The Sony PlayStation Neo is apparently coming this year after all, but it should not take any toll on the PS4's life cycle.
Things are heating up in the console gaming department, with both Sony and Microsoft working on their next-generation consoles with hefty improvements. In addition to powerful specifications, the new PlayStation Neo and Xbox Scorpio, respectively, are also expected to deliver full backward compatibility to further sweeten the deal.
With no announcement from Sony at the recent E3 2016, however, many wondered whether the PlayStation Neo is indeed ready to debut this year, especially since the PS4 is still riding the high tide. Would the PS Neo cut the PS4's success short if it launches this year?
In a new interview with Gameswelt, Sony Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida assures that's not the case. The PlayStation Neo will hit the scene later this year, but it will not shorten the PS4's life span. It will come as an alternative, not a replacement.
"PS4 is PS4, you know the new high-end PS4 is still PS4, so you know the life cycle is not going to be shorter," says Toshida.
Simply put, having a newer, higher-end PlayStation console out and about should not affect PS4 owners, as the two consoles will coexist and complement each other.
Yoshida's comment came in response to a question about the life cycle of console generations, pondering whether a console's life span is now shorter if companies such as Sony and Microsoft unleash new hardware before the end of an existing device's life cycle.
Judging Yoshida's answer, PlayStation gamers will merely have another option. The PlayStation Neo will come at the high-end segment, offering superior hardware and performance at a higher price point, while the existing PS4 will continue to be available as a more affordable option, still powerful bot more toned-down compared to the new generation.
Consequently, PS4 owners can rest assured that their consoles are not reaching the end of their life cycle just yet. Those who decide to upgrade will do so because they want the latest and greatest, not because their existing console suddenly becomes worthless once the new generation comes out.
Lastly, Yoshida's comments regarding Microsoft's E3 announcements are also worthy of note. While Sony decided to keep its PlayStation Neo under wraps and focus on other things at E3, Microsoft announced the first official details regarding Project Scorpio at the conference.
"I was surprised," says Yoshida, referring to Microsoft's Project Scorpio announcement at E3. "I was not expecting them to talk about [it]. It's very very super interesting what they are doing."
It's interesting indeed, and we're looking forward to seeing the future of console gaming as Microsoft and Sony unleash their latest hardware. We'll keep you posted as soon as more details hit the surface, so stay tuned.
