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[TheExecutive]

Well, glad I waited to buy another PS4.

 

[Shivvy_NTL]

I honestly dont like this at all, may as well call it a ps5 and backwards compatible with ps4.

I wouldnt want to trade in my current ps4 aswell since i have the PT demo installed

 

[captjohnboyd]

I've been busy with work so I haven't been able to keep up with this super fast moving thread. Is there any new news besides the OP? Any insiders dropped in and illuminated on any of this?

 

[The God]

It's a stupid business decision no matter who does it. Many current customers will feel burned; especially recent purchasers. There will be a implied pressure to upgrade and many customers weren't expecting nor wanted that. On the other side it's more work for developers and more things to think about for publishers which is not positive. Without a fierce push from the platform holder to support the new SKU there will be no support. A fierce push would be alienating because it's asking a business partner to spend more for something that has a marginal return for them.

Many timing factors for the customer and the publishers don't support big mid gen upgrades. It's why moves like this failed in the past. It made a new half step which lacks support and divides the customer base. It doesn't matter if it's Sony or MS or Nintendo or Atari or NeoGeo or Sega or NEC/Hudson.

lmao bro u sound poor and jealous xD

Spoiler

S

 

[GlamFM]

I honestly dont like this at all, may as well call it a ps5 and backwards compatible with ps4.

I wouldnt want to trade in my current ps4 aswell since i have the PT demo installed

The power gap is absolutely not significant enough to call this thing PS5.

 

[Papacheeks]

I think of it like this:

Sony is a manufacturer of many things tech - not just games. This for them means more revenue for Sony, whom also happens to own a gaming division.

People will consume as usual, but if the number don't ring true - it's not like anythings dying off...some people are so dramatic and general when it comes to the multifaceted.

The issue me and other's see is since PSVR is selling out in preorders, it signify's people are willing to buy new tech. If PS4K sells, it's only a matter of time before the problems me and other's are afraid of to creep up sooner rather than later. ANd the long term damage could ultimately have a giant effect on console sales as a whole with adoption rate.

And that is seriously something that could screw the industry faster than anything.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

can't wait for loadingreadyrun's "I've Got 4K PS4Ks" video

 

[Moneal]

I honestly dont like this at all, may as well call it a ps5 and backwards compatible with ps4.

I wouldnt want to trade in my current ps4 aswell since i have the PT demo installed

Except ps4 is still forward compatible with all ps4k games. Its not a generational jump.

 

[Muzicfreq]

I think of it like this:

Sony is a manufacturer of many things tech - not just games. This for them means more revenue for Sony, whom also happens to own a gaming division.

People will consume as usual, but if the number don't ring true - it's not like anythings dying off...some people are so dramatic and general when it comes to the multifaceted.

Next gen is when it would hit

 

[onQ123]

sli, and there wont be a generational leap this is pure for 4k output.

So is it Starsha? The GNB that's getting the upgrade?

I'm thinking the PS4 main GPU will stay the same while Starsha gets an upgrade.

 

[RoadHazard]

Yeah... this is definitely pushing me away from the console industry. And I'm for sure never buying another console on release, what a waste.

This attitude is silly to me. "Waste"? By the time the PS4K is released (IF it happens when rumored) the PS4 will be 3.5 years old. Not a full traditional generation, but that's still a lot of time with it, and a lot of games you've had the chance to enjoy. AND it's not like future games won't work on the PS4, they will just look better on the PS4K. Sure, if you very recently bought a PS4 it might suck a bit (which would be an argument FOR getting it early), but some of you make it sound like the PS4 was JUST released.

 

[Clockwork]

lmao bro u sound poor and jealous xD

He actually makes some pretty good points, bro...

It's a dumb idea. At best it should only incorporate UHD Blu-ray support and perhaps internalize the extra box used for PSVR.

 

[Kezen]

It's a stupid business decision no matter who does it. Many current customers will feel burned; especially recent purchasers. There will be a implied pressure to upgrade and many customers weren't expecting nor wanted that. On the other side it's more work for developers and more things to think about for publishers which is not positive. Without a fierce push from the platform holder to support the new SKU there will be no support. A fierce push would be alienating because it's asking a business partner to spend more for something that has a marginal return for them.

Many timing factors for the customer and the publishers don't support big mid gen upgrades. It's why moves like this failed in the past. It made a new half step which lacks support and divides the customer base. It doesn't matter if it's Sony or MS or Nintendo or Atari or NeoGeo or Sega or NEC/Hudson.

#cantstopprogress

As a PC gamer I very much look forward iterative consoles, the console market is about to get much more diverse with no less than 4 skus with different specs. More avenues for technical innovations.

Bring it on.

 

[rokkerkory]

Except ps4 is still forward compatible with all ps4k games. Its not a generational jump.

Do we know this how?

 

[FiveMinuteHero]

*In game footage shown PS4K version. Other versions may vary.

 

[Papacheeks]

Next gen is when it would hit

Agreed.

This smells like they want their other divisions to be successful, so pushing a 4K console out to help sell their own tv's, VR, media content, is something I can tell they want.

They don;t want to see only one part of their company be successful financially, they want everyone thing to be.

Thus making them out to be using Microsoft's original plan by using gamer's to push into the living room.

Only they are pushing for 4K medium specifically.

 

[Clockwork]

This attitude is silly to me. "Waste"? By the time the PS4K is released (IF it happens when rumored) the PS4 will be 3.5 years old. Not a full traditional generation, but that's still a lot of time with it, and a lot of games you've had the chance to enjoy. AND it's not like future games won't work on the PS4, they will just look better on the PS4K. Sure, if you just bought a PS4 it might suck a bit, but some of you make it sound like the PS4 was JUST released.

Fragmentation of the user base due to hardware differences is never a good idea. Both from a consumer/business perspective but also from a development perspective. They should stick with value added features that won't impact the software or core hardware specification.

 

[Mister Megative]

Do we know this how?

Someone doesn't read.

 

[rjinaz]

The people who want this like GLAMFM and many other's are people who just want better IQ.
Like the people who want what's new, and the majority of people who are still buying the current version of PS4 on a casual consumer level have no clue at the moment on what's coming until it's announced in a store.

And that right there causes confusion, and also resentment on buying that product again. Becasue traditional consoles have not changed or when companies tried the so called hardware upgrade path, they failed so people who heard about it were not worried.
But if let's say those people who just love new tech are there upfront for PS4K, and they sell for the first year, then we hear about PS5 following that.

How do you think early adopters will react?
This will have a impact in along term effect on how adoption rate is during launch of new consoles.
You think people will be as ravenous as they were for PS4 and XBox one for PS5 and XBNEXT?

Think again,

I want it because it has a built in uhd player mostly, anything extra is just icing.

I guess it depends on when the PS5 comes out. I have no problem selling my current console and upgrading to a new one for just a couple of hundred bucks every 3-4 years. No.

Sorry I just don't agree that the PS4k is going to hurt Sony in the long run. Most people won't care, they will either buy it or they won't. And, those threatening to buy a PC now, may have very well done that anyway when PS5 came out. Who knows what that will even be.

 

[TheRazielim]

Why would I pay for such iterative upgrades for consoles? At this point, I might as well get a PC because it offers much more flexibility.

 

[Moneal]

Do we know this how?

The op which all this discussion is based on says so, as have all the other rumours(from kotaku to wsj).

 

[RoyalLaFlame]

Sony: We have a message for all those that supported us through the original PS4 launch... Deal with it. Kthxbye

 

[Papacheeks]

#cantstopprogress

As a PC gamer I very much look forward iterative consoles, the console market is about to get much more diverse with no less than 4 skus with different specs. More avenues for technical innovations.

Bring it on.

And there's a reason PC is what it is and consoles are what they are.

This move has more to do with pushing 4K than it does pushing tech. 4K tv's are not flying off shelves, so prices in the past couple years have come down significantly. Also is because of media adoption of 4k is not where tv manufacturers need it to be.

I want it because it has a built in uhd player mostly, anything extra is just icing.

I guess it depends on when the PS5 comes out. I have no problem selling my current console and upgrading to a new one for just a couple of hundred bucks every 3-4 years. No.

Sorry I just don't agree that the PS4k is going to hurt Sony in the long run. Most people won't care, they will either buy it or they won't. And, those threatening to buy a PC now, may have very well done that anyway when PS5 came out. Who knows what that will even be.

I'm not saying just SOny will be hurt, the whole industry could have serious issues if we see refresh'es every 2-3 years with significant differences. And I would say if 4K was super mainstream I would say your right.

As it stands right now it still isn't mainstream by a longshot. So people will give a shit, and voice very loudly.

 

[Freiya]

I'd say a 6-8 year lifecycle would've been okay, had PS4 and Xbox One been exceptionally powerful, as the PS3 was in 2006, and actually even more so, the Xbox 360 in 2005.

If you had an Xbox 360 in late 2005 or even early 2006, and you wanted a PC to match its gaming capability, you'd have to spend a few grand on on high-end desktop class hardware, and even then, it would only be more or less about equal. Certainly wouldn't have blown Xbox 360 out of the water. Lastgen consoles introduced three new high-end concepts for console developers: multi-core processing, HD rendering/asset creation, and complex fully programmable shaders on both MS and Sony hardware (yes, og Xbox had programmable shaders in 2001, but PS2 did not).

Those consoles were a huge leap and a massive hurdle for devs to come to grips with, expense for making quality games, and cost for MS and Sony to manufacture. On top of that, online multiplayer and a constant online ecosystem had to be standard, unlike the generation before, where Xbox Live launched a year after the og Xbox came out, PS2 barely had anything at all, and Dreamcast was dial-up.

Whereas, when PS4 and Xbox One launched in 2013, they were equivalent to a midrange gaming laptop GPU, and lowend laptop CPU. This was and is the HD remaster generation combined with full social media integration. Pretty incremental in itself. Nothing ground breaking.

As others have said, the traditional console cycle model is archaic and dates back to the 1970s & 80s.

This is not an argument in favor of PS4K, just where the industry is heading.

Really good post and it seems a lot of people don't understand just how under powered these consoles where from day one.

 

[The God]

He actually makes some pretty good points, bro...

It's a dumb idea. At best it should only incorporate UHD Blu-ray support and perhaps internalize the extra box used for PSVR.

I was making fun of some of the posters in here trying to reduce concerns about this to jealousy and being poor.

What a mature and considered response.
Food for thought.

I agree with vcc. I was just joking.

 

[Clockwork]

I was making fun of some of the posters in here trying to reduce concerns about this to jealousy and being poor.

Sometimes I can't tell around here if people are being serious or not.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[wapplew]

This attitude is silly to me. "Waste"? By the time the PS4K is released (IF it happens when rumored) the PS4 will be 3.5 years old. Not a full traditional generation, but that's still a lot of time with it, and a lot of games you've had the chance to enjoy. AND it's not like future games won't work on the PS4, they will just look better on the PS4K. Sure, if you very recently bought a PS4 it might suck a bit (which would be an argument FOR getting it early), but some of you make it sound like the PS4 was JUST released.

Why not wait another 1.5 years and release a much poweful PS5 instead, we used to traditional gen, no one will complaint thier PS4 can't play PS5 games.
Also PS4 just starting to get good this year, ND and SMM still haven't release one proper title on it!
Yes, physically it will be 3 and half year, but it felt like this gen just started!

 

[vcc]

lmao bro u sound poor and jealous xD

I'm pointing out how the market behaves and why stuff like this has failed in the past. My opinion doesn't shift based on who is doing it nor my own personal situation.

I personally am in the privileged position to buy anything I want. It's not about my own ability to afford a PS4k. I almost spent more than a PS4k's likely MSRP playing limited Magic last month.

 

[EatinOlives]

#cantstopprogress

As a PC gamer I very much look forward iterative consoles, the console market is about to get much more diverse with no less than 4 skus with different specs. More avenues for technical innovations.

Bring it on.

As a PC gamer I'm not interested in two platforms that follow the "replace hardware for hundreds every few years for incrementally better performance" format. I already have a PC for that. It's especially even less worth it when you consider that even after dropping money for a PS4K your existing PC will still run circles around it.

 

[RoadHazard]

Fragmentation of the user base due to hardware differences is never a good idea. Both from a consumer/business perspective but also from a development perspective. They should stick with value added features that won't impact the software or core hardware specification.

What fragmentation? Both console versions will run the same games, the more expensive one will just do it at a higher graphical fidelity. THIS IS NOT THE PS5.

Yes, devs will have to spend some time making sure both versions run fine, but that's not much different than what already happens with multiplats that are on PC, PS4 and XBO. There will just be another hardware target in-between the first two, and it will get graphical features accordingly.

 

[Skenzin]

Seriously, i expect to see a lot of unoptimized ps4.0 games if htis takes off. Sort of how all my iphones magically runs like shit after the following yearly update. This is a way of pushing upgrades by sort of gimping the old stuff but maintaining legality.

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

Because some of us might just have a PC as well. Infact I buy games depending on what runs fine on what system. like Fallout I bought on PC while I bought BF4 on PS4 (Felt really odd on PC to me and I also do own BF4 on PC as well)

That doesn't really address the point. PS4 games have been made with considerable sacrifices from day one. And PC is even more powerful than whatever PS4K will be. Why is it suddenly a problem now?

 

[XxRampage07xX]

Console generations are dead then huh?

I hope not. I believe consoles will be better when keeping the generation model than adapting the iterative model.

 

[vcc]

#cantstopprogress

As a PC gamer I very much look forward iterative consoles, the console market is about to get much more diverse with no less than 4 skus with different specs. More avenues for technical innovations.

Bring it on.

PC market works the same. Most publishers target the middle of the bell curve. Folks at the top end get better FPS and few extra effects. The general complexity of design clumps around what the console gen can handle.

So like in PC gaming, games will target the base and maybe throw random feature or two to the high end.

 

[Moneal]

As a PC gamer I'm not interested in two platforms that follow the "replace hardware for hundreds every few years for incrementally better performance" format. I already have a PC for that. It's especially even less worth it when you consider that even after dropping money for a PS4K your existing PC will still run circles around it.

This allows multi plat games on pc to not stagnate like we saw at the end of last gen.

 

[Papacheeks]

What fragmentation? Both console versions will run the same games, the more expensive one will just do it at a higher graphical fidelity. THIS IS NOT THE PS5.

You have no clue if that is the case.

N3DS WE HAD NO clue Hyrule warriors would run like shit on 3DS but like butter on N3DS. It was kind of baffling seeing xenoblade chronicles only playable on the newer model, since 3DS has such a big install base.

You can't predict what or won't be. ANd seeing as history has shown us, and as VCC commented on, it could go south very quickly. ANd it only takes one game to do it.

 

[The God]

I'm pointing out how the market behaves and why stuff like this has failed in the past. My opinion doesn't shift based on who is doing it nor my own personal situation.

I personally am in the privileged position to buy anything I want. It's not about my own ability to afford a PS4k. I almost spent more than a PS4k's likely MSRP playing limited Magic last month.

I actually agree with you. I was just poking fun at people trying to reduce concerns to jealousy and being broke, which was happening earlier in the thread.

 

[Clockwork]

What fragmentation? Both console versions will run the same games, the more expensive one will just do it at a higher graphical fidelity. THIS IS NOT THE PS5.

It's still fragmentation of the user base. Do you not think developers with have to factor in the hardware differences when creating games?

They will either need to cater to the base hardware (which means the upgraded units will never be fully utilized and see their full potential) or they will with develop to the stronger hardware and base users will have to deal with the consequences of such a decision (lower performance, worse looking games, etc)

It's not as simple as you make it.

 

[Killroyskbg]

Fragmentation of the user base due to hardware differences is never a good idea. Both from a consumer/business perspective but also from a development perspective. They should stick with value added features that won't impact the software or core hardware specification.

How is it fragmenting it? You can still play the same games I bet against and with people on the PS4. And a developer having 2 sku to work on is not going to have any large impact on development. How do you think they can produce games for millions of different hardware configs on PC?

 

[wapplew]

#cantstopprogress

As a PC gamer I very much look forward iterative consoles, the console market is about to get much more diverse with no less than 4 skus with different specs. More avenues for technical innovations.

Bring it on.

It actually slow down progress from software perspective.
All those hardware power will go wasted when dev target lowest configuration. We will be playing PS4 base game for long long time even after PS5 and PS5.5 release if they go down that path.

 

[Moneal]

It's still fragmentation of the user base. Do you not think developers with have to factor in the hardware differences when creating games?

They will either need to cater to the base hardware (which means the upgraded units with never be fully utilized and see their full potential) or they will with develop to the stronger hardware and base users will have to deal with the consequences of such a decision (lower performance, worse looking games, etc)

It's not as simple as you make it.

So nothing will change. This is already being done with pc ps4 and xbox1.

 

[IvanJ]

So many pessimistic posts in here.

I am imagining the ultimate meltdown: Sony announcing free online multiplayer - only on PS4K.

 

[vcc]

I actually agree with you. I was just poking fun at people trying to reduce concerns to jealousy and being broke, which was happening earlier in the thread.

Oh I see. sorry. Yeah, it just seems like a move that will generate some irritation in their customer base. I can see why the platform leader would want to do it. If it catches on it means they can sustain their momentum better but it has always failed.

 

[AmyS]

I guess NX will catch up to PS4 only to be left way behind again.

Supplemental Computing Devices that Nintendo has filed patents for, could change that and keep them on par with or better than PS4K, in a few years. The real question is, would Nintendo actually make this into a product, as not everything that gets a patent comes to market.

 

[Clockwork]

How do you think they can produce games for millions of different hardware configs on PC?

Think about this one a little bit more. Is this really the metric you want to measure your console experience against? Things are not all sunshine and roses depending on the kind of system you have. On a per machine basis even with similar specs users see a difference in software performance and quality.

The benefit of a fucking console is you don't need to worry about this shit or if you are getting the best experience. It just works.

So nothing will change. This is already being done with pc ps4 and xbox1.

Apples to oranges. They are different brands/platforms. When you buy into the Xbox One ecosystem or the PS4 ecosystem you can safely assume you will have the exact same experience as any other user. Developers can ensure this as well.

 

[EatinOlives]

This allows multi plat games on pc to not stagnate like we saw at the end of last gen.

Which for many people was actually a good thing, since they could get extra mileage from the same hardware.

It's really beside my point, though. The point is, as a PC gamer I actually DO want the "buy and forget" convenience of consoles, because I have them for the odd exclusive. Like I said, not interested in entering a path of constant upgrades because I'm already doing that on a platform that does that path better anyway. So the only thing that changes for me with this is the possibility of getting gimped versions of exclusives. There's no reason for me to be excited about that.

 

[gofreak]

Probably completely coincidental, but the latest UE4 update enables functions for PS4 to query for CPU and GPU vendor and brand id strings. I wonder why you would ever need to do that in a fixed spec console runtime environment...?

(Seriously though, they probably do this for all platform runtime environments regardless and just omitted PS4 until now...)

 

[Elandyll]

It actually slow down progress on software perspective.
All those hardware power will go wasted when dev target lowest configuration. We will be playing PS4 base game for long long time even after PS5 and PS5.5 release of they go down that path.

I believe you are a PC gamer yourself?

How does the idea of setting standard profiles (say 1080p30 for Sp/ 900p60 Mp for PS4 and 1080p60 SP with High/ Ultra fx SP or 1080p60 with low/med settings on MP for PS4K) seem so alien to you?

 

[lingpanda]

Was Nintendo affected negatively when they introduced the New Nintendo 3DS XL? I don't recall. I see no reason the PS4 will be.

 

[EatinOlives]

I believe you are a PC gamer yourself?

How does the idea of setting standard profiles (say 1080p30 for Sp/ 900p60 Mp for PS4 and 1080p60 SP with High/ Ultra fx SP or 1080p60 with low/med settings on MP for PS4K) seem so alien to you?

Because that's not how optimization for console games work. It's not like they make PC-esque "settings" and turn shit down to "medium" for one console and call it a day.

Was Nintendo affected negatively when they introduced the New Nintendo 3DS XL? I don't recall. I see no reason the PS4 will be.

For original 3DS owners? Yes. They can't play Xenoblade Chronicles, and get a shit version of Hyrule Warriors Legends.