| superchunk said: All we have to do is look at the iPhone as a clear example of mobile upgrade cycle as well as the future of gaming. Each year Apple launches a "new iPhone" with these exact upgrades: 1. More powerful CPU/GPU 2. Better screens/camera/basic functionality (in some variation) 3. Latest version of OS Every 2/3 years Apple changes the physical design. This is the only time the actual number of the phone changes. i.e. iPhone 4, 5, 6, and 7 all look different. Yet the 4s, 5s, etc did not or had very minor changes. The normal "slim" models or now "pro/scorpio" models are akin the the 's' versions of an iPhone. These are what you are claiming as "upgraded hardware". Yet, the physical design changed versions (4 to 5 to 6, etc) are actually the same thing, just a different box. They have the same actual changes with the rare exception that they add a real hardware feature change such as the addition of fingerprint or connection change. This is why, even the PS5 is going to be "upgraded hardware" but not a new console gen clean break as you are defining above. It will be a new look, upgraded OS with new features, upgraded hardware for power/etc, but it will be based on the same PC-like architecture that MSony both switched to this gen (and they did so for this very specific reason). It is a costly enterprise to create an entirely new console based on entirely new architecture. The rising costs of building games on hardware with zero userbase is extremely risky. However, if you build a platform that can be continually upgraded every few years, then you gain the ability to always have a large userbase to sell to. PS5 will exist. New look. Updated OS. New features. Clear power difference to allow new gameplay/graphics/etc. PS5 will support the same existing and new middleware. This allows the same game to be built to take advantage of PS5 while still working flawlessly on PS4/Pro. - This reduces risk from lack of userbase. - Still allows devs to continually improve tech without rewriting entire engines, etc. - Reduces R&D costs for console manufacturers as well; including their own risk for new generations. This is also a major reason Nintendo moved to a PC (mobile) like architecture. They can benefit from the same like-ness of middleware and dev tooling as MSony will have. Improved scalability means they continue to remove barriers for 3rd parties as well as reduce their own R&D for new consoles. At this point onwards, "console generations" are simply not anything but marketing. You can easily skip a version to remain on the typical 5/6yr cycle and not miss a game OR you can buy the 4, 4s, 4Pro, 5, 5s, etc every 2 years (or so) and remain with the cutting edge. What will remain to be seen is when the PS5 launches, will the PS4/s/Pro get the OS upgrade too or will that be a forcing function to push people to upgrade? I'm betting that they will want to keep up the idea that this is a new generation, even if the core of the OS is the same. This isn't too far off from phones either. Apple / Google allow support for the last few versions of their phones only. Other manufactures (entirely Android) do it for only the top-line phones and only a couple versions. |
So do you expect ps5 to start off as slow as ps4 pro? Games will be seriously held back in they still need to run flawlessly on the base ps4. Which will make ps5 just look like another resolution upgrade. Now the same thing in full 4K. Plus it adds more work to development, slowing releases down with multiple builds that all need to be tested. Rewriting engines every 6 years keeps innovation alive and gets rid of legacy code. Or you end up with more stuff like Skyrim on the ps3, pushing a creaky old engine to the limit to save costs.
Yet perhaps with the right maketing it will work. I works for Apple. Yet the peer pressure to get the latest phone is very different from consoles. Plus phones are heavily subsidized since you already pay a ton for the subscription. It didn't work very well for ps4 pro, why would it work for ps5 if it's just another incremental upgrade?
I rather have console makers work for their userbase instead of doing the minimum to keep them from leaving :)
