New, More Powerful PS4 On The Way?

[Parker 11,272]

Sony might be working on a newer, more powerful PlayStation 4.

Sources speaking to Kotaku report this so-called "PS4.5" could include a better graphics processor and support 4K resolution in games. Hence the hardware's other nickname, "PS4K." Such a power boost might also aid in displaying of PSVR games.

 

Is Playstation VR Worth The Price?

04:20

 

The word is that Sony even discussed the potential hardware with developers at GDC 2016. During which the company also revealed therelease window and price of PSVR.

It's not clear how much the rumored upgrade will cost, or when it will reach store shelves. That is if it releases at all.

Rumors of a similar, ever-changing Xbox One circulated earlier this year. Xbox division head Phil Spencer said that Microsoft was looking towards annual hardware, like smartphones, for possible inspiration.

We've reached out to Sony and we'll update this story with any comment we receive. We'll be sure to keep you informed of any official word regarding new hardware as it comes.

 

 

 

Source: IGN

 

Thoughts? 

 

 

Parker

[BestGregger 29]

They shouldn't, it would only be like 2/3 years more until the PS5. We can wait imo

Edited March 18, 2016 by BestGregger

[D-Tron 3,052]

Hopefully it's just an upgraded system that can support 4k and make tweaks to games that already exist on PS4.

I'm gonna be super pissed if they make exclusive games for it like Xenoblade on the New 3DS.

[AlphaTrash 605]

I'm totally down, as long as they don't price it at $400+. 

It needs to be $350 or less. 

If they're going to price higher than $400, I'd much rather they just released a ps5 tbh. 

[ab4h4r4k1 891]

Hmmm... I think Sony is trying to bite more than they can chew with this one. Making an upgraded version of PS4 just because of the VR set? Almost no company is working with VR at the moment and those that are will have to work really hard to make a good game (seriously, did you guys see the "trailer" of SOA The Beginning? Even if it is still an early development... Oh, the horror...)

 

They should save this ace on the sleeve for a possible PS5. Let the idea of VR bear fruit first before selling it as a "new gen" console.

[DaivRules 4,004]

Please, please don't fragment this generation. "This game only plays on the other PS4. I know you have a PS4, but not the right PS4 for this game. You'll need a different PS4. No, that one your pointing out is also the wrong PS4 for this game. What?! Where are you going?"

[lesk8vaincra 409]

Ihope they dont do this kind of bs...

[ShadowReplicant 462]

If I'm gonna be upgrading my console halfway through its life cycle, I might as well abandon console gaming altogether and just go 100% PC.

[Xugashi 162]

Feels a little too early to be honest...

[FlareXV 453]

I don't think Sony will do it, they know they have the customers right now and it would be worthless to fragment your consoles releases. 

 

 

EDIT: Also, I doubt they would want to get it wrong this time. 4.5 could be barely an improvement over 4. 

Edited March 18, 2016 by FlareXV

[Sofa King 993]

Makes me kind of glad I'm still sticking to my PS3. This proposed PS4.5 just sounds like more stuff for things I don't plan on using (VR,4K) anytime soon.

[NERVergoproxy 3,827]

hmmm a add-on upgrade, I dig it.

[Dragon-Archon 21,436]

I like the sound of that, still haven't bought a PS4.

[MilanYildirim 3,353]

Sony would take a bullet on their own feet with this move.
Okay, we get it PS4 isn't powerful enough to go along with PSVR but what about those who dont give a damn about VR? It's waaay too early for such a move like this

[BooneIronshield 522]

I wonder how many PS4 owners this would piss off if they did it, I bet a pretty big portion of them.

[JapanimeGamer 425]

I would lose alot of confidence in SONY and the products it sells if this happened.

[Resident-Zelda 288]

Hahaha I still haven't even upgraded to regular PS4! There's so few interesting titles available. 

[LetsTurnJu-On 369]

If it's needed for PS VR (which obviously isn't clear) then I'm calling bullshit, the VR costs then skyrockets to nearly it's competitors anyway. (Not that I'm getting VR)

 

If they're just releasing cos they can. Then sure why not, I won't bother getting it seeing as I don't really bother looking into graphics at all. I'll just wait for PS5

[JapanimeGamer 425]

I'm calling bullshit

 

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Edited March 18, 2016 by JapanimeGamer

[Beyondthegrave07 5,854]

I don't think they'll give their customers the middle finger and fragment this gen. However, I think maybe it will be a ps4 that runs games smoother. In that case, I think the people who waited for a PS4 (like me) are gonna be really, really happy (with a reasonable price).

[Paige-ID 260]

They know their system is too weak for AAA VR, so they have to beef it up. That Radeon 7850 (equivalent) and the Jaguar CPU just aren't going to take that kind of punishment.

 

Of course, this is just a rumor, but it makes sense. The PS4 is roughly a ~$400 gaming PC. A ready-for-VR gaming PC requires about $1000+. So if you figure in the advantage of having a dedicated OS, developers having strict hardware so they can specialize, etc. I'd say a $250 difference to make it competent, so with some markup, maybe a $300 upgrade.

 

I would buy it.

[JapanimeGamer 425]

Well i wouldn't want to be a parent before xmas having my kid screaming how they want the new PS4 if i had had to work my fingers to the bone to pay for the existing PS4.

[MMDE 6,473]

They know their system is too weak for AAA VR, so they have to beef it up. That Radeon 7850 (equivalent) and the Jaguar CPU just aren't going to take that kind of punishment.

 

Of course, this is just a rumor, but it makes sense. The PS4 is roughly a ~$400 gaming PC. A ready-for-VR gaming PC requires about $1000+. So if you figure in the advantage of having a dedicated OS, developers having strict hardware so they can specialize, etc. I'd say a $250 difference to make it competent, so with some markup, maybe a $300 upgrade.

 

I would buy it.

 

The thing is, and this might just be what the rumor is about, that the PSVR might include some extra unit for more processing power dedicated to the PSVR. This might be what the rumor is about and it would make sense along with being something that doesn't separate gamers. The question is if this can be used to run other games better, I doubt it, but maybe. The big issue here would be if developers started using this hardware so some non-PSVR games doesn't run without it, because then you essentially got PS4 games that doesn't run on PS4, and it's not because you need PSVR to play it, but to run it. If that makes any sense. Like if they released a new big AAA game, that doesn't actually require PSVR, but you can't play it on your PS4.

Edited March 18, 2016 by MMDE

[JapanimeGamer 425]

I remember reading some time ago how the current PS4's could have more power 'freed up' by disabling something or other and SONY were looking into this.

 

I realllllllllllly hope this is all that it turns out to be.

 

Oh, and i thought the current PS4 could support 4K anyway?

[Tao-Sianu 13]

If the 'upgrade' merely lets you support 4K and VR, then whatever, I don't care. I don't care about VR and I don't have a 4K TV, with no plans to upgrade my TV anytime soon.

If however it does cause certain games to be exclusive to this PS4.5, I'll be pretty pissed off, obviously with the exception of any specific VR games that won't translate to a regular control scheme (though those aren't games I want to play anyway). I already waited over 2 years for the PS4 to seem worthwhile to me, it would be an utter dick move for them to then say that system needs an upgrade to play regular non-VR games. If I wanted to regularly upgrade my system, I would be using a PC.

It's the same thing that happened with N3DS and I felt the same way. Luckily, it seems the only exclusive game it will ever have is Xenoblade (a game I already had on Wii), so it was at least less of a big deal once the fact it was a useless upgrade settled in.

I guess it also depends on how this upgrade works as well. For all we know a new system may not be necessary, with whatever 'add-ons' being easily put into a regular PS4 by any idiot with a screwdriver. Could just be like the N64 RAM expansion that just plopped in the slot on top of the system.


 

I don't think they'll give their customers the middle finger and fragment this gen. However, I think maybe it will be a ps4 that runs games smoother. In that case, I think the people who waited for a PS4 (like me) are gonna be really, really happy (with a reasonable price).

But how long are people expected to wait until they're safe buying a system?

I waited long enough to buy one already and apparently there's rumors I should have waited a bit longer. 

May as well stop buying new systems and constantly stay a generation behind. At least that way I'll always get the best of everything.