Sony has removed the “8K” label from its fresh PlayStation 5 boxes. This could be an admission that there was no point in promoting 8K, or it could be a hint that Sony is saving its real 8K capabilities for the rumored PS5 Pro that could be coming later this year. The most recent slim-edition PS5 boxes in Gizmodo’s collection are both marked 2023. These have a large gold sticker at the top, promoting 8K and 4K at 120 Hz. However, if you look at either PlayStation Direct or GameStop now, you’ll note that the “8K” sticker is missing.
This is not a new console. It’s still listed as the CFI-2015 model number. While Sony revised the original PS5 several times since 2020 to reduce weight and revise its heat sinks, the current PS5 slim model is the only one on store shelves. The only thing that has seemingly changed is the packaging.
The older boxes list right on the packaging that 8K, 4K, 120 Hz, and HDR content require a compatible display and supporting software. The console itself should be able to handle 8K with support from HDMI 2.1, but you would need a higher-than-4K TV to support the 3840×2160 resolution. You also won’t find many games with a resolution higher than 4K. The only one that does 8K natively is the 2019 indie puzzle game The Touryst. Then there’s Monster Hunter: Rise, which can technically push up to 5K.
Whether the PS5 ever truly supported 8K is still the question. The original PlayStation 5 FAQ said, “PS5 is compatible with 8K displays at launch, and after a future system software update, it will be able to output resolutions up to 8K when content is available, with supported software.” However, that update never came. The Touryst scales down to 4K when playing on the PS5. While a few movies claim they go up to 7,680 x 4,320, you may still struggle to see a fundamental difference between the bigger and bigger resolutions.
Read more: Gizmodo