While many are eagerly anticipating the launch of Sony’s next console, recent PS5 rumors and news suggest that we won’t see the new console launch until at least 2021.
There were PS5 rumors floating around the web that suggested we wouldn’t see a launch date until 2020, but Bloomberg reports that Sony executive John Kodera himself has stated that we won’t see the console until 2021 at the earliest.
While the PS5 rumors may have actually been generous in terms of a release date, it’s not too upsetting for anyone outside of those who just want something new. The PlayStation 5, while more than a few years at th8is point, is aging well and still receives very popular releases that continue to establish it as the go-to console of this generation.
The Xbox One has struggled to compete with the console’s excellent lineup and numerous exclusives, and Sony is still seeing major profits from this current release. There’s just not really a reason to release a PS5 within the next couple of years.
However, there are also some PS5 rumors floating around that suggest that the new console may be a bit of a departure from what we’ve seen from the company these past few generations – perhaps even making a Switch-like change in order to offer a console with more portability.
There’s no denying that Nintendo saw an incredible amount of success with their console / handheld hybrid, but Sony has a reputation for more graphically intense games that appeal to a more adult audience. Whether they can release a console in line with these PS5 rumors within the next few years without letting down their user base remains to be seen, and it’s definitely not guaranteed.
In the interview, Kodera said: “In my opinion, rather than separating portable gaming from consoles, it’s necessary to continue thinking of it [portable gaming] as one method to deliver more gaming experiences and exploring what our customers want from portable. We want to think about many options.”
Part of what made the Nintendo Switch so successful was that it offered something unique when compared to the consoles from Sony and Microsoft. However, it’s important to note that if Sony were to make a console with a similar design, it might not make the console / handheld hybrid as novel any longer.
While Sony and Microsoft are in direct competition, Nintendo is sort of in a market all its own. With the other two manufacturers, most of the hype surrounding titles comes from third party developers, while first-party titles like Mario, Zelda, and Super Smash Brothers are the reason a lot of people bought the Nintendo Switch. If Sony is to move on appealing to a younger audience with their console, they may provide some significant competition to Nintendo for the first time in a long time.
Add to that the fact that a Sony handheld would likely feature far more games than we’ve seen thus far on the Switch, and it’s easy to see how Sony could capture both the casual market while still appearing to hardcore gamers – at least as long as they keep up the excellent graphics and dedication to serious titles as they have with the PS4 and PS4 Pro.
Ultimately, we’ll have to wait until we get closer to that 2021 release date until we learn more about whether these PS5 rumors are founded, but it’s certainly looking possible that Sony may change things up with their upcoming console. While it’s likely Sony will still compete for a slightly different market when compared to Nintendo, it’s possible that a portable console may help them capture the attention of a crowd that has long been focused on another manufacturer.
If Microsoft makes the decision to make a more traditional console, however, it’s likely that they will capture the attention of the traditional gaming market that has eschewed the portability of the Switch in favor of cutting-edge graphics. If the PS5 rumors are true, Sony could end up trading one market for the other, and it remains to be seen whether that will pay off.
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