A changelog for PS4 audio middleware reveals that the latest update for Sony's powerhouse console will give developers more to work with.
The information surfaced sometime Friday night, when a user on the Beyond3D forum noted a message within the changelog that stated Sony was allowing access to a "newly unlocked 7th core" within the PS4. The PS4 had previously been much more focused on GPU power rather than CPU, a focus that limited the performance of a number of its cross-platform titles and gave a distinct edge to the Xbox One in that regard, one of the few advantages the Xbox One had over the PS4's hardware specs.
Of course, Sony's decision to unlock an extra core might be related to the increased competition between the Xbox One and PS4 going into the holiday season. Microsoft announced earlier this year they had unlocked the seventh core on the Xbox One, and it seems Sony is following suit just in time for the most important sales season in the video game industry.
Just how much power the unlocked seventh core will offer PS4 developers remains to be seen, as current data seems to indicate the core will split its processing power between the PS4's operating system and whichever game the console is currently running. Furthermore, all of the current best PS4 exclusives that have been released up until this point won't have default access to the new core, which means they won't see any retroactive benefits from the change.
Although Sony has yet to comment on the change within their console themselves, the process seems all but confirmed from a technological standpoint, and developers can look forward to a bit more flexibility in producing games on the PS4 as a result. If Sony's focus on GPU processing power was a hindrance to developers, however, it certainly didn't hurt the company's games lineup or sales - a market research group confirmed earlier this weekend that the PS4 outsold the Xbox One and the Wii U on Black Friday, solidifying its stance as the current king of the consoles.
While it remains to be seen just how much more developers will be able to do with the unlocked core, gamers have to be pleased with the way Microsoft and Sony have prioritized catering towards developers. The easier it is for developing teams to work on a game, the better the finished product becomes. Is it too much to hope these changes might also reduce the number of high-profile games broken at launch?
Does tech news regarding consoles get you excited about the future? Do you think the success of a console is directly tied into which one developers enjoy working with the most? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Beyond3D Forum (via Eurogamer)