Performance Issues and Price Hikes: The Current State of Gaming Consoles

Techland's highly anticipated game, *Dying Light: The Beast*, launched in September 2025 without dedicated support for the PlayStation 5 Pro. This absence of a "Pro Enhanced" tag on the PS Store has disappointed some players, who have expressed concerns about performance modes. Players reported issues such as blurriness in Performance Mode and low frame rates in Quality Mode. This marks the second major game released in September without PS5 Pro enhancements, following *Borderlands 4*. While the game runs well on the standard PS5, the lack of enhancements has raised questions about the trend of new titles not fully utilizing the capabilities of the PS5 Pro.

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*Borderlands 4* has also encountered significant performance issues, particularly on the PS5 Pro. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford acknowledged these problems, advising players to restart the game after several hours of play to mitigate performance drops. Players have speculated that a memory leak may be causing these issues, with reports indicating that performance deteriorates after about an hour of gameplay. Despite initial strong sales, with 2 million copies sold in its launch week, the game's reputation is suffering due to these technical difficulties.

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In contrast, *Battlefield 6* is set to launch on October 10, 2025, with confirmed performance specifications that highlight the PS5 Pro's capabilities. The game will offer a Fidelity Mode targeting 2160p at 60 frames per second and a Performance Mode aiming for 1620p at 80+ FPS on the PS5 Pro. This contrasts with the base PS5, which targets 1440p at 60 FPS in Fidelity Mode and 1280p at 80 FPS in Performance Mode. Early beta tests have shown that the PS5 Pro can achieve frame rates exceeding 90 FPS, suggesting strong optimization for the upcoming title.

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Amid these gaming developments, Microsoft has announced a significant price increase for its Xbox Series X and S consoles, effective October 3, 2025. The Xbox Series X 2TB will now retail for $799.99, up from $729.99, while the standard Series X will increase to $649.99. This marks the second price hike within five months, raising concerns about the affordability of gaming consoles. As a result, the PS5 Pro, previously the most expensive console, is now comparatively more affordable. However, analysts warn that further price increases for PlayStation consoles may be on the horizon, reflecting broader economic pressures.

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The gaming community has expressed frustration over the performance issues in *Borderlands 4* and the lack of enhancements in *Dying Light: The Beast*. Players have voiced their dissatisfaction on social media, with some calling for immediate patches to address these concerns. Meanwhile, the price hikes from Microsoft have sparked discussions about the sustainability of console gaming, especially among younger consumers who may be turning to more affordable alternatives like PC gaming or mobile devices.

Console sales fall further behind last generation, as PS5 and Xbox struggle with higher prices

Randy Pitchford has publicly acknowledged the performance issues with *Borderlands 4*, stating, “Known issue of perf dropping on PS5 Pro after several hours of continuous play. Workaround until we patch: quit game and restart. Sorry for the friction!” Meanwhile, Microsoft has justified its price increases by citing changes in the macroeconomic environment, emphasizing the need to adapt to rising costs.

Gearbox Exec Encourages PS5 Pro Borderlands 4 Players To “Quit And Restart” Amid Performance Issues

As the gaming landscape evolves, players are left to navigate the challenges of performance issues and rising console prices. Upcoming titles like *Battlefield 6* may provide a glimpse of enhanced gaming experiences, but the ongoing concerns surrounding existing games and hardware affordability remain critical issues for the industry.

Console sales fall further behind last generation, as PS5 and Xbox struggle with higher prices