What do the Xbox Series X and the Playstation 5 cost? Console gamers have been asking this question for a while, but both Microsoft and Sony are still tight-lipped. However, an insider has now revealed a supposed price that is quite surprising.
What price did the insider mention? Alanah Pearce is a game journalist and has very good sources due to her long-standing work in the industry. She explained in a stream that an insider, whose name she did not reveal, sent her a photo. This photo showed the price of the Xbox Series X as it is listed in a retailer’s system.
According to this image, the console is supposed to cost 599 dollars.
Here, Alanah Pearce talks about the insider information:
A reasonable price for next-gen
How is this price to be classified? 599 dollars would probably mean 599 euros here. At the launch of the Xbox One in November 2013, the console cost 499 dollars in the US and 499 euros in Europe.
However, 599 dollars is quite a high price, considering that speculation has been around 399 to 499 dollars so far. When the Playstation 3 launched in November 2009, its price for the model with a 60GB hard drive was also 599 dollars. This led to some criticism from gamers at the time. Former Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida later announced in 2018 that this high price was a mistake (via Gadgets).
599 dollars for the Xbox Series X could therefore also lead to criticism from customers.
How realistic is this price? A console that costs more than 499 dollars could be difficult to sell to customers. However, what is packed into the Xbox Series X is certainly worth 599 dollars. If Microsoft were to ask for less, it would mean a loss at the launch of the console. However, the company might be willing to accept this, as it was similar with the launch of the Xbox One X (via Business Insider).
Additionally, there is allegedly a cheaper Xbox Series S in the works. If the Series X costs 499 dollars or even less, Microsoft would have to offer the Series S at a “bargain price” of 299 to 399 dollars. This raises the question of whether that is possible.
So, 599 dollars are not completely unrealistic. However, it may not be what gamers expect or are willing to pay.
What about the PS5? The PS5 is a significant factor in the price of the Xbox Series X. According to analyst Michael Pachter (via Geoff Keighley’s podcast), Microsoft is waiting to see what Sony charges for its console before deciding on the price for the new Xbox. Allegedly, Microsoft wants to undercut the price of the PS5.
If the 599 dollars for the Xbox Series X are correct, then the Playstation 5 would actually need to cost even more. This would put the PS5 with a disc drive at a minimum of 649 dollars. Whether console gamers are willing to pay such a price is questionable.
However, in June, a price of 499 euros for the PS5 with a disc drive was briefly visible on Amazon France (via xboxdynasty). Whether this was accurate remains unclear.
What do you think about the mentioned price now? It is conceivable that it is just a placeholder. 599 dollars seem quite high for a new console. It would be understandable if gamers do not rush to buy at launch at the end of 2020.
However, it cannot be ruled out that such prices will indeed be called for next-gen. We simply have to wait for Sony and Microsoft to make official statements.
What do you think? Is Microsoft really asking 599 dollars for the Xbox Series X?
Do you want to know more about Microsoft’s next-gen console Xbox Series X? Then read the MeinMMO article “Xbox Series X – Everything about release, specs, price, games, and controller“.
