The ball was in Sony’s court after a leak prompted Microsoft to announce the price and release date of the Xbox Series X ($499) and digital-only Xbox Series S ($299) – November 10. During the PlayStation Showcase, Sony finally confirmed the PlayStation 5 ($499) and the PS5 Digital Edition ($399) will release November 12 in the US and Japan.
Similar to Microsoft, Sony is releasing two different consoles, separated by a blu-ray player for physical disc-based gaming. Both PS5 models use a custom processor (x86-64 AMD Ryzen Zen 2 w/ AMD Radeon) that supports up to 4K gaming. as well as solid-state drives (825 GB) for incredibly fast loading.
Sony also announced several new PlayStation 5 games, including Final Fantasy 16, Hogwarts Legacy, and a new God of War game. We also saw gameplay footage for upcoming spin-off Marvel’s Spider-Man: Mile Morales, which will serve as a launch day title. PS4 versions of launch games will also be available, and will include free upgrades to the PS5 versions.
“Since we first announced our next generation console last year, we have received astounding support from developers and gaming fans all around the world, and it’s truly humbling,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Now we are just a couple of months away from launching PS5, which will offer a new generation of experiences that go beyond players’ expectations of how games can look, feel, sound, and play. We can’t wait for our fans to experience for themselves the incredible speed, the heightened immersion and the breathtaking games on PS5 when we launch this November.”
Unfortunately, while Microsoft revealed a specific date for pre-orders to begin (September 22), PlayStation pre-orders were made available during and after the broadcast, leaving many retailers and consumers scrambling. Retailers include Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart, but many are already listing Out of Stock a day later. Extra accessories include a charging station, wireless headset, and HD camera.
The PlayStation 5 will launch November 12 in the US, and worldwide on November 19.
