Why are some PS5 boxes black? A deep dive into PlayStation 5 variants
As a lifelong gamer and PlayStation enthusiast, I was extremely curious why Sony is shipping some PlayStation 5 consoles in black boxes rather than the iconic white packaging. At first glance, this seems like a trivial difference – but as we‘ll explore, the black box signals meaningful hardware changes under the hood.
In short: The black-box PS5 model lacks an optical disc drive. It‘s dubbed the "PS5 Digital Edition" aimed at gamers who prefer all-digital libraries.
Below we‘ll analyze the PS5 Digital Edition in-depth, see how it differs from the standard edition, and ponder what this shift towards disc-less gaming means for the future of the console market…
PS5 Digital Edition breakdown
Announced in September 2020 alongside the regular PlayStation 5, the PS5 Digital Edition instantly stood out thanks to its two-tone black exterior.
Beyond the black box, here are the key characteristics of this distinctive variant:
- No 4K blu-ray disc drive – Digital-only gaming
- Sleeker chassis since no disc slot needed
- Retails for $399, $100 less than standard PS5
- All other specs identical: SSD, CPU/GPU, ray tracing, etc
- Comes with same white DualSense controller
With no disc drive, the PS5 Digital Edition is designed specifically for gamers who purchase titles directly from the PlayStation Store and have no need for physical media. This all-digital focus allows Sony to eliminate some hardware components and pass those savings onto consumers.
Now the $100 markup for the standard PS5 with 4K blu-ray may seem trivial considering the console‘s $499 starting price. But based on sales figures, many gamers appreciate the lower cost and minimalist design.
According to September 2022 data from the UK, the PS5 Digital Edition has surpassed sales of the standard edition by a ratio of 2:1. This suggests we are witnessing a pivotal shift towards all-digital game libraries rather than physical disc collections.
Why two different models?
Releasing two variants of the same console is an unusual strategy we haven‘t seen much of in past PlayStation launches. This begs the question – why did Sony break convention by offering both a standard and Digital Edition PS5?
Having options is always consumer-friendly, but in my opinion as an industry analyst, there were a few key factors driving this dual-console strategy:
- Appealing to all gamers: Digital-only works for some, while disc users still represent a huge market
- Lowering production costs: Removing disc drive cuts expense of making each unit
- Competition with Xbox: Which launched discless Xbox Series S for $299
Catering to both physical and digital preference was likely the main motivation here. And the burgeoning success of the PS5 Digital Edition proves a sizable portion of the PlayStation community is ready to go all-in on downloading games rather than buying discs.
However, it‘s worth noting that the Xbox Series S has been a runaway success for Microsoft, thanks to its $299 price that massively undercuts even the PS5 Digital Edition. Sony had to offer a lower-priced digital gateway model to prevent Xbox from monopolizing the budget next-gen segment.
What the future holds
While the standard PlayStation 5 with its clean white chassis and prominent disc drive still feels like the "flagship" model, the black-sheep Digital Edition is catching up quick.
This leads to speculation: If adoption of the PS5 Digital Edition continues to outpace sales of its disc-based counterpart, could Sony do away with physical media entirely in a future console generation?
As broadband internet penetration increases globally, digital game downloads make more practical sense than manufacturing, shipping and selling games on plastic discs. Sony has been a vocal champion of digital delivery, with initiatives like the PlayStation Now streaming service predating even Xbox Game Pass.
My personal prediction is that the days of disc drives are numbered. I foresee the PlayStation 6 shipping as a download-only device, perhaps in 2028-2030. Gone will be the days of browsing game store shelves and building a home collection of your favorite titles. For better or worse, streaming and digital ownership is the future.
While some gamers will kick and scream over losing physical games, the writing has been on the wall for some time now – and the success of the PS5 Digital Edition is the clearest sign yet of where Sony is steering the PlayStation brand long-term.
I‘d love to hear your thoughts though! Do you agree the next PlayStation console will go all-digital? Or is it too soon to ditch physical media?
Let me know what other gaming topics you want me to cover in detail. This is just the start – there are so many facets of the video game industry left to explore!
