YOU can now fool your mates into thinking you’ve got the new PlayStation 5 console early using a devious Instagram filter.
The custom software created by Instagram user @ARoneverything overlays a realistic graphic of the PS5 box onto your posts.
At the right angle, the augmented reality wizardry makes it look as though you’ve just had Sony’s new gaming machine delivered days before release.
The cheeky filter went viral earlier this week after it was featured by the Sony Malaysia Twitter account, though the page quickly took it down again.
On Instagram, @ARoneverything wrote on Tuesday: “Hope everyone is having a good time with [the] new AR filter for the PS5 box.
“I humbly request [that] everyone use it ethically and responsibly.”
They claimed the filter had garnered more than six million impressions in less than two days.
The PlayStation 5 is out November 12 in the US and will hit shelves in the UK a week later.
The high-powered machine can run games at 8K resolution and boasts a powerful processing engine that will almost eliminate loading times.
Commenting on their filter, @ARoneverything said they created it “for fun” and discouraged people from misusing the free software to scam others with fake sales or giveaways.
“This may attract legal consequences for which I am not responsible,” they said.
On social media, several fans claimed their Instagram feeds were suddenly swamped with fake photos of people with a PS5 in their hands.
“My Instagram timeline is literally filled with people owning the latest PS5,” one Twitter user wrote. “Looks like the country’s economy is doing well.”
Others admitted it took them several hours to realise the images were phony.
“It took me half day to realise that PS5 is a filter in Instagram,” one sheepish Twitter fan wrote.
Sony is ramping up marketing for the PS5 ahead of its bitter clash with Microsoft’s upcoming consoles next week.
Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X and its smaller, cheaper sibling, the Series S, will launch on November 10.
The release date covers the UK, US, Australia and a bunch of other countries worldwide.
The disc-free Series S will cost £249/$299, while the Xbox Series X comes in at £449/$499.
The PS5 proper will cost £449.99/$499.99, while a digital-only edition comes in at £359/$399.
In other news, Sony recently confirmed that more PS5 pre-orders are on the way.
The next-gen machine sold out within minutes when pre-orders launched on September 17.
And, a PlayStation fan has created an “all black” PS5 that disappointed gamers think looks much better than the real thing.
Are you excited for the new consoles? Let us know in the comments!
