When the PlayStation 5 is released in November 2020, it is more in demand than any console before. But it quickly reveals major problems in sales and there is still room for improvement with the games. Our conclusion on the first birthday of the PlayStation 5.
This item is currently unavailable.” Even a year after its release, patience is required when deciding to buy a PlayStation 5. The reasons for this are many and at the same time reflect the ups and downs Sony’s console experienced in its first year on the market. Hype and overwhelming reviews, immense demand, then supply bottlenecks and trouble with resellers. And games were released somewhere. We take stock after a year of PlayStation 5.
Lived up to the hype?
When the PlayStation 5 was announced on 11 June 2020, the hype in the community was great. With hardware innovations such as an SSD hard drive, a 4K-capable graphics card and a revamped DualShock controller, the new console was alluring. The enthusiasm did not die down in November 2020 when the console was released, and with it the extensive tests by experts. They all agreed: there’s a lot of power in this thing. But has the PlayStation been able to fully exploit its power so far?
Compared to its predecessor, a clear leap can be seen in any case. This is mainly due to ray tracing, a new feature for the realistic representation of light and shadow effects. However, gamers also had to realise that the PlayStation is already reaching its limits graphically, one year after release: While ray-tracing in 4K at 60 frames per second is possible for smaller games, you have to lower your expectations for AAA titles and live with 30fps.
So the first year showed: Graphically, the PlayStation 5 was a real leap, but it already can’t keep up with current PC hardware. But it doesn’t have to, because the console is ultimately aimed at a mainstream audience. And here, the small graphic details probably count less than the big blockbuster titles. But how big is the selection of games in the meantime?
Many games, few AAA
Anyone who buys a PS5 today already has a lot to play. There are currently 424 games available on PlayStation (as of 11 November 2021). Of course, these include many mini-games like “Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire” – yes, it really exists and costs 4.99 euros. In terms of AAA titles, the PlayStation 5 started with a bang, and smash hits like “Demon’s Souls”, “Spider-Man: Miles Morales” or “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War”. After that, it was quieter for a while when it came to big releases.
In 2021, the highlights were the remake of “Final Fantasy VII” and the new “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart”. In addition, there were annual top sellers such as FIFA, NBA 2K and F1. However, the console has so far failed to deliver big exclusive titles of the calibre of “The Last of Us”. According to user ratings on Metacritic, the best games available so far are “Hades” (93/100), “Demon’s Souls” (92/100) and “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2” (90/100), although this is only a graphic remake.
At least the next part of the “Gran Turismo” series is to be released in spring 2022 and according to rumours Sony is also planning another “Uncharted”. So in terms of games, there is still something to come in the coming years of the PS5.
Supply bottlenecks and nasty beneficiaries
Great hardware, new games, all well and good. But to enjoy it all, you need the console first. And here we come to a problem that Sony still hasn’t been able to fully solve a year after release.
As early as September 2020, it became apparent that potential customers would have to be patient when the PlayStation 5 was sold out right at the beginning of the pre-sale. And even today, you have to be lucky to get a console from your trusted retailer, but also from Sony itself. “This item is currently not available” is what you usually read here.
There are many reasons for this. For one, the tech industry, like many others, is struggling with the effects of the ongoing Corona pandemic. Manufacturing processes are delayed because factories cannot operate with their full workforces. This is also the main factor behind the global shortage of semiconductors, which are needed to make computer chips and are essential for the PS5.
Many fraudsters also tried to take advantage of this shortage. They bought as many PS5 consoles as possible in order to resell them later to desperate gaming fans for many times the purchase price. Sony countered this profiteering in 2021 with two measures. First, the Japanese company secured 14.8 million chips in August in order to be able to produce more consoles in the future. Secondly, Sony now sells consoles directly via its own website, tied to a PlayStation Network account.
In Germany, the measures have had little effect so far. There is still nothing available at the large electronics stores and on the official site – despite the Christmas sales starting soon.
And still the cash registers are ringing
But the supply bottlenecks have not harmed the success of the PlayStation 5. At the end of July 2021, Sony reported more than 10 million units sold, making the release of the PS5 the best sales launch in the company’s history. Its main competitor, the Xbox Series X, also sold faster than any Xbox before it, according to Microsoft, but reported only 6.5 million units sold at the same point in the summer.
Sony is benefiting from this dominance, its share price is significantly better off after one year of PS5 than it was in November 2020. It is unclear when this upswing will end, when the first PS5 consoles will remain on the shelves instead of going straight out of stock.
