Sony (NASDAQ: SNE) is reportedly planning an upgrade console dubbed as the PlayStation 4 NEO, or the PlayStation 4.5, which will be more powerful than its predecessor. A Sony executive may have even hinted at its existence.
While PC gamers can readily upgrade their gaming rigs, console gamers usually have to wait several years before a major upgrade. In this case, Sony could be launching an upgraded version of their PlayStation 4 called the PS4 NEO, or the PlayStation 4.5.
There have been earlier reports suggesting that the PS4 NEO would be able to run standard PS4 games better with more stable framerates. However, Sony might be requiring game developers to make two sets of their games: one for the NEO and one or the standard PS4.
Details are not quite clear yet, but one thing is for sure. There will be no PS4 NEO-exclusive games so that it would still be fair for the owners of the original PlayStation 4, Gameranx reported.
There has been no official announcement from Sony yet. However, one executive seems to have hinted that the console might already be in the works.
Philippe Cardon, a vice president for Southern Europe's Sony Computer Entertainment, told French publication Challenges that the company is thinking of an update for the current PlayStation 4. He added that research and development teams from Sony are already "working on improvements."
However, Cardon did not provide any more information on the matter. Confidentiality regarding upcoming projects is just normal for big companies such as Sony.
The PS4 NEO, or the PlayStation 4.5, would be a nice addition to Sony's line of products. It could even provide a better virtual reality experience than the PS4 with the upcoming PlayStation VR headset.
Sony needs to innovate more with their hardware products as they continue to experience declining numbers in their revenue. Their PS4 shipments during the previous fiscal quarter was their slowest ever, Venture Beat reported.
It has been several years before the video game company giants have released major game consoles such as the Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Xbox One and Nintendo's Wii U, which has lagged far behind other consoles. The PS4 NEO is not a new console but just an upgrade over the current PlayStation 4.