Sony Interactive Entertainment might be pushing a price drop for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro this holiday, according to well-known video game and electronics analyst Michael Pachter.
Wedbush Securities' Pachter believes that the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro consoles will soon be hitting the sale rack this coming holiday to compete against Microsoft's Xbox One and Xbox One X and the Nintendo Switch. He estimated the discounted holiday price for PlayStation 4 at US$249 and PlayStation 4 Pro at US$349.
"My guess is, Sony will cut the everyday PS4 price to $249, and the PS4 Pro price to $349 this Holiday," says Pachter. "And Microsoft will be too expensive, so Sony will keep its price advantage this Holiday." On Sony PlayStation's website, the PlayStation 4 is priced at US$299 and the PlayStation 4 Pro at US$399.
Talking to Gaming Bolt, Pachter said Sony may not have as many exclusive titles as the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One this holiday, and the price cut is most likely the way to go. PlayStation 4, however, could a find greater competition with the Switch console rather than the Xbox One.
"I don't think Microsoft is all that competitive," notes the analyst. "Xbox One S is priced the same as the PS4, and I don't think they are competitive at all with the Xbox One X, currently priced at $100 more than the PS4 Pro, and highly likely to be priced $150 more than the PS4 Pro by Holiday."
So far, the PlayStation 4 and its successor are confirmed to have one AAA exclusive game for the fourth quarter of 2017—Polyphony's Gran Turismo Sport.
Earlier this month, industry pundit Phil Harrison stirred the gaming sphere after revealing that he would place his bet on the Nintendo Switch over the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One if he was to choose. Harrison, who worked for Sony and Microsoft before, particularly liked Nintendo's astute strategy to offer "new" and exclusive titles for the Switch console. He pointed out the rivals lack the innovation being stuck still with marketing their products towards hard-core gamers only.
