/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tgam/2RATKSEMK5LAVJBTKOZCENDTBQ.JPG?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
Sony Playstation 5 consoles will be shown in the GameStop Store in New York on November 12, 2020.
Carlo Allegri / Reuters
–
Japan’s Sony Corp has raised its full-year profit forecast by a third, boosted by pandemic demand for games, films and other content, but said it is struggling to build enough of PlayStation 5 devices amid a global semiconductor shortage.
The electronics and entertainment group said Wednesday some customers may have to wait longer for their consoles as they squabble over chips with other companies ranging from smartphone makers to automakers.
“It is difficult for us to scale up production of PS5 amid a shortage of semiconductors and other components,” CFO Hiroki Tutoki said in a press release.
The story continues under the ad
–
–
–
–
–
He added that Sony plans to sell more than 7.6 million PS5 consoles by the end of March.
The PS5, which sells for up to $ 500, quickly sold out after launching on online retail sites in the US and Japan in November, thanks to demand for video games from people stranded at home due to lockdowns due to the coronavirus.
The move to the new game console is also expected to encourage gamers to switch to online downloads or subscription services, which will help Sony increase the profitability of its game console.
Sony is now forecasting operating profit of 940 billion yen ($ 8.95 billion) in the 12 months leading up to March, up from 700 billion yen previously forecast.
Tutoki also said Sony resumed some image sensor shipments to customers in China from the end of November.
Sony is concerned about the potential impact on its sensor business after US restrictions on sales of chips using US technology to Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Chinese for smartphones.
In November, Huawei revealed plans to sell the Honor company to low-budget smartphone manufacturing. After the show, Honor said last month it signed deals with chip suppliers and component makers, including Sony.
