A New PlayStation 5 Console Is Likely Coming But Don't Hold Your Breath For A PS5 Slim
It's getting to be about that time that Sony inevitably refreshes its latest-generation game console, which in this case is the PlayStation 5. The widely held assumption is that Sony will introduce a thinner and sleeker PS5 Slim model with upgraded hardware. That's what it had chosen to do in past generations, but that won't necessarily be the case this time around.
Historically, Sony has followed a pattern that, in theory, should make its PS5 plans predictable. Looking back, the PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013, which Sony then followed up with a thinner and lighter PS4 Slim in September 2016. Sony also released an upgraded PS4 Pro at the same time as the PS4 Slim.
Before all that, the PlayStation 3 hit store shelves in November 2006, while a PS3 Slim variant made an appearance in September 2009. If you're keeping track, that's a 3-year release cadence between PS and PS Slim models for the past two generations (versus four years between the PlayStation 2 and PS2 Slimline, and five years between the original PlayStation and redesigned PS One).
Fast forward to September 2020 and that's when the PS5 debuted. Based on Sony's most recent console timelines, a PS5 refresh of some kind is likely to manifest within the next couple of months. It might not be a PS5 Slim, though.
According to Tom Henderson, owner of (and author at) Inside Gaming and a "social media guru" with a pulse on the gaming industry, Sony's upcoming refresh "will just be called a PS5 and branded as an improved model" rather than a PS5 Slim.
"It's my understanding that this new model will completely replace the current PlayStation 5 with the last units hitting shelves by the end of the year," Henderson states.
In a follow-up tweet, Henderson says, "I've only seen prototypes. I don't think it will be 'slim' at all. Just slightly different dimensions but we'll see."
Indeed, we'll see. There are multiple possibilities at play, one of which is that Sony upgrades its PS5 with a newer model that isn't slimmer, as Henderson suggests. However, it's also possible that a PS5 Slim is actually still in the cards, either by itself or in addition to an upgraded PS5 Pro model just as Sony did with the PS4. There's evidence to suggest that's the case.
To that end, Sony's rival Microsoft is under the impression that a slimmer model is bound for a 2024 release. Microsoft stated as much in a document related to the recent FTC lawsuit over its proposed Activision deal. In it, Microsoft wrote, "PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point."
Bottom line? We're pretty confident Sony is cooking up another PS5 console and it could end up being a PS5 Slim, but don't bet the farm on the latter.
