The announcement of the PlayStation 5 Pro caused a mixed reaction in the gaming community. Many felt that the $700 price tag for the new product was too expensive for a console that offers subtle graphical improvements over the base model. Gamers were also outraged by the fact that the PS5 Pro package does not include a disc drive and a stand for vertical installation of the console. They will have to be purchased separately, which further increases the cost of the kit.
Image source: PlayStation
Despite the fact that Sony has made significant improvements to the console’s hardware, in particular its GPU, and implemented support for proprietary image scaling technology in the PS5 Pro, the company has failed to convincingly demonstrate to players the console’s new graphical capabilities. Firstly, because for this she chose already released old games. Another factor was the reality of the YouTube platform, which compresses videos, making subtle graphical enhancements even more difficult to detect.
Image source: TweakTown
These reasons were outlined by PlayStation chief product officer Toshi Aoki in a recent interview with gaming publication IGN. He noted that Sony found it difficult to convincingly convey the graphical improvements that were built into the PS5 Pro through videos. According to him, this was also due to the fact that many users watched the announcement on the small screens of mobile devices. He added that the improvements that the PS5 Pro offers are best conveyed through personal experience using the console, especially given its interactive nature. Aoki also tried to justify the high cost of the PS5 Pro.
«The technologies I just mentioned are designed to provide a new experience for players. It’s not just technological differences, but also the new SSD (PS5 Pro is equipped with a 2 TB drive – editor’s note), support for Wi-Fi 7 and new technologies related to gameplay. So it’s more of a complete package [of technology] that creates exceptional value for players. For the most engaged players, which is what we are targeting,” Aoki said.
He also tried to explain why Sony decided to sell the PS5 Pro without a disc drive. In his opinion, it’s all about having a choice.
«As for the disc drive, this is an option for players. Not everyone uses disks, even if many have them. We offer the opportunity for such players to independently add a disk drive if necessary. So I think it’s more a question of balancing the value proposition that we provide,” Aoki said.