The premiere of PlayStation 5 was one of the most unique moments in the history of the game industry. But not exceptional because everything went smoothly and we got a new generation of consoles without problems. On the contrary – PS5 entered the market in an atmosphere of chaos and a fight for every copy.
I remember exactly those days. People who had reflexes and submitted a pre-order just after starting, could count on the fact that PS5 would go to them in the premiere date. What’s more – at a normal price, even before inflationary madness. But then the nightmare began. The console’s availability has dropped almost to zero. The shops had several pieces, and the interest overwhelmed Sony’s capabilities.
Elektromarmets quickly began to feed on all this confusion. Prices fired up. The equipment, which cost its own, suddenly began to cost even more – because if there is a demand, why not? And this has just opened the gate for the next phenomenon: scalpers. People who bought the console wholesale, kept it in the basement, waited for it to run in official channels, and put it on Allegro or OLX in astronomical amounts.
Looking at that period in retrospect, you can safely say: the premiere of PS5 was a lesson in capitalism in practice. And at the same time something that gave the whole generation a completely different taste. Because on the one hand we felt frustration. On the other – everyone who managed to get the console for the premiere felt like the owner of the limited edition of Ferrari. You were in an elite club.
PS5 is not only a console. It’s also a pad
And then dualsense appeared. Pad, which changed the way we looked at the controllers. Heptic vibrations, adaptive triggers – it was a revolution that is hard to forget. Astro’s Playroom, attached to the console, has become a demonstration of new possibilities. I will never forget a banana on my face when I felt a texture of sand, ice or vibrations under my fingers. It was a moment: “Oh, here is the future of playing.” Only the smells of flowers coming out of the microphone were missing, but such a patent was once registered by PlayStation.
Added to this were starting games and the first large premieres. Maybe not all of them were masterpieces, but one thing was certain: the jump from PS4 to PS5 was, let’s be honest, quite big. Stable 60 FPS became the norm, and the graphics have gained a new glow in such a spider-man Miles Morales. Today, a few years later, PS5 enters the decisive phase of its life. The creators depart from cross-gene games, and productions are created only under the current generation. And you can feel it.
I think that only now will play real playing. Ghost of Yotei, GTA 6, Intergalactic, The Witcher 4 – is the tip of the iceberg with titles that have a chance to show the full power of this console. Studies responsible for these projects are teams with experience, with budgets, over time to pantry their projects. They will decide whether PS5 will be remembered as a breakthrough generation.
PS6 enters the salons
But at the same time, somewhere in the background, there are already rumors about PS6. And although it may seem absurd, because the current console is just entering full speed, hype begins to be born around new Sony equipment. What do we know? Few. But we can guess. Sony is unlikely to give up the game in 60 frames per second. This is a standard that players will not give up without a fight.
At the same time, photorealism will get closer. It is possible that in some games we will see a compromise – 30 FPS in exchange for an absolutely cinema picture – something like a total Żyleta. And I would not be surprised at all, because for me it is enough to consider a change. Because if PS6 gives me a stable 60 fps where today PS5 Pro is tired in 30 – I am already interested.
Price? We don’t know that yet. But I assume that within three thousand zlotys, maybe 3.5, in gusts up to 4,000. Finally, we are talking about equipment that is to last for the next 6-7 years. And this is something that I’ve always liked in consoles. You buy once and you have peace for half a decade or longer. You don’t have to worry about replacing the graphics card every two years.
The drive in PS6 will still be available
According to insiders, including Tom Henderson, PS6 is to appear in several variants. With and without drive. This is good news, because the box editions of games still matter, even if digitization goes forward. And I, although in 95% I rely on subscriptions and a digital library (also because of work), I still like to feel the weight of the box in my hands, put the plate in the drive or check the physical artbook.
That is why I think Sony will not give up physical editions. This is part of PlayStation DNA and something that has sentimental significance for many players. But in addition to technology and forecasts, the most important is one thing: emotions. Because what I remember best from the premiere of PS5 is not a specification. It’s not even starting games. This is the atmosphere of madness. Waiting, refreshment of shop pages, uploading available offers at PPE.PL in the “Promotions” section, then in November 2020 the first firing of the console, the first impression of the pad, the first game in 60 FPS. These are moments that stay forever.
And this is what madness is also expected at PS6. This is not about the lack of accessibility, but an extremely high level of hype, which I assume will grow throughout 2026.
