Many Sony fans have been ever-so curious as to what we can expect from the next iteration of the PlayStation brand. While presumably named the PlayStation 5, an official announcement has yet to arise from Sony. However, in a recent exclusive interview from Wired, we have gotten some confirmed details regarding the next gen PlayStation console from the console’s lead architect, Mark Cerny.
The interview covers plenty of exciting hardware details on the next PlayStation system. And for those worried that the “PS5” will simply be a mere upgrade as opposed to a fully realized leap in gaming should rest easy, as Cerny states, “whether the console adds another layer to the sorts of experiences you already have access to, or if it allows for fundamental changes in what a game can be.”
He goes on to detail that new next Sony hardware will include major upgrades to the PS4 architecture, such as the new custom AMD Ryzen 8-core 7nm Zen2, ray tracing enabled GPU and new 3D audio that looks to bring a new auditory experience in the next generation.
“If you wanted to run tests to see if the player can hear certain audio sources or if the enemies can hear the players’ footsteps, ray tracing is useful for that(…)It’s all the same thing as taking a ray through the environment.
It’s been a little bit of a frustration that audio did not change too much between PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. With the next console the dream is to show how dramatically different the audio experience can be when we apply significant amounts of hardware horsepower to it.” – Mark Cerny
On topic of audio, the interview drifts towards PSVR speak, allowing Cerny to detail that the current gen of PS4 compatible VR hardware will work on the next console, and “VR is very important to us”.
Perhaps the most tantalizing detail revealed about the next gen PlayStation console is the inclusion of the solid-state hard drive (SSD). Allowing for incredibly fast load times and much quicker rendering speeds, Cerny looks at this implementation as the real “game changer” for next gen.
In a preview demo showcasing the difference in load times between the PS4 Pro and a dev kit for the next gen PlayStation console (can we just say PS5 already?), Marvel’s Spider-Man is on display. When using the fast-travel feature, the load time is said to go on for about 15 seconds, while in the next gen dev kit it takes less than one second – .08 seconds. Cerny also displays the speed a camera can move within the game, as the next gen speed is compared to that of a “fighter jet”.
This is all pretty exciting details regarding what Sony fans will see in the next year or two. However, Cerny did go out of his way to exclaim that we won’t be seeing the next console releasing anytime in 2019. And for those worried about whether or not their PS4 library will go ignored on Sony’s next console, details of the next PlayStation hardware being backwards compatible (at least, for PS4 games) have been confirmed. There’s also some extremely light talk about Sony branching more into cloud-gaming, as well as confirmation that the next console still supporting physical media.
As for now, these are the biggest details the industry has on what Sony is planning with the next gen. While we may not be seeing the gaming giant at this year’s E3, it’s comforting to know that Sony is well-underway with their next in-line PlayStation console.
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Source: Wired
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