Report - More Powerful PS4 to be Announced Before PlayStation VR Launch

[Lizzy Finnegan]

Report - More Powerful PS4 to be Announced Before PlayStation VR Launch

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The Wall Street Journal has reported that the new PlayStation 4 console, referred to as PlayStation 4.5 and PlayStation 4K, will release prior to the October launch of PlayStation VR.

On the heels of reports from the Wall Street Journal has reported [http://kotaku.com/sources-sony-is-working-on-a-ps4-5-1765723053] that this new console - known as "PlayStation 4.5" and 'PlayStation 4K
- will be announced prior to the launch of PlayStation VR, which is slated to release this October.

The paper cites "people familiar with the matter" and says that the upgraded console will be necessary in order to play 4K resolution content and "capture gamers willing to pay for a richer gaming environment, including a high-end virtual-reality experience." There has been no mention of pricing or any other specific details, although one source indicated that both the new console and the current PlayStation 4 are expected to share the same software catalog.

"The new console would be announced before the planned October release of the PlayStation VR, Sony's new virtual-reality headset, the people said," WSJ reports. "It would be able to handle ultra-high-definition resolution graphics. The upgraded console would also provide more power for running the PlayStation VR, whose main competitors, Facebook Inc.'s Oculus Rift and HTC Corp.'s Vive, are designed to work with top-shelf computers."

It has also been reported that production on the PlayStation 4 will continue, although current owners would need to buy the newer model "to take full advantage of the enhanced graphics and power."

PlayStation VR was originally expected to release in June, but an announcement earlier this month pushed the release [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/166854-PlayStation-VR-Release-Details-Cost-Revealed] to October with a $399 price tag, not including the PlayStation camera or the glowing orb Move controllers.

President and Global CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Andrew House said: "For over two decades we have aspired to take gamers somewhere greater, and we believe that virtual reality is the next step on that journey and will usher in an entirely new era of gaming."

Sony has not yet commented on the reports of the new PlayStation 4 console. We will update this story if and when comment is given.

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[Naldan]

I hope this crashes and burns.

 

[munx13]

All these articles have are speculations and rumors without anything decent to back them up.

From what Ive heard so far it just looks to be a PS4 "slim" with an updated HDMI port for better compatibility with 4K televisions.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

I will buy one if, AND ONLY IF, the new version has the horsepower to emulate PS3 games.

Otherwise, it's just a waste of my money.

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

I will buy one if, AND ONLY IF, the new version has the horsepower to emulate PS3 games.

Otherwise, it's just a waste of my money.

If this device does anything the standard ps4 can't do outside of a graphics improvement I will riot.

I play console over PC so I don't have to afford a new hardware update every three years. I'm sick and tired of this market punishing the early adopter.

 

[hamsterkilla]

I also hate these sort of incremental hardware updates but it's not like it's anything new. The 3ds did this with their upgrade, which not many people got up in arms about.

Now I would feel a lot better about it if it did something similar to what the N64 did which was also provide a piece you could just attach to older PS4's that would bring them up to speed weigh these new ones. Either way it's not the worst gaming news I have read lately.

 

[Black Fire Dragon13]

I'm not an early adopter, I just got my ps4 this Christmas. How do you I feel for this new ps4.5 to be announced just as I start playing the last of us?

 

[Bobular]

I just got my PS4 just before Christmas is preparation for the games coming this year. If I find out that my console is now obsolete I will be very annoyed with Sony.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

I just got my PS4 just before Christmas is preparation for the games coming this year. If I find out that my console is now obsolete I will be very annoyed with Sony.

My brother gifted me with one late last year as well, this would be frustrating. I'm wondering if it's for the people into VR, has more horse power to do that effectively, if we start getting games that come out only for that version of the ps4 or run like garbage on the original ones, I'll be very upset.

 

[FoolKiller]

I also hate these sort of incremental hardware updates but it's not like it's anything new. The 3ds did this with their upgrade, which not many people got up in arms about.

Now I would feel a lot better about it if it did something similar to what the N64 did which was also provide a piece you could just attach to older PS4's that would bring them up to speed weigh these new ones. Either way it's not the worst gaming news I have read lately.

Maybe not many people got upset but the library that requires it is quite small. Publishers aren't idiots. They haven't leaped onto the "new" 3DS because the install base is too small. I would imagine that the same will go with a $500 console. If you already have a PS4, then it would be too much to hop on board to the semi gen.

 

[Poetic Nova]

I honestly still don't believe it is happening. The games I care for run on the PS4.
And if it's true I wouldn't be happy about this, I only own my PS4 since half a year for fuck sakes.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

This is a terrible idea.

We get it, guys, the new consoles are underpowered- why not just scrap them in a couple of years and go to making the next generation?

 

[EHKOS]

Are you fucking kidding me. The one time I get to buy a console before it's cycle is up, the one time I'm not lagging behind a generation and they do this. Fuck me, Sony is really trying my loyalty. No, fuck you and your 4k if even one title is unplayable on the original I'm...

 

[Casual Shinji]

If this is just going to be the VR version of the console, I have no beef with that. But if they're going to bring out regular non-VR games on this thing that aren't playable on the standard PS4 I'll be severely pissed.

 

[tippy2k2]

I play on the console because no matter what, I KNOW my game is going to work. I take underpowered in order to know that what I buy in the store will run. There will be no "well I have X graphics card" or "Is my processor powerful enough to run this" or "Do I have enough gigaplexs to run the googlawatts at optimal percent"; if it says PS4 and I put it in my PS4, that shit's gonna work.

IF they are taking that away now with a new iteration every few years (or God forbid go Apple on the situation and give us a new one each year), it might be time to hang up my console and finally hop into the PC. It doesn't sound like that's the case but I shall be keeping an eye on this situation here...

 

[Fox12]

I will buy one if, AND ONLY IF, the new version has the horsepower to emulate PS3 games.

Otherwise, it's just a waste of my money.

If this device does anything the standard ps4 can't do outside of a graphics improvement I will riot.

I play console over PC so I don't have to afford a new hardware update every three years. I'm sick and tired of this market punishing the early adopter.

I'll be fucking pissed if this incremental update nonsense becomes the norm. If the new model is needed for VR, or if it has slightly better graphics, then I don't care. But, if it affects my PS4 experience, then I'll be livid with Sony for years to come. I don't want the PC experience on my console. I want ease of access to my gaming library.

 

[lastcigarette]

If this proves to be true this could be a blunder of Microsoft proportions.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

https://media.giphy.com/media/12XMGIWtrHBl5e/giphy.gif

That's it, I'm moving to PC. At least until the PS5 comes out, or even the PS6.

 

[Bobular]

I just got my PS4 just before Christmas is preparation for the games coming this year. If I find out that my console is now obsolete I will be very annoyed with Sony.

My brother gifted me with one late last year as well, this would be frustrating. I'm wondering if it's for the people into VR, has more horse power to do that effectively, if we start getting games that come out only for that version of the ps4 or run like garbage on the original ones, I'll be very upset.

As long as the new version is basically just for VR or has slightly better graphics/frame rate, then I'll be OK with it as I don't care about those things (but I bet other customers will). But as you say, if games start coming out purely for the 4.5 then I can bet there will be a lot of angry customers.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Umm... so Sony is removing one of the main benefits of consoles, their standardized hardware and guaranteed optimization, and deciding to release updated versions with new hardware to split their customer base or get their customers to pay for the same console gen twice? Sounds great Sony, I don't see anyone getting upset by that.

Also, I understand releasing updated specs for VR, but to say this is going to run 4k for $400 is a tad ridiculous. Let's say that due to manufacturer mass quantity pricing they get the equivalent of a Gtx 970 in there, the recommended card level for VR. That 970 or AMD equivalent is NOT going to run games at 4k at anything close to acceptable framerate. Right now 4k is reserved for Flagship single GPUs or SLI/Crossfire setups typically at 30fps. I just don't see Sony (and Microsoft if they follow suit) being able to take their consoles that currently run at 30fps sometimes sub 1080p and all of a sudden pushing them to 4k for $400. I'd love to be proven wrong and convinced to switch back to console, but I'm doubtful of that happening.

Edit: Oops, I misread. Looks like the VR headset itself is $400, not the console. Still, it will be interesting to see the pricepoint upon release. I still don't see them cramming the performance into this console for anywhere close to what most console customers are used to paying though.