• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Tom Henderson - PS5 redesign planned for 2023 with detachable disc drive

kyliethicc

Member
Given how they handled SSD - I am hopeful this is less 'detachable drive' and more a compatible with 'USB-C external BD drives'. I mean the console already reads external BD drives - it just doesn't authenticate licensed content from them.

They'd still have the opportunity to sell PS branded SKU for purists of course, but let the market sort out real disc users from men otherwise.
Article says this will a proprietary custom formed drive to physically attach to the console not just a normal external USB drive.
 

saintjules

Member
Just me speculating, but this makes it sound like a PS5 Pro may not exist. And if it does, much later into the lifecycle. Sony is too busy with these types of revisions.
 

AGRacing

Gold Member
I'm guessing the slim will be a "thin oreo" version of the existing digital console. It will allow for the continued sale of the custom blade plates!!!

Something like this maybe?

pl7u7ie.jpg
 
Interesting. Since the console would come with storage I wonder if the add on will able to provide extra storage space with having to spend amount on an SSD
 

reinking

Gold Member
I'm not a fan of addon drives but I guess it saves them money. Or at least passes the buck to the consumer. I'm going to keep my two fatties
 
Last edited:

Fafalada

Fafracer forever
Sounds like it will use a new USB port this new model will have, so idk. Yeah the PS5 DE now has a USB-C port but who knows. I assume Sony will block it working with existing PS5 DEs.
Why would they do that? The whole point is Sony getting away from having to manufacture two different physical SKUs, there's no reason to force downgrade existing PS5s. In fact if they're smart they will allow Disc SKU to use it too - so that people that have a drive fail on them can just repeat buy the accessory instead of potentially dropping out of the ecosystem.

And as I mentioned - software wise that's already the case - you can plug external disc-drives into any PS5 and they recognize them.

Article says this will a proprietary custom formed drive to physically attach to the console not just a normal external USB drive.
Rumor articles are usually about 10% fact 90% extrapolation - so I don't put much stock into details. Not saying proprietary drive won't happen (it very well could be a thing they'd do for security -_-) - but I wouldn't assume SKU option details or anything more deep based off of one unsubstantiated rumor.

More importantly - the physical attachment is clearly an aesthetic thing if it happens - there's zero reasons for it functionally if it's a USB C solution.
 
Last edited:

skit_data

Member
Interesting decision, not a bad idea.
One could argue the smarter thing would’ve been to launch it that way from start but this is a pretty smart way to create a SKU that is cheaper than the Series X and further streamline production. I can see all digital PS5s become the norm compared to what we’ve seen since launch.
 

Kdad

Member
They do, but that direct store and distribution would be ill-prepared as the sole place for a worldwide launch, etc.. You are talking about replacing all the top retailers and distribution channels with ... "just you." I just don't see that as a reality unless there is excruciatingly major contraction due to spiraling global inflation.

And by that time, video games will be the least of our worries.
Note: I gave the 3 seconds of thought before typing....YMMV

What if each store's inventory and sales are tracked by serial number (or equiv) and that data is sent back to the SONY mothership. The retailer then participates in a cut of every digital purchase made on that serial number (or equiv) console for say...the first 12 months. All this is handled automagically by the power of Azure of course.

Edit: Also Hasan is Kojima, believe #teamreal
 
Last edited:

reksveks

Member

kyliethicc

Member
Why would they do that? The whole point is Sony getting away from having to manufacture two different physical SKUs, there's no reason to force downgrade existing PS5s. In fact if they're smart they will allow Disc SKU to use it too - so that people that have a drive fail on them can just repeat buy the accessory instead of potentially dropping out of the ecosystem.

And as I mentioned - software wise that's already the case - you can plug external disc-drives into any PS5 and they recognize them.


Rumor articles are usually about 10% fact 90% extrapolation - so I don't put much stock into details. Not saying proprietary drive won't happen (it very well could be a thing they'd do for security -_-) - but I wouldn't assume SKU option details or anything more deep based off of one unsubstantiated rumor.

More importantly - the physical attachment is clearly an aesthetic thing if it happens - there's zero reasons for it functionally if it's a USB C solution.
They only sold the digital PS5 at the price they did because they can force users to buy digital games.

I said they probably won’t allow this disc drive to work with existing PS5 Digital Editions. (Not disc.)

And Tom Henderson has accurately leaked both the Sony INZONE products and the DualSense Edge. He’s legit.
 
I read somewhere that they held off on this due to piracy concerns but it makes sense. This is also great feature because disc drives fail often so if it breaks you can just buy a new one.
 

Fafalada

Fafracer forever
They only sold the digital PS5 at the price they did because they can force users to buy digital games.
I said they probably won’t allow this disc drive to work with existing PS5 Digital Editions. (Not disc.)
The best attach rates for *optional* peripherals are in 20%, usually closer to 5% or lower. That includes the literal predecessor to this that XBox360 did.
In other words - a new SKU with this model will yield them 80-95% digital only consoles in user hands. All the while not pissing off any users that want their physical media, and saving a ton of money on manufacturing.

Meanwhile - today - Sony has like 5-10% of all digital SKUs out there. Even if we assume that ratio stays until EOL (which is at least 10x too optimistic) - and every single digital owner buys the drive add-on - again about 10x too optimistic - that's still only single digit % change to the above bolded ratio.
Basically blocking old consoles wins them nothing but statistical error in terms of even the most greedy market-prediction, but not-blocking them will buy a ton of goodwill for the existing users that will feel better just knowing the option exists, even if they have no intention of taking it (majority of Digital-console owners wouldn't buy such an add-on - let's be real).

Now sure - all 3 console companies have a history of doing the dumbest shit possible to piss of their userbase at times - but it's not like a *rule* that they hit every single time, so there's a chance they won't be complete idiots about this.


And Tom Henderson has accurately leaked both the Sony INZONE products and the DualSense Edge. He’s legit.
Again - I totally believe the detached drive SKU will probably exist (I've been speculating about it at least 8 months ago), I just don't think it necessarily means it'll be some convoluted proprietary only setup. But I've been wrong before - like hoping against hope for PSVR2 BC, so who knows.
 

Rambone

Member
I kind of like the idea of a detachable or external disc drive for many reasons. Easier to replace if it breaks vs the drama needed to swap out an internal one.
 
Just me speculating, but this makes it sound like a PS5 Pro may not exist. And if it does, much later into the lifecycle. Sony is too busy with these types of revisions.
Means nothing for Sony as they have released PS4 slim the same period as Pro. They will release PS5 Pro when they think they can use a sufficiently small node (like 3nm), not too expensive, and they can produce it in sufficient amount.
 

skit_data

Member
This could be pretty neat for me personally as well since I have the digital launch model of PS5 (under the presumption it’ll work with it).
Sometimes when I see the prices of physical games I regret going with the digital edition despite being very pleased with the look of the system itself compared to its disc based counterpart.
 
Last edited:

kyliethicc

Member
playstation is popular in places with shitty internet connections. it wont happen anytime soon
True. Maybe the disc drive add on will stick around and as another user said will just be used as a price gauging mechanism.

Don’t be surprised if PS6 disc games cost more than digital (“collector’s edition”) and/or are only produced in limited quantities.

In a few years, 90+% of PS5 games sold will be digital. It’s already around 80%.
 
Last edited:

Banjo64

cumsessed
Don’t be surprised if PS6 disc games cost more than digital (“collector’s edition”) and/or are only produced in limited quantities.

In a few years, 90% of PS5 games sold will be digital. It’s already around 80%.
I can see that happening. I’ve been digital only since the start of the PS4 gen anyway - sad for my physical bros though.
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
I'm guessing the slim will be a "thin oreo" version of the existing digital console. It will allow for the continued sale of the custom blade plates!!!

Something like this maybe?

pl7u7ie.jpg
Fucking hell as someone with a DE next to me right now, I fucking hope not!

Something rectangular and smaller than the current DE would be absolutely lovely. Keep the white colour scheme.
 

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
Don’t be surprised if PS6 disc games cost more than digital (“collector’s edition”) and/or are only produced in limited quantities.

In a few years, 90+% of PS5 games sold will be digital. It’s already around 80%.
For the same reason, retailers won't carry the games then. That was Gamestop's largest beef when these online storefronts started to kick off in the 360/PS3 era for consoles, and the manufacturers were trying to sell the idea (to the public) of digital being cheaper due to lack of supply chain and materials being printed/stamped. Gamestop threatened to pull shelf space. At that time, they had pull.
 
Top Bottom