When Sony unveiled the $700 PS5 Pro, it caught many gamers off guard. Speculations had hinted at a price point closer to $500, making the actual revelation quite a jump. Set to hit store shelves on November 7, the mid-generation console refresh comes at a hefty price tag of $700 ($800 in Europe), excluding the disc drive and vertical stand. In contrast, the PlayStation 4 Pro was priced at $/€ 399, the same as the base PlayStation 4 during its launch.

Is the steep price going to dampen the sales of the PS5 Pro? Insights from Rhys Elliott, a Games Industry Analyst at MIDiA Research, shed light on this matter. Elliott believes that while this product is aimed at ‘superfans’, it still has the potential to sell between 13 and 15 million units by the end of its generation.

The $700 price tag aligns with expectations, positioning the PS5 Pro as a premium offering for deeply committed fans. This pricing sweet spot is likely to resonate well with devoted players who are willing to invest extra for enhanced peripherals like high-end controllers or the PlayStation Portal. Setting the price beyond $700 could have triggered more backlash.

In hindsight, both PlayStation and Xbox might have reconsidered their launch pricing, possibly opting for $600 initially. For instance, Xbox released a $600 2TB Galaxy Black Edition featuring similar specifications to the debut Series X, albeit with a Blu-ray drive. A $100 premium for a disc-less PlayStation 5 Pro seems reasonable in comparison to the Galaxy Black Series X.

The success of the PS5 Pro hinges on factors like supply availability and how effectively new games leverage its features. If there’s ample stock of PS5 Pros and sufficient game support, it could replicate the sales performance of the PS4 Pro. By the end of the generation, selling between 13-15 million units may not be far-fetched.

While Sony’s $700 PS5 Pro primarily caters to superfans without significantly expanding its player base, a well-executed marketing strategy and strong game lineup could drive sales within this niche demographic. Emphasizing the value proposition of enhanced performance or visual fidelity could sway even hesitant superfans towards making a purchase.

With a base of around 50 million PS4 users seeking an upgrade, some may find the slightly pricier PS5 Pro as an appealing option. Sony’s approach of marketing the console as the ultimate GTA 6 gaming experience could further entice potential buyers, especially with exclusive bundles and special editions on the horizon.

Overall, the impact of the PS5 Pro on hardware sales and software spending is expected to be positive, albeit relatively modest. It may not substantially drive user acquisition for PlayStation but will certainly engage existing power users and provide insights into Sony’s technological direction for the future of gaming.