Sony is releasing a “Limited Edition 30th Anniversary PS5 Collection” on November 21, pre-order window is Sept. 26 and it’ll surely sellout, but is it worth it?

If you’re a Nike fan, you know the drill: give a nod to the past with a retro colorway, keep it limited, charge a premium for said nostalgia, and…underdeliver.

My two biggest beefs:

How can you release a PS5 that harkens back to the OG PlayStation and not include a disc drive? (It will be sold separately, no bueno.)

Where’s the backwards compatibility? How cool would it have been to be able to play games from the PS1, 2, 3 and 4 on the PS5?

Here are some other issues I have with this retro ‘Anniversary’ collection:

1. Limited Availability

Extremely Low Supply: With only 12,300 units of the PS5 Pro available globally, the collection’s limited availability has frustrated many fans. The scarcity has led to concerns about resellers buying up consoles and reselling them at inflated prices, making it difficult for genuine collectors and long-time PlayStation fans to get their hands on one.
Pre-Order Process: In regions where PlayStation’s direct store isn’t available, fans have to rely on participating retailers, which can be unpredictable in terms of stock availability. This could lead to people missing out, sound familiar Nike fans?

2. Lack of Significant Hardware Upgrades

No Major Technical Advancements: While the Limited Edition PS5 is nice to look at with its nostalgic design, there are no significant hardware improvements over the standard PS5. Some fans expected a bit more, like new features, improved cooling, or additional system enhancements beyond the increased storage and Wi-Fi 7 support.

3. Price Point

High Cost for Aesthetic Changes: While currently unknown, the price of the Limited Edition PS5 will most likely be significantly higher than the standard versions of the console, but the differences are mainly aesthetic. Some consumers feel that paying a premium for nostalgia and branding rather than added value or functionality, especially since the additional accessories and collector’s items don’t necessarily what is sure to be a the steep price increase, I’d expect a 4-digit price.

Look Ma, a paperclip!

4. Bundled Items Are Underwhelming

Lackluster Collectibles: While the collector’s items (like the original PlayStation-style cable connector, stickers, and paperclips) are a thing, they have been seen by some as underwhelming, especially given the anniversary milestone. Fans expected more exclusive and unique memorabilia for such a significant release—items like custom artwork, unique in-game content, or more sophisticated collectibles would have better captured the spirit of the occasion.

5. Nostalgia Over Functionality

More Focus on Nostalgia than Innovation: While the retro-inspired design is a nice tribute, some fans feel Sony leaned too heavily into nostalgia rather than offering new, innovative features for the PS5 experience. They were hoping for something more groundbreaking, like new gameplay mechanics or additional capabilities that tie back to the classic PlayStation days.

6. Digital Edition Lacks Distinction

Fewer Features in the Digital Edition: Some criticism is aimed at the Digital Edition of the console, which lacks some of the high-end features seen in the PS5 Pro version (like 2TB storage or Wi-Fi 7). While this is expected given the nature of the Digital Edition, some consumers feel that the Digital version doesn’t offer enough bang for the buck, especially considering its high price.

7. Design Not for Everyone

Polarizing Retro Aesthetic: While the retro-inspired colorway appeals to long-time PlayStation fans, not everyone is a fan of the design. Some younger gamers or those who prefer modern, sleeker aesthetics may not appreciate the throwback gray look. It’s a specific design that may feel dated or out of place for those not nostalgic about the original console era.

8. Missed Opportunities for In-Game Content

No Exclusive In-Game Content: For a 30th-anniversary celebration, some fans expected the collection to include exclusive in-game content, such as special skins, themes, or early access to certain games. Including some digital goodies to match the physical collectibles could have elevated the overall value.

Overall, while the Limited Edition PS5 30th Anniversary collection successfully taps into nostalgia and offers a visually unique console, it faces criticism for its limited availability, high price for mostly cosmetic changes, and lack of significant new features or upgrades feeling more like a collector’s novelty than a substantial offering for the gaming community.

At least the PS1-themed controllers can be purchased separately, which I suspect many people, myself included, will opt to do.

Will you try to pick up the Anniversary edition PS5? Let us know here.

Community Comments
Join the discussion →

123Next

Latest

Popular

Thursday at 7:50 PM #1

blacklion23

Pawn shop steal for $25
Charged me $5 for bulk items and had me cash app him $20 for the games lol

Thursday at 8:16 PM #2

2sappy

Sick reference.

Friday at 12:19 AM #3

brendasdeadbaby

Late to the party but marvel rivals is pretty fun. Nice little pick up and play till I rage at a 11 year old spamming dr. strange

Friday at 12:32 AM #4

reconic supreme

brendasdeadbaby said:

Late to the party but marvel rivals is pretty fun. Nice little pick up and play till I rage at a 11 year old spamming dr. strange

i’ve played a little, it’s so polished and fun

but man it’s so overwhelming with how many characters there are! i’m still trying to wrap my head around it

Friday at 12:39 AM #5

brendasdeadbaby

reconic supreme said:

i’ve played a little, it’s so polished and fun

but man it’s so overwhelming with how many characters there are! i’m still trying to wrap my head around it

That’s actually one of the things that caught me by surprise. The devs gave over 30 marvel characters at launch and didn’t make you grind for days/weeks or buy them separately. that’s coming soon tho but it’s great for now

Friday at 4:45 AM #6

swendro formerly swendro88

Friday at 7:45 AM #7

John Wick formerly jayzonmytoes

pS5 Pro. pSVR2, and arizona sunshine 2 remake is a hell of a time, enjoying this lol

Friday at 9:37 AM #8

tr1ll

swendro said:

bro

What an utter waste of time and resources this GAAS push has been.

Cratered 1st party output this gen for nothing.

8tothe24 said:

I am sick of GaaS. I would have preferred Days Gone 2. At least they would have a game produced, love it or hate it.

Every time people say this, someone **** around and does it right. Every. Time. :{ I'm just glad they're realizing its easier said then done.

Friday at 9:44 AM #9

D Double

swendro said:

bro

What an utter waste of time and resources this GAAS push has been.

Cratered 1st party output this gen for nothing.

Add in Concord and Factions and that's a ton of money just lit on fire. We already had a multiplayer GoW and it didn't exactly set the charts on fire.

To make it worse, Bend made Days Gone which although treated unfairly at launch, still got to 10 Million sold. They should have made a sequel instead.

They need to leave GaaS to Bungie and Arrowhead for now. This is some MS levels of shooting yourself in the foot.

They about to mismanage themselves back into the PS3 era.

Friday at 9:57 AM #10

Ricky D formerly centex hogg

If Marathon don’t hit for Bungie…

:sick:

Friday at 10:17 AM #11

Bend_The_Knee formerly gotholesinmysocks

Today is the last day for that sale on the PS Store.

Picking up

Stellar Blade
Epic Mickey Rebrushed
Double Dragon Gaiden

Friday at 11:02 AM #12

Bad Religion

What are the chances we see significant layoffs at Bend and Bluepoint now, thanks to some horrible management decisions?

Friday at 11:16 AM #13

mr j 858

No wonder why 2025 version is dirt cheap $25 right now. But yeah I'll wait a few months after 2026 drops to get. Not paying $70 full retail for any sports games.

Friday at 1:29 PM #14

dhart48

Friday at 3:13 PM #15

swendro formerly swendro88

I wonder about this scenario:

ND says Factions was good, but they didn't want to dedicate the studio to ongoing development.

Couldn't one of these studios have picked up the torch after release and collaborate with ND on the storytelling and gameplay elements? Maybe they don't want TLOU in anybody else's hands right now, but that would've made the most sense to me.

Friday at 5:39 PM #16

Bend_The_Knee formerly gotholesinmysocks

Anyone getting this?

Midnight Black DualSense Edge pre-orders are now live - here's where to buy the new colorway

Sony's all-black pro controller is available today, here's where you can pre-order it

www.gamesradar.com

Going to preorder one tomorrow.

Friday at 6:24 PM #17

blakep267

Bad Religion said:

What are the chances we see significant layoffs at Bend and Bluepoint now, thanks to some horrible management decisions?

Highly likely. Mass layoffs come with the territory of canceled games. Blue point won’t be closed tho as they are still valuable. Bend on the other hand

Friday at 6:30 PM #18

blakep267

D Double said:

Add in Concord and Factions and that's a ton of money just lit on fire. We already had a multiplayer GoW and it didn't exactly set the charts on fire.

To make it worse, Bend made Days Gone which although treated unfairly at launch, still got to 10 Million sold. They should have made a sequel instead.

They need to leave GaaS to Bungie and Arrowhead for now. This is some MS levels of shooting yourself in the foot.

They about to mismanage themselves back into the PS3 era.

Every studio was working on these and they cancelled nearly all of them. But hey they still are selling boxes so they don’t care that they cratered the entire gen software wise

Saturday at 2:03 PM #19

Sinner

D Double said:

So those rumours could be true that some studios were using older versions of PSSR.
Apparently, Sony was constanly updating PSSR when the Pro dev kits were sent out so some games were patched with the older version of PSSR

Or, it could be a new version that's just come out to fix the issues in this game, Silent Hill and Avatar.

Should get a DF video soon.

Sunday at 2:39 AM #20

swendro formerly swendro88

dhart48 said:

I want this man in PHYSINT

Sunday at 4:14 AM #21

dhart48

swendro said:

I want this man in PHYSINT

I could see him giving out the missions and signing off with

"On you go"

Yesterday at 10:02 AM #22

jopx

Going to try hard and let the severance episodes pile up. Weekly is a bit too much suffering with that one....

Yesterday at 10:48 AM #23

Mark Antony

Yeah Silo is a chore doing weekly, so is Severance. Hope they don't just judge shows like this off weekly watch, but binges at the end.

Yesterday at 1:36 PM #24

jopx

Mark Antony said:

Yeah Silo is a chore doing weekly, so is Severance. Hope they don't just judge shows like this off weekly watch, but binges at the end.

Super agreed, I was keeping up at first but now letting that one run a bit ahead as well.

Yesterday at 1:43 PM #25

Sinner

I generally don't mind a weekly release, but I've got a few shows to start (like Silo and Severance)... so figured I might as well wait a bit longer and just binge them.

Yesterday at 3:35 PM #26

brendasdeadbaby

The meltdowns will be epic if GTA6 is $80-$100 on launch

Yesterday at 4:45 PM #27

2sappy

They're gonna be complaining until it's done installing, then say it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. 😆

Yesterday at 4:49 PM #28

Ricky D formerly centex hogg

I've already said that I probably won't play it if it's 30fps on console. I know, I know there's plenty of games that run fine at 30fps but Rockstar games already run like trash, imo. I can wait a year and play on PC, especially since I probably won't bother with GTA Online 2.

Yesterday at 5:41 PM #29

Beruseruku Desu

Supporter

Today at 1:53 PM #30

swendro formerly swendro88

🫵 Why haven't you played Balatro?

Dec 5, 2020 #1

souljaman22

souljaman22 said:

Finally picked up Ghost of Tsushima and played for about 1 hour before the wife went into labor. So no PS5 for a while. Platinumed Miles and Spidey Remastered first so I'm good. Here's to a healthy baby boy in a few hours.

He came through this am

Nov 26, 2020 #2

SolesNGoals99

My girl called me at 8:30 this morning and told me to come outside. Mind you she was supposed to be at work or at least on her way to work. I get my *** outta bed and go outside. About a minute later she comes flying thru the parking lot and tells me open the backdoor. I open the door and there’s a PS5 chillin in the backseat. She says Happy Thanksgiving and I said “that’s not mine” because I was in complete disbelief 😂

Feb 16, 2022 #3

treewing

Sup! I haven’t posted on NT in years but I recently shared on Twitter that I got to voice a few characters for Horizon Forbidden West. Here are a few pics from the recording booth and screenshots from gameplay!

Dec 16, 2021 #4

iheartboost

I GOT A PS5! I GOT ONE, OMG I GOT ONE1! MERRY ******* XMAS OT ME DAMMIT SO DAMN WLDI I FINALY OWN ONE AFTER 8 BILLION TRIES SHIIIIIIIII I PICK UP IT ONE MONDAY SON

Nov 26, 2020 #5

Bad Religion

My wife got me a new snow shovel. So I will, "shovel the driveway better".

:stoneface:

Nov 15, 2020 #6

freeze

Dec 25, 2020 #7

mr s j king

Merry Christmas PS5 thread 🎅🏾🎄⛄
A few more hours and I'll get to see my two boys in complete shock that they actually got a PS5 for Christmas :nthat:

Apr 7, 2021 #8

jetpacunlimited

Added some of those “Streamer” star lights to the man cave. They came out good.

Tonal workout system came in as well.

Excuse the mess, got a couple more pieces coming and then it’ll be complete

Feb 5, 2021 #9

Bad Religion

My wife and I welcomed our first child 8 days ago. I genuinely believed not much would change in terms of gaming.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'd trade my PS5 for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

That said, Destruction Allstars is awesome and I can play while holding him.

Nov 15, 2020 #10

617collector

mr j 858 said:

Someone on Reddit PS5 posted this:

Damn that's almost $50 in credit at Gamestop :wow:

Dec 25, 2020 #11

Lee And His Sneaks

:pimp::nthat::nthat::nthat:

Dec 5, 2020 #12

souljaman22

Finally picked up Ghost of Tsushima and played for about 1 hour before the wife went into labor. So no PS5 for a while. Platinumed Miles and Spidey Remastered first so I'm good. Here's to a healthy baby boy in a few hours.

Apr 16, 2022 #13

Master Zik

This **** came dumb fast!

🔥

Dec 25, 2020 #14

Ricky D formerly centex hogg

D Double said:

Lots of unhappy kids out there I'm guessing 😆

Nov 27, 2020 #15

GrizzlyAnimal

Nov 7, 2022 #16

slaughterx

Well... he came a couple of days early... but welcome Logan Atreus Slaughter to the world!

Dats my BOY!

Nov 17, 2020 #17

matrix

Just picked my son’s up. He got a little excited. Between this and his bear hug that gave me a bloody lip.

Nov 30, 2020 #18

addict4sneakers

Cussing out the manager works. Big Karen energy.

Dec 25, 2020 #19

jopx

Waited for all our visitors to leave tonight then gave the kids the PS5. The in-shock moment was priceless.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone!

Dec 25, 2022 #20

needsomejays

Welp, I am now part of the ps5 fam. My brother got me one for Christmas. Totally out of left field. Still shocked :lol

Apr 14, 2022 #21

Master Zik

FINALLY!!!

FINALLY!!!#

******* FINALLY!!!!!

I see the charge on my card and everything. Just waiting for the confirmation email.

No more playing my friends ps5

YES CONFIRMATIOIN THERE!

YEEEEESSSSSSSSSS