A listing from online retailer Amazon Spain appears to suggest that Sony's improved PlayStation 4, the PlayStation Neo, will be released on October 13.
Following months of rumors and speculation, prior to E3, Sony confirmed that it is working on an upgraded PS4. Codenamed PlayStation Neo (and nicknamed PlayStation 4.5 by gamers), this upgraded version of Sony’s massively popular games console will offer improved graphics as well as 4K support. Sony has even promised that the PlayStation Neo will not impact the PS4 life cycle, responding to concerns that the release of the high-end system may mean that the current model of the PS4 will be phased out.
While Sony has yet to reveal much about the console, a fresh rumor suggests that the PlayStation Neo could launch as soon as October 13. A listing on Amazon Spain (which has since been deleted), mentioned a new PS4 which will be sold for 400 Euros and will be released on October 13. While the listing may well have been for a PS4 bundle including the existing model of the console rather than the PlayStation Neo, a bundle would be unusual given that no games of significance are released on that date – The Last Guardian release date, for instance, is later in the month.
Moreover, the October 13 launch rumor is in line with a previous suggestion that suggested that the PlayStation Neo will launch this year. There’s also a recently leaked document that claims to come from Sony, listing various specs and features of the console, as well as stating that “all PlayStation 4 titles released October 2016 or later should support both the original PlayStation 4 system and the NEO system.” It’s difficult to verify the legitimacy of that document but if it is the real deal, again, all signs point to an October Neo release.
And finally, an October release would also line up with Sony’s previous reasoning as to why the PlayStation Neo wasn't at E3. The company explained that it wants to have enough time to “demonstrate” the console properly. Sony may be skipping Gamescom 2016, which would have been a prime opportunity to show the console off, but the company is unlikely to skip Tokyo Games Show 2016 which takes place between September 15-18. Traditionally, Sony pulls out all of the stops for its TGS presser (last year it announced a PS4 price drop, Yakuza 6 and Kingdom Hearts 2.8) and so this year’s show would be another good chance to detail what the PlayStation Neo is capable of ahead of that alleged October 13 release date.