Sony Launches New Version of PS5 Digital Edition Japan to Lower Price
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) today announced a new model of the PlayStation 5, entitled "PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Japan Exclusive" scheduled to launch in Japan on the 21st of November for a recommended retail price of 55,000 yen (tax included) and pre-orders starting on November 13.
Key Features of the Japan-exclusive PS5 Model
This new PS5 model has been heavily customized for the Japan market, and there are some limiting factors. The console can only be operated with a PlayStation account set as Japan as the region and Japanese as main language. This will be a digital console with no disc drive; however, one may purchase this separately and install it.
The design is subjected to partial redesign, with the console and cover in a matte texture finish. It may be cheaper than the standard edition, but it retains the same core features with regards to the ultra-fast SSD, 3D Audio, and the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller.
Pricing Comparisons and Marketing Approach
This new regional variant comes in at a hefty discount. It is priced at ¥55,000 (approximately $355), which is much more inexpensive than the current standard digital PS5 price of ¥72,980 (approximately $475) in Japan. According to this pricing strategy, it seems to lure consumers in Japan who have not purchased the console yet, similar to Nintendo's pricing strategy with a Japan-exclusive variant of Switch 2.
While being lower in price than the current standard model, the new price still ends higher than the PS5's original launch price in 2020 of ¥39,980, making it an apt compromise after two price hikes.
PS5 5th Birthday and Games Yet to Be Released
The declaration coincided with the 5th birthday of the first launch of PlayStation 5. To mark the occasion, SIE has activated the "GO!GO!PS5!" campaign, which contains sales and special offers on the PlayStation Store. SIE further shed light on a strong portfolio of over 4,500 PS5 titles in Japan and glowed on the eyes of several exciting upcoming games:
- DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
- Nioh 3
- Biohazard: Requiem
- MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Overview of PlayStation 5 Digital Edition - Japan Exclusive:
- Main Processor: AMD Ryzen™ "Zen2" x86-64, 8 cores/16 threads
- GPU: AMD Radeon™ RDNA-based graphics, 10 TFLOPS
- Memory: 16 GB GDDR6
- Storage: 825 GB Custom SSD
- Approximate Dimensions: 358 x 80 x 216 mm (W x H x D)
- Weight: Approx. 2.5kg
Note: Vertical stand is sold separately.
SIE states that it would further promote the expansion of the PlayStation platform, network services, and peripheral devices to a wider audience.
