PS5 restock disaster — Sony may alter design to cope

PS5
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Sony has bad news for gamers still hunting down PS5 restock. The tech giant doesn’t expect to be able to significantly increase its ability to manufacturer the PS5 any time soon and may even change the design of the in-demand console to solve the problem. 

VGC transcribed a Sony investor call that took place following the release of the company's annual earnings report where Sony CFO, Hiroki Totoki, said "we’re aiming for more sales volume than the PS4 [in its second year]. But can we drastically increase the supply? No, that’s not likely."

“The shortage of semiconductors is one factor, but there are other factors that will impact on the production volume. So, at present, we’d like to aim at [beating] second year sales of 14.8 million, which was the second year of PS4.” 

It’s unsurprising to see Totoki making reference to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, as this chip crisis is causing manufacturing headaches in just about every industry. With all sorts of technology products affected, from video game consoles to electric vehicles. 

Totoki did suggest that Sony may be able to cope with the shortage by either finding a secondary resource to manufacture its consoles with or by even going as far as "changing the design" of the machine in order to circumvent the issue. 

While we don’t expect to see the PS5 undergo a major redesign anytime soon, it is interesting to hear that Sony is considering tweaking the console slightly in order to increase its ability to meet the overwhelming demand. 

Sony’s latest earnings report paints an overall very rosy picture for the PlayStation. Sony has sold 7.8 million PS5 consoles through March 31, which is more than the PS4 sold in its first fiscal year. It also reported total operating profits of $3.14 billion. The division is looking extremely healthy and remains one of the crown jewels in Sony’s portfolio. 

The news that the PS5 won’t be getting any easier to buy this side of Christmas will surely come as greatly frustrating to the thousands of gamers still desperate to secure a next-gen PlayStation. So if you want the chance to score one of these coveted machines, make sure to follow our PS5 restock guide for the latest stock information as we get it. 

Check PS5 restock right now

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

Read more
The PlayStation logo on a PS5 Pro
Ex-Sony executive predicts the PS6 will arrive in 2028 — what you need to know
RTX 50 series GPUs
Nvidia RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 stock update: UK retailer warns 4-month wait
PS5 Pro and PS5 consoles standing vertically on tables
PS5 Pro vs PS5: The 3 biggest upgrades
a photo representing the PS5 vs. Xbox Series X
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which console wins?
The PlayStation logo on a PS5 Pro
PlayStation 6 rumored for late 2027 release — 3 PS6 spec clues I've picked up from reading between the lines
PS5 30th Anniversary Limited Edition consoles and accessories
PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection restock — how to score your limited-edition PS5 Digital, DualSense, PS portal and more
Latest in Playstation
The Last of Us Part I screenshot with a Tom's Guide deal tag
PlayStation launches new sale with big discounts on essential PS5 games — here’s my 17 favorite deals from $2
PS VR2 headset with PS VR2 Sense controllers
PlayStation VR2 getting a $200 price drop in March — is it worth buying now?
The PlayStation logo on a PS5 Pro
Ex-Sony executive predicts the PS6 will arrive in 2028 — what you need to know
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut screenshot with a Tom's Guide deal tag
PlayStation launches new sale with essential PS5 game deals from $2 — here’s my 15 top picks
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
PlayStation sale slices best PS5 games by up to 80% — here’s 17 deals from $5 I’d buy now
A screenshot from Spider-Man 2 with a Tom's Guide deal tag
Best Presidents' Day PS5 sales — here's 19 deals on PS5 games I'm adding to my cart right now
Latest in News
NYTimes Connections
NYT Connections today hints and answers — Sunday, March 9 (#637)
Prime Gaming's selection of free games for March 2025
Amazon Prime is giving away these 20 games in March — get Fallout, Saints Row 3, and more free games now
Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed in "Heretic"
Max top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
NYT Strands on a cellphone
NYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #371 (Sunday, March 9 2025)
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 price rumors and predictions — everything we've heard so far
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge back
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge latest leak hints at good news for pricing