Topic: PlayStation 5 --OT--

@BAMozzy also I would appreciate if you would stop talking to me like I am an idiot.

@Th3solution Neither. Have zero interest in both. I would rather they would concentrate on frame rate and resolution. Not that any of that matters to me too much, I just think that will be the next logical evolution for consoles. I be very surprised big we get 4k 60fps for 400 quid or under. But if VR is part of the package for PS5, I won't be getting it. If BC then sure that will be an added bonus, I just personally would use it that much.

@JohnnyShoulder idk why someone would suggest it. Idea did not work for xbox with kinect. It would not work here. Do not force it down my throat.

@Frigate Can't be more than a tenner I think.

@Frigate No, but seriously, the manufacturing costs of a disc drive aren't enough to worry about having it in or not.

@Frigate Of course, they want to push digital sales and drive out the middle man. Cheaper for them, more expensive for us.

Disc or no disc will depend on how codename Maverick(disc less xbox one) does.

I didn’t intend to stir a ruckus here with the question and it was more of a hypothetical thought experiment. Sorry for any waves I’ve created. 😅
But what it does highlight is the somewhat of the quandary Sony finds itself in. There is a growing demand for BC. Due to Xbox’s roll out this gen I think there is an expectation. Like I said earlier, I would welcome BC because, well... I’m lazy. I don’t want multiple consoles to keep up with. It’s just a preference. Sue me.
That said, most people who desire BC don’t really use it much, so I am willing to accept the fact that I pine for something that I won’t use much. For that reason, it’s not a deal breaker for me if PS5 has no BC.
I do think there is a certain obligation Sony has to keep the playerbase in the ecosystem, as @WebHead has pointed out. Hypothetically, What if Sony states that they are going to wipe clean all our profiles for PS5? None of our progress carries over. Your PSN name, your trophies, your purchases, your PSN level, your communities, — it’s all considered last gen and there are no promises to keep those things. Are they within their rights to do so? Of course. Will gamers want to abandon time and money invested? Of course not. It is a show of good will to keep gamers in the system. And they need to sell PS5’s to push software sales next gen.
I’m not saying BC is absolute, but it’s just like cross-play — that is in today’s internet community where people can start virtual riots, I think they know that direction that the wind is blowing.
And as for what Sony wants to do - it’s clear they want to grow VR. It’s the wave of the future, I suppose. So it’s an interesting dichotomy of what the company wants and feels will be best in the long run, versus what the gamers think they want.

Again, this is a thought experiment. In actuality they can simply have multiple SKUs for the PS5 at different price points. Those with no interest in BC or VR may not have to pay for it. But I anticipate some form of BC to be enabled in a higher price point unit.

@Th3solution A device is either backwards compatible, or it isn't. I can't see how they could offer a more expensive version that is BC, and a cheaper version that isn't, unless you're talking about BC with ALL PlayStation system, and not just the PS4. BC with PS4 is very likely I think, almost a given.

I don't think PSVR will be mandatory either. No way. I think it will be made with VR in mind, so all the PSVR needs is a single cable.

@Frigate I can see MS making a console without a disc drive - one that is focussed on Game Pass and MS store gaming - maybe even streaming gaming using their cloud to run games - but I do think that will also be the 'entry' level console. I still think they will have a fully featured multi-media console shaped device. I still think having a 4k HDR Bluray player will be important for MS and for their purchasers. Its not just for gaming either and still serves as the Multi-media hub for playing games as well as watching TV/movies. Whilst Netflix (for example) may have 4k HDR content and Dolby Atmos audio, its certainly not at the same quality you will get from a 4k HDR Bluray - you get a compressed image and a lossy compressed audio version of Atmos with Netflix or other streaming service.

A lot of their customers will have DVD's, Blurays and maybe even 4k HDR Blurays now too since the Xbox has offered 4k HDR Bluray playback since Q4 2016.

Cutting out a Disc drive too would be a 'risky' move as its removing a feature and reducing the functionality of the device. Without it, people would be forced to buy a separate Disk Drive, and if there is any BC, even if its just Partial, they would need to add a disc drive for owners to show they have a valid licence to play their games. I also think it will be important for Publishers too - even if they want total control of your games like they do with Digital purchases. They want to offer those special/limited edition physical release sets as these are worth a lot of money to the Publisher. If you wanted to buy the Days Gone statue edition that's ONLY available at Game (so obviously benefit from Game paying for exclusivity rights to sell), you are out of luck because its Sold Out before the game is even out. These are worth a lot of money to the Publisher and the fact they often sell out month's before a game even releases show how important Physical releases are. I know Digital is worth more money (with all the extra digital only content) but in terms of games that are available in both Physical and Digital, Physical outsells Digital by quite some margin - its around 70:30 with some games being 80:20 although a few may be 60:40 but either way, most AAA games (as these are the only Physical releases) are bought on a physical format and I can't see MS or Sony abandoning Physical anytime soon.

Even if the ratio was reversed in Digital's favour, there would still be significant numbers buying Physical to warrant its inclusion - let alone the other uses it offers. If physical games drop to just 5% of all purchases, it still merits its inclusion.

@BAMozzy If your PS4 Pro irreparably died a few months after the PS5 came out would you replace it?
This is assuming a PS5 it’s not backwards compatible.

@WebHead @Frigate I'm not saying I think VR will be integrated into PS5, just that it would massively put me off buying one IF it were to happen. Stranger things have happened.

@Th3solution No need to apologise, you only asked a question which sparked some healthy discussion. No harm done.

@Ryall I probably would replace it. I still have my OG PS4 too so I don't know if I would rush to replace my Pro - it would depend on how much I still playing on it. If I am still playing it a lot when it is irreparably dead, I would probably buy a new replacement, if I am not playing it much, I may look for a 2nd hand one - also depending on the price after the PS5.

Regardless, I would still want and would still purchase a PS4 Pro if my Pro is irreparably dead - just in case I want to play any of my PS4 games. I still have my PS3 and XB360 and my OG Xbox and all the games I have ever purchased for ALL these consoles - everything before this though is either given to my kids or was taken to the local tip when I downsized and lost a lot of storage space in my house so had to get rid of a lot of stuff...

@Octane True. I am pretty ignorant as it relates to technology (and we’ll.. as it relates to most things) but I was trying to wrap my mind around how the PS5 could emulate all previous PlayStation consoles as was stated in the recent Push Square article about the recent patent Sony filed. I’m not sure how all they works. I do remember the ‘fat’ PS3 had native PS2 BC then it was taken out, right? And they made it emulated BC thereafter, or something like that. Am I mis-remembering that? There is a hardware solution to BC and a software (or emulated) solution, if I’m understanding it.

@Th3solution Technically backwards compatibility only refers to what we call ''native BC''. A new device can read and play media from a previous device, and therefore it is backwards compatible. The Xbox One X for example isn't. It can't play anything from the disc. It just offers a digital download instead. On the other hand, the Wii U is technically BC with the GameCube, because it's all the same architecture. It can play GameCube games natively, it only lacks the special parts inside the disc drive to take in and hold the small GameCube discs.

The PS3 was BC with the PS1 and 2 because it effectively had a PS2 built into it; which was part of the reason why it was so expensive to begin with. I don't recall any emulation however, the later models of the PS3 just did away with backwards compatibility altogether.

I think we all assume that the PS5 will be similar to the PS4 in architecture. No reason why it wouldn't, because it also makes developing for it very easy. So BC with the PS4 is very likely. I haven't read into their patent, but they could built in some kind software that emulates a PS1 or PS2 and plays the game from the disc. I haven't heard of something like that before, but it's possible. A blu-ray player can read CDs and DVDs, so it's not too weird to think there's a way to emulate the system itself within the PS5. That would also make the entire library of PS1 or PS2 games playable from the get-go, which would be pretty cool. PS3 is a bit of a weird one. I think the patent included that one as well, but it's so weird that they may skip it as well. No idea to be honest!

@Octane Thank you, sir! I think I follow.
It would be a dream come true to have all the systems in one for convenience reasons. But mainly for the perpetuation of my library. I’d be thrilled with PS3 and PS4 compatibility alone - so basically since the PSN came to be. The infernal cell processor will be the fly in the ointment however.

@JohnnyShoulder Yeah, I’m in a bit of a contemplative mood lately. I like dealing with the why’s and how’s and gauging the temperature of the populace, so to speak. I learn a lot from other users in here. There is a lot of knowledge out there on Push Square.

@BAMozzy
The final versions of consoles are often feel less premium then the launch models.

Where this leaves the pro as the best PS4 when the PS5 comes out I don’t know but given its architecture it will probably remain intrinsically more expensive to produce than the base PS4 I doubt it will become the only PS4.

If people like you continue to value it in and of its self after the PS5 becomes the most powerful PlayStation then both configurations will probably survive in slimmer forms.

Only way I see a pro slim happening is if PS5 launched in second half 2020 at $499.