While no one mentioned the device, Vole submitted documents in the FTC v. Microsoft case claiming a PS5 Slim is on the way "later this year."

Microsoft said: "PlayStation likewise sells a less expensive Digital Edition for $399.99, and is expected to release a PlayStation 5 Slim later this year at the same reduced price point."

Vole hopes to convince Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley that the Nintendo Switch should be considered in the same market as the Xbox Series consoles and the PlayStation 5, an argument it believes boosts the image of Xbox as losing the console wars in third place.

The existence of a PS5 Slim wouldn’t be a surprise, given that Sony has released slim versions of its previous consoles. It released a PlayStation 4 Slim that replaced the standard PS4 model in 2016 and a beefier PS4 Pro that launched shortly after. PS5 launched in November 2020 in two forms: with a drive for $499 and without a drive for $399.