Yes, the PS5 can be placed on its side – here's proof

(Image credit: Sony)

During the console's reveal, the PS5's unusual shape led us to wonder whether Sony's newest hardware could be placed on its side. All previous PlayStation consoles could be placed on their side, even if the PS2, PS3 and PS4 were also designed to stand up next to your TV.

Well, the answer is, you can. Sony has even revealed what the PS5 looks like on its side with the following official image:

(Image credit: Sony Computer Entertainment)

So, there you have it. While the unusual shape of the PS5's upper half might've made you wonder if the console was meant to be stood up in order to remain cool, that's seemingly not the case. 

You can still lay the PS5 down on its side, and stack both your Wii U and original Xbox on top of it (we're joking about that bit). 

A divisive design

The PS5 has such an unusual design, particularly the strange collar bits at the top, but we'd guess the console is shaped that way in order to keep the console as cool as possible. It's possible that making it a more self-contained black box isn't as feasible as it has been in previous generations. 

That's just our guess, though. In the meantime, enjoy this joke:

See more
Samuel Roberts

Samuel is a PR Manager at game developer Frontier. Formerly TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor, he's an expert in Marvel, Star Wars, Netflix shows and general streaming stuff. Before his stint at TechRadar, he spent six years at PC Gamer. Samuel is also the co-host of the popular Back Page podcast, in which he details the trials and tribulations of being a games magazine editor – and attempts to justify his impulsive eBay games buying binges.