The PS5 is the clear winner when it comes to rumors and speculation about next-gen consoles. Both Sony and Microsoft will launch new hardware next holiday season, but the Xbox Series X is barely getting the same attention from fans. The PlayStation 5 has reached a stage where some retailers are already ready to register your interest in pre-ordering the device — even Best Buy is doing it — but there’s no such thing for the new Xbox. While we’ve had several leaks so far claiming to know the actual price and release date of the PS5, Sony hasn’t really addressed them in official comments about the console. That changed this week when Sony dispelled a new report that brought forward purported availability information for the new console.
Japanese-language blog GamerGate posted information about the PS5 consoles a few days ago. The report said Sony will start sales on December 4th, next year, with preorders set for March 20th.
The report also noted that the 1TB PS5 will cost 69,800 yen ($638) while the more expensive 2TB PS5 model that will also sport a GPU that can handle ray tracing tech will be more expensive, at 109,800 yen ($1,003). It’s unclear where these details come from, but Sony denied them to a different blog from Japan.
According to a Sony spokesperson who talked to Famitsu, the content posted on GamerGate is not an official announcement. The person also offered the common refusal to comment on rumors and speculation. But it’s still interesting to see Sony specify the information the other blog offered is not an official announcement. It’s also interesting to note that it’s unclear what Sony denied. Is all the information in the report inaccurate, or just some of it?
With all that in mind, a March 2020 preorder might make sense for the company, especially if that rumor that says Sany will unveil the PS5 launch details in mid-February. Gauging user interest with the help of preorders could help Sony prepare better for the holiday 2020 launch event.
As for the price, Sony hinted in previous remarks that the affordability of the PS5 is a factor it’s considering for the new console, suggesting it might be cheaper than expected. Sony also said it wants to upgrade as many PS4 users to the new PlayStation as fast as possible, and the price will be a crucial element in that quest.
The PS5 will have more sophisticated hardware than its predecessor, so any price increases will be warranted, compared to the PS4’s current price. We’re looking at next-gen, custom CPU and GPU for the console, as well as a speedy SSD. Purchased alone, these components can be quite expensive, so it wouldn’t be surprising for Sony to sell the PS5 at cost, initially.
While Microsoft is expected to launch a couple of Xbox Series X versions next year, Sony might not have a Pro version of the console in stores for a few more years. Furthermore, it’d be surprising to see Sony restrict the more powerful GPU option to a more expensive PS5 version.
