As a part of Sony’s third-quarter earnings report, and as reported by Bloomberg, Sony has described the PlayStation 5 as getting into the “latter half” of its life cycle. 

“Relating to the PS5 {hardware}, which is able to enter its fifth 12 months since launch, partially because of its getting into the latter half of the console cycle, we goal to optimize gross sales with a higher emphasis on the steadiness with income, so we anticipate a gradual decline in unit gross sales from subsequent fiscal 12 months onwards,” reads the related part from Sony’s financials.

The report doesn’t elaborate on that assertion. Sony doesn’t state that they’re engaged on their next-generation console or an upgraded “Professional” mannequin of the console. Additionally they don’t outline how “latter” is “latter,” whether or not they’re trying to finish its lifespan subsequent 12 months or three years from now. Are we on the literal half mark and can see a alternative in 2028? On the very least, it does sound like they’re suggesting the console is previous its prime, a minimum of by way of gross sales. As they put it, they “anticipate a gradual decline in unit gross sales from subsequent fiscal 12 months onwards.” moreover, the identical earnings report has Sony chopping again their forecast gross sales of the console from 25 million to 21 million.

The PlayStation 5 launched in late 2020. It changed the PlayStation 4, which launched in 2013. That is additional proof that point has misplaced all which means to me, for the reason that PS4’s lifespan felt abnormally quick, so saying {that a} console barely into its fourth 12 months is within the “latter half” of its life surprises me.

I do know that 4-5 years was once the usual, however it feels just like the PS5 has barely established itself. Lots of video games, even big-budget releases, nonetheless assist the PS4, so it hasn’t actually felt like a vital improve. Then there’s the truth that the chip scarcity in the course of the world pandemic made the PS5 extraordinarily exhausting to seek out for just a few years.

This assertion comes earlier than Microsoft can be giving a enterprise replace on the way forward for the Xbox. Some speculate that the corporate plans to go multiplatform, successfully eradicating the model from competitors within the console market. It’s additionally speculated that that is the 12 months Nintendo can be releasing a successor to the Change, however it feels prefer it has been speculated yearly for the previous few.

It appears unlikely that Sony is planning on ending the PlayStation line presently, however I’ve to marvel what a alternative would appear like if the PS5 is really within the “latter half” of its life cycle.

This piece has been edited to make clear a citation from Sony’s financials.