The PlayStation 5 has continued to sell well following the transition to the more compact Slim model earlier this year.
That is according to Mario Dos Santos, CEO of Gamefinity, the official local distributor of PlayStation products.
The PS5 Slim was Sony’s first significant refresh of its latest gaming console in the more than three years since the original device was launched.
It went on sale in South Africa in early April 2024 at the same retail prices as the original models.
Both the digital and standard versions of the Slim are 30% smaller than the original models while weighing 24% and 18% less than their respective predecessors.
The only other significant changes were the splitting of the console’s side panels into two halves and the ability to add a disc drive to the digital console at a later stage.
Dos Santos said it was difficult to compare the sales of the PS5 Slim to the previous larger model, given the overall challenges in supply during the previous period. Still, he said the PS5 continued to sell well.
One noteworthy trend is that the digital console’s share of total sales has increased, although the disc version remains the most popular option.
One of the possible reasons for the growing adoption of the new digital console is because it is the more affordable choice.
Whereas the PS5 launched with a recommended retail price of R11,999 for the model with a disc drive, its price gradually climbed to R13,999 due to the rand weakening significantly.
The PS5 Slim digital console now carries the same R11,999 price tag as the launch price of the standard.
The fact that buyers know they can add a disc drive at a later stage might also be enough to convince them to choose the digital-only option rather than saving up or waiting for a good deal on the standard console.
The standalone disc drive is currently priced at R2,999 in South Africa.
Although buying it in conjunction with the digital console makes for a more expensive complete package, many gamers might prefer to split the purchase.
Portal handheld sales exceeding expectations
MyBroadband also asked Dos Santos about the sales performance of the PS5 Portal, a handheld device on which PS5 owners can stream their games over a Wi-Fi connection.
Dos Santos said that demand for the R5,499 device initially outstripped supply.
As supply freed up, the attachment rate — the portion of customers who first bought the main console and then the Portal — continued to exceed Gamefinity’s forecasts.
Dos Santos added that the content slate in the first half of 2024 had been a little “softer” than over the same period in 2023 but that this should strengthen over the last six months.
Along with promotional activity on hardware, Dos Santos anticipates that the overall market will record year-on-year growth.
PS5 Pro could deliver bigger blow to Microsoft
Globally, the PS5 is leading sales in the current console war, with more than double the estimated sales of the Xbox Series X|S since the consoles launched in November 2020.
According to analysis by VGChartz, Sony has sold 59.3 million PS5s while Microsoft has only racked up 29.06 million sales of the Xbox Series X|S.
At the same point in the lifecycle of the PS4, the previous-generation console had amassed 2.05 million more sales than the PS5.
That being said, the PS5’s initial sales were severely disrupted by a global chip shortage and supply chain issues in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Given that it is nearly four years old, the PS5 is widely expected to get a mid-generation refresh with a Pro variant launching sometime in the second half of 2024.
Insider Gaming reported the console could be unveiled in September 2024.
YouTuber Moore’s Law is Dead has also posted what he claims to be leaked specifications suggesting the PS5 Pro’s hardware could give it performance on par with the latest top-end gaming PCs.
Adding further fuel to the legitimacy of the YouTuber’s claims is that Sony had the video removed from YouTube for infringing its copyright.
If priced correctly and supply is not an issue, a significantly more powerful PS5 could spell more trouble for the Xbox Series X|S’s sales.