Gaming fans think that code hidden in an Unreal Engine 4 update has revealed the PlayStation 5's codename as 'Erebus.' Although both Sony and Microsoft promise their next-gen consoles won't be hitting shelves until at least 2020, it hasn't stopped players looking for hints of what's to come.

Alongside some leaked specs of the PlayStation 5 and the reveal of a possible processing chip, it is clear that Sony is looking ahead at the PlayStation 4's successor. With the next Xbox already codenamed Scarlett, PlayStation fans are still snooping around to see what Sony's working title for the PlayStation 5 will be.

Related: Sony Reveals Limited Edition PS4 Pro to Celebrate 500 Million PlayStations Sold

Posted on ResetEra, user Gemüsepizza noted that a piece of code for Unreal Engine 4 refers to Erebus - a Greek deity linked to darkness. Given that Sony has a history of naming its consoles after Greek mythology, it isn't too much of a jump to connect the mysterious next-gen console to the name. Looking back at previous consoles, the PlayStation 4 was called Orbis, the PS VR Morpheus, and the PS4 Pro was called Neo.

More than just a stab in the dark, the name Erebus also throws up some interesting possibilities for the PlayStation 5. Readers highlighted a definition of Erebus as "a primordial deity, representing the personification of darkness; for instance, Hesiod's Theogony identifies him as one of the first five beings in existence, born of Chaos." There is a suggestion that Erebus and the number five could mean the next PlayStation will be fully backwards compatible with the previous consoles' games.

The plot thickens as various sites began to report Erebus as the codename for the PS5 and Epic Games' Arjan Brussee posted on Twitter to dampen everyone's spirits. Brussee claims that Erebus was Fortnite's Switch name before it was released and is simply leftover in the code:

It appears that Brussee might be covering Epic's tracks as fans quickly responded that the Unreal Engine 4 code refers to Erebus as a platform and not a game. While there are still naysayers, one user pointed out that reference to Erebus is new to Unreal Engine 4 4.20.2. Ultimately, there is no solid evidence until Sony breaks its silence an reveals what gamers should start referring to the PlayStation 5 as.

With a bumper year for the PlayStation 4 that includes God of War and Insomniac's Spider-Man alongside Shuhei Yoshida's promise that there are still more PS4 exclusives to come out, there is clearly life left in the console yet. Considering the PlayStation 4 is still grabbing headlines, it makes sense that Sony doesn't want to rush the PlayStation 5 just for the sake of keeping up with Microsoft. That being said, fans should rest assured that both companies are hard at work on the next wave of consoles to keep players parting with their cash.

More: PlayStation CEO Says PS4 is Coming to the End of Its Life Cycle

Source: ResetEra