The coronavirus has had a huge impact on the gaming and tech industries, but ongoing issues will not see the release date for the PS5 pushed back, according to Sony.
In the company’s newly released financial statement for its fiscal year ending March 31, Sony made several remarks in relation to the upcoming console.
One notable excerpt from the statement reads:
“Regarding the launch of PlayStation 5, although factors such as employees working from home and restrictions on international travel have presented some challenges in regards to part of the testing process and the qualification of production lines, development is progressing with the launch of the console scheduled for the 2020 holiday season. At this point in time major problems have not arisen in the game software development pipeline for Sony’s own first-party studios or its partners’ studios.”
Related: Best PS5 Games – Confirmed and rumoured titles coming to PlayStation 5
This follows the suggestion – from a recent leak – that the PS5 could be scheduled for an October release date. A Japanese job listing at Sony Interactive Entertainment suggested as much, although this claim has since been refuted.
While Sony here admits to experiencing some difficulties during the coronavirus crisis, it’s also true that gaming is one of the few industries to see some positive effects. As more people are stuck at home and not able to work or, in some cases, leave the house – gaming has become hugely popular.
Half of 18-34 year-olds are playing more video games than usual each week, according to a Comscore study. Sony’s report also references this growth in current-gen hardware, complete with virus-related difficulties in the supply chain.
“There has been a slight impact on production of PS4 hardware due to issues in the component supply chain, demand in the short-term is being addressed with current inventory and sales are trending well. Sales of game software that is downloaded from the network, as well as PS Plus and PlayStation Now (PS Now) subscriber numbers have significantly increased.”
Related: Best PS4 Games 2020 – 13 titles you definitely need in your collection
It will be a huge relief to PlayStation fans to hear that the PS5’s release date won’t be pushed back. With the arrival of next-gen hardware right around the corner, anticipation is building for the games that will take centre stage on the new consoles. We can’t wait.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
