PlayStation 5, Next Gen Xbox Prices Reportedly Higher Than Expected

Next-generation gaming consoles from both Sony and Microsoft, namely the PlayStation 5 and the next Xbox, might sell for prices higher than what most people have come to expect.

Sony and Microsoft are in a race to release the next best gaming console that players from all over will get excited about. PlayStation 5 developer Mark Cerny has already spilled the beans regarding Sony’s next gaming behemoth. What’s more, the company itself surprised the gaming world by giving a glimpse at what the next-gen console can do.

Cerny said the PS5 will feature top-notch specs including AMD Ryzen chips, a custom GPU based on the Radeon’s Navi chips, and a custom piece that will provide support for 3D audio. It will feature support for Ray Tracing technnology, and will provide very immersive gaming experiences via enhanced audio and video.

Seasoned Gaming editor Ainsley Bowden, citing unnamed but reliable sources, said the next Xbox will be better than the PS5 in terms of specs and performance. Bowden said Microsoft’s next gaming console will feature technology more advanced than what the PS5 is said to contain, and will be a better gaming machine.

Despite these announcements, nothing has been said about selling prices. Analysts from Pelham Smithers have pegged the PS5 to sell for about $399. Sony’s Cerny himself said that the company will sell the PS5 at an “appealing” price in light of the high-end specs it contains inside its chassis.

A new document, however, seems to imply that Sony’s and Microsoft’s next-gen consoles could be sold for a price higher than most people expected, and higher than what every gamer wanted.

25 percent higher

A document published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative lists in detail the items or goods that might see increased tariff rates. These items hail from China, a nation currently engaged in a trade war with the U.S.

The document is very long, but those with the patience to read through 76 pages will find that tucked between a list of items that include pillows, beddings and Christmas ornaments is a listing that says “Video game consoles and machines.” These goods will see a 25-percent increase in price as they are imported from China.

Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all get parts and pieces from hardware manufacturers China. If the tariff rates are imposed, consoles and peripherals from these three companies, particularly those outsourced from the Asian country, are likely to sell at a higher price in the U.S.