Playstation Neo thoughts
Apparently we have more "news". I don't know that any of this is public yet, but it seems to be validated through many sources and the news isn't really hard to believe either. And that news is that the hardware refreshed PS4 is currently codenamed "NEO" and is basically an incremental hardware upgrade over the current PS4. It doesn't break compatibility or anything. Just improves on the hardware.
So what could possibly go wrong? Well, I think Sony made several huge mistakes here. Firstly, while the hardware is indeed better, it isn't good enough to make 4k 60fps a reality on most premium titles. It also won't really support any intensive VR games. They are also supposedly mandating that after launch, every game must support a normal mode for existing PS4 players and a Neo mode for the new hardware as a means of pitying the poor fools who bought the original.
To me, this upgrade is pointless nonsense. It should make it so that every PS4 game can easily hit 1080p and 60fps. But then, many feel it should have been able to do that at launch. And many felt that missing the ability to handle 4k was also a miss on the part of Sony and MS. And this does nothing to address that.
Similarly, I can't really see it placating fans who own the original at all. People went with Sony because it was the better gaming system. It was meant to offer not only a better experience, but also a better long term investment. With Sony upgrading hardware first, PS4 users actually get their superior console outdated sooner than the Xbox One.
The requirement that all games support 2 modes is probably only for games which want to support the new Neo mode. In other words, I doubt Sony will force people who want to just target the lower spec to also explicitly target the higher spec as well. If they do force it though, it will likely drive devs away. Premium games makers will have the resources and probably will do it. Smaller shops likely won't.
And then, are they different SKUs for the games? Probably not. But as a games maker, I would probably want the option to charge more for the "improved" version as it increases my development efforts. Even if only by a bit.
Honestly, simply calling it PS5 would have been a smarter move (at least, in my opinion). I think we're at a point where gamers are willing to upgrade consoles more frequently than in the past. I think positioning it as a minor hardware refresh will just be perceived as a kick in the face to gamers. And of course, I think that the "Neo mode" thing will just piss off developers. If you feel it is too soon, then just wait another year and beef up the hardware even further.
The other problem with Neo mode, is that by forcing devs to support older hardware (because you refuse to just cut the cord on the older console) is that you still impose a limit on what devs can create. They can't go and create anything super cool that relies on this newer power, because then it wouldn't be able to run on the slower hardware.
And, another problem would be that a success here would just help out Microsoft. This would basically be introducing tiered hardware. If Sony proves the model can work, Microsoft can always just further Windows 10-ify Xbox. Windows 10, after all, is on some level purpose built for multiple hardware configurations. They could open the door to OEM's producing tiers of consoles or do it themselves, or potentially go batshit crazy and allow any PC to be effectively converted into an Xbox. I think a controlled fashion is required (at least to start). But I think this is an area where Microsoft has the edge.
So what could possibly go wrong? Well, I think Sony made several huge mistakes here. Firstly, while the hardware is indeed better, it isn't good enough to make 4k 60fps a reality on most premium titles. It also won't really support any intensive VR games. They are also supposedly mandating that after launch, every game must support a normal mode for existing PS4 players and a Neo mode for the new hardware as a means of pitying the poor fools who bought the original.
To me, this upgrade is pointless nonsense. It should make it so that every PS4 game can easily hit 1080p and 60fps. But then, many feel it should have been able to do that at launch. And many felt that missing the ability to handle 4k was also a miss on the part of Sony and MS. And this does nothing to address that.
Similarly, I can't really see it placating fans who own the original at all. People went with Sony because it was the better gaming system. It was meant to offer not only a better experience, but also a better long term investment. With Sony upgrading hardware first, PS4 users actually get their superior console outdated sooner than the Xbox One.
The requirement that all games support 2 modes is probably only for games which want to support the new Neo mode. In other words, I doubt Sony will force people who want to just target the lower spec to also explicitly target the higher spec as well. If they do force it though, it will likely drive devs away. Premium games makers will have the resources and probably will do it. Smaller shops likely won't.
And then, are they different SKUs for the games? Probably not. But as a games maker, I would probably want the option to charge more for the "improved" version as it increases my development efforts. Even if only by a bit.
Honestly, simply calling it PS5 would have been a smarter move (at least, in my opinion). I think we're at a point where gamers are willing to upgrade consoles more frequently than in the past. I think positioning it as a minor hardware refresh will just be perceived as a kick in the face to gamers. And of course, I think that the "Neo mode" thing will just piss off developers. If you feel it is too soon, then just wait another year and beef up the hardware even further.
The other problem with Neo mode, is that by forcing devs to support older hardware (because you refuse to just cut the cord on the older console) is that you still impose a limit on what devs can create. They can't go and create anything super cool that relies on this newer power, because then it wouldn't be able to run on the slower hardware.
And, another problem would be that a success here would just help out Microsoft. This would basically be introducing tiered hardware. If Sony proves the model can work, Microsoft can always just further Windows 10-ify Xbox. Windows 10, after all, is on some level purpose built for multiple hardware configurations. They could open the door to OEM's producing tiers of consoles or do it themselves, or potentially go batshit crazy and allow any PC to be effectively converted into an Xbox. I think a controlled fashion is required (at least to start). But I think this is an area where Microsoft has the edge.
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