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Kotaku: Sony is working on a PS4.5; briefing devs on plans for a more powerful PS4
- Thread starter shinobi602
- Start date
There will always be updates, always be patches. Consoles aren't so different from PCs even now. The only huge differences currently are form factor and the uniformly static hardware composition. Anything else about them, PCs can and have been able to do. All three hardware manufacturers will need to hammer home what exactly it is that makes the results of this new business model (the consoles) more attractive over PCs to the most technologically competent generation yet seen in history. Only time will tell. To me, the appeal is not entirely there.
So you're saying they'll be using Linux
Because for it to work it has to be seamless & if this thing is coming out at the end of the year & they are just now telling devs about it my guess is that it's because devs don't have to be that much involved with the upgrade from 1080P to 4K.
Most likely it will be doing something like what's being done with the PS2 games on PS4 but in hardware.
Same games but the hardware will render & scan out at a higher resolution.
blastprocessor
The Amiga Brotherhood
#4Ktheplayers
SentryDown
Member
I've heard this rumor already but I was told it's only for 4K gaming, no big deal
Yeah. Games can have 6-9 years or even longer cycles of supporting consoles while hardware is only produced/distributed in 6 year cycles.
I dont mind but it has to be every 4 years
So
PS4 - Nov 2013
PS4.5 - Nov 2017
PS5 - Nov 2021
PS5.5 - Nov 2025
All PS4.5 games will work with PS4 excluding some VR games. All consoles are backwards compatible even PS4 Games work with PS5. However every true upgrade PS4 to PS5 games won't be forward compatible.
This is advantageous to 2 markets. The cheap gamers who want to buy a PS4 and will get support for 8 years which is a long time. Or the graphic whores who want a upgrade can have one every 4 years which isn't breaking the bank. That's a good balance
So
PS4 - Nov 2013
PS4.5 - Nov 2017
PS5 - Nov 2021
PS5.5 - Nov 2025
All PS4.5 games will work with PS4 excluding some VR games. All consoles are backwards compatible even PS4 Games work with PS5. However every true upgrade PS4 to PS5 games won't be forward compatible.
This is advantageous to 2 markets. The cheap gamers who want to buy a PS4 and will get support for 8 years which is a long time. Or the graphic whores who want a upgrade can have one every 4 years which isn't breaking the bank. That's a good balance
Yeah, I like this route.
Son of Flounder
Member
I was initially against this idea (if it is true which I still doubt) and also MS's pitch for doing this. However, if Sony market this correctly it could actually succeed.
If this is pitched as a high-end niche alternative for enthusiasts and videophiles only, it could work. Have it support 4K BluRay and bundle it with the BluRay remote as well as a DS4, change the console design to a more premium looking audio/video device, have a minimum of a 1TB HDD with SATA 3 support. Sony need to emphasise that all future games will be a great experience on both the PS4 and PS4K and there will be no differences outside of resolution (and possibly framerate). Clearly this will make it a LOT more expensive than a PS4.
Whilst I have no intention of buying a 4K TV any time soon, I would still buy a PS4K on day one if I could downscale a 4K rendered image to 1080p to get some decent anti-aliasing, or render at 1080p native to guarantee a 60FPS lock, not to mention the benefits for PSVR.
If this is pitched as a high-end niche alternative for enthusiasts and videophiles only, it could work. Have it support 4K BluRay and bundle it with the BluRay remote as well as a DS4, change the console design to a more premium looking audio/video device, have a minimum of a 1TB HDD with SATA 3 support. Sony need to emphasise that all future games will be a great experience on both the PS4 and PS4K and there will be no differences outside of resolution (and possibly framerate). Clearly this will make it a LOT more expensive than a PS4.
Whilst I have no intention of buying a 4K TV any time soon, I would still buy a PS4K on day one if I could downscale a 4K rendered image to 1080p to get some decent anti-aliasing, or render at 1080p native to guarantee a 60FPS lock, not to mention the benefits for PSVR.
Would still prefer a PS5 in 2020 than regular iterations.
UnforgivenTwin
Member
I wouldn't mind this.
I posted when it came out ms were interested in doing this that I thought I don't know how this would fly with console buyers, people bring in phones etc as examples but that's a different market all together with an almost limited base to sell too. Now we have consoles which sell millions and millions over periods of time but this hasn't been tested on these consumers who are use to buying a fixed platform and not worrying about upgrading rebuying for years sometimes the life of the produc. It could work it could be niche as hell making it a waste all round interesting times ahead.
KratosEnergyDrink
Member
Depends. I think most console owners want a device they can play games on as best as possible for 5 years and only a minority wants to buy a new device every year or after three years.
And Sony is not Apple not even near. Apple has a big dedicated and more-income-than-the-average community. And most mobiles are financed through credits, not a concept that could be easily pulled over to consoles.
The days when we used to buy something at d1 and it was complete and functional ended long time ago for games and now they are coming to an end for consoles too.
It may not be THAT bad if well made though, like mantaining the backward compatibility, making consoles upgradable(there should be the possibility to upgrade without buying a new console every time) or at least giving a big discount to those who already have the old version.
It may not be THAT bad if well made though, like mantaining the backward compatibility, making consoles upgradable(there should be the possibility to upgrade without buying a new console every time) or at least giving a big discount to those who already have the old version.
I feel like it would be prohibitively expensive to create a console capable of rendering high-end games at 4k. Right now, even the most powerful consumer graphics cards on the market, are just BARELY able to reach that mark at solid frame-rates with more demanding games.
Blackthorn
"hello?" "this is vagina"
Another reason I think this is further out than people are assuming. I'd be very surprised if we even hear about either of the next iterations of PlayStation or Xbox at this E3.
Cereal Enthusiast
Banned
But what differentiate PS5 from PS4.5 ? If PS5 is only more power, and PS4.5 is only more power, why is it called PS5 ?
SenkiDala
Member
At some point, to evolve, you need to change the whole architecture of the console, it can't just be "an upgrade", like on PC when you don't need only to change the GPU, but also need a new motherboard that uses "DX12" or more, and a new processor.
Blackthorn
"hello?" "this is vagina"
The same reasons the you get iPhone 5, 5S, 6, 6S, 7: marketing.
blastprocessor
The Amiga Brotherhood
So a Titan or 980Ti is not capable of running most PS4 games in 4K 30fps?
Cereal Enthusiast
Banned
The problem with that is game development typically takes more than 3 years this gen so most games released would be a console cycle behind.
family_guy
Member
Hopefully they improve the controller too.
Well, after thinking about it, I would actually be alright with that. - If PS5 does arrive in Fall 2021, there's a good chance the APU could be designed on 7nm and therefore the possibility of getting a really nice leap in graphics and CPU power, on top of 4K resolution. Otherwise that might not be possible if PS5 came earlier. Meanwhile, PS4.5 could allow current gen gaming at 4K. Alternatively, single player 1080p games on standard PS4 that run at 30fps could run at 60fps on PS4.5.
This is the most important point, right here. What's the point of having newer hardware when there is barely any software to support it? Just look at this gen. I've bought the PS4 on day 1 and the only game that was really worth it was Bloodborne. Everything else runs way better on PC.
Gamers like me will have to educate themselves to be more patient. So, IF a super-must-have game is announced for PSx that really interests me, I will wait until release day and pick up the game with the freshest iteration of PS. If the console business turns into this, early adopters are either wealthy, stupid, extremely inpatient or a combination of the three.
Opus Angelorum
Member
Standout post.
Dinky Dino
Member
True. Last gen you had the ps3 and 360 chugging a bit with stuff like gta v and dark souls 2 but they still ran for what it was on hardware dating from 2005. Here there's a good chance they won't bother toning down their games visually to show it off or optimize it to make sure it runs on the latest ps model but what does that mean for the older versions? Would they allow it to look worse and run at inferior frames or just straight out say it won't release? If they didn't mind, they would have tossed in graphical options on games already. I guess that remains to be seen. My guess is that support will go on but be dropped far earlier than their consoles usually go for. Stuff like say dragons dogma which ran pretty bad won't make the cut as for devs, optimizing and making games is valuable time and they can't cover all their bases as easily as they could with one setup. They should also remove paid online if they're doing this too
Hostile_18
Banned
It does seem stage Sony would aim for people with 4k telly's (what 40% of the ps4 user Base max) and not simply upgrade the cpu/gpu that would benefit every PS4 owner.
In the case of the upgraded Xbox one I'm told they will have to release games that work for the old hardware till a decided upon date that is the end of the gen. They don't get to choose if they want to support or not. I don't know about Sony.
ArtHands
Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
They have already discarded backward compatibility and every ps4 owners doesn't care. I dont think its going to be an issue. Its not my fault nor problem some ps4 owners are too poor to upgrade.
TylerDurden4321
Member
What if MS does 2 or 3 new models, with one that costs $800 and has a 600$ equivalent graphic card in it? I could see them do that, but not Sony. They will give their new thing good power, but not put out more than one upgraded device.
Lol ouch. Though many may be because they don't want to upgrade every few years. I'm with you I would like the option to upgrade every few years and I can't see to many being pissed as long as some games are not exclusive to the upgraded system.
How is this good for the consumer? Person X buys the PS4 at launch but then further down the line has to play the inferior version of a game and will have a disadvantage in multiplayer games as Person Y who bought the newer model can run the game at a higher res/framerate.
That's where an iterative console cycle would be more flexible, rather than being locked down to a single specification for 7-8 years. More room for both Microsoft and Sony to maneuver as needed.
Then again, Apple may be reaching the peak in there, not sure if they can go higher with that model, likely less so Sony or any console manufacturer.
You're crazy man. This is impossible! How about giving us the option to delete bullshit like demos from the library first?
I'm going to assume that eventually PS4 owners will be playing at different framerates.
