Microsoft Xbox 720 and Sony PlayStation 4: Pricing details emerge; get ready to spend more

Published Monday, March 11, 2013

By Vicky Kapur

Games for the upcoming Xbox 720 gaming console from Microsoft, and the much-talked-about PlayStation 4 console from Sony, will retail at about Dh260 ($70), about Dh40 ($10) more than the current seventh generation of games.

If this price-point is correct, then the games will also be more expensive that Nintendo’s 8th generation console, Wii U, which currently prices games at a traditional $60 (Dh220).

The details emerged at the ongoing South by Southwest (SXSW) event, which offers the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies.

Michael Pachter, Research Analyst, Wedbush Securities, released the information during a panel discussion SXSW.

Earlier last month, speaking with CNBC, Jack Tretton, the President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, had said that, for the upcoming gaming console, Sony “will offer games with prices ranging from $0.99 to the more traditional $60 range with the ability for players to sample games before they buy.” He also hinted that with the PS4, the system will support free-to-play games.

Nevertheless, if one the two big players – Microsoft or Sony – decode to jack up the retail price of their games, it will be ‘advantage competition’. But if both do so, we, the gamers, will be at a disadvantage – that’s not to say that Nintendo won’t benefit, with Wii U continuing to offer games at $60.

Nevertheless, even as we try to get our heads around the specs and features of the two upcoming consoles, trying to figure out if it is the Microsoft Xbox 720 or the Sony PS4 that is right for you and me, it is clear that pricing of not just the consoles, but that that of the games, will play a major role in our decision.

As Emirates 24|7 has reported earlier, both the new consoles are being readied as you read this, and as things stand today, there might not be much to choose between the two in terms of processor power, storage/download or even the pricing of the consoles themselves.

The difference might be in the bundling of the offer – adding two controllers instead of one, or a grade-A (or two) games – as well as the retail price of the games, coupled with older-model games support will be key to our decisions.

We’ll keep you posted.

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