PS5, Xbox Shortages to Continue into 2023

The latest generation of console gaming kicked off in 2020, with Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S models launching on November 10 and the Sony Playstation 5 releasing shortly after on November 12. While the launches of each console have been successful, the global COVID-19 pandemic and related challenges have resulted in severe shortages. Unfortunately for gamers, industry experts forecast these shortages to continue well into 2022, if not 2023.

The primary reason for the delay, which has impacted virtually every corner of the technology industry, involves a shortage of semiconductor chips. Takeshi Kamebuchi, director of Toshiba’s semiconductor business, said chip supplies will remain “very tight until at least September [2022]” and that customers in specific regions will not be “fully served until 2023.” Toshiba plans to invest about $545 million into semiconductor production through 2024 and has discussed building another factory. Intel, meanwhile, recently broke ground on two new factories in Chandler, Arizona, at the cost of about $20 billion.

Kamebuchi mentioned the gaming industry when speaking to Bloomberg about the chip shortage, saying that Sony and Microsoft were two companies placing the greatest demand for new chips and that hardware is likely to remain scarce until the chip shortage is addressed.

In February, United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order to investigate the shortage of components needed to build the consoles. The executive order was signed at the urging of Sony and Microsoft, who reached out to 15 different organizations for help in resolving the matter, including the US Chamber of Commerce. Biden agreed, with an eye on a stable American and global economy. However, it should be noted semiconductors are also used to make solid-state lasers that allow for missile targeting technology.

As stated, while the pandemic and related shortages have made it difficult for consumers to get a console at the moment of their choosing, it has not resulted in stunted sales for Microsoft or Sony. Microsoft recorded an estimated 6.5 million units sold through the first half of 2021. The Playstation 5 has become the fastest-selling console in Sony’s history, moving more than 10 million units entering September. Xbox hardware revenue increased by 172 percent year-over-year in fiscal Q4 2021 as Microsoft’s gaming segment yielded $3.7 billion in revenue, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. Sony, meanwhile, estimates sales will approach 15 million by March 2022.

The demand for consoles can be seen whenever new stock is made available. Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man: Miles Morales, released alongside the PS5, has repeatedly jumped and fell on the sales chart depending on PS5 availability. The game has seen sales spikes upwards of 170 percent following restocks, and PS5 games, in general, improve by more than 60 percent when consoles are made available, indicating that customers are willing and ready to buy hardware and games as soon as possible.

While it may be a coincidence, both Microsoft and Sony have been relatively slow in releasing console exclusives amidst console shortages. As of September 2021, Sony has released just eight games exclusive to the console, while Microsoft has delayed several marquee titles, including Halo Infinite and Far Cry 6.

Management of Online Classrooms

A resident of Livermore, CA, Eric Dillie is a distinguished nonprofit leader and education administration expert who draws upon two decades of experience. The superintendent of schools at Key Educational Group, Eric Dillie is also an advisory board member at Kapdec.

Kapdec is an e-learning academy that offers robust e-learning solutions for students, teachers, and educational institutions. The global digital platform is designed to help both math and science students. Kapdec Smart Room is a fully integrated platform that facilitates the online running and management of classrooms. Using this technology, teachers can conduct live classes and create and send homework assignments and announcements, as well as effectively manage classes.

Smart Room features include a Smart Class where users can safely and securely create a virtual classroom space and include students with just a few clicks, allowing teachers to effectively manage their students. In addition, managing communication is simplified as teachers can utilize a smart room’s communication portal to share a syllabus and send important news and documents, all while allowing teachers to connect in a central, safe, and secure platform.

Teachers can also create unique assignments tailored to a specific topic corresponding to the class they’re teaching. The same portal allows students to upload their homework, thus eliminating the need to create separate document libraries. Teachers can also track submissions made by students and subsequently grade tasks and tests in a central location. Kapdec has a private communication feature that allows teachers and students to have a one-to-one connection to provide any kind of assistance required, without having to go to external platforms.

ShareWaves Promote Youth Sports

A resident of Livermore, CA, Eric Dillie is a superintendent of Schools at Key Educational Group. An accomplished nonprofit leader and education administration expert, he has held high-profile positions at various nonprofits. Eric Dillie serves as an advisory board member for several nonprofit organizations including the ShareWaves Foundation.

ShareWaves works round the clock to ensure each child gets to experience the life-enriching “power of sports.” The ShareWaves Foundation believes that support and collaboration from well-wishers can help level the playing field and allow all children to have equal opportunity in sports participation.

Sports competition is a key ingredient for promoting community. When children participate in sports, they acquire healthy habits that benefit them throughout their lifetime. Sports enable children to experience character-building interactions that positively impact them both on and off the field. By participating in sports, children acquire core values such as discipline, fairness, self-respect, integrity, selflessness, humility, patience, and tenacity, many of the key building blocks of a successful life.

ShareWaves continues to speak out about the inequalities associated with youth sports programs and how lack of participation makes kids miss out on physical health, academic development, and socioeconomic growth benefits. In the midst of all the challenges children face today, there is a call for a movement to help address opportunity gaps that prevent children from fully benefiting from the transformative power associated with sports and structured play. 

ShareWaves Foundation Provides Resources to Keep Kids Active

A resident of Livermore, California, Eric Dillie has worked as School Superintendent with the Key Educational Group since 2016. In this role, he oversees staff and budgeting for public charter schools that serve around 600 students. Additionally, Eric Dillie supports several educationally focused community organizations, such as the ShareWaves Foundation.

Created with the mission of empowering young people through sports, ShareWaves works to expand access to athletic opportunities and support youth sports causes. Additionally, the foundation hosts fundraising events to facilitate financial aid and grants to young athletes. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has prevented millions of children from playing sports in a team setting, the foundation created the #Ready2Play campaign.

Aimed at keeping young people active and engaged, the campaign offers resources such as video workouts and virtual training opportunities that are designed to keep kids socially engaged and physically active. In addition to experiencing the powerful mood boost that exercise provides, working out virtually as a community can help kids feel connected to one another despite the physical isolation.