I mostly buy my hardware +2 years into the lifecycle. So don't like this news at all.
I'm kind of fond of 6-8 year console cycles. I can understand PSVR being a potential gameshifter that needs better hardware, and I don't mind a PS4 version that can render in 4K, but if it makes PS4 titles run less well framerate wise I might be out.
The goal of the ps4k is to make the 6-8 years life cycle still a true thing. Without new hardware, the ps4 sales will start to decline massively next year and forward and there will be no incentives to still make games for the ps4. With a ps4k, interest in the platform is renewed and publishers can still target the whole platform for another two or three years.
There three options right now :
- releasing new hardware with generational leap every 6-8 years :
The good thing is that early adopters get their money worth and at the top of the game for a long time. The bad thing is that interest in the platform start to massively decrease mid gen and there's no incentives to create new experience, we get the same sequels every year until the next generational leap.
- releasing new hardware with generational leap every 4-5 years :
The good thing is that customer interest is always high and we get new experiences all the time. The bad thing is that development costs rise so fast that every publishers and devhouse can't keep up with it anymore and the industry collapse.
- releasing new platform with generational leap every 6-8 years with upgraded hardware within those :
The good thing is that you keep interest in your platform high all along the life of your platform, enthusiasts can spend a lot of money and be happy to, while more casual and cost sensitive customers could reap the benefit and enjoy new experiences way late in the life cycle thanks to all the money the enthusiasts spend.
The bad thing is that people with poor judgment skills, poorly informed or entitled as fuck will feel cheated, but who cares ?
The third scenario is what could save console gaming as we love it and enjoy it for decades. The goal is not to make everyone upgrade and gimp some users, the goal is to extract as much money you can from an audience wich is shrinking at an impressive rate.