Kyliestrutt's thread on the PS5 here : http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=203238&page=1 got me thinking about how 2013 was kind of a rough time in many ways to launch gen8.

I think in many respects, very similar systems to PS4/X1 could have been achieved in 2011-2012. Maybe to hit the price 4GB would have been used, but the overall result (both somewhat struggling at 1080/60 unless notable corners cut visually, many 900p and even 720p titles) would have been similar.

On the flipside, what about Nov. 2015 for PS4/X1?

Zen 3Ghz Quad-Core with GPU around 2x-2.5x faster than HD7850?

With 28nm stalling us for so long, and Jaguar being somewhat terrible, I think both CPU and GPU elements could have been generationally superior if they had just waited 24 months. It's especially tough if you enjoy full-resolution non-scaled visuals, and 60fps gameplay. Both are seldom hit by PS4 or X1, either by the bottlenecks of a mid-tier GPU, or a netbook-level CPU with a ton of slowpoke cores.

There have been very few gen8 exclusives so far that couldn't have been done on PS360 with lowered resolution/assets. On balance I would have preferred plowing ahead with PS360 until we got past the Jaguar/sub-2tflops 28nm APUs.

last gen was too long.

only like 1.5% of gamers actually give a shit about "full-resolution" or 60 fps. those gamers should play PC because console are for convience and budget concious gamers.

God... Last generation would have been wayyyy too long then

What makes you think that the CPU and GPU chips with 14 or 16 nm would have been available in time for a console launch in November 2015?

Mass production for these consoles would have to begin this summer to have enough units for the launch.

It wouldnt change anything because AAA games are long and costly to produce. Third party devolopers have a hard time maxing out the ps4, its a fact.

"if they had just waited 24 months"

lol, 2 years is a fairly long time. I personally would have preferred this as no games I really care about are even out yet and I haven't upgraded yet. but the industry as a whole would have suffered a ton.

I think they can compensate by releasing the next systems sooner, or incremental updates, like 2016's equivalent to the N64DD. The industry is ready for it now.

A lot of games flopped in 2012. 2013 was ridiculous, everything flopped. The last 2 years of PS360 were killing thirdy parties, PS4/X1 brought back good software sales numbers.

So long, that we would have all these games on the old gen hardware, and that would've been real limiting for a lot of games.

They could have put out consoles in 2013 that were significantly more powerful than PS4/Xbone.
They chose not to because of how much money 360 and PS3 lost early on for being high end juggernauts. Their limitations are more the result of financial prudence than technological barriers.

Is this is true, then why get a PS4 or X1 at all? PS360 at present have tons more games, and thanks to cross-gen, there are VERY VERY few true exclusives to PS4/X1.

How well did GTAV sell on PS4/X1? Unless most of those buyers had never played it before on Gen7, then those players definitely cared about resolution/FPS, because otherwise WHY REBUY IT? It's not like it was an old game. Ditto TLOU:HD.

1.5% sounds idiotic imho, because of the absoutely huge margin of cross-gen games so far.

Excluding PC, you have a mediocre Killzone, Ryse, The Order, Forza 5, and a small smattering of gems like Sunset Overdrive and Bloodborne so far. Everything else (Madden, COD, GTA, FC4, etc) is largely on last-gen consoles.

The 'people don't give a fuck about graphics' idea sort of forbids the entire concept of new hardware. Even the exclusives that are only on Gen8 so far could EASILY have been done on PS360, just at lower resolution/FPS. Look at GTAV, PS360 could handle plenty. Name ONE game that PS360 couldn't play that is on PS4/X1. Bloodborne? It would have looked like Demon's Souls graphically, but easily done. Sunset Overdrive? Easy, but maybe 600p. Etc/etc/etc.

You can't have it both ways.