Speaking to the BBC, President and Global CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Andrew House, has explained why PS4K (aka PlayStation Neo) was not showcased during its E3 2016 press conference, despite the fact that it’s launch date is mere months away.
“Just as was the case with PlayStation VR, it’s important to show people the new hardware, the new platform when we’ve got the full range of experiences that can take advantage of it,” said House.
He then went on to suggest that the introduction of further iterations of the PlayStation hardware (with upgraded components) may be a strategy the company will continue to adopt between each main consoles life-cycle in the future. House was also careful to clarify that PS4K isn’t a replacement for PS4, but an optional extra for those who like their games ‘prettier’.
“The high-end PS4 codenamed Neo that we’re working on is an addition to the existing line-up, not a replacement,” he said.
“And perhaps we have an opportunity to move slightly away from just a static console that remains absolutely the same for a period of six, seven, eight years, and perhaps offer, in addition to the current PlayStation 4, something a little extra. Particularly – and I should stress this – in the area of graphical fidelity, and games that will essentially play an awful lot prettier.”
PS4K brings with it upgraded hardware specifications, which should improve the experience of PlayStation VR games and generally make PS4 games look better, providing you own a T.V. that can broadcast in 4K resolution.
A release date has yet to be confirmed, though PS4K is expected to launch later this year to coincide with the release of PlayStation VR in October.