PS5 Gets a Mid-November Launch Tease – Thanks to Fortnite

We know the PlayStation 5 is launching during the 'Holiday season' but a Fortnite reveal hints at a release in mid-November. | Source:

• Fortnite’s The Joker-themed The Last Laugh bundle releases on Nov. 17.
• Developer Epic Games says it will arrive in time for the release of the PS5.
• The implication is that the two will release in proximity to one another.

Epic Games has announced an upcoming DC Comics-themed cosmetic bundle for Fornite and seemingly narrowed the PS5 launch window in the process.

A press release on the official Fortnite website reveals The Last Laugh Bundle, which features skins for popular DC Comics characters, including The Joker, Poison Ivy, and Midas.

PS5 Launch Window Narrows

Epic says the bundle lands on Nov. 17 in both digital and physical format for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, while also noting it will release in time for the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The pertinent passage in the press release reads:

“The Last Laugh Bundle is available for digital or physical purchase and includes 1,000 V-Bucks. The retail version is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. It will also arrive in time for the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X next-generation consoles.”

We already know that Microsoft plans to launch the Xbox Series X in November, courtesy of a statement released last week in the wake of Halo Infinite’s delay to 2021. As for the PS5, Sony is sticking staunchly to the vague Holiday 2020 window.

Epic’s statement says the bundle will be available at the PS5’s launch, implying a release in mid-November and offering a clearer picture of when Sony plans to unleash the next-gen console to the masses.

It’s worth noting that the statement is open for interpretation, and could equally mean the console arrives before Nov. 17 or shortly afterward. Nevertheless, it does imply a degree of proximity for the two releases.

Sony and Epic Games Rapprochement

As for Sony and Epic Games, they’ve strengthened their relationship in recent months, illustrated in May when Epic showcased an Unreal Engine 5 demo running on PS5. Early last month, Sony announced a ‘strategic investment’ for a 1.4% minority stake in Epic Games to the tune of $250 million.

Epic has already confirmed a PS5 and Xbox Series X version of Fortnite at launch and is eyeing up a migration to Unreal Engine 5 in mid-2021. It isn’t unreasonable to expect a joint promotional drive between Sony and Epic to mark the occasion, fruit of their close relationship.