Sony has been detailing the next-gen PlayStation console for several months now, but the company isn’t ready to show us the final design of the PS5, or reveal actual launch and pricing details. Instead, Sony explained the kind of hardware that will power the PlayStation 5 and unveiled the revamped DualShock controller that will launch alongside the new gaming rig. The company also teased the console will be more affordable than some people think and said it’s planning for a massive PS5 upgrade cycle. While all of this happened, someone discovered a Sony design patent for a gaming device. That’s how we ended up with the renders above, based on Sony’s own drawings. Then some developers confirmed that’s the actual design of the PS5 dev kit that Sony already delivered to its partners, and several reports that followed brought us more confirmation that the dev kit was real. This brings us to the newest PS5 leak, a high-quality photo that gives us our best look at the PS5 dev kit.
Posted on Twitter a few days ago, the image below shows two identical PS5 dev kits sitting side by side.
PS5 anyone? pic.twitter.com/cBggZTIty4
— The Drunk Cat™ (@Alcoholikaust) November 30, 2019
The gaming consoles match the drawings in the Sony patent, featuring the same inverted “V” design that reminds us this is a fifth-generation console. We’ve got a disk opening on the front as well as several USB ports.
Several DualShock controllers are seen in the photo as well, with some people speculating on Twitter they might be DualShock 5 controllers. Others say it’s the same old controller, as the next-gen model wouldn’t have been ready in time. Finally, there’s a Sony manual on the right side, on top of other hardware.
As before, there’s nothing to suggest Sony will use the same design for the commercial PS5 version that should start shipping to buyers in late 2020. Dev kits aren’t supposed to look like the actual product. It’s the components inside the device that matter most for game development. A different Twitter user made a point to show what some console dev kits of the past looked like:
Dev kits don’t always resemble the final shipping product, it’s worth noting. pic.twitter.com/a8FoWtOUqP
— Robert Petersen (@Sonikku_a2) November 30, 2019
Sony is expected to unveil the PlayStation 5 in February, during a special event, a report said recently, while a different leak claimed the console will hit stores in mid-November 2020.
