Ever since Sony first unveiled the PS5, fans have dreamed of having the console in a sleek all-black design. Well, your black PS5 dreams may come true, though be prepared to part with a good chunk of cash.
Custom hardware skin maker dbrand has announced that it plans to start selling PS5 faceplates that transform your white console into the shiny black machine it arguably always should have been. And they’re appropriately called Darkplates.
- Where to buy PS5: All the latest stock updates
- Which console wins? PS5 vs Xbox Series X
- Plus: I’ve fallen out of love with the PS5 DualSense — here’s why
One of the advantages of the PS5 is that its faceplates can easily be removed. So transforming your console into a black machine is as easy as swapping those plates for dbrand’s own. Those plates are black, matte and feature an interior micro-texture, just like the PS5’s default design.
Of course, this isn’t the first time someone has tried to give us a black PS5. Last year the accessory maker PlateStation announced that it would sell custom PS5 faceplates, only for Sony to shut the company's plans down. Then we had the people at SUP3R5 offering customized black PS5 consoles, only for them to cancel all pre-orders after “threats” to their safety.
Dbrand has thrown some shade at Sony over the PlateStation situation, and how it swapped out the standard PS5 micro-detailing with its own “apocalyptic dbrand versions.” The company claims it can’t be sued for releasing these, though whether Sony will take issue with it selling unauthorized PS5 accessories is another matter.
Unfortunately, dbrand’s faceplates are not available to buy right now. There's not even any pricing information yet. In fact, the company has emailed a survey out to people who signed up for notifications, asking them how much they’d be willing to pay. The lowest price mentioned was $69, meaning this upgrade is not going to come cheap.
The company also asked if people would be willing to pay $15 for shipping because “the PS5 is [expletive] enormous." That means the Darkplates are also rather large, and the box they would be shipped in is larger than the PS5 console.
Users may also be able to add custom skins for the PS5’s center spine. dbrand has suggested a $0.69 price tag for these, which appear to be simple decals that stick onto the console.
There’s no indication when the plates will be available, and dbrand admits that stock will be limited on its website. Hopefully not as limited as PS5 stock, which is still incredibly hard to come by. If you’re still on the lookout for one, make sure to check our guide on where to buy the PS5 for the all latest stock updates.
