Sony chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki said during the earnings webcast that it was “a number based on our current parts supply visibility,” meaning the company s still expects component shortages to be an issue over the next year.

However, it should still be easier for consumers to get a PS5 than the previous two years, as a target of 18 million is significantly higher than its sales for the first year (7.8 million) and the second year (11 .5 million), and Sony is confident it will hit that higher number.

Totoki said that following last year’s shortages, “in different areas, we have changed our source of supply” and “so for parts supply, I think we have a good outlook.”

There will always be consumers unable to afford a PS5, because if component shortages weren’t an issue, Sony would have set its sights even higher.

“We’re very comfortable being able to get the parts and components, and we think there’s a little bit more demand than that, so if the question is can we meet the demand, I think we’re still a bit short,” Totoki added.

PS5 stock and inventory remains “very low, so in order to deliver our PlayStation units to customers smoothly and quickly, in that sense, we are always behind schedule.”

Sony also missed its overall sales target for the year, recording 1.16 trillion yen ($8.9 billion) instead of around 1.2 trillion yen ($9.2 billion), which which prompted Sony to buy back some of its own shares.

According to Bloomberg, Sony plans to buy back up to 2.02% of its outstanding shares, or up to 25 million for a total value of 200 billion yen ($1.5 billion).

The PS5 had the best-selling console launch in US history when it released in November 2020 and overtook the PS4 in its first fiscal year, a feat it couldn’t match in its first fiscal year. his second.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who sometimes remembers tweeting @thelastdinsdale. He’ll be talking about The Witcher all day.