History of PlayStation 5 in Timeline

The PlayStation 5 (PS5), developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment as the successor to the PlayStation 4, is a ninth-generation home video game console. Launched in November 2020, it was released in select countries on November 12th and worldwide a week later. It competes with Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles, also released in the same month.

March 31, 2019: Next-Generation Hardware Development Affirmed

Sony's financial report for the quarter ending March 31, 2019, confirmed that new next-generation hardware was in development but would ship no earlier than April 2020.

April 2019: First Public Description of New Console

In April 2019, Cerny publicly described the new console in an interview with Wired magazine, providing the first details about the PlayStation 5.

April 2019: PlayStation 5 Announcement

In April 2019, the PlayStation 5 was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4, signaling the start of the next generation of Sony's gaming consoles.

October 2019: Intention to ship next-generation console worldwide by end of 2020

In October 2019, Sony announced its intention to ship its next-generation console worldwide by the end of 2020.

March 18, 2020: Full Specifications Revealed

On March 18, 2020, full specifications for the next generation Playstation were given in an online presentation and published by Sony and Digital Foundry.

April 7, 2020: DualSense Wireless Controller Revealed

On April 7, 2020, the DualSense wireless controller for the PlayStation 5 was revealed, introducing adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone, and other enhancements.

April 2020: Release date no earlier than April 2020

In early 2019, Sony's financial report for the quarter ending March 31, 2019, affirmed that new next-generation hardware was in development but would ship no earlier than April 2020.

June 4, 2020: Game Library Showcase Postponed

The major game library showcase that had been planned for June 4, 2020, was postponed until June 11 due to the George Floyd protests.

June 11, 2020: Console Form Factor Revealed

The PlayStation 5 console's form factor was revealed during the June 11, 2020, presentation, showcasing its two-tone design and unique aesthetics.

September 16, 2020: Date and Pricing Confirmation

On September 16, 2020, the date and pricing of the PlayStation 5 were confirmed during a game showcase presentation, setting the stage for the upcoming launch.

September 19, 2020: Sony Apologizes for Pre-Order Issues

On September 19, 2020, Sony apologized for the chaotic launch of PlayStation 5 pre-orders and promised to increase deliveries and stock to address the confusion and scalping.

November 12, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch

On November 12, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea, marking its initial release.

November 19, 2020: PlayStation 5 Worldwide Release

On November 19, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was released in most of the world, following its initial launch in select countries.

December 11, 2020: PlayStation 5 Launch in the Philippines

On December 11, 2020, the PlayStation 5 was launched in the Philippines, further expanding its global availability.

2020: Global Chip Shortage

From 2020 to 2023, the worldwide supply of the PlayStation 5 console remained low due to a global chip shortage.

2020: Planned Launch of PlayStation 5

Sony planned to launch the PlayStation 5 by the 2020 end-of-year holiday period.

January 22, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launched in Indonesia

The PlayStation 5 was launched in Indonesia on January 22, 2021, expanding its availability in Southeast Asia.

February 2, 2021: PlayStation 5 Released in India

On February 2, 2021, the PlayStation 5 was finally released in India after a trademark dispute had caused delays.

April 2021: System Patch Enables Game Transfer to External USB

In April 2021, a system patch enabled users to move PlayStation 5 games to and from an external USB storage device, although the games still needed to reside on the internal SSD to be played.

May 15, 2021: PlayStation 5 Launched in China

On May 15, 2021, the PlayStation 5 was launched in China, marking a significant expansion into the Chinese market.

July 2021: Beta System Software Support for M.2 Port

In July 2021, Beta system software support for the M.2 port was released.

August 2021: Minor Hardware Revision Shipped

In August 2021, Sony began shipping a minor hardware revision of the PlayStation 5 (the 1100 series) that reduced the size and weight of the heat sink, without significantly affecting cooling performance.

September 2021: Full Support Added for M.2 Port

In September 2021, full support was added for the M.2 port through a system update, allowing users to expand storage with NVMe drives.

August 2022: Price Increase Announced

In August 2022, Sony announced a price increase of up to 20% in most markets (excluding the US) for the PlayStation 5, citing global economic, inflationary, and supply chain pressures.

August 2022: Another Hardware Revision Shipped

In August 2022, Sony began shipping another hardware revision (the 1200 series) for both the base and digital versions of the PlayStation 5, using a die shrink of the original SoC to lower power draw and redesign the heatsink, contributing to a weight decrease.

August 2022: DualSense Edge Controller Revealed

In August 2022, Sony revealed the DualSense Edge (CFI-ZCP1), a new controller for the PlayStation 5 featuring additional capabilities.

January 26, 2023: DualSense Edge Controller Initial Release

On January 26, 2023, the DualSense Edge controller was initially released on PlayStation Direct.

February 23, 2023: DualSense Edge Controller Wider Release

On February 23, 2023, the DualSense Edge controller became available through other retailers.

September 2023: Sony's Internal Studios Working with Devkit Version

Industry rumors stated that, as early as September 2023, Sony's internal studios had been working with the devkit version of the Pro console.

October 2023: Announcement of New, Slimmer Models

In October 2023, Sony announced new, slimmer models of the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition, referred to as the PlayStation 5 Slim, set to replace the original versions.

November 2023: Release of Slimmer PlayStation 5 Models

In November 2023, Sony released the new, slimmer models of the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition, known as the PlayStation 5 Slim, which replaced both original versions of the system.

November 2023: Slimmer PlayStation 5 Models Released

In November 2023, slimmer hardware revisions of both the base and digital edition PlayStation 5 models replaced the original models on sale.

2023: End of Retail Stock Shortage

In 2023, Sony announced that the supply chain issues had been fixed and retail stock shortages were over.

March 2024: Industry Rumors of PlayStation 5 Pro

Since March 2024, industry rumors have circulated about the development and features of the upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro.

September 10, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Formally Announced

On September 10, 2024, Sony formally announced the PlayStation 5 Pro (PS5 Pro), which features a faster GPU, PSSR, and twice as fast ray tracing performance compared to the PlayStation 5.

November 7, 2024: PlayStation 5 Pro Release

On November 7, 2024, the PlayStation 5 Pro model was released, featuring an enhanced GPU, improved ray tracing, and AI-driven upscaling.

November 2024: Response to PS5 Pro Price Point

In November 2024, reactions to the PlayStation 5 Pro price point arose, with some sources noting it was one of the most expensive consoles to be released with accounting for inflation. Sony defended the price, stating it targets hardcore users.

November 21, 2024: Limited Release of 30th Anniversary Branded Devices

On November 21, 2024, limited quantities of the PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Pro, with gray cases and special branding, were released to celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary. Similar branded PlayStation DualSense, DualSense Edge, and PlayStation Portal devices were also made available.