PS5 Prospects: Four Reasons for Caution

If you subscribe to the idea of console wars, you’ll know that Sony’s PlayStation 4 was a huge success compared to Microsoft’s Xbox One—it sold more than twice as much. In fact, the PS4 is one of the best-selling consoles of all time.

However, the PlayStation 5 has a long way to go to reach those dizzy heights. Here are all the reasons why we don’t think you should buy a PS5, at least for now.

1. Limited Number of Exclusive First-Party Games

It’s not uncommon for gamers to play across multiple platforms, like the Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series X/S. That’s why it’s so important that a console has amazing exclusive games; those that you can only experience on that system.

The problem is that the PS5 only has a handful. While games like Astro’s Playroom and Demon’s Souls are great, it’s not enough to plunge hundreds of dollars into a console.

In May 2023, Sony hosted a PlayStation Showcase, with the expectation that viewers would be blown away by first-party announcements. Unfortunately, it didn’t amount to much, with more of a focus on third-party games—many of which looked exciting but, as Microsoft were quick to point out onTwitter , would also be available on other platforms.

Over time, this will change. Sony will eventually provide the wealth of first-party exclusive games that the PS5 sorely needs. However, at the time of writing, it’s been almost three years since the PS5 launched and it’s hard to point at a single game that’s a system seller.

2. Most Games Are Available on the PS4 and PC

Compounding the issue is that many of these “exclusives” use that term loosely because they are also available on the PS4, like God of War Ragnarök and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. These games are fantastic on the PS5, but they’re great on the PS4 too. For this reason,it may still be worth buying the PS4 if you don’t own one.

Sony has also committed to the PC market, bringing its console-exclusive titles like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to the PC after a year or two, which is brilliant if you’re a patient gamer who owns a powerful gaming desktop. You can evenconnect a PS5 DualSense controller to your PC .

Not to bemoan Sony for this too heavily, though. It’s great that the company is supporting the PC and that it hasn’t immediately cut PS4 owners off in a bid to force them to upgrade to the PS5. It just means if you already own a PS4 or gaming PC, then there’s not much incentive to buy the PS5—unless factors such as the console’s graphical prowess or peripherals like PlayStation VR2 are draws for you.

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In August 2022,Sony announced that the PS5 was increasing in price in many regions due to the challenges of the “global economic environment”. In the US, a PS5 costs $500, which is very costly—though you can shave $100 off that if you buy the Digital Edition (which has no disc drive).

This doesn’t even take into consideration the expense of peripherals, PlayStation Plus (required for online play and price hiked in September 2023), expanded storage (you’ll quickly exhaust the PS5’s 667GB available space), or the growing cost of games.

To compare, the Xbox Series X also costs $500. However, the Xbox Series S and Nintendo Switch both cost $300. That’s $200 cheaper than the retail price of a PS5. Even the Steam Deck, essentially a portable and dockable PC, begins at $399.

Granted, these cheaper devices don’t pack the same punch when it comes to performance, and they host different games. But if you’re simply in the market for a fun games machine and need to save your cash, they make for optimal alternatives.

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At 390mm x 104mm x 260mm in size and 4.5kg in weight,the PS5 is one hefty beast . If you usually keep your consoles beneath the TV in a media unit, you might find that the PS5 physically doesn’t fit. And while the console’s design is fine, it’s not exactly a centerpiece; you don’t want it dominating the room.

As such, why not just wait for the inevitable revamp? The PS4’s Slim version released three years after the main console, bringing a much-needed sleeker form factor (which is now the primary PS4 model). Then there’s the PS4 Pro, capable of 4K gaming over the main console’s 1080p.

The same thing is bound to happen with the PS5, as it has done every console cycle—rumors indicate thata PS5 Slim will arrive in 2023 , with a smaller form factor and detachable disc drive. Plus, it might be cheaper. Patience pays off.

Ultimately, only you know the answer to whether you should buy a PS5. If none of these reasons sound like a dealbreaker to you, that’s great—go ahead and buy the PS5, and hopefully you’ll get hundreds of hours of entertainment from it.

However, many people might want to pause. Perhaps wait until there are more PS5 exclusive games, it drops in price, or for the second iteration… or for all three. At that point, it’s likely that the PS5 will be in a stronger position and become a must-own games console.