Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 5 video game console went on sale Thursday, a key test of the company’s ability to sustain its biggest growth engine during a coronavirus-era gaming boom.
The new PlayStation is Sony’s most important gadget since the Walkman, and it goes head-to-head with Microsoft Corp.’s next-generation Xbox over the holidays. The PlayStation 5 is anchored by the new Spider-Man game. Both consoles have chalked up solid sales since initial orders started in September, straining supplies.
The ¥49,980 PlayStation 5 — a version without an optical drive goes for ¥39,980 — marks a watershed moment for a company once synonymous with music players and Trinitron TVs. It’s the first proper, new Sony console since 2013. Its predecessor, the PlayStation 4, sold 113 million units and transformed gaming into the most important part of Sony’s business.
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