Microsoft believes Sony will release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year priced $399.99, according to a court document.
The document was released as part of the Federal Trade Commission vs Microsoft trial to determine the fate of a proposed preliminary injunction against the $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard.
In a paragraph on price, Microsoft attempts to convince Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley the Nintendo Switch should be considered in the same market as the Xbox Series consoles and the PlayStation 5, an argument it believes boosts the image of Xbox as losing the console war in third place.
It’s the final sentence in this paragraph that’s sure to ruffle Sony boss Jim Ryan’s feathers, as it not only outs the long-rumoured existence of a PlayStation 5 Slim, but its price too. IGN has asked Sony for comment.
“PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point,” reads the document.
The bombshells continue, with Microsoft saying further down “Sony is also anticipated to release a handheld version of PlayStation 5 later this year for under $300”. This is in relation to Sony’s announced Project Q, a handheld game streaming device that wirelessly connects to the PS5. Sony has yet to announce a release date or price.
The existence of a PS5 Slim wouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given Sony has released slim versions of its previous consoles. It released a PlayStation 4 Slim that replaced the standard PS4 model in 2016, as well as a beefier PS4 Pro that launched shortly after. PS5 launched November 2020 in two forms: with a disc drive for $499, and without a disc drive for $399.
Microsoft, however, may take a different approach. In June, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said he “doesn’t feel an imperative” to release a mid-cycle Xbox console upgrade, three years after the release of the Xbox Series X/S consoles.
Microsoft released the Xbox One S three years after the Xbox One was released. A more powerful console, the Xbox One X, was released four years after the original Xbox One came out.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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