PS4 Neo release date, specs: Sony says new console is not a PS4 replacement

Sony says that the Neo "is still a PS4."www.playstation.com

Although the recently announced Neo system sports upgrades from the current-gen console, Sony insists that the upcoming system is not a replacement and "is still a PS4."

In an interview with GamesWelt TV at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2016, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida says that the newly announced PS4 Neo is just that – an upgraded version of the PS4.

The Sony executive dismissed rumors that with Microsoft elaborating on its Project Scorpio console, the PS4 Neo will be the one to go head to head with it. Apparently, though, fans can still expect a Sony console in the future.

Yoshida says that the "new high-end PS4 is still PS4, so the life cycle is not going to be shorter."

Meanwhile, the Sony executive admitted that it is a surprise for them that Microsoft has already taken the wraps off Project Scorpio, since the Xbox One S is the only upgrade that they expected to appear at the E3.

Yoshida adds, "I was not expecting them to talk about [Project Scorpio], so it's very very super interesting what they are doing."

In a side-by-side analysis by Eurogamer, it seems that the new PS4 Neo is indeed just a high-end version of the current-gen console and will not replace the system. According to the industry follower, it is already confirmed that the PS4 Neo and the current-gen PS4 will have the same library of games, so there will be no Neo-exclusive versions of the games. Accessories will also work on both consoles, and the peripherals on the current-gen system will also be compatible with the PS4 Neo.

However, one noted improvement on the PS4 Neo is its support for 4K and VR gaming. While both features are already compatible with the current-gen system, the PS4 Neo is said to boost 4K-related content and is more compatible with the PSVR than the current PS4.