After over 5 years without many compelling first-party titles, Sony Interactive Entertainment is disappointingly already hinting at a new PlayStation 5 Pro console. Insider reports reveal Sony has started sharing preliminary PS5 Pro specs, indicating a potential public reveal soon for the upgraded hardware.
Sony likely plans to release a refreshed PlayStation 5 model in 2024 to reboot interest in their flailing flagship console. The PS5 desperately lacks must-have exclusives nearly 3 years post-launch. Sony recently cut fiscal year PS5 sales forecasts from a disappointing 25 million units down to an even more lackluster 21 million. During a recent earnings call, a Sony executive ominously warned of a “gradual decline” in sales moving forward.
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History shows console makers rely on mid-generation upgraded models to reinvigorate declining sales. Sony previously launched a PlayStation 4 Pro variant around 3 years after initial PS4 models to stimulate the platform. Game industry analysts widely expect a high-powered PlayStation 5 Pro from Sony by late 2024 to attract player interest.
“There is broad consensus Sony prepares to launch a PS5 Pro in the second half of 2024,” explains Serkan Toto, CEO of Tokyo-based Kantan Games consultancy. “Sony will want premium hardware ready for Grand Theft Auto VI’s 2025 launch, an iconic title that will energize gaming.”
Noted industry insider and Sacred Symbols host Colin Moriarty recently revealed firsthand knowledge of initial PlayStation 5 Pro specifications. A midsize third-party publisher contact explicitly confirmed receiving PS5 Pro technical documents from Sony.
Moriarty’s YouTube comments align with earlier reports that select developers already have PlayStation 5 Pro details for planning purposes. This includes Sony’s important first and second-party partners starting game production.
Overall industry expectations clearly point to an upgraded PlayStation 5 Pro model likely arriving in 2024. However, even with new hardware, Sony faces an uphill battle restoring player faith after failing to deliver compelling exclusive software for years on PlayStation 5 already.
Sony is stressing renewed focus on optimizing profits alongside PlayStation 5 sales moving forward. With lackluster first-party output, Sony risks declining PlayStation software attach rates over time. Game industry analyst George Jijiashvili explains Sony may avoid historical console price cuts when PS5 Pro launches, instead prioritizing margins.
Gamers anticipate strong first-party PlayStation 5 releases over 3 years after launch. Yet Sony’s first-party pipeline remains mysteriously light. The stunning lack of must-have PS5 exclusives at this point in system lifecycle boggles players worldwide. Sony risks permanently losing loyal fans to competing platforms without addressing glaring first-party software gaps soon.
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Many PlayStation enthusiasts already jumped ship due to extreme PS5 shortages enabling Xbox Series X/S to gain strong early foothold. Sony somehow increased PS5 production costs while rival Microsoft cut expenses, further jeopardizing Sony’s market position. PlayStation risks fading into irrelevance without more affordable pricing and best-in-class first party games.
Sony obsessing over hypothetical PlayStation 5 Pro sales feels tone deaf with current PS5 models still readily unavailable for many buyers. Gamers need compelling software launch titles ready at PS5 Pro debut, not just promises of games years away.
Sony must prioritize long overdue first-party PS5 releases instead of shiny new hardware most users realistically remain unable to purchase today. Players clearly vote with their wallets based on software lineups and pricing, areas where PlayStation presently disappoints.
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