Sony may possibly launch the PlayStation 5 in the second half of 2018, according to analyst Damian Thong.
The Wall Street Journal’s Takashi Mochizuki notes that Thong, who correctly predicted Sony’s upcoming PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim, feels that a successor to the PS4 will be here earlier than expected.
Related – PS4 Slim price announced
Of course, if Thong’s predictions are right, then the PS4 will only be around five years old by the time PS5 comes knocking on the door, which seems highly unlikely considering the lifecycle the PS3 enjoyed before its successor arrived.
Then again, it’s well known that certain publishers and developers were becoming frustrated by the duration of the last console generation, with the aging hardware limiting the scope of what companies were able to achieve on PS3 and 360.
Regardless, Sony has made it clear it isn’t ready to talk about PS5 yet; Shuhei Yoshida said a few months back that he wasn’t even sure there would be a new console.
PS4 Pro release date set for winter 2016
Sony announced during its PlayStation Meeting in New York City last Wednesday that its mid-cycle upgrade, PS4 Pro, will launch on November 10, priced $399/£349. The high-end machine is capable of increased visual fidelity and can offer smoother frame rates for titles.
In addition, the format holder confirmed that it will release an update for PS4 users to allow for HDR compatibility. Numerous titles have been announced to include this feature, such as The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Battlefield 1, Final Fantasy XV, The Elder Scrolls Online, and For Honor.
Sony has been quick to point out that PS4 Pro will not signal the start of a new console generation, nor will the machine include 4K Blu-ray support. Nonetheless, the console is packing some serious muscle under the hood, clocking in roughly twice as powerful as PS4.