Right now, the industry seems to be focused on 4K resolution, but that’s just the beginning. Developers and manufacturers are already looking to the future with 8K resolutions! One such developer is Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of the Gran Turismo series.
He seems to think the PS5 will blow right past 4K and offer 8K resolutions. Let’s take a look at his predictions, and what the future of 8K resolutions might be like when the PS5 releases!
The PS5 Could Run GT Sport at 8K
The developer of GT Sport is Polyphony Digital, a studio in Tokyo. Finder.com enjoyed a tour of the studio recently and reported on some very interesting facts from their interview with the series creator Kazunori Yamauchi.
During their tour, they saw the incredible amount detail that goes into each car. Even fine print on the tires like the PSI was right where it should be and perfectly legible when zoomed in. What he said next was very interesting:
“It takes six months to create a single car. It’s over-specced for PS4 Pro. So we are building for future versions of the console rather than the one we see today. I think it would be no problem to run it at 8K even”
This was an interesting quote, as it suggested that Polyphony is already planning on creating a version of GT Sport for the PS5. It’s not too often that you hear about developers over-speccing games for the current generation. It makes sense from a future-proofing standpoint, but only if the developer knows something new is on the horizon.
While there wasn’t any direct discussion on the subject of PS5, it’s clear that the developer is preparing for the future by overshooting for the specs of the PS4 and PS4 pro. Is it possible that PS5 will target 8K resolution? Let’s see where the technology stands.
The Future of Resolution Beyond 4K is Happening Right Now
You’re probably wondering what game on the market right now is going to offer 8K resolution. After all, we’re still growing into the 4K concept. It may surprise you to know that Final Fantasy XV is coming to PC in 2018, and it’s going to support 8K…if your PC can handle it.
That’s right, PC Gamer confirmed that the game is coming to PC in 2018, and that the game will support native 4K and up to 8K, along with HDR 10 support. They didn’t reveal any minimum specs because, as Square Enix puts it, “we can’t really define it with current standards now.”
If we break it down, 8K resolution is 7680 x 4320 pixels. It’s 16 times more detailed than 1080p. Even mere inches from a massive screen, you wouldn’t be able to make out the individual pixels. The current pioneer of this technology is a Japanese broadcasting company called NHK, which has its Super Hi-Vision video format.
This format can provide 8K resolution video and 22.2 channels of audio. While it’s not reasonable to say that 8K is right around the corner, NHK has been testing 8K in the broadcasting arena and has a goal to broadcast 8K feeds of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
While 4K is just now finding its footing, Samsung and Sharp have both been bringing 8K prototypes to CES in the last several years. Sharp themselves had a prototype in 2015 that used a “beyond 4K” that involved pixel-splitting, which would push the resolution up to near-8K levels.
This is a similar compromise to Sony’s current 4K solution on PS4 Pro which is known as checkerboard rendering. While the technology is different, the concept is the same: bridging the gap between one resolution and another.
Currently, 8K is being used by film companies who are looking to preserve classic films by remastering them in 8K digital files. This ensures that the best quality transfer is available, and that it’s future-proof for continued rises in technology.
It’s interesting, because this is a similar approach to the work Polyphony Digital is doing with GT Sport. They are creating renders that far surpass current resolution, for the purposes of being ready and prepared for the future.
Will the PS5 skip right over 4K and do 8K resolutions? Given the current pace of the technology, our prediction is that it will offer native 4K with a rendering technology that can push resolutions up to 8K. The power will be there to surpass 4K, which will put Xbox in its place, but native 8K won’t be mainstream by then.
There’s also the issue that 8K is somewhat of an overkill with smaller screens, so this will also influence how heavily Sony and gaming as a whole leans on resolutions above 4K. As it stands now, even 4K screens need to be fairly large for you to notice a difference at a normal viewing distance.
What do you think about 8K resolution? Is it overkill, or should it be chosen for the PS5 in favor of 4K? Let us know in the comments!
Article by – Bradley Ramsey
Posted: 8/22/17
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