During today's PlayStation Meeting, Sony reveals that the new PlayStation 4 Pro will not support 4K Blu-Ray playback, a surprising revelation considering the console's 4K appeals.
After Microsoft announced the Xbox One S and Project Scorpio this summer at E3, gamers have been waiting anxiously for Sony’s response. Today, during a special PlayStation Meeting, Sony announced the new PlayStation 4 Pro, an upgraded, more powerful PlayStation 4. However, while the console may be more powerful, the device formerly known as PlayStation Neo is noticeably without a few upgrades many gamers assumed would come standard.
The biggest omission with the new PS4 Pro is 4K Blu-ray support. In fact, during the press conference, Sony never even touched on the topic of the Blu-ray player within the new console, which is set to launch in November. Many attendees were hoping the console would still contain a 4K resolution player even though it wasn’t discussed in the presentation, but it seems the exclusion has since been confirmed.
What makes this decision even more baffling is the fact that Sony is also touting the new PlayStation 4 Slim, a thinner, sleeker version of the PlayStation 4. The new Slim will also lack 4K Blu-ray capabilities, but that is not as surprising.
Why the new upgraded PS4 Pro system wouldn’t include 4K Blu-ray playback is truly confusing. The new rig is obviously Sony’s response to the Xbox One S, but at $399, gamers may not be swayed to purchase the newest PlayStation device. Granted, Sony seems to feel gamers are more concerned with the gaming aspect of the device and not the physical Blu-ray player, but the omission is still disappointing.
That said, Sony did announce new Netflix and YouTube apps will launch for the device that will allow owners to stream video in 4K. Additionally, the PS4 Pro will support 4K gaming, likely through digitally downloaded games. PS4 Pro will support HDR gaming, and the manufacturer also plans to bring HDR support to the current line of PlayStation 4 devices.
The biggest test for the new PS4 Pro will be the upcoming holiday buying season. With the Xbox One S offering 4K gaming, 4K video streaming, and 4K Blu-ray capabilities, all at a $299 price point, the PS4 Pro may be a tough sell for many gamers. It seems Sony is confident in their new device, as well as the strong lineup of exclusive games set to release in the next few months.
It’ll be interesting to see how the newly upgraded console war shapes up over the next few months and if Sony decides to generate an even more upgraded console to take on Microsoft’s Project Scorpio. If the PS4 Pro struggles this fall and winter, Sony’s dominance of the console battle may come to a quick end in 2017.
What do you think about the PS4 Pro omitting a 4K Blu-ray player? Is it an issue for the console, or does it not matter?
The PlayStation 4 Pro will launch November 10, 2016.
Source: StuffTV