Whew! For those of you keeping up with next gen console news, it’s been an interesting summer considering that E3 was taken away. Both Microsoft and Sony have had to scramble to change their plans and announce things over the course of months rather than at a major event in front of everyone.

While we can all agree that there has been hits and misses on both sides, one thing that seemed to be an endless struggle was getting pricing and release date news out of either side. It’s like Microsoft and Sony were playing a game of chicken, daring the other to go first so they could gain an advantage and adjust accordingly. Following the sudden reveal of the Xbox Series S pricing, Microsoft finally gave in and gave fans whta they wanted. A week later, Sony followed suit.

Now, all of the information is out in the open and people can finally plan their course of action. So, let’s talk about what we know.

Premium Prices

Before we jump in, one thing that flew pretty far under the radar is the fact that the next gen is also seemingly bringing a price hike to software. When 2K revealed a price increase for it’s next gen sports games, people blew up, but ultimately people likely believed this was simply a case of Take Two being Take Two.

That’s clearly no longer the case. For those who missed it, Destruction AllStars and Demon’s Souls are launching on the PS5 with a $69.99 price tag, 10 bucks more than we’ve gotten used to for standard games.

While the majority of third party games are sticking to the $60 price tag, I don’t see that staying true for much longer. I’m sure companies will be following suit especially starting in 2021.

I really don’t know how I feel about this. On one hand, yes, it’s just 10 bucks. On the other hand, most games have monetization methods on top of the normal game price, so it certainly adds up over time. Does an extra ten bucks dissuade you from taking a chance on a game you’re not sure about?

One thing that’s for certain, the price increase does make Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass way more appealing. Instead of paying 60-70 bucks a pop on a game, their first party content is added to the service at launch along with all the other games already on there. Over time, you’ll be saving a ridiculous amount of cash.

Something to think about I guess. Okay, let’s get to the details!

Xbox Series S/X

The previously known Project Scarlett was revealed at The Game Awards in December 2019. Now known as Xbox Series X, Microsoft has also debuted a cheaper alternative called Xbox Series S (previously Project Lockhart).

Both systems launch in full on November 10, though Series X is going to set you back a bit more than the Series S due to the differences in hardware. The stronger Series X version is set at $500 while Series S comes in at a more accessible $300.

Want specs? Okay, here’s the breakdown between the two systems right from the mouth of Major Nelson:

Pre-orders open up for these guys next week on September 22. With inventory expected to be limited, good luck to everyone out there trying to secure one.

PlayStation 5

As we found out earlier this week, Sony is launching the PS5 on November 12 (for US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea) and November 19 for everyone else. To stay competitive with its chief rival, the standard edition comes in at $500 while the digital only version is one hundred bucks less at $400.

Unlike the Xbox varieties, there’s really no difference between the two systems from a hardware standpoint. The biggest difference is that the lower priced console is digital only, so no disk drive whatsoever. Want specs? Sure, here you go:

I won’t lie, I was expecting slightly higher prices, but this is a big win for consumers. It also helps that their launch lineup is pretty strong featuring some solid looking first party titles that Microsoft currently lacks. This includes Spider-Man Miles Morales, Astro’s Playroom (included), Demon’s Souls, the likely overlooked Destruction AllStars, as well as Godfall (not first party but console exclusive).

So, with all the cards on the table, who are you going with? Also, best of luck trying to pre-order these things. I appreciate Microsoft actually giving us a date and time when pre-orders go live. Sony’s quickly spiraled out of control as pre-orders popped up all over the place well ahead of when they were supposed to. Naturally, supplies were ultra-limited making it absurdly difficult to get one. We’ll see if Microsoft has a smoother time next week. Good luck everyone!