PS5 – Expecting the Unexpected

Review by John “JW55” Wilkie

This is my 1 st article I have ever written. Having been an avid gamer for 30years I have always enjoyed the hardware just as much as the software. Starting with the BBC Master and The Amstrad word processor 386 I have been going through consoles with every generation, enjoying most but avoiding the pointless “fanboy wars” which in my opinion is weakening the industry at the present time (but that’s hopefully a discussion in another article). So let’s talk the PS5… The PS5 has not been announced yet but the hype train has left the station and the BIG thing is… THE PATENT. This has so many rumours going about it that the conversations are getting wilder and wilder. Sony file patents all of the time from controllers to hardware. It does not mean they are going to be used right now or even ever. So the patent itself, without breaking down all of the technical aspects suggests that there is a shift towards embracing full backwards compatibility for all previous systems. This is a new technology but if we are going to talk likelihood we need to ask where the additional revenue is for Sony? Nothing in this world is for free even nostalgia of great days past when we would be in our bedrooms not caring about bills.

Sure it would revitalize their back catalogue somewhat but there is no real financial benefit there and Sony are not going to say aww let’s give them this for free, they are simply not that generous. The Xbox manages it by the system recognizing the disc and then a digital version of the game is downloaded SO where is the money? Well, this leads me into the body of my article and I would like to talk about 2 not really discussed updates we have had very recently….. First is the PS+ cloud update which arose in February 2019. The old cloud that we gained through PS+ gave us a free cloud of 10GB. So if we do the math and say 1 game save is 100MB which is high-end AAA save, you would be able to save 100 game saves…far more than you would have going at one point. This has now been increased to 100GB which gives a high-end average of 1000 Game saves?! Even if the PS5 game saves are tripled that still gives a mass amount of saved games at one time more than a sole individual could handle.

Secondly is the abruptness of the PS3 PS+ support and the physical death of the PS Vita with hardware officially ceasing production and physical games ceasing production of at the start and end of this month respectively sure it wasn’t secret but it was certainly stealthy that would have made Solid Snake proud. We have killed the PS Vita, PS3+ and massively increased online storage capacity significantly quickly and quietly at the very end of the financial year. So what does this mean….? I love a good debate but here is what I predict:  PS+/ PS NOW REVAMP This will increase significantly in price. A potential merging of the both and a price hike to the service allowing games of old to be downloaded at any time and kept as long as you are a subscription member.

My basis for this is any backwards compatibility would render the PS NOW more mute that it ever has been so why not monopolise this with a sleight of hand force and included into the online subscription service which then gives the backwards compatibility.  PS5 Console will not be moving to interchangeable parts and be the “last ever” PlayStation…we are close but we are simply not there yet. True updating graphics cards etc using plugin “bricks” for the technophobes would be possible the issue lies in the cooling system, you would simply not be able to keep it cool enough and would end up adding so many fans I can’t see it working as a concept, My brothers rig currently runs 7 fans to keep the CPU cool.  Physical / Digital Hybrid? This is one of my out their thoughts but it’s based loosely on fact.

A rumour of a filed patent for cartridges was in some forums a few months ago and whereas I don’t see this happening because of the cheap expense of producing CDs…I could envisage a hybrid or a PS Prius with the Discs becoming nothing more than Boot keys to launch a digital title. It’s unlikely but it ’s not impossible.​

The announcement, I am sure that I am at disagreement with the Stoffel Presents on this one but I think the announcement is going to be October of this year. 2 Significant world events give it good platform in Japan at this time… The Formula 1 is running in the second week of October and they are also hosting the Rugby World Cup at this time, and although not the biggest expo it is also EGX week and it is being held in London and in America not as big events but that weekend is the Chicago Marathon and Columbus day so there is a good launch platform there.

Ok that’s the end of my article. I Welcome all forms of debate and conversation but keep it factual and not insulting and we can argue to the ends of the earth. Take it easy….

Badger

Life long gamer and Geek, Considered by most to be of doubtable sanity. never seen without my trusty Stetson

See author's posts