PlayStation 5 is coming November 12th, so I guess the next generation is a go

Alrighty then, lads and germs: we have the starts of our next console generation confirmed. Sony tonight announced the PlayStation 5 will launch November 12th in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, then November 19th for the rest of the world. That's two days after the Xbox Series X, launching November 10th. The regular PS5 will cost £450/€500/$500 and it's £360/€400/$400 for a 'Digital Edition' without a disc drive. This might not mean much to us on PC at first, unless you're buying a PS5 too of course, but new consoles will have many consequences for us over years to come.

Today's PS5 infoblast comes one week after Microsoft announced their new Xbox dates. Launching two days apart? They're really going head-to-head again, huh.

So, a new generation of console hardware rolling out means multiplatform games will take big steps in graphical fanciness and PC system requirements once again. Just as I'd gotten comfortable with the idea of not having to upgrade my PC every other year.

On the bright side, maybe we'll see more prettiness on PC in patches like The Witcher 3's free next-gen upgrade.

This also means the mega-big sequels that publishers hold back for new generations will start rolling. Square Enix announced Final Fantasy XVI tonight, for starters, and yes it is confirmed for PC too.

Games-wise, the PS5 will probably mean less for us on PC than the Xbox Xeriex X. Microsoft's games all come to PC these days, while Sony have still only brought over Horizon: Zero Dawn and muttered about wanting to explore doing more PC releases. Though there is one possible quirky consequence in that Sony are still signing scloosies to keep games off Xboxes, which doesn't always keep games off PC too - it's promising for us that the FFXVI announcement named PC but not Xbox. Well, I suppose this isn't "promising", it's just... less grim for us than for Xbox people? Death to system exclusives.

Anyway, obviously we won't post about PS5 a ton, but now you know. Here we go.