PS4 Pro Had to be for VR

O

Omnistalgic

Member
Watching this conference, and it’s lackluster presentation, I’m running out of ideas who this platform is for. Here’s a bunch of issues I’ve came across.

- 4K TV’s aren’t mass market yet
- Sony seemed to make concessions to get to $400
- Sony isn’t pushing for older games to be patched/only new stuff
- Cerny is well spoken, but in 2013 it was exciting because the hardware was brand new, this wasn’t exciting for hardcore gamers who knew 80% of the specifics for this show
- Sony seemed very keen on releasing this year, despite a market not clamoring for new hardware, and in spite of MS saying they will release a more powerful platform next fall

So why the rush? Why not wait? Who actually asked for this? I would say with confidence, that the majority of the user base is not concerned about frames per second or resolution, or they would be looking into PC. The only logical conclusion I can come up with is the early reported rumors that PS4 has issues with running VR well, and this is a bandaid solution.

I’m not saying this won’t sell, or will turn out bad, just think it feels kinda cumbersome. Thoughts?

EDIT: Seems I may have jumped the gun a bit. I’ve read a few posts highlighting how parts have come down in price and Sony can basically make the PS4 more powerful for the same costs and keep selling for profit at $400? Can anyone inside the industry confirm this? Regardless, that’s the most sense I’ve seen of this whole situation, (better than my VR theory lol) and if that’s the case, the only fault I would lay on Sony is they could have did the event in a similar fashion to Nintendo direct. I guess they wanted people to go hands on with Pro, but it seems to have created a bit of unnecessary hype, not just here but across social media. Generally though, I like the idea of PS4 and PS4+ instead of a huge difference in specs midway through the gen. I feel like PS4 will actually be tapped out now.
 
It's going to sell absolute gangbusters alongside the PS4 Slim, and if it truly was for VR, don't you think they would have spent a little longer talking about it?

It's clear that this is just a refresh to keep the PS4 "top of the range" for a couple more years...
 
I think you underestimate the lengths Sony would go to in order to push sales of 4K televisions. Everyone remembers their 3D push, right?
 
Omnistalgic said:
Watching this conference, and it’s lackluster presentation, I’m running out of ideas who this platform is for.
Click to expand...

It's for anyone who wants to take advantage from the best console hardware that can be mass-produced in console during mid-2016 for $399 pricetag.

All PSVR titles run without issues on base PS4 hardware, not a single VR game was shown on Pro hardware until today [Farpoint].
 
Totally for VR, showing all of one game. Makes sense.

Omnistalgic said:
I did, but it won’t look like that unless you have an expensive TV right now. And more importantly, it will look incredible on PS4 all the same.
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You won't know what it'll look like unless you're there at the conference. You could download the footage though and try an get an idea of what it looks like, but you won't know what the HDR looks like without a TV to display it. Plus the advantages PS4 Pro brings to 1080p sets.
 
I'm getting it as I play on my PS4 more than any other console this generation and I care about graphics and love the exclusives. Plus Cornyn confirmed that PSVR will look crisper on it

3rd party Pro patches is nothing that Sony can't enforce.
 
Omnistalgic said:
I did, but it won’t look like that unless you have an expensive TV right now. And more importantly, it will look incredible on PS4 all the same.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the games they showed will look good anyway so like, what's the point? I was on board but now I'll wait for a Scorpio since I don't own an Xbox one.
 
Omnistalgic said:
I did, but it won’t look like that unless you have an expensive TV right now. And more importantly, it will look incredible on PS4 all the same.
Click to expand...

There will still be benefits for people without it though. It'll look great as well. This console is for people who want the best in hardware right now for a great price.

It's also very attractive for new console owners. It comes out at a great time right before Black Friday and it can be had for $400. Sure the slim will sell more but people will no doubt be drawn to this as well.
 
DieH@rd said:
It's for anyone who wants to take advantage from the best console hardware that can be mass-produced in console during mid-2016 for $399 pricetag.

All PSVR titles run without issues on base PS4 hardware, not a single VR game was shown on Pro hardware until today [Farpoint].
Click to expand...
But wouldn’t that call for a refresh of both CPU/GPU? Is this really the best they could manage in 2016? Seemed to be a lot of enthusiast who wanted a more powerful option.

Wouldn’t more analysis be put into what’s the real worth value of upping the specs? This doesn’t seem like a big jump.
 
Omnistalgic said:
Watching this conference, and it’s lackluster presentation, I’m running out of ideas who this platform is for. Here’s a bunch of issues I’ve came across.

- 4K TV’s aren’t mass market yet
- Sony seemed to make concessions to get to $400
- Sony isn’t pushing for older games to be patched/only new stuff
- Cerny is well spoken, but in 2013 it was exciting because the hardware was brand new, this wasn’t exciting for hardcore gamers who knew 80% of the specifics for this show
- Sony seemed very keen on releasing this year, despite a market not clamoring for new hardware, and in spite of MS saying they will release a more powerful platform next fall

So why the rush? Why not wait? Who actually asked for this? I would say with confidence, that the majority of the user base is not concerned about frames per second or resolution, or they would be looking into PC. The only logical conclusion I can come up with is the early reported rumors that PS4 has issues with running VR well, and this is a bandaid solution.

I’m not saying this won’t sell, or will turn out bad, just think it feels kinda cumbersome. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

My thought is you must be blind not to notice all the old games that are getting patched. Even games as old as Mordor.
 
i'm fully aware i could be wrong, because who knows how much longer this gen will last...

but i've always suspected neo to be a stealth platform for PSVR, more or less. i expect a bundle in a few years relatively cheap, under $500
 
Curufinwe said:
My thought is you must be blind not to notice all the old games that are getting patched. Even games as old as Mordor.
Click to expand...
No, I’m actually getting a PS4Pro, my PS4 died and no reason for me to upgrade to just a slim. So all the benefits I’m eagerly looking forward to.

It just seems mostly everyone on social media is underwhelmed by what the conference showed, and it’s kinda easy to see why. Most people couldn’t truly benefit from the benefits watching streams on youtube on from their phones.

They made a big deal out of the conference, and it just feels like it’s not really necessary for majority of the audience.
 
ShadowKingpin said:
I pre-ordered it for better VR, but I highly doubt VR was the main focus.
Click to expand...

+1 from me here too. After demoing PSVR at a Best Buy in June my only issue was the pixelated visuals. Knowing that will be better on PS4 Pro is enough for me. The rest if just a bonus.


Also, I am not sure why this is so confusing to people. The PS4 Pro is an upgraded PS4. It's not a PS5. If you want to Better Framerates / Higher Res / and better compatibility with 4K TV's for current (and future) PS4 games then buy it. (Obviously PSVR is in the mix here too). If not then stick to the PS4. I think people are over complicating this whole thing.

I guess I don't get how Xbox One S isn't confusing but the PS4 Pro is.
 
I think this has more to do with the rumors/speculations that the GPUs for the slim and the Pro don't actually cost that much more to Sony, and that led them to the idea of having a more powerful system on the market for a little more money while retaining the same amount of profits as the slim. At the same time they could pander to the hardcore and enthusiast market, getting people who are typically early adopters of every console, to double dip, and attracting others, who may not have been satisfied with the power in the PS4 towards it as well. And in this process, they had the idea that they could possibly use this to push 4K gaming as well.

This does not come off as a console that was made with the idea of pushing 4k, and then had sacrifices made to it to get it to $399.

This looks like a console, that was going to be more powerful, that could be sold at $399, that was given the initiative to push 4k after it was already decided it was going to be made.

As for the VR rumors, those were debunked time and time again by devs, when the rumors started going around. If there was some truth to it earlier on, then it seems like it wasn't an issue by the time the rumors started, and Sony had plenty of time to go back on creating this system as well, if that's what it was meant for.
 
They announced a upgraded console for the same price as the current one. Maybe it's just for people that have not bought a system yet, and have no reason not to get the pro.
 
Omnistalgic said:
No, I’m actually getting a PS4Pro, my PS4 died and no reason for me to upgrade to just a slim. So all the benefits I’m eagerly looking forward to.

It just seems mostly everyone on social media is underwhelmed by what the conference showed, and it’s kinda easy to see why. Most people couldn’t truly benefit from the benefits watching streams on youtube on from their phones.

They made a big deal out of the conference, and it just feels like it’s not really necessary for majority of the audience.
Click to expand...
They honestly really didn't.
Internet sure did. Lol RDR3
 
PSVR was barely mentioned. All PS4s/Pro have to support PSVR. Your theory doesn't work.

Also where are you getting these rumours of not running well from? Far from what devs have said so far.
 
farisr said:
I think this has more to do with the rumors/speculations that the GPUs for the slim and the Pro don't actually cost that much more to Sony, and that led them to the idea of having a more powerful system on the market for a little more money while retaining the same amount of profits as the slim. At the same time they could pander to the hardcore and enthusiast market, getting people who are typically early adopters of every console, to double dip, and attracting others, who may not have been satisfied with the power in the PS4 towards it as well. And in this process, they had the idea that they could possibly use this to push 4K gaming as well.

This does not come off as a console that was made with the idea of pushing 4k, and then had sacrifices made to it to get it to $399.

This looks like a console, that was going to be more powerful, that could be sold at $399, that was given the initiative to push 4k after it was already decided it was going to be made.

As for the VR rumors, those were debunked time and time again by devs, when the rumors started going around. If there was some truth to it earlier on, then it seems like it wasn't an issue by the time the rumors started, and Sony had plenty of time to go back on creating this system as well, if that's what it was meant for.
Click to expand...
wow..yeah, you’re the second post I’ve seen mention this, this does make a lot more sense. Editing my original posts.
 
Blackleg-sanji1 said:
They honestly really didn't.
Internet sure did. Lol RDR3
Click to expand...
Hmmm...I would argue having a conference about it in general is making a big deal. This could have been 30 minutes added on to Sony’s outstanding E3 conference. Or a reveal on youtube and PS blog with a direct video from House.
 
Agree with this 100%, it's what I've been saying for months. :)

It just sits perfectly in that performance window that means a game running on it with PSVR can get away without having to make sacrifices, compared to the same game running on a stock PS4 on a TV.
 
Omnistalgic said:
Hmmm...I would argue having a conference about it in general is making a big deal. This could have been 30 minutes added on to Sony’s outstanding E3 conference. Or a reveal on youtube and PS blog with a direct video from House.
Click to expand...
Look how low budget that looked. They had mic issues,only press attended. It wasn't some hyped up event they didn't say expect games on top of games. It was to learn the future of PlayStation. A simple conference that went on for only what 45 minutes. They announced two additional consoles one of which has a nice upgrade why limit that to a simple blog post
 
Omnistalgic said:
But wouldn’t that call for a refresh of both CPU/GPU? Is this really the best they could manage in 2016? Seemed to be a lot of enthusiast who wanted a more powerful option.

Wouldn’t more analysis be put into what’s the real worth value of upping the specs? This doesn’t seem like a big jump.
Click to expand...
For the most part yes as both Zen/Vega or not ready.
 
It's probably mostly so they can sell 300 and 400 dollar units instead of pushing down towards 200 bucks. That's been my guess for months now.
 
I probably won't get one, but I see how it makes sense for Sony.

1. Hardware sales have slowed down considerably. By putting out this hardware, they hope to get some more hardware sales from tech enthusiasts and rekindle engagement with their brand.

2. VR

3. They want to push 4k technology. While this is not enough to really good 4k (native resolution) it will be enough to see a significant improvement on 4k screens compared to HD screens, which will get some people to buy into the whole 4k thing. It's basically "pls buy our 4k tvs". But they don't only want to get people to buy 4k screens, they also want to push content providers to provide 4k content, and they seem to have been slightly successful, considering how they talked about how they will get Netflix to provide 4k content.
 
A few things:

-Sony learned a very hard lesson with the PS3 launch. 600/500 USD really shook them and they seem to never repeat the mistake again.

-Even though UHD exists, Sony is smart enough to know that's not a growth market. Heck they have own UHD players for folks who want that.

-They're clearly going the smartphone route here and don't want to alienate PS4 owners.
 
Blackleg-sanji1 said:
Look how low budget that looked. They had mic issues,only press attended. It wasn't some hyped up event they didn't say expect games on top of games. It was to learn the future of PlayStation. A simple conference that went on for only what 45 minutes. They announced two additional consoles one of which has a nice upgrade why limit that to a simple blog post
Click to expand...
True true...even the theater was small...

This was definitely no Apple keynote lol
 
Soyongdori said:
The VR market as of right now is in complete halt.
Click to expand...
You are kidding yourself if you thought PC VR was ever going to be anything more than a high end hobbyist device. And Samsung VR was nothing but a 2016 viewmaster.

It takes something like a PSVR to start pushing it into homes.
 
styl3s said:
You are kidding yourself if you thought PC VR was ever going to be anything more than a high end hobbyist device. And Samsung VR was nothing but a 2016 viewmaster.

It takes something like a PSVR to start pushing it into homes.
Click to expand...

$500 isn't exactly cheap either, especially when there aren't specific games people can point to that really sell the VR concept.
 
I thought so also, but seeing as there's only one forward compatible VR game I don't think so. Plus VR is more niche than 4K is at this point...
 
styl3s said:
You are kidding yourself if you thought PC VR was ever going to be anything more than a high end hobbyist device. And Samsung VR was nothing but a 2016 viewmaster.

It takes something like a PSVR to start pushing it into homes.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a wishful thinking to me. Or it will turn out to be another victim of VR fad. We will never know once it comes out.
 
Without getting into possibly NDA-breaking details, yes, the PS4Pro GPU does have a bunch of additions that are targeted at VR. It's likely enough to allow base PS4 quality graphics in VR.
 
If it was for VR I would have appreciated if they had integrated the splitter box that comes with the headset into the machine.
 
To me it seems it's more of a case of needing to drive profits and knowing a new product is one way to do it. Even if this marginally increases sales long-term it would be a worthwhile endeavor for Sony. Also this types of inconsequential(in my mind) upgrades are simply being adopted as a norm in the console business - moving away from long gens but rather a more fluid environment as far as devices are concerned as new technology makes different types of things possible for mass consumption. The acceleration in terms of speed, technology is being upgraded is exponential - compared to how things were 10, 20 or 30 years ago.

I only wonder about how exactly the PS4 Pro works in regards to developers since that's not too clear to me? If I was a developer and people expected me to patch my game due to PS4 Pro where for example 100k people bought my game, depending on how difficult this is to implement I might not have the time or resources to do it.
 
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