The PlayStation 4 is doing big business right now, having sold over 60 million units worldwide, a number that’s likely to continue with games like Spider-Man and God of War on the horizon. Sony is also trying to push the PlayStation 4 Pro as well, since more developers are starting to take advantage of what its hardware can do on the 4K front.
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And yet, Sony’s already planning for the future. Though we probably won’t see it for some time (with the PS4’s popularity and all), the PlayStation 5 will eventually release, and promise to once again push the envelope when it comes to features that players really want to appreciate.
But here’s the quick question – what are these defining features? Sony has done a good job supporting its system with a number of defining features, like Blu-Ray support and its revamped control design. So what’s left? Plenty.
Here are some ideas of what Sony can include in its next hardware to please its audience, and keep a leg up on Microsoft and Nintendo when it comes to competition.
(Note: the picture above is a mock-up…not the real thing. Sorry, gang.)
4K/6K Support Across the Board
The problem we have with the PlayStation 4 Pro is that it says it’s a 4K console when it comes to games, but that’s really about it. And some games aren’t really supported – nor, for that matter, are 4K Ultra Blu-Ray movies, which a lot of people feel doesn’t make a lot of sense.
So, for its next hardware, Sony can’t hold anything back. We’re talking 4K support across the board for movies, games, streaming media, the works. And, for that matter, if games can push to 6K – like Titanfall 2 reportedly will on the Xbox One X – it needs to have that support as well, instead of patching it in loosely with a few glitches here and there. It needs to be absolutely focused on making everything have the best visual interface possible, and not just “bits and pieces.”
And for those that don’t have a 4K TV, give us something to be proud of anyway – games with strong visual performance that still look great on our televisions. It can be done. And speaking of that…
A Better Realized CPU
The PlayStation 4 does a suitable job when it comes to running open-world games with barely a hiccup, but the PlayStation 4 Pro…not so much, as some games reportedly have a lackluster performance when they should be screaming across the board. In order for Sony to keep up with the Xbox One X (and, for that matter, the PC market), it needs to utilize a CPU that can handle great distances in games without losing a hint of frame rate.
People want a fast, zippy performance out of their machine, and the PlayStation 4 has mostly delivered on that. But now’s the time for Sony to look at advanced chips (Intel’s i9, perhaps?) and give a boost where it’s absolutely necessary. No rushed production here, please.
Backward Compatibility
Despite some execs feeling that backward compatibility isn’t a “vital” feature in game consoles, we tremendously disagree. The PlayStation 2 thrived because it supported original PlayStation games along with PS2 software, and the Xbox backward compatibility program is thriving with Xbox 360 and forthcoming original Xbox games.
So, for the PS5, Sony needs to have the hardware ready to support all PlayStation 4 games right out of the box, so players have something to enjoy. And this includes already maximizing their performance with the PS4 Pro specs inside the box, instead of forcing them to upgrade to hardware that’s not entirely beneficial for the market. Give us a program that makes us excited to play the classic again. For that matter…
Revitalized PlayStation Now Service
Streaming services are all the rage right now – ask anyone watching the GLOW series on Netflix. The PlayStation Now service has been lagging quite a bit, mainly due to the incredibly high price and the library only consisting of so many titles. Sony needs to revamp this. It is considering older PS4 games for the service, but it’s needing an overhaul, with the addition of PS2 and maybe even original PlayStation games that players can enjoy.
On top of that, it needs wayyyy better pricing. Go along the lines of $10 a month, or maybe even $50 a year, and you’ll see people coming in droves to see what the service has to offer. $20 a month is a bit ridiculous, especially with only PS3 games on the service. Expand, reduce and dominate.
BONUS: A Nintendo Switch Style Component?
Sony hasn’t exactly been scoring big-time on the handheld front, though its PlayStation Vita has been fondly appreciated by members of its audience, mainly with its indie game support. And that has us thinking – maybe we don’t need a new PlayStation Vita system, but what about a possible connected device that goes with the PlayStation 5 so we can take our game experiences on the go?
True, that could be something along the lines of what Nintendo Switch is doing, but it would also broaden the appeal of handheld gaming on the Sony front, and enable us to play hit games in the car, at a friend’s house, what have you – without lugging around a big piece of hardware.
It may just be a pipe dream – Sony has given up on the Vita, after all – but if it can somehow craft a console-style experience into a portable one, it’d be nothing short of spectacular. The only downside? It’d probably make the system cost more. But if Sony’s engineers could figure out a way to make all this work with better processing – and at a price around like $499 – we’d probably be fine with it.
So who’s going to win the next-gen console war after the PS5 finally launches? Cast your vote below!
