Sony’s Next Console Is Officially the ‘PlayStation 5.’ Here’s Everything We Know So Far

The successor to the PlayStation 4 will be called…the PlayStation 5.

Sony Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan confirmed that bit of news in an interview with Wired published on Tuesday. It’s interesting, but unsurprising, considering the PlayStation moniker has been in use since 1994, when the original PlayStation debuted in Japan.

The PlayStation 5 has an expected release window of “Holiday 2020.” The underpinnings of the PlayStation 5 are similar to Microsoft’s own next-gen console, called (for now) Project Scarlett. That’s also expected next holiday season, which is shaping up to be the next battle in the console wars.

Processor manufacturer AMD is supplying computational and graphical processors to both consoles. Like Project Scarlett, the PlayStation 5 will support ray-tracing, allowing for more realistic lighting and sound effects. Both consoles will come equipped with solid-state drives (instead of spinning hard disk drives) to reduce load times and improve performance, a boon for developers looking to make more immersive and engaging games.

Both Ryan and the PlayStation 5’s architect, Mark Cerny, shared with Wiredadditional details about the console’s capabilities and improvements compared to the current generation’s PlayStation 4. It’ll keep more than the iconic PlayStation moniker: Physical games will be stored on 100GB Blu-ray discs. The controller will resemble the current DualShock 4 controller, though additional features like more nuanced haptic feedback and triggers that offer varying resistance levels could provide a markedly improved experience.

To further reduce load times and keep players engaged, the PlayStation 5 will also allow users to better manage installed content on the solid-state drive. That means you can save space on your drive by removing a game’s lengthy single player story while keeping the multiplayer experience on hand for continued play. Other benefits include improved social features, like showing you in real-time which multiplayer games you can join, or what you can unlock by progressing through a certain level.

Sony has yet to reveal any images of the console, though a Gizmodo reporter claims to have received images of the PlayStation 5 developer kit (used by developers to produce games) that match industrial design documents filed on behalf of Sony Interactive.