We might get to see a PlayStation 5 soon, according to experts from the tech world. Macquarie's Damian Thong, who correctly speculated about the PS4 Slim, predicts that Sony will roll out a PS5 in 2018.
His prediction, which we advise everyone to take with a grain of salt, is backed by a tweet from no other than Takashi Mochizuki, Wall Street Journal's Tokyo-based technology reporter.
PS4 Pro? Wait, what about PS5? Macquarie's Damian Thong who correctly predicted PS4 slim and Pro says PS5 may arrive in 2nd half of 2018.
— Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj) September 8, 2016
This would mean that gamers have two more years to tap into the huge potential of Sony's latest consoles, the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.
However, it looks like the fourth installment of the Sony console will make way for something better in the relatively near future, with the only question being when.
Discs, Discs, Discs
Some experts believe that the PS5 will renounce using physical disks altogether, but others disagree.
"'Experts' have been predicting the 'imminent' demise of the CD for more than 20 years," says Ben Wilson, a former editor of Official PlayStation Magazine.
The fact that some people appreciate special editions and neat packaging over abstract downloads proves him right, and albeit the PS5 might contain a lot more streaming and downloading, there is no reason to believe it will kill the disc star.
Virtual Reality
The VR component of PlayStation is a big factor to consider when thinking about the PS5. PlayStation VR is very affordable, at least when comparing the combo PS VR-PS 4 with the Oculus Rift-PC alternative.
By the time PS5 becomes a reality, VR will likely dominate the gaming spectrum. This could encourage Sony to build a console that is ready for the highly demanding processing tasks associated with VR experiences.
Specs
Keep in mind that the PS4 already embraced a more standard x86 processor, which puts it in a different ballpark when compared to the "Cell" processor that PS3 sported. This makes Sony's consoles very PC-like, with some going as far as saying the PS4 is a "PC in a box."
What is more, the new PS 4.5 promises to deliver 4K resolutions, meaning that the UHD Disc format could land on Sony's console before PS5 hits the shelves.
MobiPicker suggests that Sony will feature hardware that is suitable for high-end gaming computers, meaning that 4K Resolution and HDR features will be commonplace in upcoming iterations of the console.
If Or When
Earlier this year, the helm of Sony's Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, got a question about the PS5 and replied that the PS5 was more of an "if" rather than a "when."
Only time will tell what Sony has in store for the purported PS5, but we will make sure you find out first.
