The recent PlayStation teardown of the upcoming PS5 console left fans hopeful that PS5 customisation is just a short while away. This comes after Yasuhiro Ootori, Sony Interactive Entertainment's VP of the Mechanical Design Department, easily removed the PS5 panels to gain access to the rest of the console.
The excitement for customisation leads on from previous rumours that the PS5 might also have a black variant. While Sony has yet to comment specifically on any colour variations for the upcoming console, custom panels could replace the necessity for different coloured consoles.
READ MORE: PS5 teardown video REVEALED: Watch Sony’s “up-close and personal” footage of the PlayStation 5
Here's everything we know about the PS5's customisation, along some potential design choices.
PS5 teardown reveals removable panels
In the seven-minute video released by PlayStation, Yasuhiro Ootori removes the PS5's white panels to access the internal workings of the console, such as the SSD and dust catchers.
To remove these panels, all PlayStation owners need to do is lift up the back corner of the panel, and slide it off.
Compared to other aspects of the PS5, removing these panels is particularly tailored towards consumers, not requiring screwdrivers or other tools.
This revelation led to games industry figures speculating that the upcoming console will feature custom plates. "Considering how easy it is to remove the plates, customized plates are only a matter of time," said Nibel on Twitter.
Sony is yet to comment on customised plates, with Eric Lempel, PlayStation's Head of Global Marketing, previously stating in an interview that "right now, it's a hard enough job to get the unit we showed out so, we'll talk about it at some point," when asked about different PS5 variants.
It could, therefore, mean that Sony instead designed these faceplates to be removable so consumers could install further SSD storage and remove dust from the dust catchers.
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What custom faceplates could Sony introduce for the PS5? How much would they cost?
The most obvious variants that Sony could sell would be different coloured faceplates. This would certainly include black panelling - a design many PlayStation 4 fans begged for after seeing the two-tone design of the PS5 when it was first revealed.
Aside from simple colour variants, Sony could also release panelling to commemorate game releases, including a Spider-Man: Miles Morales, orGod of War: Ragnarokvariant on the panelling.
Sony has dipped its toe in the water of game-related custom faceplates, selling a Limited Edition No Man's Sky faceplate to commemorate the games release in 2016.
The PS4 faceplates, first introduced in 2015, were priced at between £14.99 and £19.99. We'd expect the PS5's custom panels to be significantly mroe expensive than these plates, given their distinct design and size. However, until Sony releases further details on its customisation options, we remain in the dark.
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