Sony has at last revealed the prices and release dates for its next gen consoles. In brief the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition will cost £449 ($499/€499) and £359 ($399/€399), respectively. The launch date has been set for 12th Nov in North America, Mexico, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. However, those resident in the rest of the world will have to wait until 19th Nov - a date which apples to the UK, as confirmed by Amazon UK. Pre-orders are live now, opened at 9am this morning) here in the UK.
Sony was the clear victor in the last generation console battle with Microsoft with the PS4 (total sales 111 million to date) outselling the Xbox One (51 million) by more than 2:1. This time around some analysts think it could swing the other way, with the Xbox Series S and X combo, plus the pay monthly offerings which are rolled up with the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
The most interesting battle for hearts, minds, and wallets might be between the cheaper PS5 Digital Edition (£359) and more affordable Xbox Series S (£250). Here Microsoft is aiming at delivering the cheapest possible entry point to next gen console gaming. In favour of Sony's thriftier choice it doesn't have any scaled back specs except for the lack of Blu-Ray drive, so it is much closer to the £449 top-end console experience.
Sony took this opportunity to talk about its new subscription service called the PlayStation Plus Collection for the PS5. This offers a "curated library of PS4 games that defined the generation, like Batman Arkham Knight, Bloodborne, Fallout 4, God of War, Monster Hunter: World, Persona 5 and many more". Notably no new blockbuster PS5 games look to be included in the service.
Some AAA exclusives will arrive with the PS5 to help it gain fans early on. At the virtual launch event Sony showed off new trailers for the likes of Final Fantasy XVI, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Deathloop. Remember, it won't be until Halo Infinite arrives (2021) for the Xbox Series X/S that Microsoft's platform will have an exclusive next gen title.
Some complementary hardware is going to be launched alongside the next gen PlayStations. Specifically, Sony is releasing the following:
- DualSense Wireless Controller (standalone) – US$69.99/CAD$89.99/¥6,980/€69.99 (RRP)
- PULSE 3D wireless headset – with 3D audio support and dual noise-cancelling microphones US$99.99/CAD$129.99/¥9,980/€99.99 (RRP)
- HD Camera – with dual 1080p lenses for gamers to broadcast themselves along with their epic gameplay moments US$59.99/CAD$79.99/¥5,980/€59.99 (RRP)
- Media Remote – to navigate movies and streaming services with ease US$29.99/CAD$39.99/¥2,980/€29.99 (RRP)
- DualSense Charging Station – to conveniently charge two DualSense Wireless Controllers US$29.99/CAD$39.99/¥2,980/€29.99 (RRP)
The PlayStation blog provides a reminder of the console and controller tech specs and if you need a refresher you can scroll to the end of that post.
