Why is there a cynical assumption that Sony is "scared" of Scorpio and pro-actively reacting to an unannounced- paper spec- console with target performance number- set to release much later?
If anything- it's quite obvious why Sony wouldn't overload their conference with information. For all the pomp and circumstance from critics that for some reason still regurgitate the tried and true hyperbole: "PlayStation 4 has no exclusives!" - this E3 will be the one to try and challenge that rhetoric if every thing we're being told comes to fruition.
The last three years, Sony's first party studio output has been titled. Studios have rebooted, entire projects have been canned, priorities have been shifted, and heads have rolled. However, this is the year where we are officially seeing: Bend, Guerilla, Japan, Media Molecule, Polyphony, Santa Monica, AND Sucker Punch with some sort of reveal planned. The most important of which is - there is no "timed exclusivity", "sequel on another platform"; "paid to be exclusive" shenanigans..... AND not to mention the myriad of second party projects Sony has- this show seems to be the most "exclusive" heavy PlayStation conference yet.
AND ALL PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS NEO? Why? The best way to disrespect your first party send-offs is to divert the media's attention to an entirely new box.
I agree that this year is when all cylinders will be engaged in software output for Sony. All the big guns are hitting E3, there are new IP's to announce and some of the most anticipated games have just launched or will be due in the next couple of months. There's no need to bring NEO at the conference, but software is NOT the only reason, there's PSVR landing in October, that's confirmed and we know that for a fact, I think that takes priority over NEO at the moment.
Personally, I don't think Sony would launch two pieces of hardware in October, let VR have it's time in the sun and in the new year, bring out the NEO where they can go with one of their options of a $500 console with a beefier CPU as well. I don't think Sony is reacting to Scorpio, I think they've been balancing several hardware specs to see what's more suitable and viable for them, but people took the base specs and run with it as if it's final or that NEO would land this year as fact. Look how long ago Morpheus was announced and NEO has not even been officially announced yet. I think people should take note.
This year is not about NEO, it's about PS4 software and PSVR. It's also the third year in the PS4's lifespan where Cerny asserted that PS4 software would mature and we would be seeing more examples of GPGPU usage as we did in (UC4) and soon Horizon Zero Dawn. I can't wait to see what Sucker Punch has in store, their second time around, but I'm not sure NEO is what's maturing for show here, I definitely agree it's the PS4, but also PSVR, which should have a big portion of the show as well.
People always bring the issue of these weak Jaguar CPUs and yet the most impressive games I have seen this gen is on PS4. Uncharted, the Order and Driveclub.
What makes you say that Jaguar CPU is not suitable for 4TF GPU? do you make games? I believe that there are some smart people at Sony/MS who would know when if Jaguar CPU is good with the GPU or not.
I'm not the one to judge that, since I know nothing about making games.
I agree that people exaggerate on the Jaguar CPU's, it's mostly console wars or PC vs console rhetoric most of the time...However, If Sony is in a position to give us a beefier CPU, I think they should do so. If first parties are putting out such impressive games and running such impressive physics on the jaguar cpu with some GPGPU, imagine what they'd do with a more capable GPU and an i5-i7 calibre CPU. Some of the games that's extremely CPU intensive would run at 60fps instead of 30fps and there would be less issues with framepacing and stutter in certain genres.
There's also the possibility of devs making games that would impress you even further (that was not possible before), like pushing A.I in games forward, better draw distance and npc's and pushing physics to a whole new level. I do agree that usually it's the console devs who try to maximize what they have, and what they've done ranks up there as the best or close, but imagine if you gave these guys some real power to play with.