Mid-cycle updates for consoles outside of Nintendo are usually limited to optimizations with minimal performance enhancements. This all changed in 2016 when Sony unveiled the PlayStation 4 Pro. Since then, fans have been looking forward to the PS4 Pro equivalent of the PlayStation 5. Although Sony has neither confirmed nor denied its existence, fans never stopped making their own speculations. Even other companies have jumped on the theory bandwagon, with TCL projecting a 2023-2024 release for the mid-cycle PS5 and XSX.
Sony is probably better off fixing the supply issues of the PS5 first before releasing an upgrade.
Having said that, it’s been quiet on this end of the rumor mill for quite a while – until now.
A leaker is claiming AAA studios already have mid-cycle upgrades of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X. It’s unclear what name Sony and Microsoft will use for the rumored consoles, but if this is true, we can expect an official reveal in the next two years.
A mid-cycle upgrade was always coming. The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X guaranteed it. Still, you can’t help but wonder if it’s necessary.
Keep in mind that games are still coming out for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One until 2024. Of course, things can always change between now and then. Case in point, the upcoming game, Gotham Knights, was supposed to be available on the PS4 and Xbox One until recently. But, you can’t help but feel like it’s all moving too fast.
Although the PS4 Pro was announced three years into the PS4’s lifecycle, it happened at a relatively peaceful time. Don’t forget, the COVID-19 pandemic effectively pressed pause on everyone’s plans for the better part of the past two years. Because of this, there are very few non-exclusive and non-first-party titles that have come out recently and made an impact. Now, console manufacturers are at a crossroads where they either have to give themselves and the rest of the industry more time to catch up with current-gen releases or accept that this generation won’t be as long as the previous ones so that they can focus on the future hardware.
Both decisions come with their own pros and cons, so we’re curious to find out if this is all legit or not.
Regardless, the next six months are going to be huge for the PS5 and the Xbox Series S/X as God of War: Ragnarok will come out on November 9 while Starfield and Redfall will follow early next year.
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