The PS5 has long been rumored to be announced in February. Leaks and rumors first said it would be February 5. Then came rumors that it would be February 12. And the latest rumor is that it will be announced on Saturday, February 29 at Sony Hall in New York. However, that date is fast approaching, and from the beginning it was seen as highly unlikely that the game console would be announced this month.

But perhaps it is too soon to tell. During Sony Corporation's investor results briefing, CFO Hiroki Totoki revealed a few small details about the PS5's launch schedule. When one investor asked for clarification on the PS5 price, Totoki said:

"It's very difficult to really discuss the timing of this, but as of today, we provide guidance at a time comparable to the past. Therefore, we will not be changing the timeline."

The phrase "comparable to the past" is interesting: the PS4 was unveiled at an on-stage event in New York City on February 20, 2013 (see below for a bit of history). It was released at the end of that year; if the PS5 follows a "comparable" timeline, it will no doubt be announced in the not-too-distant future.

We know that Sony will not be attending E3, the world's largest gaming trade show, but will be holding its own event; since the Xbox Series X has already been announced, it is only a matter of time before Sony announces a new console, but we have no idea when that will be.2 There are several reasons why the rumor of February 29 is unlikely, one of which is that that date is a Saturday, and the announcement of the PS5 would involve a full mobilization of journalists and PR people.

On the other hand, Totoki probably misspoke, since the actual announcement will be delayed until spring or summer, while guidance to investors will be given on a comparable schedule. Totoki also admitted that there is no specific pricing for the console:

"It is very difficult to say anything about pricing at this point... It is very difficult to say anything specific at this point because it is a balancing act, a balancing act. [But when I say smooth transition, I mean that we will definitely choose the best approach, and we will try to keep the best balance so that it will be profitable - until the end of the life of this product - until the end of the life of this product.

The PS5 is likely to be priced for the life of the product. Not high enough to scare off buyers, but not high enough to ensure a profit even if the price is reduced until the end of the console's life. We don't know where that sweet spot is, but we suspect it will be around £499 to £550.

Totoki's cryptic words may allay investors' concerns, but they do little to quell fans' desperate demands for bits of information related to the PS5; if a February announcement is on the cards, time is running out; and if the PS5 is to be announced in the near future, it will have to be done in a few months.

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