The two consoles of PS5 and Xbox Series X are expected to hit the market in November. A report from VGC now suggests that Sony customers have to be patient longer than the Xbox group.
Sony and Microsoft have so far not been able to bring themselves to call dates for the new PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles. The Redmond company only confirmed that a November release is planned for the upcoming Xbox. A release before the PS5 would even be possible. A recent article by VGC suggests this.
The site cites retail and development sources that suggest Xbox Series X will hit the market in the first week of November. Sony, on the other hand, is said to have estimated marketing spending for the seven days from November 13, 2020, at least in the UK, suggesting that the PS5 will celebrate its market launch between November 13 and 20, 2020.
According to VGC, it is still unclear whether the PS5 will conquer the market worldwide on the same day or whether Sony will decide to distribute it in stages, as with the PS4. The latter seems unlikely. But logistical complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could ultimately bring Sony to its knees. In the case of the PS4, Europe had to wait two weeks longer than North America.
Even with the manufacturing of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in full swing, both platform owners fear, according to VGC, that the shipping channels could be disrupted, which would result in limited supply in the crucial first few weeks. However, it is possible to send the units by plane, which is faster but of course, also costs more.
“This is why we’re waiting so long to hear about pre-orders and software line-up… companies are waiting until they can be as sure as they can about what they can deliver to consumers,” said VGC of the current uncertainties.
Christopher Dring, director of B2B games at Gamer Network, said: “Companies are waiting until they can be as sure as they can about what they can deliver to consumers. It’s a complicated time, and you would typically place a strong bet on PS5 arriving somewhere in the middle of November. But things can change very quickly.”
Over the past few weeks, there has been speculation about a significant shift in the new consoles. This scenario is apparently not all too likely: “We expect Sony and Microsoft to launch next-generation consoles as planned this holiday, despite disruption to the supply chain earlier this year due to Covid-19,” Daniel Ahmad, Senior Analyst at Niko Partners, told VGC.
