PS5 Pro Was a “5-Year Project,” Development Started Before PS5 Launch

The PlayStation 5 Pro was in the works for five years, with its development beginning even before the PS5 launched, Hideaki Nishino, head of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s platform business group, recently confirmed. Though the PS5 officially hit shelves on November 19, 2020, Sony had already set its sights on a mid-generation upgrade well before that.

PlayStation Learned From the PS4 Pro

In an interview with Variety, Nishino shared, “So we have done Pro in the last generation. We learned a lot from there. When we were selling PS4 Pro, in addition to the PS4, 20% of customers actually got the PS4 Pro. It was high end, it was premium tier. So there are potential users acquiring those kind of units. Interestingly enough, it was not just about highly engaged users; actually, new users comes to PlayStation to get PS4 Pro, as well.”

This extended planning underscores Sony’s commitment to a more powerful, high-performance console, aligning with user demand.

Nishino further explained that this demand was a driving factor in Sony’s early decision to initiate PS5 Pro development, even before the original PS5 release.

He said, “There was a conversation around whether we wanted to do another Pro or not. But the main thing was, there are technologies we can grow up in three years time or five years time. So the innovation and technology advancement is more quicker in a modern world.”

With the PS5 Pro’s release date approaching, are you looking to upgrade from the regular or slim version of the PS5, or will you stick with your current console? Let us know in the comments.