BPX083: Next Gen Take Three

[Neon Ignition]

18 months ago we held a round focused on asking if you would buy a Next Gen refresh of the consoles in 2024.

However, we now know the nature of the refreshes and it isn't what we originally thought.

Microsoft isn't going to release a Slim iteration if their system, or even a Pro. They're instead going to remove the X's disc drive, double its SSD size and make it circular for the same price. A face lift to the existing machine rather than putting it on a lower priced diet or beefing it up with higher powered specs to preserve higher frames for purists.

Sony plans on effectively relaunching its digitial edition PS5, removing the disc drive by default but largely selling you pretty much the same looking machine with a seperate disc drive you can acquire if you care to. Microsoft believes Sony will brave launching an expensive Pro model but it seems increasingly likely that such a machine will only arrive at a later date, closer to the time of the following generation and as the only platform offering a model making it a niche option.

So, like the Sega days of old, we're seeing a return to the concept of relaunching the same machine in largely the same form but with a marketing visual rebrand.

PlayStation 5 Mk.2 and Xbox Series S/X Ver1.1

Will you buy the mid-gen refreshes next year?

[Asura]

Do we know for certain the ps5 slim won't have a drive built in?

I've been holding off on getting a ps5 as by the time I was interested, rumours of the slim were already swirling... but I also wanted it as a UHD player.

[MartyG]

No, neither do we know that Microsoft isn't going to release a "Pro" model, or Sony either.

I'd buy them if they offer something compelling over the original base models.

I won't buy the revised Xbox Series X due to it being digital only and that it will roll off my shelf.

[Neon Ignition]

They could have revived Kinect by building in a camera into it and ironically made it look like a Sony product

[nonny]

I'll definitely be picking up a switch 2 provided it offers full backward compatibility with the existing model. I see that as a significant jump in generational power and I've got a feeling that will translate into better 3rd party support.

I'm also interested in a PS5 refresh provided it's not as huge and ugly as the current model. I know we've seen some leaks but I want to see what it looks like up close.

And lastly I'll definitely pick up the Series X refresh we saw yesterday as I don't care about physical media and so it ticks all the boxes for me.

I don't think I'll bother with a Series S upgrade though... I might change my mind when I see it but the current model, with a 1TB card and the xScreen is a lovely setup.