PS5 Pro Will Cost a Bundle and Be Missing a Key Feature

Video Games

Sony’s latest next-gen console is getting an upgrade. I know we already knew that, but today, Sony released a pair of videos introducing the PlayStation 5 Pro, the souped-up version of the PS5, much like they did for the PlayStation 4. The first trailer is mostly a bit of fluff that makes the PS5 Pro look like Space Age technology while throwing out details that most people have probably never heard but that pretty much mean better graphics. And I’m not knocking that (in practice); it looks great. You can see the PS5 Pro reveal trailer below:

Then, Sony put out a more detailed technical presentation where “lead architect” Mark Cerny breaks the new version of the system down in more detail:

Highlighting the features of the original PS5 before getting into the PS5 Pro was smart. I haven’t used a PS5 yet, so it’s cool to see some aspects of the system I didn’t know about. I find the Fidelity Mode vs. Performance Mode option interesting, and it doesn’t surprise me that most gamers choose Performance Mode, where graphical clarity is slightly sacrificed for optimal gameplay. That’s what I would pick; I care more about enjoying the game than looking at the visuals, and the graphics are so good that a slight downgrade probably won’t hurt much (outside of an awful-looking game like, for example, Star Wars Outlaws). This is what Cerny focuses on in the presentation: the PS5 Pro effectively eliminates the need to choose by heavily improving the regular PS5’s graphic capabilities so the visuals don’t need to be sacrificed for better gameplay. And it looks great; there is a noticeable improvement on the already terrific PS5 graphics.

But that’s the rub, too: the PS5 already has excellent graphics, and while I agree that the PS5 Pro makes them even better, I’m not sure it’s worth the price increase. Yep, this is where it gets murkier, as you probably guessed. The PS5 Pro will cost $699 when it launches, $200 more than the already expensive regular PS5. Part of why the PS5 seems so expensive is that it hasn’t gone down in price since its release almost four years ago; many wondered if the release of the PS5 Pro would bring the price of the regular model down, but that doesn’t look likely, as the PS5 is still going for $499. The PS5 Pro also costs considerably more money than the PS4 Pro did, $699 to the PS4 Pro’s $400; another important contrast is that the PS4 already had its first price drop before the PS4 Pro was released, having gone down to $350 the year before, just under three years after its debut. The PS5 is almost four years old and hasn’t dropped, and it shows no signs of doing so; are gamers who have already sunk a lot of money into this going to shell out another $700 for better graphics on an already stupendous-looking system? Moreover, will people holding out on buying a PS5 pay that much more for a visual improvement?

I’d say no, especially when – you’re not going to believe this – the PS5 Pro doesn’t come with a disk drive! This sucker is all digital unless you buy a separate optical disc drive, which is another $80. I mean, come on; I’m a PlayStation guy, but at this point, you have to be angry about this. All that money, and you can’t even play discs on it unless you buy an attachment? What makes me even angrier is that this detail is nowhere in the trailer or the technical presentation, which indicates that they’re trying to gloss over it, probably hoping people buy it without realizing they can’t play their physical copies. After shelling out $700, most customers will probably just sigh and buy the disc drive for another $80. But maybe not; Sony could have a deluge of returns and refunds on their hands if people aren’t aware of the missing disc drive. This is the definition of the maxim, “Penny wise, pound foolish.” Even if they dupe a bunch of people up front, the PS5 Pro’s long-term prospects are not good if they make people buy the disc drive separately. And it’s not like hardcore gamers don’t already know and aren’t pissed; check out the comments on the two videos above.

Hey @Sony @PlayStation NO disc drive… NO SALE for the PS5 Pro. pic.twitter.com/icEfJ5uWM6

— Heel vs Babyface (@heelvsbabyface) September 10, 2024

It’ll be fun seeing how the PS5 Pro release plays out, especially after this announcement, because now, I’m not rooting for Sony. I hope this blows up in their face, and they learn not to pull anything like this again. It’d also be nice if it brought the PS5 price down.

Let us know what you think of the PS5 Pro announcement in the comments!

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