Sony has announced that official PS5 covers will arrive in January 2022, and in an array of galaxy-inspired colors.
Alongside the highly requested black cover option (dubbed ‘Midnight Black’), we’re also getting Cosmic Red, Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple shades, giving gamers the options to customize their console however they see fit.
A galaxy-inspired palette comes to PS5 ? Introducing new PS5 console covers, available starting January 2022 in select regions. Full details: https://t.co/3rFWN4gJMu pic.twitter.com/VJrlbQnMANDecember 13, 2021
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The removable PS5 covers will be available for both the PS5 with the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and the PS5 Digital Edition, but they’ll be sold separately from the console and controllers. That’s a blessing for anyone lucky enough to already own a PS5 console, and leaves the potential open for Sony to sell these plates alongside the hardware itself in the future.
Prices for the console covers are currently listed at $54.99 (around £40 / AU$75) on the PlayStation Direct store under ‘Coming Soon’, with an official US launch date of January 21, 2022. It’s unclear if these will be made available on the same date in other regions, and what the official price will be outside of the United States.
Similarly, new DualSense controller colors that match the newly announced PS5 covers will be available from January 14. 2022, in the US and February 11, 2022, ‘elsewhere’, though actual regions are unclear.
Unlike the PS5 console covers, which can be removed and attached at will, the DualSense controllers are custom made, so you can’t switch up the color afterward. The controllers are listed at $74.99 (around £55 / AU$105).
Currently, only the Midnight Black and Cosmic Red covers and controllers will available on the dates specified (alongside the Starlight Blue DualSense controller), with the other shades stated to arrive at a later date in early 2022.
Analysis: PS5 covers are a long time in the making
Sony secured a patent for its PS5 faceplates on November 16, 2021, which strongly suggested the company would begin selling official custom PlayStation 5 faceplates in the near future. We now know that turned out to be the case.
Even before the patent was granted, it was inevitable that Sony would eventually release its own line of official removable PS5 covers, especially after it shut down a number of third-party companies who tried to sell competing versions.
Most recently, tech branding company Dbrand was served a cease and desist order to stop selling its original ‘darkplates’, which were aimed at those who wanted a black PS5. Dbrand responded by selling a supposedly improved version of Sony’s PS5 faceplate design called ‘darkplates 2.0’, which features a prominent fan cutout and a more svelte design.
Now users will have an official option from Sony, in a pleasing selection of bold colors to choose from to boot. However, finding a PS5 to buy is still frustratingly difficult, which will still be many consumers’ first port of call.