(SOUNDBITE OF SONY PLAYSTATION START-UP SOUND)
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
If you're a gamer or have one in your life, like I do, you know that sound. It's from Sony's PlayStation. Well, the company has just announced the newest version of the popular gaming console, and it can be yours for $700. Yes, you heard that right, $700, hundreds more than the old version went for. I know I'm going to get asked about this new PlayStation, and you may too. So we've invited NPR's gaming lead James Mastromarino for his first impressions. Hey, James.
JAMES MASTROMARINO, BYLINE: Hi, Ayesha.
RASCOE: So, first of all, is this new version even really new?
MASTROMARINO: No. The PlayStation 5 first came out in 2020, but it had such a troubled launch because of the pandemic supply chain delays. So many people didn't get their hands on it really until last year. And so now about midway through what is projected to be an eight-year lifespan for this console generation, PlayStation is putting out a pro version just like they did for the last PlayStation, the PlayStation 4. It's bigger, has better graphics, more space, and it is a lot to ask for at $700.
RASCOE: Well, I mean, is it really worth $700, then?
MASTROMARINO: Well, if you were trying to do the exact same thing with, like, a personal computer, yes. It is a good value proposition for people who just want the top line graphics, hardware, memory, storage, processing power. For sure, you could not build a PC of comparable power for $700. But it's really because PlayStation is trying to double down with their most hardcore audience. I spoke to Rhys Elliott, an entertainment industry analyst at Midia Research about this, and he again said that it's not really for a general audience.
RHYS ELLIOTT: Super fans have shown time and time again that they're willing to pay an extra 200 bucks to kind of compliment their experience.
RASCOE: I have to say, I'm not really sure I'm convinced, but I can be a tough sell on this stuff. Just ask my son who loves these games. But it does make me wonder, do we know how much Sony is putting into this new version of PS5? I mean, for that price point, are they taking a gamble? What if it doesn't really sell?
MASTROMARINO: Yeah, and the PlayStation 5, the original version, has itself been a bit of an underperformer. They were hoping to ship a lot more consoles. That said, far more people have a PlayStation 5 than have the comparable Xbox. What we really should keep our eye on is a little thing called Grand Theft Auto. The next game in that series is supposed to come out next year. And again, media analyst Rhys Elliott told me that this has a lot to do with that release.
ELLIOTT: I have a feeling that PlayStation is going to market it as the best place to play GTA 6, because that will probably be true at that point.
MASTROMARINO: And that's because Grand Theft Auto is going to be incredibly graphically intensive. And so if you want the absolute best experience with that game, you're going to want the best hardware for it.
RASCOE: So the original PS5 has been out for some time. So has the Nintendo Switch and Microsoft's Xbox, as you mentioned. And Microsoft, we should say, is an NPR sponsor. Aren't we expecting some brand-new consoles soon? Like, what do these type of upgrades mean for where the industry might be heading?
MASTROMARINO: Long story short is that the difference between, say, a PlayStation 2 to a PlayStation 3 game used to be so big, and those games looked so different that it was worth the extra investment to upgrade every six years or so. Now, those differences are far more incremental.
RASCOE: That's NPR's James Mastromarino. Thank you so much for talking with us.
MASTROMARINO: Thanks, Ayesha.
(SOUNDBITE OF KOJI KONDO'S "GROUND THEME") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
