381: Playstation 5 Price Hikes And Xbox’s Partner Preview

March 27, 2026·1 hr 13 min·5 clips

PlayStation 5 prices jump $100-$150 in days, making a PS5 Pro with Blu-ray drive cost $1,000.

This episode of the Baunfire Gaming Podcast, hosted by Morgan (Bon Diesel), analyzes recent gaming industry news, focusing on hardware pricing and a major Xbox presentation. Morgan, a long-time industry commentator, provides his perspective on these significant market shifts. The episode primarily covers the announced PlayStation 5 price increases and the recent Xbox Partner Preview showcase. Sony is raising PS5 prices in North America on April 2nd, with the disc model increasing from $550 to $650 and the Digital Edition from $500 to $600. The PS5 Pro will rise from $750 to $900, and the PlayStation Portal will go from $200 to $250. Morgan notes Xbox implemented similar price hikes roughly six months prior. He explains a prevailing theory that Sony had stockpiled consoles manufactured before recent tariff increases and component shortages, allowing them to delay their price adjustment. Morgan speculates that Nintendo, despite current fan sentiment, will likely be forced to raise Switch prices by the 2026 holiday season, possibly introducing a more expensive OLED model. He also discusses the upcoming Steam Machine, predicting it will cost at least $1,000 and serve a niche audience of existing PC gamers rather than competing directly with consoles. Looking ahead, Morgan analyzes the potential cost and strategies for next-generation consoles, suggesting both PlayStation and Xbox may need to offer financing options. He posits that Xbox, backed by Microsoft's vast resources, has a greater financial ability to subsidize its next console despite potentially having less market motivation to do so. The Xbox Partner Preview featured over 20 games, with highlights for Morgan including *The Expanse: A Telltale Series* coming to Xbox, *Hades 2* launching day one on Game Pass in April, and the 2027 release of *The Expanse: A Cygnus Reborn*. Other noted titles were *Forever Ago*, *Grave Seasons*, and a story DLC for *S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2*. A surprising claim is that proprietary storage expansion cards for Xbox Series consoles may now be cheaper per terabyte than compatible SSDs for the PS5, reversing a long-standing trend. Morgan finds it ironic that a console purchased at launch in 2020 could now be worth more on the secondary market than its original retail price. He expresses disappointment with the coverage from the outlet Kinda Funny, which he felt was overly negative and "toxic" toward the Xbox Partner Preview compared to similar presentations from other platforms. Morgan suggests some media outlets may lean into console war rhetoric because it drives audience engagement and clicks, even if it contradicts their previously more neutral stance. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending news reporting with the host's personal commentary and industry predictions. Morgan's style is direct and opinionated, often referencing his own experiences and observations from following the industry for years. This episode would appeal to listeners deeply interested in gaming business trends, hardware economics, and critical analysis of industry media. Those seeking only game reviews or light entertainment news might find the detailed pricing and strategy discussion less engaging.

As heard by us

A plainspoken gaming-news roundup built around PlayStation's price hike, Xbox's Partner Preview, and a few notable game mentions.

This weekly gaming-news roundup starts with PlayStation raising PS5 prices, then moves into Xbox's Partner Preview and a few release updates, including Dispatch and Grave Seasons.

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