Powerful PlayStation 4 could be Announced before October

More powerful PlayStation 4 could be announced before October; games will reportedly work on both systems. Though Sony has yet to make an official announcement, the evidence for a more powerful PlayStation 4 console continues to mount. The Wall Street Journal today backed up what reports from Kotaku and Eurogamer said earlier: Sony is working on a new version of the PS4 that can handle "higher-end gaming experiences." This includes virtual reality, the site said, citing sources.

This new system, which will reportedly boast "enhanced graphics and power," will live alongside the existing PS4, with games working for both platforms, according to the WSJ.

"Existing PlayStation 4 owners would need to buy the new model to take full advantage of the enhanced graphics and power," it said. "Though it is likely that the current model and the coming one would share the same software catalog."

The WSJ also reports that the new console -- which wasn't given a name but is apparently being referred to as the PS4 4K -- will be announced before the October launch of PlayStation VR, sources said. The system will be able to power "ultra-high-definition resolution graphics."

Sony itself has admitted that the PlayStation VR, which is powered by the PS4, may be technically inferior to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which run on higher-end PCs. The improved PS4 would help close the gap, the WSJsaid. It's also claimed in the WSJ report that Sony's ambition with the new system is "to capture gamers willing to pay for a richer gaming environment, including a high-end virtual-reality experience." Analysts quoted in the WSJ's story today said continuing to offer the standard PS4 alongside the more powerful unit will help Sony on its path to giving players--casual and hardcore alike--more options in the PlayStation ecosystem.

Sony may not be alone in releasing new gaming hardware. Recently, Xbox boss Phil Spencer teased that, "You'll actually see us come out with new hardware capability during a generation allowing the same games to run backward and forward compatible." Traditionally, console gamers have to wait many years for new hardware. For example, the PlayStation 3 was released in 2006, with the PS4 coming in 2013. The Xbox 360 launched in 2005, while the Xbox One came out in 2013.

Sony declined to comment.