Sony was caught shipping mysterious PlayStation prototype consoles overseas

Sony has found itself in the spotlight once again, but this time for something you might not expect. While PlayStation has released multiple games over the past several months, the news this time is all about a shipment of mysterious PlayStation prototype consoles that went out to Virginia back in November of 2021.

What could these mysterious PlayStation consoles be?

Image source: Sony

According to a shipping ledger uncovered by Tweak Town, Sony shipped almost 700kgs (roughly 1500 pounds) worth of mysterious PlayStation consoles overseas. The package was made up of four CTN, or cartons, and it shipped from the United Kingdom to Norfolk, Virginia. The ledge also notes down the packages as prototype video game consoles.

But what exactly are these mysterious PlayStation consoles? Well, that’s a very good question. To be completely honest, nobody is really sure exactly what they could be. As Tweak Town mentions, there are no known Sony operations based in Norfolk, Virginia. There are some Sony service centers in that area, though. And since the ledger lists HS Code #981700 on the shipment, it could have something to do with console parts. However, it’s possible that Virginia was just a stopover for the packages. They could have continued to their final destination via another travel method.

What we do know, is that Sony is working on the PlayStation VR 2. The company recently revealed the name of the product, so it stands to reason that they’ve already built some prototypes or devkits to send out to early testers.

Because these mysterious PlayStation consoles are listed as prototypes it’s possible we could be looking at prototype versions of the PSVR2. It’s also possible that they could be early prototypes of an improved PS5, like a PS5 Pro. Or they could even just be older PS5 prototypes that Sony needed to offload somewhere. Of course, this is all just pure speculation.

Ultimately, there’s no real way to tell what these mysterious PlayStation consoles are. Realistically? They probably aren’t all that important.

PSVR2 and the PS5 Pro

Image source: Sony

With Sony officially confirming the PlayStation VR 2, I’m excited to see how the company expands its virtual reality offerings. The PSVR wasn’t the strongest VR headset when it launched, but it did open the door for cheap and immersive VR.

With its second VR headset, Sony has the chance to take things a step further and truly deliver one of the best PS5 accessories. If these mysterious PlayStation consoles did turn out to be prototype versions of the PSVR, well that would be exciting.

Of course, there’s also speculation that these mysterious PlayStation consoles could be PS5 Pros. These consoles would basically act as a more improved version of the PS5. It might even offer hardware closer to that of higher-end PCs.

However, the chances of the PS5 Pro dropping so early are unlikely, especially given the ongoing chip shortages that are slowing the market down at the moment, as well as the difficulties Sony is facing in keeping the PS5 restocked. Still, I suppose nothing is impossible.