PS4 Neo Release Date: All The Need-To-Know Facts, Why It Might Give Xbox One S A Run For Its Money

It’s been some time since a new PlayStation console has hit the market, but Sony has spent that time wisely. The PS4’s creators recently introduced the PlayStation Plus subscription service, an Xbox Live competitor that offers Sony fans free games every month for one flat subscription fee. Now, word is that the PS4 Neo’s release date is around the corner, so is it worth all the hype the PS4 Neo has been getting? Let’s take a look.

Backwards Compatibility Is A Must These Days

TechInsider found that all of the games from PS4 proper will work on the new console. This isn’t exactly surprising in a world where competitors like Nintendo and Microsoft are doing the same thing with their new consoles, but it’s still a useful thing to have. Backwards compatibility means you won’t have to toss your old games and don’t necessarily need to shell out a lot of money for new ones, either. Well-played, Playstation.

Get Real With Virtual Reality And 4K Resolution

Your epic fantasies will be more epic! Your mystery games more mysterious! The Week.co.uk announced that the PS4 Neo will have the ability to use virtual reality in its games, as well as 4K resolution graphics if the owner has a 4K TV and/or virtual reality headset. This would let games “feel” more realistic than ever before, and give us all another reason not to exercise. Virtual Reality for games has been toyed around with a bit here and there by Google Cardboard, but Playstation’s idea of bringing VR to the video game screen is quite an awesome move.

Trusted Reviews announced that the new “PS4.5” will have nearly twice the processing power of the original PS4. This will hopefully mean games load faster, media streaming is smoother and more picturesque, and downloads from the Playstation Store can happen quicker than before. More processing power will let the PS4.5 do more while breaking less of a sweat.

Alright, So When Is This Thing Going To Be Released?

The Australian News Network said that Sony has been mute on a release date, but speculated we could see a PS4.5 by September 2016. That could either be good or bad news if you’re the owner of an older Playstation, but it seems the new Playstation will be welcomed with open arms by gamers. Just as Microsoft is doing with the Xbox One, Sony appears to be focusing on retooling its PS4 to make it vital to hardcore gamers, rather than introducing a new console altogether.

As EuroGamer.net found, the backwards compatibility of PS4 games with the Neo means the “new” console won’t have any games exclusive to its system. The good news is that you won’t have to wait in ridiculously long lines for absurdly high-priced games, but the bad news is that there aren’t any new titles for the PS 4.5. Now may be a good time to pull that old copy of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 out of the closet and dust it off.

Sony PS4 Neo vs. Xbox One S: Who Wins The Clash Of The Consoles?

While there might not be a clear winner just yet, Arstechnica found that the PS4 has sold 36 million units in its day, vs. the Xbox One’s 19 million. This doesn’t mean the Xbox One S can’t turn things around, and, in fact, it seems like Microsoft is hoping it will do just that. The new Xbox will feature a variety of cool features, not the least of which is near-seamless integration with Windows 10 via the Windows 10 Universal Platform. This means games hatched on a Windows 10 PC could, for instance, be played on an Xbox One S. So, who wins? Stay tuned.

[Image Via Jon Furniss/Invision for PS4/AP]