PlayStation boss on PS4 Pro: our approach isn't reactive this time around

timlot

Banned
The head of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Andrew House has claimed there is not enough consumer interest in 4K UHD discs to support the format on the new PlayStation 4 Pro.
Speaking to the Guardian after the company’s PlayStation Meeting event in New York, House said it would not be possible to add support for UHD discs in a later firmware update, but argued that such support was unnecessary.

“Our feeling is that while physical media continues to be a big part of the games business, we see a trend on video towards streaming,” he said. “Certainly with our user base, it’s the second biggest use case for people’s time on the system so we place more emphasis on that area.”

When asked if the arrival of PlayStation 4 Pro and Microsoft’s Project Scorpio heralded the end of the traditional five-to-seven year architecture lifecycle, House stated: “I think that since this is our first foray into this kind of mid-cycle innovation, it’s far too early to call that. He also refused to rule out further hardware instalments in the PlayStation 4 generation. “We think that for a really substantial period of time this is the PlayStation 4 lineup. We’re very comfortable with that.”

The veteran PlayStation executive was bullish when asked about the company’s competition. Microsoft has received a positive response to its Xbox One S machine which – for the same price as the slimline PS4 – adds 4K video capabilities, both for streaming and disc-based content. The Project Scorpio iteration, due in Winter 2017, also looks to be substantially more powerful than PS4 Pro in terms of raw technical specifications, with greater graphics performance.

House, however, pointed to the PlayStation 4’s market dominance and denied that Pro was in any way a response to Microsoft’s Project Scorpio project. “When Playstation 4 Pro was being conceived there wasn’t a word about Project Scorpio in the marketplace. I would suggest that ‘reactive’ isn’t our approach this time around,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...o-our-approach-isnt-reactive-this-time-around

Not reactive uh. So basically...
"The next generation doesn't start until we say it does," said Hirai. - http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/08/technology/ps3_pricing/index.htm
 
Seems like they think they can win it out lke this. May end a costly move in some ways

Well, to be fair, they are already "winning it", by a large margin. I think they know there's nothing Microsoft can do to overtake the market, at least not during this generation.
 
Why would it be reactive when it was leaked first, clearly in development first, and launching a year earlier, OP?

Try harder, man.
 
Well, the iterative PS4 was revealed in a business magazine before E3 (after leaking even earlier than that) before we got the talking heads video about Scorpio. So... duh?
 
4K streaming just isn't an option for so many people though. It's funny that so many people went with PS4 originally due to its more traditional approach with a focus on physical media and now Sony are doing this.

It's a weak excuse for them being tightfisted. They should've put a 500gb HDD inside instead and gone with a 4K Blu Ray drive.
 

He said that PS4 Pro was in development well before other stuff from the competition was even announced so they're not reacting to competition with this product.
You're trying too hard. And you have failed timlot ;)


Btw the article is insteresting because House is giving the reason why they're not including UHD BR. They don't think there's demand for it.
 
Well, to be fair, they are already "winning it", by a large margin. I think they know there's nothing Microsoft can do to overtake the market, at least not during this generation.

Thats why there is strong speculation scorpio is part of next generation

I doubt it.
casual are a bit more prone to power than they were a while back, social is a part of it and if scorpio is as obvious as they say people will flock to it more than they did the xbox/ps2 power gap time imo
 
The most insane thing I have read on this forum this week, and I've seen it from multiple people, is that PS4 Pro was a reaction to Scorpio. There is literally nothing to support that contention, but this quote from House will come in handy.

When Playstation 4 Pro was being conceived there wasn’t a word about Project Scorpio in the marketplace.
 
Well, to be fair, they are already "winning it", by a large margin. I think they know there's nothing Microsoft can do to overtake the market, at least not during this generation.

Be that as it may, I'd argue that maybe that's not the best attitude to have when making decisions, assuming that is their outlook. It may not be, but I'm just going off your assumption.

Also, yeah, the PS4 Pro wasn't a reaction to the Scorpio. If anything I bet Sony wished they had held off on the Pro a little bit so they could react to some degree.
 
I'll be curious to see if/when UHD Blu-ray fails, whether Sony's decision for not supporting it in the PS4 Pro will be considered them dodging a bullet or them being the bullet...
 
Why would it be reactive when it was leaked first, clearly in development first, and launching a year earlier, OP?

Try harder, man.
Well some people have some difficult to understand that a machine that's out first, in the hand of the dev first and on the paper first is maybe a project born without the competition.
Let them dream because when Sony is winning they're arrogant, when they're loosing they'll become arrogant and so on. Is always the same shit.
 
Seems like they think they can win it out lke this. May end a costly move in some ways

Xbox One not selling as well or "losing" is nothing to do with power.

There are certain territories where the Xbox Brand just doesn't do well, and likely won't do well in the near future. A more powerful Xbox won't change that unfortunately. So Sony will likely "Win".

I personally think Sony will keep momentum going without much issue, and by the time Scorpio releases the Pro will likely receive a nice little price drop too, with the slim becoming even cheaper.

Regardless of how powerful Microsoft make their revision I don't think it will cause a massive change of direction in sales.
 
Doubtful. They are already "winning" and the PS4 is still selling very well. This and the Slim I think will do pretty damn good. Both are priced great for consumers.

sounds like ps2 era thinking that got them into trouble when 360 launched

why are people so easily doubting MS's ability to bounce back a bit? Anyways, if games are looking more like those old promises we had with watch dogs and such on the exclusives why would people not want it?
 
tim putting in the hard work

Neo was in development first, leaked first, basically everything first. Why do you think its reactive tim?
 
There is a bit complacency here, but also a alot of ruthless pragmatism.

No matter what message board warriors claim, Scorpio is not a threat to PS4. The majority of PS4 owners are far too entrenched and the networking effect is too great.

That said. All Microsoft needs is to regain its hardcore, high spending market and bring that back into the fold ready for next gens launch. If they achieve that, the eventual PS5 will have serious momentum problems.

It just seems right now that Microsoft are playing a longer game than Sony.
 
Are you implying Sony reacted to Scorpio's rumors and announcement with Pro, OP?

Yea they heard about Scorpio and were terrified, so they decided to whip something up and throw a new console out the door within five months.

The announcement of Scorpio this year absolutely was.

It guaranteed was. You don't announce a console a year and a half in advance unless you're spooked about something.
 
Gotta leave some room for the next PS4 model

"We heard you guys want that 4K bluray support, and so we are proud to announce PS4K Pro, a brand new PS4 Pro with 4K bluray support! To be released in 2017!"
 
why are people so easily doubting MS's ability to bounce back a bit?

Because there are territories that just haven't taken well to the Xbox brand.

Anyway it's not as though the Xbox One has done absolutely terribly, it's not a flop by any stretch, it just hasn't sold as many as Sony have sold PS4's.
 
It's not a make or break decision for the consoles long term success, but I do think he is wrong. There isn't much demand now because there is only one low-cost UHD bluray player on the market, and its his direct competition's newest console.

These things grow the market and fuel demand of the discs and while streaming is picking up and will eventually be the dominant market for movies, it's not the only one and UHD is expected to grow along with 4K adoption.
 
Because there are territories that just haven't taken well to the Xbox brand.

Anyway it's not as though the Xbox One has done absolutely terribly, it's not a flop by any stretch, it just hasn't sold as many as Sony have sold PS4's.

This is the console where there are no official sales numbers.
 
sounds like ps2 era thinking that got them into trouble when 360 launched

why are people so easily doubting MS's ability to bounce back a bit? Anyways, if games are looking more like those old promises we had with watch dogs and such on the exclusives why would people not want it?

Because the PS3 was a year late and a dollar short. It's in now way comparable,

This isn't PS3 vs 360. This will be closer to Snes vs 32x.
 
Yikes OP. I think you might be showing your colors a little too blatantly on this one.

Calling out a quote from more than a decade ago on a wholly unrelated subject is a little embarrassing for a reach.
 
I would just clarify that there is a chance pro could be a mistake

emphasis could as it may not be. Will have to see what MS actually launches with. Even wit ps4s lack of good games I was still excited to play it. Pro, just not that much but curious
 
4K streaming just isn't an option for so many people though. It's funny that so many people went with PS4 originally due to its more traditional approach with a focus on physical media and now Sony are doing this.

It's a weak excuse for them being tightfisted. They should've put a 500gb HDD inside instead and gone with a 4K Blu Ray drive.

Yup. MS got rightfully called out when they tried this. I don't see why Sony gets a free pass from some just cause they're dressing it up as a "focused on games" narrative.
 
Cerny said postshow they started on this project right after PS4 launched. I think there is a patent for replicated the OG PS4 inside the Neo that was filed by Cerny in spring of 2015, isn't there?
 
casual are a bit more prone to power than they were a while back, social is a part of it and if scorpio is as obvious as they say people will flock to it more than they did the xbox/ps2 power gap time imo
Right, power played a part in the PS4 overtaking X1 the way it did.

However, I think there are two important points we shouldn't overlook.

1.)The PS4 already has what is roughly a 2:1 lead over X1.
2.)Scorp launches a year after the Pro.

Pro and Slim will just continue on the momentum PS4 already built up to this point and even if we are to assume Scorp's power advantage gives it a huge boost over PS4, it will be too little to late as the gap will be insurmountable by holiday 2017.

Of course, catching up to and overtaking PS4 shouldn't determine the success of Scorp but I do think the idea of this being costly to Sony is faulty.
 
This is the console where there are no official sales numbers.

And you can bet your bottom dollar the sales figures would be all in our face had it sold more amounts.

I just feel it is what it is, Sony have "won" this generation, but I'm not surprised, they have been successful since the original Playstation, and while the PS3 may have started badly, they bounced back and ended up selling a shit load of units.

I think the Xbox is just a trojan horse for Microsoft anyway, I also don't see them ever making a comeback this gen, Scorpio won't suddenly make everyone worldwide rush out to purchase one.

I'll be purchasing one, but certain countries in Europe and Japan etc won't give a damn.
 
Are you implying Sony reacted to Scorpio's rumors and announcement with Pro, OP?

No I'm saying Sony is being complacent. By implying they don't have to be reactive to whats going on with other player in the market just reminds me of the arrogance shown in the past. What they announced yesterday wasn't impressive to me and I know they could have done better. PS4 was a prime example of a more hungry Sony. They went for the better GPU. They went for the GDDR5 ram. Folks can excuse it all they want, but I expected better.
 
Well, to be fair, they are already "winning it", by a large margin. I think they know there's nothing Microsoft can do to overtake the market, at least not during this generation.

Nintendo Wii won it by a large margin as well... on sales. But I'd imagine majority of gamers think PS3 or 360 won that gen the way momentum took a tumble for the Wii.

You never know.

edit.. I feel bad for the OP, lol. Gonna get rocked.
 
Top Bottom