Reason 5 was released on 25 August 2010.
For the first time, Reason can directly sample audio with any of its sample-playing instruments such as the Redrum, the NN-19, the NN-XT, and the Kong Drum Designer.
The Dr. Rex loop player has been given an overhaul and is now called "Dr. Octo Rex" and can play up to eight sample loops (one at a time), and includes many new features for editing the loops and individual clips.