SONY
PS5 release date – Does this show Sony PS4 successor is not far off?
Sony are working on a PS5 – that much we know for certain – and this may show why a release date for the PS4 successor is not far off.
The PS4 will soon be celebrating its fifth birthday, with this November marking five years since the PlayStation 4 was first released.
Sony’s hugely popular system is currently the best selling console of this generation, and at last count has sold over 73.6million units.
This is not far off the amount the PS3 sold in its entire lifetime, and analysts expect the PS4 to pass the 100m sales barrier before its time is up.
However, when the PS4 will get replaced with the PS5 is still a mystery.
Analysts are predicting Sony could launch the PS5 in either 2019 or 2020.
Most recently, NPD analyst Mat Piscatella said he expects the PS5 release date to be in 2020 and would be surprised if it launches before then.
He said: “2020 is what I have in my forecast.
“The data suggest there’s no need to do it earlier.
“But I’ve been surprised before so I’m as interested in this as anyone.”
While Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot predicted at the end of last year that the PS5 release date would be a “minimum of two years away”.
This would put the PS5 as launching in late 2019 or 2020.
As we wait for official confirmation, an announcement Sony made this week has led fans to speculating that the PS5 release date could be around the corner.
Earlier this week Sony revealed their latest PS Plus line-up, with a bumper selection of free PS4 games in March 2018.
PlayStation Plus subscribers will be getting Bloodborne and Ratchet & Clank for free this month.
The PS Vita games in the line-up are Bombing Busters and Claire: Extended Cut, with both of these titles available on PS4 also.
The line-up also includes Mighty No. 9 (for PS3 and PS4) and Legend of Kay Anniversary for PlayStation 3 only.
But while this line-up contains free games for three different platforms, this is all set to change.
Sony also announced alongside the latest PS Plus line-up that next March will see a big change for PlayStation Plus.
On March 8 2019 the PS Plus line-up will be the first one to not include PS3 and PS Vita titles.
In a blog post, Sony explained: “We also have an important service update to share. Starting next year on 8th March 2019, the PS Plus monthly games line-up will focus on PS4 titles and no longer include PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita titles.”
They added: “Many of our fans are playing on the PS4 platform, with the increasingly vast number of PS4s in homes around the world.
“We’ll continue to prioritise the benefits you receive through your PS Plus membership, such as online multiplayer, PS4 monthly games, online game save storage and exclusive PS Store discounts across content and network services.”
But the announcement led fans to speculate on Twitter that the PS3 and PS Vita were departing from PS Plus to make way for PS5 games.
They also speculated that the announcement could show the PS4 next year will replace the PS3 and PS Vita as the outdated Sony console.
That’s because, fans believe, the PS5 is coming along soon to replace the PlayStation 4 as Sony’s number one console.
One fan tweeted: “@AskPlayStation so does the announcement regarding no PlayStation 3 or Vita games from PS Plus after next mean an announcement about PS5??? Eh? Eh?”
While another posted: “Sony just announced that starting March 8th of next year, PS Plus will feature PS4 games only with no longer support for PS3 and Vita which is confirming that PS5 is probably coming 2019.”
SONY
The PS4 was first released back in November 2013
One added: “It seems pretty straightforward. Sony is stopping PS4 and Vita games so ppl finally upgrade to PS4. Also, PS5 is probably closer than we think and odds are it’ll soon be 2 PS4 + 2 PS5 games for PS Plus.”
And another wrote: “What if on March 8 free PS Plus games for the PS3 will disappear because the PS4 will be last gen by then? Or at least the PS5 will be announced around that date. Anyway something related to the PS5.”
While this is all speculation right now, a Sony bigwig has said the PS5 is definitely coming – so it’s just a matter of time till it’s announced.
Last July, PlayStation exec Shawn Layden confirmed in an interview that Sony will release a PS5.
Layden told German tech website Golem that a PS5 “is coming”, however he said it will “probably be some time” before a PlayStation 5 is released.
