The PS4.5/PS4K rumours have been spreading like wildfire. While a hardware refresh seems normal- the were various revisions for the PS3 and Xbox 360 beforehand- but the speculations of higher specs and support for 4K have made an impression that this could be an all new console, with its own exclusive games ala the new 3DS. Recent reports from Giant Bomb have gathered some info up and have provided a clearer picture of what the PS4.5, codenamed internally as “Neo”, is with detailed specs, and interesting tidbits on how Sony wanted developers to handle it.
If you’re a PS4 owner right now, you have every reason to calm down, as our purchases are still relevant.
First up is the list of improvement specs. Pretty much every part of the system is improved.
Sony has given clear instructions that every game must have a “base mode” which can allow the normal PS4 to run, with an optional “Neo Mode” can be included to use the newer console’s improved hardware- so no Neo-exclusive games. Framerate in “Neo Mode” should not be lower than in the “base mode”, and no exclusive unlockables or game functions. However, “Neo Mode” can offer better visual and higher resolution, up to 4K, and can provide enhanced features of a similar gameplay feature that is available on both systems, so a bump to eight-player multiplayer split-screen form the base mode’s four-player split-screen is fair game.
Neo Mode can be made available to the currently released games as an update, but that strictly depends on whether developer supports it. Additionally, the Neo will use the same ecosystem as the PS4, uses the same store and servers. Basically, they are treating the Neo as a PS4 should be.
It’s interesting to see how Sony is handling the new upgraded hardware without invalidating the original ones already in the homes of millions of people. Also interesting is how Sony is using codenames referencing The Matrix (the Playstation VR was called “Morpheus”). While this is still nothing official, from the looks of it, we shouldn’t be worrying too much about if the original PS4 won’t be getting any love after the new one is released. No mention of a release date just yet, but we should see some proper unveiling sometime soon.