Sony Reportedly Working on a "PlayStation 4.5"

I figured something like this would be happening when word got out PSVR would need an external box. Next logical step is to find a way to build that into the system.

Having some upgraded hardware doesn't seem completely crazy but.. 4k? That's like.. top end of PC hardware. I'm running an i7 2600k at 4.4ghz and a 980 and I can run my 3440x1400 monitor at like 30-45 fps depending on the level of visuals in the game. That just seems like a lot of nice tech to try and put into something people consider gaming-on-a-budget with $300-400 consoles.

But if they released something with such a significant upgrade for.. $800? If the specs line up with the price point, sure why not? I can't imagine anything with that capability being lower than $800.. At least 800.. $1000 bundle with the PSVR packed in I guess? That still kind of technically puts them at a lower total price point compared to Rift or Vive. And I'm sure they'd still offer a $300-400 basic console solution.

I think we should wait until Sony give some indication of where they want to go with this. I would be severely disappointed if Sony required gamers to drop money on a new model or module every two years to keep up. That would be a disastrous decision in my opinion, it goes against the whole point of a console.

SCOOOPS

Asking because I honestly don't know, what kind of PC would it take to run current AAA games on low-med setting at 30fps (I expect they won't be able to get it much better than that)? They might just be planning to sell it to people on the idea of 4k alone, whilst they quietly turn the shadow quality down some more.

I totally understand why this might upset someone, but personally there would be a big change. I own 4 Xbox 360, the original, the elite, the slim and the halo 4 one. I own 3 Xbox ONEs the most recent being the Halo 5 edition. Most of these only have some cosmetic differences, like paint or size, but imagine them being more powerful, I would love that and I can't wait.

It'll be interesting to see what public opinion is if the PS4.5 delivers some mindblowing VR games.

VR seems to be the best way for Sony to justify upgrading so soon.

Sounds like PC+Nintendo combo is going to be the way to go now unless they let me trade in my ps4 to discount this newer model. I've had mine for a decent chunk of time now, got it last August, but I'm still annoyed at the idea of buying another console already. I get a new phone every couple of years thats only marginally better, but not for $400.

I think a lot of companies make a lot of prototypes. Has there ever been a PlayStation model were some nut job has not said they had "privileged info" on a improved model? [eye rolling] There was PS 1.5 rumor, there was a PS 2.5 rumor, and there are always rumors about every console.

While it possible that Sony might be thinking/though of such strategies, it is far more likely that Sony's R&D department while working on the 'possibilities' for any possible scenarios they could conceive of. Afer all, Sony has been working on VR for PlayStation for a few years; so I'd not be shocked if one concept was to see what a improved model. That's the R&D departments job.

This just sounds like hot air from someone trying to connect the dots between what MS is taking openly about and possibilities that Sony could do the same. But it hardly makes sense -PS4 is selling and their PS VR works with the current PS4 model.

I know this is hard to understand for some people, but consoles work really well in the way they are sold now. All the gloom and doom that pundits had for consoles two years ago was NONSENSE. After way too long of selling PS3 and Xbox One, the sales of those consoles defied expectations. Idiots were shocked, but they should not have been because ease of use with plug-n-play operation is what millions of people world wide want and need. Consoles are not for everyone, but neither are PCs. I see ist every day 1/100th of people who own PC know how to use them. PC gaming will never be more than half the industry and if you only reach half that is a lot of money left on the table.

- There is no one console future.
- There is no PC take over.
- There is no console way to make a PC easier without killing its advantages.
- There is no PC/Steambox that is as maintenance free & headache free as a console without making it a console.
- There is no "net positive" for consumers with Microsoft 'Unified App Environment'

@teddie: Something along the lines with an i3 / i5 cpu and a 970 gpu, although a 980 would be a much better experience. I'd bet at least add $200 - $300 more to the current price.

PS4K sounds pretty good

Meh. We'll have to see how VR pans out for Sony and in general. That's the only reason I can see this happening but by the time VR really takes hold, it'll be time for PS5. For now, it's just keeping up with the joneses.

Everyone start freaking out! AAAAAAAAAAA!

@teddie I mean a GTX 980ti can run games at 4k, but that's a $700 card. Not sure if cards at lower price points can run games 4k with different settings/configs.

This could be dangerous for both Sony and Microsoft to undercut the one clear advantage consoles have, but the devil is in the details. If they emulate the iOS market by requiring nearly everything be backwards compatible for the PS4 original, then it's hard to see this being an issue. Or even if just most new stuff stays compatible on the PS4 and the PS4 incremental upgrades come every 4+ years, then it's far less of a problem. In fact both seem like an advantage to let the console expand, give options to current owners, and hopefully keep a big library going forward.

On the other hand, examples like the New 3DS show how frustrating this could end up if you have a select set of PS4+ exclusive games and few tangible advantages to upgrading. I'm not about to buy a New 3DS just to play Xenoblade on the go, but it's also frustrating that I'm locked out of games that are ostensibly part of Nintendo's mobile platform.

Either way, this seems like a better option than hoping the consoles last a decade, then completely revamping the software and hardware in the next generation. Given that consoles are now fairly stable and PC-like, incremental upgrades and continuity between iterations are the far better option.

Interesting ideas coming to mind in the console market these days.

Let's see what happens.

not gonna happen, the kind of pure CPU and GPU power they would have to shove into that box would be rediclious.

A couple of thoughts just thrown out there:

- As much as people are undecided if they would upgrade from their current One/PS4 to a new version - from a business point of view new versions only make sense if they lead to a significant number of people to pick up the new boxes that didn't buy the current ones. Not sure about the current console cycles but in the past everyone but Nintendo sold hardware subsidized. They make money selling software. If the number of active users of their services don't go up and they sell remotely as many copies of a game on average than they do today, they gained little to nothing.

- Also haven't the accumulated sales figures for both Xbox and PS4 each since launch been anyhow significantly higher than previous generations at that point? At least it was stated repeatedly in Bombcast episodes. So it's even less compelling of an argument for the upgrade strategy to be necessary to invigorate the current boxes (even less for Sony being in the lead by a mile).

- I agree that only 3 years in you can see the consoles struggling to keep games at 30 frames at a reasonable graphic fidelity - that being said it didn't stop MS and Sony from extending the previous cycle as they did. For as much as we as consumer value quality for as long as sales figures are strong the platform holders have little incentive to change.

- This also puts Playstation VR in a odd spot. Looking at the general feedback on Sony's GDC release information, the price point of the 400 Dollar on top of the console purchase seemed most compelling in direct competition to the Rift and the Vive, later ones being presumably more powerful costing you double that Sony combo at minimum.

I think it will be a hard sell for Sony to convince people to pick up PS VR if they might come with an updated PS4 version in the nearer future that provides more horsepower to enhance the experience in general. Of course this is purely speculative but if they ask for 400 bucks for PS VR in October just to come around the corner a couple of months later with something like "here's the new box, which amplifies also VR further, all for just another 400 bucks" they risk to loose their current consumers trust instead of encouraging a big number of people to jump on the Sony Playstation/VR train.

Generally it's a major change on the classic console business model and as mentioned in one of the last podcast episodes for each way to make that work there are probably 10 ways to mess it up big time.As competition is in general healthy I keep the fingers crossed this doesn't end up in a total mess. Then again this might be the end game scenario before Skynet Riot takes over.

I feel good about not buying either of these consoles at this point. Maybe I'll get the second or third version of the PS4 that has the VR box built-in at some point.

Also makes me wonder what version of PS4 Kojima will develop for.

If true, I can't say I feel too good about this. The thing with phones is, you don't really need to jump to the next model unless you some of the new features. In this case, will games run on both, just not as well/sharp on the lesser model? Will developers need to dedicate ever more money and resources on making versions of games that can run on both?

Look, don't get me wrong, either way I'll be a sucker and buy it if it is indeed true, but I don't like the idea of having to spend $400 every 3-4 years on a new console. And that's if you only own one of the competitors' product! What if Microsoft also goes that route?

I don't know. It just seems like a waste of time and resources to me and is likely to confuse/anger a lot of consumers. Just because Apple and Samsung do it with their phones, it doesn't mean it's "cool".

For me, this console generation has been the least compelling by far. In the previous generation I had a Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 in addition to my PC and this time around I play on my PC and only recently bought a Wii U in January (the urge to play SMM was too strong). The Xbox One and PS4 feel like they came both too late and too early. By the time they came to market, the 360 and PS3 felt super long in the tooth and now that VR is upon us, they lack the power that they require. We're only 2 years into this console generation and things are already super weird.

And then there's Nintendo. The Wii U has easily had some of the best games in the past few years with the likes Super Mario Maker and Splatoon and staple franchises like Mario Kart and Smash Bros but it's also been a tiny catalogue of games and has only sold 10 million units. We know they're ready with a new console but when do we get it? If they release it this year, you could say that they'd be burning the Wii U owners after just 4 years on sale but from a business stand point, it simply doesn't make sense to stick with something that isn't selling especially when the likes of the 3DS is doing very well for them. Is it doing DS numbers? No, of course not but in a day and age where phone games can offer amazing graphics and experiences, it's still surprising.

32x was pretty cool, had no games to support it.

Im all for cool attachments and gizmos!

This is a mess.

And as someone who helped steer someone else towards an extremely recent PS4 purchase, I feel like an asshole.

My gut reaction to this is quite negative. I come to consoles for the simplicity and the fact that I know it's a stable platform for 5+ years.

I can't see myself buying another console if they plan to move to a rapid replacement cycle. I fear they are killing themselves. If I wanted to deal with this hassle I'd build a gaming PC.

*sigh*

If Sony and Microsoft put out new models of their hardware with upgraded specs, are they going to put 4K Blu-ray drives in them? Right now its hard to say if people are going to adopt the new format, but if Sony and/or Microsoft did that it would probably give a big boost to the format.

Throw in a UHD player and you may have a deal.

The only reason I may be okay with this, is because we are finally starting to see 4k content via Netflix, UHD disk etc. I thought it was crazy when they announced these consoles and said they wouldnt support 4K, but after waiting for years to see any 4K content I now understand why. I know 4k gaming on consoles is a long way out, as they still seem to be struggling with 1080 at times, but even a decent upscaler for games would be nice. It would be nice to have it all in one device. A device I already spend a lot of time gaming on.

However, if this is Sony and MS trying to get in on the mobile market, upgrade every two years money, then I'm out. I will just put it towards my PC and whatever Nintendo is doing.

The real bummer is the list of re-remasters that will be on the way.

As a mostly PC and sometimes console player this is what it'd take me to not worry about consoles ever. This is pretty awful. I don't mind incremental upgrades as much on PC because it does SO much. It's not JUST for games. A better CPU or more RAM or a nice SSD improves not just gaming performance. Same with my phone. My phone is for more than just games. Not so with a console. If Xbox and Sony truly DO move towards incremental upgrades like this? I'm out. Consoles are more and more losing what makes them great (Platform exclusives, 5+ year life cycle, etc.) while gaining the nuisances of PC gaming. I'm kind-of peeved, even, with the New 3DS. Some games now run like dogshit on my regular 3DS. If I exit Smash Bros it takes approximately a Fort-Night to get back to the 3DS OS. Give me a break. I'm not buying a $400+ "Walled garden" system to have games for that system run not so well because... eh, there's a New 3DS. A PS4.5. A Xbox... One and a half. No thanks.

If they add OTHER features? That's fine. Cooler, quieter, maybe other media functions etc to new consoles only? Sure. I can stomach that. Game performance should be same across the board. I don't want a hindered experience half way through a consoles life span.

I've gotta agree. A GTX 980, from what I've read, will struggle to maintain 4K 30 FPS for the latest PC games on average settings. At a retail price of ~$500. In contrast, the PS4's most equivalent graphics card retailed for about $180 when the console launched. So even at a heavily discounted price and taking into account the other components getting cheaper, we're talking about a seriously compromised 4K experience at even a $499 PS4.5 price point.

I can't see this upgrade buying them anything more than a couple of years of parity with Xbox Evergreen at the cost of fracturing their userbase, spoiling the goodwill they've earned in this generation, and hemorrhaging even more users to the increasingly-streamlined PC market.

I just got a PS4 console, precisely for the reason that it provides uncomplicated gaming experiences and I don't have to worry if a game would run on it or not until the next generation comes along, years(!) later. If they pull of this 4.5 nonsense, I am out...

I blasted Microsoft when they announced similar plans and I'm happy to do the same to Sony. If they do this, I will never buy another console from Sony, period.

I don't actually have a problem with the idea of upgrading consoles but I just don't think I believe what they're trying to claim here.

Rather than shooting for 4k, they should be shooting for solid 60fps in every game, no exceptions. PC games have showed us that framerate is actually what matters in the long run ahead of raw processing power.

The issue with consoles though is that it's not like phones. Apple has "cultists" who will run out and buy the latest phone irrelevant of what it was released or how much it costs, but the number of "cultists" Microsoft or Sony has who would do this is many magnitudes smaller.

@thatdudeguy Microsoft's move to bring first party games to PC makes a lot more sense if both MS and Sony take this strategy I think.

Word. Although this seems more plausible than PS1.5 and PS2.5 since many developers have been briefed on PS4.5. It looks like it's a late 2017 product at the earliest if they want a real 4K experience at a decent price. I bet the response from consumers will make them change their minds by then. Either way, some nightmare iPad/iPhone future seems unlikely. At worst, this will be a one time upgrade to play games in 4K if you're into that.

@efesellsaid:

Pretty much how I feel. In theory, why not? If it could be done right (trade in options; perfect backwards compatibility; subsidized upgrades). But so many questions remain.

This is hilarious/dark and very plausible should this all come to pass..

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Completely aside to the above, and I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but I dunno if I love reporting on rumors at GB. I kind of like how "pure" this site is, but at the same time, I found your thoughts interesting Austin.

Everyone is chasing the yearly upgrade model while ignoring the fact phones are the only place in tech its ever worked. Didn't work for tablets, didn't work for TVs (remember Samsungs Evolution kits?) doesn't work for PC. Even hardcore PC gamers don't upgrade their graphics card yearly (for the most part).

I look at this with nothing but worry and fear.

Couldn't have said it better.

Why is everyone assuming this will be a yearly thing? It really doesn't seem that way at all.

So if this is true instead of trading in my old console and getting slim version which I do every generation. I will be trading in my old ps4 and getting one a little more powerful? I'm fine with that.

I could see this being a thing in 2017 as a way to counter what ever Microsoft is doing, but the 4K focus makes this whole thing seem like bullshit. High-end PC's have a hard time running modern games in 4K no way a console will be able to do on a regular basis.

Depending on how they implement it though, it could be terrible thing simply because it seems like a great way to lose a lot of goodwill with fans.

@haze A bunch of hardcore gamers do upgrade graphic cards bi-yearly though. There's usually a large enough bump to justify it - RAM, CPU, motherboard features, not so much. It's why you see a lot of rigs still on 4790k's but with much more recent graphic cards.

The real story is that Kent-Meridian has an awesome high school news paper.

But hmm...I could see a PS5 coming after a short cycle, but a 4.5 revision? Seems weird. Just an in-development "potential counter product" to what Microsoft's been developing, I suppose.

From a technical layman, I'd guess the architecture will largely be the same it's just opening the door to other abilities. I mean, they were still running out last gen ports of new games for a couple years there, and this can't possibly be as different. I wonder if the whole idea making these consoles like optimized PC's made these half step consoles inevitable.

In all this, I guess the NX is NOT coming out at a particularly weird time.

@haze: Assumptions are cool and all, but where are you getting the impression this will be a yearly thing? Inside your head doesn't count.

If this is true for either the Sony or Microsoft (or heck, even Nintendo with NX), I'd say they feel they made a mistake with their consoles this gen... Also, I bought all of them, and as much as I love the idea of an upgrade in terms of power, so games could look even better, it's unfortunate it's this soon after their initial release, unless they're coming in a few years (which I may still feel like is too soon). I don't think I'd be interested in getting an upgrade every few years. I don't know.

I have a feeling that there are a lot of inaccuracies based on this source. Main points of contention are:

• Runs games at 4k
• Will be sold for $400

That price point is absurd for something that should apparently run games at 4k, what I can believe is a 4k capable machine that supports the new 4k blu rays and other 4k media, that I have no trouble believing.

I'm a 3D artist so visual fidelity is very important to me and also painfully obvious when it's not up to par. That doesn't mean I'm a 60fps or nothing kind of guy though, steady 30 is fine but 60 is certainly preferable. Hell, I capped the latest AC game to 50 and that was enough to eliminate stutter from the 50-60 range but feel substantially more smooth than 30fps. Balance > everything else.

I also think prioritizing 4k is silly as hell. 4k hasn't taken off yet in a big enough way to make it a smart business move to focus a console on hitting that res for games, it's too soon for that.

I have the luxury of justifying a beastly PC for my 3D graphics work and I have dual 980ti's, i7 6700k and 64GB of RAM. Even I can't reliably hit 4k with all the bells and whistles at 60fps and I'd rather play at sub-4k 60fps than 30fps 4k and I'd much rather have all the bells and whistles than lowering some settings just to hit 4k.

1080 is a very substantial resolution, let's start hitting more consistent framerates and higher fidelity (shadow, texture etc) artwork before we start raising that resolution bar again please. I believe standards are very important and that they should be given their proper time before just jumping to the next one. If you want to do 4k gaming stick with the PC where it will always be possible to push those boundaries with the latest stuff.

I think there's something wrong here and we're getting a little too excited about something that is really just them tinkering with ideas behind closed doors. I don't think Sony would push out the PSVR and then shortly after a new PS4 revision with substantial gaming related changes, again media I can see. I hope they're smarter than that. Whatever the improvements would be I don't think they would risk injuring their incredibly strong PS4 player base.

Well no ps vr for me. I'll now be saving up to upgrade my pc and get either vive or oculus down the road.

They have to announce these new Xbox and Playstation SKUs at E3, right? Like they would just kill the sales of their current platforms if they waited until the end of the year?

the moral of the story is never buy the first gen of hardware :\

So YouTubers are breaking big stories now are they? ;)