04 January 2024 , 19:00
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Analysts are predicting that a new mid-generation PlayStation console could be coming, and all signs point towards the PS5 Pro.
Despite the release of the PS5 Slim late last year, the fate of the PS5 Pro is still unknown. Sony hasn't confirmed or denied a PS5 Pro model, and considering the PS5 Slim wasn't technically a mid-generation update (with identical performance specs as the base model), this means the PS5 Pro could still be coming soon. GamesIndustry.biz's annual analysts are predicting that we'll be seeing a new hardware release from PlayStation, and we think it could be the fabled PS5 Pro.
Lisa Cosmas Hanson of Niko Partners has predicted that '2024 will be a year of new console hardware announcements', going on to say that they 'expect 2024 to be hardware-oriented with a next-generation console announced by Nintendo', something which has been corroborated by other analysts too.
Hanson also states: "We also expect mid-generation consoles from PlayStation, as well as a new entrant in the dedicated PC gaming handheld segment." If this prediction rings true, it points towards the release of a PS5 Pro, since we've already seen the PS5 Slim release and this console will replace the original PS5 model.
The release of a PS5 Pro would likely see a decent upgrade in terms of power. This was the case with the PS4 and subsequent PS4 Pro, which was able to support 4K gaming and media playback, something the original console was unable to do. Since the PS5 is already able to support 4K, it's not clear what we can expect, but a power upgrade is definitely on the table. Whether or not this will be enough to justify the PS5 Pro's existence is a whole other story.
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If the time is right
If we're expecting the PS5 timeline to follow that of its predecessor, the PS4, then it's likely we'll be seeing the PS5 Pro very soon. The PS4 was released over a decade ago back in November 2013, and then we saw the PS4 Slim launch three years later in September 2016, followed by the PS4 Pro just a month later in October 2016.
So far, the PS5 timeline has followed suit, with the original console released in November 2020, and then the PS5 Slim exactly three years later again in November 2023. This means a PS5 Pro announcement is long overdue, and it could even be this month. With Sony hosting a press conference at the upcoming CES 2024 event, we could even be getting a PS5 Pro announcement as soon as next week.