During last week’s press conference, Sony revealed what their upcoming PlayStation 5 will look like and which video games we can expect to play on it. However, despite the fact that the console is set to appear in stores this fall, many things about it remain unknown, including its price tag.
But while Sony has not yet revealed how much their newest piece of hardware is going to cost, that hasn’t stopped retailers from picking their own prices. Recently, Hong Kong-based retailer Play-Asia allowed its customers to pre-order the PS5 for a whopping $699. Given that Sony has neither commented on the retailer’s action nor offered information regarding the value of the PS5, the gaming community is inclined to believe the console’s actual price will turn out rather similar to the one that Play-Asia assigned it.
On the opposite side of the spectrum are those who believe that Sony has not yet revealed the PS5’s price because they simply haven’t determined it yet. Though this may sound strange from a business point of view, it’s actually quite logical. Because the PS5 releases around the same time as the Xbox Series X, maybe Sony is holding off on pricing their product so that Microsoft can’t suddenly undercut them. As such, it’s safe to say that the official retail price of the console will not be revealed until very close to its actual launch date.
Even so, fans should expect the PS5 to be a lot more expensive than the PS4. In the past, next-gen consoles have always been costlier than old ones, and there are a couple of reasons for that. First of all, newer consoles usually have better hardware, which is more difficult to produce. Secondly, they release at later dates than old ones, and must therefore account for inflation.
That last part is a bit alarming, though, considering that the coronavirus pandemic has not only hindered the promotion of the PS5’s release, but also seriously damaged the economy. With an ever-growing percentage of the world’s working population robbed of monthly income, we’ll have to wait and see how many people will actually be able to afford the PlayStation 5 when it comes out.
