Opinion: The PS4.5 Is A Bad Idea For Everyone

Consoles are great because they're simple

One of the best reasons to own a console is the fact you don’t have to constantly upgrade it or take care of it like some sort of infant. That’s what PC gaming is for, people like console gaming for the simplicity. You get the console, you plug it in and from time to time there is an update that just requires you to press a button and sit there for a few minutes. No taking apart the console and replacing it’s innards, you don’t have to shell out money every couple of years to upgrade the thing only to do it again a couple years later. Why change that? Why complicate things? On a business level, it doesn’t make sense. As I previously mentioned, the console is already  selling like crazy, they don’t need to do this to boost sales. Developers aren’t asking for more power and players are satisfied with the machine they have. What is the reasoning?

It’s more than likely too late for Sony to pull the plug on this thing as developers have already started projects on it. It’s hard to say how this will turn out, but things aren’t looking to good for it right now. One thing is for certain though, Sony’s E3 press briefing this year will be an interesting one.

Sony doesn’t seem to be the only one developing a new model for their console however. Some FCC filings suggest a new Xbox One model may come as soon as this summer. Although Microsoft denies developing a console that is drastically different than the current model, it’s entirely possible they are just keeping it under wraps until they have the idea more fleshed out. If we get more substantial news regarding a new Xbox One, we will more than likely do an editorial comparing the Neo to the Xbox model and which one is better for consumers and developers.

Developers have to create two different versions of their games

The fact that developers now have to spend even longer developing another version of their games is just frustrating for everyone. Players have to wait longer for games, developers have to stress out over perfecting a second version of the game they already completed, and it’s inevitably going to cause issues for the final product. Developers already work long hours, sometimes unpaid, at times they have to sleep in their office and miss out on seeing their family. Why strike them with more unnecessary work? Typically, when introducing a brand new console developers get them long before they’re announced so they have time to get an understand of how it works. With this model, it sounds like they have only had it for a few months and it’ll probably release by the end of the year to launch alongside PSVR. While it’s not an entirely new console, it’s still stressful to try to understand this new hardware. Developers are already reporting frustration due to the fact that they have to commit to extra planning and shell out extra money to develop around this obstacle.

Eventually, some developer will mess up badly and release a finished product for both the PS4 and the Neo and one of the versions will be fundamentally broken. It’s inevitable that this will happen. If we can barely release PC ports without causing a massive controversy, how do we expect to release two PS4 versions of a game? Somehow, someone will screw up the frame rate on one of the consoles and it’ll cause outrage all over. Can we really fault the developers for that though? Sony is forcing these developers to develop two versions. If it was optional, Sony wouldn’t be able to release this model. You can’t have games that aren’t fully utilizing the strengths of Neo, it would be bizarre and people who purchased the new model would complain that they could’ve just stuck with the original PS4.

A marketing mess

How does Sony even market this machine? You can’t call it a brand new console because that’s a lie. Average consumers like parents are going to be confused and will think it’s some brand new console and might buy it for their kid who already owns an original PlayStation 4. You can’t offer a trade-in program to get current PS4 owners on your side because then you won’t profit off a majority of the sales. It’s going to be a disaster to watch Sony show side by side comparisons of a PS4 version next to a Neo version, because you’re basically showing either how not worth it this hardware is or how insanely absurd it is them to push a powerful machine like this just two years after the launch of the original PS4. It’s like you’re asking to get massacred by the internet. It’s a disaster just waiting to happen.

[Disclaimer: This is the opinion of the author]

Recently, lots of rumors have been making rounds throughout the internet on the existence of a new model of the PS4. It’s not uncommon for console makers to release a second model for a console years after the original console's release that off changes to the console. Some of these changes are cosmetic, while others upgrade the internals to keep it from overheating or breaking.

However, his is not the case with this new PlayStation 4.

The console itself is said to be a fully upgraded machine that will run games at a faster frame rate, have increased visuals, and various other performance enhancing upgrades. Sounds pretty cool right? Not really. When you break it down, it’s a really bad move for consumers, developers, and even Sony. So, let’s dig real deep into what makes this one of the worst ideas this console generation.

The timing and the price

Consoles are really expensive — they are essentially a luxury item. That’s why we expect to get almost a decade out of them. We want to get our money’s worth and the hardware inside of them will have been pushed to the max and become dated by the time a new console is released. We are currently a little over 2 years into the new console generation, and we are already getting a console filled with new hardware. Not only does this feel like a sucker punch to those who purchased the console for $400 at launch, the console’s hardware hasn’t even been pushed anywhere near the limit yet. On PS3 and Xbox 360 we started out with games like Call of Duty 3 and ended with games that are still visually stunning on their original hardware like Grand Theft Auto V. If rumors are true, this PS4.5 or 'Neo' as it’s being referred to in internal documents, will cost within the price range of $400 – $500. Who wants to spend over $800 on the same console within two years of the first model?

A less-superior version is already in the hands of consumers

Most people are going to say “Well, this is for people who haven’t upgraded yet or bought a PS4”. Well I have two reasons to counter that argument. The first being, the console has already sold 35.9 million units as of January 2016 and will probably at over 40 (If not already) with the launch of Playstation 4’s biggest exclusive Uncharted 4 in May. People are already buying this console as is – it’s one of the fastest selling consoles of all time. It doesn’t need any extra horsepower or fancy upgrades to sell more consoles.

Secondly, people who own the current model are going to feel left behind or like they have a less-superior console even if Sony says both models will share the exact same features and games. People want to feel current and modern, they don’t want to feel like they’re missing out on something. That’s what drives people to buy new phones and consoles, they want to feel current and be early adopters of this new hardware. The only difference is, in the past there has been enough time in-between those new pieces of hardware so we feel comfortable upgrading. Nobody wants to feel left out or behind, it’s not a good feeling. Not only will you feel left out, but you’ll also know there is a better version of that game running on an identical console which is just as bad.