Science & Tech1 min(s) read
Published 07:40 17 Sep 2020 GMT
After a next-gen event that took place back in June, Sony has finally released more detail surrounding its highly touted PlayStation 5 console.
It's fair to say that the PS5's design caught everyone by surprise when the console was first introduced to the world, seemingly eschewing traditional PlayStation design touches for a futuristic look with smoother finishes.
While it captured the imagination of many, not everyone loved the new design. One Twitter user described it as looking like a WiFi router:
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And now, Sony has announced that the PlayStation 5 will cost consumers $499.99 when it launches on November 12 alongside the cheaper Digital Edition, which will cost $399.99.
Sony previously wrote in the description of the PS5 hardware launch trailer:
"At launch, we will offer two options: a PlayStation®5 console with an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and a PlayStation®5 Digital Edition without a disc drive. The PS5 gameplay experience will be the same, so the choice is all yours. While there are some slight differences in the look of each model, for the overall design, we wanted to deliver a console that’s bold, stunning, and unlike any previous generation of PlayStation."
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That price point places the PlayStation 5 directly up against Microsoft's flagship X Box Series X, which is being released on November 10 for $499.
Sony's November 12 release date applies to US, Japan, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea. while the rest of the world will be getting the console a week later on November 19. A release date for China is yet to be announced.
The PlayStation 4 was priced at $399 when it launched, though today sells for $299.
While the $499 PlayStation 5 sounds like a high price point premium product, it doesn't take home the accolade for Sony's most expensive console. The PlayStation 3 sold for $499 for the 20GB model and $599 for the 60GB model. 15 years on from the PlayStation 3's release, it remains one of the most expensive consoles of all time.
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"This is truly an exciting time for all of us at PlayStation. Over the past few months, we’ve been able to show you a glimpse of the stunning new games being created for PlayStation 5, taking advantage of the console’s unique capabilities to deliver lightning-fast loading, heightened immersion, and a whole new generation of experiences. And we’re excited that the time for you to experience these brave new adventures is almost here." Reads a portion of a blog post on the PlayStation website.
It's worth remembering that the PlayStation 5 will include backwards compatibility for an "overwhelming majority" of existing PlayStation 4 lines, though exact details of this are yet to become widely apparent.
