After months of rumours, Sony has officially announced the PS5 Pro, a mid-generation console refresh that boasts improved performance and greater storage, but no disc drive, and a whopping USD $700 price tag.
As revealed by Mark Cerny, PlayStation system architect, during a Technical Presentation overnight, the PS5 Pro aims to push the performance of all existing PS5 games forward, with an upgraded GPU allowing for improved ray tracing and AI upscaling. Notably, this console combines performance and graphics modes, for an overall better experience with high frame rates, and stronger visual fidelity.
Several new and upcoming PS5 games will be significantly enhanced on this console, with improvements for graphics, load speed, and performance. That list includes: Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, The Crew: Motorfest, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, The First Descendant, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon: Forbidden West, The Last of Us: Part 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Stellar Blade, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Read: Sony reports healthy games division income, but drop in PS5 sales
Games will be updated with a new “PS5 Pro Enhanced” label so console owners can understand which games are optimised. As noted by CNET, there will be more games with this label in future, as the PS5 Pro is adopted by more players.
Older games will also seemingly benefit from the console’s improvements, with a new “Game Boost” feature allowing for stabilisation and improved overall performance for supported PS4 and PS5 games.
How much will the PS5 Pro cost globally?
The barrier to wide console adoption is quite high, it should be noted. The PS5 Pro has a staggering price tag, particularly given we are in a cost of living crisis, and the original PS5 is already so visually spectacular – so the upgrade is quite indulgent.
For those who want the added benefit of dazzling graphics and snappy performance, here’s the price of the PS5 Pro across multiple regions:
- AUD $1,199.95
- $699.99 USD
- £699.99 GBP
- €799.99 EUR
- ¥119,980 JPY
The hefty price tag has already set tongues wagging on social media, with audiences divided over whether or not the console’s upgrades will justify the price.
When will the PS5 Pro be released?
The PlayStation 5 Pro is set to launch worldwide on 7 November 2024. Preorders will open on the PlayStation Store on 26 September, and participating global retailers will have their own direct preorders from 10 October.
While the PS5 caused absolute chaos when it went to preorder, the price of the PS5 Pro will likely mean there’s less rush around its release. Still, it’s good to pay attention to those preorder dates if the console appeals.
You can read more about the PlayStation 5 Pro on the PlayStation Blog. To watch the reveal trailer, as premiered during last night’s Technical Presentation, check out the video below.
