Sony Interactive Entertainment has shipped thousands of boxes of development kits to the United States in recent months. This is shown by import data Via TweakTown was discovered. This raises speculation about the possible development of the PS5 Pro.
Many of the boxes shipped by SIE come from Japan and Korea. Other data shows that Sony sent packages from the UK to the US in November of last year. This is called a “video game console (prototype)”
Since these are prototypes, they are likely early models of a new console. Presumably for the PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim. These paintings are expected sometime in the coming years.
TweakTown also mentions that shipping prototype consoles is marked with a HS Code: 981700† This symbol is sometimes used in international export regulations when it comes to video game related products.
Analysis: Is PS5 Pro on the horizon?
It’s tempting to assume that the development kits and prototypes are early models for the upcoming PlayStation hardware. The PS5 came out a little over a year ago, which makes it unlikely that Sony has actually turned its attention to the next leg of its console. It may be the next PSVR 2 headset. The second generation of Sony’s VR glasses should appear in 2022 (although now they are also called 2023).
For now, we can do nothing but speculate. It’s unclear why Sony is shipping upgraded PS5 or PSVR 2 bundles from Japan, Korea, and the UK to the US. Prototypes will likely be manufactured in China before being shipped around the world.
In addition, there is little evidence that the shipments contain complete prototypes. Shipped boxes may contain individual parts from PlayStation test kits rather than final designs. We don’t expect the chests to contain any upcoming PlayStation hardware development kits. Instead, it’s about older sets left from the PS5 launch in 2020.
There is a good chance that a Sony PS5 Slim or PS5 Pro will be launched in the future, as these two upgrades have proven to be successful in the PS4 generation. However, it’s a bit optimistic to suppose that shipped boxes can tell us something about the state of their development.
