On the eve of both Kanye's YEEZY Season 4 and Apple's latest iPhone launch event, it's easy to forget that Sony is hosting its big Playstation conference tomorrow. But you shouldn't. Brand new console launches aside, the event promises to be as exciting as it comes for the gaming world.
Sony has said very little, only that it will provide “an update on the PlayStation business and PS4,” but it’s widely expected to announce two new versions of the PS4. Like Microsoft did with its own Xbox One at E3 earlier this year, there's expected to be a slimmed-down variant of the current console, followed by a preview of a much bigger update.
Highsnobiety will be reporting on the event tomorrow, including any additonal tricks and surprises Sony still has up its sleeve, but for now here's what we know so far about tomorrow's event.
Sony will announce a more powerful, supercharged PS4, codenamed "Neo"
The new PS4 Neo console is expected to be the bigger brother of the standard PS4, with significantly more power in order to support more demanding games, as well as the PlayStation VR headset. Sony has already confirmed the existence of the machine. Speaking to the Financial Times ahead of E3, Andrew House, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, explained that Neo would come with faster processors, improved graphical capabilities, and support for 4K resolution movies, TV shows and games.
Sony will use the PS4 Neo to appeal to early adopters of new technology like 4K and virtual reality. It’s as yet unclear when exactly Neo will launch, but it’s likely to be after PSVR hits store shelves, and probably in 2017.
It will also announce a second, slimmer PS4
Like each of predecessors did before it, Sony’s PlayStation 4 was always expected to come in a downsized “slim” version. Leaked images show a design that is almost identical to that of the PS4, only smaller and with more rounded edges. It's meant to compete directly with the Xbox One S. The leaked images show that it comes with a 500 gigabyte hard drive and it appears that Sony has removed the optical audio port on the new design. Besides that though, the console should be exactly the same.
An upgraded DualShock 4 controller
Based on a leaked video which has since been removed from YouTube, Sony's will give its controller a very minor but noticeable update. It will be near identical to the previous DualShock 4, but the colorful light bar will now visible from the front, so, as The Verge points outs, you won’t have to turn it around to see lights flash when you’re being chased by police in Grand Theft Auto.
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Catch a stream of the event live on September 7 at 12 p.m. PT using the stream below, and check back in with for more news as we get it.
Watch live video from SIEK on www.twitch.tv
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 7 recall may cost Samsung $1 billion.
