What comes after the PS5 Pro? (YouTube)
An insider has claimed Sony’s next generation plans will involve two separate consoles, with one likely to be a handheld.
Sony might have only just announced the PS5 Pro this month, but the company’s plans for the next generation have also been the subject of intense discussion recently.
Earlier this week, PlayStation co-CEO Hideaki Nishino spoke about the PlayStation 6 in relation to the PS5 Pro, where he said there’s still room to improve ‘other elements’ beyond graphics. Around the same time, a report emerged claiming Sony has already struck a deal with AMD to create the console’s technology.
A new rumour now suggests that the PlayStation 6 might launch in two different console models, although it’s unclear what exactly they’ll be.
According to insider Kepler, who previously leaked accurate details about the PS5 Pro, Sony is developing two ‘SoCs’ (systems on a chip) for the next generation, which implies there will be two different consoles when it does come out.
As noted in Kepler’s post on NeoGaf, it’s unclear whether this will turn out to be a similar situation to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, with only small variations in power, or a ‘home console and handheld’, but they speculate that ‘probably one of them will be affordable at least’.
Is Sony making a new handheld console?
Earlier this year, Sony was rumoured to be ‘paying very close attention’ to the handheld market in light of the success of the PlayStation Portal. That console is more of an accessory to the PlayStation 5 than a standalone dvice, but Sony hasn’t released a dedicated handheld since 2011’s PS Vita – which, unlike the earlier PSP, was a commercial failure.
With all signs pointing towards Xbox making inroads into the handheld market as part of its next generation plans, it’d make sense if Sony was planning something similar, especially following the success of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
While Sony has not officially announced anything about when to expect the PlayStation 6, rumours suggest it could arrive as early as 2026. It’s believed Microsoft is planning to launch the next Xbox in the same year, as it attempts to turn its fortunes around in the console race.
For now, Sony is set to launch the PS5 Pro on November 7, which will be followed by a special 30th anniversary version later this year.
They look quite nice in grey (Sony)
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