As quietly as possible, PlayStation has been planning their mid-generation console upgrade, codenamed Neo (also referred to as the PlayStation 4K or the PlayStation 4.5). While Microsoft attempted to get ahead of the curve by announcing their high-tech new console – codenamed Scorpio – at 2016’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Sony decided to hold off on making their announcement, rather concentrating on their other piece of upcoming hardware, PlayStation VR.
The PlayStation Neo is rumored to include 4K features such as video playback and is speculated to display even more impressive gaming graphics (most likely upscaled to 4K resolution). Additionally, the Neo is reportedly the optimized hardware for running the aforementioned PlayStation VR. That said, the upgraded console is not required in order to utilize the VR headset. However, this is all still hearsay and speculation at the moment; the only thing that Sony has confirmed is that the Neo is, in fact, real and currently in development. The first actual news could be on its way soon, as reports suggest a full reveal coming in mere weeks.
Gameblog and Vice Gaming are reporting that Sony will be holding a “technical showcase” in New York, featuring the PlayStation 4 mid-generation upgrade, Neo, on September 7. This report arrived via IGN who claim anonymous sources informed the two websites of the official unveiling.
In addition to the reveal, Vice Gaming also reports that final PlayStation Neo development kits will be distributed at around the same time. None of this information has been officially corroborated but given the heavily rumored story of an unveiling supposedly taking place next month, this timeline does appear to line up.
The PlayStation Neo is a tricky console to pinpoint considering the myriad rumors surrounding the hardware and the surprising lack of any hard facts. As stated previously, the only thing gamers know for sure is that the Neo is in development at Sony; everything else is more or less up in the air. It was originally rumored that the console would be debuting this fall ahead of the Christmas shopping season, but considering the console has yet to be revealed, meeting that rumored release date may be unlikely.
As alluded to earlier, Sony’s direct competitor Microsoft has already officially announced their upcoming mid-generation upgrade – although it was simply a promotional video rather than a full unveiling – so it makes sense that the Japanese gaming giant would not want to fall behind. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is, so far, dominating the console war, outselling its competitors handily, but it is unlikely that the company will rest on its laurels moving forward.
Sony has yet to comment concerning these reports, but we will make sure to update you when more information is available.
The PlayStation Neo is currently without a release date.
