Sony Discontinues PS4 Pro and All But One Model of PS4 in Japan

Sony Japan has reportedly announced that it will end production of PS4 Pro, and will only continue to produce one model of the PS4. It's not clear at time of writing whether this policy extends to western markets. GameWatch reports that Sony has discontinued all models of PS4 Pro (CUH-7000), and all but one model of PS4 Slim (CUH-2000), with the original PS4 design (CUH-1000) already out of active production. The only PS4 that will remain in production is the 500GB Jet Black 'slim' design. The move has been taken so that Sony Interactive Entertainment can increase production of the PS5, which has seen major stock shortages since launch, not least in the US, where it had the biggest console launch month in the country's history. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/06/playstation-5-review"] So far, the move has only been announced in Japan, and it's unclear whether Sony's western arms will follow suit. IGN has reached out for comment, but received no response at time of publish. It wouldn't be a hugely surprising move - the PS4 Pro retails at the same $399 price point as the PS5 digital edition and, with Sony hoping to transition from last-gen to new-gen within 3 years, the company will be hoping to bolster the numbers of PS5 console owners as quickly as possible. Xbox made a similar move ahead of the release of Xbox Series X & S – the Xbox One X and Xbox Series S Digital Edition were both discontinued in July of 2020. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-2021-games-with-confirmed-release-dates&captions=true"] That doesn't mean PS4 owners will go without games, however. Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO, Jim Ryan has repeatedly said that it's "crucial" to continue serving the older console's huge playerbase until at least 2022. As part of that support, major PlayStation exclusives such as Horizon Forbidden West will continue to receive PS4 versions at release. If you were lucky enough to pick up a PS5 despite the shortages, we've got tips on the PS5 hidden features and settings, and a guide on how best to transfer data from your PS4 to your new console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.