PS5: Epic Leak Drops Alleged Price and Specs for the VR Console Powerhouse
Sony's next console could be a showstopper.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 might be about a year away, but a steady stream of patents and analyst predictions have made it out to be a VR powerhouse that sets a new milestone for console graphics. Now, a leak of monumental proportions has bubbled up online and claims to reveal the next-generation gaming system’s price, release date, its entire spec roster, and the exclusive titles that will come with it.
The treasure trove of information comes from a text file uploaded onto Pastebin in December that flew under the radar until GamesRadar surfaced it. The anonymous author claimed to be a third-party game developer from Europe that was working on an unnamed AAA title that will be released with the PS5 at launch. It’s important to take this information with a grain of salt — it was posted two years before the console is expected to launch — so even if it was all accurate at the time, Sony could still alter their plans, if they haven’t already.
Still, there’s too much to unpack here. So let’s break down what to expect from the successor of the PlayStation 4.
How will Sony upgrade its next-generation console?
PS5 Epic Leak: Price
It is stated that the PS5 will cost $499 at launch, a $100 price hike from Sony’s most recent console releases. This wouldn’t be unprecedented.
Both the 2014 PS4 and the 2016 PS4 Pro started at $399 when they were released. However, the 2006 PS3 came in two variants, 20GB and 60GB models, which retailed at $499 and $599 each. But gamers were not thrilled about this pricing arrangement.
Sony reported slow PS3 sales in 2007, and Jack Tretton, former console chief for the company, even acknowledged the company made some “missteps” during its initial launch. If the PS5 turns out to be more expensive than Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox “Scarlett” consoles, it will need to prove itself worthy of its price tag.
PS5 Epic Leak: Release Date
Most analyst predictions have coalesced around a mid-to-late 2020 launch for the PS5, and the Pastebin leaks corroborate that information.
The anonymous developer said the device will either drop on March 2020 or November 2020, but they say a date is “not yet finalized.” That being said, release dates are always subject to big changes, so do not be surprised if this prediction isn’t right on the money.
The PS5 could be notably pricier compared to the PS4 and PS4 Pro.
PS5 Epic Leak: Specs
The meatiest part of the leaks was its highly detailed specs list. Not only did it get into the nitty-gritty, but it also corroborated a claim made by Kotaku news editor Jason Schreier that the PS5 would pack more than 10.7 teraflops of power.
The poster claims the specs for the console are “set in stone,” but seeing as to how long ago the information was posted, these could have since changed:
- 7-nanometer custom graphical processing unit (GPU) based on AMD’s Navi technology: 14 teraflops of power, meaning it can complete 14 trillion operations per second.
- The GPU is also said to support “ray tracing” for VR, a rendering technique that can create a very high degree of visual realism.
- 7nm custom Central Processing Unit (CPU) based on AMD’s Ryzen processors with 8 cores and 16 threads.
- 4K support with 8K upscaling, meaning if your TV supports higher resolution, the system will optimize games to fit it.
- 24 GB GDDR6 RAM and 4 GB DDR4 for the operating system.
- 2TB of hard drive storage.
PS5 games could look more incredible than ever.
The information also lines up with a statement made by Dr. Lisa Su, the CEO of semiconductor company AMD. She told CNBC her company was partnering with Sony to help develop the PS5’s “secret sauce.” Su’s statements could very likely refer to the ray tracing GPU the leaks mentioned.
PS5 Epic Leak: New Accessories
The leaks also suggest it will come with two notable accessories, both of which double down on VR: a new PSVR headset and a DualShock 5 controller.
The headset is said to come with massive upgrades from the current version and will cost $250. Most notably, it will be wireless, like a recent landslide patent suggested. Aside from that feature, it will support 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, 120Hz, provide a 220-degree field of view, eye-tracking, offer five hours of battery life, and come with integrated headphones.
This leak indicates that the new PSVR headset will come separately, but it could be the defining feature that sets the PS5 apart from the rest of its next-generation competition.
A blueprint of a patented Sony VR headset that wirelessly lets users play immersive games.
Just like every other PlayStation release, the PS5 will likely come with a new controller, which, based on its predecessors’ numerically ordered names, will be called the DualShock 5.
The leaks state it will come with “some sort of camera inside for VR.” It’s unclear what that means, but it could be used for motion tracking while users have the new PSVR headset on.
PS5 Epic Leak: New Games
Finally, the anonymous developer rattles off a list of upcoming games that will follow the release of the PS5. Sony offered a ton of exclusive games this year, like Spider-Man, God of War, and Detroit: Become Human. It might one-up itself with the PS5.
The most notable title mentioned was the 2020 release of Grand Theft Auto VI. The leak states that Sony is trying to bankroll Rockstar Games to make the game exclusive to the PS5 for the first month of its release. The timing makes sense; Rockstar hasn’t released a new installment to GTA in six years. Plus, Sony has brokered a deal with Rockstar in the past.
Sony secured the exclusive release of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the PS2 in October 2004, and it was later released for the Xbox in 2005. The title became the best-selling PS2 game of all time. Sony could attempt to recreate that success with its future console.
A follow-up to Rockstar's 'GTA V' could be in the works.
The leaks listed the following games as exclusive titles:
- Gran Turismo 7 in VR
- PlayerUnknown’s Battleground in 4K with PlayStation+
- Last of Us 2 remastered
- Ghost of Tsushima remaster
- Two or three other AAA Titles, plus more PSVR games.
These are the other third-party games allegedly on the docket:
- Battlefield Bad Company 3
- A Harry Potter game
- An Assassin’s Creed game
- Horizon 2 with a 2021 release date.
This could all be subject to change once the PS5 actually launches, but many of the specs listed corroborate other forecasts and predictions. It seems that Sony has quite the gaming arsenal planned for the next few years.
