Ever since Jack Tretton dropped the mic in 2013, there’s no question that Sony’s been the king of the E3 press conference. You could argue that E3 2014 was a lean year, but it followed that up with the Holy Trifecta of E3 2015, a briefing that few thought would ever be beaten – only for it to be pushed all the way by the theatrics of E3 2016.
The thing is that no one seems to much care about the Japanese giant’s presser this year: all eyes are on Microsoft and its mid-gen upgrade, Project Scorpio – a platform that was announced almost 12 months ago and is still yet to receive a proper unveiling. And, while Nintendo has ruled out a stage show, there’s tangible anticipation surrounding what’s next for the Switch.
And all of this leaves Sony in a position that it perhaps hasn’t been in since the PS4 launched: it’s coasting along quietly, with the attention elsewhere. This, in my opinion, is a good thing: in previous years the weight of expectation has been on the PlayStation maker’s shoulders, and it’s still managed to succeed – imagine what it could achieve when gamers sleep on its show.
Here’s the thing: we all know it’s going to have more than enough content to fill its hour-long advertorial. I mean, even if the company only showed off new God of War, Days Gone, and Spider-Man demos, that would probably be plenty for a competent presser – ignoring the fact that we’re likely to see more from Death Stranding and The Last of Us: Part II, too.
But even though people are sleeping on the show, we all know there’s going to be more. Sucker Punch, in my opinion, is a lock – and the rumour mill reckons it’s been cooking something entirely new. And then you have potential collaborations from industry favourites like From Software – I’d be surprised if its partnership with Japan Studio didn’t have another chapter yet.
And yet, part of me doesn’t want to build up too much hype because I quite like this quiet that’s surrounding Sony at the moment. It feels like, with products such as the PS4 Pro and PlayStation VR already out, there’s almost a level of ambivalence surrounding this year’s PlayStation press conference – and I think that’s a great position to be in.
The Japanese giant understands E3 more than it ever has, and last year was proof of that. So while I’m expecting its competitors to catch up both in terms of content and presentation, I think the muted anticipation surrounding Sony’s show is a potentially brilliant thing. The thing about low expectations is that they’re easy to exceed – and I wouldn’t bet against PlayStation bringing the Shrine Auditorium to its knees.
Do you agree Sony's press conference is flying under the radar this year, and is that going to work in the company's favour? Are you worried that the silence is due to complacency on the company's part, or is it just biding its time? Drop a megaton of your own in the comments section below.
Comments 59
Sucker Punch, please give us Sly 5......
Another Infamous game wouldn't go remiss either......
When you stop and think about it Sony still has the best already announced lineup of the big three. Factor in potential surprises and all the third party stuff and we should be looking at an absolutely packed show.
The craziest part is that Sony tends to have three big press conferences spread across a whole year. There's E3, Paris Games Week/Gamescom, and then PSX. The fact it can still bring out the big guns at every event says it all.
@KingofSaiyanZ You're right, it was very quiet before E3 2016, but I think the mood was different. Everyone was waiting to see how it could possibly even follow E3 2015, whereas this year I feel like the attention is entirely elsewhere.
The whole hour is going to be kojima on stage with a PowerPoint slide show showing all the trips he's made in the past year, with another pic of norman reedus in his birthday suit /drop curtains
C'mon Sucker Punch, really wow us. I believe in you!
Can't wait to see more on Spider-Man as well! I think this is going to be one of the most exciting E3's yet.
Microsoft and Nintendo needs to have a great E3. Sony doesn't. Sony is doing well and it wouldn't be too bad if their E3 is disappointing.
I'm still expecting to be amazed by Sony this year.
@KingofSaiyanZ Bloodborne 2 and Shenmue III would do it for me. But I mostly like being surprised.
I'll never forget writing an article the morning of E3 2015's presser saying a rumour about Shenmue III and Final Fantasy 7 Remake was rubbish — and then it happened. Amazing moment.
On the other hand, Sony has everything for an outstanding presentation, even if everyone's eyes are on Switch and Scorpio - there's no shortage of games, after all.
My personal wish would be for Square Enix to stop being a bully and reveal KH3 release date in the middle of Sony's presentation for a few months after E3. It's easier for WB to make a Harry Potter RPG, I know, but one can dream. =)
Sony's E3 not generating much hype is a good thing. If people were bouncing off the walls with excitement it would inevitably leave more people disappointed no matter what because of there incredibly high expectations.
Every year I wish for the return of Timesplitters. You could show me 60 minutes of Cortez saying it's time to split and I'd say it was the best E3 ever ! 😂
On serious note, I think were going Bloodborne 2 start the show followed by Sucker Punches game, COD, RDR 2, Destiny. An indie section (please have gang beast date) , GOW, Days Gone release date. Spider Man date followed by Ratchet and Clank 2 (PS4). I'd hope to have Wild and Dreams news too. Then Last of Us gameplay to close the show.
Unless it has surprises up its sleeves, I'm just not excited about the games they'll inevitably talk about this year.
With that said, I'm holding out hope that the original Ni no Kuni will be ported to the PS4. That, Spiderman turning out to be a well-designed and fun game, more info on FF VII Remake, and maybe something like REmake 2 would leave me satisfied. I'm not holding my breath, though.
@ShogunRok
Don't forget Tokyo Games Show (TGS). Sure, it mostly caters to the Japanese audience, but look what Japan brought us in 2017!
We know the bookends. E3 and PSX. TGS in September is a given. So, does Sony go Gamescom in August, or Paris Games Week in November? As noted, Sony has enough first and third party games, plus third party content deals, to put on a decent presser at each one...so do they do them all? Decisions, decisions.
Ooooooohhhhhhhhh I just thought of the best thing ever. Someone from SquareEnix interrupt the Sony Conference either a truly unique way or hacker style and start playing Utada Hikari's Simple and clean with a huge KH3 info reveal. That or a big update about FF7.
I've said recently that I think we'll get release dates of oct/nov this year for Spiderman and march/April 18 for days gone I think one (possibly 2) of GoW, tLoUp2 & Death Stranding will be absent saving them for PSX
I'd love to see Borderlands 3 get a trailer
Horizon DLC would be great, reckon it would go standalone like Uncharted and Infamous has this gen
@Tingle_The_Great Same, I'd love to have Sly 5 and another inFAMOUS game.
Considering how late at night the presser is, I wouldn't exactly blame them for sleeping.
@Enuo Very good.
I'm not sleeping on it, I just think Nintendo and MS are going to have better shows simply because they have to. For Nintendo it has a new piece of hardware on shelves that has momentum right now, E3 is going to be hugely important to help keep that. For MS the stakes are the highest. Scorpio's hardware is impressive but it needs to show games that make the upgrade seem worth it and frankly the lack of exclusives, which I was slamming Sony for in the early part of this gen, is concerning. They also need to show they still give a damn about getting some of the niche Japanese games. The reason PlayStation is so popular is because Sony tries to put together a library to appeal to all sorts of gamers. Phil Spencer doesn't seem like an idiot (although he has said some idiotic things recently) so we'll see what happens.
From Sony, I just expect to see what I've seen the last two shows... Lots of great games, some in the not too distant future, others that may be a couple years away. At this point though, I look more forward to the showcase at the PS Experience than anything else. Sony has done a fantastic job with that event and it's become almost as important as E3, imo, at least as far as PlayStation is concerned.
The calm before the storm
I think the focus on Microsoft and Nintendo is natural, because they have more to prove to consumers. Nintendo need to keep the Switch moving forward the sales continuing and Microsoft need to really make the consumer understand just what their strategy is for their gaming platform.
I think we can all agree that Sony will have a lot of strong content to show. It will probably garner less headlines than MS unless they have something massive underneath their sleeves but really, Sony's job is to not drop the ball and cater to their installed base as best as possible.
I just hope, HOPE that we don't get much focus on games like Death STranding that are many years away from completion. Same with TLOU Part 2 - they did the announce trailers for both. Come back when you have gameplay and a release year in mind.
I'm sure MS must have a lot of content to show for Scorpio as X1 seems to have been lacking and I reckon their efforts have been saving up for the Scorpio reveal.
Can't wait to see what's in store for Switch but I really hope it's crowd pleaser game announcements like Prime 4, Wave Race etc and not more games I'm not into like Arms and 1-2 Switch.
As for Sony I'm confident they'll have another great show. Like Sammy said they know E3 better than they ever have done and are cruising this gen. Doubt they'll drop the ball now. Would love to see Sly 5 personally!
The reason ps4 gamers sleeping on sony e3 is because they already have too many games lol. Seriously, on the first quarter of 2017 we already got exclusives after exclusives not counting 3rd party, and the games we get is mostly open world or long games like yakuza 0, horizon, nioh and nier automata.
There are so many games already they could skip one or two years and still have a way more enticing library than Xbone and Switch - that said, I must admit I am not excited by Sony E3 (not a big fan of the games they are going show for sure) but gimme a new Ratchet and Clank or something and I'm cool.
I certainly don't feel that Sony's Press conference is flying under the Radar. Maybe from the press perspective, more eyes are on MS because of Hardware and Sony hasn't got any 'new' hardware to reveal (as far as we know).
When it comes to software too, maybe eyes are on MS and to a degree Nintendo as well. Partly because Sony have revealed most of their hand. Of course they could still have a surprise or two (looking at you Sucker Punch) but most of their studios and games are known - God of War, Days Gone, Last of Us 2, Spider-Man, GT Sport, Dreams, Detroit etc etc.
Both MS and Nintendo do have a few games out this year but little is known about the releases post 2017. So as we pretty much know what to expect from Sony at E3, speculation turns to MS and Nintendo, both of which have new Hardware in 2017 and the 'hype' around those, but little is known about how these will be supported by Software in the long term.
From a press perspective, its much more interesting to talk about 'new' hardware and, in the case of Scorpio, what that can bring to gaming for the Xbox crowd. 4k, VR etc - all of which we already know about with PS4 Pro and PSVR. What long term games can be expected - again we know what Sony have in store with maybe some speculation over Sucker Punch and their new project, GG and DLC for Horizon but generally we know what we can expect so it makes for little discussion from the press. Of course Sony could actually reveal some release dates that may surprise but its not like we don't know most of what they are able to bring to E3 and whilst some known games could show off never before seen footage, its not as 'exciting' to the press (although exciting for Sony based sites and gamers) as something 'new' being shown for the first time. Also with Sony's lead, the press are speculating more on what MS and/or Nintendo can do to close that gap. Its clear what Sony are bringing to the table in the near future and that doesn't make for interesting discussion for more generalised press.
I didn't think MS's 2016 E3 was 'bad' or worse than Sony's. They showed a lot more games, revealed the XB1s and the fact that Scorpio was a 'thing' whilst Sony's was short with much fewer games and longer segments on each. Staging was great of course where as MS's was more traditional but both had good E3 showings. If you are a Sony fan then MS's was irrelevant and will never be better than Sony's showing regardless but it certainly wasn't poor. In my opinion both MS and Sony had a very strong E3 2016 - better than EA, Ubisoft and Bethesda.
Point is though, Sony may not be getting much Press coverage in the lead up to E3 because most of it is already known. We know they are unlikely to bring new hardware, know the majority of games they could show etc, know they are 'winning' the sales battle so the press are focusing on MS, Scorpio and what they can and need to do to catch Sony...
I dig it.
"all eyes are on Microsoft and its mid-gen upgrade, Project Scorpio" Hmm, hardly anyone is talking about it and no one(well the few Hardcore Xbox owners) seem to be excited about it like they would be with a New Console reveal. It's going to get hyped for a day and then sell well for a day and then nothing
@get2sammyb @ShogunRok Speaking of sleeping on...
Free Overwatch weekend next weekend. Seems like it's completely free to play over 3 day Memorial Day weekend here in the US.
https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/17/15654458/overwatch-anniversary-event-date-game-of-the-year-edition-blizzard-entertainment
PS - I still get confused by the new layout, do you may have covered this, but I looked and can't find it.
@JoeBlogs I don't really want to discuss MS, Scorpio etc here as it could derail the thread. https://www.pushsquare.com/forums/retro_and_other_gaming/next_step_for_consoles_-_a_discussion may be a better place.
To keep it brief though, of course there is a big enough market for Scorpio. Like the Pro, its not just 4k owners that can benefit. More power means better performance in old, non-4k games too. This gen has a lot of games that use unlocked frame rates and Dynamic scaling (fluctuating resolution) as well as issues of screen tear, texture streaming etc - all of which can be improved by more power.
Whether there is 'enough' people with 4k TV's now, is debatable but the fact is that 4k and HDR is the future. In a few years, the majority of homes in the US, UK and other big markets (maybe not Brazil or some 'poorer' demographic areas) will own a 4k TV. The biggest growth in sales in the TV market is 4k and therefore releasing a 4k console makes sense. If not for today, certainly the future. People can buy a Scorpio with a 1080p TV (much like buying a Pro) and benefit from the extra performance in games as well as improved 1080p visuals from super sampling. The Scorpio has a big library of old games that will benefit from the power - including all those XB360 BC games. Its not necessarily about 'today', but about the next few years and having a Console for that. 900p looks good on a 1080p screen but the more it has to be upscaled, the worse it looks. 1080p looks very sharp on a 1080p screen but upscaled to 4k, it loses some of that sharpness. A 720p game on a 720p screen looks sharper than a 900p game on a 1080p screen.
Personally, I think around £400 is the price point. That would still be a 'premium' price for a console and double the cost of the XB1s. I can see the Pro dropping to £300 so MS would be foolish to price it much more. For £500, you could buy a Pro for 'dynamic' 4k (as they call it) and a XB1s for 4k HDR Blurays and access to all the same games as Scorpio.
I certainly don't think that people are 'not' ready for a 'next gen' console. Were people 'ready' for XB360 when most had CRT TV's and the Original Xbox was still only 4yrs old? I know if Sony released a PS5 that offered the full 4k and 60fps experience, 4k HDR Blurays etc, I would be very keen to buy but I know that 'some' would be butt hurt because they have just bought a Pro or PS4 and 'happy with 1440p or 1080p and 30fps or unlocked 60 averaging 40-50fps gaming. The majority of games are built to 4k standards yet we play them currently at the 'lowest' level of visuals and performance and whilst some are happy with that, I look forward to the future.
Don't tell me you wouldn't want to play all the latest releases in full 4k HDR at a decent frame rate, with 4k assets, no screen tear or issues - certainly if money was no object. Both the Pro and the Scorpio offer a tangible upgrade over the base models - even for those with 1080p screens. Whether you plan to upgrade to 4k now or not is irrelevant - chances are that if/when your current TV needs replacing, 4k will be the only option. Its a bit like running a PS2 on HD TV or not releasing the PS3 to have HD ready capability. HD had a slower adoption rate to 4k...
So much for 'keeping it brief'
@BAMozzy I don't disagree with anything you said but I do think you're conflating your own personal needs/requirements with those of the mass market.
Like, obviously most people reading this site are willing to pay for the added oomph, but most people will be happy spending $200 on a bog-standard PS4/Xbox One — they'll both play Red Dead Redemption 2 perfectly well, after all. I believe that's what the original poster was getting at really.
But as you said, slightly off topic...
No matter what I'm confident it's going to be great! I'm really hoping for more games for PSVR as I am getting a little concerned I payed $400 for a novelty I use maybe three times a month...
@BAMozzy I wouldn't want to play games past 1080p. Definitely not in 4K with HDR.
I'm colour blind. So as resolutions and fidelity goes up, more and more colour can be defined, and in the case of 1080p it's led to me resorting to using, or lamenting the absence of, colour blind modes.
HDR open a much wider colour spectrum to the viewer. Most of which looks identical to me. So when you guys see all these different shades of colours and better definition of objects because of it, I lose that. So many shades of red and green blend together. I don't even see yellow! It loses the ability to be viewed by my eyes.
But hey, mass market right? Just letting you know that while people can benefit from it, and thus "Why wouldn't you?" there is a very good reason some of us "Can't" and therefore "Wont". If ya catch my drift
It's gonna be big. I'm certainly going to focus on Sony's conference out of the big three.
sly Cooper 5
As long as Sony isn't complacent I'm sure they will be fine. Personally I don't think anyone's sleeping on Sony. I'd wager everyone knows, and the expectation is there, that they'll have an excellent E3 no matter what based on current track record. (I still don't think 2015 was the best in all of ever, but I digress )
Microsoft and especially Nintendo are playing the underdog role this time, with new hardware, so naturally eyes would gravitate there. And who doesn't like the underdog?(present company notwithstanding? )
I'm actually looking forward to what's in store for Sony and Nintendo this year. PS4 is definitely my favorite system to date and has been for many generations, with not many systems that got me as hyped as this has...there's been many great games on the PS4, some not even the triple A games, but it seems to have been getting many titles that I haven't played since my youth on the Atari and NES, and that's what has me excited onto what else could come for it! As nintendo goes, I honestly can't wait to see what they announce for the Switch...I don't own the console and I still am waiting to see if it's actually even worth investing in, and with the fact that they haven't announced the virtual console part of the E-Shop and not many games lining up the system, that will be another interesting point. As Microsoft goes, I never really got into anything that they have done. Sega was the big factor for me purchasing the original X-Box (toe Jam And Earl 3 being the biggest) and the 360 just didn't sit well with me (was more towards the PS3 even to this day). Nintendo it's been a while, not since Gamecube have I been excited for anything that they've done (I own a 3DS but have gotten rid of the Wii and the cursed Wii U). As far as anything goes, I'll be first to see some footage for Sony first and nintendo second with skipping on Microsoft all together...I still see nothing on XBONE that looks enticing, but I still don't really see much on Switch either...maybe something could change my mind for it, but I doubt it.
I think Sony are in a great position because the Microsoft and Nintendo efforts will almost certainly disappoint.
Nintendo will, I think, struggle because a lot of people are excited about Switch and then when we get to E3 and they show us some of Mario, announce a truck load of new amiibos, and little else, all the people going in expecting Metroid Prime 4 and a Pokemon MMO will be livid.
Microsoft has a new console so they'll probably fare better, but considering their exclusive situation is somewhere between nowhere and Fred Astaire right now, I'm not sure how much excitement talking about teraflops can really generate.
Sony has had great E3 performances for years specifically because they've had the games that people cared about. Continue that tradition and they'll be fine.
All bets are off if the Pokemon MMO actually gets announced btw.
I think it's going to be an epic E3 in general. There are so many big games that were briefly shown last year that should be another year into development and that much closer to release. I'm looking forward to the big 3's press conference/presentations. They are all in completely different positions. Sony seems to have the most games to show updates for and some of those are huge games. Nintendo with the recent release of the Switch must show that games are coming to support their good sales. Microsoft needs to get back in the game! I feel that Microsoft is going to surprise everyone. I think people are sleeping on them.
@johncalmc Who in their right mind is expecting a Pokémon MMO? Where in God name did THAT come from? The rumour mongers said Pokémon Stars, a follow up to Sun and Moon, not bloody Warcraft man!
PS will focus on good games that's all I can ask for !
@get2sammyb There will always be people happy to spend the least amount to play the games they want - even if that means not the best visuals or frame rates. People were happy to buy PS3 versions of games rather than upgrade to the PS4 on Day 1 to play those at Full HD instead of 720p, Happy to wait.
According to Sony though, the PS4 Pro is outselling the Slim yet it still has the same library of games, same experience etc. The Scorpio though could also have the added benefit of VR - I know the PS4 has that already but that's another aspect that 'may' be enticing for Xbox owners - as well as the added benefit to existing game performance - essentially the same principal as boost mode on the Pro so its not going to make the Witcher 3 suddenly run at 4k with 4k assets and/or 60fps but as it uses dynamic scaling, it could improve the resolution, eliminate any frame rate drops etc. This also applies to all the BC games that may have unlocked frame rates too so its not just about the 'visual' enhancement. For those on Xbox, maybe they too want the same options that some Pro games have - the choice to play games at 60fps instead of the extra resolution options but 30fps too. Like I said they may want the choice to play VR and have 'bonus' VR features as seen in CoD:IW, RotTR etc.
There are always people who will go out and buy an RX480 to get the minimum GPU for VR and 1080/60 gaming but then there are a lot of people that will buy a GTX1070+ to get 4k/60fps gaming. Both Sony and (soon) MS will have a 'budget' console for those who are happy just to get to play these games and a higher end Console for those that want better. I know you have a PS4 Pro and I bet you thought Horizon in 4k HDR was breath taking. I am sure you were much more impressed with the visuals of games you saw running on the Pro/ZD9. I know Horizon looked great on the PS4 and was equally as enjoyable but you can't deny that the Pro's added power brought a new level to the visuals. If the PS3 was still getting the same releases - inc RDR2 etc, I am sure some would be happy to play on these too. According to VGChartz, Black Ops 3 sold nearly 4m copies on last gen hardware despite the lack of a number of features and 'poor' visuals (at times it looked like a different game) so it shows that some people are happy with more 'basic' visuals. Not everyone bought a PS4 when it arrived and the PS3 was/is still selling.
Whether I am putting my 'own' needs or requirements in, is debatable. Sony have proved that there is a market for an enhanced, more powerful console with the Pro. The market also shows that the uptake of 4k displays is increasing and at a faster rate than the adoption for HD was. I see no difference in Consoles trying to keep pace with the technology. Its not 'forcing' people to upgrade. Those that want 4k games on a 4k (or 1080p) screen now have a couple of consoles able to offer that. Those that are happy with just the opportunity to play at HD resolutions and the frame rate that console can offer can still get that from the base models.
@JoeBlogs They might well do, but they don't have particularly strong first party studios, and unless they've bought a game - which might be a dodgy proposition after how badly the Tomb Raider deal went down - it probably won't be anything earth shattering.
@BLP_Software That's the thing everyone has been after from Nintendo for years. I don't know why. I don't want one. I don't like online games. I'd much rather have a Pokemon RPG that's big and flashy and has more of a story.
But anyway, the point was that people get expectations for what's coming, and then Nintendo invariably disappoint.
@BAMozzy I wonder what Microsoft's VR solution will be. Holo lens seems a ways off, and both Oculus and Vive are still priced way, way above PSVR, so with the increased cost of a Scorpio it seems like they'd need to launch their own solution if they want to be competitive. Will be interesting to see which way they go and what price point the Scorpio will be at.
I mean, considering how crazy good 2017 has been to PS4 already, even if they went on stage, announced Knack Remastered and walked off the stage, I wouldn't feel like I could complain.
Here's hoping anyways:
1. Gran Turismo Sport release date in June/July
2. PlayStation 4 Portable (that can also play Vita games (yah right))
3. Monster Hunter 5 or DmC2 (or DevilMayCry 5)
4. Localized Phantasy Star Online 2
5. A new Killzone
IF all five of those come true, I'll go through the Taco Bell drive-thru on my motorcycle in my undies.
@Gamer83 I don't get the excitement of the switch it's expensive have to buy a lot of accessories for it has 1 big Zelda game. Xbox messed up by making everything have to work with Windows, not enough games unlike 360 which had tons. I sold my Xbox after I got through lost odyssey. Their GWG program is good but PS wins overall
@SegaBlueSky To be honest this is getting off topic but MS have already announced a partnership with Acer and HP and both have produced headsets with Dev Kits available now - both around the $300 mark (the HP is $30 more) and use in-built technology instead of external cameras to track movement and position. Both have dual 1440 x 1440 (one fr each eye) screens. MS has also revealed its VR controllers (can't remember if they are MS built or in partnership) that look like Oculus style controllers. I am sure this will be the way VR is used on Scorpio.
@johncalmc
Add Dead Rising 4 to Tomb Raider as a dodgy deal. Capcom projected sales of 2 million and sold less than a million as of last month. That's two glaring examples of Xbox timed exclusives blowing up in the face of the dev.
@BAMozzy Hehe yeah I guess it is off topic now, but thanks, didn't know any of that!
Sony will be nice on E3 conference
Many games to show and then they could show new IP
Wich is from sucker punch
Any way the only problem with E3 is Jack Tretton left sony and we can't see that shockhing confernse
This new guy is some kind of boring...
E3 2016 WAS the best E3 i ever seen (i mean E3 on 2010 was good too but not this much) and the point was they just showed trailers and no one spoke about any thing (just kojima )
I hope we could see a good E3 as last year
P.s: sony should change their show man i hate this guy
Any way is he gay or some thing? I saw people on twitch called him that LOL
Haha I've still a huge backlog to enjoy and play through on ps4 and vita. Any new announcements are just icing on the cake. This xmas will be a bumper year for game companies with PS4 pro, Scorpio and switch competing feverishly.... golden days of console gaming! Happy E3 to all gamers and game industry 😝
@SegaBlueSky Its better to carry on the discussion here https://www.pushsquare.com/forums/retro_and_other_gaming/next_step_for_consoles_-_a_discussion?start=120#reply-123 on Scorpio and its possible VR solution. I have posted pics of the headsets and controllers there too
As long as they have a heavy focus for PSVR, I'm good.
@JoeBlogs I took the plunge on the Pro on Day 1. I would have bought a Pro regardless of what TV screen I had but having a 4k HDR TV made the decision to buy a bit sweeter.
I consider myself a 'console' gamer first and foremost. I want the 'best' experience possible from console gaming. Its not 'always' the 'best visual' experience either. Too many games, in my opinion, are releasing with unlocked frame rates and/or dynamic resolutions - meaning that games are not delivering a consistent experience. You are either having to put up with fluctuating frame rates - which is much worse with games capped to 30fps, inconsistent image quality - again amplified on 4k screens or a combination of both.
The Pro (and Scorpio for that matter) alleviate or at least minimise a lot of these issues. Take Doom for example, on PS4 and XB1 it uses both Dynamic Scaling and unlocked frame rates. Whilst the PS4 manages to keep 1080p a lot of the time and maintain a high average frame rate (around 55-58fps on average), in boost mode it no doubt performs better overall. On XB1, Doom averages more like 900/50 although can also hit 1080/60 in some situations. Even without a patch, on Scorpio this is (almost) certainly going to run at a locked 1080/60.
Digital Foundry has looked at GT Sport (Beta) and the base PS4 has dips into the 40's and the replays are capped at 30fps. On a PS4 Pro - even if you only have a 1080p screen, the game runs at virtually a locked 60fps with maybe the odd dropped frame or two here and there. Its replays run at 60fps, although struggle to keep a locked 60fps and performs as well as the PS4 does when racing.
Point is, the more powerful hardware offers better performance. In some cases (like the Last Guardian), 1080p TV users get the 'best' performance. Other games, like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Nioh, Infamous etc, these games give you a choice of better resolution or high frame rate. The ONLY way to play these at 60fps on Console is via a PS4 Pro and in each case, its not about '4k resolution'.
In games like Horizon:ZD, where both base and Pro runs at the same virtually locked 30fps, then of course I prefer the extra resolution - especially in HDR. Would I play in 4k mode if there was a 1080/60 option, maybe or maybe just when messing around with Photos or staring at the beautiful vistas.
Maybe a lot of people are happy with variable performance - just to play these games. Maybe we will see more and more games targeting 900p on base PS4 to try and maintain a more consistent frame rate. Point is though that consoles like the Pro and Scorpio, regardless of what display you have, can offer better and more consistent gaming experiences and its not always 'just' a higher native pixel count.
As long as they show a gameplay video of Shenmue and FF Remake VII then it will have been a good E3!
@JoeBlogs Mid gen upgrades are not a new concept at all. Not always been successful but look at the N64 with its expansion Pack -
it also had a 64DD expansion although only released in Japan. Sega also had multiple expansions on the Mega Drive - the 32x, Sega CD...
In the the last few years, development of hardware has been more static. Of course we have seen GPU's and CPU's etc all get improved but its not like some 'new' technology came along and necessitated an Add-on or new console - like CD's, DVD or Bluray that increased the functionality and game storage, consoles are all connected to the internet now and to HD TV's, capable of bringing the current games to their target audience.
Both MS and Sony released their 360 and PS3 at the start of the HD revolution. As we moved through that, there wasn't a major reason to have an upgrade. MS I guess could have upgraded to Bluray and that may have helped with some games - not having to have more than 1 Disc but that would effect those that had the early Xbox 360s.
Now though, there is a new 'technology' and that is 4k HDR. VR too is now a reality as well. Both of which require more power than the base models. I know the PS4 can do VR but its still a 'compromised' experience - lower res, lower quality textures, shadows, lighting etc.
Its too early to bring out their next gen Hardware for the 4k HDR and VR era. It was too expensive to build a console with the specs needed back in 2013 too so its the logical decision to bring out an upgrade. The current hardware wasn't built to have an add-on like consoles years ago - add-on a CD drive, add in more RAM, go from a 16bit to 32bit etc.
You didn't need to buy these add-ons also because the 'next' big thing was literally just around the corner. Whether you choose to upgrade or not, whether you are buying your first PS4 or not, buying nearly 4yrs into a generation with many new advancements in technology - like 4k HDR TV's, VR, 4k Blurays etc is likely to curtail this generations life cycle. Maybe Sony will 'make-do' until Q42019 but PS5 is certainly around the corner and it's certain it will be built to do 4k HDR gaming. The Pro is a good 'step' into 4K but in reality, its just a 'small' boost to resolution. Its not able to boost things like textures from HD quality to 4k.
@JoeBlogs The only difference in essence is that those consoles were built to handle mid generation upgrades where as the current generation was not. If we could just bolt on an extra GPU (as that is essentially what the Pro does - two PS4 GPU's) to our PS4 and with a 'software' update increase the clock speed of the CPU, GPU and increase the Bandwidth of the RAM, then 'maybe' Sony would have opted for that. Principally though its the same idea - adding something to the existing hardware to improve its capability. The only difference is that Sony and MS didn't build upgradeability into the original design - not for the parts that 'matter' to performance where as other consoles had upgradeability built in.
I know the Mega 32X and CD had exclusive games - so did the N64 with its 64DD and certain games required the Expansion Pack too. Sony though to a degree wanted to avoid those situations and arguably more so than MS will be with Scorpio. Scorpio will have 'extra' games/content that won't be available to XB1 owners - even if its 'just' VR - its still additional content. Maybe some will be playable on a standard screen - like RE7 or that level in Rise of the Tomb Raider but some games may be VR only and therefore XB1 owners won't be able to access this.
The 32X bridged the gap between the 16bit and 32bit era but in all honesty that's a bigger 'jump' in technology as far as gaming goes than boosting resolution from HD to 4k HDR. Technologically speaking, 32 bit brought 3D polygon gaming and texture mapping as well as CD quality audio and much higher colour depth. CD-Rom offered a larger storage capacity too which was needed for the advanced graphics, high quality sound and greater colour depth as well as being cheaper to produce than cartridges.
Sega had a choice, either make a 32bit console or upgrade their Megadrive. Same with the Mega CD. They could easily of just decided that the Megadrive was 'outdated' now and moved on.
In recent years, like I have said, technological advancements have slowed in many ways. We already have fully realised 3D environments, high quality audio, full colour depth and resolutions to match the capability of the display. Arguably the PS3/360 era could have been replaced sooner, given us full 1080p a few years earlier but the economic climate maybe wasn't so conducive. It wasn't as if the current games were not running on the hardware. Eventually though, they had to because that era wasn't going to run some games in the way they were being designed. They also couldn't risk making a much more powerful hardware as the economic crisis wasn't over - who would spend £6-700 on a console at a time when analysts were predicting that consoles were dying out too. Both MS and Sony had to do something if they wanted to continue bringing games to their audience but couldn't make a console with the power needed at a price that was right and knowing what technology was due in the next few years or so. 4k isn't new - Sony launched its first domestic 4k projector in 2012, Youtube had 4k in 2010, netflix offered 4k in 2014, 4k in cinemas began in 2011, BT offered 4k sport in 2015, Sky offered 4k in 2016, 4k satellite stations in US started broadcasting in 2014, The first 4k TV's launched in 2013 too - I bought my first in 2014. Point is both Sony - especially Sony as one of the leading Studios and manufacturers of 4k content and Hardware knew that 4K was not that far off in the future. Games like BF4, a launch title on PS4 is playable in 4k and a lot of PC hardware could play the game in 1440p at the time of release.
If you have read or seen any interview with Mark Cerny, the Pro was Road-mapped in before the PS4 launched. They knew then that the PS4 wasn't built to cope with the transition to 4k but like I said, they couldn't exactly build a higher spec PS4 and sell it at a 'competitive' price. I guess they could have built some upgradeability in but its difficult to replace a GPU on a console as these are built into a Chip with the CPU and RAM all soldered onto a single motherboard. Its not like a PC where you can just slot out a GPU and slot in a new one. Therefore they were left with the choice of replacing the PS4 with a PS5 early or making a mid term upgraded console. A mid term upgrade is the 'better' choice overall because it gives gamers choice and doesn't annoy all those early adopters who bought a PS4 only to see it replaced by a PS5 a few years later. I know people may get annoyed if Sony do release a PS5 after 5yrs (only 2yrs after the Pro) but the generation is still 5yrs on. Its not that different from buying a Slim and then a year or two later the PS4 launches...
Anyway that's enough waffle.
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