Sony unveils "smaller" PlayStation 5 and PS5 Digital with £100 disc drive add-on
Launch starts November in the US.
Sony has unveiled new "smaller" versions of its PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital consoles, which will launch this November in the US alongside an optional disc drive attachment for purchasers that wish to upgrade their digital-only machine at a later date.
The newly revealed PS5 slim console is said to mark a 30 percent decrease in volume compared to the previous PS5 model (and a weight reduction of 18 percent and 24 percent for the standard and digital edition respectively), and sports a design featuring two glossy panels on the top and two bottom panels that'll retain the matte look of the original machine.
The bottom left quadrant is where you'll find the new Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive attachment if you opt for the standard version of the machine. The digital-only version includes a removable panel that'll enable purchasers to add the drive - which costs an extra £100/€120/$80 - should they want a version capable of playing digital media at a later time.
And that's not the only optional extra either; anyone that wants to prop the new PlayStation 5 up vertically will need to purchase a PS5 slim Vertical Stand for an additional £25/€30/$30.
Sony's new-look PlayStation 5 will cost £480/€550/$500 for the disc drive version, while the drive-free Digital Edition is priced at £390/€450/$450 (both feature 1TB storage). So far, Sony is only committing to a November release in the US - there's no specific launch date but it'll presumably arrive in time for Black Friday - and it'll then "roll out globally in the following months". The company also notes the new version will be the only available option once inventory of the current PS5 model is sold out.
Today's announcement isn't entirely unexpected, of course; rumours that a smaller PS5 was in the works began circulating toward the end of last year - and, more unexpectedly, the model was referenced by Microsoft directly back in July, in a court filing submitted as part of its legal battle with the US Federal Trade Commission concerning its Activision Blizzard deal.