PS5 Pro: Why Does This Exist?

So I keep seeing the whole PS5 Pro stuff happening, and I really would like to put some thoughts down, so let's talk about it a bit.

Sony announced the PS5 Pro the other day, and it's a "0.5 Upgrade" to the PS5. It's slightly better specs, and has removed the disc drive. That's basically it. What are my thoughts on it you ask?

Well, I dislike these "Pro" consoles, because they are iterative upgrades that just prolong the span of the console generation, yet splits the customer base. Consoles are walled off/closed platforms that sacrifice freedom for comfortability. It's easier to just turn it on and play a game (not that much easier, but a tad). It's a dedicated gaming machine for the most part.

The Pro console now tries to market higher specs and better performing hardware to people who don't really care about that in the first place. There are a few who do, but I always equate it to fighting over which Honda Civic is the fastest car. We all know there are many more cars that are way faster than a Honda Civic, but Console Warriors will battle over which bottom of the barrel device is more powerful, when there are plenty better more powerful devices outside of the console space.

It also prolongs the console generation and holds back the entire industry as devs have to either downgrade games for a system that doesn't perform well because it's the base model instead of the Pro model, and they both have to play the same games... or they choose to alienate part of their customers to focus on the Pro model. I personally hate this, as we've all seen that the Xbox Series S is now becoming known for holding developers back and certain games are being delayed because of the under performing hardware.

So, this Pro console is prolonging the life of the PS5, yet marketed as something most should get. If you really care about specs and performances... It's a PC or nothing. Period. You are so focused on high specs of a lower powered device off the bat. It's basically just fighting over which fast food burger is better when you have a properly 5 star Chef made Home cooked Burger as a choice too. It just makes zero sense to me.

I'll always pick the hardware that will play the game in the best way possible. And that 99% of the time is on the PC. Consoles are relegated to the exclusive titles. I'll play those if it's an exclusive that I really want to play now but if I wait, they will almost always make their way to PC a year or two later too. I keep beating this drum lately, but Console Wars are dumb, it's hardware, that mostly is the same. It's all arguing over semantics that the majority of the people couldn't perceive anyways. Instead of going to war over which brand they like more (which is mostly what it actually comes down to). Spend that time talking about the actual games, and what the games do well, and what can be improved on. Because it really doesn't matter where you play the game, it matters about what game you are playing instead.