Sony’s PS5 will focus on delivering “value” rather than the cheapest price of the next-generation consoles, according to Sony Interactive Entertainment’s president Jim Ryan.
Sony has kept tight-lipped on the actual price of the PS5, even though it has finally revealed the design of the console, as well as showing off a fully-digital version that drops the disc drive in favor of simply downloading games instead. But despite this, Sony’s not looking at making a particularly cheap next-generation console in order to keep the Xbox Series X at bay.
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"Conventional wisdom and history show that our business is one of the more recession-proof businesses," Ryan told the BBC. "But I think this will sharpen our need to ensure that we focus on getting the value equation right. And I emphasise value as opposed to price.
"We must be more attentive than ever before to ensure that the overall value proposition in terms of the console and the games - the range of games, the quality of games, the quantity of games - makes this something that our community aspires towards.”
Reading between the lines, the rumored PS5 price of around $500 or higher seems likely. One of the reasons for that is likely down to the PS5’s superfast SSD, which uses tech that not even the best gaming PCs have access to.
Ryan emphasized that the PS5 will be about value, which translates to a gaming console that not only comes with plenty of power but the aforementioned SSD, Sony’s 3D audio tech, and a roster of impressive PS5 games. But the likelihood of the PS5 being more expensive than the Xbox Series X plays into Microsoft’s hands.
Microsoft is expected to undercut PS5 by $100 with the Xbox Series X. And when you consider that Microsoft has a suite of services, a more powerful console and what’s shaping up to be comprehensive backwards compatibility, the Xbox Series X could be a serious threat to a PS5.
Furthermore, the Xbox Series X has a design that’s arguably not very interesting, but far less divisive than that of the PS5. In comparison, the somewhat outlandish design of the PS5 has already spurred mixed reactions, further giving the Xbox Series X the scope to steal PlayStation fans.
We'll have to wait until this holiday season to see which console will come out on top, but expect major news around each machine until then. The next big event is Microsoft's July exclusives showcase, which should hopefully be a strong counter to Sony's impressive June games event.
