Sony announced Tuesday that it will launch an upgraded version of its flagship game console with better graphics and AI capabilities on November 7. The console is called the PlayStation 5 Pro.

The Japanese company’s gaming division has hit tough times this year, with the PlayStation 5 missing its sales targets and PlayStation announcing in February that it would cut 900 jobs.

The gaming industry is facing a broader downturn as investment poured into the sector during Covid has largely dried up.

In a short video announcement, PlayStation Chief Architect Mark Cerny showed off the capabilities of the new console. The console will retail for 700 and 800 euros respectively, which is about 250 euros more than the current PlayStation 5.

He trumpeted hardware improvements that made games run much faster, rendered lighting better and an AI system delivered sharper images.

“Simply put, this is the most powerful console we’ve ever built and a worthy addition to the PS5 family,” he said.

Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad pointed out that Sony had already tried to boost sales of its previous console by releasing a pro version in 2016.

But the PlayStation 4 Pro had limited impact, Ahmad wrote on X, because it was “a premium product tailored to a niche audience.”

“What will really drive PS5 sales is a lower price point for the base models (and games like GTA6),” he wrote, referring to the upcoming “Grand Theft Auto” sequel.

– ‘Unleash possibilities’ –

Sony announced in an accompanying statement that PlayStation 5 games would be playable on the new console.

The statement also mentioned titles that would be available in enhanced versions, including “Assassin’s Creed: Shadows,” “Hogwarts Legacy” and “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.”

“We are proud of the impact the PS5 has had on the games industry,” said Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Platform Business Group at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

He said the console gave game makers the chance to “realize their vision and reach millions of players around the world,” adding that creators could now “unleash the possibilities” of even more advanced hardware.

In addition to the long-term issues, PlayStation has also had a turbulent few weeks.

The Japanese publisher recalled the space shooter “Concord” just two weeks after its release earlier this month due to disastrous sales.

The game reportedly took eight years to develop.

On the same day, “Astro Bot”, a game developed exclusively for the console by a subsidiary in Japan, was met with critical acclaim.

Review aggregation site Metacritic gave “Astro Bot” a score of 94 out of 100, placing it among the highest-rated recent releases.

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