PS4 games continue to outsell their PS5 counterparts in Japan, leading publishers to remain committed to cross-gen.
Given the higher sales figures of cross-gen games on PS4 compared to PS5, publishers are continuing the trend of developing games across both platforms. PS5 sales in Japan are currently suffering due to low supply of consoles, scaplers as well as the lack of major releases that cater to the local market.
As seen in the sale figures shared by Famitsu, PS4 versions of cross-gen games are outselling their PS5 counterparts by as much as 3 times. This is in contrast to the trend seen in the US and the UK, where the PS5 versions lead the sales stats.
Previously, it was reported that the PS5 stock situation in Japan had hit a new low, as a local retailer by the name of GEO had begun to only offer PS4 owners the opportunity to buy the new console. The retailer claimed to have implemented various resale measures jointly with manufacturers, but there was still an increasing trend of scalpers acquiring the console through fraudulent means, using fake IDs on the GEO Online store and GEO App. Therefore, the company resorted to the aforementioned strict countermeasure of only offering a PS5 directly to people who already own a PS4.
Whether these new measures helped keep scalpers at bay is anyone’s guess, but it’ll certainly made things more difficult for anyone genuinely interested in buying a PS5 for personal use.
There was some hope that the PS5 stock situation would improve in the months to come. It was revealed by Hiroki Totoki, who is currently Executive Deputy President, CFO, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, and Director of the Board of Sony Group Corporation, that the PS5 hardware production has picked up pace since Q2 2022. According to him, PS5 production is now experiencing less friction, as there are much less constraints from component supplies. Logistical lead time isn’t yet at pre-pandemic level, however.
