PS5 leak reveals next-gen streaming, built-in camera and codename Prospero

[Update: Gizmodo has reported that "a Microsoft spokesman denied any camera technology is in development and that none has been delivered to developers in any form".]

PS5 leaks are coming thick and fast. We recently learned that Sony has filed a patent for a 3D holographic display screen, that we may see implemented in its next-generation hardware, and now a hefty leak may have revealed some new details about the highly-anticipated console.

The PS5 will be codenamed 'Prospero' and feature a built-in camera for focus on next-generation streaming, according to a new report by Gizmodo.

This information comes via an anonymous tipster who claims to be working on a next-generation title for both the PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett, according to the report. 

While it's always worth taking any rumors with a big ol' pinch of salt, this tipster seems to be fairly on the ball. 

Apparently the source sent the site real-life design illustrations of a pre-production PS5 in June, before the illustrations were found, leaked, circulated and ultimately rendered in August. 

What have we learnt?

The tipster claims that new models of the PS5 dev kit were sent to studios during the summer and that Sony is referring to the next-generation hardware as 'Prospero' - though it's likely this is a codename. 

If that's not enough, the source also claims that both the PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett will have a big focus on streaming - with both consoles boasting built-in cameras.

While the Xbox Project Scarlett's camera is apparently more powerful and will allegedly be capable of 4K resolution with "just a two-frame latency between what is recorded and what appears on a stream", the PS5's camera is rumored to use older camera technology – that's based on the dev kits that have been sent out.

In addition, the anonymous source offered some fuzzier details such as the suggestion that the PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett will be “greatest compute jump in any console".

As previously mentioned, this leak should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, it would make sense for both Sony and Microsoft to lean into streaming – with services like Twitch and Mixer increasing in popularity – but both have previously delved into camera features (with the EyeToy/PlayStation Camera and Kinect respectively) so to do so again isn't a massive surprise.

• Xbox Project Scarlett vs PS5: what we know so far