The current PlayStation 4 system shortage is genuine, not an artificial phenomenon used as a
means to drum up excitement for the platform, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton has said. Speaking during the latest PlayStation Blogcast, Tretton said holding back systems to create an artificial shortage would be silly, given the increased competition around the holidays.
"Do you create an artificial shortage because you want there to be a feeding frenzy? No you don't," Tretton said. "You have competition out there; there are lots of things that people can spend money on, especially during the holidays; and the holidays only come around once a year so that's really when you want to take advantage of the market opportunity."
The reason, then, that PS4 systems remain out of stock at many retailers simply comes down to the time needed to manufacture the systems, Tretton said. He explained that it took "months" to create the 1 million systems sold on launch-day and the second million sold weeks later.
Additional PS4s will be available for shoppers ahead of the end of the holiday season, Tretton said, and another allotment is planned to come to market during the January-March quarter.
Sony expects to sell 3 million total systems worldwide by the end of 2013 (now just 15 days away) and 5 million by the end of March 2014.
Also during the podcast, Tretton revealed that he gave up his PS4 launch unit so it could be sold instead. "I don't have one yet because I'm like 'No, sell it,'" he said.
The PS4 launched on November 15 in North America and is now currently available in 48 markets around the world, compared to 13 for the Xbox One.
means to drum up excitement for the platform, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton has said. Speaking during the latest PlayStation Blogcast, Tretton said holding back systems to create an artificial shortage would be silly, given the increased competition around the holidays.
"Do you create an artificial shortage because you want there to be a feeding frenzy? No you don't," Tretton said. "You have competition out there; there are lots of things that people can spend money on, especially during the holidays; and the holidays only come around once a year so that's really when you want to take advantage of the market opportunity."
The reason, then, that PS4 systems remain out of stock at many retailers simply comes down to the time needed to manufacture the systems, Tretton said. He explained that it took "months" to create the 1 million systems sold on launch-day and the second million sold weeks later.
Additional PS4s will be available for shoppers ahead of the end of the holiday season, Tretton said, and another allotment is planned to come to market during the January-March quarter.
Sony expects to sell 3 million total systems worldwide by the end of 2013 (now just 15 days away) and 5 million by the end of March 2014.
Also during the podcast, Tretton revealed that he gave up his PS4 launch unit so it could be sold instead. "I don't have one yet because I'm like 'No, sell it,'" he said.
The PS4 launched on November 15 in North America and is now currently available in 48 markets around the world, compared to 13 for the Xbox One.
