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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Why PS4 'Neo' is a natural evolution of the console cycle

Normchacho on 19 April 2016
Hiku said:
Normchacho said:

How is this making you a PC gamer?

If you're a PS4 owner who isn't interested in the updated model, ignore it go about your business. Based on the information we have so far, it won't have any effect on your ability to use the PS4 the same way you are now.

There are ways this could potentially have negative effects even on people who are only interested in the vanilla PS4. Games that normally would run well on PS4 (60fps etc) could instead be optimized to take more advantage of the later PS4s, and the performance of the regular PS4 version takes a hit as a result. And supposedly Sony won't allow this (we'll see when it's confirmed, and I hope not) but depending on whether or not Sony will allow it, some games may only run on later versions of PS4. We have some examples of that in the console business. (Majora's Mask, Perfect Dark and Donkey Kong 64 for example, and in recent times Xenoblade for New 3DS.) This can be games developed specifically for a stronger PS4, or a multiplat game where the developers can't be arsed to water down the game so that it'll run on an acceptable level on all PS4 versions, if Sony allow them to just release it on PS4 version 4 and up.
Then there's the question of what will happen to any potential price cuts. There are people who still haven't picked up a PS4 because they don't feel it hit the price that they are willing to pay for it. Now, instead of traditional permanent price cuts, we may instead see the old versions of PS4 being phased out and replaced by a new PS4.

Actually I was thinking about this yesterday.

I think Sony is going to have an issue where anytime any game doesn't run well on the PS4, it's going to get blamed on the NEO. Whether it was a factor or not.

But realistically this isn't going to be like making a game for an extra console. It should, in theory, be much more like having medium and high settings on a PC game. The two systems will share an arcitechture and API after all. Plus the userbase on the normal PS4 will be much larger, so if anything, I think the issue will be devs not taking full advantage of the more powerful system.

Also, as we've heard, the PS4 and Neo will exist side by side, so I would expect the price on the PS4 to have to fall lower to make room for the new console. Which I expect will be $399.



Bet with Adamblaziken:

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Normchacho on 19 April 2016
barneystinson69 said:
Normchacho said:

But it isn't a replacement. The PS4 is still going to get the same games and work just as it has been.

Really? If games start targeting the specs of this console, then games running on the PS4 will be dumbed down or be 2nd rate compared to it. Or what if the console isn't utilized, and we simply see a little resolution boost that many can't take advantage of? And given the specs of this console, I expect it to be around 500$ at least. 

If games start targeting the Neo as the primary version of a game, then it's Xbox gamers who have the most to worry about. You think PS4 games will be dumbed down? How about a weaker system with a different API.

Your second point I think is much more likely. That developers don't really take advantage of the new hardware because the need to make sure it runs well on much weaker systems.

I think Sony will launch this at $399 to be honest. The bulk of the upgrade is the new GPU, which shoulndn't be all that expensive.



Bet with Adamblaziken:

I bet that on launch the Nintendo Switch will have no built in in-game voice chat. He bets that it will. The winner gets six months of avatar control over the other user.

PenguinZ on 19 April 2016

Incremental updates is a rather dangerous game to be playing, especially for a rather unexceptional generation so far.



Current gaming platforms - Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, New 3DS, PC

Lawlight on 19 April 2016
Pemalite said:
walterbates said:

 Static console hardware won't be around forever, and the industry has been experimenting with upgrades of various sorts for decades.

Will be interesting to see how many jump ship to the PC... If that happens, where your hardware might last longer than the "Incremental" console cycles.

My guess is probably no one. People want a machine that will guarantee to be doing what they want it to do without them having to fiddle around.



ZahaDoom on 19 April 2016
solidpumar said:

I am almost sure there will be PS VR games exclusives to NEO.

And I think Sony is doing all the right things. The only thing they could do better is make PS VR equipment compatible with pc and official driver from the get go. Only keeping the games exclusive.

 So the 40 million customers who can spend $400 bucks on an accessory will be locked out of new software for thier brand new PSVR, that would be super intelligent of SONY.



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solidpumar on 19 April 2016
ZahaDoom said:
solidpumar said:

I am almost sure there will be PS VR games exclusives to NEO.

And I think Sony is doing all the right things. The only thing they could do better is make PS VR equipment compatible with pc and official driver from the get go. Only keeping the games exclusive.

 So the 40 million customers who can spend $400 bucks on an accessory will be locked out of new software for thier brand new PSVR, that would be super intelligent of SONY.

People who purchase the PS VR will be compelled to purchase the Neo. Neither PS VR nor Neo have been released.

The 40million will be happy playing their 2d games if they don't want to upgrade on 2017/2018.

Neo + PSVR will still be the cheaper option for VR gaming.



Trunkin on 19 April 2016

This is the beginning of iterative console upgrades. I called this as soon as it was announced the PS4/XB1 would be using x86 processors. BC should be the norm going forwards, and we can expect t PS5 in another 3 years, at which point devs will no longer be forced to support the original PS4. Unfortunately I don't think I bothered posting that thought here. :

I fully expect the NX to have HW upgrades every 2-3 years as well.



Frogger on 20 April 2016
t3mporary_126 said:

Didn't PS4K rumour just started this April or late March? Are you saying you predicted this from Sony?

No, I thought Nintendo would do it first with NX. I still think the PS4 wasn't built to take advantage of an upgrade system like this, which is why I never thought they're do it.

What I predicted was that intremental upgrades for consoles would happen in the next five years. I definitely didn't think that meant this or next year, though, and defenitely didn't think Sony or Microsoft would do it. I'm pleasantly suprised.



Ruler on 21 April 2016
aLkaLiNE said:
Ruler said:

Sony or any console manufacture make 0% profit of the console unit sales themselves. 

Sony does it for the loyal fans who are ethusiasts on their console, just like with any hobby or product

Sonys made profit off the hardware for PS4 since almost day one. At launch, tear down estimates had the console pegged at $381 excluding any royalty or licensing fees but including logistics. I'm certain within the first year the console was sold at a profit.

It was sold with 20$ profit thats pretty sparse for a 400$ electronics product espacially in this form factor. Every PC with same specs in the same formfactor would have cost at least 600$. 



Why i left PC gaming

 

(2015) Question for PS4 owners: if the situation would be reverse? would you still play on PS4?

(2015) The "I don't care PS4 is the most powerful console" thread