We already know that chip shortages are making it difficult to find PS5 restocks and Xbox Series X restocks, but Toshiba has specifically identified why the situation will not improve until 2023.

The electronics company said its power regulation chips, used in new game consoles, will remain in short supply for the foreseeable future. [Bloomberg reported that "chip supplies will remain very tight at least through next September. In some cases, some customers may not be able to fully supply until 2023."

To be clear, this is not just an issue for the Xbox Series X and PS5; the shortage of power regulators, which Bloomberg describes as "cheap but essential," will also affect other consumer electronics and automobiles. However, gaming console manufacturers have been particularly hard hit, and Kamebuchi apologized to the industry as a whole.

"We will consider which customers are facing the most serious situation, such as an entire production line coming to a halt, or a lack of chip supply that would put them out of business. Game console manufacturers are among the most demanding customers, and we are truly sorry for their dissatisfaction, as none of them can be satisfied 100% of the time," Kamebuchi said.

The report noted that "some game console customers" may have to change their circuit board designs to reduce their reliance on the components in question. The design of the console has been revisited many times during its lifespan, and indeed the PS5 has just undergone major surgery, losing a 300 g heatsink in the process.

However, as Bloomberg explains, the power regulation chip is a particularly tricky component to replace because of its safety certification role. The console manufacturer "can't just go to the next semiconductor manufacturer and demand the same part. Even if they could replace them, they would not have the luxury of time to provide them because the chip shortage is so extensive. Needless to say, this is only a shortage of one component; other components could be affected as well.

In other words, inventory shortages are expected to continue for some time yet. However, we do have some clues. Of particular interest is the story of staff writer Laurie Mellon, who spent a year tracking PS5 reservations, sales, and restocking to gain knowledge about how to secure PS5s.