A little over a week ago, in the ‘who would blink first’ stakes, Microsoft decided to go first by revealing the price and release date for their next-gen Xbox consoles. As such, all attention was turned towards Sony and specifically how they would respond with their PS5 systems.
Well, following the broadcast of their Livestream event, we now have 100% confirmation. The PS5 and it’s digital edition counterpart will be released on November 12th (region depending) for $499 and $399 respectively!
So, starting with the price, in announcing how much their main PS5 console will cost, we have 100% confirmation that Sony is price matching Microsoft’s Xbox Series X system at $499.99 (£449.99). Albeit, in something of a moderately surprising announcement, they have also confirmed that their ‘diskless’ all-digital version will retail for $399.99 (£359.99). A price that is around $100 more expensive than most had anticipated and one that does create more than a little wiggle room in favor of the Xbox Series S.
In terms of the specific release dates, this does get a little bit more complicated as Sony is releasing this on a regional basis. With America, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea getting their systems on November 12th, it seems that the rest of the world (including all of us here in the UK and Europe) are going to have to wait until November 19th.
Annoying, but what can you do?…
If the rumors are true, with Sony selling their main PS5 console for $499.99, these will almost certainly be sold at a loss. It was believed that originally Sony intended these to retail for closer to $599.99, but with Microsoft seemingly willing to ‘suck up’ any potential loss with their Xbox Series X price, it seems to have forced Sony’s hand to do the same and between the two, we understand that the PS5 is a little bit more expensive to make.
With the prices for both top-spec consoles being exactly the same, however, it again very firmly shifts the apparent dominance back onto the PS5 and, as I suspected earlier this week, Microsoft may ironically find the Xbox Series S being their biggest success story here!
What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!
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