With the PlayStation 5 just around the corner, hype levels are off the charts. So it’s a good time to catch up on the latest PS5 news and updates, including the official price and release date.
With the PS5 officially set to launch on November 12 for $399 ($499 if you want the disc-based model), Sony has been cleared for takeoff in the next-gen console wars. Once again, the PlayStation 5 will be going head to head with Microsoft’s Xbox Series X, which will hit shelves two days earlier on November 10.
These latest revelations pretty much fill in the remaining gaps on what we can expect from Sony’s newest console. In addition to pricing and release details, Sony also dished on the full specs for the console, what we can expect games to cost and what accessories will be available with the PS5.
However, there are still plenty of other details you may have missed in all the excitement. For anyone thinking about buying the PS5, here’s a collection of everything we know about the PS5 so far.
What Does the PlayStation 5 Look Like?
Sony finally debuted their new system during the official PS5 reveal in June. It’s fair to say reactions were… mixed. It looks unlike anything the company has released over the years, with a predominantly white casing and internal black chassis. It matches the new DualSense Controller, and its monochromatic form has a very space-age, futuristic look to it that sets it apart from the Xbox Series X.
To a less forgiving eye, it also looks like an oversized internet router.
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More importantly, there will be two versions of the PS5: A Standard Edition and Digital Edition. The Standard version will come with a 4K Blu-ray disc drive, while the Digital Edition will forego physical media entirely in favor of a cheaper $399 price tag and a slimmer look.
You can see the subtle differences between the two below:
What We Know About the PS5 Specs
It looks like the PS5 will be packing some seriously impressive specs when it launches.
The big technological breakthrough for the PS5 is ray tracing, an advanced lighting technique that produces very lifelike effects. It’s currently the exclusive domain of powerful PC gaming machines, but that won’t be the case come November, because both the Xbox Series X and PS5 will also support ray tracing. These lighting effects require a massively powerful GPU, and in that regard, the PS5 will not show up to the party empty-handed.
Like the Xbox Series X, the PS5 will make use of a custom 8-Core AMD processor based on the Ryzen Zen 2 architecture, and will also be packing a GPU based on the ATI Radeon RDNA-2 technology. To round off the core specs, the PS5 will also come with 16 GB of RAM.
The PS5 will also support 8K gaming, for a dose of some ridiculously high visual fidelity, resulting in more detailed textures and even more photorealistic gaming. Supporting these visuals will be a new 825GB solid-state drive (SSD) with a 5.5 GB/s read speed solid-state drive to handle all the storage. This will go a long way towards fast load times, which the Devil May Cry developers describe as “seriously, Crazy fast.”
It’s entirely possible game installs could go by much quicker and even larger games could be accommodated in the future.
A new DualSense controller will ship with the PS5 instead of the mainstay DualShock series controller players are used to. Compared to the best PS4 controllers, the new DualSense controller was created with the goal of deepening “the feeling of immersion when you play games.” It will introduce haptic feedback as a replacement to classic rumble technology, and it will also feature a new set of buttons called “adaptive triggers.”
The adaptive triggers will be worked into the L2 and R2 trigger buttons and will let you feel the sensation of driving through a bumpy set of roads or drawing a bow back when preparing to fire. It’s meant to work with haptic feedback to “produce a powerful experience that better simulates various actions.”
It’s a completely redesigned take on the classic DualShock series, based on the first glimpse we’ve had of it will come in a white and black colorway. Compared to the DualShock 4 that the PS4 used, there’s LED lighting beneath the expanded touchpad for an additional “pop” as well.
There is no longer a “Share” button; instead, there is a “Create” button, with more details coming closer to launch. There will be a built-in microphone array, however, which will let users chat with friends without plugging in a headset.
PS5 Updates: What Games Will be Available on the PS5 at Launch?
There are several games that have been confirmed for the PS5 launch thus far, including multi-platform releases from third-party developers. If the PS5 hardware hasn’t convinced you to join Team Sony in the console wars, the number of exclusive titles coming to the PS5 should tempt you. The PS5 has some incredibly cool looking games.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: The newest entry in the Assassin’s Creed series places you in the shoes of a Viking raiding party in the middle of a war brewing between the Vikings and the English. With sailing mechanics, full character customization, and action-packed battles earmarked in the first footage, it should be a fantastic excursion.
Demon’s Souls: The original version of this game was released in 2009, and now it will receive a whole new remake fresh for 2021. Demon’s Souls is the predecessor to the Dark Souls series, which spawned an entire genre full of complex, hard-as-nails combat that hits you with unforgiving consequences every time you die.
Devil May Cry 5 (Special Edition): Dante will return to slay some more demons in Devil May Cry: 5 Special Edition. While the game will take advantage of the PS5’s ray tracing abilities and enhanced 3D audio, DMC5SE is more than just an enhanced port. Gameplay has been sped up 1.2x to increase the action, there’s a new difficulty setting for veterans and players will now have the ability to play as Vergil.
Godfall: Gearbox Studios’ new action RPG was shown off at The Game Awards 2019 and looks like a totally different beast than Gearbox’s previous hit, Borderlands. It resembles a hack-and-slash adventure that looks extremely interesting thus far.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales: The newest chapter in Insomniac’s Spider-Man adventure series turns the spotlight on Miles Morales instead of Peter Parker. It’s going to rival games like Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in terms of content and game size, and it’s set to debut this holiday season.
Bugsnax: This lighthearted game from Young Horses, the creators of Octodad, is a strange but adorable adventure that features food-centric bugs that the inhabitants on Snaktooth Island munch on to transform their bodies. It will make copious use of the PS5 controller’s haptic feedback.
Astro’s Playroom: The same adorable little robot from Astro Bot: Rescue Mission returns for a collection of fun mini-games that players can jump into at launch with the PS5.
Cyberpunk 2077: CD Projekt RED’s hotly-anticipated, sprawling RPG will also be making its way to PS5 by way of an enhanced version for the system that will debut in November, following numerous delays in 2020.
Final Fantasy XVI Will Also Be Coming as a PS5 Exclusive
It’s rare when a new mainline Final Fantasy isn’t one of the biggest titles of its generation. And judging from the new trailer released by Square Enix, Final Fantasy XVI is going to be one of the most epic entries yet.
After the last game took place in a somewhat more futuristic setting, Final Fantasy XVI will take the series back to medieval times where gamers seem set to play as a hero who is tasked with protecting a young member of the nobility who has powerful magical abilities.
When it comes to gameplay, it appears that it will follow in the action-RPG footsteps of recent Final Fantasy games. If it’s anything like the Final Fantasy VII remake, you can expect some deep combat mechanics to go with these flashy graphics.
No release date has been given for Final Fantasy XVI, but producer Naoki Yoshida says we can expect more updates on the game in 2021.
There Are Also More PS5 Exclusives Planned for the Future
God of War: Aside from a few Norse runes, the trailer for the new God Of War revealed literally nothing. But considering that 2018’s God of War was one of the best titles on the PS4, we can expect big things when Kratos returns to our living rooms in 2021.
Horizon Forbidden West: The follow up to the epic action RPG that took the PS4 by storm, Horizon Forbidden West will place you in a future, post-apocalyptic version of America where you’ll be tasked with exploring long-forgotten parts of the country while trying to survive.
Gran Turismo 7: If you’re looking for a new entry in the series known for some of the most realistic racing sims on the planet, look no further. It’s been awhile, but Gran Turismo 7 is on the way and promises to offer the next best thing to driving an actual car.
Ratchet and Clank: The classic action-shooter series will return to the PS5 sporting flashy next-gen graphics and some slick time warp gameplay mechanics. This series has never fully gotten the love it deserves, but hopefully Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart can find a new life with a fresh generation of gamers.
How Much Will the PS5 Cost?
The price of the standard PS5 will match the Xbox Series X at $499.
The digital version of the PS5, meanwhile, will cost $399. While this is more expensive than Microsoft’s $299 Xbox Series S, the PS5 Digital Edition features the same powerful hardware as it’s counterpart. It’s just missing the 4K Blu-ray disc drive.
These two pricing tiers also allow Sony to launch the PS5 at the same price point as the PS4, which released for $399 back in 2013.
How Does the PS5 Compare to the Xbox Series X?
The PlayStation 5 is similar to the Xbox Series X when it comes to internal components but still has its own thing going on. Both consoles have an 8-core CPU based on the Zen 2 microarchitecture. However, the new Xbox console will likely have a faster processor (3.8 GHz compared to the PS5’s 3.5 GHz).
In reality, this won’t be a very noticeable difference. The PlayStation 5’s AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics system will support ray tracing, running at 10.3 teraflops with 2.23 GHz. In comparison, the Xbox Series X will run at 12 teraflops of power, which is twice as much as the Xbox One X. In terms of disc-based media, the PlayStation 5 will play 4K Blu-ray media. This is something the Xbox One X and Xbox One X S are already capable of, with discs holding up to 100GB of data.
Sony’s new console will use solid-state drives for storage space, as will the Xbox Series X. The PlayStation 5’s unit will feature an 825GB SSD with the option to expand, while the Xbox Series X will include a 1TB SSD using NVME technology and expansion cards as well. Both consoles will allow external HDD storage.
One aspect where both consoles differ greatly is how they’ll actually look. Essentially the 2020 console wars will pit a mini PC Tower against a wi-fi router.
Here’s the bottom line: the two consoles are neck and neck in terms of features, software, hardware and storage, but Sony currently has the edge when it comes to games and exclusive titles.
PS5 Release Date
The PlayStation 5 will arrive on November 12. Pre-orders will be available in the very near future, so be sure to check back for details on how to be one of the first to own a PS5.