Sony has finally detailed its new PS5 console and we’ve not only seen a bunch of the games we’ll be playing when it launches – we’ve also glimpsed the futuristic-looking box for ourselves.
But that doesn’t mean we know everything about the PlayStation 5. There are a lot of key features that we’re still waiting to learn more about. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest.
How much does it cost?
Now that we’ve got the console reveal out of the way, there’s a new PS5 question on everyone’s lips: how much will it cost. This has been a point of contention for months and the fact Sony is shipping two versions of the console – including one without an optical drive – is sure to make everyone a little nervous about its final RRP.
Having a model without a drive for physical games or UHD Blu-Rays could be a way to offer the console at a lower starting-price – how much lower remains to be seen. We doubt this is going to be a cheap console and with such impressive specs on offer that’s hardly surprising.
…and when is it coming out?
Beyond ‘Holiday 2020’ we’re still also unsure when exactly the PS5 will be hitting shelves, or even when we can pre-order one. It seems the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t caused any delay to the original release date and Sony is still expecting the console to launch this year.
A ‘Holiday’ launch seems to point to November, possibly just before the huge shopping day that is Black Friday with plenty of time to go before Christmas. The PS4 was launched on November 3 and the PS4 Pro also came out November, so that feels like a safe bet.
Related: I can’t wait for the PS5 but I won’t be buying one at launch
What the UI looks like
We might have finally seen what the console looks like, but we still don’t know what the user interface is going to resemble. Sony’s PS4 homescreen was all about the games and it has remained fast and practical even though it’s been around since 2013. With a completely new and very modern looking console it would make sense for Sony to inject some of this style into the software, rather than keeping it the same.
With Sony adding a ‘Create’ button to the DualSense controller it makes sense for this to be a new area within the UI and we wouldn’t be surprised if there was a bigger focus on game streaming.
Sony has revealed it’ll be shipping a media remote alongside the console, so expect all your favourite streaming services to still be here.
Related: Best PS5 games
How it handles backwards compatibility
This is the big one. While we do know that certain PS4 games will work on the PS5 – and that all games being released after July will have to play nice with the new console, we’re still uncertain about how this process will work and Sony has been very coy on the subject. Considering just how well the Xbox Series X will work with all previous versions of the Xbox it’s a little worrying.
Will backwards compatible be restricted to just PS4 games? Will these games need to be updated to work with the new console? How will it work with games you’ve previously bought from the PS Store? We’re also still unsure if Sony will have an answer to Microsoft’s Smart Delivery – an Xbox Series X feature that’ll give you the best possible version of the title of the game even if you bought it on the Xbox One.
Will there be game-streaming service or a rival to Games Pass
Another area Sony has yet to mention is game-streaming and other services the PS5 could offer. Xbox is going big with xCloud and we’ve yet to hear if Sony will offer something similar.
We also don’t know what PlayStation Now will look like on the PS5. This is Sony’s current ‘all-you-can-eat’ service that allows for game downloads and streaming, but it pales in comparison to what Xbox offers with Games Pass. We doubt Sony will be giving away all its first-party games for free with a subscription though.
Related: PS5 vs PS5 Digital Edition
What’s happening with PSVR 2?
We already know that the original PSVR will play nice with the new console, what we don’t know is if we should be expecting a PSVR 2 followup to arrive and when that might be.
The PSVR has been home to some amazing titles and it remains one of the easiest ways to experience virtual reality gaming. There are definite improvements that could be made – ridding it of some of the wires, for one – and we’d eventually like to see a completely updated model with controllers that weren’t originally from the PS3.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
