News - Playstation 4 to use existing Playstation 3 architecture

[HEXUS]

Rumours suggest that Sony will be hoping to reduce development costs for the PS3 by utilising the existing PS3 architecture.

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[kalniel]

Makes a lot of sense. Just clock the chip up a bit and it's got more than enough to deal with CPU side of things, especially if we now offload physics etc to the GPU.

[shaithis]

Well, the PS2 was slow to take off and the PS3 seems to have a ridiculously slow development cycle.....keeping the PS4 architecture the same might give developers a chance to get their heads around it.

As it is Microsoft are lapping it up as PC <> XBox ports are so cheap and easy to do in comparison to coding anything for PS3.

[directhex]

so the ps4 is a wii?

[finlay666]

so the ps4 is a wii?

Basically yep as far as I can tell in the reuse of old architecture, probably going to be a beefed up PS3 like the wii is to the gamecube

[Anth]

I am not sure how this is a surprising news story.

As somebody correct me if I am wrong, but with PC's all you need is a decent dual core CPU, then the GPU controls the PC's performance in games.

So for an increase in games performance once you have a capable dual core CPU all that will be needed is to incrementally increase the graphics card.

So as Sony have a decent multicore CPU in the PS3, why waste money improving on something not needed.

Just throw a ATI-HD4870 in the PS4 and it will be great.

[directhex]

the ps3 cpu is neither "decent" nor "multicore" by most definitions

[Stoo]

It should be based on the same architecture, but beefed up - eg, next-gen nVidia graphics chip, next gen cell - smaller/faster/more cores, but developmentally the same - it can just "do more"..

That way it's easier for the developers (old code should just work with minimal tweaking), and more cost effective for Sony to develop ) the hard work has already been done, they just build on it - everyone's a winner

TBH with the development of the Cell architecture, that was the whole idea in the first place - you just scale it all up without drastically changing anything.

[kopite]

Isnt it 10 years till the Ps4 though?

[CaseyV9]

I love the subject of PC and console tech and where it is heading.

I can't believe that Sony have taken so long to learn their lesson. All that hype about THE POWER.
Then it turns out that because developers are dealing with the unknown that a game like GTA IV comes out in a lower res with loads of bugs. Thing is, once developers do get to grips with the hardware, Sony are a worthy opponent to MS in the console war.

Still, reading stuff like this and with Wii about upgrades to the spec and hardware defeats the object of the Console - Buy a console that'll give you 5yr + worth of gaming that only requires you to put the disc in and play.

And on the upgrade front, consoles just cannot compete with PC.

I know PS4 may be a long way off, But how many more versions of PS3 will there be by then and is that any sign of what will come with PS4.

[steve threlfall]

Isnt it 10 years till the Ps4 though?

No, more like 2011. They wont want to give Microsoft such a big lead next time. The ten year lifespan means that PS3 will be supported for at least 10 years, much like the PS2. Its successor will come to market during its predecessors lifespan however

Not that it matters that much, after the unbelieavble Wii sucess, Sony and MS are no doubt planning to jump on the crap mass market appealing game bandwagon (Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, Wii Sports etc)

[kopite]

The wii has had a lot of Shovelware but there are some gems coming out as well.

[2Cold Scorpio]

Makes sense...nothing out now really pushes the Cell processor; all the PS4 really needs is a better video card (I say drop in a modified GTX 280! ), more RAM, and possibly beefing up the Cell a little. Maintaining PS 1, 2, & 3 backwards compatibility would be nice too.

[Agent]

....crap mass market appealing game bandwagon (Mario and Sonic at the Olympics...)

Woah. You need to be educated
Have you played it yet mate? It's a cracking game

We'll have a bash on it one of the nights if you want.

[steve threlfall]

I have played it. I wouldnt trash it without first hand expereince

Nintendo need to pull their finger out imo. I love Mario Galaxy and Resident Evil 4 (which is actually last gen anyway) but where are the games aimed at harcore gamers. I suppose they just arent as proffitable as brain training and the like.

As for the PS4, featuring the same architechture- great. Developers should hopefully have an easier time with it

[kopite]

Nintendo need to pull their finger out imo. I love Mario Galaxy and Resident Evil 4 (which is actually last gen anyway) but where are the games aimed at harcore gamers. I suppose they just arent as proffitable as brain training and the like.

NIntendo have released more hardcore games so far in the lifetime of the wii then they did in the gamecube life.

ITs the 3rd parties that need to start pulling their fingers out but there are some really good games on the way soon including madworld which looks amazing