Kotaku: Sony working on a PS4.5; already briefing devs

[johnhoftb]

http://kotaku.com/sources-sony-is-wo...4-5-1765723053

Sony is currently planning a new version of the PS4 with increased graphical power and games running at 4K resolution, developer sources tell Kotaku.

We don’t know whether current PS4 owners will be able to upgrade or if they’ll have to buy an entirely new device to benefit from this power boost, but from what we hear, Sony has started briefing developers.

Based on conversations with developers who have spoken with Sony, this ‘PS4.5’ will include an upgraded GPU both to support high-end 4K resolution for games and add more processing power that can enhance the games supported by PlayStation VR, the headset Sony will launch this fall. It’s unclear if ‘PS4.5’ is an official name or just a nickname that developers have been using. One developer jokingly called it the ‘PS4K’ while telling me about the device.

In layman’s terms, 4K resolution is around four times the pixel size of 1080p, which is the current standard for games on PlayStation 4 and competing consoles. The current PS4 can output 4K photos and videos, but cannot support 4K resolutions for games. With this upgrade, it would. Besides resolution, developers would have an opportunity to push more effects and other graphical tweaks to make their games look better, thanks to the new GPU.

A more powerful PS4 would also allow the machine to be more competitive with PCs in the world of virtual reality. With a higher-end GPU, the PS4 could more easily match up against the more expensive Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual reality headsets, which are designed to work with powerful PCs.

When contacted yesterday about this report, Sony declined to comment. “We can’t comment on rumors or speculation,” a spokesperson said in an e-mail.

The circle of people who knew about this upgraded PS4 was small until recently. I first heard about the device from one trusted source, then two. Kotaku’s Jason Schreier and Stephen Totilo were also able to independently verify the existence of these hardware plans with their own developer sources, although some of the details have been vague; one source told us that the device felt “exploratory” and that it may not even be released this year.

We’ve also heard that at this week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Sony held meetings with developers about the hardware and how it would work. As we were chasing down this story, coincidentally, Kotaku UK EIC Keza MacDonald overheard some developers casually talking about the machine while on line at GDC. They mentioned the name ‘PS4.5’ and discussed its increased horsepower, mentioning both 4K resolution and PlayStation VR.

Our sources aren’t sure when this upgraded machine will ship to consumers, nor how much it will cost. The PS4’s price dropped from $400 to $350 last fall, and one source indicated that this new ‘PS4.5’ could let Sony keep selling PS4 hardware at a higher profit margin for $400.

There are still lots of big questions surrounding the device. Will Sony allow people to trade in their existing PS4s to buy the new machine? How will developers cope with releasing games on multiple types of hardware? Could some games only support PS4.5, as is the case with the New Nintendo 3DS? When this PS4 goes on sale, will Sony continue to sell old PS4 hardware at a lower price? How can Sony manage all this without fragmenting the market?

Right now, we don’t have the answer to those questions.

The PS4.5 may not be alone, either.

I’ve heard whispers about an upgraded Xbox One for a while now, and Microsoft has been public about the possibility. At a press briefing earlier this month, Xbox head Phil Spencer hinted to journalists that his company has been exploring the possibility of evolving hardware. “We look at these other ecosystems out there like mobile, tablet and PC,” Spencer told the assembled press, as reported by Polygon, “and we see that they have a very continuous evolution cycle in hardware, whereas between console generations most of the evolution is making it cheaper and potentially making it smaller.”

Spencer later walked back those comments while speaking on the Major Nelson podcast, pouring some water on the idea of a customizable, PC-like Xbox. “Am I going to break open my console and start upgrading individual pieces of my console? That’s not our plan,” he said. “There is something special about what happens with a console. You buy an appliance-like device; you plug it into your TV; it works when you plug it in. It’s not like I’m going to ship a screwdriver set with every console that comes out.”

Plans are always changing, and some of the details we’ve heard are fuzzy, but one thing has become clear: Sony is exploring the possibility of releasing a more powerful console way before the PlayStation 5. With both Sony and Microsoft possibly entering new territory, and Nintendo’s NX on the way, this should be an exciting year for gaming hardware no matter what comes next.

[Deleted]

Considering the price point they are aiming for, sounds like bullshit. Also the source is shit.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Considering the price point they are aiming for, sounds like bullshit. Also the source is shit.

Kotaku is shit? I wonder...

$400 is a dubious price for a console though, especially considering this is 2016 we're talking about.

[grandpab]

I doubt it...it says it'll be capable of 4k with a $400 price tag...nope.

[Remilia]

It was actually something discussed about... a year ago? With an interview at 4gamers. It was mainly pertaining to 4k HEVC and VR iirc. It'd be on the same architecture and potentially node shrink so compatibility wouldn't be an issue. Too lazy to dig out the interview atm, and it's in Japanese anyways, sooooooooo..............

I doubt it...it says it'll be capable of 4k with a $400 price tag...nope.

Not to do with playing 4k games, but to do with playing 4k content like bluray and stuff.

[grandpab]

Not to do with playing 4k games, but to do with playing 4k content like bluray and stuff.

The current PS4 can output 4K photos and videos, but cannot support 4K resolutions for games. With this upgrade, it would.

Right from the article.

[Immitis]

If true im pretty glad i held out on picking up a ps4 yet. it seems more and more every year early adopting is screwing customers over.

[Kathandira]

How will this work with online gaming between people with the original PS4, and the better performing PS4.5? Will people on the better machine have an unfair advantage as the game runs smoother?

[Remilia]

Right from the article.

Straight from an interview
http://www.4gamer.net/games/990/G999024/20151021121/
I am however not translating that.......

[HumbleDuck]

new version of the PS4 with increased graphical power and games running at 4K resolution, developer sources tell Kotaku

Stopped reading right there.

[Orangetai420]

Stopped reading right there.

Yep, Kotaku is notorious for clickbait.

From the article: Sony declined to comment. “We can’t comment on rumors or speculation,” a spokesperson said in an e-mail.

[Edge-]

From the article: Sony declined to comment. “We can’t comment on rumors or speculation,” a spokesperson said in an e-mail.

To be fair, they'd give this response regardless of whether the leak was legit or not.

I'm a bit torn. Kotaku still (somehow) gets leaks on the regular, but this one strikes of so many different flavors of bullshit.

I can see Microsoft doing early prototyping/planning for their next console, but given that this generation is having a hard enough time making the jump from 720p -> 1080p/60fps, I'm super skeptical that the next gen will be able to make the jump to 4k.

[anaxie]

and Ps5 and Ps5.5

Tech moves too fast for the shit peasant boxes.

And the more popular pc gets the more consoles have to do to catch up.

Honestly though consoles should just do a favor and die already.

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Right from the article.

4k rez at what? 5 fps

pleb box would catch on fire.

[Deleted]

Kotaku is shit? I wonder...

$400 is a dubious price for a console though, especially considering this is 2016 we're talking about.

100% pure shit, my friend.

[dope_danny]

Kotaku is shit? I wonder...

Seriously?

[Tech614]

4k video playback and other QoL improvements for PSVR would be the only things here.

4k gaming @ $400 remains a pipe dream for the time being.

- - - Updated - - -

Right from the article.

The PS4 does not currently output 4k video, only still images. It needs an HDMI port upgrade to do 4k video playback.

[Wondercrab]

There's been talk of console manufacturers doing this for a while now. The question is whether games will still be optimised for older versions of consoles as baseline, with new hardware simply offering higher resolutions, better framerates etc, or whether certain games will only be compatible/only optimised properly for the .X console versions.

If it's the former then this is more or less a win-win for everyone. Players willing to pay the cash can get better running and sharper looking games on their consoles, while those who have the older versions don't lose out on anything. If it's the latter, though, then console gamers are in for a raw deal when it comes to new releases, and the companies responsible are going to cannibalise their markets in the process.

[Zeta333]

Games on both consoles are struggling to hit 60fps at 1080. What fucking universe do they think they can hit 4k with decent fps at 400$? If they manage this i might just buy one and rip out the insides and plug them into my tower.

[draykorinee]

Kotaku is shit? I wonder...

Yes, yes it is.

This is a nonsense story.

[PACOX]

Expected. Probably not as substantially as some speculate. SCEA always releases a leaner, meaner, more efficient version of their current console, the trend goes back to the original Playstation. Cramming 4k res in there is a given if they can keep it at a low price point, maybe a better wifi antenna, a more efficient GPU, faster memory to handle multitasking better. Slimmer, sexiers. Stuff like that. Not something current PS4 owners need to go out and get but something new owners should probably get instead of the original PS4.