If you haven't gotten your hands on a PS5 yet, it could be quite some time before you get another chance. Behind the scenes at Sony, the PS5 situation is a disaster—over the last four months, the company has been trying desperately to keep up with restocking demands, but it has been unable to do so because of a global semiconductor shortage that is delaying the manufacturing process.
Neil Campling, a technology analyst, told The Guardian that things are just going to get worse from this point on: "There is a perfect storm of supply and demand factors going on here. But basically, there is a new level of demand that can’t be kept up with, everyone is in crisis and it is getting worse."
The semiconductor chip is a piece of integrated circuitry that consists of many components, including transistors and a wiring wafer. It is an essential inclusion in several electronic devices, including smartphones, digital cameras, televisions, home appliances, LED bulbs, and even medical equipment.
With that in mind, the current semiconductor shortage that is going on right now is affecting multiple industries beyond just gaming. As many sectors compete for the limited quantities of semiconductor chips, there is a massive strain being put on global supply chains.
Samsung, for example, took a huge hit this year due to the shortage. Its latest device, the Galaxy Note 21, was effectively cancelled for launch as a result of a lingering uncertainty to meet manufacturing demands.
Sony's PS5, as well as Microsoft's Xbox Series X, could be in the same boat as well. While the demand for their products is there, there is a lack of supply to fulfil that demand, and it is preventing them from hitting their sales targets this year.
While it's unlikely that Sony or Microsoft will increase the price of their units to offset the losses, consumers will likely not see any sales or discounts on the consoles any time soon.
