PS5 With Detachable Disc Drive Coming In 2023 - Report

A new version of the PlayStation 5 will be released in 2023 featuring a detachable disk drive, according to a new report from Tom Henderson at Insider-Gaming.

Henderson reported that the console will launch about a year from now in September 2023. Sources told the site that this new model of the PS5 has been in production since the PS5 launched in November 2020.

The new remodel will be "almost identical" to the existing one but with a detachable disc drive. The report said this drive will connect to the PS5 via a USB-C port on the back of the console. The site went on to claim that the PS5 will be sold on its own or in a bundle with the detachable disk drive, while these rumored disc drives will be made available for sale separately.

No images of the rumored new PS5 model or the supposed detachable disk drive were published in the report, but the story added that the detachable drive would not "ruin the aesthetics of the console." The new PS5 model is said to be "slimmer and lighter" than the current system. The report had no mention of pricing.

Finally, the report said Sony is aiming to produce 18.5 million new PS5 consoles during FY 2023 and 12 million of the existing model, which the report said is a SKU that is being "phased out."

A console with a detachable drive is not unprecedented. Microsoft released an HD-DVD drive that could connect to the Xbox 360, but it didn't play games, and the technology overall didn't last long with HD-DVD losing the battle to Blu-ray.

GameSpot has contacted Sony in an attempt to get more details. Keep checking back for more.

Sony has released slightly revised PS5 models already, but if this new report is true, it would be the most significant revision to the hardware to date. Many have called for a slimmed down version of the PS5, and it may finally be happening, albeit with a detachable disk drive, if this report ends up coming to fruition.