Today, on October 8, Sony officially announced the PlayStation 5. An approximate release period has already been given. But what exactly could the date for the new console be?
When will the PS5 be released? Sony’s new console is expected to be released around Christmas 2020. This generally places it in a timeframe between September and November 2020.
Even though there is currently no exact release date, much can still be learned and interpreted from the past.
The Possible Release of the PlayStation 5
When could the exact release take place? Given the previous timeline of console releases, mid-November seems to be the most likely timeframe. Almost all consoles wanting to capture the Christmas sales rush have focused on this period.
However, this time everything could be different, as Forbes suggests. One reason for this is crossplay across generations.
What could be different in 2020? For the first time, players will not start with an empty but a full library on the new console. They can dive directly into their favorite games and instead use the Christmas season to purchase new titles.
This allows for a release in early November or even October 2020. This could also create a bigger hype before events like Black Friday at the end of November, where PS4 games could still be sold successfully.
How does the competition look? The race with the new Xbox will also be exciting. This console is also expected to be released for the Christmas sales of 2020.
Perhaps both consoles will try to undercut each other for the exact timing in 2020. In the last generation, the console that released earlier won.
The Race Between Xbox One and PS4
This is how it went with the previous generation: Both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One were released in 2013 for the Christmas sales. Sony’s console had a slight advantage, launching on November 15.
Whether this week made a significant difference cannot be determined. However, it’s clear that the PS4 is the significantly more successful console:
- The PS4 sold over 96 million units according to Statista by May 2019.
- The Xbox One sold only about 44 million units in the same period.
The PS3 (November 11, 2006) and the Xbox 360 (November 22, 2005) both also launched in mid-November, although one year apart. Both consoles are about equal in sales figures.
New Controller as the Heart of the PS5
What do we know about the new console? Since October 8, we know that Sony’s new console will indeed be called PlayStation 5. Its core will be the new controller, which plays an important role with haptic feedback.
Moreover, we already know many details about the processor, graphics, and other hardware. They are stronger in all areas and are expected to bring shorter loading times.
Another highlight is the backward compatibility of the PS5. Not only will PlayStation 4 games be usable, but there will also be crossplay with the previous generation.
