Sony introduced their next generation of the PlayStation series with the PS5 being launched late last year. One of the main points of conversation since the release of the console has been its lack of availability.

However, according to a release by the company, Sony have sold 7.8 million units of the PlayStation 5 despite the lack of availability. 3.3 million of those sales have come in 2021 with the data being recorded up until 31st March. Doing the maths, as well as documented in the earnings report, Sony shipped 4.5 million units of the console in 2020, following its release in November.

The drop in the number of units supplied can be explained by Sony preparing for the launch by increasing production beforehand. It is still scarce to find a unit available in countries like India.

In stark contrast to the supposed lack of availability, the PS5 is the fastest-selling console in the history of the United States, across the first five months of it being available. Additionally, it recorded the most amount of money spent on a gaming console as well.

For Q1 2021, however, the Nintendo Switch outpaced the PlayStation 5 in the US, which is not a surprise, given how difficult it is to still get your hands on a PlayStation 5 console. Sony shipped a million PS4 units in the first quarter of 2021, and the company maintains that the new generation console is selling faster than its predecessor.