In early 2016, rumors began to circulate that Sony was prepping an upgraded version of its PlayStation 4 console. The hardware was nowhere to be seen at the company’s software-centric E3 conference in June — but now materials have leaked to the web that seem to confirm the project’s existence.
A 42-page presentation on the souped-up PlayStation 4 is now available online, and it seems that this documentation might be the initial source of the leak. The “comprehensive” briefing lines up with previously reported hardware specs, according to a report from VG247.
It seems that despite being targeted towards owners of 4K monitors, the console, code-named “Neo,” will be able to provide some graphical improvements when used in conjunction with a standard HDTV. Improved visual fidelity and a higher frame-rate are among the advantages mentioned.
The document also gives some hints and tips to developers looking to optimize their games to be played at a 4K resolution, possible thanks to the added muscle of the new system. It’s clear that Sony is eager for developers to create games that make the new console seem like a worthwhile upgrade.
However, the “Neo” will not be the direct successor to the PlayStation 4. It seems that Sony is taking a similar plan of action to the one that Microsoft teased with its E3 reveal of Project Scorpio — the “Neo” will coexist with the standard PlayStation 4, at least for a while.
Unfortunately, the report doesn’t contain any clear-cut information about when Sony is planning to launch the retail version of the hardware, although it does give some indication as to when various prototype builds are expected. That said, it does state that PlayStation 4 games released after October 2016 should support both forms of the hardware, so the “Neo” seems likely to arrive in the early part of 2017, if not before.
