PS5 Release Date, Specs Rumors: PS5 Could Come Sooner, After Xbox Scorpio
The fifth-generation PlayStation is probably not coming this year, not when Sony has just recently launched the PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro). It's not too early for a little bit of speculation, though — an argument could be made that the PlayStation 5 (PS5) could be coming sooner than expected.
According to Trusted Reviews, Sony more or less adheres to a six-year cycle for each generation of the PlayStation that it designs and launches. That is, a PlayStation version gets to stay on the market for a little more than five years, long enough to have collected a sizable library of games developed for it during that time.
Sony's recent move to introduce the PS4 Slim and the PS4 Pro in the middle of the six-year cycle is a new strategy for Sony to adapt to similar mid-cycle refreshes from its competitors, especially Microsoft. The PS4 Slim offered a better-looking console and some new features for the later buyers, and the PS4 Pro is a performance upgrade capable of bringing games to 4K resolution. The latter is a response to the quickly growing segment of buyers either interested in or already have 4K displays in their homes.
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Korea Portal observes that the PlayStation 5 rumors began circulating again around the time that Microsoft has hinted at launching the Xbox Scorpio. The Xbox Scorpio incorporates hardware that will allow it to outstrip the one-year-old PS4 Pro in terms of performance, along with the same capability to run games in 4K resolution.
The speculation runs that Sony will be watching the market's reaction when Microsoft eventually puts the new Xbox Scorpio out on the store shelves. The Japanese company could be looking for signs that people are now amenable to upgrading their console hardware every one to two years — similar to the way the mobile device market works now.
Depending on the signs, the PlayStation 5 could come in much sooner. Rumor has put a 2018 release is possible, at the very earliest.
