After literally months of speculation, you began to half-jokingly wonder if either next-generation console would receive a price or release date, or whether both consoles would one day magically form into existence on store shelves with a cloud of mystery on pricing that only lifted once taking the item to the tills. It’s understandable why both Sony and Microsoft have kept quiet on console pricing: both companies have seen production hit hard by COVID-19, and neither company wanted to be the first to unveil a price before the other in case they undercut, even as they’ve showcased numerous next-gen games. After months of speculation and Microsoft unveiling the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S last week, Sony’s PlayStation event has revealed the release date and price of the PS5.
Compared to the pricing that Microsoft have given the Xbox Series X and Series S, the PS5 has been priced roughly in the middle of these two consoles. Compared to the $499 price for the Xbox Series X and $299 for the Series S, Sony have chosen to price the full-fat PS5 at the same price as the Xbox Series X of $499. while the digital edition of the console is cheaper than the Series X, this device is unable to match the price of the Series S, and is priced at $399.
This decision makes sense. Unlike the Series S, which is definitely a next-gen console in terms of power but is notably weaker than the Series X, the PS5 Digital Edition console has the same internals as the PS5, just without a disc drive. This is an aggressive move by Sony to push more gamers towards a digital-only gaming future (no disc drive for a console would push the manufacturing price up $100), but it allows Sony to make up the extra cost through digital game sales, where Sony get a larger cut.
With the price of the console comes a date! As revealed in the PlayStation 5 Showcase, the PS5 and PS5 Digital edition will be priced at $499 and $399 respectively and release on November 12th in the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, and November 19th everywhere else.