Sony has witnessed phenomenal success with its PS4 console and the recent launches of the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro only affirm the Japanese behemoth’s commitment to improvise and enhance the gaming experience for its massive fanbase. With chief rival Microsoft set to unveil its much touted super-powerful console Xbox Project Scorpio later at E3 this year, rumor mills are buzzing about a PlayStation 5 console.
According to an interview by Macquarie Capital Securities analyst Damian Thong (who had correctly suggested that Sonly would release the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro) to the Wall Street Journal, the new console could be launched in the second half of 2017, probably aimed at tapping into the Christmas market. Here is everything we know so far about the purported PS5:
Specs
No information has been released or leaked for the specs of the PlayStation 5 but one can be sure that it would on par if not better than the upcoming Xbox Project Scorpio. The Scorpio has an octo-core chip at 2.3 Ghz, a 1.17 Ghz graphics processor that can support full 4K UHD and 12 GB of GDDR5 RAM.
It is expected that high-end VR support will be available for the PS5, as being offered by the Scorpio. According to Microsoft, the Xbox Scorpio will also be able to render visuals at 60 Ghz (we don’t know whether that holds for 4K and VR games also) so Sony is expected to work on this feature for its new console. With innovation happening at a rapid pace, the PlayStation 5 is anticipated to inculcate ground-breaking technology concepts that won’t age for another ten years.
Games
What kind of games will be playable on the PS5? Will there be VR exclusives? Nothing can be said yet. However, it is highly likely that Sony will follow an iterative update process so that all your PS4 games would be playable on the PS5. One can expect new-generation sequels from Horizon: Zero Dawn, Gran Turismo and Uncharted, while third-party titles like GTA, Call of Duty and FIFA should also be there.
Price
The price of the PlayStation 5 will depend on what components and technology Sony uses in the console. If a high-end processor or memory is used, then the price will definitely go up. However, it is unlikely that the price would be too high, since it will be directly competing with the Xbox Project Scorpio. If the Project Scorpio (a VR-ready version) costs around $800 then you can be sure that the PS5 would be priced around that range only.