An update made to the PlayStation Direct listing for the PS4 Pro suggests that Sony will no longer be selling the console on its storefront, leading to speculation that it could be preparing to discontinue the model.
The PS4 Pro is currently marked as “out of stock” on the US PlayStation Direct website but it’s been spotted (via GamesRadar) that the listing also states that “there are currently no plans to restock this item in the future.” The base model PS4 Slim is also listed as “out of stock” but, notably, there is no indication that Sony isn’t planning to add more stock in the future.
Naturally, this has led to speculation that Sony is planning to discontinue the PS4 Pro now that the PS5 has launched and demand is high.
Sony hasn’t actually confirmed that it’s planning to discontinue the PS4 Pro but it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if it did. Earlier this year, Microsoft discontinued the Xbox One X, the PS4 Pro’s mid-generation equivalent, alongside the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition while keeping the base-level Xbox One S on shelves, calling it “a natural step” ahead of the launch of the next-gen Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
PS4 No?
SIE CEO Jim Ryan has been clear in the past that while Sony feels “a responsibility to serve” the PS4 community “for several years after the launch of PS5”, he still believes in the idea of console generations; giving the PS5 new and exclusive features which aren’t available on PS4.
Exciting new features are generally a good way to encourage existing PS4 owners to make the leap to PS5. Removing the in-between option of the PS4 Pro, though, would likely make getting players onto the latest hardware even easier. Given the PS4 Pro and the PS5 Digital Edition are both listed on PlayStation Direct at $399, the PS4 Pro isn’t really a premium or a value proposition anymore. With the price of the PS5 Digital Edition, Sony is arguably still serving those who are interested in upgrading to a console with a lower price point, without running the risk that a large portion of its player base will be left languishing in the previous generation.
It’s still possible that Sony will keep producing the PS4 Pro but that it’ll sell the console through retailers, keeping its own direct storefront limited to the base PS4 and the PS5. However, given the sheer level of demand for the PS5 at the moment, it’d make a lot of sense for Sony to put all of its focus on getting more units of its latest console out there.
If you’re still struggling to get your hands on a PS5, don’t forget to check out our guide on where to find the console in stock. If you’re more interested in a PS4 Pro and you’re worried you might be running out of time we have a guide to the best PS4 Pro deals, too.
Source: techradar.com