• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Kotaku: Sony is working on a ‘PS4.5; briefing devs on plans for a more powerful PS4

I don't know.

Part of me thinks this could be real.

But a greater part of me thinks this could be a "controlled leak" designed to freeze Microsoft's plans. A console-holders' equivalent of a "Mexican standoff."
 

xaosslug

Member
Well... Reading some comments of GopherD on the "Microsoft unifying PC/XB1 platforms, Phil implies Xbox moving to incremental upgrades" thread it seems he was very critic of the incremental upgrade solutions advocated by Phil Spencer... I don't know...

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=197211235&postcount=159

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=197213698&postcount=336

are peeps honestly taking the utterings of someone whose track record is 'TLG @ E3' (which EVERYONE was guessing would make an appearance) over GopherD?

4YEm3Gp.gif
 
But that's a problem for a lot of people.

People want the best experience a platform has to offer. It's right to feel a little disappointed if you've just chucked 300 on a PS4 to find out a new, more powerful model is right around the corner (maybe) that could offer a better experience in games.

No, people don't want the best experience. Otherwise, every gamer would own gaming PCs rigged with Titan Xs. In fact, console gaming is kinda predicated on not being the best experience, but being affordable.

And it's not right around the corner. When exactly has Sony released major hardware right around the corner with no marketing or press release?

I don't think it really is a problem. There's always new hardware being released.

Some people seem to be sore other people will be getting a better experience, as it has been defined. Your PS4 does not become worse just because other people have this potential PS4k, just as your iphone doesn't become a worse phone merely with the release of a new one. I think this attitude is shortsighted. Sooner or later, this is how all consoles are going to upgrade, from now. Even stubborn Nintendo is doing it. Platforms with shared software.
 

pulsemyne

Member
This really would be dumb as fuck. It splits the market for them even though the machine is selling really well. Why incur the cost of developing such a machine when it's not really needed or asked for?
 
I don't like the sound of this.

I don't want to buy another console to get acceptable performance, god damn. Yes, there will be talk of standard PS4 being targeted and all games will still run blah blah but the reality is that devs will start pushing harder and you'll be looking at sub-30fps for most games on a "standard" PS4.

If this is where consoles are headed, I might just leave them behind completely and double down on my PC. Seems like PC gaming will have all of the advantages with the only draw back being missing some exclusive titles.
 

Chamber

love on your sleeve
The only thing that scares me about this, if true, is how far out would that push the PS5? I hope we aren't in for another 8+ year generation.

There wouldn't be a PS5, friend. This would be the end of traditional console cycles, almost a reboot of the Playstation line.
 
Well... Reading some comments of GopherD on the "Microsoft unifying PC/XB1 platforms, Phil implies Xbox moving to incremental upgrades" thread it seems he was very critic of the incremental upgrade solutions advocated by Phil Spencer... I don't know...

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=197211235&postcount=159

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=197213698&postcount=336

He is contradicting himself here.

First he is saying EA, Ubi and Activ have established their dev piplines and the extra power is moot, then he says that devs will drop the old platform specs and start to code for the new one.

Which is it?
 

Vex_

Banned
I don't like the sound of this.

I don't want to buy another console to get acceptable performance, god damn. Yes, there will be talk of standard PS4 being targeted and all games will still run blah blah but the reality is that devs will start pushing harder and you'll be looking at sub-30fps for most games on a "standard" PS4.

If this is where consoles are headed, I might just leave them behind completely and double down on my PC. Seems like PC gaming will have all of the advantages with the only draw back being missing some exclusive titles.

And this is basically what I was saying up there.

This is basically a PC, with none of its advantages. So why not just go PC??? Sony pls.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
But now with this? 4k gaming? Do they realize the cost of parts necessary to pull something like that off? Buying a PC and upgrading said PC is literally the smarter route.
People dont understand that mass producing consoles means the cost of hardware isn't the same as what PC owners would pay on newegg. People freaked out when Sony said they were adding 8GB of GDDR5 RAM thinking it would increase the PS4 cost to $600. Turns out they were easily able to sell it for $399.

AMD's best GPU at the moment is the 5.5 Tflop 8GB R390x which retails for $399. I dont think Sony will be using that even if AMD sells it to them for half that amount. We will probably see something in the 3.6-4.0 Tflops range which should play most current gen games at 1080p 60 fps and indie games at 4k.

But these games dont have to run at 4k. I know thats what the rumor says, but I think most gamers will be happy with a 1080p 60 fps upgrade. After all, thats why i upgraded my PC back in 2011. Most of us dont even have 4k tvs.
 

Helznicht

Member
My point is no matter how it goes, it will make dev cost climb up. And they are already pretty damn high in this gen. Sales expectations are gonna be even more severe.

No it doesn't, it puts the control in devs hands. They can target the older console with the bigger install base, and have their software reach both platforms. The developer decides when to target the latest and give a pass on the old clunker. Basically it puts them in control of their own destiny, they say when next gen starts, not Sony of MS.

_______________________________________________________________________

I'd rather buy a PC then.

Err no, we won't all but it. I JUST bought a PS4 on Black Friday 2015. No way in hell am I putting out for a newish PS4 or a newish XB1.

I'll drop both and focus on PC solely.

I mean, if Sony's trying to turn the PS4 into a PC with these incremental hardware upgrades, why not just build a PC and get all the benefits of that platform?

f u sony, don't do it.
Or might as well switch to PC gaming.

Screw it, the next game machine I'm spending money on is a PC. Why bother getting a console anymore if you gotta update every year like with PC's?

bill-gates_1444803c.jpg
 
He is contradicting himself here.

First he is saying EA, Ubi and Activ have established their dev piplines and the extra power is moot, then he says that devs will drop the old platform specs and start to code for the new one.

Which is it?
Either way he's saying 3rd parties wouldn't be thrilled with this which is antithetical to the way modern Sony/PlayStation operates.
 

thuway

Member
And this is basically what I was saying up there.

This is basically a PC, with none of its advantages. So why not just go PC??? Sony pls.

PC has its own share of headaches, and I echo this as a PC guy. Driver updates, new games that outright work horribly with modern cards (my 280X has more than once disappointed me), a higher than normal failure rate (I've had my own MSI mother board die on me and when called in for tech support was asked to perform ridiculous tasks to verify things) - and I could go on.

The sheer simplicity of the PS4 whenever I play Destiny is just purely plug it in, play it, and press three butons to connect to all your friends. If that sort of stability and consistency remains- there will be a home for consoles.

If you want to spend the time, money, and the effort to make PC gaming work for you- than by all means- do it! The inifinte possibilities have awesome benefits but just as many downsides.
 

AmyS

Member
WCCFtech:

Rumored Sony Gaming Console To Feature Sufficient Graphics Horsepower For 4K Gaming – Dubbed An Odd Model Name Though

The latest info from unnamed ‘developer sources’ state that Sony has started working on an upgraded version of its PlayStation 4 gaming console. The upcoming model is not expected to be the successor, which has been named PlayStation 5, but according to the source, the upcoming product is going to possess a rather unusual name; PS4.5.
It is expected that the upcoming model is going to be able to support games on the granddaddy of all resolutions, suggesting that it will possess more graphical horsepower compared to the regular version of the console. However, the sources were extremely cutthroat because they did not care to mention any sort of hardware present inside the product that would be able to render frames at such a high resolution. Looking at current generation gaming titles, we would conclude that you do need a desktop class GPU to render a decent amount of frames on 4K, which brings us to the conclusion, will PS4.5 have a desktop GPU die incorporated inside?

If so, it is also possible that Sony increases the overall size and bulk of the chassis, since a lot of heat is going to be generated from inside the machine, requiring adequate airflow and space to properly dissipate it. The improved GPU in the new console will also help it enhance the games supported by the PlayStation VR headset which is expected to launch this fall. This move will obviously enable Sony to get better traction with products like the more expensive Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets. Both of these require PCs sporting impressive hardware to give out a respectable number of frames.
http://wccftech.com/sony-making-4k-gaming-playstation-4/
 

dano1

A Sheep
This really would be dumb as fuck. It splits the market for them even though the machine is selling really well. Why incur the cost of developing such a machine when it's not really needed or asked for?

I have 3 generations of iPhone. They all play the same game. New phone just plays it better. This is what they are going after. As long as the old ps4 plays the new games I hope they update systems every 2 years!! Tired of waiting 6-8 years for better hardware!!!
 
So asking again, are people seemingly looking into accepting this? I wasn't able to follow the thread as it moved so quickly. Just curious, cause a different toned was being applied when MS hinted at this.

And who is Zoatic?
MS has been making moves that make the Xbox irrelevant if you are into PC gaming along with the iterative possibilities mentioned by Phil. I’m sure the tone for X1 only owners is negative because the value of said system seems to be losing steam with every announcement.

Plus, Sony doesn’t have a monopoly on PC, and so far, doesn’t have a PSN interface for Windows/Mac/Linux so Sony’s game are playable on a computer. Outside of being the currently market leader, there’s some major differences between the two platforms. Either way, generally, most users are not happy about this possibility and are fearing the worse.

Zoetis is an Insider that told us before TLG was revealed it would show up at E3. He isn’t banned and was checked by Bish. Still, insiders can be wrong because things change.
 

LostDonkey

Member
No, people don't want the best experience. Otherwise, every gamer would own gaming PCs rigged with Titan Xs. In fact, console gaming is kinda predicated on not being the best experience, but being affordable.

And it's not right around the corner. When exactly has Sony released major hardware right around the corner with no marketing or press release?

I don't think it really is a problem. There's always new hardware being released.

Some people seem to be sore other people will be getting a better experience, as it has been defined. Your PS4 does not become worse just because other people have this potential PS4k, just as your iphone doesn't become a worse phone merely with the release of a new one. I think this attitude is shortsighted. Sooner or later, this is how all consoles are going to upgrade, from now. Even stubborn Nintendo is doing it. Platforms with shared software.

I meant people want the best experience of their chosen platform. Not everyone is interested in a PC. For a PS4 only gamer to have recently bought a PS4 and then hear this, it's a big problem. They put down money so that they would get games on their platform for the next few years the best they could be, level with everyone else. Now there is possibly a more powerful option to be released it's going to annoy people.

You say things don't become worse just because of the release of something new, but that's not strictly true is it. If the newer version is offering a more stable, polished experience, then yes, you are playing a worse, inferior version of that game.
 

JJD

Member
Just saw this. I don't feel particularly pro or against an upgrade.

But I believe current owners of the console should have a way to upgrade.

Anyway, isn't the CPU the weakest link on the PS4? How Sony will deal with an even stronger GPU paired with such a weak CPU?
 
People dont understand that mass producing consoles means the cost of hardware isn't the same as what PC owners would pay on newegg. People freaked out when Sony said they were adding 8GB of GDDR5 RAM thinking it would increase the PS4 cost to $600. Turns out they were easily able to sell it for $399.

AMD's best GPU at the moment is the 5.5 Tflop 8GB R390x which retails for $399. I dont think Sony will be using that even if AMD sells it to them for half that amount. We will probably see something in the 3.6-4.0 Tflops range which should play most current gen games at 1080p 60 fps and indie games at 4k.

But these games dont have to run at 4k. I know thats what the rumor says, but I think most gamers will be happy with a 1080p 60 fps upgrade. After all, thats why i upgraded my PC back in 2011. Most of us dont even have 4k tvs.

Buying power is different. Sony can negotiate a price for 5 million/qtr of 1 unit with a supplier and get a much lower price than a consumer on newegg. Consoles will always have a performance/price advantage over PC builders.
 

injurai

Banned
You don't see how a fully upgradeable PC is a better deal vs a PC that cannot be upgraded until the manufacturer sells you a whole new one?

This new console would be a worse deal for sure, imo.

When I buy a PC I don't upgrade it all that often. Plus buying a fully tricked out PC is expensive. If you want windows, then you'll have to buy the OS. Then you don't get to have all the multimedia systems, you're PSN friends or Sony 1st party exclusives.

To me consoles and PC optimize two very different things. But with this incremental upgrade. You are simply getting all the benefits that drew you to the console in the first place, but without having to wait a full generation for a hardware upgrade. If consoles are good enough now, then consoles just got better.

I don't believe I ever argued it was a better deal. I think I argued that PCs aren't a cheaper solution just because you can upgrade whenever. Consoles do a lot get get the most out of yesterdays hardware in ways that PCs don't as effectively ever achieve.
 

BY2K

Membero Americo
No it doesn't, it puts the control in devs hands. They can target the older console with the bigger install base, and have their software reach both platforms. The developer decides when to target the latest and give a pass on the old clunker. Basically it puts them in control of their own destiny, they say when next gen starts, not Sony of MS.

They still have to make sure the game is stable on both versions and issues aren't caused by the differing hardware. No matter how you handle that, it will require more hours and more QA.
 

Corto

Member
He is contradicting himself here.

First he is saying EA, Ubi and Activ have established their dev piplines and the extra power is moot, then he says that devs will drop the old platform specs and start to code for the new one.

Which is it?

I think in the first post his comments are more directed at the possibility of a Windows10 store and the incentives that Publishers could have to ditch their own digital storefronts/distribution services for a walled garden scenario with Microsoft holding the keys to the realm. If we're talking here about the PCfication of the consoles, the Windows 10 talks are about the consolisation of the PC. hehe
 
I don't get why people are pointing to the yearly mobile phone upgrade cycle as if that's an example of something that works

Yeah it works but it's fucking ass and it means that there's little improvement between releases because they don't have time to do anything significant. Also - it's expensive as fuck for the consumer. People just don't realise it because it's hidden in plans.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Well, at least for my case: I bought the PS4 when it was released but last summer I had to sell it for some reason. Just bought another one 2 weeks ago, and to me 400$ isn't little money... So I'd feel bitter if it turns out to be true.

Also it would be weird to lauch it at the same time than the PSVR, 1 year before yes, 6 months before yes, but at the SAME TIME, I mean they expect people to spend 1000$ just like that? I know Sony is popular but not THAT popular, the last time they tried those kind of tricks (launch of PS3), wasn't a good time for them...

$400 is a lot of money for me too. And yes, $500 for a fucking peripheral is bizarre. That thing wont take off till they bring it down to $199 or something.

That said, i still think PS4.5 is for people who are willing to spend $400 for better resolution and fps. I was seriously considering buying the HP PC that was on sale for $1,300 and even pulled the trigger until they went out of stock.

So either I can spend $1,300 to play 4k games or 1080p 60 fps games, or just pay $200-$300 on a new PS4. granted i can get a $150-200 trade in bonus.
 

mario_O

Member
I don't know.

Part of me thinks this could be real.

But a greater part of me thinks this could be a "controlled leak" designed to freeze Microsoft's plans. A console-holders' equivalent of a "Mexican standoff."

Could be a controlled leak, maybe they don't want to announce it out of the blue at E3; that could infuriate legions of gamers, lol. This way they're paving the way for everybody to get used to the idea. They lose some sales these months but avoid the uproar.
 
4k almost surely refers to it being 4k capable, HDMI 2, 4k Blu Rays, and extra horsepower for VR.

We knew before this rumor dropped, most likely the slim or revised version of the consoles were probably going to add 4k support. My guess is, it probably doesn't cost Sony or MS that much at all to modernize it a little, especially the CPU. I remember reading that Sony could upgrade the PS4 cpu after year in its release by 40% at no cost, due to the improvements in tech and just how damned old those jaguar cores are.

I don't think this PS4.5 if it ever comes out is going to be anywhere near as powerful as people are assuming. Its not going to be playing AAA games at 4k nor is it meant to. 4k just means, 4k capable. Revision was always going to come. Only obvious and natural they would make it 4k ready. The increase in power is going to be in line with how much they can increase the power while maintaining the cost, and my guess is, they can increase it a lot, due to some parts being so old that it's probably the same price to use newer parts.

Sure, not many people have 4k tvs, but Sony and MS are competing with each other, and there is no way either of them would just let the other own that huge marketing win. Look at what a meal Sony made out of PS4's barely noticeable superiority in graphics.
 

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
If they are going with the incremental upgrade route, that makes them closer to the PC route and also Nintendo handhelds.

One of the reasons many people chooses ps4 is because they doesnt want to spend money upgrading pc every year. Imagine the devs start making games that run well on the ps4.5 but massive framerate drop and stuffs on the OG ps4. Or games that are ps4.5 exclusive.

That's what many people has roasted Nintendo for as well, with the New 3DS and DSi back then.
 
I guess this is the aftermath of switching to x86-64

If you design a new machine with largely the same architecture of the current one and is capable of running all the previously-released games, what are you going to call it? PS4.x might seem more logical than PS5 here.

I wonder if that would eventually affect development and optimization. Developers will have to worry about running their games on 2 (and eventually maybe more) consoles.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Buying power is different. Sony can negotiate a price for 5 million/qtr of 1 unit with a supplier and get a much lower price than a consumer on newegg. Consoles will always have a performance/price advantage over PC builders.

that's precisely what im saying. lol
 

thuway

Member
then just buy a PC

it's literally exactly what you want

No that's not how it works. PC gaming has it's fair share of pitfalls that go largely unmentioned because people are too busy thumping on about better hardware. Failure rates, game-to-game compatibility, driver updates ANY time a new game launches, etc. are just the tip of the ice berg. The worst feeling, however, is buying a graphic card to have it obselete in the next year. (I bought a 280X with 3 GB of VRAM, and games out there are now requiring 4 GB for "recommended" performance, with some as high as 6 GB of VRAM)

Not to mention none of your friends on PSN are there.
 

Alex

Member
No that's not how it works. PC gaming has it's fair share of pitfalls that go largely unmentioned because people are too busy thumping on about better hardware. Failure rates, game-to-game compatibility, driver updates ANY time a new game launches, etc. are just the tip of the ice berg. The worst feeling, however, is buying a graphic card to have it obselete in the next year. (I bought a 280X with 3 GB of VRAM, and games out there are now requiring 4 GB for "recommended" performance, with some as high as 6 GB of VRAM)

Not to mention none of your friends on PSN are there.

oh no

not driver updates
 

WillyFive

Member
In a regular 5 year generational cycle, this should be around the time we would be hearing about PS5 news.

No that's not how it works. PC gaming has it's fair share of pitfalls that go largely unmentioned because people are too busy thumping on about better hardware. Failure rates, game-to-game compatibility, driver updates ANY time a new game launches, etc. are just the tip of the ice berg. The worst feeling, however, is buying a graphic card to have it obselete in the next year. (I bought a 280X with 3 GB of VRAM, and games out there are now requiring 4 GB for "recommended" performance, with some as high as 6 GB of VRAM)

Not to mention none of your friends on PSN are there.

Unless you are buying a graphics card from 2009 in 2016, it won't be obsolete; and I struggle to think of an example where a new driver update broke a game.
 
No that's not how it works. PC gaming has it's fair share of pitfalls that go largely unmentioned because people are too busy thumping on about better hardware. Failure rates, game-to-game compatibility, driver updates ANY time a new game launches, etc. are just the tip of the ice berg. The worst feeling, however, is buying a graphic card to have it obselete in the next year. (I bought a 280X with 3 GB of VRAM, and games out there are now requiring 4 GB for "recommended" performance, with some as high as 6 GB of VRAM)

Not to mention none of your friends on PSN are there.
Hmmm, sounds like a good reason to fragment the console player base then! Must be awful to buy something only for it to be obsolete the next year. Like, imagine buying hardware to play games in 1080p only to find out that there's an updated version that can play games in 4K! Something like that would only happen on PC.

kqZZY1M.png
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Could be a controlled leak, maybe they don't want to announce it out of the blue at E3; that could infuriate legions of gamers, lol. This way they're paving the way for everybody to get used to the idea. They lose some sales these months but avoid the uproar.

Dont they usually wait till the SKU is on store shelves before announcing any price drops or new SKUs?

I remember the Slim versions of both the 360 and PS3 were announced at E3 and Gamescom respectively and were available within days, if not immediately.

If this thing is indeed real, Sony wont butcher its sales for 6 months while everyone waits for the new more powerful SKU. It will probably be announced when it's close to being released.
 

thuway

Member
oh no

not driver updates

This might sound relatively benign to you, but I've had driver updates that have outright made Skype stop working, would turn my monitor pink, and I could keep going on. I still prefer PC gaming, but I can fully admit it's not for every one. Everyone in here telling people to go game on PC are missing the point about why console gaming is so attractive in the first place.

It's a consistent, painless experience that puts simplicity at the forefront.
 
Top Bottom