PlayStation expects stellar Christmas sales, with PS5 now "in full supply" for first time since launch

UPDATE 07/11/23: Sony's "full supply" of PlayStation 5 stock over Christmas looks set to include the new PS5 "Slim" models revealed last month.

In a blog post alongside Sony's Christmas ad campaign for PlayStation, senior vice president of marketing Andrea Perez said the company will be entering the holiday period with the "more console supply than we've ever had", including the new PS5 "Slim" models.

Sony hasn't announced a launch date for the PS5 "Slim" anywhere other than in the US, where the new model is launching this month, but it seems like it'll be available in time for Christmas in other countries.

ORIGINAL STORY 27/10/23: Sony has said it expects one of its best seasons ever for console sales this Christmas, as PlayStation 5 stock is now in "full supply" for the first time since the PS5 launched in November 2020.

PlayStation's rosy outlook is also boosted by the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, PlayStation exec Eric Lempel told Barron's (via ResetEra).

Lempel said Sony had been hampered by supply chain issues caused by the Covid pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which in turn caused a components shortage for PS5 production.

PlayStation boss Jim Ryan declared the PS5 shortage was over earlier this year, though stock of the console has still taken a while to stabilise. "Now we're excited that anyone who wants a PlayStation 5 will be able to get one," Lempel said.

Sony has a "strong" outlook for PS5 moving forward, thanks to the resolution of global supply chain issues and its exclusive titles, Lempel continued. Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which has been received well and earned itself four stars in our review, is expected to help drive console sales over the Christmas period.

Internal projections from the beginning of the fiscal year (April 2023) estimated Sony would ship another 25m this financial year, before April 2024. Sony's most recent financial results revealed it had shipped 41.7m PS5 consoles total worldwide as of August 2023.

Lempel was more cautious on any sales boost from PlayStation VR2, however - describing it as a "nascent business".

"The VR category is important to us," he said. "It's a category that can help us with innovation. It's never going to be the only way people play games, but I'm happy that we're in it. There are great experiences to be had and consumers really like it. But it's a nascent business for us.

"It's something that we want to be a part of but it's not the core proposition we have this season. PlayStation 5 is the core."