Following the launch of the Xbox One on 23 September 2014, gamers who have sworn their allegiance to Microsoft have been trying out the latest iteration of the company’s gaming console.

With a long list of titles available — mainly due to the fact that the console launched locally almost a year after its international debut — there is definitely no shortage of diversity when it comes to being entertained.

However, at least as important as the range of games available on a platform are the price tags of said games.

With that in mind, and thanks to a prod in the side from social media (hat-tip to Shaun, a.k.a Sauron_ZA), we decided to take a look at which “next-gen/current-gen” digital store gives gamers the best deal. Let’s get to it: PS4 vs Xbox One – digital game prices.

On the whole, Xbox One owners seem to be getting the better deal when it comes to digital titles. In the case of the first five titles in the table, the price difference between the PS4 and Xbox One is substantial, while titles such as Destiny’s Guardian Edition and Child of Light are similarly priced.

In the case of Wolfenstein: The New Order, though, Xbox owners will probably order a physical copy of the game, instead.

Asked about the large price differences, the PlayStation South Africa Twitter account responded by saying that the prices on PlayStation Network (PSN) are not under their direct control.

“As you’d imagine our local pricing for physical goods is set closer to release as a function of the supply chain dynamics,” the official PlayStation Twitter account for South Africa said.

“On the PSN the process is somewhat different and we are not able to comment on the methodology applied, however, there have been instances where pricing has been inconsistent, both higher and at times lower. We are addressing this internally and will endeavour to get more consistency going forward. Apologies for any inconvenience caused,” PlayStation said.

MyGaming reached out to both Ster-Kinekor, who distributes PlayStation in South Africa, and Microsoft, but neither company were able to immediately respond to our questions.

Another aspect to take into account when looking at the consoles’ respective online price structures is the subscription fee to Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus memberships. Both subscriptions give you access to online multiplayer functionality, and the free games given away through Games with Gold and PS Plus Instant Game Collection.

The following table demonstrates the various monthly and annual fees.

We spoke to Microsoft about the Xbox Live store at the Xbox One launch, and the company told MyGaming that the SA store will now be on par with its international counterparts. There will also be better pricing parity between digital and physical copies of games in South Africa.

Previously it often happened that games were not available on the South African Xbox Live store, and the Xbox Live Gold subscription fee was more expensive for South African accounts than it would be to converting your Rands to Dollars for a US Xbox Gold Live subscription.

These changes are in large part thanks to Microsoft South Africa and the Film and Publications Boards resolving their differences, we were told.

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