Unprecedented Demand: PlayStation Portal Handheld Flies Off Shelves Faster Than Ever!
The PlayStation Portal handheld has defied expectations, selling out in numerous locations worldwide Despite initial doubt, its niche appeal has proven to be a hit with gamers everywhere
Highlights
The PlayStation Portal has already sold out in many places around the world, showing strong demand and potential for commercial success.
The handheld console's pre-order period began in late September and sold out swiftly, including in Japan and on Amazon in the U.S. Due to the limited pre-order availability, precise sales figures are hard to determine. However, considering the large potential customer base, it is anticipated that the handheld could reach a million sales shortly after its release.
The PlayStation Portal has already sold out in many places around the world weeks before its planned release, signaling a promising start to its pre-order period. This suggests that the major drawback of the PlayStation's first handheld in over a decade, its inability to function as a standalone console, may not hinder its potential commercial success.
Initially announced as Project Q in late May, the PlayStation Portal was officially named and given a price tag three months later. However, this timeframe pales in comparison to the overall development cycle of the $199.99 handheld, which recent evidence indicates began no later than 2015. After eight years, Sony finally opened pre-orders for the device on September 29.
The PlayStation Portal sold out within a day across all online retailers in Japan. Surprisingly, it is also out of stock on the U.S. version of Amazon. The PlayStation Direct storefront in the U.S. has limited orders to one device per player due to high demand. Best Buy now states that the PlayStation Portal is "coming soon," while GameStop only accepts early purchases from its Pro subscribers and has already labeled it as a "bestseller." Sony did not disclose the maximum pre-order volume to be fulfilled before the gadget's debut, making it difficult to accurately gauge its current sales. The PS VR2, a comparable product, sold 600,000 units in its first three months on the market.
With the given information and assuming the PlayStation Portal had a similar pre-order volume as the PS VR2, it is possible that the handheld will reach a million sales shortly after its release. The potential customer base is approximately 40 million, which is the number of PS5 consoles sold by Sony as of July.
It is yet to be determined if retailers who are no longer accepting pre-orders for the handheld will open up another round of pre-orders before its mid-November launch. However, the early market performance indicates that many gamers have already been enticed by the promise of a portable PS5 screen with a long battery life, even if the device itself doesn't compete with standalone handhelds like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
PlayStation Portal releases November 15.
Source: Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
