Leak Reveals Possible PS5 Release Date And Price
Okay, so we finally know what the PlayStation 5 looks like and that there are at least two different versions of the console. However, there are still quite a few unanswered questions that we have regarding the next-gen console from Sony. New exclusive games are all well and good, but we still haven't heard from Sony what the PlayStation 5's price point or exact release date will be. The good news is, a recent apparent leak seems to have revealed that information. Not surprisingly, the information seen in the leak seems to line up perfectly with rumors we've heard in the past.
The website for Amazon France might have accidentally leaked a possible price and release date for the upcoming console. This was spotted by tech concept designer Ben Geskin, who took a couple of screenshots and posted them to Twitter. According to the screenshot, the the standard version of the console will retail on Amazon France at €499 EUR. Meanwhile, the Digital Edition of the console will be priced at €399 EUR. That would put the price in the United States at a little over $500 USD for the standard edition and just over $400 USD for the Digital Edition.
On top of that, Amazon France also slapped a release date on the PlayStation 5. According to the website, Sony's next console will arrive on Nov. 20, 2020. Sony has talked in the past about wanting the PS5 to have one global launch, as opposed to it coming to different regions on different dates. If that still holds true, that Nov. 20 release date wouldn't just apply to France, but to the rest of the world, as well.
It's a good thing that Gaskin snagged these screenshots, because the listing has since been updated to remove both the price point and the street date. This could tell us one of two things. The removal of the price and date could mean that the leak was noticed by Amazon and Sony and it was promptly removed in the hopes that nobody saw it. It could also mean that the listing was an accident or some kind of glitch that has since been corrected by Amazon.
While either one is a possibility, it's the first option that seems more probable. In fact, there are several reasons to believe that the originally listed price point and release date are accurate.
For one thing, we've heard pretty much since the PlayStation 5 was announced that it would be released during the 2020 Holiday season. However, there have been concerns that current economic uncertainty and the PlayStation 5's price point could harm potential sales. Dropping the console the week before Black Friday/Cyber Monday would hopefully ensure a bump in sales while everyone is snagging their presents.
It's almost impossible that there would be a markdown on the console right after release, but putting the system on the shelves at a time when everyone is shopping could be a smart move. As Tech Radar points out, the PlayStation 4 was release just two weeks before Black Friday, so this isn't an idea without precedent.
The other reason to believe this listing is that the price point pretty much lines up with what we've been hearing about the PS5 for a while. We heard a few months back that the PlayStation 5 might cost a pretty penny because of how expensive it was to produce. Things like the PS5's custom cooling system — which costs a little more than industry standard and accounts for how massive the console is — are adding to the system's overall manufacturing costs. Each PS5 is setting Sony back around $470 a pop to make, so it makes sense that the company would price it a bit higher to turn a profit.
Not only this, but PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan has essentially warned fans that the system is going to be pricey. In an interview with the BBC last week, Ryan was asked whether or not this was a good time to release a new console.
To this, Ryan replied, "Conventional wisdom and history show that our business is one of the more recession-proof businesses. But I think this will sharpen our need to ensure that we focus on getting the value equation right. And I emphasise value as opposed to price."
In other words, Ryan is letting people know that the console is going to be a bit more expensive than they might have hoped, but he's insisting that it'll be worth it for the experience being delivered. If what we have heard regarding the PlayStation 5's processing speed and overall quality of presentation is true, then Ryan may be absolutely correct. We've seen what the PS5 can render in real time thanks to the recent Unreal Engine 5 tech demo and the gameplay shown off during the Future of Gaming event.
In other words, the Amazon post may have been a mistake or a glitch, but there's still a strong possibility that it was accurate. Given what we've heard and seen from the console in recent months, the price point and release window will likely resemble something very close to what Gaskin shared to Twitter.