Everything You Need to Know About the New PlayStation 4
Note: This article was first published on March 4, 2013.
The Sony PlayStation 4 is the latest video game console that was officially announced on February 20th. It comes after the release of the Wii U on November 18th of the previous year.
However, the announcement left many PlayStation fans wanting more, as it didn’t include the design of the console itself.
But fear not, because the announcement did provide some details about the exciting new features and impressive specifications of the PS4. The focus of this new console seems to be on cloud gaming, shared gaming experiences, and innovative ways to interact with games.
Now, let me give you the lowdown on the 10 most important things you need to know about the PS4:
Contents
1. It’s Got Some Seriously Upgraded Hardware
Hey there, let me break down the awesome features that the PS4 will bring:
- It has this super cool custom-made processor by AMD
- A powerful eight-core “Jaguar” 64-bit x86 CPU
- An impressive 8GB of special GDDR5 system memory, giving you a whopping 176GB/second of bandwidth
- A cutting-edge AMD Radeon-based GPU to deliver stunning graphics
- Comes with a built-in storage hard disk drive and the latest USB 3.0 ports
- Not to mention the promise of mind-blowing graphics and performance, rivaling most gaming PCs out there
If all this technical mumbo-jumbo goes over your head, just think about all the incredible games that will be developed using this top-notch hardware. Check out these trailers and gameplay videos for what are believed to be the games launching with the PS4:
Get ready for Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs!
Discover the Thrilling World of Bungie’s Destiny
Hey there! Welcome to the captivating universe of Bungie’s Destiny. Get ready to embark on an exhilarating journey filled with action, adventure, and boundless possibilities!
In Destiny, you take on the role of a guardian, a chosen hero destined to protect the last remnants of humanity. With a variety of thrilling game modes, you’ll be able to test your skills and engage in epic battles against formidable enemies.
Are you ready to explore a vast, immersive world teeming with stunning landscapes and hidden secrets? Brace yourself for breathtaking vistas that will leave you in awe as you traverse through different planets and moons.
But the true heart of Destiny lies in its dynamic multiplayer experience. Join forces with friends or meet new allies as you team up to overcome challenging missions and raids. Together, you’ll face off against powerful adversaries and earn valuable rewards that will enhance your arsenal.
The world of Destiny is ever-evolving, with new content and updates constantly being added. From exciting expansions to seasonal events, there’s always something new to discover and experience. So prepare yourself for an ongoing adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Whether you’re a seasoned guardian or a newcomer to the world of Destiny, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. So gear up, grab your trusty weapon, and join me in the captivating universe of Destiny. I’ll see you out there, guardian!
No Price Tag Yet
Guess what? Sony hasn’t spilled the beans on the complete hardware details or the price for the PS4…yet. But hey, Mr. Shuhei Yoshida, the big boss at Sony, did give us a little hint about their pricing plan:
“We made some clever choices when it comes to the PS4’s design, which means we don’t need fancy factories. This helps us keep the price tag reasonable.”
Back in 2006, the PlayStation 3 was released with a price tag of around $500 to $600. Because of the competition from other cool consoles like the Wii U and the new Xbox, not to mention casual games on smartphones, Sony is still crunching numbers before they announce the final price for the PS4.
Swipes, Lights, and Sharing
This touchpad I’m talking about is a really cool pad with a clicky thing that lets you play games in a brand new, super interactive way.
And that’s not all! On top of the controller is a special light bar with three LEDs. These lights have a bunch of jobs, like telling you who’s playing and showing you important stuff. They even work with the PlayStation 4 Eye camera to let you do cool things with motion!
Oh, and there’s more! This controller has a special sensor that can tell which way it’s moving. It also has a button that does lots of things, like selecting and sharing stuff. Plus, there’s a Share button and even a built-in speaker and a jack for headphones!
So, as you can see, this controller has all the things you need for an awesome gaming experience. It’s got a touchpad, lights, motion-sensing, and even cool audio effects. It’s like a game controller of the future!
The future of gaming is moving towards motion-sensing controls. I’ve noticed this with popular devices from the past like the Wii Remote, Xbox 360 Kinect, and PlayStation Move.
Now, the PS4 is bringing something new to the table – a camera device. This device has two special cameras with wide-angle lenses that can see things at an 85-degree diagonal angle. They’re super sensitive and can even measure the depth of space around you.
But that’s not all! These fancy cameras also have face recognition technology, so instead of typing in your password, you can just show your face to log in. And to make it even cooler, the device has four microphones that can detect sounds and where they’re coming from. This all adds up to a more immersive gaming experience, where you can use your body movements and voice commands to interact with the game.
5. Play While You Update
Did you know that the PS4 has a cool feature that lets you pick up your game right where you left off? It’s just like how your smartphone or tablet works! The PS4 has something called “suspend mode” that puts it in a low-power state. This means that when you turn it on, it boots up super fast, loads your game quickly, and brings you right back to where you were.
But here’s something even cooler: you can update your game while you’re still playing it! Yep, you read that right. The PS4 lets you download and install updates in the background while you’re busy gaming. So, you don’t have to wait for the update to finish before you can start having fun. And guess what? You can even start playing a game before it’s completely downloaded. How awesome is that?
6. Second Screens
In my previous article, Future of Gaming: 5 Exciting Emerging Trends, I talked about how secondary screens could change gaming. I mentioned how the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita can connect and let you pause a game on one device and continue playing on another. It’s a cool feature that shows where gaming is headed.
Now, with the PlayStation 4, there’s an even more exciting feature. You can actually stream an entire game from the console to your PS Vita using Wi-Fi. That means you can play your PS4 games on the Vita without even needing to be near the console. Sony wants to make most PS4 titles work with the Vita, although some camera-based games won’t be supported. This feature is possible because Sony bought Gaikai cloud technology.
And that’s not all. Sony also made a new app called the PlayStation App. It works on Apple and Android devices and lets your phone or tablet act as a secondary screen while you’re playing. It’s kind of like having an extra screen to enhance your gaming experience.
So, with the PS4, you can play your games on the Vita and use your phone or tablet as a secondary screen. It’s all part of the exciting future of gaming.
7. Cloud Gaming
The recent addition of Gaikai, a cloud-based gaming service, to Sony’s arsenal has sparked curiosity about the potential cloud gaming features in the upcoming PS4. In fact, Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation Network (PSN) will make use of Gaikai’s cutting-edge cloud technology.
Thanks to this integration, gamers like you and me can now dive into high-end games without worrying about the limitations of our own devices. Essentially, the games are processed on powerful remote servers and then streamed to our connected devices, meaning we can start playing instantly.
This amazing service also offers the freedom to test out premium games before committing to a purchase. You can even stream a game that your friend is playing and take control yourself. However, it’s important to note that a fast internet connection will be crucial in order to ensure a seamless gaming experience.
8. No Backward Compatibility
Unfortunately, the PS4 doesn’t support backward compatibility like the way we might hope. Basically, that means you can’t play your old PS3 games on the new console. That goes for both the games you have on discs and the ones you downloaded digitally.
Now, here’s some good news! Sony has a plan to create a PlayStation library with Gaikai. Basically, they’ll have a big collection of over 3000 PS3 games that you can play on the PS4. And in the future, they even plan to include games from the older PlayStation systems like PS1 and PS2.
9. Digital Games
10. Sharing Made Easy
The PS4 controller now has a Share button that makes sharing your gameplay a breeze. Just press the button, and it will instantly record the last few minutes of your game. You can then upload it directly to social media platforms, such as Facebook.
What’s great is that you don’t have to stop playing your game while the upload is happening. It all takes place in the background, so you can keep enjoying your game without any interruptions. This means you don’t need any extra recording equipment or worry about video compression.
Did you know that the PS4 has some pretty cool features? Aside from Facebook, you can also connect to live streaming services like UStream. This means you can show off your gaming skills in real-time and even have your friends comment on your gameplay through live chats. And if you’re having a tough time, your friends can even join your game and give you a hand. In fact, there’s even a feature that lets someone else take control of your game and guide you through difficult levels. How cool is that?
So what’s next?
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the PS4. We don’t know how much it’ll cost, what the online service pricing will be like, or even what games will be available when it’s launched. We also don’t know exactly when it’ll be released or what it’ll look like. But don’t worry, all these details will be revealed in the coming months as the release date gets closer. So stay tuned!
