Christmas is approaching and Sony is gearing up for the holiday season with its new PlayStation 5 Slims and Portal. The initial sales of the console were not as great as they expected due to not being able to manufacture the device because of a semiconductor shortage. But the initial period of shortage of consoles is in the past. And now, they could be on their way to meeting a lofty target for the fiscal year.

With things back to normal, Sony has released a brand new Slim version of the PlayStation 5. But they did not stop there, their new PlayStation Portal which gives players access to remote play has also been released. With these two new products, Sony has made a statement about wanting to “Attack” in the year-end sales. But will they be able to surpass the sales of the PlayStation 4?

Sony Ready to Unleash the PlayStation 5 Slim and Portal for the Holiday Season

In a recent interview with Nikkei, The SIE’s senior vice president, Hideaki Nishino, discussed Sony’s plans for the last quarter of the financial year. With semiconductor shortages resolved, Nishino reiterated Sony’s aims to sell 25 million units of the PS5 by March 2024. He had also revealed this in an earnings call earlier this year where he said, “Based on the data… we believe that 25 million units within this fiscal year is something that we would believe that we can achieve.”

Nishino responded to questions regarding the timing of the new PS5 model and the PlayStation Portal. He explained that the typical life cycle of game consoles spans seven to eight years. “The PS5 was released in November 2020 and is now in its third year, putting it in the middle of that cycle. Because it generally takes three to five years to develop a game title, we’re starting to see an increase in the number of games that take full advantage of the PS5’s features.” This lines up with what players saw in games like Spider-Man 2. The seamless fast travel, almost negligible loading time etc are just few examples of the game really utilizing the power of the PS5.

Nishino addressed the supply challenges faced by the PS5. He acknowledged the impact of semiconductor shortages and logistics disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, he shared a piece of good news, stating, “The supply shortage has been resolved, and this winter can be said to be the first year-end sales season since its release in which you won’t have to search for a PS5. We aim to sell the PS5 at a faster pace than the PS4.”

Lastly, he confirmed Sony’s plan to boost their sales with not only the console but also the recently released PlayStation portal. He stated, “We will attack in the year-end sales season with both content and hardware, including peripherals.”

Hideaki Nishino’s take on the shift towards PC and mobile gaming

Addressing the broader industry trends toward PC and mobile gaming, Nishino emphasized the accessibility and convenience of dedicated consoles. While building a high-performance PC requires time and money, a PS5 offers consistent GPU performance. Another point to note is that Sony sees the adaptability of its game titles into TV dramas and movies as a unique strength, expanding the reach of PlayStation content beyond the gaming community. With relation to this, he said, “one of the strengths of the Sony group is adapting game titles like Gran Turismo into TV dramas and movies.” The best example of adapting PS games into tv dramas is The Last of Us. The survival horror adventure game is best known for its storytelling, which Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann brought to television with HBO.

As the holiday season unfolds, Sony positions itself for a triumphant year-end sales. Backed by an enhanced gaming ecosystem, ample console supply, and a robust game lineup optimized for PS5’s advanced features. The company’s ambitious sales target reflects confidence in meeting the increasing demand for high-quality gaming experiences during this festive period.

Read More – With the PlayStation 5 Halfway Through Its Life Cycle, Will the Next-Gen See Sony Opt for a Cloud-Streaming Device?

Further, players will only get to see more games make use of the PS5’s full power. GTA 6, Wolverine, Rise of the Ronin etc are just a few of the many massive upcoming titles.

With the PS5 almost halfway through its lifecycle and a list of exciting titles in the pipeline, sky’s the limit for PS5 sales.

Watch this story:  Sony is Hoping for Strong PlayStation 5 Sales During Holiday Season 2023