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[Zombie James]

Timing is going to be key here for me. If it's announced late this year and releases late next year, that would be within a traditional console cycle. I probably wouldn't jump on it day one but I wouldn't be upset by it.

Releasing before the PS4's fourth birthday would rub me the wrong way. I really don't like the idea of an accelerated cycle. Sticking with x86 and the same architecture they have now would definitely lead to a smoother transition than console generations of the past, but I'm still not a fan.

If - and it's a huge, massive IF - Sony were to accompany this with a sensible and reasonable trade-in/upgrade program, that might change things.

 

[D4Danger]

If Apple had followed the console model, we'd all still be using the original iPad and getting ready for the iPad 2.

It's time for consoles to join the rest of the consumer electronics industry. This is progress.

what's funny is that after the initial explosion of innovation in the smartphone market we're now at "and here's a slightly smaller version"

 

[DrFunk]

WSJ is pretty much always spot on with these rumor type articles, right?

Yup. Companies use WSJ as "soft announcements". This is basically confirmation

 

[TyrantII]

If Apple had followed the console model, we'd all still be using the original iPad and getting ready for the iPad 2.

It's time for consoles to join the rest of the consumer electronics industry. This is progress.

You do realize the profit margins on Apple tech, right?

Consoles typically lose money on early hardware sales. The models are nowhere comparable.

 

[creatchee]

Despite the negativity going on, I'm really happy that I've waited to buy a PS4. Now I will have the option to either get a regular one at a discounted price or a high end one and have the latest and greatest.

 

[gofreak]

I'm ps4-less, still, so I guess I'll be waiting til this is announced before buying anything. Happy enough to wait until psvr is here to get one, and would definitely get the more powerful unit for that - price depending.

Very interested to see on the development side how this is handled/exposed.

 

[Ammogeddon]

I would've got one even if it was just a slimline update. The possibility of a performance upgrade makes it even more compelling.

IIRC many people on gaf and elsewhere commented that consoles and PCs would become more similar resulting in shorter waits between console releases.

 

[Omnii-chan]

It would be really interesting if instead of making a slim version of consoles, they started to make power upgraded consoles instead.

I'm totally down for new hardware, slim or higher powered revision.

Between this, VR, NX and mid cycle games being announced, E3 is going to be super exciting this year.

 

[dose]

If you think most games 'already struggle' to hit 30 fps, why wouldn't this be appealing to you?

Because they - and many others - have already spent over $300 on a machine and don't want to have to pay out more if devs are not going to spend time optimisng games for the lower model?

I don't understand the outrage. Just sell your old PS4 and get the new one. The difference for the upgrade is going to be minimal

You know this as fact? Cool, source please.

 

[Sidewinder]

Announced before PSVR release?
Good, at least they won't leave the early adopters with their pants down.
Now I just need price and performance difference to the original PS4, if it's substantial for both I might have to reconsider my PSVR pre-order ;( I'm not even close to being made out of money, Sony!

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

People are fine with it on other devices, they'll learn to get used to it. More budget-minded gamers can skip every other box opting to upgrade every 6 years instead of every 3 if they wish, but I don't think a $400 upgrade every 3 years is that absurd for most gamers... as long as the full compatibility is there.

What a load of horseshit. I'm using a £100 phone and don't need to update it every year to make fucking phone calls.

 

[Curufinwe]

Not really. 5 years is totally fair.

It's not about "fair". It's about the current pace of technological development. There won't be chips ready in 2018 for a generational leap, which is why MS and Sony are looking at half measures.

 

[Blyr]

My initial knee-jerk reaction was "NOOO!" but after thinking about it, this really isn't a big deal at all.

We're essentially seeing the console business evolve in order to stay alive. Yes, it's crummy that your console will no longer be the "best", but your console will still function all the same. It's essentially the situation we've run into with the base console vs. the Slim versions. If you want the sleeker, slimmer, quieter, (and sometimes slightly more powerful) model then you buy that one, but if you just want to play games, and you don't really care about squeezing the most performance from your machine, the normal, launch console is fine.

This COULD be a more extreme case, where the power has a significant difference, but I think we'll have the "PS4K", and 2-3 years after that, the "PS5" to get everyone back on the same level, then a "PS5K" after 2-3 years, etc.

Console cycles will remain (relatively) the same, and everyone's happy.

 

[SmokedMeat]

My real problem with this is that I don't see the reason why I'd buy this over a gaming PC at this point. It sort of ruins the whole idea of why console gaming is so great.

If I'm going to need to buy new hardware every few years to have an optimized experience, then it might as well be on PC.

I guess for some it's still easier. Rather than upgrade components, you can just sell your current box, for a new one.

If all games are forward and backwards compatible, then you almost have to wonder if this move can keep core users who demand more power, from migrating to PC?

 

[entremet]

You do realize the profit margins on Apple tech, right?

Consoles typically lose money on early hardware sales. The models are nowhere comparable.

Funnily enough that's a model Sony pioneered and mastered. MS then followed the same strategy. Consoles were money makers before that.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Hardware advancement was moving fast back then.

That's a fair point

 

[IvanJ]

As I said before: As long as my launch PS4 can run all games (i.e. no PS4+ exclusives) I don't give a damn.
I'm certainly not wasting money on a minor graphical upgrade as long as my old console works.

However, if they do decide to screw over 40+ million customers, fuck them. It will take a miracle for me to buy a new gen console until it's dirt cheap.

I love PS4, I'm very satisfied with most aspects.
But they already have two strikes in my book:
- Paid online extortion
- No EA Access (actually their "no value for customers" bull)

Getting locked out of some PS4 games would break this camel's back.

I have loyalty towards them, I had X360 last gen. PS4 won me over with a lot of goodwill, but they are really trying to erode it.

 

[FunkyDealer]

Welcome to the era of the 32x all over again. Forget your old SHITTY hardware guys, please buy the new one..you don't HAVE to but we'll make sure you'll feel miserable if you don't

This is exactly how I'll feel. I don't like the idea of a split-userbase, with two very different SKUs, but I'm almost certainly going to upgrade. I didn't get a New 3DS, but I think this'll see more of a difference in software.

 

[McHuj]

What a load of horseshit. I'm using a £100 phone and don't need to update it every year to make fucking phone calls.

And you don't need to update your PS4 to continue playing the games.

 

[Nirolak]

I don't know the history so is this sarcasm or not?

Completely serious.

 

[Ricky_R]

PS4 will become the poor man's PS4.

 

[KingSnake]

I'm really curios if this strategy of whale-hunting will work in the console business. Interesting E3 incoming, curious how the PR message will focus on power without hurting some feelings.

 

[DavidDesu]

Welcome to the era of the 32x all over again. Forget your old SHITTY hardware guys, please buy the new one..you don't HAVE to but we'll make sure you'll feel miserable if you don't

Haven't heard that the PS4K needs plugged into your existing PS4 to work. Weird comparison that keeps being brought up. If they share the same software catalogue but the 4K can do more for VR games and give us some better framerates or resolution then so be it. I expect it to be sold as a premium model of the PS4, sort of like an iPhone 6S to the iPhone 6. Some slight improvements, speed increases, but still does all the same stuff so people with PS4's aren't losing out, but people willing to shell out the extra cash for the newer machine get some nice improvements.

I think we should all look at this as improvements for new customers and customers willing to "upgrade" early rather than as something detrimental to the console we already own, which will do all the same stuff as before and run all the same games.. just with perhaps not as shiny a lick of paint as the newer console might give (but which costs you more $$$ to invest in which is the trade off you/we all make). Keep yer knickers on.

 

[Pankratous]

What a load of horseshit. I'm using a £100 phone and don't need to update it every year to make fucking phone calls.

I upgrade my £600 phone every two years so I mean... can't be that bad to have upgrades in this market too.

 

[Pooya]

The outrage is just really absurd to me still...Something has been done in a way for 20 years, It has to be like that forever!!

Nah, you can just not buy this new model. Others who want better performance can. It's quite simple.

I guess if you just bought a PS4 yesterday, it's understandable but everything in consumer electronics get outdated the moment you buy it. Consoles are just catching up now. The idea of specs remaining same for most of a decade is just absurd now. Not just for software development but hardware manufacturing too, you will be paying more to make less.

 

[Sevenfold]

I do think they are going to sell this for four figures as a premium experience.

Putting it straight in the very good gaming PC bracket which will be even more competitive when this releases let alone a year, two years into its life. This is tricky ground for Sony. They need to nail the marketing/early catalogue for PSVR. Even then they need to find (to have already found) that sweetspot between performance for a relatively unknown (even on their part surely) piece of hardware and price it in a way that it's worthwhile as an upgrade.

 

[HandsomeCharles]

If Apple had followed the console model, we'd all still be using the original iPad and getting ready for the iPad 2.

It's time for consoles to join the rest of the consumer electronics industry. This is progress.

Personally, I love having to spend £400 every year in order to stay relevant. Much better than £300 every 5 years, definitely. I mean, it's only money right? What else was I going to spend it on? Bills and rent?

 

[cripterion]

I'm down for this but please allow me to give back the launch model and acquire the new one for a fee. Old one is way too noisy for me to keep.
Also hope if they do a new one they really do a solid build. For the ballers, you hear Sony?

 

[Xion_Stellar]

Bring it Sony! I already got the money lineup to buy this PS4K Day One.I bought n3DSXL just to run Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate better than the normal 3DS can and I don't see this being any different.Hopefully the thermal paste is better implemented in this one because my launch model does occasionally kicks up the fan noise level.

 

[Chamber]

Day 1.

Welcome to the era of the 32x all over again. Forget your old SHITTY hardware guys, please buy the new one..you don't HAVE to but we'll make sure you'll feel miserable if you don't

More like you'll make yourself feel miserable, friend.

 

[Aztechnology]

It's like people in here don't understand the consoles are now on X86 and can follow the PC's incremental model. They can relatively easily scale up or down and will be playable from the base model up in the future. It's a good thing. When a game releases during this gen it will simply mean there's two presets for the same game. One with settings for PS4 and one for PS4.5 it's really nothing to be scared of confused about. There won't be games only PS4.5 can play.

 

[Backfoggen]

Yeah, at this point there is no denying that this is happening. RIP billion year console cycles. I have no problems with it.

 

[vpance]

So I own a pretty high end gaming PC. A 5930K and a 980Ti twin frozr and 16gigs of DDR4-3000mhz ram. I can play many older games in 4K at near 60fps. If I make some graphical provisions, I can keep 50+ fps in some newer games. In the Division, I can get about 35-40fps in 4K by scaling down some graphics options.

My video card was over $900CDN. The CPU and RAM and motherboard, purchased about a year and a half ago, combined for around $1000, tax in. At nearly $2000 CDN, with four 5 noctua cooling fans, my system is capable of 4K gaming at 30fps-50fps if I'm selective with graphics options.

How on earth can Sony make a 4K gaming console for $400? The answer is they can't.
They can make the thing support 4K output. They can upgrade GPU/CPU to significantly boost performance, maybe to the point that more 1080p games could see 60fps. Maybe even to the point that some angry birds style games can render / play in native 4K

But even with Vulcan and Direct x 12, there's no way they can make a $400 console include a single gpu that can do games like GTA or The Division or whatever in 4K at 30fps.. There's just no way. I mean unless nvidia is selling them Pascal GPUS for $100 or something. I don't know. I just can't see it. Hopefully some technically savvy journalists get the scoop on this soon and provides better clarification that what we have.

PC parts can often be sold with hundreds of dollars of profit margin built into the price. Yes, it's true. Consoles are often sold at cost and AMD might make several dollars or a dozen off each.

Plus the Canadian dollar has been doing poorly so you just tacked on 30-40% more, lol.

Also understand that the chip that'll be used will probably be manufactured at 14nm.

 

[ironcreed]

The upper class PS4.

Now console warriors will be turning on themselves. PS4 master race vs PS4 peasants... God help us all.

 

[entremet]

I'm really curios if this strategy of whale-hunting will work in the console business. Interesting E3 incoming, curious how the PR message will focus on power without hurting some feelings.

It's not whale hunting. They want to change consumer behavior. The CE companies want tech to be disposable.

 

[jelly]

Always thought it was coming when you see what Oculus and Vive need, the perks for normal games are just as a result.

I wonder if Sony are ahead of Microsoft in this, do you think Microsoft aren't even thinking about releasing one this year ?

It would be amusing if Microsoft decided to go second like Sony always does at E3 conferences just to see the reaction.

 

[Sorral]

1. This is going to be competing against PSVR by being in the same time frame. I certainly won't buy both at the same time even though I could without any issues. I want to see how this crap goes first.
2. I highly doubt that this upgrade is substantial enough to be anywhere near a proper PS5 release that they could just do in 1-2 more years
3. It will hurt the PS5 in the future either by prolonging this generation or making the upgrade between the two not all that great.
4. Are there that many 4K TVs to make this worthwhile? Or is this going to be the trojan-horse for 4K like the PS3 and blu-ray?
5. If you hated cross-gen games so much in the past, better start learning to love them even between a PS4 and a PS5.

 

[Rootbeer]

What a load of horseshit. I'm using a £100 phone and don't need to update it every year to make fucking phone calls.

Oh, you only use your phone for phone calls?

Then this obviously does not apply to someone like you.

'horseshit' -- hah. Look around you.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Here we go, bring on the PS4K! $399 or buster wolf!

 

[Boke1879]

I don't understand the outrage. Just sell your old PS4 and get the new one. The difference for the upgrade is going to be minimal

Or just keep your ps4 and continue to play the same games we'll all get

 

[Devilinthiscity]

If this actually ends up happening, I wonder how much more powerful it would even be. I honesty think it's a bad idea. How bad would it split the user base? I could imagine the ps4 version of a game running like shit and the ps4k version being the one to get kind of situation.

I would still probably get one though...

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

And you don't need to update your PS4 to continue playing the games.

The whole reason I decided to get a PS4 early is so I didn't have to keep upgrading my PC and now they want to push iterative upgraded consoles every 3-4 years now?

I know I don't HAVE to update my PS4 to play games but now I'm playing the downgraded version.

 

[Fitts]

I don't really care that there's an enhanced console if "share the same software catalog" holds true. But the second I hear "PS4K exclusive title" being touted at a press conference I'm done with Playstation -- and likely consoles altogether.

 

[entremet]

What a load of horseshit. I'm using a £100 phone and don't need to update it every year to make fucking phone calls.

Your Vanilla PS4 will still work and you still will be able to play PS4 games on it.

 

[PuppetMaster]

I think it should be expensive to let current owners not feel bad about their purchase.

But I am totally down for a more expensive premium PS4K. Something like $600 even

 

[Daft Punk]

People do realize you don't have to buy this right? The ps4 will be perfectly fine for you. This is a console to get the best out of VR and a bit more headroom. I can see this being something purely for enthusiasts.

Nah, people are looking at this as some attack on their wallets because they are going to want to get it, but don't want to shell out the money for one when they have a system already. Good thing games will still work on the PS4, albeit better on PS4K. Everyone wins.

 

[rschauby]

As excited as everyone was about PS4 and the 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, it only served to distract people from how non-future proof the rest of the components were.

Whether we like it or not, console gamers will pay the price to play top end games. Last gen, we paid high console launch prices. This gen, we buy multiple consoles with mid-gen upgrades.

 

[jelly]

Now console warriors will be turning on themselves. PS4 master race vs PS4 peasants... God help us all.

I see trees.

I see a forest.

 

[DavidDesu]

PS4 will become the poor man's PS4.

This.... is actually a pretty great strategy then if you think about it. Either PS4K comes with a premium price, OR it comes in around the original PS4 price or less, with the current PS4 receiving a healthy price drop making it more affordable to far more people.

Offering both the "poor man's" and the "rich man's" console from the same company, rather than say a last gen console, or a Wii U as competition gives Sony a great broad playground with which to make profit from!

 

[Elandyll]

To be clear, the goal isn't to have games that can only run on PS4k, obviously.

Rather, to have games that on one machine run in 1080p/30 at Medium/ High settings, and the other at 1080p/60 on high/ Ultra I imagine.

Now is it possible that some devs would push the envelop and end up at 1080p/30 in Medium/high on the PS4k with disastrous results for the PS4 version?

I hope Sony would lay down clear expectations about that to their partners.