Speculations suggest that Sony is readying an upgraded console for launch this year. Dubbed the PlayStation Neo, the upcoming system is drawing mixed reactions from observers.
Reportedly, although it will come out as an upgrade to the current-gen PlayStation 4, the Neo will not have that many upgrades and will instead come out as a refreshed PS4 rather than a cutting-edge console. However, since it will still represent an upgrade, it is more likely that the PS Neo release will harm the lineup. According to Gaming Central, developers may give preference to the PS Neo when releasing their games, leaving the PS4 to gather dust.
This can work in Sony's favor, particularly if the company is ready to replace the PS4 with the PlayStation 5. However, the PS Neo will also have a disadvantage. If the Neo will not have that much of a difference from the PS5, developers will more likely make their base versions of games using the PS Neo specs. Consequently, the same games' PS5 version will suffer.
However, some developers say that even if Sony releases a mid-cycle refresh between the PS4 and PS5, not much will change. The Daily Star quoted Psyonix, the studio behind "Rocket League," as stating that a PS Neo launch "won't change much."
Psyonix VP Jeremy Dunham said, "Because it's really just a matter of whether or not you can support another platform, and that's really what it boils down to -- how the pros and cons of the hardware, or the extra VA time needed, or the amount of new assets you have to build, those are all considerations that all developers have to make, any time they develop for any additional platform, be it Sony or Microsoft or even the iPad."
VentureBeat agrees, adding that a mid-cycle refresh, even without that much of a change from the current-gen version, is still needed for consoles to stay relevant in the gaming industry, particularly with the emergence of mobile games as an industry competitor.
