The PS5 will probably come in different color variants; fans' reactions to the PS5's black and white color pattern have been rather mixed, and they may be relieved to hear that they can (presumably) purchase a different style of console. The all-black model seems to be a popular request.

The information comes from a LinkedIn thread posted by Matt MacLaurin, vice president of UX design at PlayStation. We learned a fair amount of information from MacLaurin before he closed the thread, including information about the PS5 interface. He didn't say anything, but he was surprisingly candid about some of Sony's plans regarding the new console. He did have a few things to say about the different colors, especially the special editions.

One commenter asked if we should expect a completely black PS5. Mr. McLaughlin replied, "Maybe." In response to another comment, he added that players "will definitely see some special editions" and that the PS5 "can also be customized in a way that wasn't in the last generation."

Taking the direct response to the pitch-black PS5 for what it is, the other two comments were a bit more direct. Historically, special editions of PlayStation consoles have come in a variety of colors: a white Vita for "Assassin's Creed Revelations" and a red PS4 for "Spider-Man," for example. If you want a PS5 with a different design, you may have to pay a premium to have it bundled with a particular game, but that option is almost certainly going to be available.

Referencing past PlayStation special editions, it is not hard to imagine the possibility of a special edition PS5. A red and white PS4 for Spider-Man, a black and white PS4 for Death Stranding, a blue and black PS4 for Uncharted 4: Rift Apart, a purple PS5 for Horizon: Spider-Man: Miles Morales, etc. Any model is guaranteed. None of the models are guaranteed, but it doesn't seem impossible.

"Customizable in a way that wasn't possible in previous generations" is a bit more enigmatic. It is possible that the white plate is not integral to the PS5 chassis and is interchangeable like the Xbox 360 faceplate; it is also possible that MacLaurin is talking about software and UI; it is also possible that the PS5's software is not integrated into the PS3's chassis and that the PS5's UI is not interchangeable. Don't forget that for a while you could install Linux on the PS3 and run the system.

At least at this point, there is no evidence that the PS5 will be released in anything other than the black and white pattern seen at Sony's June 11 event. As with previous console generations, it may start out with only a single design and later find more color combinations as the console is subtly redesigned or refreshed.

However, since consoles like the GameCube were released in a variety of colors, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Sony will offer an alternate color for the PS5 this holiday season. Sony has already released versions of the PS5 with and without a disk drive, and is obviously not too worried about offering different spins on the same product.