Sony released the PlayStation 4 Pro last year, and it's a good iterative console. Designed to take existing PS4 games and push them to the next level, the system has generally achieved its aims by bumping resolutions, effects, and other features depending on the developer's decision. The manufacturer's goal was never to change the base experience, just elevate it to the next level for people who demand more or already own a 4K television screen.
But the company's approach to the console has been odd, albeit understandable. Cast your mind back to September's coming out party: a traditionally turgid press conference where the firm learned that it's perhaps impossible to demonstrate the advantage of iterative hardware via a low-resolution stream. The presentation was muted and without fanfare: it turned many people off the platform before they'd even had a chance to see it in action.
It's hard to shake the impression sometimes that Sony's scared to talk-up the advantages of its supercharged system: it doesn't want to upset or irritate owners of the base model. The company's made very clear that the PS4 Pro is an iterative step-forward – an optional purchase that's desirable but ultimately unnecessary. And in doing so it's almost undersold the appliance at times – it's given the impression among consumers and the media that it's not a big deal.
Which is fine, but with Project Scorpio its competitor is going the other direction. Despite constant reiteration from Microsoft that there'll be no exclusive content on its own mid-generation play, there's been plenty of confusion from consumers and press members alike that it's a new generation; the specifications are certainly a year more advanced than those in the PS4 Pro, but it's not enough to reset the gaming clock – and nor do the people at Redmond want it to.
The difference, then, is in approach: Phil Spencer and his team – perhaps with their backs against the wall – have painted the new console in a different light to how Sony did with the PS4 Pro; where the latter almost embarrassingly launched its own device, the former is eager to make the largest splash imaginable. You could argue that, with sales trends the way they are, Microsoft has nothing to lose – but it begs the question: when is Sony going to take its own console seriously?
Consider the upcoming E3 2017, where the battle lines between mid-generation boxes will certainly be painted. Sony, for the most part, has continued to show games running on base hardware; Horizon: Zero Dawn's trailers were generally restricted to the core console experience, and even pre-release there was a big embargo restricting the media on how much PS4 Pro footage could be shown. Does that mean that June's convention will follow a similar format?
Here's a question to consider: the Japanese giant will show God of War during its press conference – but which version will it plump up for? Common sense suggests it'll demo the best version, but that's not how it's handled the PS4 Pro thus far. The question becomes more interesting when you consider that there's absolutely no doubt – whether it's the inevitable Forza 7, Crackdown 3, or any other game – that Microsoft will always show the Project Scorpio version moving forwards.
So what does Sony do? Does it continue to stick with its current strategy where it's almost embarrassed to show the PS4 Pro in fear of frightening those still playing on the base unit, or does it go toe-to-toe with its rivals in Redmond and always put its best foot forward? It's an interesting dilemma, but one that needs to be resolved. In our opinion, with stern competition on the way, it needs to stop purposely underselling the PS4 Pro's potential – and start talking it up a bit.
But is it too late to change a perception that it's already mistakenly established?
Do you think that Sony needs to start taking the PS4 Pro a bit more seriously now that there's competition around the corner? Do these mid-generation boxes appeal to such a small subset of hardcore gamers that it's not a big deal? Which console will the company use to demo its E3 2017 titles? Come to a resolution in the comments section below.
Which console will Sony demo its E3 2017 games on? (157 votes)
- It's definitely going to be the PS4 Pro
- I actually think it'll stick with the base PS4
- It may use a mixture of both machines
- Do you think I'm psychic or something?
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Comments 66
I'm fascinated by the results to this poll. If they continue their current strategy then they'll show all E3 games running on base hardware, but I'm not sure that's the right move considering Microsoft is absolutely going to bury standard Xbox One footage moving forwards.
Interesting topic, I think.
@TrueAssassin86x I guess that would be the last option.
To be honest I don't think it honestly matters anymore. Ultimately games will be the deciding factor. Sure, Scorpio is stronger, but the Xbone has a seriously boring games lineup in my opinion. The PS4 clearly has the adavantage in the games area. And that is how it will stay.
Genuinely dont think it matters. Im still of the belief that pro will get 're-launched' with stronger advertising around the time of Scorpios release - probably with spiderman, gt sport or God of war. But ultimately I dont get Scorpio. If we were talking a new gen and it was pro vs Scorpio as base hardware; Sony would have a problem; but as a mid gen refresh with no exclusive content coming to Scorpio over the xbone, I just dont see the point (im still not sold on pro either for that matter). I am just happy if Sony keep pumping out the quality software until the inevitable ps5 in 3 years time (tbh will probably still be playing persona 5 at that point)
As for the e3 question; they will absolutely show majority of games running on pro. Big priority for me is getting dates for spidey, GOW, gt sport, dreams, detroit and uncharted lost legacy, showing more of lou2, shenmue. The less they show of cod the better given how that ship is sinking; spend more time on showing exclusive content. Hopefully show a few new exclusives (imagine sucker punch, but what else?) and ultimately just reinforce that PlayStation is the best and only place to play the best games.
I think it dangerous to show all footage on the latest hardware. Some people will believe their normal xbox/ps will look like this and could get very annoyed when they find out it doesn't.
I believe they should show the pro though and then maybe upload on youtube both versions or something ? It's a hard choice tbh
@stevie85 I tend to agree, but it's also part of the thing I find so fascinating about all of this. The PS4 Pro/Scorpio conversation is going to dominate forums like NeoGAF and many websites like this for the rest of the year, when in reality it's the PS4 Slim/Xbox One S that are going to sell 95% of the Sony/Microsoft hardware this year.
Not even worth thinking about IMO. I love new hardware and beautiful games but what will be will be
Owning a PS4 Pro, I really hope they start to take it more seriously.
I think this article hits right on the money. Microsoft have nothing to lose: compared to the PS4, they haven't sold that many units, and instead of irating the Xbox One owners, they may in fact please them: "Watch us stick it to our competitors!"
But as Microsoft lifts the Scorpio to the frontlines, I'm sure Sony will do the same with the Pro (with a disclaimer in the bottom corner).
It will all be about the games. Sony had won the console war so far for this iteration and I seriously doubt Microsoft has many Aces in the sleeve at e3.
Scorpio situation looks very dire at the moment. The only thing that can save it is if it turns to be a sort of Steam machine, but I strongly doubt it will happen
Yes I think sony ahould take ps4 pro more seriously, the difference between ps4 pro and ps4 old is tiny, the exception is nier automata (1080p resolution on pro) and rise of the tomb raider (60 fps on pro).
For E3 I prefer sony show the game using ps4 old, because if the games looking good on ps4 old then it will be better on ps4 pro.
I personally think that Sony are doing the right thing - though I think that E3 would be the right time to start a gentle push towards using the Pro more and more. People distrust change or the feeling that their investment in expensive tech was wasted. So they kept the launch low key (amidst manufacturing/supply issues) and focused more on the slim.
The question is whether the majority of the public care about these iterative updates? Personally, I say no.
Microsoft are betting that people do want this and I have no doubt that tech heads will marvel at how great it looks but that does not sell a console. I think that Sony should go big on VR and their software because they are killing it and MS won't be able to get to this momentum any time soon.
Intersetingly, I was talking to a friend who is a regular gamer but not necessarily up on day to day gaming news. He actually swapped his launch XB1 for the S (primarily for the graphics upgrade and 4k blu ray player). When I told him about the Scorpio he got quite irate.
Either way, interesting times for the console industry. Feels like the early to mid 90's again!
Pro is doing exactly what it's supposed to do, appealing to a few early adopters who own 4k tvs, and making the Slim look affordable in comparison to people who want to play great games at a bargain. PS4 has been out for 3 years now, all the gamers and Sony fan boys have already bought one, 55 million is a really lot of $300 toys to hook up to tvs. The only people left to buy 1 are the cheapskate and bargain hunters. Those people aren't looking good to buy a Pro.
MS is probably going to find this out the hard way as well. Yes, some 4k tv owners will want Scorpio, but it's not going to attract 25 million new customers to the Xbox camp.
Here's the inherent problem with both Pro and Scorpio, X1 is still the base system for all multiplats, as both Sony and MS have both said no exclusives for their new systems. So even if the new systems were 10x more powerful, if the same game has to run on the X1, it's only going to be an x1 game at its core.
Plus, this holiday will be 4 years since the PS4 and X1 launched. Most gamers are used to a 5 year refresh cycle, maybe 6, so by holiday 2019 PS5 and X2 may be on the market. Console games that will not have to play on the X1, games built from the ground up for 4k tvs. Why spend an extra $100 or $200 for a Pro or Scorpio when you can buy the cheaper system, play the same games, and save that extra cash for true next Gen in 2 years?
Oh, one thing Pro and Scorpio can do to benefit MS and Sony. Since launch PS4 and X1 have dropped and out $50 per year in price, at least for Black Friday sales. At that rate they would be $99 each in 2 years, holiday 2018. Rather than have sugh cheap looking systems on the market in 2018 Sony and MS could drop both the base systems and just sell Pro and Scorpio for $199 and $299. Even if they don't drop the low end systems it st least gives them something to generate some revenue holiday 2018.
Lets make this abundantly clear. Both of these machines are wasted.
Sony didn't want to p*** off its massive user base, so said its optional and have had to be coy about pushing it, because low and behold Sony when you push something it sells (Nice to see they got that hint at last). If it sells to well then developers will ask for Pro exclusive content, because its better hardware....minus that CPU...eesh...and there will come a point where the base PS4 isn't enough.
Microsoft however, have been selling better than the 360, I think people forget that, but Sony has been doing better than expected. Scorpio, in terms of what it can do, is probably equivalent to a generational leap in actuality, but like the Pro, that extra power will be wasted because again, can't p*** off those consumers.
So why do these machines exist at all? When the inevitable PS5 lands, will consumers question why the Pro had to exist at all? Will it even surpass Scorpio? How will Sony have to carefully make sure it tells the average joe, hey, its a new thing, not an upgrade, so that upgrade you bought two or so years ago is now kinda pointless.
Here's the big things I take from this as a developer.
These mid generation refreshes, are, in fact, limiting. We would absolutely LOVE to take the Scorpio and do amazing things with it, or PS4 Pro. But we cant. When the PS5 comes out, there will now be this precedent to wait for the inevitable Pro version. But you know what will happen? Developers wont be able to fully utilise it. They exist, and we would love to, but we cant.
So why do these machines even exist? I'm going to offend a lot of people saying this, but marketing.
When marketing a product, you need a USP. Why buy this not that? Excluding games, and peripherals, what do you get when you buy a PS4 that isn't in the Xbox One, or vice versa? What can one machine do that the other cant.
Remember when PS4's early push was it didn't do what Xbox One did that annoyed people? It's big thing was that it DIDNT have some features. The controllers have near enough equal inputs. Same architecture. Eerily similar specs.
So what is the PS4 Pros marketing all focused on? Most powerful console ever. Unfortunately once Scorpio lands that's false advertising, so they cant say that anymore. It loses what made it unique in marketing.
And when Sony makes something that's even slightly above Scorpio, rinse and repeat. Its a constant tug of war with their terafloppies hanging out to see who can have the slogan for the next year. All it does is turn userbases on each other and in the modern day of the internet, that can be dangerous. Remember a guy was murdered during an AMD Vs Nvidia argument.
Its all fluff. Developers cant use these very large power gaps, because they'll annoy consumers, and all it really achieves is a dick waving contest, that I made add some folk here quite enjoy partaking in.
If Sony and MS really wanted to keep the same architecture for a while to ensure easy work and backwards compatability, do what Nintendo did. They just made new consoles with the same architecture. It's not hard. You don't need to change the underlying thing every time a new line of systems is launched.
TL:DR; its PR BS. And go get a girl/guy, then see if the size of your teraflop matters @rjejr will appreciate that one
@BLP_Software Well I think I missed the joke, but it is nice being on the same page once again. Though I'm a little less hateful towards "marketing BS" than you are. Marketing IS BS, that's it's inherent purpose for existing. Can't blame marketers for doing their job.
Oh, 1 thing I forgot before, and I could be wrong about this, but Slim has 500GB and Pro has 1TB. If that's still the case that's a legitimate plus for the Pro.
@rjejr Honestly? Well done to the marketers, but also, poor sods have nothing to market. Its all a dick measuring contest, more so than ever simply because they have nothing else to sell it on without annoying consumers.
Whats worse is people get really into it. I mean, if you feel that inadequate about whats down below that you start flame wars in Digital Foundry comment sections, then maybe its best its that small so you don't reproduce.
@get2sammyb You're very right. People can talk about "muh teraflops" all they want, but, at the end of the day, pricing and game selection are infinitely more important variables than hardware power, especially when they're as close as the Pro and Scorpio will be.
Having more powerful hardware is fine, but it won't matter to the general public if you don't have exclusives to show off that power. Joe Normal couldn't care less if Fallout 4 has higher resolution textures on Scorpio than it does on the Pro and, honestly, I don't think most gamers do, either.
The 4K consoles are basically specialty hardware. They're not going to change the game. Better to show consumers the games that the vast majority if them will actually be playing. Which usually look great, btw.
There's no point in pushing the Pro in E3 now, it's already established as a luxury item, and 95% of people watching the demo videos on YouTube will be doing so on 1080 screens. If they want to push the marketing, start setting up 4K TVs and Pro systems in stores so people can actually SEE the differences.
@BLP_Software "How will Sony have to carefully make sure it tells the average joe, hey, its a new thing, not an upgrade, so that upgrade you bought two or so years ago is now kinda pointless."
That's simple, don't name it the ProU, NewPro, 3DPro, or Pro2
Considering what sort of pricetag the Scorpio will have to carry to justify all that hardware, I dont think the Pro needs to be pushed at all tbh..
Hard to call which way it's gonna go. I'm expecting to get a 4K TV in the next couple of weeks but I'm a little hesitant to invest in a PS4 Pro just in case another one gets announced. We've had our first iterative update so who's to say how many we'll get in a hardware generation? I think it's unlikely that Sony will announce another PS4 upgrade at E3 this year, but the slightest possibility makes me very wary of upgrading my current console. Argh.
@JoeBlogs Ehhh, I'm not sure I agree with that entirely. In terms of pure numbers, yes — but Horizon: Zero Dawn and Uncharted 4 look better on PS4 Pro (or even standard PS4) than many games do on supercharged PCs.
I also maintain that the difference between native 4K and checkerboard 4K is borderline imperceptible. But slightly different topic, I guess.
@SegaBlueSky Haha, there's 100% not going to be another PS4 iteration. There might be more Slim models, but they're done until the PS5 now.
@get2sammyb OK well that's really good to know at least! Now just to wonder about whether there'll be a price drop I guess! As you may have guessed I'm a somewhat apprehensive shopper...
@RedMageLanakyn Or Pro Portable. Or Pro VITA. Or Pro Wonderbook. Or Pro Move. Or Pro Kinect....Or Pro Mobile. Or Pro TV...wait what?
Most of their sales are for the base PS4 and probably will be for the rest of the generation. The base PS4 probably has a higher profit margin too and it's the one they can ruthlessly price-cut in time for Christmas. It will be quite interesting to see how viable these mid-gen updates have been, as I think the Xbox One S will still sell more then the Scorpio. I'm not sure Sony have a whole lot to gain from heavily pushing the Pro at E3 specially when its USP can't be properly shown over an internet stream.
I agree with @rjejr the Pro and Scorpio are all well and good but if games have to run on the original Xbox One then they're self-limited. Microsoft can tout its 6TF marketing line til the cows come home but I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed when they find it is the exact same games but in 4k - and really not worlds apart from what the Pro does. These machines are for a very specific audience who want the best technology now and have 4k TVs, everyone else will wait a few years for when the PS5 is out.
Call me a simple fool, but I don't really see this "potential" the Pro has. I can only see it as a luxury upgrade. Maybe that's wrong, but I don't really look at it as a massive shake-up. I can't see the Scorpio as anything better if it's just an upgrade instead of a full blown new console.
I'm sure it's power will win over industry pundits all over and the tech enthusiasts will love it, but this is likely about sales, and I doubt the Scorpio would excel there. I feel that Xbox has the reputation of being the "casual" console, and the Scorpio isn't really gonna win casuals over.
@stevie85 i would like to think so but you know what the only things most gamers care about now a days
POWER! and pretty sparkles
@BLP_Software I would only accept Pro Plus Deluxe Super Slim V2.0 as an acceptable successor to the Pro!
Can't see multi platform games looking much better on Scorpio than the PS4 Pro, and most PS4 owners don't seem to be too bothered by the Pro anyway
It will be interesting to see how the Scorpio sells after the initial burst
@RedMageLanakyn Pro Plus Deluxe Turbo HD Remix Super Slim V2.0 with PlayStation Move at an inflated price starring Dante from the Devil May Cry series!
Even if Sony do show case the PS4 Pro versions, in all their glory and HDR, the majority won't see it. HDR when converted to a SDR version can be more harmful so I expect they will keep this to their booth. On the big stage, with big screens etc, its probably going to be the best version we see.
The difference though isn't generally that much. A higher pixel count is all - but you often get the same level of visuals so its not necessarily going to look 'richer' or significantly higher quality. Its not like you get 'god rays' on the Pro with more obvious ambient occlusion etc that are absent on the base version so it really doesn't matter which version you get, the game will still look similar by the time its compressed and streamed to us.
@JoeBlogs of course DRM etc had an impact in the first few months or so, as did packing in Kinect at the start and the extra cost that had on the package. However by the time of release, MS had backtracked on all of that and within 6 months, also backtracked on Kinect too. From the very start though, it was clear that PS4 was the most powerful console of the two, the one that had the best visuals. From the outset, memes and internet comments all focused on the quality of the visual experience - something that still continues today - albeit to a lesser degree. DF and others always do a visual comparison, almost always state that the 'best' console version is the PS4 version which I am sure has an impact on those that may have been sat on the fence - far more than that mess of E3. I bet a lot of people though opted to buy a PS4 because of the difference in performance.
If people are paying £300+ on a device, they want the one that's going to be the 'best' overall. I know other aspects, like exclusive line up, controller preference, friends online etc can also influence that decision and its not as 'straight forward' as a simple 'power differential'.
I really do wonder what effect this is going to have on the next gen of consoles. As @BLP_Software says, there will be a number of people who question buying a new piece of kit for 2 or 3 years so that they are ready to pick up the pro equivalent when it is inevitably released. Bear in mind we are not talking about slim versions, but more capable machines.
It is certainly an interesting time for gaming
@BLP_Software ONLY if Lou Diamond Phillips does the voice of Dante!
If MS took this approach at the start of this gen instead of the crappy X1 and Kinect then they might of stood a chance, as it is it's to late now. As for how to advertise the Pro against the Scorpio, I don't think there's much more to advertise everybody know's what the Pro is and Sony have had their hour for that, unless ofc they add some stuff or a ProS. They will probably and should mix it up at E3 everybody's so concerned about annoying regular PS4 owner's, us Pro owner's want to see what our console can do as well, it's only fair.
@JoeBlogs oh the debacle that MS made with the reveal of the XB1 certainly caused some damage to the brand, no denying that but more and more developers and consumers have been asking for more powerful systems, probably to try to pull in the P.C crowd
They've painted themselves into a right old corner, but it's got to be the Pro, hasn't it? It might annoy some of the base model owners, but not to the point where they'd sell up and switch brands. It might even convince one or two to upgrade. I like to tell anyone who'll listen that it's the games that matter and the graphics are all fluff, but I bet you if someone showed me footage of John Marston walking into a HDR sunset I'd go weak at the knees.
At some point they have to switch their focus to the newer hardware. I'm, not sure the Scorpio release will be the deciding factor due to the lack of games as people have noted before me. I used to be a full on Xbox fanboy and a massive Halo nerd but not even that could keep me on the Xbox One given the lack of games. It's really quite shocking how poor the exclusive line up is for Microsoft at the moment.
I also wouldn't be surprised to see a new Pro announced soon and the then the launch spec hardware phased out of sale (i.e. current pro moving to the base console and a new Pro taking over the top spot).
Its a double edge sword. Sony shows games on on 4k with PS4 Pro. I watch it on 1080P TV and think, wow looks about the same to me it's no big deal. Why should I spend money on that?? Getting the message across is about as hard as VR. If you don't have proper equipment to view it then the message is lost.
@get2sammyb Yeah, I'm with you on that 95% base model estimate. I remember when the Pro was on sale on Black Friday, I rushed out thinking it would be hard to find one. Nope, every store had a mountain of them with only a few clearly missing. When the sales info came out after the fact that was corroborated.
I think Sony will stick to showing its standard PS4 games first an do foremost, largely because most streams or the devices they're watched on won't be able to show the resolution/HDR anyway. Not to enticing the majority of PS4 owners have the standard one anyway and isn't that still the biggest seller?
Both Pro and Scorpio are going to suffer from a similar problem of the games actually being built for their predecessors, so we just end up with prettier versions of them rather than games built from the ground up for the technology
@get2sammyb To be fair, many including Digital Foundry questioned the existance of the PS4 Slim, yet look what happened in the winter, huge sales on the slim. Sony are likely to lower the price of the Pro alongside bundles of big 3rd party games. They will push it more or less as "it can get near enough the same performance as Scorpio and for much cheaper and with more games".
@adf86 All while the PS4 Slim and Xbox One S sell gargantuan numbers at $199.99.
I still think they need to take PS4 Pro a bit more seriously if they want it to carve out a segment of the market for itself — no matter how big or small that is.
Lot's of people say the Pro suffer's because it's just prettier graphic's, is it suffering though? I'm not sure. 5% of PS4's userbase is still an impressive number for such an expensive upgrade I would of thought. I don't know if that can be considered successfull but it's a hell of a lot of console's.
Like I stated last year, the lack of Pro bundles is a disgrace.
@get2sammyb Do they really need to though? You said yourself when Pro was announced that "Sony doesn't care which PS4 you own as long as you own one". What Pro achieves is it caters to a hardcore niche but may have also have forced MS's hand. Like many have already said, what's the point in showing games in 4k and HDR at E3 when everyone is watching on low quality streams and compressed YouTube videos. A tweet over the weekend said it best "Switch: lacks key western support, X1: lacks key Japanese support, PS4: has both". And that's what matters most above all else, otherwise your paying for a paperweight.
@adf86 Hmmm. Given the extraordinary amount of hype that Microsoft is building around Scorpio, I'm not sure Sony's attempts to undersell what the PS4 Pro can actually do are smart.
But as always, even I'm guilty of being inside a bubble. We need to wait and see what the real-world implications are.
@xMEADx I think, considering the stock issues, it's actually sold above expectations. But it's clear those expectations were quite low to begin with.
Showing game footage on a non-PS4 pro at this point is just stupid. Go with the best, and encourage everybody to upgrade.
First of all PS4 pro can't go toe to toe with scorpio and they shouldn't bother. What Sony needs to do is bump up the specs and/or add UHD drive and reveal it at E3 and/or give a slim PS4 pro at $350.
@rjejr To my knowledge, it wasn't a plus last December when I got my 1 Tb Slim. I was offered an 1 Tb Pro on the spot, too, but despite having extra money back then, I saw no point. And my eyes are no sharper about it today.
It's a strange one for sure. Microsoft got off to a bad start with the Xbox One initially so it makes sense for them to go all in on Scorpio. Whereas Sony has done really well with the PS4 so far, so I think they may have been afraid of upsetting some of their audience.
I think things will become a lot more clear when Microsoft show their full hand with Scorpio. Hardware is nice but if it doesn't have titles that are either exclusive, or obviously best on Scorpio (or possibly an extension of their game subscription service), I find it hard to believe there will be a huge early adoption of it.
But with all of these hardware upgrades I can't help but think we're in a sort of space race Cold War situation.
@get2sammyb
Checker boarding and native 4k may be hard to differentiate but Scorpio will undoubtably get way more games at 4k (Native) AND 60 fps. This is what stands out to me. I love graphics but I will not buy a PS4 pro nor Scorpio based on which is the most powerful. But I could see others picking Scorpio for the locked 60 fps.
I do not like xbox exclusives and probably never will overall like any Xbox exclusives over sony's. But people who like to buy more than one console will pick Scorpio over PS4 pro. I am going to stick with my OG ps4 since I am not convinced PS4 pro is much of a advantage over OG ps4 to shell out $400 or even $350 if PS4 pro drops in price. I have a 4k tv with hdr and Sony wass stupid to provide the OG ps4 with hdr since it gave people like me less incentive to buy the PS4 pro. If anyone knows a slight bit of knowledge of 4k tv screens the hdr feature is the most noticeable different in graphics over 1080p in my opinion.
Ive had my console from launch.
It turns 4 this year.
As much as I have no interest in the pro at present, I also think its high time they moved forwards.
Again, its coming into its 4th year, its far past the point of being the new kid.
I dont think they should over sell it but by all means show what the pro can do, point out why its a great alternative.
@TrueAssassin86x I'd play it in monochrome if it meant I could have it now.
@rjejr 'The only people left to buy 1 are the cheapskate and bargain hunters.'
Hahaha. Or how about confused Xbox or Wii owners who realize they don't have any games to play.
I think Sony will have to start showing all first party games on the Pro. Also I think the added power would be better used to up the frame rates rather than resolution when most people will be watching the stream at 1080 or 720.
@FullbringIchigo Games not power a lot of the people i talk to want games good games. If i have to choose 4K or 1080P with more games i choose games. Look at Uncharted 4 it looks fantastic on the base PS4. And that stupid techsite is annoying they bring nothing good crying about good games if they run at 28fps instead of 30fps.
@get2sammyb "The PS4 Pro/Scorpio conversation is going to dominate forums like NeoGAF and many websites like this for the rest of the year, when in reality it's the PS4 Slim/Xbox One S that are going to sell 95% of the Sony/Microsoft hardware this year."
Exactly my thought. At the end of the day, it's really all about games, brand recognition and price; with Slim and S you have all the games with the best price - unless you're that crazy about the greatest hardware, you'll end up getting Slim or S. Not to mention both Pro and Scorpion aren't really what the average gamer is talking about - he/she is talking about PS4 and Xbox, the brand itself and the games, not the model. With better marketing, they could sell more, but I believe they'd have to kill Slim and S first for better sales.
Microsoft hasn't shown off a console exclusive game in what feels like a long while, so if they plan on a really expensive Scorpio machine selling well, they better show nothing but games at E3.
As for PS4Pro, nothing is going to convince me to upgrade to it. No matter how janky the UI and streaming apps get with every new update.
Here's my view...
Who cares!
Think about it.
Most people watch E3 from home. Everything we see is nothing but mid or low quality streams! Add to that the compression that youtube pushes on everything and you will never see how a game is supposed to look until the game is actually out.
You can't even trust most demos as they can be signifigantly different in looks by the time the final game build is done.
I'm still waiting for Microsoft to show us the power of the cloud..
@BAMozzy I don't think you can dismiss the damage Microsoft did to the brand so easily and reversing its stance was only a partial solution to its problems. If we take just the months where it hadn't fully reversed its stance you can see that long term damage is done in sales as a lot of people tend to go where their friends are, so that early loss of sales alone was always going to have a knock on effect.
While Microsoft did eventually backtrack on previous bad decisions within a year, the community didn't just forget because of that, over a year later it was still a point of contention for many people and a common topic that Microsoft were anti-consumer. Anyone who remembers the removal of kinect should also remember the 6+ months we were told how integral kinect was to the experience and it couldn't be removed, which was an example of how badly the company dealt with its community and did long term damage to itself. With better decisions early on I think this generation would be much closer than it is.
@Dichotomy I am not dismissing it entirely but when you also factor in that power differential too, the fact that made games look better on the 'cheaper' system, it was much easier for people to jump across. I bet a lot of the XB360 owners would have still bought into the XB1 if it had been as powerful, if not more so regardless of the 'poor' showing at E3.
The Kinect and its integration tended to affect those that did buy prior to its removal more so than those that bought afterwards. They felt more forced into buying Kinect and then disappointed that it meant MS and developers were unlikely to make software for it. Those that had it, often felt it was a 'killer' app away, that the reason it was unsuccessful on 360 was more down to te fact that it was not enticing for developers to make games for because the majority didn't have it. In some ways its similar to VR now. Developers aren't going to spend a fortune making games for something that at most a 1m or so can play.
All I am saying though is that 'power' played a part in peoples decision from Day 1 and this was evident in reviews and comparisons too. Even before they released, it was clear that the XB1 was going to be the weaker system. However this difference was not 'insignificant' as that also translated into the way games looked and more crucially, how they run.
Of course you can look at the Wii and the fact that sold so well despite its lack of power. However that was bought by many people that would not be considered 'gamers' because of things like Wii Sport, Wii fit etc - games that anyone can play where as some really struggle with the complexity of controllers and/or no interest in the games like CoD, Fifa etc that the other consoles were offering. My Ex wife and daughters both enjoyed the Wii for sports/fitness/party/dance games but really don't like 'gaming' - not as we know it. Its that aspect that propelled it to the levels it reached. Maybe had the XB1 had a 'similar' gimmick, it could have worked for them - Kinect could of. I know many non-gamers that love Kinect for controlling media - wives and partners of gamers that are not gamers themselves and can't or struggle to use the controller to use these features. It was being bought for 'old-peoples' homes to encourage them to do 'activity'.
Unfortunately for most gamers, power matters - especially when it comes to deciding where to put your money. Its not just the console either though, its the games too. Why spend £40+ on a game that doesn't look or run as well on one system when you can spend that money on a game on another system that plays it better. Sites like DF also help people make up their mind on Console choice as often these 'breakdowns' show that multi-platform games run at higher resolutions, often with higher average frame rates and less screen tear or other issues. That cannot be under-estimated either.
Even after MS addressed its failings from that E3, its still under-powered, still can't run games as well or as high quality visually and why, over 3 years later, its still lagging behind monthly. Yes it had a resurgence after E3 last year, with the new XB1s and its 4k HDR Bluray player, whilst people were waiting for the new Slim and details on the Neo/Pro, maybe saving money for VR too.
I'perfectly fin with Microsoft launching his project Scorpio. Competition is always good for the market and if anything, I really hope that Spny will finally take his own console seriously and show shome KICK ASS games on E3, running with everything the Pro can give.
I personnaly just switched recently. In fact, I returned my good old PS4 for a Pro The very same day that Microsoft gave the specs of his Scorpio project.
I personnaly own a regular tv (big screen, but just HD) so I wasn't in a hurry to upgrade. What finally decided me was the PSVR. I really, really LOVE this headset and I wanted the best configuration possible to enjoy Eve Valkyrie, Residen Evil, etc...
Which brings me back to my point : I had to struggle to find on the internet, thanks to youtube and to regulars USERS, what can bring concretly the PS4 Pro to the PSVR games. There is no official information other than "it's better". I mean, it's a serious question. So, thanks to the FANS (and not Sony) I learned that Rez Infinite is supersampled before by the console before going to the headset (for the Area X, it seems), that Playroom VR gains an actualnbetter resolution (which is huge for a VR game) and that Rush of blood gains...erf... News shadows. So this information is IMPORTANT, and Sony did not sell me correctly his machine. The playstation fans of the internet did.
Sony, please. Embrace the PRO. Thanks.
I'm looking forward to ps4 PRO skinny and xbox ONE grasshopper. Sheesh! I just can't keep up spending with all these frequent tech upgrades. so far it's been crazy the amount of excellent games to spend on... and by end 2017 another possible £350!!! Its time to ditch my job and become a student or game tester... no flipping time in day to play so much😣 oh to those who are students... you lucky. ...
Scorpio does sound amazing and the specs are indeed impressive, but as usual the price will be what makes it or breaks it. I think $500 would be the sweet spot but with all that fancy tech the only way to sell it at $500 is to take a loss per unit. But there's still a lot we don't know about Scorpio. So far all the talk has been on specs but it's bound to have some game-changing features as well. AR could play a big role in the consoles future.
NO. They should focus on PSVR, after RE7, it's been very quiet. Where's Sony first party AAA games? Where's the marketing? Are they back in stock? Why ain't Sony talking about it? Where are the sales numbers? What happened to 3rd party support? So many questions needs to be answered.
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