Sony’s New PS5 Pro Signals the End of Disc Drives
Sony’s PS5 Pro: A Digital Transition
Today may have marked the beginning of the end for game console disc drives. Sony finally announced the $699.99 PS5 Pro, and while it looks to be an impressive machine, it’s the first PlayStation console that will require you to buy the console and a separate disc drive if you want to play your physical games.
Moving Towards a Disc-Free Future
Sony’s offered disc-free variants before and inched in this direction with the PS5 “slim,” which you can buy with the separate disc drive already attached or add a disc drive later. But with the PS5 Pro, you’ll have to get a separate PS5 disc drive, whether that means you buy it for $79.99 or swap a disc drive from a slim PS5 to a PS5 Pro.
Microsoft's Perspective on Discless Gaming
Microsoft is clearly eyeing the discless direction with Xbox as well. The more affordable Xbox Series S can’t play discs, and there’s a discless Series X in white that’s set to launch later this year. Last year’s giant Xbox leak revealed a cylindrical, “adorably all digital” Xbox Series X redesign, too. That hasn’t been announced as an official product, but it shows a disc-free future is on Microsoft’s mind.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.