A recent leak suggests that Sony is getting ready to release a new PlayStation 5 model with a detachable disc drive next year. When the PS5 first launched in late 2020, it was available in two unique versions: the Standard Edition with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive and the lighter Digital Edition that only played downloaded titles from PlayStation Network. Since then, there have been plenty of rumors hinting at newer, updated PS5 models that would solve issues like the PS5's heat sink getting too hot or the standard console’s hefty weight, as well as address the rising cost of parts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.Much of this discussion surrounding new PlayStation 5 hardware seems to be centered around a still unconfirmed PlayStation 5 Pro model, which is said to support 8K graphics and could be announced in either 2023 or 2024. Back in May, Sony reportedly registered a new PS5 model in Japan, but it wasn’t clear if this was indeed the PS5 Pro or simply a design update on the existing PS5 model. Now, a new report detailing the next possible PS5 model reveals a completely different change altogether.Related: New PS5 Model Heat Debate Has Finally Been SettledInsider Gaming recently claimed that Sony is planning to launch a brand-new PlayStation 5 model sometime next year, as announced on the Insider Gaming Twitter account earlier today. According to sources that are said to be close to Sony, this new PS5 console will have a revamped chassis, as well as a detachable disc drive that can be connected to the console using an external USB-C port on the back of the system. Other than that, this supposedly lighter PlayStation 5 model will have completely identical hardware to the previous iterations of the console. It has also been suggested that this will become the standard model of PlayStation 5 going forward - as Sony plans to slowly begin phasing out older versions when the new PS5 model launches in 2023.

A New PS5 Model Could Be Coming Next Year

The detachable PlayStation 5 disc drive will also supposedly be sold on its own, so if the one that came with a player’s PS5 is broken, they won’t need to buy a completely different system or dismantle their current console just to replace it. The sources behind this news also claim that while the standalone PS5 disc drive is portable, it won’t ruin the PS5’s aesthetic and will attach seamlessly to maintain a look similar to the previous PS5 models. Finally, a major part of the reason behind this switch to a detachable disc drive is said to be that the new PS5 model will be much lighter, as the large size and heavy weight of the early PS5 models have been something Sony has tried to address with previous PS5 revamps.

With players now having the choice between physical media and digital downloads for their video games, having a detachable disc drive seems like a natural choice for a current console like the PlayStation 5, especially since it supposedly won’t look out of place while connected to the system. Of course, nothing official has been confirmed by Sony about this new PlayStation 5 model, but if the rumors are true players should start to see it appear at retailers sometime next year.

Source: Insider Gaming/Twitter, Insider Gaming