PS5 and Xbox Series X unavailable, Foxconn warns
Foxconn, the world's largest electronic component maker, said the global chip shortage could continue into the second quarter of 2022. Consequently, the stocks of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S would be destined to remain in hiding for a long time.The problem is really serious, and it also extends to the PC market, telephony and many other sectors. The Coronavirus pandemic has damaged a large number of companies, closing several semiconductor manufacturing plants and consequently limiting the production of graphics cards for companies such as AMD and NVIDIA. Both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S are equipped with AMD components under the hood, as a result the distribution of consoles globally is suffering.
Foxconn president Young Liu has said that in the near future the company will distribute 10% fewer components than previously expected. At present, demand is 10-30% higher than production capacity, so the shortage could continue for another year until the second quarter of 2022. Sony, Microsoft and 15 other organizations have turned to the US Chamber of Commerce to ask help to the Biden Administration. The President of the USA, in order to better clarify the matter, has therefore issued an executive order for an investigation into semiconductor supplies that should last 100 days.
According to some reports, the PlayStation shortage 5 and Xbox Series X | S could continue throughout 2022, therefore even beyond the second quarter predicted by the president of Foxconn. This is because, when the chips return to be produced in large quantities, the manufacture of other technological products considered more indispensable could be privileged.
PS5 and Xbox Series X petition gets response from Government
The Government has finally responded to a petition urging MPs to do more about scalping.
A petition was set up by Richard Glover after the release of the next-gen consoles after it become notoriously hard to grab a PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The petition, started by Richard Glover, reads: 'I believe it to be an unfair and unjust practice that well funded groups/individuals can deplete the stock of a single item and make it unaffordable/unavailable to the average consumer. I believe the law around this practice needs to be reviewed and measures to prevent it need to be introduced.
'This practice is most prevalent in the buying and re-selling of event tickets but also has a significant impact on the sales of trainers/clothes and technology. The most recent case in point is the launch of the PlayStation 5 and XBox Series X consoles'
Now the Government has responded to the petition emphasising it is 'illegal to buy tickets using automated software' and it is 'discussing other markets with relevant trade associations.'
According to Eurogamer, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said it's discussing the issue of 'bulk purchasing of high demand items like graphics cards and games consoles through automated bots with trade associations such as Ukie'.
'We understand they are currently examining further actions they can take to prevent these behaviours and are working with their retailers to improve experiences for customers purchasing their products,' the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said.
Ukie said it has been in talks with the government to work out how to tackle the problem of console scalpers, but for now recommended frustrated customers should 'stay patient'.
Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated Articles'We've been in constructive conversation with industry and government to determine the scale of the problem with consoles, share best practices between companies on how to tackle it and to provide advice to consumers on the matter,' a spokesperson for Ukie told Eurogamer.
'For now, our top tip is to stay patient, to refuse to buy from scalpers and to buy from a trusted retailer. We understand how frustrating it is to wait for a new device, but holding out to buy a console at the recommended price from a retailer as stock shortage'.