Sony suggests PS5 was the biggest console launch ever

PlayStation 5 could have recorded the biggest console launch sales in history, according to Sony.

In a statement published on Wednesday, PlayStation claimed the PS5 launch was its biggest ever. The console debuted on November 12 in territories including North America, followed by Europe and others on the 19th.

Although no time frame was specified for Sony’s launch record claim, it could mean PS5 surpassed the two-week sales record set by PlayStation 4 in 2013, when it sold some 2.1 million units – a milestone Sony said at the time was a record for the games industry.

It’s worth noting that PS5 launched in more territories than PS4, which didn’t arrive in countries such as Japan until months after the US and Europe. Sony did not release sales numbers for PS5 on Wednesday.

“We want to thank gamers everywhere for making the PS5 launch our biggest console launch ever,” the company said. “Demand for PS5 is unprecedented, so we wanted to confirm that more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year – please stay in touch with your local retailers.”

Sony has previously said it expects to sell over 7.6 million PS5 units by the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2021, outperforming PS4’s launch for the same period.

The promise of more PlayStation 5 stock before Christmas will likely be welcomed by the many consumers struggling to obtain a console this month.

With console availability failing to satisfy launch demand, PS5 scalpers are currently seeking to cash in by selling them at extortionate prices on marketplaces like eBay, where a significant number of consoles have already been sold for more than double their retail price.

UK high street retailer CEX is even offering to buy standard PS5 consoles for £600 – £150 more than their retail price – which they say they will sell on for £750.

Prior to launch, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said PS5 demand had been “very considerable”, with the company taking as many pre-orders in the first 12 hours in the US as it did in the first 12 weeks for PS4.

At the time, Ryan said Sony was “working as hard as we ever can” to meet demand before adding: “it may well be that not everybody who wants to buy a PS5 on launch day will be able to find one.”

Microsoft‘s rival next-gen consoles, Xbox Series X/S, launched on November 10 and broke the company’s own 24-hour launch record, according to the platform holder.

Its last full console launch for Xbox One in 2013 was described as a company record at the time, with more than one million units sold in 24 hours.

Xbox Series X/S have also been in short supply. Xbox chief financial officer Tim Stuart has said Microsoft expects Xbox Series X/S shortages to continue until April 2021.

Further reading

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UK retailers are expecting more PS5 and Xbox Series X/S stock this month

Next-gen consoles will be available to buy on several dates this month