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Are Sony and Microsoft resetting the clock for this gen with PS4 Pro and Scorpio?

S

Sad Affleck

Member
I think Sony and Microsoft are on a different plan. Sony is trying to extend a very successful generation before a full shift with the next Playstation while Microsoft is trying to close the gap before they move on ahead with the next Xbox.

I also think that Microsoft is going for a generationless approach starting with the Scorpio which means that the Scorpio will be able to play Scorpio 2 games while the PS4 Pro won't be able to play PS5 games. I believe it makes sense since Sony wants to sell hardware while Microsoft is more interested in keeping users invested in the broader Windows ecosystem.
 
Perfo

Perfo

Thirteen flew over the cuckoo's nest
I think this is going to be the longest generation ever to be honest. No developer can afford again to jump so soon on new hardware with the rising costs of producing games. The market changed and I think the new model will be upgrading for years the current hardware instead of releasing a completely new one. PC will be the model to follow from now on. Maybe a 7-10 yrs gen lenght?
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Gamezone said:
That`s what they are telling us, but I think that`ll change down the road.
Click to expand...

It that happens down the road that would be a kind of gen reset for them.

As is, neither are telegraphing a new software gen with these machines. Pro is a PS4, Scorpio a Xbox1.
 
G

Gurish

Member
What bothers me in regard to the new consoles is that Sony and MS more or less say that their true next gen consoles will target 4K for everything.

I'm on the camp that wanted to see a huge jump in visuals at 1080P, now I bet that most wouldn't see a big enough jump when they'll see PS5 and XB2.
 
L

LiquidSolid

Member
Gurish said:
What bothers me in regard to the new consoles is that Sony and MS more or less say that their true next gen consoles will target 4K for everything.

I'm on the camp that wanted to see a huge jump in visuals at 1080P, now I bet that most wouldn't see a big enough jump when they'll see PS5 and XB2.
Click to expand...

No offence but by the time the "true next gen" consoles come out in like 2020, targeting 1080p would be pretty dumb.
 
T

TheMagician

Member
What are the chances that Scorpio won't have 'One' in its name? So they'll be Xbox One, Xbox One S & Xbox Scorpio (example name).

They market it by saying all Xbox One games are compatible with Xbox Scorpio. New game covers say 'for Xbox One & Xbox Scorpio'.

People might not want an Xbox One but they might want an Xbox Scorpio *wink wink*.
 
L

LastCupOfSorrow

Banned
Sony and Microsoft have seen that they can take your money twice (and they will) in one cycle. Do not believe that this trend will cease in the future.
 
J

jelly

Member
TheMagician said:
What are the chances that Scorpio won't have 'One' in its name? So they'll be Xbox One, Xbox One S & Xbox Scorpio (example name).

They market it by saying all Xbox One games are compatible with Xbox Scorpio. New game covers say 'for Xbox One & Xbox Scorpio'.

People might not want an Xbox One but they might want an Xbox Scorpio *wink wink*.
Click to expand...

I think the games will take the largest focus on distinction until a successor to Scorpio is released which will introduce a new name. I think they could get away with Xbox One again for Scorpio after the the S turnaround, it may still have some baggage but only way is up.

Xbox 360
Xbox One
Xbox VR
Xbox Scorpio 2.0

That will play on Xbox Scorpio and you'll have clear distinction by the labelling as we see now with 360 games on Xbox One. I still kinda like just 'Xbox' going forward with a subtle 'Gen 1, Gen 2 etc.'

When they announce Scorpio 2.0, Xbox One Scorpio supports Scorpio 2.0 games but Xbox One does not. I think that might be a little awkward if the name is similar to Xbox One but who knows.
 
O

OmegaTreeFish

Banned
I can personally see these systems going 1 of 3 ways:

Option 1:
If this pans out a mid gen refresh will become the norm. This will in turn be followed by a new Gen after the refresh model (the pro / Scorpio) and that in turn will get a mid gen refresh etc. It would hopefully include backwards compatibility.

Option 2:
Try and mimic the phone model to some degree. Every 3 years a new model comes out. The newest 2 models would be the targets and anything below would lose guaranteed support (but maybe smaller games would be released on it as long as it was capable). For this I would expect a new naming structure as having ps4 pro as the base and PS 5 as the ‘pro’ is confusing as far as marketing marketing goes.

Option 3:
Sony and Microsoft saw 3 things coming to market. 4K, HDR and VR. Their current machines are not equipped to deal with all these but also they prob won't be mainstream for a little while yet. So their solution was to supply a device that will allow their player base that will early adopt to these things a good place to utilize them. Then unless a new tech rises and hits the mainstream the next gen will continue in a more traditional pace.

Each would be viable but really depends on how the pro and scorpio pan out. If they find that only a small % of people go pro then Option 1 and 3 might be the most likely. If Pro and Scorpio sell really well them anything could happen but I feel it would be more likely option 1 or 2.

Option 1 and 2 both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Option 1 would allow a bigger graphic jump and complete hardware refresh (think controllers etc) while option 2 would guarantee forwards compatibility and what ever console you bought would last 6 years from release.

I personally would be fine with option 1. I think the chance for complete hardware refresh (machine and peripherals) is more interesting and something to look forwards to. Also having a new machine not held back by previous hardware would allow bigger jumps in game design. The mid gen refresh would allow people like myself who hate it when framerates start to suck half way through a gen to buy the ‘pro’ model but still allow users to buy at the beginning of the gen and stick with that machine for 6 years +.

However option 2 also makes sense in other ways as people can just buy in with whatever the latest model is and get a bare minimum of 3 years out of it knowing it will play everything. But it would be harder to market.

Either way it’s going to be interesting to see where it goes.

As for people talking about the scorpio being even more powerful and so see it more as a new gen I would say you're wrong. They stated its plans are for all games to run on both the One and Scoprio and people really underestimate the power needed for 4k gaming. The Scorpios power advantage will simply allow native 4k rather than this chequer board technique the the pro is using. 4K, afterall, is 4 times the amount of pixels displayed with 1080p. That takes a lot of power.
 
T

timberger

Member
I think MS just wants to pretend this gen never happened if anything.

Matt said:
Where did you get that idea?
Click to expand...

Sounds like total ass tales as is now common when the subject of Scorpio comes up. Some people seem to just make up whatever shit pops into their head to make it sound good in just about every thread I've seen on here about it.
 
M

Markoman

Member
Sad Affleck said:
I think Sony and Microsoft are on a different plan. Sony is trying to extend a very successful generation before a full shift with the next Playstation while Microsoft is trying to close the gap before they move on ahead with the next Xbox.

I also think that Microsoft is going for a generationless approach starting with the Scorpio which means that the Scorpio will be able to play Scorpio 2 games while the PS4 Pro won't be able to play PS5 games. I believe it makes sense since Sony wants to sell hardware while Microsoft is more interested in keeping users invested in the broader Windows ecosystem.
Click to expand...

I think whatever the difference in the their plans are, in the end it won't matter for us from a wider perspective.
- Sony sells two machines within 6 years and a ton of remasters. Even if the PS5 and Pro aren't compatible, there should be a way to play PS4+Pro games on PS5.
The important factor is simply success. If Scorpio regains market share in the US, Sony might change the plans they have right now.
We don't have Scorpio's final specs yet, I find it kinda amusing that people start the "is it an upgrade or new console" discussion.
 
I

IvorB

Member
MisterXDTV said:
Well they want to build stronger boxes but keeping the price affordable.

This mid-gen happened because AMD shrank the GPUs from 28 to 14nm, it was the perfect storm in a way...

I don't think we will see another conjunction of time like that in a while (7nm is still far away)
Click to expand...

I wasn't really commenting on the mid-gen thing but rather if there is a PS5 and Xbone 2 I think we will see them place a bit more emphasis on system power than perhaps this gen where they both settled for something comfortable in their desired price range.
 
A

Aroll

Member
brickarts295 said:
Nah I fully expect a PS5 and Xbox Two, in 3 years. These consoles are just midgen refresh (for example: N3DS), the clock still continues at least in my opinion. Although, Scorpion might change things.
Click to expand...

Sony has said they aren't sure if there will be a pa5 and on top of all of that, 'mid gen refreshes like the N3DS don't typically also represent what amounts to basically an entire new generation in terms of power (N3DS is slightly more powerful than the 3DS). Xbox One S is slightly more powerful than the Xbox One. Scorpio is basically a xbox 2.
 
W

wonderful103

Member
Inuhanyou said:
Okay, so you literally have no explanation as to your claim about it being pro consumer besides 'it just is!'

These types are arguments are sounding more and more like always online arguments circa 2012 all over again.

If you can't actually outline why perpetually holding developers back from making more technically advanced games because of some misplaced belief in inferior hardware being perpetually solvent, you have no leg to stand on for it being good in consumer terms either.

Consumers want better games and better advancements as well, and if your claim of forwards compatibility were to come to pass, there would literally be no reason to expect anything better beyond this point besides stagnation, until those who agreed with your viewpoint wised up and realized that its unfeasible.
Click to expand...
There is very little that is "better" outside of visuals from last generation. That trend will continue... Forward ;)

Scalability is built into every title that's released now, all the engines, and most developers methods.

You're just not seeing what's in front of you, and that is the smartphone model adapted to home consoles while they still exist.

Software and hardware as a service.
 
C

Chris1

Member
TheMagician said:
What are the chances that Scorpio won't have 'One' in its name? So they'll be Xbox One, Xbox One S & Xbox Scorpio (example name).

They market it by saying all Xbox One games are compatible with Xbox Scorpio. New game covers say 'for Xbox One & Xbox Scorpio'.

People might not want an Xbox One but they might want an Xbox Scorpio *wink wink*.
Click to expand...
It will have to have Xbox One in the name or it will confuse people buying games for it since the cases say Xbox One. I think they need to make it clear it's still part of the XB1 family even if the name is toxic.

For example if little Timmy's mum goes into GAME to buy an xbox scorpio, she's gonna ask where the scorpio games are, the employee will point to xbox one games then she'll be confused and just be like "so why don't i just get the cheaper xbox one if that's all it plays?" It's easy for us to understand but I think for average Joe and Mary it's gonna need to have Xbox One in the name.
 
S

Shadowhaxor

Member
PROh1bited said:
They're extending the clock, not resetting.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. I don't think either companies expected to see that much of a graphic shift or VR for that matter and so soon. We all know that Sony had already seen the threat of the PC in terms of attracting gamers over to it, and likely this is also what prompted MS to do scorpio.

I've said this numerous times on podcasts and threads, but I feel cheated. From getting both the X1 and PS4 on day 1, only to "have" to upgrade 3/4 years later. PS5 and Xbox Two (or w/e) will come but we won't see them for a while.
 
LordOfChaos

LordOfChaos

Member
Nah. For Sony it sounds like they still like generations, I don't think the Pro will extend the PS4 generation, it's just that, a mid gen refresh for those tempted by PCs ever more powerful than consoles.

For Microsoft they've been touting a world without console generations for a while...I think they'll still want to break legacy at some point. Maybe an N-1 cycle, one box back always supported, two boxes back optionally supported. I.e Whizbang, Scorpio get full support, devs can target the XBO if they want.

3 year cycles for both between hardware still sound right, so 6 years to a fully supported generation.
 
L

LordBaztion

Member
I think there won't be generations of console anymore, from now on there will be only upgrades to current hardware. Probably with new features not possible in previous hardware like mods implemented on a system level.

Eventually will be games that are only playable on tier 2 console (Scorpio/pro) and will be praised for its boldness by some and panned by others. In the meantime, there will be games with exclusive features for the tier 2 consoles like 64vs16 multiplayer matches.

Probably in a couple of years Sony will announced a PS5 (because they is value in that brand already) and it will be an upgraded PS4. They can't risk a traditional switch because MS won't have that. Windows 10 is here to stay and it changed the rules of the game.
 
D

DoomGaze

Banned
Sub Boss said:
i feel like this gen has barely started, software wise
Click to expand...

This is the most useful sentiment in the entire thread.

You're right on, and it just gets worse every generation. So far there has been no reason whatsoever to get XB1/PS4 instead of just upgrading your computer. The only exception is Bloodborne. All the console-specific, console-exclusive heavy hitters have been pushed back farther and farther and now they're getting dumped into the new quasi-gen refresh. It is nauseating. Where's Scalebound? Where's Horizon? WHERE'S TLG?

Seriously, we got played. I could have waited until these new souped up versions came out, instead I've been playing almost exclusively on PC/Wii U while the XB1/PS4 sit collecting dust, and have missed out on nothing (Again, caveat is Bloodborne, and also Destiny with my friends).

You thought microtransactions were bad? If this new trend takes off they're going to click their heels because they've just discovered a new method of inflicting economic misery.
 
F

family_guy

Member
LordBaztion said:
Probably in a couple of years Sony will announced a PS5 (because they is value in that brand already) and it will be an upgraded PS4. They can't risk a traditional switch because MS won't have that. Windows 10 is here to stay and it changed the rules of the game.
Click to expand...

Don't get why MS would be dictating the market seeing as how they aren't even close to being the market leader.
 
T

True Fire

Member
Pro isn't Sony's last PS4 revision. This generation will be a pissing contest, and it'll last even longer than last generation because of it. I know everyone loves a generation launch, but it's not going to happen in 2019. Sony and Microsoft are still going to be hard pressed to sell 4K to the mainstream when 4K is still in its infancy.
 
F

Furyous

Member
I doubt we see anything before 2022 at the earliest. Both companies fucked themselves by releasing refreshes so quickly into this cycle. Now they're going to have a tougher sell on their next consoles because this is not the smartphone market where millions of people upgrade every two years. A justifiable need has to exist in order to upgrade to a newer generation console.

At the start of this gen consistent 1080p 60 FPS was not achievable natively on both consoles. All of these addons should extend the length of the generation dramatically as gamers have to see a return on their investment in the form of great games. It's not a hardware issue any more but one of great software.

If both manufacturers think we're going to drop down money for new consoles in two years then it's time for a rude awakening.
 
Salty Hippo

Salty Hippo

Member
Inuhanyou said:
Okay, so you literally have no explanation as to your claim about it being pro consumer besides 'it just is!'

These types are arguments are sounding more and more like always online arguments circa 2012 all over again.

If you can't actually outline why perpetually holding developers back from making more technically advanced games because of some misplaced belief in inferior hardware being perpetually solvent, you have no leg to stand on for it being good in consumer terms either.

Consumers want better games and better advancements as well, and if your claim of forwards compatibility were to come to pass, there would literally be no reason to expect anything better beyond this point besides stagnation, until those who agreed with your viewpoint wised up and realized that its unfeasible.
Click to expand...

That's why I said they will support only 2 consoles at time. And you are beyond delusional if you think more power will provide significantly "better advancements" for gaming at this point. Diminishing returns is a term that applies to gameplay as well. Look at this generation and tell me one single game that just would never be possible on last gen hardware. Look at how many cross-gen games we were still getting not much longer than a year ago. This holding back you speak of has already happened to a considerable degree.

The kind of generation leap you were used to from 1985 to 2005 is over, it will never happen again. Gaming development is more than expensive enough as it is. In terms of mechanics and scope games have reached a point where there's not much room for evolution either. The PS5 and the reset you want won't change any of this.
 
G

GrayFoxBH

Member
Furyous said:
I doubt we see anything before 2022 at the earliest. Both companies fucked themselves by releasing refreshes so quickly into this cycle. Now they're going to have a tougher sell on their next consoles because this is not the smartphone market where millions of people upgrade every two years. A justifiable need has to exist in order to upgrade to a newer generation console.

At the start of this gen consistent 1080p 60 FPS was not achievable natively on both consoles. All of these addons should extend the length of the generation dramatically as gamers have to see a return on their investment in the form of great games. It's not a hardware issue any more but one of great software.

If both manufacturers think we're going to drop down money for new consoles in two years then it's time for a rude awakening.
Click to expand...
Both PS4 and Xbox One can achieve 1080p/60fps. It's a design decision, not hardware. Look at MGS5. If you make the necessary compromises, you can do it, but most devs want to push graphics further.
 
F

Furyous

Member
ArkhamFantasy said:
The ps4/pro cpu was underpowered in 2013, you think they are going to roll with that thing for 9 years?
Click to expand...

They're going to have to in order to justify PS4 Pro and Scorpio as they are both new consoles with more power. 9 years gives them time to come up with selling points for their new consoles instead of incremental upgrades.

GrayFoxBH said:
Both PS4 and Xbox One can achieve 1080p/60fps. It's a design decision, not hardware. Look at MGS5. If you make the necessary compromises, you can do it, but most devs want to push graphics further.
Click to expand...

I looked it up and you're right. Devs can achieve 60 FPS and 1080p on certain platforms. However, doing both requires a tradeoff somewhere else. I mean natively supporting 1080p 60 FPS without any trade offs. This isn't an attempt to derail this thread so let's get back to the heart of the matter. For the average consumer the clock should be reset because last gen was long as well. Generations get longer and longer as tech slows and consoles turn into services, in my opinion.
 
A

ArkhamFantasy

Member
Furyous said:
They're going to have to in order to justify PS4 Pro and Scorpio as they are both new consoles with more power. 9 years gives them time to come up with selling points for their new consoles instead of incremental upgrades.
.
Click to expand...

Nintendo released the new 3ds in 2015 and will launch NX 2 years after that. Theres absolutely nothing to justify.
 
S

SprachBrooks

Member
PROh1bited said:
They're extending the clock, not resetting.
Click to expand...

They're not even extending it. To them, this is the time the consoles begin to age and so a slight refresh is necessary in order to keep developers happy and retain those that would otherwise veer off into the PC market, as Andrew House said.
 
P

PHOENIXZERO

Member
Furyous said:
I doubt we see anything before 2022 at the earliest. Both companies fucked themselves by releasing refreshes so quickly into this cycle. Now they're going to have a tougher sell on their next consoles because this is not the smartphone market where millions of people upgrade every two years. A justifiable need has to exist in order to upgrade to a newer generation console.

At the start of this gen consistent 1080p 60 FPS was not achievable natively on both consoles. All of these addons should extend the length of the generation dramatically as gamers have to see a return on their investment in the form of great games. It's not a hardware issue any more but one of great software.

If both manufacturers think we're going to drop down money for new consoles in two years then it's time for a rude awakening.
Click to expand...

Two years? The idea of Sony and MS putting out a new console in 2018 ended with the PS4P and Scorpio announcements but 2020 is still pretty damn likely for Sony at least, maybe a year later for MS depending on how XBS performs though again there's going to be nothing stopping them either. True generational leaps like in the past are done, an upgraded version of the platform every three or four years is where we're at out. Eventually the PS4 and XBO will still be phased out as they become the minimum requirement just like on PC.

They are more definitely not going to be holding off five/six years, the PS4P and XBS make that abundantly clear though MS needed a new console way more than Sony. Outside of the PS4P completely bombing (it won't because there's enough people out there who will want "the best" PS4) we're never going to see 5+ year console cycles again. Sony and MS are paying peanuts when it comes to investment/R&D now with the AMD partnerships compared to past generations and with forward/backward compatibility there's nothing really holding them or developers back.
 
J

Jaymageck

Member
I seriously hope so.

I do not see myself being ready for another generation before 2020 (absolute earliest). I'd rather not even hear about anything until then.

In my mind, this generation is yet to even truly justify its existence yet.
 
K

KageMaru

Member
SprachBrooks said:
They're not even extending it. To them, this is the time the consoles begin to age and so a slight refresh is necessary in order to keep developers happy and retain those that would otherwise veer off into the PC market, as Andrew House said.
Click to expand...

While I believe Sony hopes the Pro will keep people from switching to the PC, I don't think it'll work. IMO anyone that was looking to buy or build a gaming rig within the last year are still likely to do so even with the Pro. As we saw in the thread questioning why doesn't everyone just game on the PC, they cater to entirety different types of gamers, even with some overlap. People that want to game on the PC will still game on the PC, regardless of the Pro or Scorpio.
 
F

family_guy

Member
Salty Hippo said:
And you are beyond delusional if you think more power will provide significantly "better advancements" for gaming at this point. Dimishing returns is a term that applies to gameplay as well
Click to expand...

I would say we need the extra power for VR. We're not at a point yet to where we can say, "That's good enough."
 
N

Newboi

Member
I honestly would rather the console life cycle get extended until 2020. I don't think Sony, at least, is going to change its tune with the pricing requirements for PS5. Having a smaller form factor console under $450, that will be sold at a small profit, will put strict requirements on the type of parts they can use.

If we actually want our consoles to be the breathtaking super machines we likend the PS2 and Xbox back in the day to, only extending out the life cycle will allow these companies to build machines that will even come close to those standards with the pricing and power requirements they use today.

I personally want these future machines to run games that look much better than the initial overspec'd tech demos for PS4 (Agni's Philosophy and Deep Down come to mind).
 
Salty Hippo

Salty Hippo

Member
family_guy said:
I would say we need the extra power for VR. We're not at a point yet to where we can say, "That's good enough."
Click to expand...

We also don't know if VR will catch on and go down in history as a game changer that has become standard, like for example the transition from 2D to 3D was. And even if it does I don't think resetting generations for the sake of resetting will help push VR at all. As long as companies don't try to support 7-9 year old hardware (which they obviously won't), nothing will be holding anything back.

I honestly don't get how anyone can seriously believe that the jump from Pro to PS5 will be gigantic if PS5 releases in 2019-2020. It will be roughly the same time difference between PS4 and Pro, and will obviously be the same kind of leap because they will want to keep it reasonably priced. It's a very simple thing to understand.
 
MilkyJoe

MilkyJoe

Member
Shadowhaxor said:
Pretty much this. I don't think either companies expected to see that much of a graphic shift or VR for that matter and so soon. We all know that Sony had already seen the threat of the PC in terms of attracting gamers over to it, and likely this is also what prompted MS to do scorpio.

I've said this numerous times on podcasts and threads, but I feel cheated. From getting both the X1 and PS4 on day 1, only to "have" to upgrade 3/4 years later. PS5 and Xbox Two (or w/e) will come but we won't see them for a while.
Click to expand...

But you don't have to upgrade. Give it 5 years if you like, they'll still be there Nd cheaper to boot.
 
E

El-Pistolero

Member
GLAMr said:
I think it is unfair to combine the two in this regard.

Sony seem to be aiming for a "tick-tock" hardware iteration cycle we have typically seen in the GPU and CPU space, wherein there's a huge revolutionary leap, followed by a refinement and improvement of that platform.

MS appear to be going for a system more like what we see in mobile phones, wherein a new tent pole product comes out at a set interval, the previous model becomes a low cost option and older models continue to receive software support for a while.

Of the two, it will be interesting to see which works better. Phone companies can use their continuous release cycle because the flagship devices already have such a high markup upon release. After a year, they can half the price of the phone and still see a profit. Consoles are more like GPUs and CPUs in that there is very little profit per unit. At the end of the day, console profitability is all about content licensing, so market share and attachment rates are very important. This also makes comparison to other industries difficult. The next few years will be interesting to say the least.
Click to expand...

Spot on comparison...
 
L

LukasTaves

Member
No, you are missing the point completely. The point is not to reset the clock and delay further consoles. The point is to eliminate the clock altogether while releasing consoles at a faster pace which won't matter because because a new console won't mean the death of the old one.

Well at least in Ms' case that is. On the Sony side it seems not even them know what's the point other than to save them time to decide what to do when this generation ends.
 
Bitch Pudding

Bitch Pudding

Member
Ok, here is what we do know:

- Sony released a new PS4 Pro SKU 3 years after PS4 which is approx. 2,5 times faster than OG PS4. There are no exlusive games nor content for PS4 Pro.

- MS will release Scorpio (name subject to change) in Q4 2017, 4 years after XBOX One. It will be approx. 4,5 times faster than its predecessor. According to MS, there will be no exclusive games nor content, apparently with the exception of VR titles

So, for now we don't have any evidence which suggests that either Sony or MS are treating their new consoles as a new generation.

Furthermore, their future plans are completely unknown to us.

- Both may or may not release exclusive content at some point for PS4 Pro and Scorpio (name subject to change)
- Both may or may not release another full BC/FC SKU within the current eco-system / generation.
- And of course both may or may not launch a "proper" next gen console with exclusive games / content you cannot play on any or only the latest current gen console.

Now, let's not forget what the main targets of both companies are. They want you to stay or join their eco-system. The more content you own in this eco-sytems, the lower the chance you'll ever switch as the opportunity costs would make such a move quite uninteresting. But you must also be competitive on the hardware department, hence both are now forced to reduce their console generations life-cycles significantly.

Given how easy it is to scale PC games, which look outstanding on a Titan X configuration but also run on entry-level hardware, what stops Sony to introduce another PS4-SKU at some point? Just with the best hardware they can get you for $399 at that point so you can run your PS4 games in native 4k resolution + all the bells and whistles you know from PS4 Pro's enhanced 1080p mode. Which is what I hope the next PlayStation is capable of.
 
K

kirby_fox

Banned
Both are trying to approach the generations as not being generations anymore.

Sony is going with the approach of replace the main with the pro, drop main price and release slim version of main. It's an approach that has somewhat worked before, but the slim version I believe would cost more. Now they see this approach as a way to get people to upgrade. This is an approach to sell systems.

Microsoft is going with the approach of more options for those who want it sooner. This is closer to a PC/phone approach. Instead of focusing on how many systems have sold, they will focus on how many people are in their ecosystem. I don't think they're interested in how many consoles they can sell necessarily anymore- but how many people will continue to be in their ecosystem as a whole. They can use this in an attempt to expand their hand in other ways- like tablets, phones, and especially PCs. The approach here is less about being the leader in gaming and trying to use gaming as a centerpiece for their other tech while also keeping people in their ecosystem.

Both no longer look at consumers and generations really in this approach. What I fully expect to happen is that the box will eventually matter less than an ecosystem will. Even Nintendo is slowly approaching that idea as well by moving into the phone space and their creation of MyNintendo. If you think of it as changing from Android to iOS or vice versa, and how difficult it can be to do that at times then you'll understand what they all want.
 
Audiophile

Audiophile

Gold Member
It seems to me that Sony are maintaining a generational approach, releasing a new platform every 6-7 years with a roughly-mid generation Slim/Pro + Peripheral hardware refresh.

While MS will be making Xbox a single ongoing platform with more iterative hardware every 2-3yrs, with devs effectively deciding how long they support each iteration (like iPhone 4, 5, 6 etc.).They say otherwise, but I think this is the eventual plan as Xbox One fades.

I think Sony will be using Pro to push this generation to 2019-2020, as the hardware simply won't be available for a tangible, marketable visual jump on 'PS5' until then, a custom Zen+/Navi+/HBM2 APU perhaps..
 
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