The PlayStation 5 isn't even out yet, but a new report has already predicted when the next-gen console's life could come to an end. According to sources, the PS5 life cycle could span just five years.
Traditionally, Sony-made consoles run for around six or seven years before the new model is launched. The PlayStation arrived in 1994, to be replaced by the PlayStation 2 in 2000. The PlayStation 3 came in 2006, and the PlayStation 4 in 2013. Finally, as we know, the PS5 is expected to launch later this year.
According to DigiTimes (via VGC), sources from Sony's back-end supply chain in Taiwan made the five-year PS5 claims. They also estimate that Sony will ship between 120-170 million consoles shipped in that period. That's an incredibly ambitious number, given that Sony only recently hit 110 PS4 units sold in a little over six years. The report also adds that Sony's estimates are close to double those of Microsoft's Xbox Series X in the same period.
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It's not entirely clear what this would mean for the PlayStation 5 at the end of this five-year period, although it could be that 2025 sees the launch (or at least announcement) of the PlayStation 6. Last year Sony filed trademarks for the PS6, PS7, PS8, PS9, and PS10, so we can assume the company has some tentative plans to continue releasing new consoles after the PS5.
If I'm being optimistic, these projections could also imply that the PS5 won't be quite as expensive as some of the rumours and reports have suggested. The price of the next-gen console has remained a frustrating mystery for months now, with analysts and leaked listings putting the price of the console everywhere between £400 and £550. If Sony is expecting to sell that many consoles in five years, there's no way it'll be on the higher end of those price predictions.
The DigiTimes report also seems to verify the rumours that Sony has boosted production on the PS5 in response to an increased demand for video games since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources claim that the company has doubled its shipment estimate to nearly 10 million units.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: PlayStation 5, PS5