Last year, despite the global pandemic, both Sony and Microsoft managed to launch three different next generation consoles. Sony with their PS5 and Microsoft with their Xbox Series X and Series S. By all indications, they were a rousing success with the company making key parts for both systems, AMD, being very happy with the launch. But, as many know, the demand far outweighed the stock, and it seems that will continue for some of 2021.
In the company’s fourth quarter earning call, CEO Lisa Su spoke about production of the console parts. While not explicitly saying anything about stock issues, she did seem to indicate that could still be an issue with it until the second half of this year. She said the demand far exceeded their expectations and there is added capacity in the second half of the year, the first half could be pretty tight (thanks to VGC for transcribing the call).
“It’s fair to say that the overall demand exceeded our planning and as a result, we did have some supply constraints as we ended the year. Those were primarily, I would say, in the PC market, the low end of the PC market and in the gaming markets.
“That being said, I think we’re getting great support from our manufacturing partners. The industry does need to increase the overall capacity levels and so we do see some tightness through the first half of the year, but there is added capacity in the second half.”
While there has been the occasional dump of systems here and there, by and large the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have been MIA on store shelves since their November launch last year.