Sony announced two new consoles at its PlayStation Meeting press conference today: the new PS4 Pro system and the already-leaked PS4 Slim. But with reactions mixed across the web, what do we think of the Japanese giant's bold new strategy? In this article, editors Sammy Barker and Robert Ramsey react to today's presser.
Sammy Barker, Editor
I think Sony misjudged today's PlayStation 4 Pro press conference in a number of ways, but it won't matter one iota when the new PS4 product line is ripping up the record books this holiday. It was always going to be immensely challenging for the platform holder to demonstrate the advantages of a more powerful platform in a comparatively low-quality livestream, and the emphasis on features like high-dynamic range and even 4K resolution didn't really play.
You could see the added horsepower of the new hardware shine through in demos like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, however – both of which are pushing the doubled up GPU, and are sure to look absolutely mind-blowing in the inevitable Digital Foundry comparisons to come. The popular Eurogamer.net sub-publication is the real winner in this era of mid-generation upgrades, by the way.
But I do think Sony is on to a sure-hit, too – even if you're not feeling it right now. It made pretty clear during its media briefing that it doesn't care which version of the PS4 you own – be it the existing unit already in your home, the slimmed model, or the new hardcore iteration – as long as you have one. And with both new models due in stores over the coming months, with very reasonable price points attached, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which the Japanese giant doesn't dominate the coming holiday season.
A lot of talk has already centred on Scorpio, the mythical Xbox platform due next year, and that's exactly what Microsoft wanted when it hastily trotted out some talking heads at E3 a few months back. But without any real substance to show, the competing console is currently just static noise, filling the backdrop of a very cohesive mid-generation strategy. Sony wants its cake, and it wants to eat it, too – and by targeting both ends of the market, you can bet that it will get its wish.
The media briefing itself was a little too low-key for its own good, with Mark Cerny's excellent ASMR performance relaxing but not exactly inciting. And the lack of any audience reactions – a real press conference, rather than an E3 stage show – was probably misjudged given that the whole thing was streamed online in front of millions. But will that matter come 10th November when the new hardware arrives? I'll let you answer that one.
Sony's not looking to start a new generation – in fact, I get the impression that it doesn't even care whether you upgrade or not. All it wants to do is keep PS4 at the top of the tech tree, and ensure that you keep buying games and pay your PlayStation Plus fee. By going low-end and high-end all at the same time, the new line of PS4 products will help maximise its profit margins and keep its install base growing at record pace.
And the problem for its competitors is that, by the time they respond, it may already be too late.
Robert Ramsey, Associate Editor
Over the last few years, we've gotten used to seeing Sony put on a show. Glitzy montages, dramatic developer spiel, and megaton announcements paving the way for rabid fanboys to declare the company's ultimate victory in the gaming space. However, today, we saw a side of Sony that's been missing in action for quite some time; we saw a Sony that was on stage to do business. It was far more a traditional media briefing rather than an E3-style showcase.
And that's fine – it's kind of what I was expecting, to be honest. Earlier this week, I predicted that the Japanese firm would focus firmly on the new hardware, and that the event would be relatively short and snappy. Announce the Slim, announce the Pro, give us the headlines, and get outta there. For the most part, that's exactly what Sony did, barring a couple of gameplay demos and some soothing tech talk from Mark Cerny. Seriously though, I feel like I could listen to him prattle on about teraflops for hours upon hours without getting the least bit bored.
So, as a slice of entertainment – as the kind of press conference that we've come to love and/or hate – it wasn't all that exciting, and I suppose the same can be said of the PS4 Pro itself. I'm not entirely sure what I wanted to see from the supercharged console, but I feel like its reveal did fall a little bit flat. Whether it was Sony's messaging or the fact that its specifications leaked months ago, I don't know, but what I do know is that I'm not desperate to pre-order one. Yet.
However, I don't think that truly matters at the end of the day. With the Slim and the Pro, it's clear that Sony's trying to smother the market before the opposition has a real chance to get stuck in – and I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see both systems flying off the shelves this holiday. I think the price is right on either side, and the PlayStation maker actually did a solid job of making it sound like both consoles will have their place. For consumers, it's nice to have options, right?
All in all, I don't think anyone was absolutely blown away by the PlayStation Meeting as an event – but Sony's been playing a very clever game throughout this generation, and the company looks set to continue that trend.
Do you agree with our editors? What do you think of the PS4 Pro, and are you planning to purchase one of the new platforms any time soon? Up-res the comments section with your thoughts below.
How would you rate Sony's PlayStation Meeting 2016 press conference? (164 votes)
- Very good
- Good
- Meh
- Poor
- Very poor
Please login to vote in this poll.
Comments 53
If we're doing mid-cycle console upgrades then the console war can be lost mid-cycle. It felt a lot like Sony wasted they're half step today.
@Draythedestroyer Want to put a bet on that?
The competition doesn't even have anything ready to show at the time of typing. There will be 60-70 million PS4s in homes by the time Microsoft's refresh releases.
I am interested, though: in what way do you feel they've dropped the ball so hard that they're going to squander a significant install base/mind share lead?
Ya know, I've just realised how totally unexcited I am for any new PS4 systems, and by extension any new Xbox One systems too, and how much more interested I now am in seeing what NX is.
Also, it's just become very clear to me how much of an opportunity Nintendo has here to really create its own market, its own "blue ocean" as it were, that's stuck half-way between the traditional console cycle, which may actually be a rather smart move indeed given that we now know both Sony and Microsoft are going to be stuck with basically the same type of experiences for quite a few more years yet.
If Nintendo hasn't went totally cuckoo with the NX it might actually be onto a winner here with an exciting new product that's in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. Go figure. . . .
The Scorpio isn't even really the issue. The problem is Sony introduced a mid-cycle refresh today that is missing a key feature that the Xbox One S has. MS introduced a redesigned console that is better than the original in every way and is available in multiple skus all at great prices and most importantly the market reaction to the One S was that of excitement. Not many people seem too impressed with what Sony showed. We won't know until everything is on the market but right now, I think at least in North America, MS is poised to go back in front, possibly in a big way.
@Gamer83 I doubt it, Sony have such a commanding lead already as it is, besides PS4 is getting HDR next week which was one of the features Xbox was bragging about.
I had fun with the presentation for all the wrong reasons (I played bingo with the quiz of the presentation )
@adf86
Well, as I've posted on the comment section for other articles, to be fair everything has to hit the market before the whole story can be told. But I'm just predicting how I think things will play out, at least in NA. MS has really turned a corner over here where it seems Sony is scuffling a bit lately. Of course looking at the worldwide picture, Sony probably isn't in too much danger but I won't try to predict what could happen in Europe because I don't live there. Japan will probably just continue to be as it has been for a long time now, mobile dominated.
HDR for all PS4 owners was a nice announcement. Credit where it's due, that was the one part of the presentation that was good. And though there were no new game announcements the games that were shown highlight that regardless of what model PS4 you're playing on the future is bright in the most important category.
Xbox has probably had an uptick but that's probably down to new hardware and price which will probably happen to PS4 as well.
I can't believe there isn't a 2 TB model. I would buy in a heart beat. I'm still more than likely going to get one but having to replace the HD again sucks.
@Grawlog
Don't know about that. Despite MS' early PR statements, I still think Scorpio is going to be Xbox Two. It would be a total waste of time to release a console with at least 4 times the power only to hold it back because of the Xbox One. I do think generations will eventually end, but not quite yet.
It was kind of a lame introduction to these new models, but yeah,....it was suit and tie Sony today.
Agree that this won't affect Sony's sales, but in the longterm, a few more slightly misguided (arguably) choices and it could allow the mantle to return to Microsoft in North America (dunno about the EU, they don't know Halo from Gears outside of the UK).
@Grawlog I do think there will be winner and loser in this situation, if ps and xbox can play all third party games, the one that will win is the one that have the most big exclusive. And power will not matter because in a couple of year there will be new console that play the old games better than competitor console.
@Grawlog
I guess we'll see when Scorpio comes out. I hear four times the power and think new console but I'm also still stuck in a console gamer's mindset (never been a PC gamer), you could be right on the money with what's going to happen.
Thought it was okay don't know why it's getting that many negative reception! I mean heck they've said all along that it's meant to go alongside the PS4 that's already out and that's exactly what it's doing it's only a hire anyone basically standard 1080P and then you have your 4K lower end and higher end! They show their games in PS VR headset during E3 so it only felt appropriate that they would focus solely on the updated Hardware heck in a way I was satisfied with what they showed Horizon always did strike me as a game that would probably very stunning if it were on the newer Hardware and guess where its going on even the new God of War can't wait to see those on the new platform! I don't know about everyone else but I felt they sent the right message didn't over excite things just got straight to the point good job Sony let's see where things go from here! =)
@Kirk
Wow, I'm a little surprised to hear you say that.
I'll say this- I'm excited for NX. Of course. I mean, it's new games to play, and new way to play them. And I love Nintendo games. But PS4/X1 are really great consoles to have all the same.
And as odd as this may be to say, it's the smaller games that are the reason for that. Ori & the Blind Forest is one of the greatest games I've played this generation. Bastion, Transistor, Hyper Light Drifter... Those kinds of games. There's good retail games too- just, not a whole lot I'm super hyped about. Dragon Age Inquisition was excellent though. And Valkyria Chronicles is still the best game on PS4.
I've always favored PS4 over X1 simply due to exclusives and UI. But once I maxed out my upgraded 2TB internal HDD, after just 2.5 years, I decided to switch all my games over to X1. Bought a 4TB external and bam, good to go. When Scorpio releases, just plug it in the back and games are transfered.
And, I won't say I'm hyped for PSVR, but I am cautiously optimistic. It could be great. Find out soon enough.
@Utena-mobile
That's the best way to be, it's all about the games in the end. It will be nice when there's eventually a unified platform to play all games and the fanboy wars can stop (I think anyway, but maybe those people will always find something to argue about).
@hadlee73 I was following that, too. Insane really.
I'm really trying to not be too cynical here; but I guess this means by next Christmas every new game will run at 4K/30fps or 1080p/60fps on the pro and my launch console will be advertised as 1080p/30fps but will really be upscaled 900p and probably average around 22-25fps.
truthfully at the end of the day I don't think these new console refreshes matter. Sony is already selling ps4s at a record pace and MS is just doing whatever they can to keep up. what it really comes to (for me) is games. I think good IPs and promises of trying to create something new or fresh is what sells consoles and that's why Sony "won" this gen because of their message to gamers after MS botched theirs to start with the "tv" fiasco. Sony releasing new versions of the ps4 will only lead to more sales, but even if they hadn't they'd still be selling pretty well. that's how the market has been for nearly 3 years. I will say I think Nintendo has a great opportunity to be relevant again if they can wow people with the NX. seems like the timing is just right and it's the perfect storm to maybe carve out a new portion of the gaming market ps4/Xbox just can't reach. I'm really praying Nintendo comes back to life because as much as I love my ps4 nothing beats a console with good Zelda/Metroid/Mario/Smash games.
The only thing MS, Sony, and nintendo have taught me in the past 6 months is that my decision to stop buying consoles after this gen and focus on my gaming pc was 100% the correct move. I just don't have the time, money, or patience to see which of these half measures and underwhelming gimmicks actually pan out to something worth buying. I'd say I'd miss the exclusives, but uncharted 4, ratchet and clank, and halo 5 sit on my shelf, unfinished and collecting dust.
'Sony's not looking to start a new generation – in fact, I get the impression that it doesn't even care whether you upgrade or not.'- Absolutely agree.
Also the reported difference between the X1 & Scorpio will be massive. There is no way they'll be able to share the same community without severely restricting the Scorpio during online play.
Pretty much what I expected,not sure why people were hoping for earth shattering game announcements...price of ps4 slim is great and the look of ps4 slim is great,price of the pro is also spot on...they didn't really mention that much about specs but I'm guessing pro and Scorpio are very similar... I think what MS are doing with having multiple x1 isn't the best idea,keep it simple like Sony...ps4 slim,ps4 pro
I think that other then the 4k bluray drive its exactly what i wanted as a 4k tv owner better graphics in native 2160 already picked up the xbox one s mostly because its one of the cheapest 4k bluray players and i got halo as a bonus so im not missin the drive that much and im looking forward to native 4k gaming that xbox cant do till holiday 17' and that price point is awesome i dont see microsoft doing much damage think its too late
@get2sammyb I'm sure that when MS launched the Xbone after the success 360 and Nintendo on the eve of the 3DS and WiiU felt like you Sammy. Yes I think Sony can lose its install base over half a console generation recent history has proved it can.
How about the fact that Sony got that install base by a) Microsoft messing up its xbone launch by not understanding what gamers want and b) Sony having the more powerful console with higher res or framerates.
If they're going for the hardcore gaming crowd and if you'd asked them what they wanted out of a the pro it would have been higher and more stable frame rates ( i mean they come up in every pushsquare review ☺). So Sony aren't intune with what people want this time around.
Yes MS have nothing to show now but when elder scrolls VI runs at 60+ fps on the scorpio and on 30fps on the pro in 12-18 months non of that is going to matter. And what are Sony going to do release a propro in two years to catch up. So MS are giving the people what they want a true half step and MS can only gain ground its Sony's lead to lose. And after all the pro slim and VR are aimed at existing PS customers its not going to draw a lot of new users.
Lets for a second talk about the power of internet influences in the gaming market and they fact I haven't seen one of them excited for the pro.
Also explain to my mum why she should buy me a new PS4 for £350 when there is a perfectly good one sat in the living room/bedroom? Sony failed to do that last night.
I have no doubt that PSVR will sell although I found MS's comments about how they don't consider the VR and hardcore gaming markets to be the same group on people interesting and it aligns to the general thoughts on VR in my office. Whats funny is the people who tell me VR is the future are the causal gamers who will seek my advise on whether to buy a pro and I'll tell no wait for the scorpio.
In the short term nothings going to change I'm sure Sony will have a great christmas but for me its seems like they have made a short sighted tactical move when they should have done something more strategic and I think it will hurt them in the long run.
The existence of this half step is pointless to me Sony easily could have put some of the PS4 Pro suff in the slim model and called it a day they didn't need to make this thing nobody was asking for it Sony could have waited half a year and announced PS5
@get2sammyb I know, right?! Amidst all the negativity, does any of it really matter? They've got a huge number of consoles out there already, and now they're poised to release an upper and a lower tier product to cater for more. It's not even like the Pro is THAT expensive that it'll become a niche product.
Yeah, it sucks that it's missing some aspects, but I still think Sony is going to walk away with this given the lead it already has. It's just reassuring that someone has similar sentiments given the overwhelming backlash!
@Draythedestroyer Agree on all points
Also when did gaming become all about graphics higher framerates more power etc and not about freaking gameplay?!
Also this stupid thing looks a ice cream sandwich
The only thing that spoiled the Show was all the leaks really. I felt like i knew everything they were saying before they erm they said it SONY really need to somehow stop these leaks better. Apart from that i WANT 1 I LOVE gaming and want the best games on the best system that is out so I NEED IT + Even if the Xbox ONE Scorpio is faster etc etc it don't matter to me because it hasn't got the the games I want and it has ZERO Exclusives to.
@Splat Agreed! This was the only negative in my opinion.
Pre-ordered the Pro as soon as available, keen to finally take advantage of my 4ktv and enhance my incoming PSVR! PUMPED
Only negative is the 1TB and having to upgrade the HD again.
I'm shocked they aren't using the upgraded wifi as a selling point?
It's pretty much what I expected. Slightly better, more expensive PS4. I guessed October but it's early November.
The conference was terrible. Let's just get that out of the way.
The PS4 Pro is essentially an equivalent to the Xbox One S, and not Scorpio, yet it was marketed as a grand step forward. Microsoft revealed the S in a two minute video during E3, but Sony built unrealistic expectations for the Pro by holding its own event, getting people out on stage and whatnot. They basically had nothing to announce. It's a PS4 that can handle 4K, and if you don't have a 4K telly, it'll still make your games look a bit better.
That's it.
Yet they spent forty minutes trying to explain why the thing was so good to varying degrees of awkwardness. I think they just went about this in completely the wrong way. The PS4 Pro isn't inherently bad, but it's not a leap forward deserving a conference to announce it. They could have announced this on the PlayStation Blog, and it actually might have been a better idea.
Once people have gotten over how disappointing and misguided the reveal was, I think it'll do fine. Scorpio won't matter one iota. The console war has been over for ages. Sony could stop selling PS4 today, and based on current Xbox One sales it would take them three years to catch up. The Pro will sell fine because the PS4 is popular, and if it's your first time getting one, for the sake of an extra $100, you're future proofing in case you ever get a 4K TV. I'm sure a lot of people will go for that.
So, all in all, terrible conference and reveal, that might have actually been counterproductive and unsold some people. But the console itself looks fine and I'm sure it'll sell well.
@JaxonH Maybe that's partly because everyone thinks I hate Nintendo since I moan about it a lot, and therefor they think I must really like everything that Sony and Microsoft are doing. But, I actually only moan about Nintendo so much because I love it so much. Also, I just call things as I see them, so if Nintendo does something good I'll say so, if Nintendo does something bad I'll say so, if Sony does something good I'll say so, if Sony does something bad I'll say so, if Microsoft does something good I'll say so, if Microsoft does something bad I'll say so . . .
And, right now, it seems like Nintendo might actually be onto something—be it fully intentionally or a little bit of good fortune—depending on exactly what the NX is of course. Sony and Microsoft on the other hand are just doing more of the same with these mid-gen upgrades, more so now than ever, and that just doesn't excite me.
I def agree about all those smaller games; titles like Journey, Shovel Knight, The Witness, Stardew Valley, Axiom Verge, and Inside have excited and impressed me more than basically any of the big AAA games in the last few years—Super Mario Maker too.
And I'm actually really excited for VR, although more so the likes of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift than PlayStation VR.
I found the reveal a little dull. Once again hype had set our visions to high. All the talk of the neo being made more powerful to compete with the scorpio. In the end it is the same specs we already new about. The lack of a 4k blue ray player could be a big mistake like other posters have mentioned. Even the considerably weaker xbox slim has one. I dont watch movies very often but when I do I normally use netfix or similar so it doesnt bother me but it will disappoint many. Probably the only way to keep the price down. Ive already preodered my pro from shopto though.
@Draythedestroyer "Yes MS have nothing to show now but when elder scrolls VI runs at 60+ fps on the scorpio and on 30fps on the pro in 12-18 months non of that is going to matter. " umm, no. scorpio's targeted specs will have roughly 43% more GPU grunt, but probably not significantly more (if any) CPU grunt. that's not going to translate into double frame rates. PS4 has similar GPU advantage over the XB1, but you don't see games running at 30fps on PS4 and 15 on XB1. scorpio should give a better image at 4K, since it should be able to produce higher resolutions to upscale from, but it's not going to double the frame rates.
One thing for sure though, the digital foundry comparison video will be brutal on xbox this year, it's going to be 720p vs 4k
I don't have a 4k tv, I won't buy another ps4 for the same price I bought my original with tiny little upgrades that really you can only bother yourself if you're a 'pc master race' dude lol
@AFCC I don't have 4k tv either, if the upgrade is minimal on 1080p I don't think I'll upgrade, I just want 1080p at 60 fps.
But the upgrade price is too tempting (about $200 if I sell my 1T ps4), what to do..
@Draythedestroyer There's no way Scorpio will do 4k at 60fps because developers will always want fancier graphics then framerates, it's been like that for decades. Besides if it is a half gen upgrade then it's going to be held back by the already underpowered X1.
What wins wars is which way the publishers side. The publishers will side with where they think or know they audience is going.
When the Scorpio comes out, publishers in the short term will have to make a choice. Make games that will utilise the Scorpio to its full potential or dumb it down and share it with PS4 and XB1 gen consoles. The larger user base the PS4 has will be considered again potential Scorpio sales (unless MS fund dev costs). I think Sony's thoughts are that, even if devs like the latest things, publishers like the most amount of users and revenue. If they have the largest install base when the Scorpio releases, they can throttle any Scorpio level designed games by making it unnattractive.
Typically the death of any new platform has been the support of publishers. So I think Sony has a strategy. It is risky though.
@adf86 my point is though that the scorpio will be to the ps4 pro what the ps4 is to the under powered x1 and that will turn the tables on Sony.
@leucocyte I suppose I just cannot see MS using that underpowered CPU with all that GPU grunt. They HAVE to do something... surely. Otherwise why bother but yes pure speculation on my part so fair challange.
@Draythedestroyer It depends on what you mean by turn the tables, yes it would in the sense that Xbox would look better in Digital Foundry articles but I think it's far from certain it will translate to sales. Power alone wasn't the deciding factor in the PS4's success.
I think game development takes 2-3 years per title. If Sony had released a new ps4 super duper upgrade, then all the development houses would had to learn new technical skills. But now after understanding, even mastering, how ps4 technically works they can focus their attention on great story telling and fine tuning their new releases. A much needed breather for the game industry, an evolutionary upgrade. The extra juice is welcomed... instead of a drastic move to divide the ps4 community. 60million ps4 by Xmas 2016?!!! 70million in 2017?!!! Huge community! Love u gamers!!!
No way i'm getting this. I've been on the fence about just becoming a PC guy, this just made up my mind for me.
It looks to me like Sony's future success is only thanks to the achievements of the original PS4. Slim and Pro bring nothing new and noteworthy to the table. PS4 Pro is very much Sony's "New 3DS".
@Kirk NX FTW!
@get2sammyb shrewd,lol!sam,please
@Gamer83 But it is missing some power which stays the same.
Please. That was a total snoozefest, plus they've alienated a load of people by not including 4K BD compatibility a total misstep. Getting Cerny in was a bad move. The new machines look ugly, hell the current one does too, and both it and the XBox were underpowered, both companies habe been scamming us the whole time. Plus ps4 games suddenly cost more now, why? To cover the overheads on PS4 'Fro' games, has no one noticed this?
Please. That was a total snoozefest, plus they've alienated a load of people by not including 4K BD compatibility a total misstep. Getting Cerny in was a bad move. The new machines look ugly, hell the current one does too, and both it and the XBox were underpowered, both companies have been scamming us the whole time. Plus ps4 games suddenly cost more now, why? To cover the overheads on PS4 'Fro' games, has no one noticed this?
Even if Scorpio is better, it's simply too little too late. By the time it launces it'll never regain a foot hold in the market this cycle.
Tap here to load 53 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...