One of the factors included in all of the PS5 hype has been the ability to expand the internal storage. However, Sony has now confirmed that the PlayStation 5 won't be compatible with the mooted storage upgrade at launch.

No Internal Storage Expansion on PS5 Launch Day

As rumors fly around that only 667GB of the PS5's 885GB internal storage is usable, Sony has added further fuel to the fire.

Despite Sony demonstrating the existence of an expansion slot during a recent teardown video (which you can view on YouTube), it has confirmed to The Verge that this slot will not be usable. At least, not for the time being.

The PS5 will support SSD storage expansion in the future, though. A fact attested to in Mark Cerny's technical preview of the PlayStation 5 back in March of this year. You can watch his declaration in the video above; Cerny talks about the SSD feature at around the 20-minute mark.

When Will Internal SSD Expansion Arrive for PS5?

In three words, we don't know. As Cerny himself says, it will be some time after the launch of the PlayStation 5. Exactly when, though, remains a mystery for now.

What we do know, however, is that the internal slot is likely to be used for SSD storage expansions when they arrive for the PS5.

In the interview above, Cerny says that PlayStation users who receive their device on launch day should steer clear of buying their M.2 SSD until Sony gives the all-clear. So, at least there remains hope that SSD expansion is a not-too-distant possibility.

Related: What Is an M.2 SSD? How to Install One

However, while that hope is there, you should follow Sony's advice and wait it out. It may be tempting to go ahead and buy an internal SSD expansion in preparation. But we don't yet know if this is a feature that Sony will abandon in the future.

According to the video above, there are no internal SSDs that fit the bill. Either they're the wrong size, they're not fast enough, or they don't communicate with the PlayStation 5 properly.

Since this video was made, however, Sony is likely to have carried out extensive compatibility testing, hopefully with a solution on the horizon.

Don't Worry, the Memory Can Still Be Upgraded

the playstation five console and dualsense controller

If you do want to add more storage to the PS5, this is still possible. If you are happy with external storage, the PS5 will support this. So, you can use an external SSD to store game data, if you want to.

This would work in the same way as using external storage with your PS4 or a PC. You can simply attach external storage to the PS5, via USB, and you are then free to move files between the two.

While there will be plenty of games to enjoy at launch, buyers should remain wary of filling their hard drive up with too much game data while we wait for SSD storage expansion to become available on PS5.

With launch day approaching fast, it remains to be seen what other disappointments Sony will be leveling at consumers before November 12.