The release of each new console in Sony’s PlayStation brand brings high anticipation and excitement, with some equally high launch prices. Delivering a plethora of new features, games, and capabilities, the introduction of any new gaming console is a highlight in the calendar of manufacturers and fans alike. With brand-new iterations of consoles released roughly every 6-7 years, the continued development of gaming software permeates a fluid landscape in the transition between console generations.
Among all the hype, value for money is an important consideration for buyers of the latest gaming platforms. Launch prices often set the tone for each generation of consoles, and Sony’s PlayStation has largely followed that trend with positive and negative reception. As one of the industry’s leading labels, PlayStation consoles and their cost prices on launch day is always a hot topic.
7 PSP – $249 (Inflation Price: $377.61)
Sony’s first venture into handheld gaming consoles hit stores in the US in 2005, selling at a launch price of $249. The PlayStation Portable was engineered as the primary rival to the Nintendo DS and enjoyed substantial longevity alongside its competitor for almost a decade. The platform combined many of the iconic features of the traditional PlayStation controller with essential adaptations for the handheld gaming industry.
Priced lower than PlayStation’s home consoles of the same generation, the PSP brought classic video game franchises to the fingertips of users, from Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories to Need for Speed Underground: Rivals. Today’s inflation price for the PSP sits at $377.61.
6 PS Vita – $249 (Inflation Price: $321.20)
The successor to the PSP, PlayStation Vita was sold for $249 upon its release in 2012 in North America. Possessing touchscreen and high-end visual capabilities, PS Vita received plaudits from gamers for bridging the gap between sharp screen graphics and fun, interactive handheld games in spite of a wide-scale commercial failure.
With this powerful software, the PS Vita did make better use of Sony’s Remote Play function with the PlayStation 4 which allowed players to stream the vast majority of PS4 games through the Vita without disruption to the quality of graphics. PS Vita was discontinued in 2019. The current inflation price for the PS Vita is $321.20.
5 PS1 – $299 (Inflation Price: $581.07)
Arriving in stores as the first of its kind, few gamers had any quarrels with the PlayStation One’s launch price of $299 in 1995. There is little wonder images of the ever-popular console evoke strong feelings of nostalgia, as the PS1 offered a blueprint for future console generations with its strong technological and cultural impact.
Final Fantasy 7 and Crash Bandicoot debuted on the PS1 along with numerous other timeless video game hits to gain global acclaim via Sony’s first home console. The PS1’s extensive games library and novelty factor truly heralded a new era for gaming. The platform has an inflation price of $581.07.
4 PS2 – $299 (Inflation Price: $514.26)
Releasing at $299 in 2000, the PlayStation 2 took Sony’s expanding collection of home gaming consoles into the 21st century with a real spark. Providing a robust software design, the PS2 is the best-selling video game console to date, having captured the imagination of gamers of all ages.
Facilitated by the arrival of Sony’s DualShock 2 controller for PS2, the platform offered unrivaled freedom and sensitivity which allowed for one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences on console. The PS2’s exceptional and long-standing playability has led to some of its most adored games being added to today’s PS Plus collection, such as Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter and Kinetica. The current inflation price for the legendary PS2 is $514.26.
3 PS4 – $399 (Inflation Price: $507.27)
Launching at a reasonable price of $399, Sony unveiled the PlayStation 4 in 2013 with the aim to take its home console collection into the future via worthwhile system add-ons and crystal clear visuals. It proved to be both an immediate and long-term hit with fans shifting 117 million units.
Such a smooth gaming experience was underlined by critically acclaimed PS4 exclusive titles such as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, God of War, and The Last of Us Part 2, all playable in strikingly high definition. Almost a decade after its release, the PS4 is still one of the most powerful game consoles out there. It has an inflation price of $507.27.
2 PS5 – $399 Or $499 (Inflation Price: $456.60 Or $571.03)
Rivaling the Xbox Series X for next-generation console supremacy, the PlayStation 5 launched to extreme demand and fanfare in November 2020. To accommodate every taste, the PS5 Digital Edition was released as the first of its kind at $399 as an entirely disc-free platform, while Sony simultaneously introduced a more regular variant of the PS5, complete with a disc tray, at a launch price of $499.
The PS5 is as close to the pinnacle of home console gaming as possible. While its state-of-the-art DualSense controller might grab the headlines, the platform’s smooth loading times make for one of the most effortless experiences in gaming. The decision to enhance a number of PS4 games for the PS5’s greater capabilities effectively supplements a small pool of exclusive titles which range from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales to Gran Turismo 7. In terms of inflation prices, the PS5 Digital Edition sits at $456.60, and its more conventional counterpart is $571.03.
1 PS3 – $499 Or $599 (Inflation Price: $733.08 Or $879.99)
First appearing in stores in North America in November 2006, Sony’s PlayStation 3 is mostly remembered for staggering launch prices of $499 for the 20GB model and $599 for the 60GB PS3. Sandwiched between cult favorite consoles in the PS2 and PS4, the PS3 largely struggled to dominate the gaming scene at launch as a result of its contentious price tag.
However, with era-defining games like Mass Effect 3 rising to prominence on the PS3, much of the criticism was later alleviated. An updated and improved games catalog granted a slightly extended lifespan for the console, as the PS3 was eventually discontinued in North America in 2016. For the 20GB PS3 model, the current inflation price is $733.08 while the 60GB console is $879.99.