PS5 Stock Shortages: Pandemic Is Partly To Blame, Says PlayStation Boss

Sony's next-generation PlayStation 5 remains a very difficult-to-find machine, and that's expected to stay the case for some time. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has now responded to the PS5 restock issues, promising to work to get more units available while also laying his cards on the table and informing people that they may need to be patient. The issues causing supply problems are not exclusive to gaming, either, Ryan said.

"All I can say is we're working as hard as we possibly can," Ryan told GQ.

Ryan pointed out that Sony sold 4.5 million PS5 consoles by the end of December, which is a bigger number than the PS4 moved over its first two months in 2013. Even despite the issues, Ryan said the PS5 had a "fairly decent" start considering the global pandemic.

"I know there were people who wanted a PS5 and couldn't find one," he said. "We're very sorry about that and obviously grateful that demand has been as strong as it is."

One element at play here is that supply chains have been impacted by the pandemic, Ryan said--and it's not just video games that have been impacted.

"One very visible example is the difficulties in the semiconductor market. You know, whether it's automobiles, smartphones, PCs or games consoles, the problems in all those areas are very widely documented," Ryan said. "We had to move to a distribution model that is entirely online and that's something that we never had to do before. And, finally, just the level of demand for PlayStation 5. So, you know, all of those things kind of combined."

Ryan said PlayStation has been "working as we always have" to get more PS5 units in stock, adding that the company is coming out of the Christmas season with "renewed vigor and energy." He said fans can expect PS5 stock to increase every month.

"And the situation will start to get better hopefully quite quickly," he said. "We have been relentless in terms of trying to increase production and I really can’t say any more than that."

In a separate interview with the Washington Post, Ryan said he is "very sorry" about the PS5 stock shortages.

"Demand was greater than we anticipated," Ryan said. "That, along with the complexities of the supply chain issues, resulted in a slightly lower supply than we initially anticipated."

In other PlayStation news, Sony just announced a next-generation PlayStation VR headset for the PlayStation 5 that comes with a new controller and has a single-cord connection.