According to a court document, Microsoft believes Sony will release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year priced at $399.99.
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The document was released as part of the Federal Trade Commission's trial against Microsoft. The trial was about determining the fate of a proposed preliminary injunction against its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which is estimated to cost $69 billion.
In the related pricing document, Microsoft is trying to convince Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley that the Nintendo Switch should be considered in the same category as the Xbox and PlayStation 5 consoles on the market. This is an argument that wants to emphasize the value of the Xbox, as it has lost the battle for first place in the console market and is in third place.
“PlayStation is also selling a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99 and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price,” the document states.
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The surprises continue, with Microsoft saying below that “ Sony is also expected to release a portable version of the PlayStation 5 later this year for under $300 .” This is Sony’s announced Project Q , a portable device used for streaming games and connecting wirelessly to the PS5. Sony has yet to announce a release date or price for the product.
The existence of a PS5 Slim wouldn't be that surprising, given that Sony has released slim versions of its previous consoles . It released a PlayStation 4 Slim that replaced the standard PS4 model in 2016, as well as a more powerful PS4 Pro that was released shortly after. The PS5 was released in November 2020 in two forms: with a disc drive for $499 and without a disc drive for $399.
Microsoft, however, may take a different approach. In June, Xbox head Phil Spencer said there was no urgency to release a mid-cycle Xbox console upgrade , three years after the Xbox Series X/S were released
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Microsoft released the Xbox One S three years after the original Xbox One. Four years later, it released an even more powerful console, the Xbox One X.
