The trial between the Federal Trade Commission of the United States (FTC) and Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for the acquisition of the latter has revealed that the Xbox manufacturer believes that PlayStation 5 Slim will be out at the end of 2023 for 400 something that underpins other unofficial information that has emerged in recent months and has not been confirmed by Sony.
Is it too early for a PS5 Slim? Is the price thrown by Microsoft in line with Sony’s usual strategy? To answer these questions, we are going to review when and how the reduced versions of PlayStation, PS2, PS3 and PS4 were released. Go for it.
PlayStation
Sony’s first console was launched in Japan in December of 1994 and in USA in September of the following year. PlayStation was the company’s machine that was the longest to receive an overhaul, PS Onewhich went on sale on September 20, 2000the same year that the PlayStation 2 was released.
PlayStation was launched on the market for $299 (59,990 pesetas in USA). PS One hit the stores for $199 (We do not have the price in our country), but the RRP of the original PSX was already that at that time.
Playstation 2
Playstation 2 open in Japan in March 2000 and in November of that year in USA. ps2 slim was launched four years later, in October 2004.
PS2 had a starting price of $299 (75,000 pesetas in USA). Sony’s second console had several price reductions. By the time it was released ps2 slimthe console cost 149 euro.
Playstation 3
Sony’s HD console, Playstation 3, had a gradual release. They will open in Japan and the United States in November 2006and it did not arrive in USA and the rest of the European countries until March 2007. The model Slim occupy the shelves of stores in 2009. She had another revision super slim in its last throes: in September 2012.
There was a lot of debate about the initial price of PS3, which was released for sale by 599 on the 60 GB model. Later they released 40 GB, 80 GB and 160 GB versions with different prices, but the availability and release of these versions varies by region. ps3 slim was put up for sale by 299 in its 120 GB model (later 160 GB and 320 GB revisions were released). PS3 Super Slim had two models in Europe, 12 GB (229) and 500 GB (299 euros).
Playstation 4
Playstation 4 arrived in Europe and North America in November 2013, and in February of the following year to Japan. Three years later two revisions were released. ps4 slimsmaller, in September 2016 (had a revision in April 2017 that expanded storage to 1TB); and PS4 Pro, more powerful, in November 2016.
ps4 they are released by 399 eurosand reduced its price to 349 at the end of 2015. ps4 slim was launched by 299 ; the 1TB version kept the same price. PS4 Pro launches for 399.
The laptops: PSP and PS Vita
Sony’s first portable console, playstation portablewas released in December 2004 in Japan and almost a year later in USA at a price of 249 . It had several revisions: PSP Slim (2007, 169 euros)PSP 3000 (2008, 199 euros), PSP Go (2009, 249) and PSP Street (2011, 99).
For his part, Play Station Vita It was released in December 2011 in Japan and in February 2012 in USA in two different models: 249 for the model with Wi-Fi and 299 for the version that also had 3G. PS Vita Slim It was launched in 2014 and was priced at 179 .
Sony has overhauled almost all of its consoles in three years
As it is, is it likely that a PS5 Slim will come out this year? Except for the exceptional cases of PSOne (six years) and PS Vita Slim (two years), all Sony consoles have been revised three or four years after of its release. PlayStation 5 was released in 2020so it wouldn’t be impossible based on history.
As for the price thrown by Microsoft, the same as the Digital Edition of PS5 (400 dollars in the US, 450 euros in USA), it is more difficult to make a comparison because the situation is very different. The semiconductor crisis generated by the pandemic caused that there would not be enough consoles to cover the demand, so the device has not had sales (which its predecessors did enjoy) to stoke interest in the machine. Quite the contrary: inflation led Sony to raise the price by 50 euros on both console models, although the most expensive, the one with a disc player, is on sale until July 15.
