I'm Not Ready For PlayStation 5
April 23, 2018
Earlier this month the Internet lit up in a flurry of excitement regarding a report that Sony was close to launching the PlayStation 5 earlier than most people expected with development kits (as if that term implies a single, fixed form for that type of hardware) for the new console supposedly already in the hands of noted studios preparing for a launch this year or next. Kotaku's Jason Schreier put those rumors to rest and tried to calm the community down, but the clamor is real.
Most of the developers I spoke to, via phone and email and text, said they had not heard anything about plans for a new PlayStation. Even employees at Sony’s first-party studios said they have not yet been briefed on the existence of a PlayStation 5. People across all the disciplines (design, art, engineering, etc.) at major studios working on games scheduled for 2019 and beyond have told me that if there is information about the PS5 at their companies, they haven’t heard about it. (Those people said they haven’t heard about a new Xbox, either.)
I really don't understand the rush to move on to the PS5 and even the next generation of Xbox when the current consoles are just now finally showing us what they truly have to offer. Highly anticipated games like God of War and the upcoming Spider-Man are showcasing development studios who are firmly in the groove and showing off their increasing mastery of developing for the PS4. Why would players want to move on to the PS5 and have to wait several years for studios to fully understand new hardware? Why would players be so eager to have to invest in a new console ecosystem already when many are still upgrading to the PS4 Pro or buying their first PS4? Eat what's on your plate before ordering your next meal! I'm perfectly happy to wait until 2020 or 2021 for the next generation of PlayStation. My PS4 is meeting all of my PlayStation needs and I'm in no hurry to move it down a spot on the shelf just to make room for the PS5 and start all over again.