Sony Interactive Entertainment are reportedly working on a PlayStation 5 Pro model; launching at the end of 2023 to 2024.
Ahead of the PlayStation Showcase tomorrow night, YouTuber Moore’s Law is Dead (MLiD) addressed the rumored leaks of what will be in the livestream, along with his own sources which have been correct before (such as the date of the God of War sequel’s reveal teaser). While there were still discussions of what to show (as of the time of the rumors), several of the titles had been confirmed
These include the God of War sequel gameplay reveal (possibly with a release date), Gran Turismo 7, Stray, possibly the rumored The Last of Us multiplayer game Factions, Call of Duty: Vanguard; and several other surprises and “maybes.” MLiD explained that anything else would not be guaranteed; such as the rumored Metal Gear Solid remake [1, 2] that he insists is coming.
MLiD also discussed the PlayStation 5 Pro. He was confident before a refresh for the console was coming, and after discussing it publicly had more sources come to him to discuss it. Based on those discussions, MLiD is confident the console will launch by the end of 2023, or 2024 at the latest.
However, MLiD is unsure what exactly the PlayStation 5 Pro will utilize. As with past PlayStation Pro consoles, MLiD proposes it will be a more powerful system for a higher price (with MLiD’s own suggestion of it being $600 USD to $700 USD). He discusses the speculation on how it could use new RDNA architecture, and even able to utilize 8K resolution; or at the very least that be something Sony should consider.
Even so, MLiD feels many consumers will not own an 8K TV, let alone care about gaming in 8K. He further mentions how the PlayStation 4 outsold the PlayStation 4 Pro by 5 to 1. MLiD does defend the decision to produce the console however.
He highlights how the PlayStation 5 is outselling the PlayStation 4, and that supply shortages (brought about in part due to the chip shortage) will be over by 2023. It’s at that time Sony will want to continue to be competitive.
Ace Research Institute analyst Hideki Yasuda had previously stated that Nintendo has an “oligopoly” in Japan, while PlayStation game sales have been practically “eradicated.” However, within that praise he noted how minor hardware changes would be key for the Nintendo Switch in 2021.
He cited the Game Boy, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS as success stories; while the Wii and PlayStation 4 which had no or practically no variations. While both had respectable total sales, they experienced sharp drops in sales in the latter half of their respective launch years.
MLiD also proposes the PlayStation 5 Pro should be only a small iterative improvement over the original. Not only to make it cheaper to produce and buy, but to make the jump to the eventual PlayStation 6 grander by comparison.
A recent Sony patent on cloud gaming technology may indicate that the PlayStation as we know it may not exist in the future. The patent not only promised an “elimination of piracy,” but an alternative to consoles.
Image: PlayStation
