The PS5 is unlikely to release in 2019, let alone make its way to retail this year, according to a new report quoting sources close to the development of the console. While it was previously rumored that dev kits for the PlayStation 5 had been sent out to developers, with this speculation suggesting that the PS5 would be released sooner rather than later, the console is instead more likely to launch in 2020 than it is in the next two years.
The report, published by Kotaku in collaboration with sources “familiar with Sony’s console development,” suggests that Sony is still a long way away from launching the PS5, with the console rumored to release no sooner than 2020. “[The sources] both told me that the next PlayStation is unlikely to release in 2019, let alone 2018, although they were careful to be clear that these plans are always shifting,” the report from Jason Schreier reads.
Schreier goes on to claim that while information regarding the PS5 is “floating around,” it’s far less than what would be expected if the console was set for release in 2018 or 2019. With the PS4 still enjoying incredibly healthy sales and blockbuster first-party games such as The Last of Us 2 right around the corner, that the PS5 isn’t on Sony’s immediate radar isn’t much of a surprise. However, with SemiAccurate having previously reported that PS5 dev kits were being sent out, rumors began to circulate that the console was in production and it would be arriving sooner rather than later.
PS5 Release Date Rumors: When Will the PlayStation 5 Launch?
The PS5 release date is still a long way off, judging by this report. Despite the launch of the PS4 taking place nearly five years ago, iterative upgrades such as the PS4 Pro should ensure that this console cycle lasts longer than usual. For comparison, the PS3 launched over six years following the PS2’s release in 2000, though with the PS4 Pro having given the console’s games a graphical and performance boost, its technology isn’t notably outdated.
While many are eager to see what the next console generation has to offer, others are comfortable with sticking to this current generation for the time being. With jumps to new generations being a costly endeavor, Sony will want to get the most out of the PS4 before its sales start to decline, which isn’t going to happen anytime soon thanks to the impending releases of God of War, Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2 and more.
In other news, we discussed our thoughts on the PS5 in the first episode of our Cross-Play Podcast, which you can listen to right here.
