STACK #145 Nov 2016

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GAMES FEATURE

This month, Sony introduces the PlayStation 4 Pro – a console designed for gamers seeking the best experience that current technology has to offer. Words Paul Jones GO PRO

Range (HDR) compatible TVs, was the prime motivator behind the conception of the Pro. “If you look at the innovations like 4K and HDR, we’re just delivering an enhanced version of PlayStation so that people can utilise and maximise their investment in a 4K TV,” explains Ephraim. “4K is definitely going to be a standard – unlike 3D that didn’t really work – and people can see the benefit of 4K and HDR. We want to ensure that PlayStation is up to date for people that want the enhanced experience, but the standard PlayStation does everything the Pro does as well. It plays all the same games it plays with VR.” And that’s an Everything you play on the PS4, you can play on the Pro. With more processing power and increased speeds, the Pro will deliver a better looking and an overall smoother experience. “Every PS4 game will play on a standard PS4 and a PlayStation 4 Pro,” confirms Director of Marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, Patrick Lagana. “If you’ve got a PlayStation 4 Pro you’ll get the added benefits that it offers. There’s lots of other things that developers can use that horsepower on to enhance the overall game. It will always be the same disc that consumers buy that will go into both consoles.” With the introduction of the PlayStation 4 Pro, can gamers expect to see updated hardware now dropping every three years from Sony? “I don’t think so,” says Michael Ephraim. “I don’t know if this sets a cadence that’s going to happen all the time. “4K is a new technology innovation that impacts how people enjoy entertainment, and PlayStation Pro has come out to deliver a high-end experience because of the technology around it.” important component to the introduction of PlayStation 4 Pro: gamers won’t have to fork out for exclusive games for the console.

t wasn't that long ago that video game industry analysts were prophesying the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would be the final traditional console offerings from Sony and Microsoft. Trend forecasting is a tricky business. To be fair, before leaks surfaced at the beginning of 2016 confirming the existence of a new PlayStation, few outside of the furtive inner circle at Sony would have forseen a new hardware release just three years after its most recent console cycle. For PlayStation, every six years or so has been the new hardware announcement modus operandi for the last four generations. With PS3, the implementation of online firmware updates incrementally upgraded the system’s functionality, but there were

model that is more affordable." There’s little doubt that 4K technology is finally starting to gain traction and penetrate the market. Affordability is now at a level that will encourage consumers to upgrade their dated equipment and migrate to the format. According to Ephraim, Australia is already ahead of the curve on adoption compared to Europe. The introduction of 4K, together with High Dynamic

limitations. For the contemporary consumer, however, the need for quicker, smarter and more innovative technology has never been greater. Aligning console hardware with the cyclical frequency of the smartphone business shouldn't come as a great surprise, and the launch of PlayStation 4 Pro appears to be a logical progression. Of course, the Pro isn’t a new console but an enhanced model of the existing PS4. It's designed to cater for gamers who are looking for an improved gaming experience and want to take full advantage of the tech now available to them. “It’s about giving the gamers choice,” says Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment ANZ Michael Ephraim, who we caught up with in Sydney recently. “You’ve got higher end gamers that want more of the latest and greatest. It is something very different, but we think it’s the right time to do that – if you want a high-end spec machine you’ve got it, or you’ve got the base

NOVEMBER 2016

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