PlayStation 5 (PS5) Price & Release Date: Console Out in 2020, Coming With 4K Resolution, VR Compatibility -- What To Expect [Rumors]

Sony's PlayStation 5 will hit the market by 2020, that is if the buzz around it is true. With PlayStation 4 just only 2 years old, speculations about the next generation console might come a bit too early. However, there are already strong indications Sony is actually on its way to developing the PlayStation 5.

The first indication came from the job advertisement Sony allegedly posted for a senior game programmer. It specifically stated they need new people "to assist us in developing a game used for R&D purposes related to our next generation gaming system," Attack of the Fan Boy reported.

The second indication came from various news reports detailing Sony's arrangement with AMD, the manufacturer of the console's processor. Per International Business Times, Sony might be pushing for a 4K gaming system that will enhance the gaming capability and offer sharper resolution for the PS5. To boost the console's performance, the company is said to be already working with AMD for an upgrade of its microprocessor. The hope is that the console would be operate five times faster than what is already in the market.

Aside from the performance boost, Sony is also counting on AMD to offer backward compatibility for the PS5 and, if a more powerful processor does materialize, it's likely Sony can begin on putting more focus in developing and incorporating its Morpheus virtual reality (VR) for the console. Geek reported that VR technology has been stable for the last three years. However, along with a 4K graphic support, the PS5 could deliver and achieve the highest level of performance.

Yibida reported that the PS5 is also expected to offer a cloud-based streaming system with Morpheus VR serving as its main control. When this is achieved, then the usual CD drive that's present in all existing PlayStation models might become a thing of the past. Additionally, the coming PS5 units could be a lot lighter and slimmer because of this change. It could also be a lot cheaper because there is one less hardware in the system, per N4BB.

Sony's Shuhei Yoshida once said in an interview with Re/Code that the company is basing their pace on game developers or creators. "If they still feel we need more machine power - 'we want to realize this and that and that, but we cannot do it with PS4' - if that is the case, there is a good reason to have a PS5."

N4BB also reported the timeline for this project could unravel by pre-2020, with 2018 as its nearest date of completion.