Sony said Tuesday it would launch an upgraded version of its flagship games console with better graphics and AI capabilities on November 7, calling it PlayStation 5 Pro. The Japanese firm’s gaming division has endured tough times this year, with PlayStation 5 missing its sales targets and PlayStation announcing 900 job cuts in February.

The gaming industry is struggling with a wider downturn as the investment that poured into the sector during Covid has largely dried up. In a short video announcement, PlayStation’s lead architect Mark Cerny showed off the capabilities of the new console, which will retail for $700 and 800 euros, roughly 250 euros more than the current PlayStation 5.

He trumpeted hardware improvements that allowed games to run much faster, with better rendering of light and an AI system that provided sharper images. “Simply put it’s the most powerful console we’ve ever built and a worthy edition to the PS5 family,” he said. Analyst Daniel Ahmad of Niko Partners pointed out that Sony had already tried to boost sales of its previous console by releasing a pro version in 2016. But the PlayStation 4 Pro had limited impact, Ahmad wrote on X, because it was “a premium product tailored for a niche audience”. “What will really drive PS5 sales is a lower price on the base models (and games like GTA6),” he wrote, referring to the forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto” sequel.

Sony announced in an accompanying statement that PlayStation 5 games would be playable on the new console. The statement also listed titles that would be available in enhanced versions, including “Assassin’s Creed: Shadows”, “Hogwarts Legacy” and “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2”. “We are proud of the impact that PS5 has made on the gaming industry,” said Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Platform Business Group at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

He said the console had given game creators an opportunity to “realize their vision and reach millions of players around the world”, adding that the creators would now be able to “unleash the possibilities” of even more advanced hardware. Alongside its longer-term troubles, PlayStation has endured a topsy-turvy few weeks.

The Japanese publisher pulled space-based shooter game “Concord” just two weeks after its release earlier this month after disastrous sales figures. The game had reportedly taken eight years to develop. On the same day, “Astro Bot”, a game exclusive to its console developed by a subsidiary in Japan, received a rave reception by reviewers. The review aggregation site Metacritic posted a score of 94 out of 100 for “Astro Bot”, placing it among the best-reviewed recent releases. — AFP