This week Sony finally confirmed the news many gamers knew was imminent – the Playstation 4 is coming. A console that’s been hailed as the ‘future of entertainment’ by Sony execs. The news has got gamers, tech aficionados and the entire Elysium Magazine team excited at the possibilities posed by a machine that will arguably be the most powerful console the world has experienced.
What Do We Know?
Sony was surprising coy at the launch announcement, refusing to disclose full details – but they did shed light on a few important things. Sony confirmed the device name would continue the legacy of the Playstation name. The PS4 will be with us by Christmas, surely triggering many discerning gents to put the console at the top of their festive most-wanted lists.
From the launch news what’s clear is that Sony is determined to push the future of gaming and entertainment up a notch or two. The PS4 promises games that can be experienced whenever, wherever and however you want. Connectivity with the PS Vita means you can pick up games from the exact point you left it on the console, whilst you can play games as they download. It’s a definitive shift towards a world of 360° gaming.
Sony also showcased the new PS4 controller, the DualShock 4. Looking similar to the PS3 controller, there are some significant new features. In-game interaction will be aided by a new touch pad on the controller whilst the audio experience will be enhanced by an inbuilt speaker and a headset jack allows you to hear the sound in detail and chat with friends in co-op mode.
A share button links up with social media so that images and video can be uploaded to Facebook. An LED Light Bar on the top of the controller will match the colour of in-game characters so it’s easier for players can keep track of each other. Finally, a new camera has been developed alongside the controller, and tracks the location of DualShock 4 (and the player) via its LED Light Bar in 3D.
As for the muscle under the bonnet, the PS4 is certainly a powerhouse console featuring an eight-core processor at its heart with whopping 8GB of system memory. Perhaps tellingly, but still just a rumour for the moment, the PS4 is thought to have 50% more power from its graphics processor than Microsoft’s Xbox 720. From the looks of things the PS4 certainly well armed for 3D gaming.
What’s Sony Not Telling Us?
Even with technical specs and new controllers, there was a massive omission in Sony’s big reveal this week. No glimpse or image of the PS4 was shown. Not even a sneak peek. Speculation has gone into overdrive as to what the device could look like but it seems we’ll all have to wait for the next instalment of Sony’s story. The price of the console wasn’t mentioned either but with fierce competition from the already launched Nintendo Wii U and the Xbox 720 to come, Sony will have learnt its lessons about competitive pricing from the PS3 launch.
What About The Games?
Traditionally it’s the games of consoles that play the biggest influence on shifting units and Sony was keen to get the hype machine going with extended demos of key launch titles. These include Killzone Shadow Fall (pictured above), inFAMOUS: Second Son, Knack and Unreal Engine 4 Elemental (pictured below). From the limited demos the scale of the improved graphics was a statement of real intent. One thing to note is there will be no backward compatibility with PS3 games so enjoy your collections while you can.
What’s Next?
The ball is firmly in Sony’s court for more news and, most importantly, a look at what the PS4 will look like. The electronics giant has sounded the starter’s gun and the battle with Xbox 720 along with the Wii U will be an intriguing contest. The next generation of gaming is coming. Get ready!