Xbox One X is undoubtedly one of the biggest pieces of this years news. It's the console that Sony could very well see come crashing down upon their parade. The threat is inexcusably real and one that we could see take over in Microsoft's favor, but that doesn't go without saying that it could also be what pushes Sony on the verge of releasing a console sooner than later.
Earlier this year, Shawn Layden admitted that Sony isn't quite done. Instead, they've already been gearing up their next gen platform, but it was admittedly reported that it wouldn't be ready for quite some time. If you take what the Xbox One X is about to do, we already know that PlayStation 4 Pro won't be able to compete with the consoles native 4K gameplay.
While Microsoft has reportedly had a few struggles with games such as Killing Floor 2, we can already guess that Sony is going to react in some way, even if it means releasing one of their biggest upcoming exclusives right before the holiday season.
What if, however, that's not the case and they decide to announce the PlayStation 5, and metaphorically shoot themselves in the foot? That's the instance we're going to be taking a look at here in just a matter of seconds.
What is PlayStation Experience 2017? And When is It?
The biggest thing to know is the PlayStation Experience event is Sony's little private E3. It's an event where they get to have a chance to announce their own exclusive titles, some with, and some without support from third parties. It's where we got to see the original announcement for games like Capcom's unreleased title Deep Down during the PlayStation 4 reveal. We even got a glimpse of Days Gone and Horizon Zero Dawn. This year could very well be one of Sony's biggest.
Over the span of two days Sony will begin to unveil some of their most ambitious project - those days being December 9th and December 10th. There we could very well see several big things. The PlayStation Vita, however, probably won't be one of them. At the event we can guess that Sony will be announcing they will be pushing even harder into VR while also continuing to strive for dominance in the non-VR market. This is where the possibilities of an upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro and even the possibility of PlayStation 5 may occur, but don't consider the fact they will do so any time soon.
The news of either of the latter two could be rather bad news for Sony and could be the quick downhill slide the company doesn't want. I know you'll want to know why and that is exactly what we're about to take a look at.
An Upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro or PlayStation 5 This Early Will be Detrimental to Sony's Fanbase
With the Xbox One X already being more powerful in every aspect according to a breakdown by Trusted Reviews, we already know that Microsoft has decided to begin attempting to run ahead of Sony's PlayStation 4, and providing a transformative experience with 4K being their endgame goal. We already know both consoles are going to be racing for performance and stability.
Since performance and stability is some thing we know rather well, the PlayStation 4 Pro is undoubtedly leading the current race. Games like Horizon Zero Dawn and Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood have already shown that Sony is already beginning to cross the finish line for the current year. If the PlayStation 4 Pro doesn't exceed expectations in comparison to that of the Xbox One X, Sony may have to pull the trigger, and release another upgrade versus an all new generation something year or so.
Due to the fact Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro doesn't support UHD and Dolby Atmos, Sony may need to consider firmware upgrading or even allow a hardware attachment that makes this feature possible. The Xbox One X has been announced to be doing so natively without the need for any firmware or hardware upgrades. Because of this, it may be in Sony's best interest that they work on either hardware upgrades to do so, or if it's already in their hardware's capability to do so, Sony may have to consider an upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro with an incentive deal for those that already own the current PlayStation 4 Pro.
The worst case scenario is that Sony actually pulls the trigger and announces a PlayStation 5 that will launch in 2019. While this certainly would be the worst case scenario, it would give Sony an upper hand against Microsoft, but there will need to some features that are implemented for the console to even have a considerable chance in succeeding this early into the game. Those features include backwards compatibility with both PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and all digital titles from both PlayStation eras.
Additionally, Sony will need to consider allowing cross-platform play with their competitors platforms. Microsoft has already been rather open about doing so with Nintendo in regards to games such as Minecraft, Rocket League, and even future titles that both consoles could share. This very feature is something Sony has been adamant about not doing so due to safety concerns. Whatever those are, they are there, and from fan responses; they're not necessary.
Why Either Option Could Hurt Sony More Than Help Them
Sony has a lot riding on the PlayStation 4 family than ever before. Their current unreleased titles being the biggest ones. If I made a list? It would contain over a dozen games, but if you want to go by the big ones, fans are still waiting for Sony to release titles such as Day's Gone, Deep Down, God of War, Nex Machina, and Praey for the Gods.
With fans eagerly awaiting these titles, Sony has a lot riding on their console, and fans aren't ashamed of this ordeal. Because of this, a release of new consoles would be more detrimental than beneficial. With the PlayStation 4 Pro being under a year old, another midlife cycle upgraded would actually be damning for Sony in more ways than one. If they wanted to combat Microsoft's potentially growing success, they will need to buckle down, and lock down exclusive launches.
With Microsoft seeing a delay on one of their biggest titles, the ball is temporarily back in Sony's court, and they will need to show up with a massive blow this December. Their biggest blow could be announcing sequels and new IPs exclusively for the PlayStation 4 at this point in the consoles life. Sony's best move will be to continue releasing their high-quality titles with enhanced performance by the PlayStation 4 Pro. If that's not in their books? They may have their work cut out for them if Microsoft manages to pick up traction and come back into the console war.
What do you think? Do you think Sony will lose out to the Xbox One X or do you think it may be some time before another PlayStation console?
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