Even as the PlayStation 4 racks up the sales records after
only a few weeks on sale the internet rumour mill has begun to predict the
release schedule of the PS5...
Sony PlayStation 5: Release Date
PS5 rumours don’t come much bigger than Sony flagging them
itself, which is exactly what Sony’s UK boss, Fergal Gara appeared to do
recently.
"It's probably a sign of the times and how much has
changed in seven years, but I think the willingness and the appetite to pick up
new technology fast has probably changed quite a bit," he said.
Gara was quick to point out that, at least for the next few
years; Sony will be putting its considerable technological muscle behind the
PlayStation 4. Sony waited seven years before launching the successor to its
hugely popular PlayStation 3 console.
"We're going to have a much better feel for it once
we're a good few months in and we can see how the dynamics are emerging,” he
said.
"What we do know is that the [PS4] uptake is going to
be very sharp. Does that mean this is going to be a much bigger cycle? Maybe.
Or it might mean that it's just a bit more compressed into the first few years,
that the latter years are a little softer."
Gara was speaking to T3.com’s sister site, TechRadar at the
launch of the PS4, which has been flying off the shelves since it arrived in
November 2013 – ushering in the eighth generation of home console gaming.
While the sales figures prove there’s more appetite for
console gaming than at any point in the history of video games, the emphasis
has noticeably shifted towards an all-encompassing media hub. The process began
with the PS3 and Xbox 360, but has become even more important thanks to online
streaming services like Netflix and Spotify.
Throw in the fact that more of us are gaming on our
smartphones and tablets and the result is the ten-year lifespan quoted by
console manufacturers could be due a change. Sony might not want to wait too
long before jumping into the console mix for a fifth time, and the rumours have
already begun to materialise.
Sony PlayStation 5: Appearance
Since the PlayStation 2 first appeared way back in March
2000, Sony has favoured the design of the sleek, black box. In the case of the
PS2 and PS4, it’s
been sharp with angular edges. The PS3 was a bit of a
departure as the Japanese company went with a bulky curved design before a
couple of smaller refreshes.
We’d be safe in saying the PlayStation 5 is likely to follow
that same design pattern with a square, black chassis and the requisite USB and
AV ports on the front and back.
In fact, some initial concepts of the PlayStation 5 already
exist on the web.
The design team at VoucherCodesPro has created some concept
images of what Sony’s next machine could look like – as well as other designs
for Microsoft’s next Xbox and Nintendo’s next Wii.
As you can see from the image above, the concept bears a
strong similarity to Sony’s PlayStation 4. And, if Sony reveals the new
PlayStation sooner than the seven-year gap between the PS3 and PS4, it could
choose to limit the cost by keeping the design aesthetic similar to the current
gen.
According to the design team, the new PS5 would keep the
black colouring but would use a blue power light: “a colour that has become
synonymous with PlayStation over the years.”
We’re sure this won’t be the last PlayStation 5 concept
you’re going to see over the next few years – but let us know your thoughts on
VoucherCodesPro’s attempt.
Source: VoucherCodesPro
Sony PlayStation 5: Price
When it comes to the pricing of any new console, there’s no
hard and fast rule for predicting ahead of time. What we can do, is look back
at the relative launch prices of each successive generation to produce a
guesstimate of Sony’s plan.
When the PS2 launched, it was priced at £300 – the same
price as the very first PlayStation which arrived back in 1995.
Sony’s launch pricing took on a dramatic rise with the PS3
which came in with an RRP of £425 – especially when compared to the $599 US
price, which was about the same as the standard £300 back in 2007. It was this
pricing that lost the PS3 ground to the premium Xbox 360 that cost £279 at launch.
Finally, Sony reversed the position by pricing the PS4 at
£349 when it launched in the UK last month. It’s significantly cheaper than the
£429 Xbox One, although that does come with the bundled Kinect camera.
Taking all that into account, its likely Sony will price the
PlayStation 5 at between £350 and £400 when it finally comes out. If we hear
any firmer rumours regarding the PS5’s pricing, we’ll update this page
accordingly.
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