We previously reported on a rumor that Sony was planning to discontinue PS4 production at the end of 2021, but due to a lack of PS5 supply, PS4 production will continue into 2022. But now Sony has denied the rumor.
In an NLAB interview, a Sony spokesperson said: There are no plans to discontinue PS4 production at the end of last year. This contradicts a rumored report earlier this month. Stopping the production of PS4 consoles in 2021 seems understandable to many considering the global chip shortage that continues to impact technology production, but considering Sony’s history of supporting older consoles years after new consoles, so after the next generation comes out. It’s a bit out of Sony’s character to quickly stop production of older consoles.
Some believe Sony’s continued support for the PS4 is an attempt to help address the console shortage that has plagued the industry since the outbreak. As the PS5 sells well, some gaming fans may switch to the PS4, but it turns out that the PS4 is also out of stock due to the increased demand for gaming hardware.
As mentioned above, Sony has a lot of precedent for continuing to produce PS4 consoles after the new generation of consoles is born. For example, the PS3, which launched in 2006, was discontinued in 2017, while the PS2 had a longer lifespan: from 2000 to 2013. Based on this, it may be a few years before the PS4 is discontinued, as it won’t turn 10 until late 2023.