Is The PlayStation 5 Just Around The Corner?

Do you remember SemiAccurate? In 2013 prior to the PlayStation 4’s launch, SemiAccurate predicted that there would be a PS4.1/4.2/4.3. Despite how ridiculous this sounded back then, they had actually hit the mark when the PlayStation 4 Pro released in 2016. Now SemiAccurate’s back at it again, speculating that the next mainline PlayStation console could release in late 2018, or most likely 2019. What’s even more alluring is that they locked most of their PlayStation 5 predictions behind 1000 USD paywall.

I am extremely skeptical about this, however, it is not an impossible idea. Last week the Switch sold 44,033 units in Japan, as opposed to a combined PS4 sales of 25,335 units. With the sales of the Switch far exceeding that of the PS4, Sony might be pressured into advancing to the next generation of consoles to display dominance within its circle of competitors. There is also the fact that vanilla PS4 and PS4 Pro hardware are severely outdated compared to a higher-end PC. With the Xbox One X’s less-than-comfortable sales and reception, Sony may want to take this chance to pioneer into the true native 4k scene for consoles. But like I said, I’m skeptical.

The Console Race

Despite being a four-year-old console, the PS4 is still selling over ten thousand units weekly, and that’s just in Japan! It has already reached the 75 million units sold milestone, indicating it has already gotten the big money for sure. The ONLY system outselling it there is the Switch, which is relatively new and inferior in terms of hardware. Having inferior hardware means people still have to resort to consoles and PC for third-party triple-A games, and seeing that PS4 is still on top of its other aged competitors. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Secondly, the Xbox One X didn’t make a huge enough impact to intimidate Sony. In fact, it only sold 77 units in Japan last week, which is 10 times less than the Nintendo 2DS sales. Despite boasting supreme console hardware, several videos by Digital Foundry and Gameranx have shown that the difference in performance is barely noteworthy. Disclaimer, I am not a Sony fanboy. I was excited for the X as I want to experience Kingdom Hearts III on the best settings possible, but an extra hundred dollars for a few extra barely noticeable pixels? I don’t have that sort of luxury. Donate to me here.

The PlayStation 4 Is Doing Too Well?

I guess I’m sidetracking a bit hard here, but what I’m trying to say is: Sony is in a comfortable position. It may not be in the best position, but it’s in a pretty darn good one. Sales are still going strong, and they don’t seem to be shorting out on PS4 exclusives anytime soon.
The PS4 has been around for just over four years. To compare, the PS3 was Sony’s best selling product for seven years. The PS4 still has a sturdy library of fantastic first-party exclusive titles, and there are more that have yet to receive a release date. Announcing the PS5 anytime this or next year could affect the sales of hyped up games such as Days Gone, Death Stranding, The Last of Us Part II and so much more. This is probably the most solid argument as to why Sony releasing the PS5 anytime soon is BS. To further extinguish the 2018 release rumor, the PS4 was announced a whole year before its launch.

PS5 dev kits went out early this year to third party developers.

— Marcus Sellars (@Marcus_Sellars) March 6, 2018

 

The Dev Kits Hand Out

Yes, Sony was rumored to have handed out Dev Kits for the PS5 to developers earlier this year. If the rumors prove true, it’d still take 3-4 years to make GoTY material. Perhaps even longer considering it will be a new software. If the information is accurate, it’ll still be a while before Sony comes up with a strong lineup of games that they would be comfortable with.
And that’s my reasoning and theory as to why PS5 won’t be releasing anytime soon. Feel free to leave a comment about what you think! I’m a nice guy, so don’t be shy to share your thoughts no matter how preposterous it may seem!