Was the PS4 Pro a good idea?

#1

This topic might be a bit too soon but I am interested to hear your thoughts on this.

It seems that the PS4 Pro is bringing more issues than solutions. It seems like a great idea to bring power for the tech fans who want that. But the cons appear to be more than the pros:

  1. Lots of PS4 games are not designed with Pro in mind. Some of them need updates to make them run on par with the OG PS4. This might change in the future but there doesn’t seem to be any benefits for the devs to invest heavily in this. It’s more work to add options for what appears to be a niche group.
  2. PS4 Pro seems to add more confusion to the PS ecosystem. Some say that this is what Sony wants to do from now on. Bringing different versions before the next generation. What if Sony comes with the PS5 soonish? I feel like the Apple model might not work so well with consoles unless the next generation takes longer than usual. Gaming is a heavier investment for entertainment only.

I’m not sure if the Pro is considered a success and selling a lot currently?

#2

It definitely seems like it’s too early to tell just yet. All I know right now is that I have no plans to buy a Pro.

#3

It might be a good move to counter the Scorpio and get more publicity about the brand in general. It also makes the slim model look cheap by comparison.

Time will tell. I don’t think it’s selling that well at the moment. I’ll get one if my launch PS4 doesn’t last.

#4

No, because I have no desire to spend a whole lot of money on a 4k tv and a PS4 Pro for a mid-sized bump in specs. Perhaps if this were for the PS5, and the jump in specs was massive, then I would certainly transition to the PS5. I suspect most others have a similar mindset as mine, that they are existing PS4 owners, and would rather enjoy the games coming out on their current consoles, not wanting to spend a lot of money unnecessarily in order to play PS4 games. But I also think that a lot of people are still going back and catching up to games from PS2 and PS3, so there is plenty of backlog on their plates to satisfy them for a long time, arguably indefinitely.

#5

Alot of people catching up on PS3? Maybe. PS2? No.

#6

It’s become a lot more… disorganised and confusing than I thought they’d allow it to be.

At least when I upgrade my PC hardware I know it’s going to have some effect. Here, you need a chart to know whether your games will take advantage and then the devs will suddenly change or completely remove features which sets a really fucking bad precedent.

#7

It just doesn’t make much sense. It isn’t a clear upgrade path. It isn’t guaranteed to be better in every case. It doesn’t have a 4k BR drive.

If MS learns anything from this, is to position the Scorpion as a clear upgrade and why it is an upgrade. Even if that means making is less flexible. For instance it supports 4k with current graphics fidelity (or somewhat better) or stable 1080p at 30 or 60 fps depending on if the game developers want to sacrifice quality for speed. Don’t let developers pick and choose what they can support, make it restrictive so that consumer can understand how it is better.

The Pro doesn’t seem like a bad piece of hardware, it is just hard to see why it exists the way Sony is presenting it. I think we as consumers assume companies like Sony know what they are doing, but they (like almost all companies) are grasping at straws hoping something will succeed. Some companies are better are making those attempts look calculated.

#8

Thank you for the replies everyone. I’m surprised how everyone is in agreement (ie mostly negative and confused). It’s going to be very interesting to follow its performance and make conclusions.

If things remains the same, I fear that Microsoft might have a harder time. If the successful PS4 couldn’t do it, how can it be a succes with the Scorpion? I can only see it happening if Microsoft can raise excitement with heavy marketing.

#9

At least the PS4 has a lot of worthwhile console-exclusive games to play. PS4 Pro is a perk for those who want slightly better graphics. It doesn’t obstruct current PS4 owners in playing PS4 games. Microsoft has a tough sell for Scorpio, and a lack of strong first party games, and exclusive third party games. The recent cancellation of Scalebound reinforces the sentiment of Phil Spencer’s troubles with strengthening the Xbox One’s software portfolio.

#10

Wait a minute, are you saying that Scorpio games will be exclusive for the system? So it’s not like PS4 and PS4 Pro?

#11

Nah, I meant in general. Third party exclusives for both models. AFAIK, there won’t be any Scorpio-exclusive games.