We have an update on rumors for a new PlayStation 5 coming this year.
Please note that these are a completely set of rumors from the one we just tackled, about production on a new console coming this April. We will be discussing the differences between the rumors below.
Tom Henderson, who runs the website Insider Gaming, shared these thoughts on Twitter:
“On all the PS5 Pro/Slim rumors – I don’t think it’s a pro or slim, My understanding is that it’s just “gen 2” of the regular PS5.
The normal PS5 will cease production at the end of this year and the new model will start in April and begin selling in September.
Sony wouldn’t cease production of the “gen 1” PS5 if they had different consoles in production for different price points/specs.
The new PS5 will reduce costs in production and shipping because they can produce just one console; with a detachable disc drive.
As for if there’s going to be a Pro version this generation, I’m not entirely sure. It doesn’t feel like the regular version has been fully utilized yet and probably won’t be on mass until the end of the year. All I can say is that I’ve heard more about the PS6 than a PS5 Pro.
As for if the new PS5 looks like the old one; I think so. I don’t think there are any radical changes there tbh.”
Tom Henderson was our original source on the rumor that Sony was making a PlayStation 5 that will have an optional, external disc drive. He claimed there would be no significant changes to the insides and the casing of the console.
He also later clarified that the launch version of the console will not be compatible with the external disc drive. While the console will essentially be the same, apparently Sony was unable to make this happen.
Tom seems to be making it clear that PlayStation 5’s “Gen 2” is not about an upgrade to the hardware. It is simply branding for a new version of the same original console.
Apparently, Sony anticipates a future where they won’t be able to make more optical discs or disc drives for PlayStation 5 games. They are hoping to keep sales for the console going regardless if they can supply the part or not, and make up for it later.
Alternately, it might be the case that the bottleneck from increasing production for the console for the past few years is the disc drive itself. This idea doesn’t entirely make sense, as the digital edition of the console has not sold as well as the version with the disc drive.
Of course, we can’t verify if any of these rumors are credible until now. If Sony does have something planned in terms of new hardware, we might have to wait a bit before they reveal it.
Source: Twitter