Price is always a factor when it comes to purchasing a new video game, a new controller, and especially a new console. With so many options to choose from, fans always have to choose where their funds will be most effectively spent. Due to this, one of the pieces of information that fans eagerly await when a new console announced is its launch price.
Console prices can fluctuate over time, but the price at the very beginning is a huge part of the early success of a console. With many consoles in Sony’s history, the PlayStation brand has had many home and portable releases and they have fluctuated in pricing over the years. Whether reasonable or controversial, the pricing for PlayStation consoles has been a cause for debate over the years.
Disclaimer: The focus will be solely on the launch iterations of each system. Consoles like the PS4 Pro and the PS3 Super Slim will not be included.
7 PSP – $249
Launching at $249, the PlayStation Portable was Sony’s first handheld console, and as such, it was reasonable that the price was slightly lower than its fellow home consoles at the time, while still being more on the premium side.
The graphical power and the ability to access the internet and watch movies made its price more understandable, and with many great games like Dissidia Final Fantasy and God of War Chains of Olympus, the PSP was a fan favorite in the PlayStation family.
6 PS Vita – $249
The PlayStation Vita has a reputation for being the most underrated handheld console ever created. Whether it was due to lack of interest or poor marketing, the PS Vita launched at $249 but it, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the popularity that the PSP had preceded it with.
Boasting console-level graphics with games like Killzone: Mercenary and Uncharted: The Golden Abyss, a vibrant LCD screen, dual-stick control, and a comfortable design, the PS Vita was worth every dollar. Fans are begging for Sony to take another run at the portable market.
5 PS1 – $299
The console that started it all, the PlayStation One was home to some of the most iconic video games of all time: Crash Bandicoot, Spyro The Dragon, Final Fantasy 7, Gran Turismo, and the list goes on. Launching at $299, the PS1 was everything that a gaming company’s first console should have been.
With a controller design that has been repeated (and mimicked) ever since, a disc-based lineup of games, and a small size for the console, the original PlayStation is still looked back on quite fondly.
4 PS2 – $299
The most successful and longest-lasting game console to date, the PlayStation 2 was a landmark console that shaped the future of everything that consoles should strive for. For only $299, the PlayStation 2 was home to some of the greatest games of all time like Metal Gear Solid 3, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War 1 and 2, and the Jak & Daxter series.
On top of that, the PS2 brought the most innovative addition to a gaming console at the time: a built-in DVD player. This addition shaped the definition of what a gaming console can offer and started the influx of media offerings that future consoles began to focus on. The PS2 is still beloved today and in the living rooms of many gamers.
3 PS4 – $399
While starting off a little slowly, the PlayStation 4 built up a lot of momentum with its amazing lineup of exclusive titles, console innovations, and ease of use.
It’s hard not to fall in love with a console that has titles like Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part 2, and Uncharted 4. With an initial launch price of $399, the PS4 stood tall against its competitors with a lot of love and care put into each and every first-party title. With the addition of the PlayStation VR (which had its own launch price of $399), the PS4 is the complete package.
2 PS5 – $399 Or $499
In the age of digital gaming reigning supreme, the PS5 had two separate releases with different price points. The traditional disc-based PS5 launched at $499, while the digital version with no disc tray launched at $399.
Whichever console you choose, the PlayStation 5 is one of the most advanced consoles ever created, with near-instantaneous loading times, a DualSense controller with amazing new features, and already amazing titles like Spider-Man Miles Morales and Sackboy: A Big Adventure. It’s an exciting idea to think about what this console will be capable of in the years going forward.
1 PS3 – $499 Or $599
One of the most controversial price points in Sony’s history, the PlayStation 3 launched with a 20GB and a 60GB version. The 20GB version cost $499 at release, while the 60GB version launched at $599, which shocked fans at the time.
After a while, there were newer models of the PS3 that launched at a more reasonable price. Shocking launch price aside, the console ultimately came out on top by having titles like The Last Of Us, Uncharted 2, and God Of War 3. The PS3 is looked back on quite fondly, but players try to forget about that pricing misstep.