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Report: PS4 4K HDR Patches Are Free, Despite Earlier Info
Sony is planning to patch in 4K HDR support for some PS4 games to coincide with the PS4 Pro launch in November. An interview suggested that some graphical upgrade patches might require payment, but Sony has confirmed to multiple sources that is not the case.
The rolling out of new info about a new piece of technology can be complicated, as there are a lot of moving parts that any given spokesperson needs to communicate. That led to some misinformation earlier this morning, when the Japanese website Game Watch Impress asked Sony Interactive’s Masayasu Ito about whether third-party publishers might charge to patch the 4K HDR feature into existing PS4 titles. The answer indicated that it would be “different for each title.” Sony has since confirmed that is not the case; all patches that add 4K HDR support will be free.
For more on the addition of HDR and 4K HDR support, read our previous news story.
That clarification comes via multiple sources that discussed the topic with Sony, including Kotaku and Polygon. Even so, we have independently reached out to Sony for our own confirmation, and will update this story if we hear back.
Our Take
This seems to be a clear case of miscommunication regarding how this new world of 4K gaming on the PS4 Pro will actually work. It seems clear that free patches are the best way to go for all involved, so it’s good to see that Sony is moving promptly to correct the mistaken impression that there might be an alternative.
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