Four years into their respective life cycles, the two most popular home consoles are moving up the value chain. Analysts were divided on whether the pricing would spur sales for Sony, which is trying to expand its entertainment business with original, high-quality content spanning games, anime and film.
Sony Group priced a faster version of the PlayStation 5 well above its rival Xbox at US$700 ($910.97), suggesting the entertainment giant sees a loyal audience willing to pay a premium for top performance.
The Japanese company unveiled the surprisingly high price tag when it announced the start of sales Nov 7, which will come just weeks after the latest version of Microsoft’s competing console hits store shelves. Between them, Sony and Microsoft are moving into rarefied air for consoles, with the new Xbox Series X costing US$600 and the upgraded PS5 Pro asking US$200 more than the original.
