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PS5 pre-orders now live at one retailer a YEAR before launch – and we still don’t know the price
A KEEN retailer is already flogging pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 – even though we don't know the price yet.
The PS5 launch was only formally confirmed by Sony this week, and won't be available until Christmas 2020.
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But one online store is already offering PS5 pre-orders for €50 (around £45 / $55).
Dutch retailer is asking for the holding fee to secure a console ahead of time.
The ploy has obviously worked too: all pre-orders for the console have now sold out.
It's a deposit, so the fee will be shaved off the final price of the console when it comes out.
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Of course, it's probably a bad idea to pre-order the PlayStation 5 right now.
Firstly, we don't know the final PS5 price so you might decide it's a bad value purchase later on.
Secondly, Microsoft's Xbox 2 might win you over instead, once full details of the secret console are announced.
And finally, you'll probably want to make your purchase from a UK retailer for faster shipping.
Sony's PS5 was originally unveiled in April, but didn't have a name or a release date.
All we learned at the time were details about its performance, loading times and impressive hardware.
But this week we learned that the PS5 – the successor to 2013's PS4 – will be here in time for next Christmas.
The console will be a direct competitor to Microsoft's Xbox 2, currently only known as Project Scarlett.
PlayStation releases – what's the history
Here's what you need to know...
- The original PlayStation launched in Europe in 1995
- This was followed by the PlayStation 2 in the year 2000
- The PlayStation 3 arrived over half a decade later, in 2006
- Then gamers had to wait a further seven years for 2013's PS4 launch
- Based on those dates, there's an average of six years between each new PlayStation generation
- But 2016's PlayStation 4 Pro threw a spanner in the works
- The mid-generation console offered gamers a graphical upgrade – without releasing a brand new console generation
- Sony has announced a PS5 release for 2020, four years after the PS4 Pro and six years after the PS4
In a surprise blog post, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said: "Since we originally unveiled our next-generation console in April, we know that there’s been a lot of excitement and interest in hearing more about what the future of games will bring.
"Today I’m proud to share that our next-generation console will be called PlayStation 5, and we’ll be launching in time for Holiday 2020."
That's not a specific date, but it's effectively a promise that you'll be able to buy it in the run-up to Christmas 2020.
In reality, that probably means the new console going on sale in October or November.
That's a great time for a new console to come out, as those months are when blockbuster releases like new Call of Duty games typically happen.
So what's the likeliest date? Well the PS4 launched on November 15, 2013 – a Friday.
And the PS4 Pro launched on November 10, 2016 – a Thursday.
Based on those launches, we predict either a November 12 or 13 PS5 release date in 2020.
However, Sony hasn't revealed an official release date or price, so take all leaks and predictions with due caution.
PS5 footage shows games loading in under a second thanks to new tech
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In other news, Sony's PS5 has been tipped to cost over £450.
Read our round-up of the latest rumours about the Xbox 2 and PS5.
And find out why both of these consoles could be the last you ever own.
Will you be investing in a PS5? Let us know in the comments!
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