The PlayStation 6's enhanced ray tracing performance (set to deliver on average a 3x FPS boost compared to base PS5 but possibly path tracing at 60 FPS) and machine learning upscaling via future versions of PSSR are set to define the next-generation system by Sony, but according to Alderon Games founder Matthew Cassells, the system's biggest challenge will be to get stubborn PlayStation 5 users to pay $699 or more for the new system, up to $1000 if tariffs remain in place before the system's launch, especially if some its features are cut down more than expected to keep the price low.
Speaking in a recent episode of the Moore's Law is Dead's Broken Silicon podcast, Cassells revealed that roughly 30 to 40 percent of PlayStation users for the studio's games are still on the base PS4, who haven't seen a massive enough jump in the PlayStation 5 to upgrade.
"Are those people going to see a difference noticeable enough," Cassells said, highlighting how PlayStation users will see the PlayStation 6 improvements differently, starting with PlayStation 4 users. "I think if they went from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 6 and the PS6 was a reasonable price, they would go, 'Oh, this looks like PS2 to PS3, so I'm done, I'm upgrading,'" Cassells explained. With the system launching in a "post GTA 6 world," previous-gen users wanting to experience the next entry in the series will also have another reason to upgrade.
However, the real challenge for the PlayStation 6 will be to get current-gen users to upgrade. For someone who already owns a PS5 Pro, Cassells questions if such users will really see a difference: "Are you really going to upgrade for a ray tracing improvement? It's going to be hard to say." As such, Sony needs to be smart with the next-generation launch, suggesting a diversified lineup with an affordable handheld option (which is rumored to be indeed in the works and that it will beat the Xbox Series S in both rasterization and ray tracing) could push users to upgrade, especially at the $399 price point. "You said you wanted it to be $399. We're bringing you an extra console for 399... it looks better than the PS5," Cassells suggested as a way to get people to say, "Shut up and take my money."
Slower Adoption May Hold PlayStation 6 Games Back
While some may think getting PlayStation 5 users to upgrade to PlayStation 6 may be a problem only for Sony, a slower adoption could extend the cross-generation period that will inevitably hold next-generation games back. Matthew Cassells pointed out that only now, almost six years into the generation, we are finally hitting the post-cross-generation era where developers are no longer held back by dated hardware still using HDD.
By leaving the dated PlayStation 4 hardware behind, Resident Evil Requiem manages to look "ridiculously good," with the PlayStation 5 Pro hardware finally delivering good ray tracing on consoles at decent performance. "If it didn't suck, I don't think they'd turn it off. They'd probably leave it on," Cassells remarked, highlighting how the base PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X can only handle very light ray tracing at decent performance levels.
With little to no detail available on the PlayStation 6 hardware outside of rumors, it is difficult to say right now if it will offer enough for current-generation users to upgrade during the inevitable cross-gen period. However, as the system is reportedly still scheduled for a late 2027 or early 2028 launch as it would cost more to delay it than to pay extra for RAM, it will likely not take too long to finally learn more about Sony's next-generation system, and if it will offer enough of a jump to push adoption and keep the cross-gen period as short as possible.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
