Topic: codename NEO

Has anyone heard the news about the new PS4? The specs are apparently locked down. The cpu is 2.25 times quicker than the current chip and has an additional 500mhz of speed. It also increases the bandwidth by 32gb.

That a pretty substantial increase.

Its working name is Neo to sit with VRs working name Morpheus. Pretty exciting huh?

Personally quite excited for this...hopefully we get some information about game compatibility, price and whether there will be added features like PS1 emulation etc. Just being able to play games at a steady frame rate is probably enough for me.

I'd get one. Obviously the value of the old PS4's will drop but it's got to be worth something on a trade in against it, too.

This VIDEO speaks about the specs and how it will work alongside the PS4 as far as games are concerned. According to the document, NO game will release for NEO only and all games released from October must have a NEO and Base option. NO game can have extra features (other than graphical enhancements) on the NEO. Games released before October can be patched to take advantage of the new extra power IF the developers want - its not compulsory - but again its JUST performance patching (better resolution and/or frame rates) and must at least meet the base model. This effectively means that if a game runs at 60fps on PS4, it can't run anything less than 60fps on the NEO - meaning it can't drop to 30fps to get native 4k for example.

Games will output to 4k BUT do not necessarily have to be at 4k native. There will also be no segregation from the PS4 users - meaning that all MP/co-op games will be played together.

I am certainly very interested in the NEO and will probably buy. It maybe makes more sense for me than for others as I do have a 4K TV already - Time to start saving....

I'm hyped for it. I don't think I'll buy one right away, especially if Nintendo makes the NX an essential purchase, but I definitely think I'll be getting the upgraded PS4 before 2018 is out, at which point I expect PS4 will only have two years tops before Sony and MS massively shift focus in how they handle the PlayStation and Xbox brands.

@themcnoisy: Isn't this the supposed PS4.5 that rumors have been floating around for a bit now? If so yeah I heard about it, not really interested in it. I mean it's nice for those who have to have the newest technology but I think it's just a bad idea shorting a consoles life span. They should just wait a few years for a PS5. But I understand technology improves at a faster rate now then it did say 5 years ago, and people want the latest stuff and companies need to jump on this to make the most money off of it otherwise they lose opportunities to make money and in the business world that won't do. However for me it's just another reason why this gen of gaming is starting to make me bitter towards the gaming industry and a reason why the PS4 will most likely be the last console I get on launch day.

I never buy consoles on launch day, one of the main reasons why is that its really expensive where I'm from. My PS4's less than two years old so I'm pretty unhappy about the PS4.5. I hope this doesn't become a trend with home consoles as I've never been a fan of the "1.5" improvements.

Wonder how the game developers feel about this now as they'll probably have to deliver games that run on 60fps.

Neo Geo MVS/AES > PS4 Neo

Get out of here Sony, you'll never be as cool.

All the specs fly over my head. I'm not required to get it, I'm happy.

Don't think I'll get one. I'm satisfied with my current PS4. Maybe in the long distant future..

Personally I see the PS4k as actually helping prolong the life expectancy of this generation. Its effectively forcing developers to support the PS4 for the next 3years+ because they will want to release on PS4k. ALL games must run on both so that is guaranteeing the 'near' future for the PS4.

I think MS will take a different route by releasing a 'new' console to keep up with the competition but won't be so insistent on ensuring that games also run on XB1. That will give developers the choice to release on 'both' MS platforms or just the latest they don't want to compromise so much on the visual presentation. Maybe they still will release games at 720/30 on XB1 for the 'extra' sales (up to 20m) this could generate.

As it stands at the moment, we are already seeing a lot of compromises to the developers original vision. Visually games are made in 4k (and above for its character models) and no doubt with 60fps (minimum) in mind but as the game grows during development, sacrifices end up being made - frame rates dropped to 30fps and locked at 1080 (or lower) for consoles. Without the PS4k, I could easily see a new console (PS5 for example) releasing by next Christmas and PS4 3rd party support stopping soon after. Its expected that a mobile phone could match the PS4 by 2017 and because its screen is smaller, look equally as good.

Whilst that doesn't sound 'great' for PS4 owners in essence, the point is that now developers will continue to make games for it, will try to make them run at 'acceptable' levels for the next 3years+ It would be very easy for a developer to take the 'easy' way out and just release on a PS5 but even a PS4 version will have to run 'well' as that will reflect on them. If, as I suspect, that MS do go the 'new' console route, I can see developers foregoing the option to release on XB1 and make up the 'deficit' by releasing on Nintendo's NX instead.

@Tasuki:
I don't think there's going to be a PS5 or a next Xbox to worry about getting on launch day anyway. They're not shortening a console's lifespan here either, if anything it'll help PS4 reach 2019, which would give it six years on the market, then I see everything going in a service-based direction and people are either going to be on board or not. All speculation of course, but with digital growing like it has, I can't see traditional consoles continuing beyond this gen. Even Nintendo has started to focus on digital. Whether things go sideways or not, it'll be an interesting next half decade. I can be persuaded to get behind a service based direction but there have to be real benefits from having subscriptions which would mean at least for Sony and MS things have to improve from the 'free' games catalogs to sales as well.

A bit of 'techno-babble' about the specs and what it essentially means (if you are interested) about these specs - VIDEO HERE

Possibly off topic but I am fully against subscription based gaming, particularly if it involves streaming as well. I want to own my console games, even if digital and downloaded to a hard drive. I don't want my access to a game being dependent on a company wanting to support it. What if, after four or five years, it doesn't make sense for Sony to keep a game that I want to play. It is all in favour of the big companies and nothing to consumers.

I don't like the idea of a 1.5 upgrade, particularly this early into the gen cycle. However, I do agree with the comments here that the current Console 'generations' are going to end as we know it. MS are going to move into a PC style gaming platform and offer Steam Machine type consoles. I imagine now that upgradeable consoles will be the future which will pose the question, what is a console?