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Sony Officially Announces The PS4 To Arrive Q4 2013 (1 Viewer)

Todd Erwin

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Sony Officially Announces The PS4 To Arrive Q4 2013
[SIZE= 13px]On February 20, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) formally announced plans to launch their next generation gaming console, PlayStation 4 (PS4), for the 2013 holiday shopping season, offering a sneak peak at the capabilities of the new console, upcoming games, as well as an updated DualShock controller and PlayStation Camera in a live press event held in the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center Studios in New York, and streamed live over the internet. SCE president and group CEO Andrew House touted the new console as the “most powerful platform ever.” That remains to be seen, as the world is now waiting for Microsoft’s official announcement of their next generation of their XBOX.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 13px]But still, the specs of the PS4 are quite impressive and a major advance over the current PS3, and places many (but not all) of the rumors to rest. For this new console, Sony has turned to AMD, utilizing the 8-core x86 64-bit Jaguar CPU and a 1.84 Teraflops Radeon Graphics Core Next engine GPU within a single processor chip. They are also beefing up the memory with 8GB of GDDR5 (compared to the PS3’s measly 256Mb system and 256Mb GDDR3 graphics), USB 3.0 support, and 802.11n wi-fi. The PS4 will also include a 6xBD/8xDVD-Rom drive (meaning continued Blu-ray and DVD video support); a built-in hard drive (capacity TBA); Bluetooth 2.1 support; and HDMI, optical audio, and analog a/v outputs. One benefit that many gamers will find extremely useful is the ability to pause a game at virtually any point and place the console in a low-power, stand-by or suspend state, speeding up the time it takes to boot and load a saved game (which usually begins from the last game-specified restart point). Sony did not, however, provide any glimpse whatsoever of what the console will actually look like.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]Although direct backwards compatibility with PS3 disc-based software will not be available on the PS4, Sony did say that many PSOne, PS2 and PS3 titles will eventually be available through the Gaikai cloud gaming platform (which Sony acquired last year), scheduled to be rolled out in phases. Similar to the announced [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Little Big Planet 2[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] DLC at last year’s E3 which allowed players to use their PS Vita as a second screen and controller (much like Nintendo’s WiiU GamePad), the PS4 will support the use of the PS Vita, iOS, and Android devices in a similar fashion.[/SIZE]
[SIZE= 13px]The updated DualShock 4 controller will have a similar look and feel to the previous DualShock 3 and Sixaxis controllers, but with enhanced vibration, reduced latency, a 2-point touchpad, a light bar (for in-game health status and other uses), stereo headset jack, options button (replacing the [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Select[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] and [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Start[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] buttons), a share button, and a mono speaker.[/SIZE]


[SIZE= 13px]The PlayStation 4 Eye camera takes a cue from Microsoft’s Kinect controller, utilizing a second camera for increased depth-sensing capabilities, providing an 85 degree viewing angle with a fixed F2.0 focus, and captures images in RAW and YUV formats with a maximum resolution of 1280x800 at 60fps. Additional resolutions are 640x400 at 120fps and 320x192 at 240fps. The camera also includes a 4-channel microphone array.[/SIZE]


[SIZE= 13px]Of course, the true success of a game console is its games, and several launch and/or development titles were announced:[/SIZE]

[*] [SIZE= 13px]Killzone Shadowfall[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Guerilla Games[/SIZE]
[*] [SIZE= 13px]Knack[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Sony Japan Studio[/SIZE]
[*] [SIZE= 13px]The Witness[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Jonathan Blow[/SIZE]
[*] [SIZE= 13px]Driveclub[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Evolution Studios[/SIZE]
[*] [SIZE= 13px]Deep Down[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Capcom[/SIZE]
[*] [SIZE= 13px]Watchdogs[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Ubisoft[/SIZE]
[*] [SIZE= 13px]Destiny[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] - Bungie/Activision[/SIZE]
[/list] [SIZE= 13px]One of the problems with cross-platform titles on the PS3 has been the fact that most are first developed for XBOX 360, then ported to PS3. In most cases, those games are unable to take full advantage of the graphics capabilities (with a few exceptions, such as the [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Call of Duty[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] franchise). PlayStation Exclusive titles, like [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Uncharted 3[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px], have always had a more cinematic feel than cross-platformers [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]The Amazing Spider-Man[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] or [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Prototype 2[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]. Quantic Dream’s David Cage, the creator behind [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Heavy Rain[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px] discussed the evolution of the use of polygons for character creation from 1999 to the present, demonstrating the PS3’s current limitation of 30,000 polygons in the upcoming cinematic [/SIZE][SIZE= 13px]Beyond: Two Souls[/SIZE][SIZE= 13px], and what is possible on the new PS4 hardware with a live 3D, 360-degree rendering of the bust of an old man that was eerily lifelike. It will be very interesting to see which platform developers will be using for the next generation of cross-platform titles.[/SIZE]

[SIZE= 13px]Sony, as well as Microsoft, will likely have more finalized details of their next-gen consoles this June at E3 in Los Angeles, and Home Theater Forum will be there to cover it, so stay tuned![/SIZE]
 

Carlo_M

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Looking forward to the next gen consoles. Both my PS3 and 360 are getting long in the tooth and showing their limitations. Glad to see PS4 hasn't abandoned physical media and in fact has put a 6X BD player in there. Hopefully Microsoft will do something similar. For something that came out a year later than the PS3, the 360 only has a DVD player :( I do question Sony's use of an AMD CPU. A lot of tech blogs/journals are skeptical on the AMD outlook for the future. It's good that Sony learned their lesson and moved away from their proprietary chip mentality which limited development for the PS3 (in comparison to the 360) but I wish they'd gone with an Intel solution. But it's all about the games, and Bungie will be programming for Sony for the very first time and the early screenshots of Destiny look awesome. Time to start saving up the pennies!
 

Citizen87645

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I have a PS3, which has served me well as a Blu-ray player, but my gaming has dwindled down to really nothing these days. So I'll follow the PS4 out of curiosity but I don't think I will spend my money on a PS4 for Blu-ray, but look to get an Oppo if I'm looking for the latest and greatest in Blu-ray playback.
 

Morgan Jolley

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Carlo - The 360 actually came out a year earlier than the PS3 and the Wii. It only has a DVD drive because Sony partially owns BluRay technology and Microsoft didn't want to support them while also keeping costs down.
 

aabuadas

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As a Sony fan since the first Playstation, seeing the transformation of every platform is exciting. You wonder how they'll get better and they always find a way. I remember reading from multiple different sources that Sony is leaving the dual shock controller behind and opting for a completely new design. When the PS4 was revealed I was kind of disappointed that it still looked the same, with some changes. However, the more I read about the controller the more I started liking it. I'm looking foreword to see how companies will utilize the touch screen into the games' controls. David Cage is an inspiration! His brilliant mind takes advantage of everything that can possibly be done within the limits of a platform. The way the PS4 is designed, I think we'll be seeing amazing graphics come to life. The demonstration with the old man's face left me speechless. The Gaikai is the one thing that confuses me, still wanting to hear more about that. I'm ready to see the platform design....like right now!
 

mattCR

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PS4 VersionPC Version

I'm not sure what to make of this just yet. The PC Version looks so much better than the PS4 version, but it could still be early; still, for an early tech Demo, the Unreal4 engine does look amazing.
 

JohnS

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In a chat with Kotaku, Sony has revealed that the PlayStation 4 will be able to playback 4K/Ultra HD video. However, it will not upscale to 4K or play games at 4K resolution.Sony has also confirmed that it will definitely launch a 4K movie service on the PS4 and is looking at ways it can get around the 100GB downloads required.
 

Morgan Jolley

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JohnS - I read Kotaku and didn't see that information anywhere. Could you link to it?

Personally, I think 4K is pointless. Most HDTVs at 1080p are showing pixels at a size that is too small for the human eye to discern from adjacent pixels. The sole benefit of 4K is that passive-glasses 3D would show a 1080p image to each eye. Otherwise I think it's kind of a useless feature.
 

mattCR

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I tend to hate articles like that "we're speculating it will have this CPU/GPU at this rate, with this result.." based on.. nothing. Just rumor. We don't know enough yet to know enough; about either console, really. We'll have a better idea about MS's next console after May 21. But until then, it's just wild speculation.
 

Aaron Silverman

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Assuming they get the price down to a reasonable level, IMO the ability to display true 1080p passive 3D is a worthwhile reason to go 4K.
 

JohnS

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With this news
http://www.dvice.com/2013-2-21/sony-reveals-5-more-important-ps4-details
About the digital purchases made on the PS3 won't be able to transfer over to the PS4 is really upsetting. But there is hope that their cloud system will make it possible to do so.
I have a hard time believing that all the PS games I have either purchased or got for free through Playstation Plus will be obsolete.
Also there's recent news about the "share button" on the controller saying that game developers can have the option locked if they don't want people reveling such things as end bosses and final moments in games ruining endings for people.
 

DaveF

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I saw a preview video for the new Assassins Creed, using I think PS3 gameplay. It was very impressive, assuming it wasn't all pre-rendered video.
 

JohnS

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Useable slogan too. Cause if they have the system out and just average material, with lots of bitching, all they have to tell you is, "greatness awaits. Playstation."
 

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