Microsoft has been openly sharing key details about the Xbox Series X, which seems to be leading up to its official debut. While most gamers speculate that it should be sometime this month, gaming industry pundits believe it could be slated for July instead. Perhaps the best sales pitch for the console is its comprehensive backward compatibility. This practically allows users to play games from all past Xbox platforms. Sony, on the other hand, confirmed that the PS5 will only support PS4 games, but a new listing hints otherwise.

Unlike the Redmond, Washington-based manufacturer, the Japanese gaming group appears to be withholding some important aspects of the next-generation PlayStation. In fact, it has not even unveiled what the retail model would look like. Even though it is likely that elements similar to that of its devkits will carry over, it remains to be seen how the company packages the system.

An article published by Laptop Mag discusses what might be a big surprise from Sony when it debuts the PS5. According to a Turkish retailer called Hepsiburada, it noted that the hardware is backwards compatible beyond the PS4. Apparently, the PlayStation 5 will run even older titles from PlayStation 2 and 3. Meanwhile, the first-generation unit was not included on the list of supported software for an unspecified reason.

On paper, the Xbox Series X is definitely the more powerful machine. Moreover, its compatibility with the entire Xbox game library is already lauded by consumers and analysts alike. Sony was originally scheduled to present a gameplay showcase this week, but it was cancelled as a sign of support for the ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd.

Sony PS5 deep dive with Mark Cerny
While the public was expecting a more traditional PS5 reveal presentation, Sony once again opted for an odd approach not many appreciated. Photo: Sony

Backward compatibility was not exactly alluded to by the announcement, which means it could be for another event instead. In hindsight, being able to play older software on PlayStation consoles was one of the biggest selling points of the brand's previous-generation units. Strangely enough, this feature never made it to the PS4. It is currently not known when the official PS5 reveal will be, but it might be soon in order for Sony to have enough time to market its new platform before it launches later this year.

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