Is Erebus the secret codename Sony is using for the PlayStation 5?
A LINE of code dropped into the latest update of Unreal Engine 4, Epic Games ubiquitous development engine, seems to suggest that the next PlayStation could be code-named Erebus.
The reference to a new platform was spotted by resetera forum user Gemüsepizza, who also found a second reference in the code listing the same name alongside the PS4 and Xbox One in another section.
The next Xbox seems to be code-named Scarlett, leading many to jump to the conclusion that the mysterious Erebus must refer to the PlayStation 5.
Adding some weight to the suggestion is the fact that in Greek mythology, Erebus is the fifth primordial deity to come into being, making it an appropriate name for the fifth iteration of Sony's all-conquering console.
Sony has been approached for comment but had not responded at press time.
Meanwhile, a new report from a leading gaming industry expert suggests that Sony's new console will be here in time for Christmas 2019.
Earlier this year, Sony teased that the PS4's sequel could be three years away.
But top analyst Hideki Yasuda believes that it's much closer than anyone imagined.
In a report for his firm Ace Economic Research Institute, Yasuda said he thinks "the introduction of the PS5 will be at the end of 2019".
If that's the case, Sony would almost certainly release the console before Christmas – for maximum sales opportunity.
What's more, Yasuda promises that the PS5 will be a "high-performance machine" that boasts "high-end computer graphics".
It's already rumoured that the PS5 will feature game-streaming tech, letting you stream video games over the internet like a TV show or movie.
This could be a major blow to Microsoft, which is already working on an Xbox Two console – expected to launch much later.
At E3 2018, Xbox chief Phil Spencer said: "Our hardware team is deep into developing the next generation of Xbox consoles, where we will once again deliver on our commitment to set the benchmark for console gaming."
Video game streaming – how does it work?
We explain it all...
- When you watch a movie, the images you see are already prepared
- That's why very unsophisticated computers inside your TV, DVD player, or computer can playback film footage
- But video games render the visuals in real-time, because a game never knows what you'll do next
- That means you need much more computing heft to produce game visuals, compared to a standard movie
- So if you want amazing 4K PC-style graphics, you'll need to fork out for an expensive computer
- Alternatively, you could use game streaming technology
- The idea is that a company like Microsoft or Sony would handle the generation of the visuals on powerful computers at its own HQ
- Then it would send what's effectively a video of that game to your smartphone
- You tap and play, and those commands get sent back to Microsoft or Sony, which then inputs them into the game, and sends you the visuals again
- Because modern internet connections are so fast, this all happens in milliseconds
- The resulting effect is 4K PC-style graphics on a smartphone – which is only possible because it's not the phone itself rendering the graphics
- It also means that you could potentially be playing an Xbox or PlayStation game on your console, and then leave the house and carry on playing using your iPhone
- This sort of technology could eventually kill off gaming consoles for good, because all you'd need is a TV with game-streaming tech built in, and a controller to play with
- But game streaming hasn't had any great successes thus far
- Sony bought a game-streaming called OnLive, but shut it down in 2015
- And Nvidia has its own game-streaming service, but laggy performance has prevented it from becoming a mainstream choice
Long-time Microsoft leak site Thurrott recently revealed that the Xbox was codenamed "Scarlett" and would land in 2020.
If Sony can get its new PlayStation out before then, it could seriously hurt Xbox sales.
Confusingly, Sony itself seemed to be projecting a much later release.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Tsuyoshi Kodera suggested we're likely to see a 2021 release.
"We will use the next three years to prepare the next step, to crouch down so that we can jump higher in the future," the Sony chief explained.
To add even more confusion to the next-gen console rumour mill, we've also heard the PS5 being mooted for a 2020 release.
Analyst Michael Pachter recently told Gamingbolt that both the next Xbox and PlayStation are scheduled for 2020 launches.
PlayStation releases – what's the history
Here's what you need to know...
- Sony is playing its cards close to its chest for a PS4 release, so we won't have strict confirmation for a while yet. But we can take a guess based on history
- The original PlayStation launched in Europe in 1995
- This was followed by the PlayStation 2 in the year 2000
- The PlayStation 3 arrived over half a decade later, in 2006
- Then gamers had to wait a further seven years for 2013's PS4 launch
- Based on those dates, there's an average of six years between each new PlayStation generation
- That would put the PS5 release date at some time in 2019
- But 2016's PlayStation 4 Pro threw a spanner in the works
- The mid-generation console offered gamers a graphical upgrade – without releasing a brand new console generation
- This could mean we'll have to wait a little longer for the PlayStation 5
So what can we expect from the PS5?
The most likely answer is some kind of video game-streaming tech – playing games over Wi-Fi (like a Netflix movie) rather than from a disc.
Microsoft is expected to make similar moves with the new Xbox.
And Sony's Kodera teased cloud-based gaming for the PS5 earlier this year: "We need to depart from the traditional way of looking at the console life cycle.
"We’re no longer in a time when you can think just about the console or just about the network like they’re two different things."
Do you prefer the PlayStation 4 or the Xbox One? Let us know in the comments!
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