It was reported last week that Sony was increasing PS4 production as a means of making up for the ongoing PS5 shortages. The story initially broke ground due to Bloomberg’s report, however, it seems their sources may have been mistaken. While it is true that PlayStation 4 consoles are still being manufactured, PS5 availability has nothing to do with it.
This report comes from Japanese publication NLab, which received official statements from Sony Interactive Entertainment. Sony told NLab that it never had plans to stop PS4 production at the end of 2021. While there may have been internal plans to cut production at some point, they weren’t coming to fruition any time soon.
In a statement provided to NLab, Sony PR said that the PlayStation 4 is one of the best-selling consoles for the company. Because of this, Sony is continuing production of the last-gen machine during the transitional period.
It’s a strategy that Sony has employed in the past, selling previous-gen consoles well into their successor’s lifecycles. Of the major console manufacturers, Sony typically has the best track record of supporting systems past their due date. As an example, Sony didn’t officially discontinue production of the original PlayStation until eight months before the PS3 launched.
