Sony announced pricing details for its new Playstation 5 console at the end of its September PS5 livestream. The console will be released in North America in November and it will come in two versions - one with a disc drive costing $499 and another digital edition priced at $399. Those prices were generally in line with predictions made by industry observers though some had expected Sony to undercut Microsoft in a similar fashion to the Playstation 4's faceoff with the Xbox One in 2013. This time around, however, the PS5 with a disc drive and the Xbox Series X will have exactly the same price.
Microsoft still has an ace up its sleeve as the Xbox Series S is still the cheapest next generation console on the horizon. Together with the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, it would prove an attractive option for gamers seeking affordable access to the next generation of console gaming technology. The affordability does come at a cost and the Series S is equipped with weaker components than its beefier and more expensive iteration and games will be playable at a lower resolution. Despite the price advantage of the lower specification Xbox, Sony is probably feeling confident ahead of the holiday season battle due to a library of exclusive titles including Final Fantasy XVI, Gran Turismo 7 and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
