Notebookcheck Logo

PlayStation 5 games lineup makes purchasing a next-gen console supremely tempting but the PS5's price tag in some countries will leave fans with hard choices to make

PS5 affordability: Average monthly net income - dark green (low) to red (high). (Image source: PlayStation/Numbeo - edited)
PS5 affordability: Average monthly net income - dark green (low) to red (high). (Image source: PlayStation/Numbeo - edited)
A fan-made image of some of the major titles lined up for the PlayStation 5 has appeared online and excited many waiting for their PS5 pre-order to be fulfilled. However, while the next-gen console is a reasonable purchase in some countries, in others buying one is a difficult decision for even the most loyal fan to make.

A fan-made picture depicting a handful of the massive games that will be made available for the PlayStation 5 has been received with overwhelming appreciation by much of the PlayStation fan community. The titles, which on their own could help Sony shift millions of PS5 consoles, feature IPs such as Ratchet & Clank, Spider-Man, Horizon, Bloodborne, God of War, The Last of Us, Ghost of Tsushima, Demon’s Souls, Days Gone, and Dreams. The games will be playable on the next-gen console either as new titles, sequels, remakes, or simply by utilizing the PS5’s backwards compatibility ability for taking advantage of PS4 games.

It’s a mouth-watering lineup for any gamer, and it should help convince many into making a PS5 purchase or pre-order. However, while major markets such as the USA, Canada, Japan, some parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, UK, and a number of countries in Europe have console prices that don’t balance too badly with average monthly incomes, in other parts of the world it’s a completely different story. In certain countries the official price tag of the PS5 can equal and even top the average monthly wage, and in other countries where gamers have to rely on less official channels to get their hands on a next-gen console, the price is not only astronomic but also way beyond the average monthly income.

For example, several threads have started appearing on Reddit featuring posts from PS5 fans worldwide comparing relative costs. Gamers in South America certainly have an uphill struggle, with fans in countries such as Chile, Argentina, and Colombia looking at having to pay around US$800 or more to snap up a PS5 console. Those considering a purchase in either Brazil or Uruguay will have an even higher bill to pay, with figures from US$900 all the way up to US$1,200 mentioned. Many of these places are looking at well over a month’s average net salary to make a purchase, while in Brazil a gamer might have to save up all of their wages for more than three months before having enough to buy the console.

States in Africa face a similar issue, with mentions being made for Morocco (US$850), South Africa (US$730), and Egypt (US$1,000). South Africans at least have a healthy average monthly income according to some sources, but Moroccan and Egyptian gamers wanting a PS5 may have to wait several months extra while saving up. Some regions of Europe aren’t exempt from this quandary either: A gamer in Moldova said the PS5 could cost around US$800, which is over twice the national average monthly wage there. PS5 fans in Turkey certainly have a hard choice to make: It’s been stated the console will cost around US$1,100-US$1,200 in that country, with the monthly salary coming in at an average of just under US$400 (same source: USA = US$3,542).

*All income figures are net (after tax).

Sale off - Buy PlayStation 4 Slim now on Amazon

PlayStation IPs. (Image source: fan-made via Reddit)
PlayStation IPs. (Image source: fan-made via Reddit)

Source(s)

Reddit (1/2/3/4) & Numbeo (monthly net salary) & OECD (average wages)

Read all 6 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2020 10 > PlayStation 5 games lineup makes purchasing a next-gen console supremely tempting but the PS5's price tag in some countries will leave fans with hard choices to make
Daniel R Deakin, 2020-10- 6 (Update: 2020-10- 7)