Sony PS5 Patent Suggests Official Faceplates May Be On The Way

Sony's PS5 gaming console might soon have an added touch of customization on the way, as the company has been granted a patent for a new set of faceplates. Spotted by OPAttack, the patent is titled "Cover for Electronic Device" and details an "ornamental design for a cover for an electronic device," with diagrams of the PS5 faceplates being used for illustrative purposes.

It's worth noting that the patent doesn't outright refer to replacement faceplates or even skins that can be wrapped around them, but it does show that some form of customization might be on the horizon if Sony decides to follow through on this document.

This isn't the first time that Sony has introduced custom faceplates to a PlayStation either, as the original PS4 model featured its own selection of small faceplates that covered the top portion of the console.

Officially, the PS5 has yet to feature any design other than the default white faceplate that it launched with. Unofficially, there are third-party options available, but these companies have run afoul of Sony and have been hit with cease and desist orders.

Two notable examples were CMP Shells--which attracted the Sony's legal wrath in 2020--and Dbrand, which offered a selection of "Darkplates" for $50. Immediately popular when they launched, Dbrand dared the console manufacturer to sue them and soon received a fresh legal threat from Sony's lawyers, prompting the cheeky custom faceplate company to shut down all Darkplate production and replace them with the more distinctive Darkplate 2.0 shells.

While the market isn't flush with alternative options for customizing a PS5, the silver lining here is that thanks to the faceplates being easily removable, personalizing your own PS5 is still easily doable if you have a can of spray paint on hand. This will probably void the warranty on your console, if you're prepared to take that risk for a touch of gaming individuality.