Various PS4 Models are Set to be Discontinued

Seeing the words “PS4 discontinued” proves just how quick the seven years of the last console generation have passed by. A Japanese retailer has reportedly spoken with Sony, then told its customers that stock of the following models will no longer be received: PS4 500GB Glacier White, PS4 1TB Jet Black, PS4 1TB Glacier White, PS4 2TB Jet Black and PS4 Pro 1TB Glacier White. There’s yet to be any official word from PlayStation or Sony on the matter, but the notice was spotted and translated by Twitter user, Cheesemeister.

“Dear customers: due to the manufacturer ending production, the following products will not be restocked.”
・PS4 500GB Glacier White
・PS4 1TB Jet Black
・PS4 1TB Glacier White
・PS4 2TB Jet Black
・PS4 Pro 1TB Glacier White pic.twitter.com/nub3lxcJGX

— Cheesemeister (@Cheesemeister3k) January 3, 2021

This follows the PlayStation Direct store briefly stating that it would no longer be stocking PS4 Pro consoles for sale, but that message has since been removed and there has been no further word from PlayStation on the matter. The “PS4 discontinued” news pairs badly with the difficulty consumers have had with trying to get a PS5. Since its chaotic pre-order processes and instantly disappearing stock levels since the PlayStation 5’s November 2020 launch, retailers like those in the UK had to report they weren’t going to be getting any more PS5 stock until early 2021.

However, it’s most likely Sony isn’t getting ready to discontinue the PS4 console entirely just yet. Looking back at the last generational console jump, the PS3 wasn’t discontinued until May 2017, ten and a half years after being on the market. There’s no certainty that Sony would wait the same amount of time before ceasing production of the remaining PS4 models, but with the struggle to maintain PS5 stock levels set to remain for the forseeable future, being made worse by bots and scalpers sweeping units across the market, the PS4 almost definitely needs to stick around in production for at least a year to help fill the gap in demand for gaming on the PlayStation platform. Although, if ending the manufacture of older PS4 variants is also for the sake of being able to further increase production of the PlayStation 5, being able to get more in the hands of gamers who genuinely want them, instead of scalpers, then that’s absolutely great news. 

Speaking of PS5, console owners might be finally able to change their system’s faceplate soon with black PS5 faceplates in production from dbrand.