Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I love my Xbox and it would take a lot for me to switch to a PlayStation, however the announcement is quite interesting and gives us a little incite into the next generation of consoles. Cut from BBC News here: Sony has announced its next-generation gaming console - the PlayStation 4 - at an event in New York. Its new hardware is designed to offer superior graphics as well as new social features including the sharing of recorded gameplay clips. It will succeed the PlayStation 3, which went on sale in 2006 and has sold about 75 million units. The PS4 will eventually compete against Microsoft's still-to-be-unveiled Xbox 360 successor and Nintendo's Wii U. Sony also confirmed a range of big-name software for the machine including Bungie's upcoming "shared-world shooter" Destiny, which will include exclusive content for the PS4. The developer's previous title, Halo, helped drive sales for the rival Xbox platform. A successful launch might spur on sales of Sony's new televisions and other consumer electronics, helping turn around its fortunes. Sony posted a 456.7bn yen loss ($4.9bn; £3.2bn) in its last financial year, marking the fourth year it ended in deficit. But the firm has forecast a 20bn yen profit for the current financial year ending in March. Sony said the console was "coming holiday 2013" suggesting it will go on sale in at least some countries in or around December. It did not give any indication of its price nor did it show what the console would look like. The new controller features a touchpad and a light so its movement can be tracked by a camera There was also no mention of whether the console would support 4K - or ultra-high definition - video. However, Sony told the BBC it would have more to say on this matter "at the appropriate moment". PC-based chip Sony described the machine as being like a "supercharged" PC. It runs off an x86-based CPU (central processing unit) - similar architecture to that found in most desktop computers - and an "enhanced" PC GPU (graphics processing unit). Both CPU and GPU are designed by the US firm Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). It comes with the new DualShock 4 controller, which includes a touchpad, a "share button" and a lightbar, which allows a separate camera to track its movement. "This is a complete controller upgrade with touch, share and better responsiveness," said Brian Blau, an analyst at the tech consultancy Gartner. "The new controller is the key to a better PS4 experience. It has the ability to share content easily, and brings in a component of touch that allows even more ways to interact with games." The console also includes new hardware dedicated to video compression to make it a more social device. Users will be able to pause a game, select a few minutes of recorded video of their most recent activity, and instruct the clip to be uploaded to a social network. This will then occur in the background while they can return to their game. The firm said it wanted to make sharing video clips as common as it is today to share screenshots. Another new feature is that gamers can let one of their friends connect to their machine and take control of their character to help if they have got stuck, or allow several friends to watch their live progress as spectators. This facility uses technology from Gaikai - a cloud-based service Sony acquired last year for $380m. Gaikai's technology is also being used to allow PS4 games to be streamed and played via the PlayStation Vita handheld console, which may boost its sales. Sony said it was also exploring the possibility of using its Gaikai unit to allow PlayStation 3 games to be played on the new machine as well as other devices. However, at the moment PS3 games will not run on the new console. "The decision to not make the PlayStation 4 backwards compatible is disappointing and means the 5.5 million plus people who own a PS3 in the UK will essentially have to start their gaming collection from scratch," said Alex Simmons, UK editor-in-chief of the gaming site IGN. "PlayStation 3 games - and indeed PSone and PS2 games - will be available to download at some point, but most likely at an additional cost, which might turn consumers off." Designed for developers Sony invited developers on stage to preview some of the PS4 games being worked on. They included Killzone Shadowfall - an addition to its bestselling Killzone science fiction first-person shooter series; the racing game Driveclub; superhero game Infamous: Second Son; and Diablo 3. Developer Ubisoft also confirmed that its much-discussed title WatchDogs, which involves a hacker taking control of a smart city's systems, is indeed being developed for the PS4. Jim Ryan, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, told the BBC that his firm's shift to an x86-based processor would make it easier for other developers to create games for the platform. "One of the fundamental design principles was to make the PlayStation 4 considerably easier to develop for than some of its predecessor platforms," he said. "It is much more of a generic PC environment. It's not a bespoke development environment as was very much the case with the PlayStation 3. "So it's something developers are aware of, are comfortable with and they don't have to relearn the rules." Improved graphics While the graphics shown during the demonstrations were more advanced that those in current games for Nintendo's Wii U, Sony must also convince gamers to choose its platform over PC-based systems. PCs will be capable of offering increasingly impressive visuals as the PS4 ages thanks to their ability to have their processors and other hardware upgraded. US firm Valve, in particular, has been vocal about its ambition to bring PC-based gaming to living room TVs. Even so, Stephen Totilo, editor of the gaming site Kotaku, was broadly impressed with what he had seen. "The PS4 games we saw today don't look that much better than the best beauties on the PS3 - until you look for the smaller details," he said. "It seems like you can see further into the distance in these games' worlds. More sparks fly, more smoke swirls. "This is nice, but it has the feeling of the spectacle of visuals alone is reaching a point of diminishing returns. "More impressive is how much more social the PS4 seems - to be able to capture video of what you play while you play and share that with people brings console gaming closer to the cutting edge of modern gaming on a PC. "This system seems smarter and more connected - it doesn't seem like a dinosaur." How much? Sony did not announce how much it plans to charge - perhaps holding the news back for the E3 gaming conference in Los Angeles in June or a later announcement. The PlayStation 3 was initially sold at a loss, so if that practice is repeated with the new model its launch may initially put fresh strain on the firm's finances. Even so, one analyst suggested that Sony would be willing to take the pain to maximise early demand. "Without the established user base and community of PS3 and PlayStation Network, Sony would be without a significant home entertainment foothold allowing it to connect many of its other consumer electronic devices, products and services," said Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games at IHS Screen Digest. "Sony's next generation device is likely to take on more importance not less." The Japanese firm's shares closed 1.8% lower in Tokyo trade following the announcement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julieanne Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have an Xbox 360 and PS2. I hardly use them though and it would take a lot for me to ever want to upgrade. I remember a story where a yet to be released Iphone was lost and Apple had only just released a new Iphone. I think the company's are going overboard. IMO they should wait and gather more new features before releasing a new version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I have an Xbox 360 and PS2. I hardly use them though and it would take a lot for me to ever want to upgrade. I remember a story where a yet to be released Iphone was lost and Apple had only just released a new Iphone. I think the company's are going overboard. IMO they should wait and gather more new features before releasing a new version. Yeah I know what you are saying, I love my gaming and will defiantly upgrade but I should think it'll be for the new Xbox... whenever that is announced/goes on sale. The rumours for this sound a lot more promising with regard to innovation than those of the PS4 which seems to be just more powerful. Do you have kinect for your Xbox 360? if so what do you think of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julieanne Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Yeah I know what you are saying, I love my gaming and will defiantly upgrade but I should think it'll be for the new Xbox... whenever that is announced/goes on sale. The rumours for this sound a lot more promising with regard to innovation than those of the PS4 which seems to be just more powerful. Do you have kinect for your Xbox 360? if so what do you think of it? I do I found it worked really well, I never had any problems with it and it was especially good for sports games or if the battery went flat in the controller. I'd say it's worth the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I do I found it worked really well, I never had any problems with it and it was especially good for sports games or if the battery went flat in the controller. I'd say it's worth the price. Yeah, its amazing how it works isn't it.... well it is to me lol The only game I haven't got that I really wanted for it is Star Wars Kinect... which looks like every mans dream, becoming a Jedi knight and using the force lol The new xbox is 'supposed' to have an upgraded version of Kinect built in (according to rumours) which would be ace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julieanne Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 If it was built in you wouldn't have to worry about it getting knocked down, ours has a quite a few times lol. I can't comment on the game you mentioned because I haven't even seen star wars (the movie) let alone played the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 If it was built in you wouldn't have to worry about it getting knocked down, ours has a quite a few times lol. I can't comment on the game you mentioned because I haven't even seen star wars (the movie) let alone played the game. :eek: You haven't seen Star Wars Have you played the game, I think its Kinect Adventures where it takes pictures of you as you play... some of them turn out sooooo funny lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julieanne Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Everyone shares your reaction when I tell them I haven't seen it Sure have, I agree the pictures are pretty funny. One thing I like about it is that it's easy for people to pick up on without getting frustrated. I find if you have friends over they become disinterested if they can't quite work a game out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stranger Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 very much in love with my PS3 and xbox, the kinect is good, but ive found that sometimes if you dont have the room it doesnt pick you up... I really want the star wars game, but should probably watch the movies first Not sure what console i prefer to be honest. The playstation was my original favourite, but since kinect and the various games available on either or i dont know what to do. Isnt the xbox being released sooner than the PS4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 very much in love with my PS3 and xbox, the kinect is good, but ive found that sometimes if you dont have the room it doesnt pick you up... I really want the star wars game, but should probably watch the movies first Not sure what console i prefer to be honest. The playstation was my original favourite, but since kinect and the various games available on either or i dont know what to do. Isnt the xbox being released sooner than the PS4? I'm not sure to be honest, I hope they both get released this year but until they make an announcement you can only guess really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julieanne Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Does anyone still have the original grey play station? I still have mine in a draw with the first game I bought, Tony Hawks Pro Skater. Haven't used it in over six years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Does anyone still have the original grey play station? I still have mine in a draw with the first game I bought, Tony Hawks Pro Skater. Haven't used it in over six years. I love the old consoles, I don't have one any more but I had a 'Sega Megadrive' up until around 3 years ago! It's amazing when you switch them on remembering the amazing graphics and game play and realise... they are a little rubbish, but the heart of the game is there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I'm an Xbox girl , but thinking ov converting , my bf has left his ps3 round mine all week n I'm starting to prefer it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well. . . They showed the controller and a few games and demos that are still in development. and talked a lot about the specs. However currently it's still a breadboarded PC lashup that everyone is developing with. Rumour has it that it'll be out in time for Xmas or the "holidays" as they call it. C'mon Microsoft cough up the 720 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I'm an Xbox girl , but thinking ov converting , my bf has left his ps3 round mine all week n I'm starting to prefer it It's the on-line experience that sways me towards Xbox, some things are worth paying for IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well. . . They showed the controller and a few games and demos that are still in development. and talked a lot about the specs. However currently it's still a breadboarded PC lashup that everyone is developing with. Rumour has it that it'll be out in time for Xmas or the "holidays" as they call it. C'mon Microsoft cough up the 720 Yeah, only thing is, if its anything like the Vita it will be out in Japan & USA by the holidays and Europe some time in 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollynDiesel Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I've never been a sony girl, and love my xbox. Im waiting for the 720 announcements! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky-gunner Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 As a big gamer myself I own a Xbox 360 and a ps3 the Xbox is by far the best don't think I would ever buy another play station I think Sony should stick to making hi-fis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 It's the on-line experience that sways me towards Xbox, some things are worth paying for IMO never been an online player , i have the old xbox where u either need to hook it up with the ethernet cable or the wifi adapter which never worked for me lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Yeah, only thing is, if its anything like the Vita it will be out in Japan & USA by the holidays and Europe some time in 2014 Yep we in europe are electronic 2nd class citizens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duremite Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 I'm a Sony guy myself and have been looking forward to this announcement! This leaves me wondering though. GTA V is set to be released around the holiday too. I suppose it's just barely missing the cut of the next-gen consoles? Kind of a disappointment really if that's the case. Guess the PS4 will just have to wait for GTA VI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormy Posted February 21, 2013 Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Ooo i said not long ago when would that come out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambi92 Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I'm an Xbox girl but since I kinda destroyed my 360 I've been playing my OHs ps3. As far as I've heard around here the ps4 hasn't got playback capability and its going to have its own games? We've got a half decent collection of games for ps3,360 and the wii. I'm hoping the 720 is able to play the 360 games so I can just buy one instead of wanting to buy both lol Until a few years ago I still had the mega drive, 64, ps1, ps2 and another one of the older ones I can't think of the name of it though lol I miss all the old games! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Can't beat the classics Looks like both new consoles (PS4 & Xbox 720) will be closing the second hand games trade though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambi92 Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Can't beat the classics Looks like both new consoles (PS4 & Xbox 720) will be closing the second hand games trade though I honestly don't get why either of them don't have playback I'd rather be able to play both instead of having to go out and buy all new games for them. But I'm not one to spend a lot of money on console games I use to with the Xbox but then I didn't find anything I liked so I went back to my comp games lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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