Sony Corp.¡¯s PlayStation 5 video game console went on sale Thursday, a key test of the company¡¯s ability to sustain its biggest growth engine during a coronavirus-era gaming boom.
The new PlayStation is Sony¡¯s most important gadget since the Walkman, and it goes head-to-head with Microsoft Corp.¡¯s next-generation Xbox over the holidays. The PlayStation 5 is anchored by the new Spider-Man game. Both consoles have chalked up solid sales since initial orders started in September, straining supplies.
The ?49,980 PlayStation 5 ¡ª a version without an optical drive goes for ?39,980 ¡ª marks a watershed moment for a company once synonymous with music players and Trinitron TVs. It¡¯s the first proper, new Sony console since 2013. Its predecessor, the PlayStation 4, sold 113 million units and transformed gaming into the most important part of Sony¡¯s business.
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