PlayStation 5 Pro: Price Increase and Market Strategy

PlayStation targets affluent gamers with the $700 PS5 Pro, despite a shifting market towards digital.

### The PlayStation 5 Pro: Price Surprises and Market Shifts
* 🎮 The announcement of the **PlayStation 5 Pro at $700** has taken many by surprise, especially considering the historical context of the **PlayStation 3's $599 price point**, which became a meme.
* 💸 This price increase comes at a time when the console market is generally **trending downwards**, raising questions about PlayStation's strategy amid **changing gaming demographics**.
* 🕹 The PS5 Pro is not a completely new console but rather an upgraded model designed for **tech enthusiasts who prioritize high-end graphics, refresh rates, and resolutions**.
* 📊 Analyst Matt Piscatella noted that the PS4 Pro accounted for only **13% of total PS4 units sold**, suggesting that the PS5 Pro may have a similar **niche market appeal**.
* 💻 The transition to digital gaming has accelerated, with many consumers opting for **digital downloads over physical disks**, leading Sony to view disk drives as **optional accessories**.
* 🔄 There is speculation that future console generations may not include disk drives at all, making them **add-ons instead**, reflecting the **shift in consumer behavior**.
* 📅 The PS5 Pro is set to release on **November 6th**, with pre-orders expected to open in the next couple of weeks, allowing eager fans to **secure their units**.

It's got people by surprise. $700 for the PlayStation five Pro. There was a meme way back in the day when the PlayStation three was announced because they came up on stage and said, That'll be 599 USD. That was the whole meme and now it's $100 more. So I guess the memes have to keep up with inflation too. I was taken aback, Jason, because as you know, like I'm a loyal, avid PlayStation user, it's my console of choice. But when you think about the console market as a whole, this is like PlayStation raising prices when the market is kind of going the other direction, right? Like kids today. Apologies for the expression, but they're doing something different with gaming. Yeah. It's funny. I think that if I can offer a few words in PlayStation's defense here, or at least try to understand where they're coming from. So the B five Pro, this is not a new console.

This is a model of the PlayStation five that will essentially play the same games at more vivid graphics, higher refresh rates, and better resolutions. Essentially, this thing is meant for tech aficionados, the same types of people who maybe bought an Apple Vision Pro or are getting a new phone every single year. So, this is not meant for kids or the mass market. This is a model that is meant for people who have money to spend, who don't really care about price quite as much, and just want the highest-end gear. And in fact, I saw a good stat here. This is from Matt Piscatella, an analyst for Circana, and he said that the PS4 Pro, or sorry, the PS4 Pro, which was a refresh of the PlayStation four, the last-generation console, accounted for 13% of total lifetime PS4 units. So, not a significant amount, and I expect this will play a similar role in the market. Talk to me about a lack of disk drive,

Jason. Yeah, man. I had a conversation not too long ago at a party in L.A. where I was talking to an executive for one of these big console companies, and I was like, Hi, it's funny. The market is moving to digital pretty quickly. And he was like, Now, Jason, it's already there. A large, a very large percent of customers are buying their games digitally these days. They're not even bothering with disks. You guys are about talking about GameStop. That is why they've been on the dancing for a long time. And so I think Sony sees the disk drive as an accessory, and it is. You can buy one as an add-on. They see it as not necessarily for the large majority of people. And in fact, I would say that the next generation of consoles, it's very likely that they will not come with disk drives and that disk drives will be add-ons for those as well.

nostalgia for a desk. Jason Super quick the details of pre-ordering and when Ps5 Pro actually comes out. Yes, it comes out I believe November 6th. I mean the $700 and pre-orders they're going to make available, I believe in the next couple of weeks. I believe in two weeks or so.

Sony Prices New PlayStation Well Above Xbox

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PlayStation 5 Pro's Surprising Price Increase

The PlayStation 5 Pro is now priced at $700, $100 more than the controversial $599 launch price of the PS3.

This new model aims to attract tech enthusiasts with improved graphics, higher refresh rates, and better resolutions, rather than targeting the mass market.

The PS4 Pro, a similar refresh, accounted for only 13% of total PS4 units, suggesting the PS5 Pro will play a limited role in the market.

The gaming market is rapidly moving to digital sales, with a large percentage of customers no longer buying physical disks.

GameStop's struggles are indicative of this shift.

Sony views the disk drive as an accessory, and future console generations may not include them, offering them as add-ons instead.

The PS5 Pro is set to be released on November 6th, with a price of $700.

Pre-orders will be available in the next couple of weeks, around two weeks from now.