PS5 release date: PlayStation 5 preorders are LIVE
The PS5 release date is racing towards us — here's everything we know so far
UPDATE: PS5 preorders are live at several major retailers. You’ll have to be quick if you want to nab yourself either of the two consoles, though the digital edition is definitely the more popular at the minute.
Here’s a list of potential preorder sites:
Check stock at Currys PC World
A word of warning: at the time of writing (18 September) most of these retailers are flat out of PS5 stock. We’ll update this page if anything changes.
The original article continues below.
The PlayStation 5 is here. In a no-holds-barred online reveal event, Sony finally yanked the covers from the next-gen console, revealing a very appealing line-up of PS5 titles alongside the design of the machine itself. Some seven million people from around the world tuned in on Twitter and YouTube to catch a glimpse of the PlayStation 5 – and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, which will launch with no disc drive alongside the standard console.
Thanks to this long-awaited announcement, we now have a very clear picture of the PlayStation 5. We’ve been collecting information on Sony’s new console so you don’t have to: for everything you need to know about the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – including key specs, release date and a look at that fantastic line-up of exclusive titles – keep scrolling.
READ NEXT: Xbox Series X release date
PS5: Everything we know so far
PS5 release date: When will it launch?
At long last, Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will launch on 12 November in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, and on 19 November in the UK and everywhere else. You can attempt to preorder one in the UK now: at the time of writing (18 September) most retailers are out of stock but we have no doubt there will be other opportunities as the release date draws closer.
In case you missed it above, here’s a list of retailers selling the PlayStation 5:
Check stock at Currys PC World
PS5 price: How much will it cost?
There are two models of PS5 console. The standard model (with built-in disc drive) costs £450/$499. The more popular digital model (without a built-in disc drive) costs £360/$399.
In terms of accessories, an additional DualSense controller will set you back £60/$70, while a DualSense charging station costs £25/$30. The new PlayStation camera costs £50/$60; the media remote, £25/$30; and the wireless headset, £90/$100. You can find these accessories via most of the links above.
READ NEXT: PlayStation VR review
PS5 reveal event: Everything you need to know
Let’s not waste time. Here’s everything that was announced at the PlayStation 5 event on 11 June.
First and foremost: Here’s what the PS5 will look like. You can see the machine in the image at the top of this page, but here it is with the optional accessories:
As you can see, Sony is going all-in on the white colour scheme. The entire design is sure to divide opinion: already, those striking white panels and unusually pointed edges are being compared to everything from Virgin Media Wi-Fi routers to Eric Cantona’s trademark upturned collar. In any event, one thing is clear: Sony does not want you to mistake this console for anything other than the PlayStation 5.
Rolling through the other products in the above image, we have:
The DualSense controller – Sony’s new gamepad was revealed a couple of months ago. With nuanced haptic feedback (rumble) and rear triggers than can adjust their own resistance, alongside USB-C charging and a built-in microphone, the new controller is a significant improvement over the DualShock 4.
PS5 Digital Edition – Sony’s discless console ooks almost identical to the regular PS5, and thankfully, has the same internal specs.
Pulse 3D wireless headset – The spiritual successor to the PlayStation Platinum wireless headset will presumably help make the most of that new 3D audio support.
Media remote – Wow! A remote that can control the PS5’s disc drive and other media playback functions! Alright fine, maybe this isn’t the most glamorous new product, but it suggests that Sony is at long last positioning its console as a full-blooded home entertainment device.
DualSense charging dock – Does what it says on the tin.
HD camera – The PlayStation Eye camera is being replaced by a dinky new bit of kit that will presumably perform similar functions – which these days, means tracking the PSVR headset and controllers.
In other news, the PS5 WILL be capable of standing on its side, so owners of cats or small children can breathe a sigh of relief.
PS5 games: Every title coming to PS5
A PlayStation 5 reveal event wouldn’t be complete without a barrage of Sony exclusive games to drool over. I won’t go into detail, but here’s a list of what was announced:
- Horizon: Forbidden West
- Gran Turismo 7
- Hitman III
- Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
- Spider-man: Miles Morales
- Demon’s Souls (remake)
- Ghostwire: Tokyo
- Godfall
- Project Athia
- NBA 2K21
- Deathloop
- Resident Evil Village
- Pragmata
- Grand Theft Auto… V (sorry)
Indie titles include:
- Bugsnax
- Goodbye Volcano High
- Jett: The Far Shore
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits
- Little Devil Inside
- Oddworld: Soulstorm
- The Pathless
- Stray
- Solar Ash
PS5 features and specs: What will the PS5 do differently?
Now that Sony has taken a deep dive into the PlayStation 5’s system architecture, we can scratch a few rumours off this list. Here’s what you need to know.
Confirmed PS5 features and specs
Let’s begin with what we know for certain.
– CPU and GPU: We now know that the PS5 will have an eight-core AMD Zen 2-based CPU with a maximum clock speed of 3.5GHz. The graphics processor is an AMD RDNA 2-based unit with 10.28 Teraflops of power and 36 Compute Units. That’s all insanely confusing but in short, the PS5 is over twice as powerful as the PS4 Pro.
– SSD and RAM: Mark Cerny spoke at length about the new solid-state storage inside the PS5. It’s an NVMe-style SSD (which means it’s smaller and potentially harder to access) and it’s 825GB in size, rather than the expected 1TB. That’s paired with a whopping 16GB of GDDR6 RAM – which should make multitasking a doddle.
– Max supported resolutions/refresh rates: As we’ve known for some time now, the PS5 will support up to 8K resolutions (including 1080p, 1440p and 4K), although you probably don’t own an 8K telly just yet. Sony also says that the PS5 supports up to 120Hz refresh rates, at up to 4K resolutions.
– Ray tracing and HDR: The PS5 supports both of these technologies. Ray tracing vastly improves how light and sound travel around an in-game scene, creating more realistic lighting, reflections and audio effects; with HDR enabled, you’ll see a huge increase in the breadth of colours and shades on-screen.
– 4K Blu-ray disc drive: At long last, you’ll be able to play your 4K Blu-rays on a PlayStation console. Xbox has long dominated in this arena (even the Xbox One S supports 4K Blu-ray), so it’s nice to see Sony catching up.
– Backwards compatibility: The only thing that Sony has confirmed on this front is that the PS5 will support most PS4 games at launch. It will also support cross-generational play, so you can swap between PS4 and PS5 with minimal fuss. No word yet on whether the console will support games made for the PS3, PS2 or PS1, though.
– New user interface: Cerny reassures us that the PS4’s slightly creaky user interface will have a total overhaul to better suit the PS5. The menu will display more at-a-glance, real-time information about the game you’re playing, and will give players more options when it comes to joining friends in-game.
– PSVR and 3D audio: We’re grouping these two together because so far, all Sony has said is that the PS5 will support both. What this means in practice remains to be seen.
We update this page as and when we learn more about the PlayStation 5.