“Our Supply Chain Was Compromised”- PlayStation CEO On Launching the PS5 Amidst a Global Pandemic

The world sits in anticipation as Sony prepares for the first wave of the PS5 launch tomorrow. This will, of course, be a huge moment for the company, the biggest in years. Sony has constantly faced questions about its plans to launch a next-gen console amidst a global pandemic situation, and the answers have been mostly speculative.

Recently, in an interview with the popular business magazine Business Insider, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan talked about this entire ordeal. He spoke of what he learned from this decision of launching the anticipated console during trying times such as these.

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“Nobody really had any idea”- Jim Ryan on the PS5 launch this year

As Ryan reveals, Sony had always planned on releasing the PlayStation 5 during the holiday season of this year. However, concerns arose regarding this plan when the COVID situation hit.

“All of these things (regarding finishing touches on the consoles and its designated games) were unknown at the time. But much more unknown was the extent to which our supply chain was compromised and the hundreds of businesses that make components that go into PlayStations, typically in China or other parts of southeast Asia.

“At that point, we had no idea to what extent they would be unable to function…We came out on the other side, realizing, ‘Yep, we can do it. There will also be some compromises; it won’t be quite like it would have been had there been no COVID.'”

This entire pandemic situation not only affected and altered the course of the launch but also the peripheral issues accompanying it. For example, for the first time, we had game showcase events and dedicated PlayStation events online through live streaming. Moreover, Sony has confirmed that the launch day sales for the console will be entirely online.

Although the glamour quotient of these events took a hit, the community has still provided its undying support.

“That digital event was massively efficient in terms of our ability to reach millions and millions of people who might not have otherwise watched some kind of stream or recording of a physical show in New York,” Ryan says.

Finally, after crossing all hurdles, the much-anticipated PS5 will see the first wave of its launch tomorrow, with the next wave to follow a week later.