racketboy.com

https://www.wired.com/story/exclusive-s ... n-console/

-3rd gen AMD 8-core Ryzen CPU
-Radeon Navi GPU with ray tracing support
-custom unit for 3D audio (essentially virtual Dolby Atmos from the description)
-Backwards compatible with PS4 games and current PSVR headset
-SSD storage (PCIe probably)
-8K graphics support
-Not coming in 2019

This thing sounds like a beast. Best start saving now. I suspect it will be in the $500-$600 range at launch.

PS2 backward compatibility or it’s a no go.

Oh nice, now I can be two generations behind.

prfsnl_gmr wrote:PS2 backward compatibility or it’s a no go.

TBH pretty much where I am. Only other thing that could sway me is Capcom and Sega staying on their highs like they currently are. Could get those on PC, but Denuvo...

There is some speculation that the backwards compatibility patent Sony registered a few months ago is for more than just PS4 games. I haven't looked it over myself so I'm not sure how credible that is. Still, the PS3 had ok-ish PS2 software emulation. The hardware specs for the PS5 should be capable of some decent PS2 emulation.

I wouldn't rule out limited PS3 emulation either. The Xbox360 had a PowerPC CPU and the Xbox One can emulate it just fine so long as they tweak each game appropriately. The PS3 uses a Cell CPU which is a PowerPC CPU with some fancy coprocessing. PS3 emulation would certainly require the most work and Sony would probably have to do it on a game by game basis as Microsoft has done on with the Xbox One's backwards compatibility.

Backwards compatibility has been well received with the Xbox One so I think it would be short sighted of Microsoft to abandon it in their next console. If Microsoft continues with backwards compatibility (and I suspect they will), Sony may be compelled to expand their offerings in that area. If the PS5 could play a majority of the entire PlayStation 1-4 library in 4K with decent antialiasing, I'd pay $600 for that and I'd be camping out to get one on Day 1.

The Xbox One also has some support for older Xbox software baked into the chipset if I recall (texture formats and the like) that assist with emulation. It wasn't something they all of a sudden decided to tack on, but rather, something they were working to implement before the console even came out. It just got put on the backburner when they had to adjust things away from the always-online model.
Sony's moves in the same time have been more towards re-selling or streaming older generations. Presumably, the PS5 is going to use the same "platform" as the PS4, just with better specs. Like PS4 Pro, just a big enough jump that old games can scale up but new ones may not all scale down. Following that, if Sony actually has plans for MS-like backwards compatibility, they could start incorporating it sooner. Carrying over licenses from pre-PS4 PSN sales, etc...but it seems unlikely.

That said, to me, having these get more PC-like makes early upgrading potentially more appealing. Making any PS4 game I've yet to play better is a bigger benefit than a couple not-terrible launch titles.

I see what you are saying about BC bmoc, but I don't trust Sony to do that. While BC further back then PS4 would definitely sell me, I think they would have gone ahead and admitted they had it, unless they are holding out for the full reveal.

Wait, there's a PlayStation 4?

I can see full BC for PS4, maybe PS1-2. PS Now for PS3.

Price of PS5? 599.99 US dollars. For real.