The current generation of consoles, especially the pro versions, pushed the envelope for the gaming industry. They've been doing it all from gaming in 4k to virtual reality. But that was last year. We have new kids arriving on the block and we’re excited to get to know them.
Did you notice how I avoided using PlayStation 5 in the title?
That’s on purpose because executives are playing coy about the name of the new console they’re developing. On interviews, they just refer to it as next-gen; never as PlayStation 5.
This may just be for suspense. And if they're wondering if it's working then they should wonder no more. It works. We're all still waiting on what the new console is going to be called.
Before they officially release the name, however, let me call it the PlayStation 5 – PS5 for short.
Photographic leaks are already all over the place so the announcement of the next-gen PS5 should just be around the corner. As of now, however, we’re left to speculate as to what it would have to offer in terms of software and hardware.
Beefy Hardware
When it comes to console gaming, it wouldn’t be an upgrade if it doesn’t have at least some hardware improvements. On this end, we got the gaming-centric Ryzen chips - rumour has it that it's going to be the engine that runs the entire system. It's going to come in tandem with a custom AMD Radeon Navi based GPU.
This multi-threaded monster of a GPU and CPU combo is needed to power the new software features. 8K support and 3D audio are both rumoured features in the next-generation console that are taxing to the processor.
SSD Storage, Finally!
One of the biggest upgrades to the PS5 is that they’re finally going to use SSD storage. For a lot of console gamers, it’s about time that gaming consoles did this. They’re slowly getting left in the dust of PC gamers in terms of speed.
Not only will this decrease load time, but it’ll also help with stability. For fast-paced games like Spiderman on PS4, the beautiful New York City landscape takes a while to render. For eagle-eyed gamers, the frames loading can be noticeable. Having an SSD would make it a lot faster if you’re swinging across New York City no matter how fast you're going.
This extra speed was evident in the visionaries that swapped their HDDs for SSDs for their PS4. Playing Spiderman on their consoles showed improvement. But, with SSDs coming in as a standard instead of a clever upgrade, developers can rest assured that they can craft fast games that are both stable and beautiful.
Cross-Generational Compatibility
The PS4 disappointed some fans by not being backwards compatible. Coming from the PS3 that was backward compatible with PS2 games, this was an unexpected feature drop.
Backwards compatibility is reportedly going to be brought back as a feature on the PlayStation 5 much to the elation of avid fans. This means you’ll still be able to put your PS4 into optical disk bay on the new console and play it like normal.
This means you can upgrade your console upon the release of the next-generation console. You're not going to need to keep your current-gen consoles just because there are games there that you still haven't finished.
There are even some whispers that this feature could go as far back as the OG PlayStation. So, if you’ve been itching to play the original Final Fantasy VII again, this may be the console to buy. If this one is true, then you’d better be prepared for a real nostalgia-inducing gaming session.
There’s an additional benefit to playing PS4 games on next gen’s hardware. The discrepancy in raw processing power can help PS4 games run with better stability. The addition of an SSD should also cut load times. These improvements should bring the overall experience up a tiny notch.
Optical Discs Taking a Back Seat
The age of optical discs may be close to an end. We’re getting reports that the giant SSD looks to be the main game software location instead of an optical disk.
There are two main reasons for this. First one is because of the popularity of digital downloads. The second reason is the looming mainstreaming of game streaming services.
Part of the reason Sony decided to go for the pricier SSD is that they believe that digital downloads are the wave of the future. Optical disks, therefore, are taking a back seat. While there’s still going to be a dedicated optical disk bay, Sony looks to focus its efforts on the onboard storage going forward.
This could also be chalked up to the fact that Sony is also looking to get onto the game streaming trend. The Netflix effect is in full swing in various industries and it’s slowly eating its way into the gaming community too.
Google and Nvidia have already hopped on to this with their Stadia and GeForce Now. Microsoft is also looking to join in at a later date.
This sudden influx of on-demand Game streaming services can give these gaming consoles a huge hit in market share. Luckily, Sony has already gotten in on the trend with PlayStation Now. However, they're focused only on PlayStation exclusives as of the time of writing. Maybe with the launch of the PS5, they're also going to introduce enhancements to their streaming service.
120Hz? Yes, Please
Another rumoured ambitious new feature is 120Hz display support albeit limited to 4K gaming. This is something that PC gamers have always enjoyed as console-gamers looked on longingly with jealousy.
If the PlayStation 5 does indeed come with support for this kind of technology, then you better expect an influx of more players of first-person shooters and other fast-paced competitive games.
This might also help players who tend to play games for longer stretches as the quick refresh rate makes staring at screens much easier on the eyes.
