PS5 Pro Sales Projections Remain Strong Despite Poor Reception

The recent unveiling of the PS5 Pro has sparked significant interest and analysis regarding its sales performance. Amidst this, the latest iteration of the PS5 has also reignited speculations about potential future products.

Analyst Weighs in on PS5 Pro Sales Trajectory with Price Hike

PS5 Pro Expanded Capabilities Revive Rumors of New “PS5 Handheld”

Sony's latest iteration, the PS5 Pro, priced at $700, has been officially unveiled, prompting industry analysts to project sales figures. Despite the price increase, Ampere Analysis's market research director, Piers Harding-Rolls, anticipates that the PS5 Pro will achieve sales similar to the PS4 Pro. "The price point of the PS5 Pro will inevitably cause a lot of commentary," Harding-Rolls told VGC. He noted that the price difference between the PS5 and PS5 Pro is 40-50%, significantly higher than the 33% difference 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 400,000 units fewer than the PS4 Pro's launch sales in 2016. Harding-Rolls highlighted that the PS4 Pro was launched at $399 in the US, while the slim PS4 was priced at $299, a significant price drop from the original PS4's launch price of $399.

Harding-Rolls also suggested that the PS5 Pro's pricing might "soften" demand, yet he believes that for PlayStation enthusiasts, the price is less of a concern. Sony managed to sell around 14.5 million units of the PS4 Pro, which accounted for about 12% of the total PS4 console sales. Ampere Analysis expects the PS5 Pro to have a sell-through of "around 13 million units" within 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 has revealed that the PS5 Pro will enhance PSVR2 games through performance upgrades. In a statement to Cnet, Cerny mentioned that the PS5 Pro's enhanced GPU will allow for higher resolution outputs in PSVR2 games, though no specific titles have been confirmed yet.

Cerny also stated that the PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, the PS5 Pro's AI-assisted upscaling feature, will be compatible with the PSVR2 in the future. Additionally, the PS5 Pro is designed to work seamlessly with other PS5 accessories, including the PS Portal, Sony's remote player for the PS5.

The PS5 Pro's compatibility with the PS Portal has fueled rumors about a new portable PlayStation console. Earlier reports suggested the possibility of a PS handheld capable of running PS5 games. While nothing has been officially confirmed, the enhanced capabilities of the PS5 Pro could pave the way for innovations in Sony's handheld gaming line.