It seems like it is going to get even harder for those wanting to snap up a PlayStation 5. The enormous, DualSense-toting, white-coloured console has been in high demand ever since it launched around this time last year. But many potential PS5 buyers have been left wanting as an ongoing global computer chip shortage has made for relatively low stocks, leaving the Sony console in scarce supply.

Now it seems Sony has been forced to slash production targets for the PS5 further due to components shortages and logistics issues, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Related: Sony Tries To Make Up For Chip Shortages With Factory In Japan, But Don't Expect Them In PS5s Anytime Soon

Sony had previously set out to manufacture more than 16 million PS5s for the financial year ending in March next year, which would have matched the company's sales goal for the period and left it in a good place going into the next fiscal year.

However, the Tokyo-based giant has now had to reduce that number down to about 15 million units, meaning there will be more than one million fewer PS5s in circulation than the company had originally intended.

Bloomberg cited "people familiar with its [Sony's] operations" so this report should be credible, and console manufacturers from Microsoft to Nintendo have all been hit by components shortages, most notably the squeeze on global semiconductors which has affected a wide range of industries. Sony is no different, of course, and last month its chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki said logistics issues and components shortages were becoming more acute. The pandemic has been a significant contributor to these issues.

Since its launch, the PlayStation 5 has sold well, becoming the fastest Sony console to sell 10 million units, in July, but its rapid sell-through has since lost pace, and is now falling behind that of its predecessor the PS4.

Consumers are growing frustrated by the limited quantities of PS5s available on the market, but Sony has been hampered by severe supply issues that have affected a whole swathe of industries, which includes the far larger automobile sector. The number of PS5s in circulation isn't actually low, especially as compared with previous PlayStation launches, but the biggest difference is that the number of console gamers in the world is higher than ever, and demand for next-gen gaming has surged in the past couple of years.

It seems patience will be needed as console manufacturers deal with these issues.

Next: Xbox Series X/S Beat PS5 In The First Year