We Need A PS5 Lite
Before we go any deeper into this PlayStation-focused feature, there’s something that has to be said about its great American rival: the Xbox Series S really is a marvel.
Consider its attributes: you gain entry into current-gen gaming in an elegant, compact package, with Game Pass access to triple-A first-party titles and an abundance of third-party games. All for the quite reasonable price of $299.99/£249, not including Game Pass, and in this economy (gestures to inflation, cost of living) that is not at all to be sniffed at.
Related: The PS5 Awaits Its First Truly Hype Moment
Now let’s consider Sony’s cheaper current gen option. The digital PS5 retails for $399.99/£359.99. This is a hundred dollars more than the XSS, which is not insignificant, but you do gain a 4K advantage and more computing grunt in exchange for the extra pennies. More importantly, however, even if most consumers preferred the digital version of the PS5 over the more expensive disc model, they are still having trouble purchasing any PlayStation 5 right now due to widespread shortages.
For Sony, it would’ve been better – for both the company and consumers – had it come out with a PS5 Lite.
From all reports the Xbox Series S has been a success for Microsoft, helping it win over new GP subscribers and new Xbox players in traditionally tough markets such as Japan, where it’s even outsold the PS5 on occasion – an unthinkable occurrence before now. The reason why it exists is also pretty extraordinary.
According to a 2020 interview with Digital Foundry, Xbox’s chief architect Andrew Goossen explained that the cost reductions in previous generations no longer seem viable. In yesteryear, the costs involved in manufacturing a PS2, say, would reduce over time as components and chips became cheaper to produce. This would boost profits for the console maker and some of the savings would be passed on to the consumer too, as the retail price reduced. A PS2 wouldn’t be the same price the second or third Christmas after it launched.
Via Microsoft
In the 2020s, this appears to be no longer the case.
In fact, with rising inflation the costs in producing consoles are increasing instead of the cost reductions experienced in the past. Faced with this new reality, Microsoft decided to launch a cheaper, downgraded machine from day one. This has proven a shrewd decision.
Being both cheaper and easier to put together than its beefier Xbox Series X sibling, the Xbox Series S has been much easier to get a hold of than either its stablemate or the PS5. Faced with low supply due to component shortages and scalpers, some frustrated gamers shelled out for the XSS instead, and proceeded to discover the delights of Game Pass and underrated platform-specific features such as Smart Delivery, Game Optimisation, and backwards compatibility.
If only Sony had had the foresight for this dual console strategy. Instead it’s lumbered with the nine-year-old PS4 for the next few years, thanks to the lack of PS5 availability. Sony has been requiring tentpole current-gen releases such as Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 to also be available on PS4.
Looking ahead, God of War Ragnarok will also be cross-gen. Microsoft is not so different in this regard, of course, with the likes of Forza Horizon and Halo Infinite releasing across Xbox generations, but there is a key difference.
Horizon Forbidden West Aloy Riding The Machine
The Xbox Series S provides consumers with the possibility of more easily upgrading – to get current-gen benefits provided by SSDs and better CPUs, translating to the ability to play something like Elden Ring, or Cyberpunk 2077 (especially since the 1.5 patch), more enjoyably and some experiences that are just unavailable to previous gen such as Microsoft Flight Simulator.
For Sony devotees who haven’t had much luck in procuring a PS5, there is little on offer besides the PS4 Pro and the glimmer of hope that the console maker will improve its navigation of supply chain issues as it has promised. But even then, there won’t be anything cheaper than the PS5 Digital. Suddenly a PS5 Lite appears ever more appealing.
What would a PS5 Lite be like? I dunno, I’m not a console producer. But let’s say it uses slightly slower silicon, has a slightly smaller SSD, and is disc-less. Surely, that would be a cheaper option and easier to produce? Since it would be much faster than a PS4, it would’ve also meant a clear upgrade for those wanting to play Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 – with their long load times – more optimally.
However, this hypothetical PS5 Lite might also have been a victim of scalpers, component shortages, and so on. These are unique times we live in, and yet it is now the reality we must face. Microsoft was just that bit cannier, more shrewd and daring, in coming up with the XSS. It took a risk, while innovating, and the market has rewarded it. Sony may take some lessons from its rival, just as it did previously, from the Xbox 360 with its Xbox Live online features.
In the Xbox Series S PlayStation has found itself up against a dark horse, one that could also be described as a Trojan Horse for its Game Pass upsell.
Whatever Sony does to combat Microsoft, it’s good to remember that more competition is usually better for consumers, so let the console wars continue. But also, a PS5 Lite just sounds pretty neat.
Next: Xbox In Japan: The Battle To Win The Console Race In Microsoft’s Toughest Market
New PS5 Model Seemingly Registered By Sony, But Is It PS5 Pro?
By
Brandon Pero
A new PlayStation 5 model has apparently been registered by Sony, causing some to speculate that maybe the PS5 Pro is finally on its way.
According to new information sourced from Japan, the PlayStation 5 could be getting a sibling console similar to what the PlayStation 4 Pro was to the original PS4. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all been known in recent years for releasing new versions of their consoles with enhanced designs and new features in order to sell more and keep console gaming competitive with the power of PC gaming.
At least in the case of PlayStation, this has likely driven extra sales for last generation’s console line; it’s even reported that upwards of one in five PS4 sales are PS4 Pros.
PS5 has already had two versions since launch: the original design and the digital edition that doesn’t take discs. However, console redesigns during a generation are typically used to either increase the console’s functionality and power or offer a cheaper, less powerful alternative, such as the Nintendo Switch Lite. The PS5 received a small redesign in 2021 that didn’t introduce anything new but included new components for the existing software to take advantage of. It was also reported last year that another PS5 redesign was planned for 2022, leading to speculation that the latest information is confirmation that said report is going as planned.
Related: Best New PlayStation Games To Play In May 2022
A new PS5 model was registered in Japan, and it’s reasonable to wonder if this could be a PS5 Pro.
One piece of intrigue that Video Games Chronicle points out is that the new model is a “CFI-1200” series one. While «PS5 launch hardware uses a CFI-1XXX model numbering scheme,» the most recent revised hardware form 2021 comes with CFI-11XX naming. This could be a new, exciting piece of hardware, or this could be another component update. Neither is out of the question, but one could understand if the former was just wishful thinking since the tech industry is still suffering from semiconductor shortages that severely bottlenecked the original production of this generation’s consoles.
The timeline for a PS5 Pro is intriguing, though, given the PS4 Pro was released days before the PS4’s third birthday. If the PS5 followed a similar release schedule, the gaming community wouldn’t see a PS5 Pro until November 2023. It’s entirely possible that the redesign is still in the works and may not launch until next year, but the gap between the registration of this model and the release that would satisfy the PS4 Pro timeline is a full year and a half.
Furthermore, it’s only been a year and a half since the initial PS5 launch, and while a PS5 Pro or similar product may be in development at PlayStation, it seems a bit early in the console’s life cycle to already have a PS5 Pro registered in Japan.
Further PS4 comparisons may in fact confirm that the new model will not be a PS4 Pro. PS4 model numbering is very similar to the PS5’s, taking on the form of CUH-XXXX and beginning with CUH-1XXX. Unfortunately for PS5 Pro hopefuls, PS4 Pro launched with CUH-7XXX codes; even the PS4 Slim launched with CUH-2XXX numbering. If PS5 follows similar numbering, it’s likely that the PS5 CFI-1200 involves important changes to the internal architecture as opposed to flashy new features, increased power, or an updated aesthetic. PS4 CUH-1200 launched with a totally different interior that included redesigned power supplies, new eject buttons for discs, and smaller motherboards. These sorts of updates could be what are in store for the next PS5 redesign, and though there’s plenty of value here for hardware, it’s unlikely this is the PS5 Pro that fans are hoping for.
Next: Bloodborne PS5, PC Release Finally Seems Likely After Insider Tease
Source: Video Games Chronicle
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About The Author
Brandon played a video game once and decided to dedicate his entire life to them. This meant joining the industry through editing and writing for a small games journalism site and pursuing a degree in Software Engineering and a minor in Data Science at Drexel University. In addition to writing, Brandon has experience working as a Game Programmer on Monochrome RPG and Galactic Gauntlet, giving him a unique lens to view the industry through. In the past, Brandon has had success publishing poetry and experimenting with writing in other forms, such as screenplays and short stories.
As a writer who plays and develops video games, there’s nothing more he enjoys than a riveting narrative in video games. His favorite games include Mass Effect, Life Is Strange, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Brandon’s future goals are to work as a full-time game developer and expand his writing abilities so that he can tell grand stories to gamers such as himself.
Rumor: Sony may release a cheaper version of the PlayStation 5 in 2021
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According to information published on the Chinese social network Weibo by a local tech blogger and whistleblower under the nickname Mobile Chip Master, a cheaper version of the PS5, now conventionally known as PlayStation 5 Lite 9, may be released next year.
0025 .
According to an insider, Sony’s plan is to bring the budget PlayStation 5 to market at the end of the second half of 2021 , but what exactly this device will be is not specified at the moment. In addition, it is not known how true this news is at all.
The PlayStation 5 went on sale a few weeks ago, but the console hasn’t officially launched in all regions yet.
In the same China, the PS5 does not yet have a release date — PlayStation China only promises that the console will be launched in the near future. According to rumors, this will take place on January 21st, and the corresponding announcement will be made on December 18th.
Read also : Generously priced PC games: GOG has launched its Black Friday sale.
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