As the current fiscal year nears its end on March 31, Sony Interactive Entertainment is selling the PlayStation 5 Slim at a massive discount in select European countries. Interestingly, this move comes at a time when the future of Xbox is in doubt.
Originally launched in November 2023 with a €549.99 price tag, the PS5 Slim is now at an all-time low of €474.99 in Italy until February 25 at retailers like Amazon and GameStop – a €75 discount. In France, even steeper discounts have emerged, with retailers offering the console as low as €427.49.
While Sony hasn’t officially announced a Europe-wide price cut, the significant reductions in Italy and France suggest a strategic move to further boost the PS5 Slim’s market position against its competition.
PS5 Slim, soon on sale in France?#PlayStation #PlayStation5 https://t.co/JWcamo7W0P
— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) February 8, 2024
The PS5 Slim has been well-received for its streamlined design, lighter weight, and improved functionality compared to the original PS5. Combined with Sony’s strong brand presence, it’s a worthy successor that should help Sony further widen the sales gap between the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X.
Nevertheless, despite the strong early performance, Sony may be aiming to further stimulate sales and make the console more accessible to a wider audience.
Lest we forget, Sony is also seeking to achieve its ambitious goal of shipping 25 million PS5 consoles during its current fiscal year, ending in March. The “unannounced” discounts could be a crucial tactic to push them towards a record-breaking sales year, potentially surpassing a 25-year-old record set by the original PlayStation.
The temporary discounts in Italy and France might just be the first wave of larger price cuts across Europe and other regions, offering gamers a more affordable entry point into the latest PlayStation technology.
So, if you haven’t already gotten your hands on a PS5 and you live in Italy or France, now’s the best time to do it.
The PlayStation 5 is set to welcome several first-party and third-party exclusives throughout the year, starting with Helldivers 2, which is already achieving great success following its February 8 launch, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, set to be released on February 29.
