Amid the ongoing pandemic, many have speculated this fall's consoles would be delayed, but a new report suggests Sony isn't budging unless Microsoft does. A new in depth report from Bloomberg says Sony is planning a limited-stock launch of the PS5 this fall, and that developers are expecting a $499-549 price point at launch. Some analysts predict that the arms race between the two rivals may mean they both launch as loss leaders, perhaps as low as $449.
Speaking to the business news outlet, sources requesting anonymity said the pandemic has disrupted Sony's promotional timetable for PS5, but not its production line as many have anticipated. The recent reveal of the DualSense, PlayStation 5's controller, was hurried as Sony feared leaks once the controller was made available to outside developers. The company also may forego a conference to properly unveil its console.
According to the source, Sony has informed partners that it will produce five to six million units in its fiscal year which ends in March 2021. This makes the PS5 launch somewhat smaller than the PS4, which sold 7.5 million units in that time. These figures remain subject to change, sources told Bloomberg, as the pandemic continues to alter the landscape in so many ways.
The price tag is expected to deter some would-be buyers, which is partly why the company is reported to be making fewer units for the launch. Another reason is its component parts' prices still increasing, making the console difficult to even break even on.
In the meantime, price cuts for the PS4 and PS4 Pro, currently $300 and $400 respectively, may receive price cuts to invite more users into the PlayStation ecosystem with services like PS Plus and PS Now.
