What are 4K Assets and Why Do We Need Them?

So, Microsoft is talking about 4K assets - but what do they actually mean? What are they? How do they make gaming visuals look better? Do you need them? John explains all!

[Shadyceaser]

Round and round we go

[Omnislashver36]

Dis why we need PS5 in 2019. I'm ready to see 4k maxed the heck out with 16GB of RAM.

[WilliamSheridan]

I'd be surprised if they kill off PS4 that early.

[WilliamSheridan]

If that's the case, it would be basically a miss gen upgrade held back by the constraints of previous system. So technically Xbox One X just later in the game...

[DARK_WOLF]

Ps4 came out 2014 (end of 2013) and ps4 pro literally came out less than a year ago.

And some people think ps5 will actually be here 2019 only 5 years after the base ps4 releases?

I cant help but laugh 😂

Why cant people be happy with the pro? Its doing 1440p easy and thats a VERY GOOD resolution to play games at.

Ps4 got heaps of life left in it.

[vega275]

"Why cant people be happy with the pro? Its doing 1440p easy and thats a VERY GOOD resolution to play games at"

Because it's not the most powerful console anymore compared to the X1X come november and the thought of xbox fanboys giving them back what they've been dishing out over the last three years bother them.

So they think sony will pump out a new console in 2019. Like sony has money to burn like that to keep making hardware. I mean ps4pro was just released last year along with psvr costing them millions if not more to make and advertise. I'm pretty sure just with psvr alone hasn't made back the money invested yet.

But yeah ps5 in 2019 would make logical sense from a financial standpoint. /s

[Liqu1d]

"2019 only 5 years after the base PS4 releases"

2019 - 2013 = 6

[Aenea]

It will release at end of 2019, so six years after the PS4, the Pro, a midgen upgrade, released at end of 2016, add another 3, whaddayaknow, 2019...

[Omnislashver36]

Dude you obviously can't math. 2019-2013 is 6 years. Every PS console has come out in the later half of the year as well. Most gens are 5 years.

Plus most people don't even know of PS4-Pro's existence and yet the system is selling well, think of all the people that would be willing to update to PS5 knowing of an actual update.

And how does PS4 have "heaps of life" left in it? Most of it's games are early 2018 games. The rest are likely early 2019. They're not going to spend another 3-5 year game development cycle on PS4 after that, that would mean PS5 would come out in 2021-2023 which is batshit crazy. MS would easily start a new gen in 2019-2020 and get a HUGE jump on nex-gen just like 360.

The only thing that will hold back PS5 from a 2019-2020 release is if AMD has some serious delays with the 7nm node.

@vega275
Sony having "money to burn making new hardware?" Are you retarded? They make money off of consoles sold, not lose money.

And as said earlier, PS4-Pro is selling well and the majority of gamers don't even know of it's existence- how many more will be willing to update actually knowing there's a refresh.

2019 makes a TON of financial sense.

[nowitzki2004]

Most console life cycles are right at about 5 or 6 years. And PS4 Pro is just a PS4 i can see them releasing a slim PS4 pro before late 2018 and then 2019 for PS5 would be perfect. As someone who games on PC and PS4Pro i could tell you the ps4 pro could use upgrading today. But they have to maintain that price range so they cant release something as powerful as PS5 will be today within that price range.

[vega275]

@ Omnislashver

First off- both sony and MS don't make money off the hardware when it launches. Becuase of what's in the hardware. You guys are expected the ps5 to be a "beast" just to out proform the X1X. which would drive up the cost, but at the sametime have to keep the price reasonable for consumer to buy. "Taking a lose".

Second- sony just launched the ps4 pro and psvr and ps4 slim in the same year. Both of which are not making sony back money as of yet. Yes sony is making money on consoles sold. But its the vanilla PS4 and maybe the slim ps4. Sony loves to toute their console sold number. But when asked about the ps4 pro. They did give them and the psvr only sold a little over a million if that. Do you they it's made back the money sony invested in creating and advertising it? Real talk

Third- even if the ps5 does launch in 2019. Do you think sony would have recouped the money spended on psvr, ps4 pro and the ps4 slim. Just to launch the ps5 in alittle over 2 years later?

If anything sony may announce the ps5 in 2019. But you wouldn't see the console until 2020 or later. Same with MS. Sony is just starting to become profitable. Still no where near what they used to be.

[81BX]

Exactly. The ps4 still has a huge following no need to cut that short because its the weaker console.

[Omnislashver36]

Vega275

You have no evidence they're taking a loss with PS4-Pro. I saw LAUNCH deals with two free games which means they're definitely making a profit.

And it's not "a little over 2 years". 2019 will be exactly 3 years from PS4-Pro.

[81BX]

No need for a ps5 yet. Why kill off ps4 when it's very capable?

[Omnislashver36]

How is it killing it off when it'll have been 6 years old? Furthermore why would they keep it around if all of their major game releases are in 2018 and likely early 2019? It would be retarded to start another 3-5 year development cycle in 2018-2019 for PS4 games. That would mean PS5 wouldn't arrive until 2022-2024 which would be insane.

Most gens are 5 years long and you're basically asking for a 9-11 year gen which is retarded.

[81BX]

They could easily stretch the gen out. The pro/ps4 has great games. They really don't need new hardware. Also your over use of the word "retarded", because you disagree is.... Well, you know.

[Omnislashver36]

9-11 years is retarded if you consider any analysis in trends in previous generations, demand for a new console, and processor enhancements.

[fatbastard11]

RAM has nothing to do with 4k gaming performance. VRAM on the other hand is huge for it.

[Omnislashver36]

RAM has something to do with 4K texture quality, which is what the article is about. Keep up.

[conanlifts]

I agree with infected "PS5 will likely have 10TF, 16GB RAM, new CPU architecture, "

But this is also why i think ps5 will be 2020. 2019 would mean the ps5 would end up being priced at $549-$599. Of course they could still do that to ensure ps4 keeps selling. But i am still going with 2020. By 2020 12 Tflops might also be possible.

[pingthing]

So if you buy an Xbox one X you will download the assets regardless of your displays resolution right?, It would be handy to know a ballpark figure on the typical extra file size of these downloads compared to the regular Xbox one versions. I have a feeling that my current juggling on my 2gb external is going to be a bit of a squeeze, and would be nice to be prepared for this issue before a launch day download frenzy.

[xsta1ker]

you do know the longer you wait the cheaper the cost so wait the 5 months for x1x and the better and bigger
external hard drives today will be a lot less 5 months from now so just do some window shopping pick
something you like and wait for the price drop.

[B1uBurneR]

This means what. My 4K is bigger than your 4K?

[alb1899]

Oh my!!! This psfan's do everything so they don't have to admit how convenient is looking the X1X.
In every article they talk about excusives no matter what the articles are talking. They say the games will look the same or that no one has 4k TVs and if that doesn't solve the problem then they start expectations about ps5.
The truth is that the X1X is looking more and more like a clear and clever buy every day.

[DreadGara]

Sony/PlayStation doesn't need a new machine to counter XOX or any other strategies. They are in a good position not care about what MS upcoming PR or pathetic plans.
MS was trying it's best to win the race since the PS4 been announced. Sadly they have been fooling everyone about ESRAM, Cloud, DirectX12 and all the BS upgrades that it will get in the near future.
It's really pathetic to see some people actually fall for such a thing and still defend them.
MS better get their shit together before it's too late and act big before Nintendont actually DOES 😂

Anyway.....Xbox should be a service imo, a tiny app icon available in every phone and device to adjust your calendar and play solitaire.

[Kiwi66]

Yet they are going to be releasing a new, stronger console several years after the release of the pro so it sure looks like somewhat of a counter move

[_LarZen_]

One of many reasons to be excited about Xbox One X.

[DaGreatOne]

Pretty good video, I certainly learned a few things. I just really hope they aren't all huge like forza, my isp just issued a data cap so it's gonna be tough balancing that from here on out.

[Maxor]

More 4K bullshit hype from the MS fanboys at DF. The PC has been doing this for nearly a decade yet PC games don't require epic install size and 4K to experience said textures. This is just another ploy for MS to dupe gullible console gamers into their "true 4K" lies when it's not true 4K and can't run games at 60 FPS 1080P.

That's the irony of the situation that the Digital Foundry fanboys isn't pointing out, 4K assets for games that isn't 4K...really? If MS cares about image quality then their games should all be running at native 4K instead of the dynamic resolution fakery which will degrade sharpness of the high res textures.