PS Neo, PS VR… and everything we know about the PlayStation Meeting
Sony's hosting an intentionally nondescript PlayStation Meeting on September 7, but we already have a pretty good idea of what the event will cover - including PlayStation VR, the hardware upgrading PS4 Neo (aka PS4K), and PS4 Slim. Here's what we're pretty sure the presentation will cover once it begins at 3pm EDT / 8pm BST in New York's PlayStation Theater (yes, that's the actual name).
A PlayStation VR PS4 bundle is likely
I wouldn't be surprised if Sony announces a complete VR starter bundle at the event, including a console, headset, camera, Move controllers, and probably a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds. If PS4 Slim turns out to be decently cheap, a bundle like that could be the affordable yet decently high-end entrance point to VR that the medium is still lacking.
The smooth white headset has become a staple at conventions and trade shows, but Sony's been surprisingly quiet about marketing PlayStation VR to the general public so far. If a last-minute mindshare blitzkrieg is in the cards before its October 13 release date, the PlayStation Meeting will be the place for Sony to kick things off.
PS4 Slim will be officially announced and immediately released
The PS4 Slim console redesign has leaked so hard that Sony is pretty much the only one not talking about it at this point. We've seen in ample detail the console's smaller form factor, its revised DualShock controller with a new front-facing light bar, and its lack of an optical audio port.
Sony wouldn't risk all those consoles falling out of trucks if it wasn't planning to sell them very, very soon. I suspect the company will go for one of those Apple-style "...and you can buy it right now" announcements for PS4 Slim at the PlayStation Meeting.
Or it could decide none of us deserve our PS4 Slim presents since we opened them early and take them all away. Harsh but fair.
Image: ZRZ
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PS4 Neo official specs and details will be revealed
PS4 Neo didn't leak quite as hard as PS4 Slim did, but it was still enough for Sony to officially confirm the project's existence just before E3 earlier this year. We know that the new console is meant to be more powerful (and expensive) than a standard PS4 while supporting the same games, but everything else is rumors and speculation at this point. It's about time Sony finally gave us some official details on what PS4 Neo is and when we can expect it to hit shelves.
Sony will show PS4 Neo improvments to existing games
There would be no better way to show off PS4 Neo's upgraded performance than with a familiar example running with improved visual quality. Whether it's an already released game like Uncharted 4 or an upcoming title like Horizon: Zero Dawn, I bet we'll get a back-to-back view of how PS4 Neo will make the beautiful games we already know look even better. Hopefully it doesn't make the old version look too crummy by comparison, since it will probably still be a little while until PS4 Neo hits stores.
Aaand expect some surprises
PlayStation VR, PS4 Slim, and PS4 Neo are the big three for the PlayStation Meeting. But that still leaves plenty of room for other announcements, like maybe some new PS Plus features to help justify its price bump in the US. PS4 could definitely use a few more console exclusives going into the holiday season, so now would be a great time for some surprise reveals. Will Crash Bandicoot continue his resurgence? We'll see...
That's the score going into the PlayStation Meeting. Make sure to stay tuned to GR+ on September 7 for all the news and analysis from the event as it happens.
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I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and now I'm a staff writer here at GamesRadar.