We don’t know much about the PlayStation 5, or that it even exists under that moniker. But we do know that Sony Interactive Entertainment is making a next-gen console, and that it will likely be called the PS5, and should be arrive in the next couple of years.
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That said, while Sony has confirmed it will make a next-gen system, it hasn’t official revealed or announced anything. But that hasn’t stopped details from leaking and surfacing unintentionally. In fact, we already know of a handful of features that appear like they will be shipping with the PS5 whenever it releases. And we also know of some abstract details about what Sony is going to potentially do with the system.
So, without further ado, here are six features the PS5 will likely have.
Backwards Compatibility
A recent patent filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment seems to suggest that the PS5 will not only be backwards compatible with the PS4, but with the PS3, PS2, and even the PS1. And given Microsoft’s continual push and advancement in this area, it’s no surprise Sony is looking to bring its tremendous legacy forward with it and to compete with its biggest competition.
Big Changes to PSN
PSNย back in the PS3 era was a dark period for PlayStation gamers. However, in the transition from PS3 to PS4, Sony radically overhauled PSN, and hasn’t stopped improving it since.
We are already starting to see Sony make big changes to PSNย in the form of download speeds, and most recently finally allowing for name changes. It would be pretty surprising if Sony didn’t carry this momentum into the PS5, especially when you consider the direction of gaming is heading more and more towards a digital and streaming future.ย
That said, current rumors and reports suggest that Sony isn’t resting on its laurels, and is actually getting ready to roll out huge PSNย changes in time for the PS5.ย
V-Sync
Another new patent that recently surfaced suggests that the PS5 will come with V-Sync support. In short, this means that games will run better on the system, with smoother combat and less screen tearing. This happens because V-Sync aids the game’s frame to your display’sย refresh rate. So, if you’re playing a 60FPS game on 60HZ display, V-Sync will intercept the frequencies and make sure the game never crosses 60FPS and causes tearing and other issues.ย
Universal Crossplay
Crossplay is finally happening, but right now it’s only in beta and only supports one game. Further, it’s unclear when more games will be able to implement the feature. However, while the future of crossplay looks hazy this generation, it will surely be a big part of next generation. Whether it will be possible and easy for every developer to add, who knows, but that does seem to be the direction we’re heading in.
Improved Graphics and New BD-XL Discs
Okay, so this one is a bit of a no brainer, but it isn’t always clear what type of graphical boost a console generation will yield. However, Epic Games, creator of the Unreal Engine, have been out touting what the future of graphics looks like, and the tech it has shown off boasts uncanny realism — the type of realism we are already starting to see late this generation.
Meanwhile,ย Sony has revealed new BD-XL discs, which areย scheduled to release next month, that can store up to 128GB of data. Given the rising file sizes of games recently — we’re looking at youย Red Dead Redemption 2ย — it wouldn’t be surprising that the PS5 would set itself up to deal with the increase in download sizes for games. Our all digital future is close, but it isn’t here yet.
