It's not been easy trying to get hold of the newest consoles. Since launching in November, both the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 has seen significant stock issues which remain ongoing, largely a result of the ongoing semiconductor shortage.
Despite this, Sony's PS5 appears to have made a considerable push. During Q1 2021, Ampere Analysis recently posted their findings for Q1 2021 and the PS5 hit 2.83 million sales, outselling Microsoft's Xbox Series' 1.31 million by just over 2 to 1.
PS5 Console Sales Reportedly Doubled Those For Xbox Series X|S During Q1 2021
On the next-gen front, that sounds like a convincing lead for Sony but Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls cites the component shortage as a potential factor. Detailing his views, he advised:
Both Sony and Microsoft's new consoles are suffering from supply constraints and unpredictable availability. These conditions are expected to continue for the rest of 2021 as competition for components remains high, making it challenging for many CE companies to increase production.
Under these conditions, both versions of PlayStation 5 combined outsold both versions of Xbox Series consoles by more than 2 to 1. Sony will be pleased that its PS4 market share is continuing into the new generation but it is very hard to gauge real demand under the current market conditions.
Even with that in mind, both consoles fell way short of the Nintendo Switch, which took in 5.86 million, marking a 12% increase from Q1 2020. Despite the weaker hardware, there's a very clear demand for Nintendo's hybrid console, which recently outsold the Game Boy Advance and Xbox 360.
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