the supply can't keep up with the demand.

"Chips are everything," Campling said. "There is a perfect storm of supply and demand factors going on here. But basically, there is a new level of demand that can’t be kept up with, everyone is in crisis and it is getting worse."

The Guardian's report describes industries being battered by the shortage. Car producers like Ford, General Motors, and Nissan--all of which are placing a great emphasis on electric vehicles--are projecting a decrease in profits. Microsoft and Sony have said the supply issues could last until the second half of this year. Even Apple and semiconductor manufacturer Samsung are feeling the squeeze.

This shortage also extends to graphics cards, which are experiencing a supply and demand issue of their own. Nvidia's 30-series GPUs, for instance, have been hard to come by, so the company brought back its older cards to deal with the shortage.

"There is no sign of supply catching up, or demand decreasing, while prices are rising across the chain," Campling said. "This will cross over to people in the street. Expect cars to cost more, phones to cost more. This year's iPhone is not going to be cheaper than last year."

Amidst the chip shortage, there are reports of Nintendo releasing a Switch Pro. This upgraded model is projected to sport a new chip that supports better CPU performance, more memory, and DLSS capabilities.

In February, President Biden said his administration will launch an investigation looking into the semiconductor shortage. The executive order is aimed at figuring what in the chain what wrong and how it can be repaired to streamline production.

For those looking to pick up Microsoft or Sony's next-gen consoles, be sure to hit up our PlayStation 5 restock page or our Xbox Series X|S update post. There you'll learn when stock has been replenished and where.