PS5 Pro Has Bigger Problems Than Price

ign.com:

This is the first in a series of regular guest columns from Push Square , the world’s biggest independent PlayStation website. We’re the voice of the PlayStation community, offering passionate, in-depth coverage and insight into the world of Sony. Our goal is simple: to keep you informed, engaged, and part of the conversation surrounding all things PlayStation.

Launching at an astonishing $700 on 7th November, the PS5 Pro already faces significant scrutiny from fans: an enormous 89% of Push Square enthusiasts deemed the mid-gen machine “too expensive” in a poll this week. Sony now faces the unenviable task of convincing its most engaged consumers that the console is worth the investment. But with many feeling the PS5 generation has yet to really get started, the PS5 Pro’s problems appear to go beyond price.

This was perhaps best evidenced by Lead System Architect Mark Cerny’s decision to spotlight The Last of Us: Part 2 Remastered during his PS5 Pro presentation – a re-released version of a PS4 game from 2020, albeit an undoubtedly handsome one. While it’s good to know the game will run at an unflinching 60fps in its full 4K fidelity mode on Sony’s new supercharged system, there are few who will feel the astronomical $700 price point is justified by an enhanced last-gen title.

Cerny, to his credit, did highlight some improvements to full-blown PS5 exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, but the broader sentiment remains that the base PS5 has yet to flex its full potential. Tentpole first-party titles like God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, and Gran Turismo 7 all look and play great on the PS5, but they’re also available on the PS4, raising questions about whether they’re even stretching the capabilities of Sony’s base hardware to begin with.

An extended cross-gen period, which has continued to see titles release across both the PS5 and PS4, has left early adopters feeling short-changed, as they expected the PS5’s power to be fully explored much sooner. Older