Eric Lempel, SVP and Head of Global Marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, discussed all things PlayStation 5 in a new interview.
I’m talking to Barrona major financial magazine, he revealed several interesting tidbits about the current trajectory of PS5 hardware sales and offered some insight into Sony’s broader strategy regarding the console software.
When asked about the numerous stock issues that plagued the early years of the PS5’s life, when eager players were unable to get their hands on systems due to a combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and major chip shortages, Lempel offered reassuring words.
“We’ve had a few consoles here and there over the last three holidays,” he said, “but this is the first time we’ve had a full offering and we’re really happy with that.” He added that “we’re happy that anyone who wants a PlayStation 5 can get one,” which sounds fantastic news for those keen to bag a console deal during the upcoming Black Friday gaming deals.
Despite inventory issues, PS5 sales have been consistently high, with a total of 38.4 million units sold as of May 2023. Looking to the future, Sony’s current “prospects on PlayStation 5 are very strong” and the company is making is currently gearing up for “one of the strongest seasons in console sales history.”
In response to a question about the positive reception of many PS5 exclusive titles, including the brilliant one Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Lempel outlined that Sony has an overall “focus on quality”, describing this as “what matters most” when it comes to its games.
He also commented on the reaction to the recent increase in the price of PS Plus subscriptions, suggesting that “many consumers have recognized that there is a lot of value in the PlayStation 5” and that the price increase was the result of a need “to adapt to market conditions.”
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