PS5 Slim: Microsoft leaks release date and retail price

Sony will launch a PlayStation 5 Slim in 2023 for $399.99, according to a public document filed by defence lawyers for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard with the California court in charge of reaching a verdict in the legal battle between the companies.

Rumours that a PS5 Slim is on the way are not new. Last year reports emerged with some of its features, and in March an Australian retailer mistakenly leaked its existence. This time, however, the news comes via Microsoft, which made mention of Sony’s next console in a new document linked to the FTC’s lawsuit to block its purchase of Activision Blizzard.

What’s curious is that the Redmond-based company not only claims that Sony will launch the PS5 Slim later this year, but has apparently also revealed its price: $399.99. We don’t know if this is information that the Japanese approved for release, or if it’s confidential information that Microsoft decided to release on purpose. That’s considering that the documentation includes other heavily censored snippets.

What does the published document say?

In one section of the document, the legal team argues why the FTC’s definition of the console market should include Nintendo Switch (the antitrust agency argues that Xbox competes only with PlayStation). That argument involves price: Microsoft competes with Switch through the Xbox S Series.

“Similarly, PlayStation sells a [PS5] Digital Edition for $399.99 and is expected to launch a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price,” Microsoft says. In the same text they also discuss the power of the consoles offered on the market. They point out that the Xbox Series S is less powerful and suggest that Sony will follow a similar strategy in the future.

“Meanwhile, PlayStation currently offers two different versions of the PlayStation 5 (one with a Blu-Ray player for physical discs [standard] and one without [digital]), and is expected to launch even more differentiated Pro and Slim models in the near future”. Sony has not commented on the information revealed by Microsoft.

The collaboration between Lebron James and PlayStation 5.