Most gamers might assume that Sony's next console, presumably named the PlayStation 5, is still be a few years away, but a new rumor has Sony cooking up a new piece of hardware much, much sooner.
According to Kotaku, Sony is looking at releasing a "PS4.5" console that will have an improved GPU and be capable of displaying games in 4K resolution, something the current PS4 cannot do. The improved processing power would put the PS4 in a better position to support its upcoming virtual reality add-on, PlayStation VR.
Kotaku cites numerous developer sources in its report, saying Sony is contacting developers to inform them about its future plans. The site also reports hearing about PS4.5 while attending this year's Game Developer's Conference, which seems to indicate that it's not exactly a well-kept secret at this point.
What's unclear is how much it would cost, or even how Sony would distribute the upgrade. Would it be a brand new console that Sony would continue to sell for $400 or more? Or would there be some way for existing PS4 owners to upgrade their machines to the new one, or at least get a discount if going from a PS4 to a PS4.5? It's also unclear when exactly the PS4.5 might launch. Could it be holiday 2016, to go alongside the fall launch of PlayStation VR? Or will it come sometime later in 2017?
The answers to those questions are still unknown, but it could potentially fragment Sony's massive player base if not done correctly. That is what has happened with Nintendo's latest 3DS unit, with newer games requiring the latest version of the 3DS hardware, leaving early adopters of the console behind.
The news comes just weeks after Microsoft publicly spoke about the potential to incrementally upgrade the Xbox One. Though Xbox boss Phil Spencer has since said the Xbox won't be upgradeable like a PC, it seems that Microsoft is indeed cooking up something similar to that of Sony.
Sony, for what it's worth, isn't saying anything official yet and likely won't for months to come. If the PS4.5 is real, it will likely be unveiled at Sony's E3 press conference this summer.
