With
the
reveal
of
the
PS5
Pro
and
its
slated
release
date,
you
may
be
thinking
the
PS5
(now
in
its
Slim
form),
along
with
the
digital-only
version,
is
poised
for
a
price
cut.
This
November
will
see
the
PS5
—
and
indeed
its
contemporary
the
Xbox
Series
X
—
reach
its
fourth
year
around
the
Sun.
That’s
not
old
in
gaming
console
terms,
but
it’s
not
young
either;
we’re
arguably
right
on
the
mid-generation
point.
But
through
the
past
quartet
of
years,
we’ve
not
seen
the
PS5
drop
in
standard
retail
price.
In
fact,
quite
the
opposite.
Even
after
the
introduction
of
the
PS5
Slim,
the
console
didn’t
get
a
price
cut,
unlike
similar
models
in
the
PS4
era.
The
PS4
Pro
was
launched
at
a
price
of
$399
/
£349
/
AU$560,
the
same
price
as
the
launch
PS4,
and
the
original
console
was
repackaged
into
a
PS4
Slim
and
came
with
a
reduced
price
of
$299
/
£259
/
AU$560.
So
there
was
a
choice
of
more
power
for
the
original
price
of
a
PS4,
or
the
same
graphics
grunt
for
less.
But
that
was
back
in
2016,
and
times
were
rather
different.
Skip
to
late
2020,
and
the
vast
demand
for
PS5
was
compounded
by
people
being
stuck
inside
due
to
the
coronavirus
pandemic,
and
catalyzed
by
Sony
struggling
to
make
enough
units
due
to
COVID-19
restrictions
and
their
effect
on
manufacturing
—
I
remember
seeing
some
ridiculous
prices
set
by
scalpers
and
resellers.
So
no
price
cut
was
on
the
cards
during
those
dark
years.
Then
came
the
sucker
punch
of
a
price
rise
in
select
regions:
the
U.S.
avoided
one,
but
in
the
UK
and
Australia
the
price
jumped
from
£449.99
/
AU$749.95
to
£479.99
/
AU$799.95.
Heck,
in
Japan
the
PS5
has
seen
three
price
rises
since
2020.
Given
the
PS5
games
library
has
arguably
not
expanded
as
rapidly
as
the
previous
generation’s
and
the
myriad
cross-gen
games
that
were
released
well
into
the
PS5’s
current
lifespan,
this
price
jump
stung.
And
I
don’t
think
that
sting
is
going
away.
Don’t
expect
a
big
PS5
price
cut
(Image
credit:
PlayStation)
Rather
we’re
now
in
a
sort
of
‘new
normal’
for
consoles,
games,
and
other
consumer
electronics
that
are
now
more
expensive
than
ever
and
likely
outpacing
inflation.
The
pricing
of
the
PS5
Pro
is
evidence
of
that.
It’s
open
to
debate
but
Sony
is
asking
a
lot
for
a
machine
that’s
not
a
next-gen
console.
The
PS5
Pro
pre-order
price
of
$699.99
/
£699.99
/
AU$1,200
is
around
the
price
of
an
entry-level
gaming
PC,
which
offers
a
far
more
open
gaming
experience.
Equally,
I
think
the
PS5
Pro
is
aimed
at
‘serious’
gaming
and
PlayStation
enthusiasts
who
want
the
very
best
frame
rates
and
graphics
from
consoles
and
those
who
want
the
most
performant
version
of
the
platform
of
their
choice.
Think
of
people
who’ve
got
setups
with
some
of
the
best
OLED
TVs
and
best
soundbars
and
want
a
powerful
console
as
the
gaming
heart.
But
I
don’t
see
the
PS5
dropping
in
price
as
a
result
of
the
Pro,
especially
given
the
price
gap
between
it
and
the
Pro,
and
who
the
latter
is
seemingly
aimed
at.
Equally,
Sony
arguably
doesn’t
need
to,
as
there’s
still
a
healthy
appetite
for
the
PS5.
So
is
it
all
doom
and
gloom
for
people
after
a
discount
PS5?
Well,
not
quite.
You
could
save
a
bundle
on
bundles
(Image
credit:
Future)
Having
covered
this
generation
of
consoles
for
the
past
few
years,
I
think
we’ll
see
deals,
offers,
and
discounts
on
PS5
bundles.
These
could
see
healthy
cuts
in
prices
for
sales
events
like
Black
Friday
and
Cyber
Monday,
especially
if
retailers
like
Best
Buy
and
Currys
want
to
clear
out
bundles
with
older
games.
Take
a
look
at
the
widget
below
that’ll
flag
the
best
PS5
deals
in
your
area.
Equally,
I’ve
seen
the
PS5
occasionally
get
a
$50/£50
discount.
So
I
fully
expect
those
to
continue,
maybe
getting
a
little
more
generous
and
upping
that
to
some
$100
/
£100
/
AU$150,
especially
as
we
approach
the
Black
Friday
PS5
deals
in
November.
Yet
I’m
afraid
the
days
of
scoring
a
PlayStation
for
a
couple
of
hundred
dollars
or
pounds
deeper
into
its
lifecycle
are
over.
That’s
a
shame,
but
from
my
time
with
the
PS5,
I
still
think
it’s
a
great
console
with
a
strong
library,
healthy
back
catalog,
a
slick
interface,
and
a
great
and
innovative
controller
that
all
make
it
worth
the
price.
So
if
you’re
after
one,
don’t
fret
too
much
about
the
deals
and
just
grab
a
PS5
—
I
doubt
you’ll
be
disappointed.