Sony prices the PlayStation 4 at $399; $100 cheaper than the Xbox One

At the E3 Expo, Sony finally announced that the Play Station 4 is going to be priced at $399 (Rs 23,300 approx). This could be a direct hit for the Xbox One that’s launching in November with a price tag of $499 price (Rs 28,900 approx).

The company had earlier announced that the PS4 would have no restrictions on used games with its console. This is another marked difference from the Xbox One, as reported earlier, because Microsoft has been quite clear on its stand on used games.

These moves are a clear strategy by Sony to get ahead of Microsoft in the market. The $100 difference will definitely be a major point that will factor into any console buyer's mind. And being able to play your old games will definitely be another point on any gamer's mind. The backwards comaptibility in the PlayStation 4 isn't handled by the console itself. Rather, it will be streamed to players through Sony's cloud gaming service Gaikai.

Sony has announced that the PlayStation 4 will sport a $399 price tag (image credit: Sony)

Additionally, Sony has announced quite a few new add-ons to go along with its newest offering. According to Sony, gamers will be given exclusive, original programming which will be seen on the PS4 and the PSN. Apart from that, the company has announced that the PlayStation Plus membership will be carried over from the PS3 to the PS4.

Sony went on to add to its announcements, saying that it will be offering a cloud gaming service for the PS3, PS4 and the PS Vita by 2014. One point that should be noted, though, is that Sony has now made it necessary for gamers to get PS Plus membership for multi-player mode.

For the price being paid, Sony is offering the system along with a controller and USB, HDMI and power cables. PlayStation 4 Eye is not part of the package, though, and can be bought separately for $59 (Rs 3,400 approx).

All told, Sony has marketed its latest offering well. With a good software offering and a cheaper retail price, the PS4 should definitely see good sales. How Microsoft is planning to combat this is yet to be seen. With the pricing out, Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop and Walmart have now begun taking pre-orders, with the console most probably looking at a December release.