There are a couple of reasons why Sony may well be able to offer the digital version of the PS5 for as much as $50 cheaper than the regular alternative.
As we inch ever closer to the release of Sony and Microsoft’s next-gen consoles, more and more details are being released about what games can expect. That includes the revelation that anyone who opts to buy a PS5 at the end of this year will have an additional choice to make. Whether they want a regular version of the console or the digital edition.
The only clear difference between the two consoles is that the digital edition will be lacking an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive. That means as the name of the special edition console implies, only digital versions of games can be played on it. Music and movies have made the move to almost entirely digital versions of their content, now gaming is about to take the next step.
A report by Digital Foundry has explained why the digital edition of the PS5 can and probably should cost less than the regular version of the console. $50 less, in fact. Apparently the cost of the materials to build the digital edition clocks in at $20 cheaper than the version with the disc drive.
It is also believed that Sony will receive around $8 for each bought by an owner of a digital edition of the PS5. The $50 figure comes from the assumption that the average owner of a digitial-only PS5 will buy four titles added to the $20 saved on manufacturing costs. If the digital edition is that much cheaper than a console with a disc drive, it could really speed up the transition from physical copies of games to titles being digital exclusives.
As for how much the PS5, and the Xbox Series X, is going to cost, that is still up to our imaginations. There have been various rumors and even a few leaks which have since been confirmed to be false. Reports suggest the PS5’s price will be on the steep side due to a shortage of components, and that fewer units will be produced at launch to reflect that.
Source: Digital Foundry
