Sony patents its PS5 faceplate so nobody else can make them

Following the reveal of Sony’s white PlayStation 5 system design, many fans cried out for a black model that would match the colour schemes of the majority of the manufacturers older consoles. Before launch, many companies attempted to cash in on this demand with custom faceplates for the console, hoping to profit from the market’s demand for new faceplate designs. Because of this, Sony threatened legal action against them. 

Sony has now successfully patented its PlayStation 5 faceplate design, making them the only company that’s allowed to sell custom faceplates for its new gaming system. This gives Sony more power to block companies like DBrand from selling custom faceplates for the console and secures Sony future profits from selling their own custom PS5 faceplates to users of their newest console.   

In the future, Sony will likely sell custom PlayStation 5 faceplates for every major game launch, cashing in on the fandoms behind many of their largest franchises. Instead of buying special edition consoles, Sony can sell custom faceplates as console upgrades, making “special edition” consoles a lot less exclusive. Beyond that, Sony can license their design to 3rd parties to secure themselves profits from sales without needing to manufacture custom faceplates themselves. For Sony, this patent is a notable financial win for the company.