We're still waiting on an official announcement of the PS5, but that doesn't mean there aren't already massive expectations for the future console. Many of those predictions are centered around the design, the performance, and the price, but some are on sales figures. One analyst from Japanese research firm Ace Research Institute suggests Sony could sell six million units by March 2021, reports Tom's Guide.
That six million unit figure isn't just for the PS5, though. It also takes into account sales of Sony's PS4. Given that the PS5 isn't available yet, it makes sense to continue including the current model in the year-long sales estimate. Though, as PS4 sales are expected to continue winding down, the majority of those sales are expected from the PS5. The analyst's report also suggests Sony will sell 15 million more PS5 units in the subsequent year.
It's not so unfair to have huge PS5 sales expectations given the PS4 has been so popular that it became the second bestselling console of all time. By the numbers, the PS4 has sold over 108 million units since its launch in late 2013, and it managed 7.5 million sales in its first two fiscal quarters on the market. If the PS5 launches late into 2020, the predicted sales figures would line up well with what the PS4 managed.
The expectation of 15 million PS5 sales in Sony's following fiscal year from March 2021 to March 2022 would also line up with the 14.8 million units the PS4 sold during its first full fiscal year on the market.
High expectations
Those are some high expectations for a product that is still shrowding in mystery and a certain level of uncertainty. The recent coronavirus outbreak is expected to have some impact on the tech market given that plenty of the manufacturing and supplying of chips and other components happens in China. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are both expected to need chunk of the flash storage and DRAM market, which could be squeezed by the virus outbreak.
Any shortages might also drive up the price of the PS5, and we've recently learned that many gamers will prioritize next-gen console price above all else. A sky-high price could flatten those sales expectations. If the consoles start inching high enough, it's possible they could even start to drive more gamers to gaming PCs that can outperform consoles.
We'll hopefully start to get a better idea of the way things will go for the PS5 when Sony officially announces the product and its price.
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