ps4 5 new released

So, how does that factor into the next-gen console war? Well, it showed that gamers will not necessarily fork out for expensive consoles - no matter how loyal they are. Especially if they don’t think what’s under the hood matches the price tag (but we’ll come back to that). It was a hard lesson for Microsoft but proved how key a factor pricing is. 

Which is why we easily dismissed rumors claiming the PS5 would be £900 - it’s extremely unlikely Sony would go back on a pricing strategy that proved to be so rewarding for them this generation. 

Now, we hear you say, “but the next-gens specs may make it cost more.'' Great point. The PS5 does look like it’ll have top-end components and will be a really powerful console for enthusiasts. But what about everyone else? The difference between consoles and gaming PCs is that consoles tend to target a wider demographic. By putting a gaming PC price point on a home console, Sony would alienate the average player. 

But more importantly, we’ve seen that a lower price tag sees a console flying off the shelves. Especially when you’ve got a choice to make between two consoles that look like they’ll boast similar power - and we don’t expect Microsoft to make the same mistake twice. 

But let’s for a moment think about what would happen if Sony released the PS5 for £900. Would you buy it through gritted teeth? We wouldn’t. We would be waiting for the price to come down along with many others or would be checking out the competition in Xbox Series X. If gamers wanted to pay prices like that then they would buy a souped-up gaming PC. After all, you could probably pick up a more powerful gaming PC for the same price.

If Sony then brought the console down to an affordable price, it risks pissing off those who bought the console early - where’s the loyalty for those who were there from day one? It’s hard to please everyone. If you never soar that high with price in the first place, you don’t have that problem.