Going by newer rumours and statements, it seems increasingly likely that the PS4 and Xbox One will soon be going for an update strategy not unlike how Nintendo updated the 3DS to the “New Nintendo 3DS”. If the rumour mill is to be believed, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 could also see ‘refreshed’ versions before the console generation is out.
Kantan Games analyst Serkan Toto told GamesBeat that he thinks that consoles could soon be updated in a manner more like the iPhone, and that updating the hardware for the Xbox One would serve as de-risking in the context of losing to the PS4. Newzoo analyst Peter Warman believes that an intermediate new version might be necessary: “With all the streaming, esports, and VR activities in the works — the current hardware setup might not be ideal … An intermediate new version is needed to optimize performance for this new era of games and video convergence.”
R. W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian points out that the difference between a PS4 and a hypothetical PS4.5 might lie purely in performance, as it might be challenging to ask developers to make two versions of their games. Other analysts, such as Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities and Joost van Dreunen from SuperData Research remained sceptical regarding the possibility of a PS4.5.
What do you think? Will we see improved versions of Xbox One and PS4 hardware before the generation is out? Let us know in the comments below.