Switch Sales Top 108 Million - Global Hardware May 15-21

[The_Liquid_Laser]

IcaroRibeiro said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

2. This point is bullshit.  Software sells hardware.  The PS5 lacks exclusive software.  That isn't about me.  I don't play FIFA, but if the FIFA games were Gen 9 only, then it's believable that PS5 would be in high demand.  PS5 objectively lacks big name exclusives and next gen titles.  Not only is this system not for me, it's not for the vast majority of gamers.  It needs better exclusive games and Gen 9 only games.

In short, the PS5 is not in high demand.  Instead demand is just slightly higher than supply, and supply will probably start meeting demand sometime this year.

Delusional 

I know, right?  This whole "software sells hardware" idea is crazy talk.  It would be much more rational to conclude that the PS5 is selling for no damn reason like the people who are disagreeing with me.  I still have yet to hear a compelling reason why the PS5 is in "high demand".  But then again, I'm "delusional", because I consider popular exclusives to be a good reason.

Norion said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

In short, the PS5 is not in high demand.  Instead demand is just slightly higher than supply, and supply will probably start meeting demand sometime this year.

You did say at least in the US but keep in mind that where stock is sent is heavily prioritized towards there currently. Even if demand isn't that far from being met there it absolutely is far from being met overall when seeing how little stock countries like Spain have been getting the past few months.

You are right.  I expect demand to be met in the US first.  However, the US is also by far the biggest market.  Once demand is met in the US, it actually won't be too hard to divert resources to meet demands in other markets like Spain.  It will take several months of time though.

Otter said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

1. Nope.  It didn't have a limited run.  They kept making more NES minis until demand was met.  It's just that for the first several months or so, demand far outstripped supply.  The PS5 doesn't have anywhere near this kind of markup so demand is only slightly higher than supply.

2. This point is bullshit.  Software sells hardware.  The PS5 lacks exclusive software.  That isn't about me.  I don't play FIFA, but if the FIFA games were Gen 9 only, then it's believable that PS5 would be in high demand.  PS5 objectively lacks big name exclusives and next gen titles.  Not only is this system not for me, it's not for the vast majority of gamers.  It needs better exclusive games and Gen 9 only games.

In short, the PS5 is not in high demand.  Instead demand is just slightly higher than supply, and supply will probably start meeting demand sometime this year.

1. They literally announced that they would discontinue it in amongst massive demand in 2017. They was a brief restock but its essentially a limited item that was never going to meet demand, hence why its now £250 on Amazon UK. Point being this was  discernibly a collectors item that will have massive value in future, there's no use in using it to understand demand for PS5 or what to expect for the resale price for a PS5, a product people know will eventually be in stock at their local store.

https://www.polygon.com/2017/4/28/15474358/nes-classic-discontinued-why-nintendo

We’ll also bring the Nintendo Classic Mini: NES back to Europe next summer. More info will be shared in the future
â–º https://t.co/jiWK4zLH3I pic.twitter.com/uwc6zAmEfh

— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) September 12, 2017

 2. You're putting your feelings over actual data. Software sells hardware, yes. Does software need to be exclusive to the next generation in order to sell hardware, obviously not based on the performance of PS5 and Series consoles, particular Series which has no meaningful 1st party exclusives that are not on Xbox One unless we consider Flight Sim a console seller. PS5 versions of new games sells many times the rate of the last gen counterparts despite a userbase 1/6 the size. 

at launch 76% of GT7s sales was for the PS5 version, with the remainder coming on PS4.
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-03-07-gran-turismo-7-overtakes-elden-ring-to-take-pole-position-uk-boxed-charts

People are buying the new systems to play new games as they were intended to play, they don't need it to be exclusive like you seem to believe.

1.  Read your own post.  They are bringing the NES mini back next summer.  It's not a collector's item with only one run.  They've already manufactured several runs of the NES mini and they are planning on doing another one.  However, right now is a dry period, and if you look at the % markup currently its still far beyond the PS5's % markup.  This doesn't mean that people want 30m+ NES mini's.  It probably means they want 1-2m worldwide.  Likewise, PS5 demand is not that far above supply, because the % markup in the resale market is not nearly as high as even the NES mini.

2. "You're putting your feelings over actual data."  You're projecting.  The most meaningful data comes from the resale market, which you are ignoring.  The resale value is based on things like Math and Economics.  Nothing else is going to give you a better idea of the demand for this system.

Chrkeller said:

I can't say I agree the ps5 isn't in high demand. It does sell out here in the States within minutes of being restocked. Regarding exclusives... Demon, Ratchet, Returnal, Forbidden West, Gran Turismo.. too each their own, but that is a better set of exclusives than the Xbox, IMHO.  MS is doing well because of the Series S, which credit to them for their hardware offerings.  

Forbidden West and GT7 are not PS5 exclusives.  You can also get them on the PS4, which has an install base of around 117m.  Those 117m people do not have much of a compelling reason to buy a PS5.  Demon's Souls is not really an exclusive either, but there are enough people who didn't play the PS3 version that it probably helps to sell the PS5.

curl-6 said:

Out of curiosity Liquid_Laser, what is your current lifetime sales prediction for the PS5?

I still intend to win our bet.  Recall though that it is based on the idea that PS5 + X|S will not exceed 130m lifetime.

For PS5 alone, I can confidently say it will sell under 80m lifetime.  I will probably revise that number downward soon though, because 80m seems too high at this point.  Don't be surprised if I start giving a number less than 80m in the near future.