Sony is gearing up to launch a new PlayStation 5 Slim for $399 later this year, according to court documents.
Microsoft made the reveal in its ongoing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) trial to close a $68.7 billion acquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard.
In filings dated June 22, Microsoft claims that Sony ‘is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point’ as its ‘less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99.’
The Japanese electronics maker, however, has not confirmed a Slim model.
Microsoft may have leaked a new Sony PlayStation 5 Slim in court documents
The leaks did not end there, as Microsoft continued to speculate Sony is also ready to launch a handheld version of PlayStation, also referred to as ‘Project Q.’
Microsoft intended to convince the judge that the Nintendo Switch was in the same markets as Xbox and PlayStation – but Sony’s upcoming console would further limit the company’s competitiveness, placing it in third.
US District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in San Francisco is overseeing the case and in June, she ruled in support of a temporary restraining order sought by the Federal Trade Commission to stop Microsoft from closing the deal.
Microsoft, the Xbox game system maker, has spent months trying to win worldwide approval for the merger.
While several countries have approved the acquisition, regulators for two critical economies – the US and the UK – have taken action to stop it, arguing it could suppress competition in the video game market.
The FTC took Microsoft to court last year to block the merger, but that case was brought to the U.S. agency’s in-house judge in a trial set to start on August 2.
The commission said it brought its case to a federal court this week because it was concerned that Microsoft was trying to imminently close the deal before the trial begins, making it ‘difficult, if not impossible’ to reverse course if the acquisition was later found illegal.
Documents of the case have surfaced online, revealing that Microsoft may have announced Sony’s upcoming PlayStation before it had a chance.
Microsoft intended to convince the judge that the Nintendo Switch was in the same markets as Xbox and PlayStation – but Sony’s upcoming console would further limit the company’s competitiveness, placing it in third
READ MORE: Microsoft announces new $349 Xbox Series S console
The Carbon Black Xbox Series S will include the same hardware power as the original model but with one terabyte of storage space.
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‘Sony is also anticipated to release a handheld version of PlayStation 5 later this year for under $300,’ wrote the company, which is run by CEO Satya Nadella.
However, rumors of a handheld device dubbed ‘Project Q’ hit the web in May.
The device is designed for ‘playing games installed on your PS5 and streamed over WiFi,’ PlayStation explained in the description of a teaser video posted on YouTube.
And Sony confirmed the device will be launching ‘later this year.’
‘Project Q [is] a dedicated device launching later this year that enables you to play any compatible game installed on your PS5 console using Remote Play over Wi-Fi,’ Sony explained.
‘With a vibrant 8-inch LCD screen capable of up to 1080p resolution at 60fps, the device delivers crisp visuals and smooth gameplay streamed from your PS5 when you’re away from your TV.
‘All of the buttons and features of the DualSense wireless controller, including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, are featured on the device.’
In regards to a slimmer PlayStation 5, Sony has developed a thinner model for the PlayStation 4, so an upcoming model is not too farfetched.
