An analyst now estimates that a PlayStation 5 or something similar to the PS5 could be released as early as 2018. The special thing is: He was correct about the release date of the PS4 Pro and the PlayStation Slim.
The WallStreet Journal reports from Damian Thong. He is an analyst for Macquarie Capital Securities. Thong believes the next “Next-Gen PlayStation System” could be released in 2018.
Thong does not have any insider information, but this is his professional opinion, his expertise.
Release Date PS5 Based on the Expertise of the Man Who Correctly Predicted the “PS4 Pro” Launch
The special thing is: Thong has been correct with such statements about the launch dates of the PS4 Pro and the PS Slim in the past. In July 2016, Thong predicted that the PlayStation 4 Pro would be released in 2016 – and indeed, on November 10, it was released.
Analyst who correctly predicted PS4 Pro and Slim says next-generation PS would be released…https://t.co/mWTZzuRSSS
— Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj) April 28, 2017
PS5 Launch Date – Second Half of 2018, Says an Expert
This analyst Damian Thong now says almost the same thing about a PlayStation 5 as he said a year ago about the PS4 Pro: He expects the release of Sony’s next-generation PlayStation for the second half of 2018.
This time, the analyst is not necessarily referring to a “PlayStation 5” but rather to the “Next-Gen PlayStation System.” There are no further details on why he thinks that.
The Timing of the Announcement Would Be a Significant Strategic Move
The US site GameSpot believes that if Sony decides soon to announce a PS5 launch, it will do so to undermine the hype surrounding Microsoft’s Scorpio and take the wind out of their sails.
So, it is believed that Sony would time an announcement accordingly. However, if “the next system” were announced too early, it could negatively affect the sales of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.

The Scorpio is expected at the end of 2017 and should be more powerful than the PlayStation 4 Pro.
No one expects a comment from Sony on these rumors. An announcement for a possible PlayStation 5 is expected about 9 months before the console is released. So it would be another six months if the analyst is correct. Just in time for the expected launch of the Scorpio …