I noticed that when we got Japanese numbers, some people were saying there was a supply constraints and that was not the case. However, there is a legitmate stock issue across the Western market and I think its dishonest to say that the issue is nonexistent. There are people in Germany that haven't seen a PS4 since November.

Lies! I'm seeing a PS4 every day since last november and it's always available :P

Well... Amazon hasn't sold out yet. It's been in stock for quite some time now.

I probably shouldn't have put that part in. I sometimes exaggerate. Though I'm sure that it's probably technically true.

It shouldn't be too hard to look at the VGC sales trends on a week to week basis to see the consistency in sales.

Barring the Japan release, it's been fairly consistent with stock moving continuously based upon inventory tracking online tools.

Conspiracy theories that Sony is artificially withholding significant amounts of supply to increase demand should be taken about as seriously as the conspiracy theories that claimed the EXACT SAME THING with the Wii back in 2007-2009 when it was burning up the sales charts and production could not meet with demand.

I haven't heard anything about Sony increasing monthly production yields or leasing/buying new factories to keep up with current demand, so production rates will presumably remain about 1m per month.

It's only March, but stock will need to be reserved for additional market launches as well as the inevitable Q4 holiday season stockpiling, so this likely accounts for some of those missing numbers.

I can only surmise that Sony is not building cardboard box fortresses out of millions of unsold PS4 inventory in multiple warehouses in China so that they can trick consumers into buying millions of said unsold PS4s; I'll leave that to the conspiracy theorists and the tinfoil hat wearing brigade.

What I am seeing for the first time since launch are PS4s at retail outlets, coinciding with the Titanfall launch. Not a coincidence.

As it were, the Titanfall launch also coincides with my personal guess/prediction that the PS4 would be readily available at retail by Q2 2014 following launch.

I also said the same about the XB1 and will point out that I was wrong on that call as I overestimated demand for a $500 XB1.

The German market is obviously still receiving constant supplies of stock, regardless of how small shipments may be or at least below actual consumer demand.

I could say that I hadn't seen a PS4 at a retail EVER since about last week, but I couldn't very well claim it's because they weren't being delivered to retail outlets. 

It is very fair to say that due to global demand, it is a difficult proposition to keep every single local region in every single market flush with stock due to initial demand for a desireable product as well as perceived limited availability. It simply isn't feasible to serve every single local market in such a manner at this point in the product's lifecycle due to current demand. 

Could Sony sell more inventory? Absolutely. But I'm more or less under the impression that current production rates aren't that far under current demand rates, so I don't think I'll be reading any news about Sony buying/leasing additional factories in China to increase production.

I have a hard time believing these rumors of supply issues, since we have also heard rumors of Sony producing more than a million consoles per month. If they are selling below that each month, something doesn't add up. Also, PS4 will most likely fall behind Wii sales for the same period at the end of June. If the sales momentum is kept week-over-week, I will be proven wrong.

When the hype from Knack finally dies down.

no supply issues in Aus anymore.

At an alleged approximate production rate of 1m per month, the totals definitely do not add up which is why barring any significant changes in production rates, total annual sales need to be taken into consideration before making any conspiracy claims of hidden inventory.

What we will in all likelihood see come November, is that the PS4 is "magically" selling at a monthly rate of well over 1m units per month, when the reality is that SCE simply stockpiled inventory for the expected holiday crush of demand.

Without knowing whatever other new markets the PS4 is scheduled to be made available in, it's not possible to estimate how much inventory will be withheld for any such regional launches either.

So a simple question followed by a simple answer will settle any debate.

Did SCE produce and distribute approximately 12m units for the year of 2014? If the answer is around 12m, you have your answer.