A reader feels priced out from buying the PS5 and switches his choice of console to the Xbox Series S instead.
I assume there will be plenty of fans trying to excuse Sony for the price hike for the PlayStation 5, but I really don’t know who they’re fooling. Sure, inflation hits everyone, including companies, but you’re selling a video game console not gas and electricity. People don’t have to have a console and they’re certainly not in a position right now where they’re just going to take a £30 increase on the nose. They’re either not going to buy it at all or they’re going to go elsewhere. I certainly know that’s what I’m going to do.
I always take things easy with a new generation of consoles, although that wasn’t a hardship this time as I probably couldn’t have got the console I wanted at first anyway. I was naturally inclined towards the PlayStation 5, as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the PlayStation 4 and I’ve never really liked the Xbox’s exclusives or their attitude, especially during the Xbox One era.
I was put off the Xbox Series X because of the lack of games but also because of the bullying attitude of Microsoft, using its money to buy out everyone and making Game Pass a thing that nobody else could copy. I don’t like how they purposefully sideline Japan either, or their focus on online play.
However, there are limits. I’m not violently opposed to Microsoft, it’s just a preference. I’d prefer to buy PlayStation 5 but the price and their peculiar attitude this year has put me off. They’ve not announced or shown hardly anything all year and they don’t seem to have any interest in engaging with their fanbase or treating them as anything other than commodities to be taken for granted.
And as much as Game Pass disturbs me, in the way it’s just bludgeoned Xbox’s way to success, you can’t deny it’s not good value. I would’ve resisted it but I’m afraid the obvious answer now, in terms of what consoles to buy, is the Xbox Serie S. It’s now £230 cheaper than the PlayStation 5, which is a massive gap with almost no practical difference in performance.
I will miss the PlayStation 5 exclusives but since they already seem to have dried up I’m not sure how much of a problem that’s going to be. It won’t matter though because for me, at least, I can’t afford two consoles and I’ve made my choice. It was going to be Sony but I feel they’ve essentially pushed me away and I can only hope that the things I didn’t use to like about Xbox aren’t too much of a problem.
I’m sure Sony have already convinced themselves that this was unavoidable, but it wasn’t. They could’ve absorbed the increase themselves. They already did for America but apparently no one else in the world is worth that special treatment, so I’ll take my business elsewhere.
By reader Grinch
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