Interest

Sony Rolls Out Limited Edition PlayStation 5 Pro to Mark 30th Anniversary

The original Sony PlayStation introduced a new future of gaming to Japan in December 1994 and to the West the following year. With its sleek gray disc-based console and iconic controller, the PlayStation made its mark into the video game industry, rivaling giants Nintendo and Sega. Now in its fifth iteration, the PlayStation 5 is commemorating 30 years of the brand. Sony Interactive Entertainment announced last Thursday that it will release a special limited edition PlayStation 5 Pro console on November 21 for the milestone.

The 30th Anniversary Limited Edition PlayStation 5 Pro console will feature a classic gray color scheme reminscent of the original PlayStation, along with the words "PlayStation 30th Anniversary" printed on it. There is also a special version of the brand's buttons logo on the console, adding a 3 before the O to signify 30. The pro console's bundle will include DualSense and DualSense Edge wireless controllers, featuring the gray colors and a special PS button with the PlayStation logo's original colors. It will also include a controller charging station, a vertical stand, and a console cover for a disc drive (with the disc drive being sold separately). There will also be a bundle for the console's digital edition.

Additional collector's items are a controller-style cable connector housing, four shapes cable ties, sticker, a paperclip, and a poster with 1 of 30 designs.

Sony will also release 30th Anniversary Editions of the PlayStation Portal Remote Player and standalone versions of the special controllers.

There will only be 12,300 units produced for the console, with the number representing the original release date in Japan.

The non-limited edition PlayStation 5 Pro console will ship on November 7. The announcement came on September 10 after the company recently raised the suggested retail price for the PS5 console and its related peripherals. The change took place in Japan on September 2. The company cited severe external conditions, including recent changes in the global economic situation as the reasons for the price changes.

The PS5 launched in the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea on November 12, 2020. The console launched in most of the rest of the world on November 19, 2020. The PS5 retailed for US$499.99, and the PS5 Digital Edition (which does not include an optical disc drive) retailed for US$399.99. The PS5 released a new, smaller model intended to replace the old model throughout November to early December 2023 in various territories, and the new Digital Edition rose in price to US$449.99.

As of July 2021, Sony had sold over 10 million units of the PS5 worldwide since its launch, making the PS5 Sony's fastest-selling console. Sony had sold over 20 million units of the PS5 worldwide as of June 2022. The PS5 had crossed 30 million units in sales in January 2023, and then crossed the 40 million mark in July 2023. The PS5 console has surpassed 50 million in sales as of December 2023.

Source: Official U.S. PlayStation blog