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Is the PS4K Neo Sony’s attempt to sell 4K TVs and Ultra HD Blu-ray?

Rumours of a revised, more powerful PlayStation 4 mid-generation are gaining so much traction, it seems the announcement at (or before) E3 is merely a formality. But what is Sony’s true motive?

To be sure, games will look better played on a more powerful console, reportedly codenamed Neo. But it’s doubtful there will be a significant upgrade for the masses playing on a 1080p TV – and that’s not the target market.

On the surface, a quasi-hardware revision for a console breaking sales records with a dominant lead over its nearest competitor seems unnecessary. Conversely, the console cycle feels antiquated next to modern technology. Contracts entice replacing mobile phones – often worth double the cost of a PS4 or Xbox One – every 24 months, and new tablets and laptops come and go just as fast for those who can afford it. It seems strange to wait six years to upgrade consoles.

That’s why I like Phil Spencer’s floated concept for the fourth Xbox: interchangeable components. That’s been done before, with the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, but that was limited and underutilised. The components would need to be plug and play – otherwise accessibility disappears – and games would need to remain playable across all iterations; I can’t relive the heartbreak of waking up on Christmas morning to discover my copy of Donkey Kong 64 was unplayable. But that’s a debate for the PS5 and Xbox Four; these consoles aren’t setup for single component upgrades, so we’re talking about complete replacements.

Rumours suggest Sony won’t allow games to be exclusive to the PS4 Neo, which will add extra work for developers. To borrow PC terminology, PS4 Classic will run games as the minimum specs, and the PS4 Neo will be recommended. But that, of course, is dependent on consumer uptake. Multiplatform games, even those between iterations of the same system, are bound by the lowest common denominator, and developers rarely sacrifice resources dedicated to the smallest audience.

Sony Bravia 4K

Again we can look to Nintendo for an example with the failed New 3DS. It’s a slightly more powerful variant of the popular handheld, and offers developers the option to run games slightly improved compared to the older models, but it’s scarcely been touched. Even Nintendo hasn’t really bothered. With a 50 million strong install-base running the original specs (across 3DS, 3DS XL and 2DS), there’s no incentive to pander exclusively to the much smaller New 3DS audience.

The elephant in the room is 4K capabilities. It’s hard to imagine the PS4 Neo will be able to natively run 4K games, currently the exclusive domain of high-end PCs. I expect it to upscale games to 4K, which will look stunning for the niche audience that has splurged on Ultra HD TVs. So what’s the point when 4K uptake is yet to boom?

Enter 4K TVs and Ultra HD Blu-ray.

I’m surprised to learn there are currently no 4K Blu-ray players on the market in Australia. It seems odd, doesn’t it? Considering 4K TVs adorn the shelves of JB Hi-Fi, Dick Smith and Myer. There’s almost nothing to watch on them, save for a couple of Netflix Originals, and those require an Internet connection unobtainable by most Australians.

As a nation, we’ve embraced streaming faster than any content provider dared imagine. But with such a pitiful internet infrastructure, physical media could see a resurgence if 4K lures a mass market faster than full HD.

While it wasn’t a heated war, at least not with the mainstream audience that remained content with DVD, Sony dominated the Blu-ray vs HD DVD war in-part due to the PlayStation 3. After the bungled $1000 launch price, it soon became the cheapest brand name Blu-ray player, and played new release games as an added bonus for many.

Then there were the promotions. Walk into the living room of a technologically challenged family member with a 2007-10 Full HD Sony Bravia connected to a PS3, and chances are the free console swayed their decision. It was a great on-and-off again sales campaign, able to convince those on the fence about upgrading their PS2, DVD player and 720p TV to do it all in one hit.

That’s why I suspect selling 4K TVs and having an affordable 4K Blu-ray player is the main reason for the PS4 Neo. It was a selling point of the PS3, and will do wonders for the PS4 – including re-selling a console to some of the almost 40 million existing paying customers, and getting them to buy a new TV. Some sources note the specs for the PS4 Neo don’t include an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, capable of reading 66GB and 100GB discs (which would also be useful for games). I find that almost impossible to believe, and assume it will be capable of playing 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays. Pre-announcement leaks notoriously miss, or are incorrect about, some of the specifics.

pic_stunning_arial

Allowing developers to utilise a little more power for games is a happy side effect. If this was really about needing more power for games beyond 2016, Sony wouldn’t mandate all games being compatible with the original spec PS4. Games are an important element of the Neo; but in terms of making them look better on 4K TVs, in an attempt to sell more televisions, rather than designing them with 4K in-mind.

It’s also why I doubt native 4K is on the cards. Sony won this console generation when it announced the PS4 cost $550 (US $400) at launch, compared to the $600 (US $500) for the confused Xbox One. It’s since had an “official” price drop to $480, and can be found on-sale for as little as $350. Sony likely intends to keep the RRP stable with the new hardware, as it has with slim variants of the PS1, PS2 and PS3. However, none of them added more grunt. Sony risks undoing some of its good work if it announces a price increase for the PS4 Neo, and if it doesn’t do that, I can’t see how it can possibly support native 4K gaming. But it also doesn’t need to; at this early juncture for 4K, upscaling will do.

Make no mistake; Sony needs the PlayStation 4K Neo (or whatever they call it). It’s pushing a 4K physical media format and 4K televisions with an incompatible console only halfway through its lifespan. It can’t wait until the PS5 to have games displayed, even if upscaled, in the resolution new TVs are intended for. It will provide a reason to upgrade to 4K for those looking for one, and is the obvious choice as a 4K Blu-ray player for those who already have. However, while it’s something Sony needs, if you have no intention of migrating to 4K this generation, it probably isn’t something you need.

TLDR; I suspect the PS4 Neo is primarily a 4K Blu-ray player that will upscale some games to 4K on the 4K TVs it’s designed to sell, and will only make a minor difference (like improved framerate) when games are played on a 1080p screen.

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About the author

Ben Salter

Ben has been writing about games in a professional capacity since 2008. He even did it full-time for a while, but his mum never really understood what that meant. He's been part of the Stevivor team since 2016. You will find his work across all sections of the site (if you look hard enough). Gamertag / PSN ID: Gryllis.