Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida has opened up about the development of the PlayStation 5, with him explaining how the console will be a “necessary” to the PS4. Expressing Sony’s commitment to the next-gen hardware, Yoshida stopped short of confirming that the console will be called the PS5, though rumors suggest it will be very similar to its predecessor.
With video games moving closer towards becoming a digital-only medium, there was speculation that Sony would shift to a non-traditional platform for the next console generation. However, in an interview with the Financial Times, Yoshida confirmed that the company is now looking towards the future of the PlayStation hardware.
“At this point, what I can say is it’s necessary to have a next-generation hardware,” Yoshida said. However, the publication noted that the Sony CEO declined to comment on whether that hardware would officially be titled the PlayStation 5.
Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has already gone on record to state that the company is working on the next Xbox. Though it has yet to receive a name, the system was announced during E3 2018. According to Spencer, the hardware will utilize new AI technology in order to allow for “console-quality streaming” on mobile. This tech has evolved into the recently unveiled Project xCloud, which was debuted by the company in a new video.
According to the Financial Times report, Sony is looking to strengthen its position in esports, with the PS5 rumored to be able to host top-tier pro gaming events. Though little is known about the PS5, it has been suggested that the console will remain similar to the PS4, as opposed to Microsoft’s shift to game streaming.
With the PS4 still shifting plenty of units and big-name releases such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Last of Us 2 on the horizon, Sony will likely want to get as much mileage out of its successful current-gen console as possible. However, with Sony now confirming that another PlayStation is on its way, it looks like the current console generation will be wrapping up sooner rather than later.
