In contrast to the the software side of the business, the hardware side usually remains pretty quiet. But really, they never sleep… except perhaps right after the launch of a new platform. But once they've gotten about 20 or 30 winks, it's right back to developing. Or so I hear (what? It's not like I am one). So it comes as little surprise that at this point, Sony may just have a plan in mind for where they would like to take the PlayStation brand for its next iteration. And as luck may have it, if the rumor is true, we could be privy to some of the details. Gaming Front Network has an exhaustive translation of a story originating from PC Watch in Japan. Here are a few interesting tidbits:
"The PS4 will also continue to utilize the existing CELL architecture, rather than launch something brand new. Bravo, says me, because forcing developers to effectively pick up and move from their established country to Timbuktu every half a decade is a surefire way to cripple launch cycles and leave "un-anointed" third-party developers out in the cold. What's more, a twice-powerful PS3 would almost certainly offer enough "oomph" to keep the plaudits coming from the hardcore faithful, while allowing Sony to more vigorously reach out to the Nintendo "casual" market with a steady stream of cheap-to-develop titles. The idea by 2011, presumably, would be to have a pinched and tweaked CELL SDK that absolutely purrs."
I'll be honest, this part has me a touch skeptical. "Timbuktu?" Perhaps the article is being cheeky, or the person speaking, or whoever. But it does follow the previous rumor of Sony getting the most out of their investment by continuing use of their Cell Processor into the next generation.
SCE, the current generation of game consoles, is struggling big pinch. Although the situation is being improved, the Nintendo Wii is the purpose behind the current generation of machines that carve up the market. Put in a huge investment, high costs and high prices put the PS3 in a predicament because, SCE's PLAYSTATION strategy, is being forced to change. The traditional game, "winning equation" because it would have been destroyed. So far, the war game had some theories. The competition for high performance on the high initial investment has been favorable to expanding the user下GERE selling prices and higher prices in the first layer with time and casual gamers to the hard-core gamer with a high-performance引KITSUKERE spread, and a graphic. However, Wii's success, he is now a question mark to such theories. Wii because of the success of the performance that put the price by reducing the cost of investment and venture closer to his new proposals on how to play the content MANMASHININTAFEISU, from the first KAJUARUGEMA intuitive interface and low price and that the target layer. Wii or later, if that's turned the game if the rules of war, SCE must seek to lower development costs and production costs. The strategy will be aimed at立TENAKERE casual layer. The SCE, PS4 If you are trying to lower the cost of hardware, it is estimated that such a background. In addition, SCE itself, unlike the era Hisashi夛良Thursday, difficult to plan for high-risk, potentially low-flow and investment plans.
I think what they're basically saying is that the Wii has proven that just because you dump a ton of money into graphics and horsepower, doesn't mean you're going to win the race.
The Cell BE-based SCE, and other reasons, will release time. Generation now, incremental improvements are possible because of hardware and software, hardware generation change was considered a long span. However, the current SCE suggests that the movement, SCE that have similar plans in the span of the development of traditional and next-generation machine. SCE is the one that preceded Microsoft's Xbox 360, was leading. Microsoft, when the original Xbox, SCE despite Did you make your best development environment, but failed in the delay. The Xbox was released a development kit is a major GEMUDEBEROPPA PS2 had already been made in the game engine. So, Xbox 360 offers a proposition that the PS3 ahead of the success to take the lead in many areas of the world market. Currently, Xbox 360 is being caught up with the PS3, I could make a significant market base. If you apply the lessons of the Xbox 360, SCE will have to invest ahead of the next car. The game is to start shipping products from the actual chip development for at least three years, four years is usually required. For example, SCE is attempting to launch in the year 2011 if a plan is quite urgent. The best way to fast development is to improve the existing architecture.
And I basically think this one is saying that 360 is whomping them because they got to market first, but if they continue with the Cell, they can be more prompt and not let the competition get such a leg up on them. You can find the rest of the rough translation at the Gaming Front Network, and if anything else pops out at you, feel free to let us know in the comments.
