I was going to publish this yesterday, immediately following Sony's unveiling of the PlayStation 5, but decided that I should wait. Not only so I could work through my own initial reaction(s) of the new high-end video game console, but also to make sure that more people got a chance to see it. Of course, it's the internet, so anyone who was really interested in seeing the new PS5 probably did just moments after it was revealed.
And then the internet did what it does best: roast it.
So many images shared across social media all poking fun at the interesting design for Sony's new console. I think the nicest way to put it is that it was definitely "a decision", and at the same time I'm glad that Sony actually went a little crazy with it this time around. It is definitely unique, and no one is going to misidentify it as, say, an Xbox Series X (which we will get to soon). Sony swung for the fences with the design of the PlayStation 5, and, for better or worse, it succeeded in that goal.
As far as some of those images I mentioned are concerned, I've seen things like the PlayStation 5 turned on its side to look like Donald Duck's bill. The console has also been used as a helmet for a Titan in the video game Destiny 2 from Bungie Studios. I've even seen the face of Cell, a villain from the popular anime Dragonball Z, plastered on the front so the sharp angles serve as the rest of the character's head. Which, honestly, is pretty spot on and made me laugh.
I've also seen someone compare the PS5 to the Barclays Center, the indoor arena in Brooklyn, New York. I've also seen folks point out that the PlayStation 5 has the same design aesthetic of some gaming-specific routers out there on the market, and when I saw a fake ad for the Linksys-branded PlayStation 5 it definitely made all the sense in the world.
Of course, poking fun at the design is one thing, but it probably doesn't really matter, right? Most people buy these consoles for the entertainment value, not what it looks like on the shelf. But I can't help but think the futuristic, and mostly white, design will be distracting -- until it isn't. I'm sure before the end of 2020 most owners won't even think twice about the design.
I can't forget Microsoft's upcoming high-end console before we wrap up here. Now, I didn't see as many hilarious images for the Xbox Series X after it was unveiled, but it absolutely does look like a refrigerator as many people have pointed out. And even some people on the Xbox team have embraced that, leaning into the fun of it.
Do you care about the design of the PlayStation 5? Are you already planning on picking one up, even if we don't know how much it will cost quite yet? Or did the design push you away from a future purchase? Let me know!