PlayStation 5: Release date, UK price, games and other news about Sony's next piece of video game hardware

Video game fans have seen two big hardware launches so far this year. There was the Nintendo Switch back in March and, more recently, the Xbox One X.

Sony meanwhile has been notably quiet on the hardware front after launching the PS4 Pro and the PlayStation VR in 2016.

That doesn't seem to matter too much though as the latest figures show the Japanese company has shifted 70 MILLION combined units of its latest games console.

The PS4 Pro is a tasty bit o' kit and no mistake - but it's also a "mid-tier" update with some added graphical muscle for those that have got a 4K telly sitting at home.

It's not a brand new, built-from-the-ground-up console like we're used to seeing.

Read More Playstation 4 Pro

However, market watchers are suggesting the gaming market is shifting towards a more iterative upgrade cycle, rather than a brand new refresh every eight years or so.

They predict a smartphone-style approach with a new refresh every year or two - exemplified by the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X.

"It used to be that when you bought your console you were way ahead of the price performance curve by so much, relative to a PC. But now PCs are inexpensive and your phones are getting more and more capable," Xbox boss Phil Spencer told gaming site Kotaku.

Sony won't necessarily follow Xbox's lead in this, and so the usual internet rumour mills have begun churning over what a fabled PlayStation 5 could bring to the gaming table.

We've rounded up some of the most interesting tidbits of news, and will continue to update this article as we learn more.

Release date (Image: iStockphoto) Read More

We're not expecting the next PlayStation to make an appearance in the next six months or so as Sony already has its hands full with the PS4 Pro and the PlayStation VR.

The clearest date we have yet is "late 2018" and that comes via Macquarie Capital Securities analyst Damian Thong who communicated his thoughts to the Wall Street Journal.

He reckons we'll see the new PlayStation in the latter half of the year, presumably giving Sony a chance to dominate next year's Christmas market. That would mean a possible sneak peek at E3 2018 next summer.

We have to say though, it's pretty unlikely Sony will have a brand new console out and on the shop shelves in under a year. So take that rumour with a pinch of salt.

Price New PlayStations announced Read More

The price of the PlayStation 5 will ultimately be decided based on what components Sony is able to put inside it. There's still no telling how much memory or what kind of processor will be inside the new system.

But given the intense competition, Sony won't want to price it too high for fear of a backlash - something it experienced with the PlayStation 3 in 2007, which launched at £425.

An educated guess would put the PlayStation 5's price range somewhere between £450 and £550. Microsoft's Xbox One X is currently tipping the pricing scales at £450.

Games Read More

As with the price, games are a bit of an unknown quantity at the moment. However, if Sony follows an iterative update process, it's likely that your PS4 games will continue to work on the PS5.

Sony has a range of first-party franchises that it can bring to bear on the PS5, so you can expect next generation sequels from the likes of Horizon: Zero Dawn, Gran Turismo and possibly even Uncharted.

Third-party juggernauts like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty and FIFA are also guaranteed to put in an appearance.

Virtual reality fans can also rest assured that Sony will be making VR a key selling point of the new console.

Specs Playstation VR (Image: Sony) Read More

We don't yet know the specs of the PlayStation 5 but can take the internals of the Xbox One X as a good baseline.

Microsoft has jumped in with an octo-core chip performing at 2.3GHz. There's also a dedicated 1.17GHz graphics processor capable of supporting full 4K UHD graphics. All of which is backed up by 12GB of GDDR5 RAM.

So, while there's radio silence from Sony about what's likely to be inside its next console, you can be fairly certain it'll be on a par (if not better than) what Xbox is offering right now.

We'll also keep an eye on how the PC gaming market changes over the next six months to have an idea of what kinds of power will be included in the next generation of home consoles.

Source: PlayStation 5: Release date, UK price, games and other news about Sony's next piece of video game hardware