There’s been talk the past few days that the PlayStation 4 is entering the final phase of its life cycle, implying that the release of the PlayStation 5 is imminent. Today, PlayStation CEO John Kodera clarifies this in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. He states, “we will use the next three years to prepare the next step”. So while it might be true that the PS4 is nearing the final phase, this phase will take at least three years.
This is certainly good news for anyone who invested in a PS4 Pro. Both Sony and Microsoft changed the way the console lifecycle will develop by offering incremental hardware upgrades with the Pro and the Xbox One X, respectively. Such an alteration seems to have lengthened the lifespan of consoles. The PlayStation 4 released near the end of 2013; if the PlayStation 5 released in 2021, it make for a cycle of 8 years. Compare that to the release window after the PlayStation 3, which came out in 2006 – a cycle of 7 years.
While a PlayStation 5 is inevitable, don’t expect any major announcements any time soon. It has previously been confirmed that Sony’s E3 showcase will not feature any hardware announcements, focusing entirely on games and other news.
Three years is plently of time. Sure, the PS4 wasn’t the console I was expecting (nor was the Xbox One), but its still the dominate console. Now, if Sony can take a page out of the Microsoft’s book and one-up the Xbox One X, then we’re in for a treat.
Then again, MS and Sony seem to swap victories when it comes to the console wars. Can Sony repeat with the PS5?