Introduction: Sony presented its new console variation of PlayStation 5 to the gaming public. The modest online event detailed all of the technical specifications of the new console, called PS5 Pro, as well as its substantial price tag, which stands at 700 USD. While the reaction of the global gaming community has been split on PS5 Pro, the decisions that Sony made in creating this console version showcase how it perceives the near-future console market.
Article: There are massive gaming announcements that are closely followed by millions of gamers, often weeks and even months in advance. But, there are also announcements like Sony’s reveal of the next iteration of its PlayStation 5 console. This online event took less than 10 minutes and in it, the company quickly listed some of the facts about their new product, called PS5 Pro. The addition of the “pro” was further underlined with the showcase of the console price – it will cost nearly 800 USD with a much-needed dics drive accessory, which is substantially more than the regular versions currently on the market. Naturally, the high price of the console immediately generated a lot of dissatisfaction among PlayStation gamers but also offered a bit of insight into the coming months of console development. Sony’s decisions related to the PS5 Pro alone are not indicative of the near future of consoles. But, when this is combined with other decisions it and Microsoft, as the two main heavyweights of this market niche, are making, there are still some strong indications. They paint a somewhat bleak picture for consoles and further open the possibilities of this field of gaming slowly phasing out, despite the fact that this decade will not see a major change.
PlayStation 5 Pro Reveal
The company behind this console series decided to use a technical presentation to showcase the device. Mark Cerny, the lead PS 5 Pro designer presented the console and this followed what many knew was coming – a more powerful and streamlined version of the present console generation. Sony tended to do the same around the halfway point of a generation’s expected life cycle. Previously, it released the PS2 Slim for the second generation, followed by the PS3 Super Slim several years later. In general, these offered better visuals, some exclusive games, boosted performance, as well as a decrease in its physical dimension. The aim of all of these was always to boost sales in the declining part of its life cycle. This time around, Sony is yet again doing its mid-generation rejuvenation, but doing it with some risks mixed into the package, both metaphorically and literally.
PS5 Pro Launch
November 7, 2024, is set as the release date for PS5 Pro. From that point on, the console will be available in online shopping stores associated with Sony and in physical stores. On its launch, the console will cost 700 USD, which is 200 USD more than the PlayStation 5 base model. One of the first contentious issues that arose around the console is the fact that the 700 USD version – the digital-only edition – will not have a disc drive. Instead, players will have to purchase an external drive and pay another 80 USD. Not surprisingly, many were immediately unhappy with this fact, especially on the account that PlayStation 5 Pro is presented as a premium model. However, Sony clearly has little doubt about this approach of trying to sell as many additions and accessories as possible.
Technical Specs
The new console will have most of the same components as the PS5 base mode, but it will focus on upgrading a few crucial elements. The GPU of the console is still unknown, but Sony is promising it will offer faster rendering, as well as ray tracing that is more powerful. The console will support a range of higher resolutions and will be able to output games in an 8K ultra HD resolution. That is a big jump compared to the base model’s 4K, meaning that the new generation of games can look to find their best possible visual form on the new PS console. The console will introduce upscaling, a tech that employs AI processes to add more details to the game scene. It will also support Wi-Fi 7, offering a jump in maximum broadband speed from 9.6 Gbps to an impressive level of 46 Gbps. Besides this, the RAM and CPU of PS5 Pro are identical to the base PlayStation 5 model, which is one of the reasons why Sony is assuring backward compatibility. The company is also promising that these will be upscaled through a Game Boost feature, which can increase frame rates, stability, and loading times of even PS4 titles.
Gaming Experience of PS5 Pro
At the present moment, Sony has not revealed any exclusive PS5 Pro games. However, just like with the Game Boosting feature, the company announced that the console will be able to upscale current games using its exclusive technology. Games like Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Hogwarts Legacy, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered will turn into PS5 Pro Enhanced versions. That should provide exclusive visual settings and improved performance. However, all of these games are or will be available in their regular versions. This once more brings up the issue of the long-term intent of Sony with its PlayStation consoles. The company is clearly unwilling to invest heavily – or in this case, anything at all – in the development of exclusive titles. At the same time, it is more than ready to launch devices like the PS VR 2 adapter that offer PC-based Steam games to their console owners.
Because of this, the prolonged focus of Sony’s gaming division remains on something that can be called post-classic consoles. Unlike the PS3 Super Slim, the success and longevity of the PS5 Pro are unknown and could turn into a massive failure. This is particularly true for its big price and the immediate backlash that the price generated among gamers across the world. Thanks to this, it is possible that Sony is slowly gearing up for an age where physical consoles cost a lot and are bought by few, turning them into a form of passion purchase. Microsoft and its slowdown of Xbox development mirrors this sentiment. This will change the landscape of gaming for sure, but as the setup around PS5 Pro shows, that landscape is already drastically changing nonetheless. Sony is trying to keep pace and stay ahead of the curve, even if that ultimately means fewer copies of physical PlayStation consoles.
Author: Ivica Milaric, game designer and assistant professor of game design at the Novi Sada Academy of Arts, Republic of Serbia