The recent unveiling of the PS5 Pro has sparked a flurry of analysis regarding its expected sales performance. Additionally, the latest iteration of the PS5 has reignited speculations that were circulating earlier in the year.
Analyst Weighs in on PS5 Pro Sales Trajectory with Price Hike
With the official unveiling of the $700 PS5 Pro, industry analysts have projected that Sony's latest iteration of the flagship console will achieve sales performance comparable to that of the PS4 Pro, despite the significant price increase. "The price point of the PS5 Pro will inevitably generate a lot of discussion," stated Piers Harding-Rolls, market research director at Ampere Analysis, as reported by VGC. "The price difference between the PS5 and PS5 Pro is between 40-50%, which is substantially higher than the differential between the PS4 and PS4 Pro at launch."
Ampere Analysis predicts that Sony will sell approximately 1.3 million units of the PS5 Pro during its November 2024 launch window, which is about 400,000 units fewer than the PS4 Pro units sold at its launch in 2016. "In the US, the PS4 Pro launched at $399 while the slim PS4 was priced at $299 at the time, a 33% differential. Additionally, the slim PS4's retail price had dropped from the original PS4's launch price of $399," explained Harding-Rolls.
The analyst also suggested that the PS5 Pro's price point might "soften" demand for the new console, "but for PlayStation enthusiasts, pricing is less of a concern," Harding-Rolls concluded. Sony managed to sell around 14.5 million units of the PS4 Pro. According to Ampere Analysis, the PS4 Pro accounted for roughly 12% of the total sales of the PS4 console line, with an expected sell-through of "around 13 million units" over five years. Sell-through is defined as "a transaction in which a consumer buys goods or products directly from a retailer."
In other news, PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny mentioned that the PS5 Pro will "enhance" PSVR2 games through performance improvements. In a statement to Cnet, Cerny noted that the PS5 Pro's improved GPU will enable higher resolution outputs for games on the PSVR2, though no specific PSVR2 games have been confirmed to receive this support.
Cerny also stated that the PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, the PS5 Pro's AI-assisted upscaling feature, will be compatible and work with the PSVR2 in the future. Beyond the PSVR2, the PS5 Pro is also compatible with other PS5 accessories, such as the PS Portal, Sony's remote player for the PS5.
In relation to the PS5 Pro's compatibility with the PS Portal, recent reports have hinted at the possibility of a new "portable PlayStation console" emerging as a future product. Earlier this year, rumors surfaced about a potential PS handheld capable of running PS5 games. Although nothing has been officially confirmed or announced, the PS5 Pro's enhanced capabilities and features could potentially revitalize and transform Sony's handheld line.
