Gamers have been waiting a long time for news of a price cut for Sony"s PlayStation 4, particularly given the increasing emphasis that Microsoft has placed on high-value "bundles" in an effort to shift more of its Xbox Ones. Today, that news finally came, as Sony announced a reduction to its official pricing for the console.
As Bloomberg reports, Sony announced the price reduction in Japan today, where Sony"s suggested retail price will fall on October 1 from its current 39,980 JPY (roughly $330 USD) to 34,980 JPY ($290) - a cut of around 12.5%.
Despite strong sales of its PlayStation 4, Sony appears eager to ensure that it loses no ground to its competitors. Makiko Nokda, a spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment, said:
We decided to cut the price to keep up sales momentum. PlayStation hardware is selling well, and there game titles fans in Japan are looking forward to coming out soon.
Sony"s PS4 price cut today applies specifically - and uniquely - to the Japanese market, and the company has not yet announced plans to do the same elsewhere. Some have suggested that Sony might use its appearance at Paris Games Week next month - where it will make its big gaming announcements ahead of the holiday shopping season - to reveal price cuts for the PS4 in other markets, but this remains pure speculation for now.
Source: Bloomberg