Sony Explains Reason for the PlayStation Neo

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The PlayStation Neo has been a source of contention among players ever since rumors of it first emerged. The idea of an upgraded console worries people who think it could either shorten the traditional console life cycles or make gaming experiences on the basic PlayStation 4 models inferior.

At E3 2016, Sony’s president and CEO Andrew House spoke with The Guardian about the rationale behind the upcoming new PlayStation 4 model.

They don’t intend this to end the current console generation, because the Neo will co-exist with the basic PS4. However, the success of smartphones made them wonder if there was room within a console’s life cycle to offer upgrades and improvements for players who want them.

He went on to explain that from what they’ve seen in the past, players “who want the finest graphical performance” do not stick with a console through its entire cycle. Instead, they leave the console behind and switch to powerful PCs.

The PlayStation Neo, by presenting a high-powered console experience, is intended to keep such players interested in the PlayStation 4 family.

House also mentioned the system’s potential appeal to people with 4K televisions, because “there’s something interesting about games being able to fill that gap and offer that experience.”

Sony isn’t the only company to make such a decision. At its E3 press conference, Microsoft announced Project Scorpio, a powerful upgrade from the Xbox One due out in 2017.

Many people were surprised Sony let E3 pass without showing the PlayStation Neo, especially when the Scorpio was announced. However, due to changes in what consumers expect, House feels it’s better to wait until the Neo’s release date is closer.

Sony only confirmed the Neo’s existence ahead of time, along with a statement that it wouldn’t be at E3, so fans wouldn’t go to E3 expecting news. They do not intend to show the PlayStation Neo until they have enough features ready to show players its benefits.

Do you think the PlayStation Neo will keep high-end players interested in the PlayStation 4 like Sony hopes? How do you feel about their decision not to show it at E3?