The Sony PlayStation 5 launched in 2020. Is it about time for a Sony PlayStation 5 Pro version? Here’s what we know and what we want to see.
Update, February 20, 2024 (02:50 PM ET): We’ve updated this PlayStation 5 Pro rumor hub with more speculation that it could launch this year.
Original article: On November 15, 2013, Sony launched the PlayStation 4. Three years later, almost to the day, Sony launched an upgraded version known as the PlayStation 4 Pro. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 launched on November 12, 2020. If you do the math, that means it’s been over three years since we saw the PS5 console launch. Does that mean we can expect a Sony PS5 Pro to launch soon?
The PS4 Pro was only a slight iteration of the PS4. It used the same controller, played the same games, and had all the same features. Its main reason for existing was to allow for smoother gameplay, 4K support across various games, and a few other quality-of-life upgrades. If a PlayStation 5 Pro exists, what will it offer?
In this article, we have rounded up all the credible rumors we’ve seen so far related to a PS5 Pro. We’ve also compiled a wishlist of features we hope to see, even if we haven’t seen any evidence for them yet.
When might it come out? It’s very likely the PS5 Pro will arrive in the Fall of 2024.
What new features could it have? The PS5 Pro is rumored to have an upgraded Ryzen APU with improved graphics support and the possibility of native 8K. For now, though, take all of this with a grain of salt.
How much might it cost? We don’t know just yet, though we hope for a price tag somewhere around $500. Will there be a PS5 Pro?
Much like the mythical Nintendo Switch Pro, Sony has not confirmed a PS5 Pro is on the way or even in the works. Believe it or not, Sony launching a “Pro” version of its home game console has only happened once. The original PlayStation, the PlayStation 2, and the PlayStation 3 never saw Pro-level models. That means we are banking a lot on the existence of the PlayStation 4 Pro in our assumption that there could be a PlayStation 5 Pro.
That being said, there is plenty of evidence to support a PS5 Pro is likely to happen.
The CEO of Take-Two Interactive — the studio behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise — went on the record to say he thinks a PS5 Pro will happen. Meanwhile, leaker Tom Henderson said, “with a 100% degree of certainty,” that the PlayStation 5 Pro is “currently in development.” Prominent games insider Jeff Grubb of GamesBeat and Giant Bomb also joined in and claimed on his Game Mess podcast that industry insiders have confirmed a mid-gen upgrade is happening. When leakers and gaming industry CEOs are in agreement, it seems a foregone conclusion that we’ll see a Sony PlayStation 5 Pro at some point soon.
We’ve also seen the supposed codename of the device leak: “Trinity.” This is, without a doubt, a reference to The Matrix film series. Previously, Sony has used Matrix-themed codenames, such as for the PlayStation 4 Pro (“Neo”) and the PlayStation VR (“Morpheus”).
Most recently, a leak from Im A Hero Too claims Square and Sega both have new PS5 devkits. It’s pretty reasonable to believe this is further confirmation of the PS5 Pro on its way in 2024.When is the PS5 Pro likely to be released?
Since Sony hasn’t confirmed the existence of a PS5 Pro, we can’t say with any certainty when it will come out. Based on the launch cycle of the PlayStation 4 series, we would’ve assumed we’d see it in November 2023. An early November 2023 launch would have allowed Sony to capitalize on the lucrative holiday shopping season. Also, November is when Sony launched most of its recent consoles.
Case in point, in November 2023, Sony confirmed it will launch a “new” PS5 console. Although it would be easy to call it a PlayStation 5 Slim, Sony is not calling it that. Either way, the two versions of the console have been trimmed down a bit, storage has been upgraded to 1TB, the disc drive is now a modular accessory, and the Digital Edition has increased in price by $50. These new designs will replace the original designs as stock diminishes.
Considering Sony launched these refreshed consoles, we will almost certainly need to wait until late 2024 to see the PS5 Pro — if it is even coming.
