Sony Has Two New PS4's Coming Next Month

Well, that escalated rather quickly. Hot on the heels of leaks of a "PS4 Slim", sources have come out to confirm that there will indeed be such a console. But more than that, it will actually be a separate console from the already expected PlayStation 4 Neo. While the double punch will undoubtedly confuse some buyers, analysts claim that it is exactly the strategy that Sony needs in order to stem the declining console sales and, at the same time, attract even more new adopters of the gaming device turned entertainment center.

There is a song that goes something like "anything you can do, I can do better." Microsoft has just launched its so far one and only "refresh" of the Xbox One, the Xbox One S, so Sony naturally will have two come September. On the one hand, we've been hearing again and again about a slightly improved PS4.5, a.k.a. PS4 Neo, that will put the focus on high-resolution gaming and PS VR. On the other hand, we have a still yet to be named refreshed PS4 that will simply be smaller and cheaper than the standard model.

It's not exactly unheard of, but an unusual return to a previous strategy. While the PS2 and PSPs had more than one models under the same generation, the PS3 was the solitary member of its family. Two new PS4 models ironically show both the company's confidence in the PS4 generation and, at the same time, feels like grasping at straws.

The PS4 was off to a great start, commonly cited as having surpassed the Xbox One numerous times in terms of sales and popularity. Of late, however, sales have been declining, especially in Sony's home court of Japan. A new console is definitely warranted but, like Microsoft, Sony isn't yet ready to consider the PS4 as a "last gen" console and will squeeze out as much as it can before that time comes.

But why a PS4 Slim, then? Perhaps to entice a new generation of customers that might not have gaming completely in mind. The diminutive size of this PS4 Slim, as seen in leaked photos, would make it a fit as a multimedia center in addition to being a gaming console. Indeed, Sony has been pushing heavily its content ecosystems outside of games, like its PS Vue streaming service. With the PS TV/PS Vita TV practically dead, a PS4 Slim is more than perfect to take its place.

Of course, it's still conjecture, especially as Sony has only ever confirmed the PS4 Neo. The company is holding a PlayStation event on September 7 where we'll see for ourselves whether this analysis has basis on truth at all.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Photo from @shortman82)