Last week Sony released a preview of its new PS5 games console, due in shops before Christmas, says Matthew Field in The Daily Telegraph. Sony is hoping for“blockbuster” sales and a leg-up in the two decades-old battle for dominance with Microsoft, which will launch a competing machine in the late autumn, the Xbox Series X. This comes as lockdown has “super-charged” the gaming market, with reported sales of Sony’s PS4 console and Microsoft’s Xbox One more than trebling in the first half of the year.
Both companies’ new offerings seem highly advanced compared with the current generation, says Dan Gallagher in The Wall Street Journal. They boast faster processors, better graphics and more storage. Still, the ”harsh” global backdrop may persuade cash-strapped consumers to stick with “cheaper options” such as second-hand copies of current models. The fact that production in the games industry has been hit by the pandemic, with programmers forced to work from home, is also a worry as new games “are key to selling new consoles”.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
-
8 of the best riverside properties for saleThe best riverside properties for sale – from a Grade II-listed former mill house with views over the River Chelmer in Essex, to a townhouse on a Georgian terrace overlooking the Avon Gorge in Clifton, Bristol
-
Will “Liberation Day” strike again?Donald Trump’s 90-day tariff pause comes to an end on 9 July. Can we expect further market turmoil?
-
Carson Block on short-selling and what investors should watch out for when going longInterview Renowned short seller Carson Block talks to Matthew Partridge about his specialism and where to go long
-
Investors can buy into tomorrow’s top global technology stocks todayOpinion Anthony Ginsberg, manager of HAN-GINS Tech Megatrend Equal Weight UCITS ETF, highlights three technology stocks as he tells us where he'd put his money
-
Drinks maker Diageo gets back on its feet – should you invest?Diageo has faced one disaster after another over the past two years. Is it finally time to buy?
-
Halma reaches new all-time highProfits at Halma, one of Britain’s best blue chips, have hit a new record. But could US tariffs now cloud the outlook?
-
Airtel Africa is dialling the right numbers – should you buy?Opinion Mobile phone services group Airtel Africa is inexpensive and growing fast
-
Spectra Systems: a 'boffin-led' tech stock with business acumenOpinion Patient investors will get paid well as they wait for success from Spectra Systems, a promising Aim stock, says Jamie Ward
-
The British railway industry is in rude health – here's why investors should jump aboardThe railway industry has bounced back from the devastating impact of the pandemic and is entering a new phase of development – and profitability
-
Infrastructure investing: a haven of stable growth amid market turmoilFrom booming construction in emerging markets to digital and green transitions, the infrastructure sector offers security, returns and long-term opportunities
