With the recent price hikes happening in PlayStation land, we're pushing towards a world where four-figure console costs are almost the norm; PS5 Pro will become $900 from next week. While the upgraded PS5 model is an enthusiast bit of kit, it sounds as though we may have to get used to these sorts of figures when it comes to next-gen consoles - something that's been touted for a while now regarding Xbox Project Helix.
Shortly after the announcement of said PS5 price hikes, the folks over at GamesRadar spoke with various analysts about where the industry is headed, and what next-gen console prices could look like. Here's what industry researcher Joost van Dreunen had to say on the matter:
"We're quickly moving towards a world in which a $1,000 console will be the norm, and console gaming will become a luxury expenditure. [...] I predict that the next generation of console hardware will start at a 50% higher price point than the current one did."
Van Dreunen went on to say that "they [console makers] don't want to raise prices on their hardware, because that part is usually a heavily subsidized part of the equation" - but such costs are becoming normal due to the volatile nature of the market. Of course, Microsoft's move towards a PC-console hybrid with Project Helix means that 'heavy subsidizing' might not even be part of Microsoft's plans anyway. That's another pointer towards expensive next-gen consoles, if it plays out that way.