Microsoft believes Sony will come out with a $399.99 PS5 Slim later this year: According to a report

Microsoft anticipates that Sony will produce a PS5 Slim model later this year. According to new court filings from the current dispute between Xbox parent firm Microsoft and the US FTC, the tech giant anticipates competitor Sony releasing the long-rumored less-expensive PS5 model for $399.99 (about Rs. 32,825). According to IGN, the statement was Microsoft's attempt to persuade the court to view the Nintendo Switch in the same market as the PlayStation and Xbox when it came to price. The strategy is to position itself as the underdog in the console business, allowing it to purchase Activision Blizzard without posing a danger to the gaming industry.

"In fact, the entry-level versions of the current Xbox and Switch are offered at the same price point ($299.99), and the Xbox Series S is sold for $50 less than the Switch OLED model ($349.99)," according to Microsoft in the document (via IGN). "PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and a PlayStation 5 Slim is expected to be released later this year at the same reduced price point." Of course, no source is cited, but a story from September last year stated that Sony was planning to release a "slimmer and lighter" version of the PS5 system, with identical hardware to the current versions but a redesigned chassis and a removable disc drive. It's expected that the Sony-approved external drive will be sold separately, so if it breaks, you won't have to buy a full new machine. You should be able to play games digitally even if you submit the drive for RMA.

As previously said, Microsoft is attempting to present itself as the underdog in this situation, having previously claimed that it has been losing the console battles since 2001 and that it has given up on this generation's hardware sales competition, instead focusing on software and Xbox Game Pass. The Xbox Series S/X consoles have sold 21.3 million copies since their release, according to VGChartz, a third-party video game monitoring site. In comparison, as of April 2023, the PS5 and Nintendo Switch have sold 35.8 million and 36.2 million copies, respectively. These numbers support Microsoft, however the memo goes on to detail another big PlayStation system release later in the document.

"Sony is also expected to release a handheld version of PlayStation 5 later this year for under $300," according to the memo. This is, of course, a reference to Project Q, a handheld gaming device introduced earlier this year during the PlayStation Showcase event, which allows you to stream games from your PS5 system through Remote Play or Wi-Fi. The gadget features an 8-inch 1080p LCD screen in the centre, flanked on either side by a button arrangement and analogue sticks similar to the PS5 DualSense controller.

Returning to the PS5 small argument, it's not surprising that Sony is planning just one model, given that the firm has previously offered small versions of its systems. Meanwhile, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stated last month that he "doesn't feel an imperative" to deliver a mid-generation Xbox update three years after the console's first introduction. "That is not the input we are currently receiving. "We're pretty set on the hardware we have right now," he added in the interview.