With PS4 lifecycle coming to an end, Sony can finally focus on getting the most out of PS5

The PS4 has been out in the market for nine years, meanwhile, only two years have passed since the PS5 was released. The former has enjoyed close to 116 million units sold so far, making it one of the best-selling consoles ever.

However, all good things must come to an end as it has been revealed that Sony did not disclose the latest PS4 hardware sales in their latest financial earnings report.

This is not surprising as many developers, including Sony's own studios, are shifting their focus to the latest and greatest piece of technology under their command. With, give or take, another full year of official support from key developers, the PS4 can rest easy.

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PS4's retirement will leave Sony free to focus on maxing out PS5's potential

As such, fans can expect to see future gaming endeavors on their current-gen machine. With a generational leap in hardware, boasting features like ray tracing, 120 FPS support, and 3D audio, the possibilities are endless.

We have already seen games that utilize the fast new SSD in the PS5 like The Medium, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. The former showcases simultaneous interactions in two worlds, while the latter is able to render densely packed environments in quick, seamless succession.

Shifting development focus to the latest system won't just free up resources for the team but will allow them to go all out as well. The PS4's hardware is almost a decade old at this point, and there is only so much it can do. With CPU, GPU, and memory demands of next-gen games rising, it didn't really have much of a chance — but it was never meant to, either.

Games that were bogged down by certain constraints can now be improved with newer iterations. Say, a Blooodborne remake or even Bloodborne 2 from Japan Studio at 60 FPS; the Demon's Souls remake is already a strong showcase for such a concept. Or perhaps a brand new Killzone from Guerilla Games featuring PvP battles at 120 FPS?

This is also a good opportunity for Sony to revive dormant IPs that have not seen action in a while, such as SOCOM and Syphon Filter. Back in the day, the Japanese publisher churned out many creative games like Ape Escape, LocoRoco, and even Tearaway for the PS Vita. The PS5's modern tech would be a great showcase for such experiences.

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What does the future bring for the PS5?

With many first-party and third-party games headed exclusively to the PS5, there are plenty of opportunities for fans to witness what next-gen gaming will bring to the table. Some of these have already revealed their ambitions and scope to gamers, but others remain a secret.

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1) The Last of Us Part I

A brand new remake of the hit 2013 PS3 game, players will step back into the shoes of Joel as he and Ellie fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic world.

With a deadly fungus turning humans into zombie-like creatures, players engage in frantic third-person shooting and close-quarters melee action in this cinematic narrative.

Recreated graphics and environments aside, TLOU Part 1 boasts 60 FPS performance and makes full use of PS5 features like 3D audio and haptic feedback from the DualSense controller.

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2) A Plague Tale: Requiem

The successor to the acclaimed 2019 original, A Plague Tale: Requiem promises to be bigger and bolder. A fantasy take on the middle ages, siblings Amicia and Hugo de Rune must now travel to Southern France to look for an island which may provide a cure for Hugo's mysterious blood disease.

With the hungry rat horde returning, Hugo must contend with the supernatural powers he discovered in the previous game while Amicia must shield him from the terrors that lurk within this harrowing tale.

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3) Forspoken

One of Square Enix's many latest IPs, Forspoken is a brand new adventure from the Final Fantasy XV team. Frey Holland is mysteriously transported to the fantasy realm of Athia, armed with a mysterious and sentient bracelet.

With this world under the tyrannical rule of the Tantas, she must uilize her newfound magical powers to rid the evil and find a way back home.

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4) Marvel's Wolverine

The game only has a teaser out for now; however this is still exciting news since this is the first Wolverine-focused X-Men game in a while. It is under development at Insomniac Games, the team behind other PS5 games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered.

If those two games are anything to go by, then Wolverine is in safe hands.