Sony has opened its doors to PlayStation 5 Pro orders, a move that spurred on waves of standalone PS5 Disc Drive demand as players head online in an attempt to lock down the accessory amid physical gaming concerns.
Unfortunately, the PS5 Pro (out November 7th for £699.99 in UK / $699.99 US/€799.992) will not include an internal disc drive causing many consumers to search far and wide instead of opting into this missing feature.
The PS5 Pro: Big Bucks For A Next-Gen Powerhouse
The PS5 Pro – which is marketed as the most powerful gaming console of all time – brings some pretty decent improvements to the table, chief among those being a humongous 2TB SSD (up from original PS5’s storage size).
But no built-in disc drive makes this a PS5 Digital only console and is better suited to buyers who appreciate the value of convenience, or don’t collect physical game discs in boxes anymore, although may potentially turn that around later with their own USB Blu-ray Player (but not likely) – otherwise Xbox Series S; The rest need at least an extra $100 for the full experience.
It is a hotly contested verdict, especially with the PS5 Pro costing so much more – 46 per cent higher than the standard disc-based PS5 on cost in the UK and by 40% in America and Europe.
This has led to speculation among a growing number of players as to whether the improvements can be justified at such a sharp increase in price, particularly with no slot for physical media on offer out of the box.
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PS5 Disc Drive Demand Spike
While the PS5 Pro’s pricing has received a mixed reaction, there have been record-breaking demand for PlayStation 5 Disc Drive following an announcement. Sony has confirmed that PlayStation 5 Disc Drive… which was first designed for PS5 Slim Digital Edition will work with the upcoming PS5 Pro as well.
Given his, the latter news prompted a kind of ‘panic buy’ state among gamers who rushed to secure one in order that they could continue playing their physical game collections and watching Blu-ray movies with it on the new system.
While its no next-gen console price just yet, the Disc Drive is an entry level option for those wanting a single piece of their gamin library to transition from physical to digital in readiness for PS5 Pro.
techpp.com This is an essential accessory for anyone with a lot of physical games in their library, and it supports all supported versions of PS5, along with all PlayStation 4 games as well as playback to your system on the TV CD/ Blu-ray standard UHD Discs.
Shortages for Retailers with Demand On the Rise
Retailers are already starting to see some stock shortages of the PS5 Disc Drive as we get closer to the imminent launch of PS5 Pro. This sudden rush, from the existing PS5 ownerbase feeling outdated as well as those that were holding out for a higher-end model having their own time to shine has seen stocks run low quickly.
That increased demand due to future supply uncertainty has many gamers feeling jittery about missing out on the eventual compatibility with physical media in consoles.
Response from the industry: complains, many but no anxieties
Now of course the pricy proposition that is PS5 Pro has a lot of people grumbling, but its projections are being revised upwards nonetheless.
The analysts surmise that 1.3mn units will be sold in the launch window for the PS5 Pro, slightly less than what was achieved by its predecessor when it launched back in November 2016 and became available to buy with a worldwide sales figure of €399/$399/£349 at an official retail price of $499 (around £370 according to Ampere) –
specifically making reference here towards market analysis quotes from several sources including IDC & Ovum respectively showing global revenue decline forecasts between those two periods,(although some are estimating above even these levels).
Sales will be decent – analysts expect that Sony’s core gaming crowd can and will keep the PS4 chugging along, despite an initially disgruntled school of early adopters.
Ampere forecasts that PS5 Pro sales will hit around 13 million units in total by the time a new generation comes along, matching almost exactly what PS4 Pros ended up selling (14. Though the price might scare off some, a robust PlayStation ecosystem is poised to carry this console forward for years.
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The PS5 Pro cannot exist without the PS5 Disc Drive
This heightened sense of demand for the PS5 Disc Drive highlights one hallmark element to Sony’s strategy: adaptability. Although the PS5 Pro is more expensive, it may be a better choice for gamers who have big collections of physical games or those would like to retain an option to sell and trade disc, leading them towards adding a disk drive.
Moreover, by making the Disc Drive compatible with both PS5 Slim Digital Edition and PS5 Pro consoles Sony has ensured that accessory appeals to an even greater cross-section of users—both current PlayStation owners who have amassed a library of physical media throughout they years as well brand new customers doing so for the first time.
The Hybrid Way to Future of Gaming
Sony selecting to launch the PS5 Pro without a disk drive continues this gradual transition towards digital gaming in general for the industry. The latest consoles are digital-first machines, made with cloud gaming and digital purchases in mind. The contrasted pressure means that demand still exists for players who want physical ownership of games and 4K media.
It would leave implied the gaming industry will inch closer and closer to a future of full digital, while hybrid consoles that offer physical optionally continue not only existing but thriving. At the moment (well, actually not just at this very second), all that means is big profits for PS5 Disc Drive and a large demographic of gamers sticking with physical media.
Conclusion
Controversy around the PS5 Pro asking cost aside, it is evident that demand for a PlayStation console with disc drive – and therefore greater flexibility in the ways they can choose to play their games –- remains high amongst PlayStation fans. With the PS5 Pro set for a global release by Sony, whether or not it has Disc Drive will remain an important feature that would attract digital and physical media lovers all into one.
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