The PS6 is not imminent (pic: Sony)



One of gaming’s most reliable insiders claims the next PlayStation console is not the PS5 Slim and that work on the PS6 has already begun.



As unlikely as it may sound, the fact that there are already rumours about the PlayStation 6 is the least surprising aspect of a new round of Sony hardware rumours.



The general rule for any console manufacturer is that as soon as one new console is released work immediately begins on the next. So since the PlayStation 5 has been out for over two years now it’s not at all surprising to find that Sony has begun research and development on the PlayStation 6.



That doesn’t mean it’ll be out anytime soon but it also seems as if the PS5 Pro is nowhere close to release, according to insider Tom Henderson.



Henderson mentioned the PlayStation 6 on Twitter but only in the context of rumours of the PS5 Pro and the new model of PlayStation with a detachable disc drive.



He stated that he’d heard more about the PlayStation 6 than he had the PS5 Pro, saying that he wasn’t even sure if there’d be one this generation.



There have been some rumours of mid-generation upgrades for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, including what seemed to be a hint from Sony themselves, but there don’t seem to be any imminent plans. Which is unsurprising given how difficult the first two years of this generation have been, thanks to the pandemic.




As for if there’s going to be a Pro version this generation, I’m not entirely sure. It doesn’t feel like the regular version has been fully utilized yet and probably won’t be on mass until the end of the year. All I can say is that I’ve heard more about the PS6 than a PS5 Pro. — Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 23, 2023




A new model of PlayStation 5 has been rumoured, but one that’s believed to be functionally identical to the current one, only with the addition of a detachable disc drive.



Although Henderson has repeatedly proven himself a reliable source, he’s so far the only one that’s spoken about the new model, although in his new comments he said that it was not a PS5 Slim and that he expected it to look the same as the current model.



He claims that the new console is simply cheaper to produce, since Sony can make just the one model of hardware and choose whether to include the disc drive or not – whereas at the moment the Digital Edition of the PlayStation 5 is manufactured separately.



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Henderson suggests that the current model will cease production by the end of the year and that its replacement will go on sale on September, but if he’s correct it will make little functional difference to anyone but Sony.



As for the PlayStation 6, it seems inevitable that this generation will end up being the longest ever, thanks to the pandemic, so don’t expect to hear any official news about it for a good five years or so.




On all the PS5 Pro/Slim rumors – I don’t think it’s a pro or slim, My understanding is that it’s just “gen 2” of the regular PS5. The normal PS5 will cease production at the end of this year and the new model will start in April and begin selling in September. — Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 23, 2023




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