Microsoft believes that Sony PlayStation will release a PS5 Slim model, later this year. New court documents from the ongoing trial between Xbox parent company Microsoft and the US FTC indicate that the tech giant expects rival Sony to unveil the long-rumoured less-expensive PS5 model at a price tag of $399.99.
As per IGN, the paragraph was Microsoft's attempt at
convincing the judge to consider the Nintendo Switch in the same market as
PlayStation and Xbox, when it boils down to price. The idea is to present
itself as the underdog in the console market, so it successfully acquires
Activision Blizzard without posing a threat to the game industry.
“In fact, the entry-level versions of the current Xbox and
Switch are offered at the same price point ($299.99), and the Xbox Series S is
sold for $50 less than the Switch OLED model ($349.99),” Microsoft said in the
document (via IGN). “PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital
Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this
year at the same reduced price point.” Of course, no source is mentioned, but a
report from September, last year, suggested that Sony was looking to launch a
“slimmer and lighter” version of the PS5 console, poised to come with identical
hardware as the existing models, albeit with a new chassis and a detachable
disc drive.
It's understood that the Sony-approved external drive will
be available to purchase separately, so if it malfunctions, you don't have to
buy an entirely new unit. Even if you send the drive for RMA, you should be
able to play games digitally.
As mentioned before, Microsoft is trying to portray itself
as the underdog here, having previously claimed that it's been losing the
console wars since 2001 and that it had given up on this generation's
competition in terms of hardware sales, instead focusing on the software and
Xbox Game Pass. According to VGChartz, a third-party video game tracking site,
Xbox Series S/X consoles have sold 21.3 million units since launch. In
contrast, the PS5 and Nintendo Switch have sold 35.8 million and 36.2 million
units, respectively, during that period — as of April 2023. These statistics
align in favour of Microsoft, though further down the document, it goes on to
highlight another major PlayStation console release.
“Sony is also anticipated to release a handheld version of
PlayStation 5 later this year for under $300,” the document reads. This is, of
course, in reference to Project Q, announced earlier this year during the
PlayStation Showcase event, a handheld gaming device that lets you stream games
from your PS5 console via Remote Play or Wi-Fi.
The device comes equipped with an 8-inch 1080p LCD screen in
the centre, supported on either side by a button layout and analogue sticks
that are reminiscent of the PS5 DualSense controller.
Circling back to the PS5 Slim debate, it doesn't come as a surprise
for Sony to plan one model since the company has released slim versions for its
previous consoles.
Meanwhile, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer claimed last
month that he “doesn't feel an imperative” to release a mid-generation Xbox
upgrade three years into its launch cycle. “That's not the feedback we're
getting right now. Right now, we're pretty set on the hardware we have,” he
said in the interview