The PS5 Pro launch will take place next week, on November 7, but the road to this point has been long. According to Sony Interactive Entertainment co-CEO Hideaki Nishino, work on Sony’s mid-generation refresh was ongoing even before the base model launched on November 19, 2020.
I’m talking to Diversity (Thanks, VGC), Nishino explained that a Pro model was always part of the plan, noting that “we did Pro in the last generation. We learned a lot from this.” Digging deeper into the spread strategy, Nishino said: “When we sold PS4 Pro, in addition to PS4, 20% of customers actually bought PS4 Pro. It was a top-shelf console, it was a premium level. Interestingly, it wasn’t just about highly engaged users – novel users were also coming to PlayStation to buy a PS4 Pro. That’s why we started working on PS5 Pro before the PS5 launch – it was another five-year project for us.
Elsewhere in the interview, Nishino and fellow CEO Hermen Hulst claim that the company has adopted a “show, don’t tell” approach to future releases. The lively duo also discussed the challenges facing their leadership partnership and the “opportunities and risks” of sharing power at the top.
