Sony has tacitly confirmed the existence of the PlayStation 5 in some major interviews of executives. And now fans of the video games consoles series are contemplating what they would like to see included in this next generation machine. There can sometimes be a gap between fantasy and reality, but an idealized PlayStation 5 wish list may look something like the following.
Sony PlayStation 5 wish list – Improved social networking
Everyone acknowledges that social networking is massive, and the PlayStation 4 has gone some way to ensuring that the Sony console series is connectible with this social phenomenon. But the PlayStation 5 could go further still and make it easier for people to connect to the PS5 via Facebook, Twitter and other popular forms of social media. Skype would seem to be out of the question considering it is owned by Microsoft, but it could be possible to also sign up some other form of video communication technology.
4K gaming
By the time that the PlayStation 5 is released, which will probably be in 2018 according to analysts, 4K resolution should be a mainstream technology. The existing PlayStation 4 theoretically has 4K capabilities, but in reality it is simply far too weak in the processing department to deliver such detailed graphics in gaming. All PlayStation fans will want to see a PlayStation 5 console that is powerful enough to deliver 4K gaming in real-time. This is an absolute must for Sony.
1080p / 4k rendering of older games
Another related idea is that Sony should enable the PlayStation 5 to render older games from the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 eras in 1080p, or ideally 4K resolution. There is no doubt that some of the biggest PlayStation 4 titles will be remastered for 4K anyway, but improved backwards compatibility out of the box would be a massive step forward for the PlayStation series.
Built-in PlayStation VR
It is being increasingly rumored that Sony will finally release the PlayStation VR project later this year. This virtual reality system, previously codenamed Project Morpheus, is one of the most hotly anticipated pieces of consumer electronics kit in the world. It remains to be seen what Sony can deliver with the PlayStation VR, but hopefully the machine will be a success for the company, as many gamers are eagerly anticipating virtual reality gaming.
If PlayStation VR does take off as Sony intends, there will be unquestionable pressure on the Japanese corporation to deliver a PlayStation 5 console with built-in virtual reality technology. This could be an absolute necessity if PlayStation VR is a massive success, as one key aspect of virtual reality is that the concept is expected to grow and evolve as it becomes more popular.
This is a massive advantage that PC-based systems will have over those that run via console technology, and thus the PlayStation 5 could provide a welcome boost to the PlayStation VR concept when it is released.
Retain the disc drive
This might not be particularly high on the list of priorities for Sony itself, but it is certainly something that the majority of gamers would wish to maintain. Sony arguably won the PlayStation 4 console generation because it listened to the desires of gamers, and it should follow this up by retaining physical media for the PlayStation 5. Not merely because gamers like to play games on physical discs, although this is absolutely true, but also because many people utilize the PlayStation 4 as a bargain basement Blu-ray player.
Expand PlayStation Now
The PlayStation Now service has been a real boon for Sony, yet there is still room for improvement. Although many gamers favor disc-based gaming, many would at least relish he option of being able to play current generation titles via streaming services. This hasn’t been delivered in the PlayStation 4 generation, and it can be hoped that by the time the PlayStation 5 is released that Sony is able to deliver this via improved broadband speeds.
Steam integration
Anyone who knows anything about gaming is fully acquainted with the endless battles between the console gamers and their PC brethren. Considering the bile and bitterness that these debates often encompass, it is perhaps surprising to some observers of the video game industry that many people play both console and PC games.
Steam is massively popular with PlayStation gamers as well as those who just tinker with PC titles, and some form of integration with the PlayStation 5 would be extremely welcome. This would be a way that Sony can acknowledge the desires of gamers in a unique fashion, and distinguish the PlayStation 5 from the anticipated Xbox Two.
Wireless charging
The Samsung Galaxy smartphone has already delivered completely wireless charging, and the Apple iPhone series is expected to follow suit in the near future. Sony thus should also incorporate this technology into the PlayStation 5, delivering a games console that simply makes it far easier to utilize its controllers.
In general, at the PlayStation 4 gamepad has been critically acclaimed, yet the inconvenience of continually having to plug it into the main PlayStation unit via a USB charger can be somewhat grating when you’re in the middle of a massive session. Sony would win a lot of plaudits from gamers if they were to eliminate this completely in the next generation PlayStation 5.
Improved PlayStation Store and downloadable catalog
The PlayStation Store ultimately does what it says on the tin, yet one can’t help opining that it fails to deliver an outstanding experience. When one compares the convenience and slickness of the Apple App Store, for example, to the existing PlayStation Store…well, there is no comparison.
Considering Sony wants more gamers to sign up for downloadable games, it seems criminal that navigating the PlayStation Store is often not the most enjoyable and convenient experience. Additionally, the price of downloadable games is pretty scandalous considering they should be cheaper than those on a physical disc. Sony should sort both of these issues out for the PlayStation 5.
