A couple of days ago, Sony announced the future release of the PlayStation 5
In an interview with Wired, chief architect behind the PS4, Mark Cerny revealed the major upgrades that are coming in the Sony’s next game console. From the advanced graphics capabilities to a more refined immersive VR experience, the new PlayStation appears to pack all of the long-awaited updates.
But, perhaps the most exciting feature may be the console’s backward compatibility.
Backward Compatibility on the PlayStation 5
Past PlayStations came with a new form of physical media. For example, we got the DVD during the PS2 era, and the PS3 came with Blu-Ray.
However, reports indicate that the PlayStation 5 will support the same titles as its predecessors, all the way back to the PS1. That means you don’t have to change your existing games when you buy the new console.
Is the PS5’s backward compatibility a good thing? Well, yes – and no.
On the one hand, since developers will find it easier to develop games for the console, it saves a lot of time and money. Also, consumers can conveniently upgrade their console whenever they choose, rather than being abruptly cut off from the latest games.
But, there’s a downside. Keeping the previous PlayStation games compatible on the upcoming console means users know exactly what to expect. As a result, it reduces the excitement of a possible generational leap.
In the age of Google’s Stadia, where gaming magic happens on a server rack, the PS5’s backward compatibility news proves that Sony is still trying to hang on to disc-based games.
Aside from the apparent graphics upgrade, the new console is also expected to support 8k resolution games and launch with a wireless VR headset.
Price and Release Date
According to Cerny, Sony has no intention of releasing the PlayStation 5 this year.
While this is a piece of sad news for gamers, the release date is not entirely unexpected. Several analysts already made a similar prediction in the past
Speaking to Inverse, Research director for consumer devices at GlobalData, Avi Greengart said;
“Microsoft could very well beat Sony to market in 2020 by launching the next Xbox in the Spring of 2020 rather than November, just ahead of the holidays.”
While the PS5 will exceed the capabilities of its predecessor, the upgrade is also expected to come with a slight price bump.
Based on previous pricing strategy, consumers may have to pay around $499 for the upcoming console.
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