PS5 Pro Launch Price Backlash

PS5 Pro Price Launch Backlash — Sony Entertainment

The Sony PlayStation 5 Pro is no secret, yet Sony still found a way to surprise gamers after the PS5 technical presentation on September 10, 2024. PlayStation 5 lead architect Mark Cerny announced the release date and price of the new console, and the latter sparked outrage within the community.

Here is what you need to know about the upcoming console's release and what people have to say about it.

PS5 Pro: Price and Release Date

Sony announced the PS5 Pro's release date as November 7, 2024, and a price of $699.99. It will include a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a preinstalled copy of Astro's Playroom. The stand is sold separately for $29.99, and the Disc Drive for $80. In total, the full PS5 Pro gear rounds up to $809.98.

Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment's Platform Business Group, shares some key features of the new console:

Upgraded GPU: GPU with 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
Advanced Ray Tracing: More powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
AI-Driven Upscaling: Introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

Are all of those new features worth the price tag? Let's see what the gaming community has to say about the announcement.

PS5 Pro: Community Backlash

Many gamers have taken to the internet to share their frustrations about the price of the PS5 Pro, deeming it too expensive. Others are raising eyebrows at the fact that the disc comes separately. All in all, the community has questions.

So you're only doing digital consoles now and simplifying production? Well reflect that in the pricing. At a premium price it should be an all-in package with the drive and stand. What's next? No DS6 coming with the ps6? Optional wires? Shrinkflation hitting the console market now.

-GlorifiedHobo on Reddit

The prevalent stance is that the updates in features don't make up for the price of the console, and the switch from the cost of PS4 to PS5 Pro seems steep. Some members of the gaming community express that the price of the PS5 Pro comes close to what you would pay for a decent gaming PC, which defies the purpose of the idea of a console.

I should not be paying more for something that does less. oh, but it's got all the fancy tech upgrades on the inside? i've been happy with how the games i have look already and the idea of just updating these games to maybe run a little better doesn't entice me at all.

-RandomDanny on Reddit

Not to mention all the memes that the PS5 Pro announcement gave birth to. There are way too many to include in this article, so take it to Reddit for a laugh.

Conclusion

Whether you're a console or PC player, chances are the news about the PS5 Pro launch reached you. The community is not entirely sure what Sony's marketing and business strategy could be with this release, but it's got gamers all over the world talking.

We'll find out if the PS5 Pro's price will hinder Sony's sales once the console comes out. Until then, stay tuned for the newest game releases, and happy gaming! You can read some of our other articles below: