SAN FRANCISCO: Sony sliced $50 off the price of PlayStation 4 (PS4) video game consoles on Thursday, matching that of rival Xbox One ahead of the frantic holiday shopping season.

The PS4 drop to $350 in the United States and to 430 Canadian dollars in Canada is starting on Friday, according to Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). “Our goal at PlayStation has always been to offer the best place to play at a compelling value to gamers,” SCEA Chief Executive Shawn Layden said.

While PS4 has led the market since its release two years ago, Microsoft recently began gaining ground with the release of Xbox One consoles with a reduced price of $350 because they come without Kinect motion-sensing accessories.