Rumors about the PlayStation 5 are already spreading on the internet, but it looks like the next-generation console won’t be out until 2020 or 2021. Former PlayStation boss Andrew House was also interviewed recently on the future of gaming consoles, but declined to offer any information about the PS5.

Last week, a dubious report claimed to have first details on the PlayStation 5 and that it’s possible that it could be announced this year. Kotaku was able to interview dozens of game developers and two of those are allegedly directly familiar with Sony’s plans. The sources said that it’s very unlikely for the PS5 to be released in 2018 or even 2019. However, plans could always change.

“On a multi-year project, a lot can happen to shift schedules both forward and backward,” one of the sources told Kotaku. “At some point, Sony’s probably looked at every possible date. It’s all about what they think is the best sweet spot in terms of hardware.”

Some of the other developers that Kotaku was able to contact haven’t even heard anything official about the PS5. SemiAccurate’s report from last week claimed that the PS5 could be out by 2018 and that development kits for it have already reached some game developers. One source thought this to be ridiculous and pointed out that if the PS5 would be out by this fall, then Sony would have already started manufacturing it.

Another thing to consider here is the existence of the Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 Pro. These hardware refreshes, which feature hardware upgrades, are still quite new and their existence signals that Microsoft and Sony are both taking a different approach in handling the life cycles of game consoles. A 2020 release date for the PS5 seems to be highly likely because that’s more realistic and it could give the PS4 Pro a longer life cycle.

Sony’s former head of PlayStation global operations Andrew House was interviewed by tech analyst Mike Vorhaus during the GamesBeat conference this past Tuesday. House talked about the future of consoles and he believes that the PlayStation 4 still has a long life ahead, according to Polygon.

“I’m very bullish on longer life cycles for consoles,” house said. “Consoles are so under-represented and under-penetrated in so many markets around the globe. There’s so much potential. Let’s not forget that China is still largely [untapped].”

When asked about the timing of the PS5, House commented that it was likely in the advanced stage of design, but he declined to give any specifics. However, he did offer up a prediction that next-generation consoles will likely continue to support physical discs for games, saying that "allowing for that more traditional physical purchase model as an option is probably no bad thing."

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The PlayStation 5 will likely have a 2020 release date. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
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