Sony revealed the launch date and price of PlayStation 5 during the so-called Showcase live stream, after we have been waiting for months to get a complete insight into the next-generation console.
The PS5 will be launched in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea on November 12, while the rest of the world (including Norway) will get the console on November 19. The regular PS5 variant will cost $ 499.
The PS5 Digital Edition, on the other hand, which has no optical drive, will cost a hundred dollars less, and will end up with $ 399 (3600 kroner). Both versions will be launched at the same time. Note that these are American prices, and that here in Norway we probably have to settle for paying something more than just the exchange rate.
In comparison, Microsoft confirmed last week that Xbox Series X will also cost $ 499 when it launches on November 10, along with the cheaper and slightly more modestly equipped Xbox Series S (to $ 299.) This means that Sony will launch slightly later than Microsoft – but that the price of the console is nowhere near as high as some feared.
In fact, Sony has matched Microsoft on price, and given the machine a good position now in the prologue to the war for the next generation throne. Sony is entering this console battle with a huge advantage in the number of people who already own the PS4, which will most likely lead to people going for the sequel.
The console wars
Microsoft, for its part, has the advantage that the Xbox Series S is the cheapest device to be launched – Sony also offers a less expensive system, giving customers a more real choice this time around, with a system that shifts the physical medium.
PlayStation 5 will have a (partially proprietary) SSD system that leads to extremely fast game loading, and the biggest exclusive game this year will be «Spider-Man: Miles Morales», to be launched with the console. Next year comes PS5 games like «Horizon Forbidden West», “Deathloop” and “Returnal”, and will definitely fire up the popularity of the console.
One can expect pre-orders for the PS5 to be popular – given the success of the PS4, which sold 110 million units, and rumors that Sony is having problems with production.
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