IHS Markit and Kantan Games analysts have told Games Industry that they expect Sony and Microsoft’s next-gen hardware to be priced similarly but higher than the PS4 and Xbox One’s launch prices.
“I expect pricing of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to be similar, and I think it’s more likely than not they will be higher than the PS4 launch price point of $399,” said IHS Markit’s Piers Harding-Rolls. Kantan Games’ Dr. Serkan Toto was a little more specific, predicting a price tag of $499.99.
“Both consoles will be a lot more similar to each other in terms of specs, pricing and features when compared to the last generation,” said Toto. “Microsoft will likely avoid shenanigans like higher price (I expect $499 price tags for both), weaker specs, restrictions to used disc sales etc. I also expect no handheld versions, a PSVR 2, and only a single device (instead of a PS5 standard and Pro, for example) for both companies at launch.”
Both Harding-Rolls and Toto are probably right. Xbox boss Phil Spencer said back in November that although Microsoft isn’t willing to sacrifice performance for the sake of price, the company has learned its lessons from the past and will aim for competitive pricing.
“If you remember at the launch of Xbox One, we were $100 more expensive and less powerful,” Spencer told Eurogamer. “So, I won’t be in that position. There’s no doubt about that. As an industry that’s growing so fast, we do think about price.”
The PS5 and Xbox Series X will launch later this year.
[Source: Games Industry]