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

[Tech614]

The problem I think most people seem to be lacking comprehension of is we're no longer in a world where we make giant tech leaps every half decade or so. We're making small gains every few months.

Consoles are just adjusting to a model that the entire rest of the tech industry was already forced into. The base PS4 could very well still be playing games fine in 2023(2 upgrades later) still at lower resolutions, and Sony could very well still be selling it at that point for very cheap(like $99 cheap ala PS2 in 2007).

Eventually it will get to a point where the base PS4 absolutely needs to be discontinued but it won't be for quite awhile. Just as you don't need to upgrade your phone every year to still run all the apps, you're not forced into upgrading your PS4 every 3 years when a new model comes out...

[Rennadrel]

Which is why it's made to co exist with the base model and they're not discontinuing it? So your point was?

Your point about the N3DS and DSI was what? They had very few exclusive games? Well the Neo will have NO exclusive games. So your point was?

Not even trying to be an ass, your post is literally nonsensical with your points as they relate to the Neo.

The point is that there is no reason to even make the damn thing, since none of these ideas have ever taken away significant market share from their predecessors. Hardware updates have done little to ever actually justify buying them or even manufacturing them. Neither Sony nor Nintendo should ever be making these kinds of products because they won't ever sell enough. And I can see this being an abysmal failure because the PS4 would need significant upgrades to not do 4K shitty.

[Tech614]

The point is that there is no reason to even make the damn thing, since none of these ideas have ever taken away significant market share from their predecessors. Hardware updates have done little to ever actually justify buying them or even manufacturing them. Neither Sony nor Nintendo should ever be making these kinds of products because they won't ever sell enough. And I can see this being an abysmal failure because the PS4 would need significant upgrades to not do 4K shitty.

Ofcourse you think it's going to be a failure, it suits your point.

Meanwhile the company producing it has sold 100, 155, 85 and 40 mil(in less then 3 years with this one) on their last 4 home console releases. Somewhere I think they know a hell of a lot more then you do what will and won't sell.

Calling out Sony when they have been the only consistent hardware manufacturer in the game for the past 20 years is laughable. I think they have a better idea what there is a market for then you.

Do you even know how many of them Sony plan to sell/ship? Do you even know how much money Sony put into R&D for it? Nope, you know none of this shit so you're not capable of predicting it's failure. For all you know Sony plans it to be a very niche product for enthusiasts and won't even ship many at launch.

[Jtbrig7390]

The point is that there is no reason to even make the damn thing, since none of these ideas have ever taken away significant market share from their predecessors. Hardware updates have done little to ever actually justify buying them or even manufacturing them. Neither Sony nor Nintendo should ever be making these kinds of products because they won't ever sell enough. And I can see this being an abysmal failure because the PS4 would need significant upgrades to not do 4K shitty.

The thing is your looking at it doing native 4k gaming, That is NOT what the Ps4.5 is doing.

They are upgrading the CPU/GPU so games run better have will finally have a base line of 1080p cross the board. They are adding a HDMI 2.0 so the ps4 can upscale to 4k tv's for those who has them. Also good chance its coming with a better hard drive and cooling is better.

Don't like the ps4.5 don't buy it, Its not a requirement to have.

I love tech and good chance ill buy the ps4.5 just for the boost in performance and to have a second one in the house. The original will go to the bedroom for my GF and the new one is all mine.

There will be no exclusives and the only thing "Exclusive" will be performance over the old one. As long as they keep it around the same price as the original ps4 (When it released) then I got no problems with it. If they expect me to pay more they are crazy and ill wait for a price cut.

Also if you don't think this will sell you are crazy. Many people will trade in there old Ps4 for the new one just because they heard (Will run at 1080p/60fps). Hell even some of the most hardcore PC gamer's will get it if first party exclusives have a 1080p/60fps choice.

Loved Bloodborne to death, Would give my first born to play it in 60fps and the same can be said for DSIII.

[Rennadrel]

The thing is your looking at it doing native 4k gaming, That is NOT what the Ps4.5 is doing.

They are upgrading the CPU/GPU so games run better have will finally have a base line of 1080p cross the board. They are adding a HDMI 2.0 so the ps4 can upscale to 4k tv's for those who has them. Also good chance its coming with a better hard drive and cooling is better.

Don't like the ps4.5 don't buy it, Its not a requirement to have.

I love tech and good chance ill buy the ps4.5 just for the boost in performance and to have a second one in the house. The original will go to the bedroom for my GF and the new one is all mine.

There will be no exclusives and the only thing "Exclusive" will be performance over the old one. As long as they keep it around the same price as the original ps4 (When it released) then I got no problems with it. If they expect me to pay more they are crazy and ill wait for a price cut.

Also if you don't think this will sell you are crazy. Many people will trade in there old Ps4 for the new one just because they heard (Will run at 1080p/60fps). Hell even some of the most hardcore PC gamer's will get it if first party exclusives have a 1080p/60fps choice.

Loved Bloodborne to death, Would give my first born to play it in 60fps and the same can be said for DSIII.

But they should have been doing that from the get go, I think that is what people expected. Either that or they should have marketed the current model as a baseline system, but that would be PR suicide I suppose because people would have known that a better version was coming a few years down the road. The fact that none of the current next generation systems can run games at full 1080p with 60 FPS meanwhile computers are pushing well beyond those resolutions these days, shows that as a whole, consoles have been getting further and further behind the 8 ball when it comes to being able to compete. Sure, that shouldn't be their intent, but they shouldn't be marketing them as true HD systems when they don't have the power to do so. So how does this reflect on Sony as far as PR is concerned then? They are basically admitting that the current PS4 isn't capable of playing games in true HD, and of course 4K is a huge stretch, they'd have to double or triple the cost of the console.

Pricing will be everything, I don't believe for a second they could market the Neo at anything higher than the PS4's launch price and expect it to sell, since that seems like a good price point for most consumers. I guess we will have to wait and see. I can see a lot of current PS4 owners getting pretty salty over this though.

[Tech614]

The fact that none of the current next generation systems can run games at full 1080p with 60 FPS

This isn't a fact. Even the Wii U is capable of running games at 1080p and 60 fps. It comes down to what the developer targets as console settings are usually locked to meet their target.

If you think most developers are going to use the extra power in the Neo for framerate... I'm afraid I got some bad news for you. They're going to use it to make the games look prettier. Sure a few may use it for framerate, but the majority won't and any game with online functionality certainly won't for balance.

PC is able to brute force 60 to even 144hz out of games with power, but it's not thanks to the developers targeting that. There is a reason most recommended specs only achieve 30 fps at ultra settings.

More power does not = power going to frame rate. In fact for most developers it will not as have been proven time and generation again for years on end. It's not like 60 fps games are somehow new when we had 60 fps SNES and arcade games in the early 90s ffs.

[Rennadrel]

This isn't a fact. Even the Wii U is capable of running games at 1080p and 60 fps. It comes down to what the developer targets as console settings are usually locked to meet their target.

If you think most developers are going to use the extra power in the Neo for framerate... I'm afraid I got some bad news for you. They're going to use it to make the games look prettier. Sure a few may use it for framerate, but the majority won't and any game with online functionality certainly won't for balance.

PC is able to brute force 60 to even 144hz out of games with power, but it's not thanks to the developers targeting that. There is a reason most recommended specs only achieve 30 fps at ultra settings.

More power does not = power going to frame rate. In fact for most developers it will not as have been proven time and generation again for years on end. It's not like 60 fps games are somehow new when we had 60 fps SNES and arcade games in the early 90s ffs.

Oh god, old games had worse frame rates than new games do. Age of Empires is a fine example of a great game that at it's time had shitty frame rates, and it's unfortunate that sort of thing wasn't actually corrected when they did the remaster. Still, I know a lot of Sega Genesis games had some terrible FPS, but I think that one should be able to make a game run with a stable frame rate throughout the game in this day in age, there is no excuse for it (see the Dark Souls PC port at release for a good example of how fucking lazy developers can be, or Batman Arkham Knight for that matter being horribly broken right across the board).

[Tech614]

Oh god, old games had worse frame rates than new games do. Age of Empires is a fine example of a great game that at it's time had shitty frame rates, and it's unfortunate that sort of thing wasn't actually corrected when they did the remaster. Still, I know a lot of Sega Genesis games had some terrible FPS, but I think that one should be able to make a game run with a stable frame rate throughout the game in this day in age, there is no excuse for it (see the Dark Souls PC port at release for a good example of how fucking lazy developers can be, or Batman Arkham Knight for that matter being horribly broken right across the board).

I own over 35 dreamcast games and the only one that isn't 60 fps is Shenmue.

Pretty much every Nintendo published game on the SNES was 60 fps.

60 FPS has been achievable for a long long time when developers target it. It's a fact that most don't and the Nintendo's/Old School Sega's of the world are a rarity in the industry.

PC gaming was primitive as all hell compared to arcade boards in the 90s, using a game like Age of Empires as an example of anything is laughable.

The fact you claim that no current gen console can do 1080/60 is laughable when there are more PS4 games achieving that then you can count on every bodily limb and organ and even the Wii U of all things has games achieving that. Hell even the PS3 had games achieving it, Ridge Racer did and it was a damn launch title on PS3!

[draykorinee]

CONSOLES HAVE NEVER HAD AN UPGRADE EVER!...

If you don't want the upgraded one buy the cheaper one that will still play all the games. If you're an early adopter you had years of using a machine that you can just trade in. What exactly is the problem?

[Zeta333]

CONSOLES HAVE NEVER HAD AN UPGRADE EVER!...

If you don't want the upgraded one buy the cheaper one that will still play all the games. If you're an early adopter you had years of using a machine that you can just trade in. What exactly is the problem?

n64 says hi.

[Slaughty8]

CONSOLES HAVE NEVER HAD AN UPGRADE EVER!...

If you don't want the upgraded one buy the cheaper one that will still play all the games. If you're an early adopter you had years of using a machine that you can just trade in. What exactly is the problem?

They did, back in the day when we had n64 etc. You are just not used to console upgrades, because we had to wait ten thousand years between PS3 and PS4 (7 damn years to be exact) etc. I am glad to see console upgrades, will buy new PS 4 Neo (PS 4.5) 100%.

Btw, fun fact in terms of "sold" PlayStation models:
PlayStation 1 Units sold: 102.49 million
PlayStation 2 Units sold: 155 million
PlayStation 3 Units sold: 80 million
PlayStation 4 Units sold: 40 million

interesting oO

[Rennadrel]

Pretty hard to argue the PS2 was the best console ever made and I doubt it will be rivaled in sales for a long time, if ever. The library and features of the system made it one for the ages.

[draykorinee]

Fucking hell the blatant sarcasm was missed, why am i not surprised :P