PS4 production to resume through 2022 as a stopgap solution for PS5 stock shortages

It's been well over a year since the PS5 dropped, and it is still frustratingly difficult to get your hands on one. If you think this is the year for you, think again because Sony says that PS5 stocks could dwindle in 2022. Those in the market for a previous-generation PS4, on the other hand, will be thrilled to know that Sony will keep manufacturing the consoles throughout 2022. According to a Bloomberg report, Sony plans on making a million of them as a stopgap solution for those who cannot get a PS5.

Unsurprisingly, manufacturing a nearly nine-year-old console is much easier, as it takes fewer resources and uses dated technology. Its predecessor, the PS3, was sold in Japan till 2017, four years after the PS4 was unveiled. Hence, the PS4 will likely follow suit and serve as a low-cost alternative to those who cannot afford/buy a PS5. Additionally, there is a clear upgrade path this time around, as PS4 games can run on the PS5, albeit with a few restrictions.

However, one will still have to try their luck with a PS5 to play some of the upcoming AAA titles, such as God of War: Ragnarok. Thankfully, others like Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 get a PS4 release. That will be more of an exception than the norm, though. Making a current-generation title work on decade-old hardware is a daunting task, and the last thing a studio wants to do is follow Cyberpunk 2077's footsteps and get booted off the PSN Store.