Tom Henderson’s report at Inside Gaming states that Sony will first release a PS5 with a removable disk drive later this year to reduce current PS5 costs and that the PS5 Pro version is actually a separate console whose date release is scheduled for the end of 2024.
Other information suggests Sony isn’t planning a PS6 until 2028.
Due to the supply delays that PS5 consoles have experienced for the past two years – and which are only just beginning to resolve – a PS6 from 2028 would also exceed the PS4 generation by a year.
So a 2024 release date would be a year later than the PS4 generation Pro update.
Recall that the PS4 console was launched in the US market at US$400 in 2013, and the PS4 Pro was also launched at US$400 three years later. Sony is still offering $400 and $500 PS5 models depending on the disc drive, and it remains to be seen whether or not there will be multiple versions of the PS5 Pro, or if the entire lineup will receive this disc drive model. “optional” in the future. The price should not exceed 500 US dollars, that’s for sure.
There are no details in this report on what exactly is planned as part of the PS5 Pro update. PlayStation’s Mark Cerny simply indicated that they might be looking to increase ray tracing capabilities (ray tracing) and, of course, assumptions about improving visuals, performance, speed, etc. But there is nothing concrete about it.
Definition of ray tracing : technique used to determine which parts of a scene should be displayed in the corresponding image, by tracing rays that follow an observer’s gaze to those parts. (Termium)
It’s unclear whether an upgrade to a PS5 Pro in a year and a half will be worth it or not. The move from PS4 to PS4 Pro was solid, but less significant than the commercial move from Xbox One to Xbox One X.
Virtual reality or mini-console?
Sony has just launched the PS VR2, its major new hardware offering. Although the technology has been popular with virtual reality (VR) enthusiasts, the market is unlikely to be receptive. VR games remain a narrow, niche market, and VR-based metaverse concepts are rapidly fading.
There have been many calls for Sony to get back into the handheld game, between the success of the Switch and the Steam Deck, but no signs pointing in that direction.
It’s a safe bet that the PS5 Pro project materializes and its time window holds up.