Report: Sony working on updated PS4

According to a Kotaku story, Sony is working on a new version of PlayStation 4.

The new machine will reportedly boast increased graphical power and will allow for games to run at a resolution of 4K.

The rumour comes out of GDC, with Kotaku citing developer sources.

The new machine’s improved GPU is not just for 4K reasons, it will also allow the machine to better support Sony’s push into virtual reality.

The current PlayStation can already run videos and photos at 4K (which is four times the size of the current 1080p resolution), but not video games. If the new PS4 is real, it should allow the console to keep up-to-date with the PC sector, which is already ploughing ahead of the current generation of machines.

No other information is known about the machine, including whether it will launch this year, or if there is an update offer for current PS4 owners (of which total almost 40m).

Upgraded games consoles are a tricky business and it is unlikely that many developers will build games specifically for the higher-end versions – if they did that, they would be discounting the existing huge install base that the PS4 has amassed.

Take for example the New 3DS. The device launched in February last year, and the vast majority of games released since then have been playable on all 3DS devices – because to do otherwise would limit the potential audience for the game.

Xbox’s Phil Spencer has also suggested Xbox One may receive some form of update in the future to better compete with the PC space.