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

Enthusiast GPU sales DOUBLED YoY in 2015 alone. PC is surging right now and is a very real threat to consoles over the next 10 years

It's nice that you're able to predict the next 10 years of an industry while not being able to explain the cause for the sales increase. I certainly won't claim to know what the next 10 years holds for the industry but I'm predicting that the pc gpu sales will not continue to double yoy for the next 10 years.
 
You are holding a $399 "profitable on day one" console to the warm comfortable nostalgia of exotic powerhouse consoles of yesteryear, that isn't realistic, especially in the face of how Value is encroaching on the traditional console space.

The front half of tradition model changed and we all accepted it, mid-life revisions might be the second half of how this new model has to play out in order for console makers to keep things like Steamboxes at bay. Ultimately, if they continue to fully support the original sku, there is no real damage past hurt feelings over unrealistic expectations.

If their goal is to stay relevant I don't see this model working out for them. That's my opinion in a nutshell. And really, the bolded part is just you projecting onto my words to form up a strawman to attack.
 
It's nice that you're able to predict the next 10 years of an industry while not being able to explain the cause for the sales increase. I certainly won't claim to know what the next 10 years holds for the industry but I'm predicting that the pc gpu sales will not continue to double yoy for the next 10 years.

?

I can easily explain the rise in GPU sales. The rise of Steam, PC becoming more accessible than ever, F2P growing, cheaper games, free online etc. Its just becoming a more and more attractive consumer electronic. Also the 980ti was a very popular high end GPU

That said yes enthusiast GPUs wont double YoY for the next 10 years but all indications are that the curve will continue on an upwards trajectory as PC gaming itself is growing.
 
So here is an interesting question. If PS4.5 is legit and real, how long does Sony continue to manufacture the standard PS4 before discontinuing it and leaving the 4.5 as the standard
 
In all probability, it's the groundwork for the Ps5 that's being laid out and what it will eventually turn into. Not a Ps4 redux.
 
What some have been calling "consistency", I would consider stagnation. Obviously, I'm a bit biased after having experienced the eternity that was 7th gen, but I already think the PS4 is showing a little bit of age. This isn't to take away from phenomenal looking games like Uncharted 4. The "regular" games are somewhat up to par.

Quite frankly, though, the PS4 lags in capability to produce a VR experience compared to its PC counterparts, which is evidenced by Sony's resolution choice for the headset. When I hear of Sony contemplating a more powerful iteration, with possible implications to the PS4's VR capabilities, I get excited. It's probably just the kid in me that doesn't want to have to wait until a new generation for better VR. At the same time, a PS4.5 won't increase PSVR's resolution, unfortunately. I understand that VR still has some growing to do; I'm just excited, like I said.

Moving on, an unrelated question: what are the chances of Sony only doing this one iterative console for the sake of keeping up with VR/4K until PS5 and proceeding as normal?

Edit: I'm still in the camp that PS4.5, if it does come, comes next year, if anything. Polaris is worth waiting for, and letting PSVR sell is, also.
 
So here is an interesting question. If PS4.5 is legit and real, how long does Sony continue to manufacture the standard PS4 before discontinuing it and leaving the 4.5 as the standard

I dont think it would stop during the typical cycle. Pretty much the only way this PS4K idea works is if they are moving to a two tier approach.

Id expect PS4s to be on the market for at least another year and half, if not longer.
 
So here is an interesting question. If PS4.5 is legit and real, how long does Sony continue to manufacture the standard PS4 before discontinuing it and leaving the 4.5 as the standard

I would hope that they also have a slim of the none 4K PS4 at a cheaper price for people to use as a set top box for Vue & as a multimedia device even if they have the PS4.5.
 
After being in two threads of this and also wandering around other sites comments sections and Facebook etc... I Dont No know What's true or not all I know is when/if this gets announced its going to be very freaking interesting
 
As an early adopter I feel a bit cheated but its not like there wasn't going to be a revised console. If its going to be anything like the 3DS and New 3DS I suspect there are going to be games that can only run on the revised console.
 
this is no different than having 2 SKUs of the PS4...

One standard model and one being the premium more powerful version released later down the road.

i don't see why people don't get this.
 
What I want/expect if this is true:

Ability to run at higher than PS3-level Gfx at 1090/90fps for VR.

Easy dev tool to enable games to recognise what model PS4 was in use & adjust performance levels upwards as necessary. (Assuming devs build for base model)

Price point comparable to launch price pf PS4.

Fixed trade-in price for old console.

Personally the 4K bit isn't a sales point, but the potential performance boost needed for it for 1080p framerates would be.
 
Most likely won't be announced this year unless Sony wants to take the wind out of their PSVR sail. Or maybe it will.

This make no sense to me but yet people keep repeating it. how does this hurt PSVR? if anything someone who wasn't going to get it will end up getting it now because they have a more powerful PS4 that will make it better for them to enjoy it.
 
You know what I think this is going to turn out to be?

Ps4 + VR breakout box built in

And some idiot reporter infers it as ps4.5


If there is any enhancement to the silicon in this ps4, it'll be simply to account for the chipset in the VR breakout box.

Makes sense.... Well...no actually doesn't because it'll up the production costs for Sony for every ps4 sold, that may or may not be brought by someone who intends to buy a psvr headset.

But I'm sure eventually such a combo will exist, when production costs drop enough to essentially make adding the VR box internally free..

But yeh, end result re games we are playing, no way will be any different to what we have now.

IMO
 
This make no sense to me but yet people keep repeating it. how does this hurt PSVR? if anything someone who wasn't going to get it will end up getting it now because they have a more powerful PS4 that will make it better for them to enjoy it.

Most likely won't be announced this year unless Sony wants to take the wind out of their PSVR sail. Or maybe it will.

I agree with OnQ - given the low sales target for PSVR and seeming low launch allocations, I don't think this will cause too many issues or cannibalisation of sales from either.

Shit, for relatively well-off early adopters it might be a nice combination to get, especially if that '4K' translates as 'runs awesome at 90fps'.
 
This make no sense to me but yet people keep repeating it. how does this hurt PSVR? if anything someone who wasn't going to get it will end up getting it now because they have a more powerful PS4 that will make it better for them to enjoy it.

So you add another 400 dollars (if that is the price of the system) to get into vr on PlayStation? By the time psvr releases, Sony will have moved even more systems, millions. These people won't buy the new revision in masses.
 
If their goal is to stay relevant I don't see this model working out for them. That's my opinion in a nutshell. And really, the bolded part is just you projecting onto my words to form up a strawman to attack.

Your words:
When people buy a console, it comes with the expectation it lasts the full length of a generation before the next, without pressure to upgrade mid-cycle.

Where is that specific expectation coming from?

Warm and fuzzy memories of past consoles that used a completely different model and didn't have the same kind of competition.
 
And again. Logically, it fly's in the face of all the messaging Sony have been running in the recent weeks, of high lighting that the standard ps4 we all have is plenty powerful enough for an excellent 120fps VR experience.... WiTH OUT the need for any CPU booster in the break out box.

Hell they have been at pains to highlight this fact, that the box simply helps with the TV out feature of psvr and the audio.


And then people expect sony to come out with a ps4.5 and go " oh no..wait guys...actually if you want that premium VR experience... You better upgrade to this new ps4.

Right....

Which also ruins the one advantage psvr has over the other VR solutions, ie start up price.


I mean ... Just go over it in yr heads and if you still end up with the conclusion that Sony will announce a legit ps4.5 at e3.... Then you're about dumb enough to get a job at kotaku.
 
This make no sense to me but yet people keep repeating it. how does this hurt PSVR? if anything someone who wasn't going to get it will end up getting it now because they have a more powerful PS4 that will make it better for them to enjoy it.

I have a PSVR pre-order and intend to cancel it immediately if the PS4.5 turns out to be legit.

Would rather the PS4.5 and can't afford both.
 
Enthusiast GPU sales DOUBLED YoY in 2015 alone. PC is surging right now and is a very real threat to consoles over the next 10 years

Facts don't actually back any of this up. As pointed out earlier, PS4 is currently outpacing their most popular console in history and up YOY. If anything, PC gaming has never been more irrelevant to Sony. They have their own agenda of pushing a 4K console since they have so much vested interest in 4K TVs. Just like Blu ray and the PS3 10 years ago.
 
I don't share your optimism about them not cannibalising each other.

Sony are on record with sales expectations for PSVR in the 1-2mn units WW in the first year.

I would also imagine a lot of those buyers will be in a position to buy both as well - I know I am and I'm comfortable rather than wealthy.
 
And again. Logically, it fly's in the face of all the messaging Sony have been running in the recent weeks, of high lighting that the standard ps4 we all have is plenty powerful enough for an excellent 120fps VR experience.... WiTH OUT the need for any CPU booster in the break out box.

Hell they have been at pains to highlight this fact, that the box simply helps with the TV out feature of psvr and the audio.


And then people expect sony to come out with a ps4.5 and go " oh no..wait guys...actually if you want that premium VR experience... You better upgrade to this new ps4.

Right....

Which also ruins the one advantage psvr has over the other VR solutions, ie start up price.


I mean ... Just go over it in yr heads and if you still end up with the conclusion that Sony will announce a legit ps4.5 at e3.... Then you're about dumb enough to get a job at kotaku.
Not only that, but releasing two extremely expensive, enthusiast-targeted devices at the same time would be suicide. No amount of deft messaging will magically make early adopters' wallets fatter, and the moment EA/Ubi/etc. see low early sales/pre-orders for either/both PSVR and PS4K, they'll be relegated to niche status among the major publishers.

It's like something old-school Sega would do, and that's not a compliment. Sony needs to focus on pushing hardware bundles with VR to drive up adoption, not introducing a new SKU that will repel buyers wary of too many options.
 
Where is that specific expectation coming from?

Warm and fuzzy memories of past consoles that used a completely different model and didn't have the same kind of competition.

From historical durations of console generations, yeah. It's a reasonable expectation people have given it's how it has been. If it's to change, Sony will need to explain why and what this means going forward. The overly sarcastic adjectives are cute, but I'm not feeling that edgy-cool vibe you're trying to display.
 
And again. Logically, it fly's in the face of all the messaging Sony have been running in the recent weeks, of high lighting that the standard ps4 we all have is plenty powerful enough for an excellent 120fps VR experience.... WiTH OUT the need for any CPU booster in the break out box.

Hell they have been at pains to highlight this fact, that the box simply helps with the TV out feature of psvr and the audio.


And then people expect sony to come out with a ps4.5 and go " oh no..wait guys...actually if you want that premium VR experience... You better upgrade to this new ps4.

Right....

Which also ruins the one advantage psvr has over the other VR solutions, ie start up price.


I mean ... Just go over it in yr heads and if you still end up with the conclusion that Sony will announce a legit ps4.5 at e3.... Then you're about dumb enough to get a job at kotaku.

You seem to be heavily invested in this, making two posts in this short amount of time.
This makes you appear more uncertain about the situation than your posts try to suggest.
We have several independent sources that there is a high potential something new is coming. The good thing is that we will soon find out what it will be, no matter what people believe it will be and no matter how much sense they see in that.
 
I should point out that until Sony actually comment on this I'm generally sceptical of it - not least because they haven't even denied it yet to calm possible sales wobbles caused by people pausing over it.
 
Was people complaining about Xbox One having a Elite controller? Do people feel cheated because they have normal controllers & now other people have elite controllers.

The point is how can you feel cheated because something new came along after you bought your product? you already enjoyed the product as intended. You didn't lose anything just because other people got a newer product & you also have the same chance that they do to go out & get that new product if you feel that strongly about it.

You think you're gonna lose something because there is a higher spec PS4 coming but I think PS4 will get more because of this vs being held back by devs trying to make things even with the Xbox One.
 
Would this PS4.5 run already released games better?

Like for example: Battlefront runs at 900p on PS4. Could it run at 1080p on PS4.5? Or better yet: Bloodborne runs at 1080p/30fps. The PS4.5 would be able to run it at 60fps?
 
So here is an interesting question. If PS4.5 is legit and real, how long does Sony continue to manufacture the standard PS4 before discontinuing it and leaving the 4.5 as the standard

I would think a permanent price drop to $299 for the PS4 in the next coming months (to align with Xbox One) and a reveal at E3 of the PS4.5 at $449 for Holiday launch. They'll keep producing and selling these cheaper PS4 by the truckload as most people and seemingly the industry itself, aren't ready for 4K. Maybe the PS4.5 will come with a 4K Blu ray (Sony movie) and that will help Sony be at the forefront of 4K Blu Ray like they were w/dvd (PS2) and Blu Ray (PS3). Everyone is happy!
 
Sony are on record with sales expectations for PSVR in the 1-2mn units WW in the first year.

I would also imagine a lot of those buyers will be in a position to buy both as well - I know I am and I'm comfortable rather than wealthy.

I can imagine more than a few potential buyers of PSVR opting for PS4.5 instead. $399 for either/or is a big sum for many to swallow already.
 
Would this PS4.5 run already released games better?

Like for example: Battlefront runs at 900p on PS4. Could it run at 1080p on PS4.5? Or better yet: Bloodborne runs at 1080p/30fps. The PS4.5 would be able to run it at 60fps?

In my opinion, not without patching the games.
 
Would this PS4.5 run already released games better?

Like for example: Battlefront runs at 900p on PS4. Could it run at 1080p on PS4.5? Or better yet: Bloodborne runs at 1080p/30fps. The PS4.5 would be able to run it at 60fps?

Doubt it. I think framerate and resolution are typically locked in unless there is some variable framerate/resolution scaling (see Halo and whatnot).
 
I can imagine more than a few potential buyers of PSVR opting for PS4.5 instead. $399 for either/or is a big sum for many to swallow already.

Yeah, I guess you're right in that and I take back the no cannibalisation...but I still think the volumes for PSVR are low enough for it to not be a big deal and that PSVR will hit and even exceed their internal estimates, regardless of PS4K/4.5/32x
 
You think you're gonna lose something because there is a higher spec PS4 coming but I think PS4 will get more because of this vs being held back by devs trying to make things even with the Xbox One.

I can see games running better on 4.5 but I'd assume most devs will still target PS4 as the lead platform, so the most performance you'd get out of the 4.5 would be a framerate and resolution bump, some extra grass and field artifacts. Multiplats will continue to multiplat regardless.
 
So you add another 400 dollars (if that is the price of the system) to get into vr on PlayStation? By the time psvr releases, Sony will have moved even more systems, millions. These people won't buy the new revision in masses.

Sony is going to ship probably every PSVR that they can make this holiday if someone choose not to get it because of the new PS4 someone else will just buy it & Sony will never no the difference lol.

I have a PSVR pre-order and intend to cancel it immediately if the PS4.5 turns out to be legit.

Would rather the PS4.5 and can't afford both.


Why would Sony care that you bought a PS4.5 over buying a PSVR? if you want it you will still end up buying it but in the mean time someone else will buy that PSVR that you cancelled.
 
Facts don't actually back any of this up. As pointed out earlier, PS4 is currently outpacing their most popular console in history and up YOY. If anything, PC gaming has never been more irrelevant to Sony. They have their own agenda of pushing a 4K console since they have so much vested interest in 4K TVs. Just like Blu ray and the PS3 10 years ago.

Sony is dominating in a contracting market. They will be the only hardware manufacturer to finish up Gen over Gen

Dedicated Hardware isn't "doomed" but it is significantly contracting. Thats just facts. The PS4 doing great doesn't change that. And the growth of PC gaming is just one of those factors
 
Doubt it. I think framerate and resolution are typically locked in unless there is some variable framerate/resolution scaling (see Halo and whatnot).

Ok so how does automatic settings detection work on PC? Surely framerate is only an issue moving down, not of you have the power to move up? DS on the PC example excepted of course :)
 
Ok so how does automatic settings detection work on PC? Surely framerate is only an issue moving down, not of you have the power to move up? DS on the PC example excepted of course :)

It depends on the software. In this case, it means Sony's operating environment and API, as well as the game's code.
I don't think that games already released will be able to take advantage of better hardware without altering at least the game's code.
 
Sony is dominating in a contracting market. They will be the only hardware manufacturer to finish up Gen over Gen

Dedicated Hardware isn't "doomed" but it is significantly contracting. Thats just facts. The PS4 doing great doesn't change that. And the growth of PC gaming is just one of those factors

It's not contracting for Sony as their getting record sales, it's contracting for their competition. And you still haven't pointed out any facts on how PC gaming is contributing to this. Unless you're going to argue that soccer moms who played Wii Sports 10 years ago would rather buy GTX 970's today instead.
 
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