Sony’s PlayStation 4 is growing more obsolete with each passing day. Fans of the console are eager for the Asian tech giant to release an upgraded version. Unfortunately, Sony has different plans. The tech company appears to be trying to keep the PS4 alive for a couple more years, pushing the PlayStation 5’s release date further back to 2021.
According to Mice Times Asia , John Coder–the President of Sony Interactive Entertainment–revealed that Sony plans to release the final versions of the PlayStation 4 until March 2021. Based on this information, the site concludes that the PlayStation 5 will probably be released shortly before or after the death of the PS4.
Mice Times Asia ‘s claim is supported by a Kotaku report written by Jason Schreier. The Kotaku writer spoke with several game developers about the PlayStation 5. His search for information about the next-gen console left him empty-handed. None of the game developers he spoke with knew anything about a PlayStation 5. None of them were even creating games for the next-gen console. One person Scherier spoke with did offer some insight on why Sony would hold off on releasing and creating a PlayStation 5, despite gamers’ requests for upgraded hardware.
“On a multi-year project, a lot can happen to shift schedules both forward and backward. At some point, Sony’s probably looked at every possible date. It’s all about what they think is the best sweet spot in terms of hardware,” he said.
Sony Removes $5 Requirement from PlayStation Store https://t.co/6FUmEOBOLF #Sony #PS4 #PlayStationStore pic.twitter.com/jZUYBjuGcg
— Push Square (@pushsquare) July 22, 2018
However, there is some evidence to suggest that a next-gen console might come sooner in 2019. Just this month, Infinity Ward opened a slot for a narrative scripter for what seems like a First Person Shooter game. VGR predicted that the job was an opening for work on Call of Duty 2019 . It has been revealed that the next title in the series will be made for next-generation consoles. As such, the site believes the PlayStation 5 will be available by the time Call of Duty 2019 is released. This would mean that Sony could release a next-gen console well before 2021.
Another piece of information that strongly supports a 2019 or 2020 release date is the rumor circulating about the next Xbox. Codenamed Scarlet, Microsoft’s next-gen console is predicted to come out in early 2020. Infinity Ward’s job listing also supports Scarlet’s 2020 release date because it asks for someone who can work on an unannounced title for “multiple next-gen platforms.” If this is true, Sony will probably try to meet its competitor head on and release an upgraded console of their own around the same time Microsoft launches their next-gen console.
There is evidence to support both a 2021 and a 2019 release date for the PlayStation 5. Sony has not confirmed or denied either of these rumored release dates.