Sony goals to promote 18 million PlayStation 5 consoles in its monetary 12 months ending in March 2023.
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Sony is prone to launch a refreshed model of the PlayStation 5 this 12 months, analysts instructed CNBC, after the corporate lower its forecast for gross sales of its flagship console.
The transfer can be designed to spice up curiosity within the PlayStation 5 and supply a souped-up piece of {hardware} prepared for launch of Grand Theft Auto VI in 2025, certainly one of this decade’s most hotly anticipated video games, the analysts mentioned.
Sony was not instantly accessible for remark when contacted by CNBC.
First launched in November 2020, Sony’s PlayStation 5 is now greater than 3 years outdated. The Japanese gaming big lower its forecast final week for PS5 gross sales for the fiscal 12 months ending in March from 25 million models to 21 million models. An government mentioned final week throughout the firm’s earnings name that Sony is anticipating a “gradual decline” in unit gross sales from the subsequent fiscal 12 months.
When this has occurred in previous console cycles, gaming corporations have appeared to deliver out a refreshed piece of {hardware} to reinviograte gross sales. For instance, Sony launched a “Professional” model of the PlayStation 4, the earlier era console, round three years after the PS4 was initially launched.
Analysts are actually anticipating a PlayStation 5 Professional from Sony.
“There appears to be a broad consensus within the sport business that Sony is certainly making ready a launch of a PS5 Professional within the second half of 2024,” Serkan Toto, CEO of Tokyo-based video games consultancy Kantan Video games, instructed CNBC.
“And Sony will wish to ensure to have a terrific piece of {hardware} prepared when GTA VI hits in 2025, a launch that shall be a shot within the arm for the complete gaming business.”

To this point, Sony launched a barely upgraded PS5 final 12 months in addition to a handheld console referred to as the PlayStation Portal. However the PS5 Professional would possible be a a lot larger improve.
Whilst expectations of a brand new console rise, Sony is grappling with an enormous problem — that revenue margins at its key gaming enterprise are sitting close to decade lows.
On the earnings name, Sony administration mentioned the purpose for its gaming enterprise is to “optimize gross sales with a better emphasis on the stability with earnings.”
George Jijiashvili, senior principal analyst at Omdia, mentioned this might imply that even when the PS5 Professional comes out, Sony might not lower the value of the present PS5, as has been the development up to now.
“Subsequently, a situation the place Sony launches as PS5 Professional, however nonetheless experiences a declining year-on-year {hardware} gross sales could be very a lot inside the realms of chance,” Jijiashvili mentioned.