Full motion control (alongside the Dual Shock)

First off, let’s make one thing clear: we don’t want the Dual Shock controller to go anywhere. There’s a reason that it’s been standard issue with PlayStation consoles for over ten years: it’s a great controller. With that out of the way, it’d be great to see the PlayStation 4 feature full motion control built-in. That means no having to buy an expensive add-on (we’re looking at you, PlayStation Move). Just a motion control system built-in to the system that just works. Similar to the Kinect and the Wii, but slightly less ‘gimmicky’. If that’s possible.

A bigger and better hard drive

The PlayStation 3 has been through numerous iterations, and at present it seems the two best-selling models are the 160GB and 320GB versions. The latter is OK for now – it’ll take you a long time to fill up 320,000 MB with games, videos, and such. As the digital world moves on to bigger and higher bitrate forms of media, we’re going to need something a little bigger to hold them with. Whether downloadable games or HD movies, having a hard drive of at least a terabyte should be just fine (they’re pretty cheap to buy for PCs now, so it’s not too much of an ask).

Full PlayStation Vita integration and streaming

The PlayStation Vita is the latest addition to Sony’s family, and it’s essentially a portable PS3. With great games like Uncharted available at launch, it looks like it’ll be a good seller. We’ve already heard that gamers may be able to stream PS3 output to the Vita, but nothing is set in stone yet. With the PS4, we’d hope that Sony will fully integrate the Vita – so you could use it as a controller, to play minigames, as an inventory, or just to stream full titles. It’s an exciting thought in any case.

A faster blu-ray drive

The fact that it has a blu-ray player was one of the biggest selling points of the PS3. In fact, it’s one of the reasons that blu-ray is still doing so well. But the drive hasn’t always been that great in terms of loading speeds. PlayStation 3 games famously have some of the longest load times in the industry (Metal Gear Solid 4 is a prime example). With the PS4, we’d hope that Sony will integrate a faster BD player that can load games much more quickly.

Full backwards compatibility

When the PS3 first hit the shelves, it had backwards compatitbilty for both PS1 and PS2 titles. This was great, and it made perfect sense. But following feedback from consumers about the quality of the PS2 graphics (fuzziness and some other things), Sony removed the functionality from future PS3 models. Many people were upset by this, so it’d be ideal if Sony could implement full backwards compatibility with the next PlayStation – so it’ll play PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 titles. It’s a tall order, yes, but that makes it no less awesome.

There you have it: five great features we’d love to see on the PS4. Word isn’t yet out about when we can expect the PlayStation 4 (maybe some time in 2013?), but in the meantime we can all dream can’t we? What do you think, and what would your ‘dream’ features be for the next iteration of the PlayStation series?

Speaking to reporters at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment chairman Kazuo Hirai said his company won’t be unveiling a new console at the E3 Gaming Expo this summer. From the Wallstreet journal

Sony Corp. said it doesn’t plan to introduce a new home console at this year’s E3 videogame trade show, deflating expectations that a successor to the company’s PlayStation 3 would be on its way soon.

Although Hirai’s statement seems to belittle the hopes that Sony would be unveiling the next PlayStation at E3, it does not however mean that Sony will not unveil the next generation console at some point during 2012… Just not likely at E3.

Sony Computer Entertainment President Andrew House stated this week that the company wasn’t “contemplating talking about anything to do with future console iterations at this point,” adding that Sony was “just entering into this great period for PS3.”

This past holiday season the Playstation 3 sold more than 3.9 million units… for many at Sony this is a sign that a new console is not yet needed, and puts more weight on the “10 year console lifespan” that so many at Sony have been striving for. The longer Sony can hold out on the next generation console, presumably the more advanced it will be… consider for a moment the competition that exists between console developers, if Sony’s next generation console is released too soon it will not be able to take advantage of many of the online and web development changes taking place right now and if it is released too late then the console will suffer sales figures against other competitive consoles (the next generation Xbox).

Many of the E3 2012 release rumors seem to stem from the fact that Nintendo is launching the WiiU in 2012, and while the Wii is certainly a gaming console it is not one that Playstation is really in direct competition with… something gamers the world over know, and Sony them selves have stated. So the launch of a new Wii does little to push the Playstation 4 announcement any closer, however an announcement regarding the next generation Xbox would be much different.

With all of this information available, and the statements made by various Sony staffers, it can be determined that an E3 announcement, for the Playstation 4  is not coming in 2012… and to be honest it seems there is little evidence that there will be any announcement from Sony regarding a new console during 2012. Leaving us waiting, anxious, and enjoying our Playstation 3.

Whats the rush anyways?

The entire point of those commercials is that, when you finally save up the money and buy the next big gadget you’ve wanted (like the iPad or iPhone), the next one hits the market within a few months, sometimes weeks. Now there is the iPad 2 and iPhone 4, one for each year the device has been on the market (and that gets expensive).

The Epic Games leader, Mike Capps, weighed in on the effect that Apple will have on PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720: in short, he said the next generation consoles are completely worthless.

In a way, he’s almost right. Look at how quickly smartphones have taken over the market. Now they run on dual-core with 1GhZ RAM, remarkable for a portable device that is supposed to only do phone calls and texts. Games like Angry Birds flood the market, playable everywhere and addicting in their simplicity. But what if smartphones went one step further into console territory?

What Capps means is that, with the way iPhone keeps excelling, it makes sense that in a few years (like the iPhone 8 ) will be able to work as a controller and console in one. Simply plug into the TV and play.

While this seems possible, why would anyone want to rely on the same device for both gaming and phone calls? And I know a few of you have thrown a controller when a little PO’d at a game: imagine you threw your console everytime you threw a controller. That’s just plain silly!

But the thing that seems interesting: smartphones progress much faster than consoles, always getting faster and better. If someone wanted to buy the Xbox 720 or PS4, they’re shelling out at least $500 for the console and guts.

So, what would be a good solution to this predicament? One way would be to have a console “shell”, kind of like a tower, that can have pieces upgraded as Sony or Microsoft release better technology. Yeah, you’d probably end up spending more over time, but at least it would be optional instead of having to buy an entire new console every few years – and it would always be top of the line!

What do you think? Rumors abound about Xbox 720 and PS4 release dates, but is this just nonsense? Is Capps right?

Streaming has become a huge source of video entertainment for everyone. We watch movies from Amazon Netflix on our game consoles, computers, and TV. It’s everywhere.

Harrison believes that next-gen consoles, like PlayStation 4, will steer away from the current generation of consoles in a multitude of ways, one of which is game media. Instead of spending fifty-bucks for a disc, you’ll charge a credit card or use points to purchase rights to stream a game, just like we do for Netflix.

Why? He thinks it will be a more service-based model than a retail one, since companies like Sony learned a lesson when they overspent during the development of the PS3.

He said:

“The new business model is going to become a combination of retail and services, and it’s going to be an interesting decision for the likes of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, is the next console race about chips and CPU, clock speed and graphics, or is it about business models and monetization and discovery, and I think it’s probably going to be about the latter.”

But is that smart? Probably not. What if your router crashes for a day? How are you going to play your favorite game without being connected to the internet? That’s a major flaw, which is why this just seems silly as the only form of game media. It needs to be something on your harddrive or in your room, that you can access even when offline.

I mean, it would be nifty if some games were streamed, if it were cheap. More casual games, not directly geared towards dedicated gamers.

That may make PS more social, as well. Maybe if the PS4 can have a balance, it will be perfect.

Ubisoft is the developer of the Assassin’s Creed line of games. They recently have adjusted from total “hardcore” gaming to more casual games, like Just Dance, which makes a perfect balance of cost and profit, appealing to both crowds of gamers.

While it is true there have been more and more rumors about the PS4 lately (like the manufactures saying it will ship in 2012 and then the developer’s 2013 rumor), this only makes the PS4 earlier release date seem more likely. Originally, Sony kept saying the PS4 wouldn’t launch until 2016, and then they didn’t want to release a new console until 2014. Now it seems that with the Wii U around the corner, and XBox 720 supposedly  already in the hands of developers, the next console really is on the horizon.

”I think [the Wii U is] sending the message that the new transition is going to happen – and we’re going to have new machines coming soon,” said the CEO.

When do you think the PS4 will release? Some rumors say 2012, others 2013, while many people still insist on 2016. Answer the poll and let us know!

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Dumary’s PS4 has a brand-new feature: ECO Restart. Basically, the console uses a rechargeable battery to stay in a power-friendly mode after turned off, making it easier on the console when it is turned back on for play later.

This PS4 will also be made of 60% recycled materials, with magnesium alloy and carbon, making the overall console weight considerably light.
We’ve talked before about how Sony should incorporate and integrate the PS Vita and Sony S1 and S2 Tablets into the console, and that’s what Dumary did. You can use either as a remote control, a way to browse the web, or play games from a distance, knocking the Wii U controller out of the water.

The PS4 would have a 1.5TB harddrive, Blu-Ray and 3D support, USB 3.0, Sync, Cloud, and so much more. Even cooler? The PS4 controller would have a light sensor and an adjustment option for the analog stick, incase it’s too loose or too tight for the player’s gameplay.

The model is sleek, futuristic but not crazy looking, and fits the current models of PlayStation that we adore. What do you think? (Click on the images below if you want to see a larger view.)

Other rumors suggest that the Wii 2 guts will be able to compete with an Xbox 360. If this is true, then the cold war between Sony and Xbox will launch at this competition. As of now, both Microsoft and Sony have put off the releases of their next consoles until at least 2014. If the Wii 2 is too much competition for the Xbox 360, then Microsoft will have to rush a release of the Xbox 720.

With the Wii 2 rumored to be released in late 2012, what does this mean for the Sony PlayStation 4?

Well, don’t expect the PS4 to be released before the 720 in this case. But a year later? That’s a possibility. PS3 is only in the past year or two profitable, and they need to make a stronger claim in the US and Europe. With all the technical possibilities for the PS3, they can handle waiting another three or four years.

As we’ve discussed many times before, Sony plans to keep adding to the PS3 console with upgrades rather than a makeover. While a Wii 2 could possibly push the next generation of consoles to step it up by a year or two, don’t expect much more.

E3 occurs in June 2011 in LA. Wonder what other news we’ll hear?

Playstation Move

Earlier this week there was a release of a couple of videos that posed to be for the Playstation 4 (PS4 viral videos). These videos of course sent ripples through the gaming community and left everyone completely confused and at a loss… why would Playstation bring out the PS4 when they had just announced the Playstation Move. Everyone had assumed the introduction of 3d games and motion gaming capabilities was more than enough… but the videos were leaked and raised a lot of questions.

As it turns our the videos were created by a college student working on a degree in advertising… The student in hopes of generating a little bit of buzz, and possibly jump start his career released the videos, and sent shock waves through the gaming world.

The big news this year is not the Playstation 4, we likely have several years before a new Playstation console is introduced, but the Playstation Move, and the upcoming pre buy opportunities.

There is a lot coming from Playstation this winter season, 3d games are likely to be a big hit as well as thee introduction of motion gaming with the Playstation Move… Its going to be a great year for Playstation fans!

We at SonyPS4.com have come across so much information over the course of the last year that points to this it is a certainty… The next Playstation console will indeed be the Sony Playstation 4, and we will go through a list of quotes and references that we hope will shine some light on the subject. There is little information available on the Playstation’s next gaming console , and that is to be expected at this point in development, but as you will see many of the most prominent names and employees of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. have referred to the next Playstation gaming console as the Playstation 4.

Playstation 4 Concepts

• Playstation inventor Ken Kutaragi, as chairman and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  is already thinking ahead to Playstation 4 and beyond. In an exclusive interview with EE Times, Kutaragi said: “As a matter of course, I have the vision of Playstation 4, 5 and 6, which will merge into the network.” Read More.
• PS3.IGN.com talks about the possibility of the Playstation 4 being released at a 3d gaming consolee, possibly the first of it’s kind. While it is a grey area in terms of what the Playstation 4 will be capable of, the console is again referred to by a leading game resource as the Playstation 4… Really IGN speaks of the Playstation 4 frequently, read more about the PS4 possibly being a 3d gaming console here.
• In an interview with Jack Tretton, the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, again the next Playstation console is mentioned by name, as the Playstation 4. “A question I often get is when we are going to see Playstation 4. When somebody can craft the technology that exceeds what we’re able to do on the PS3, but we are still just starting to harness it.” While not ready to put a date on it, it would seem Jack Tretton is certain of the next Playstation consoles name. Read more from the FastCompany interview.
• Geek.com also mentions the Playstation 4 by name in referring to Cell alternatives to the Playstation 4 gaming console. While again its mostly rumors and speculation on what the Playstation 4 gaming console will offer, its again another authority in the gaming and tech industry referring to the next Playstation gaming console as the Playstation 4. Check it out.
• Mr. Yoshida in an interview with VideogamesZone.de, translated by Xbitlabs.com here. From the Xbitlabs.com article “Even though Mr. Yoshida did not confirm that PlayStation 4 will use Blu-ray disc or a next-generation optical format, it is highly-possible that the console due in several years will use optical discs to store huge next-generation video games.” Many times during the interview Shuhei Yoshida, senior vice president of product development at Sony Computer Entertainment America, mentions the next Playstation gaming console as the Playstation 4.

There are literally thousands of references of the next Playstation console being referred to as the Playstation 4, I have tried to include only those that are the most credible, and those that can be easily referenced yourself if you choose to do so… A real big part of Sony keeping with the Playstation numbered series has to do with them maintaining the brand that they have built up since the launch of the first Playstation on December 3, 1994.

In reality we find it unlikely that Sony will ever choose to go away from the numerical naming system for the Playstation console generations. These names are just far too recognizable, and instantly associated with the gaming consoles that you are familiar with. Sony Playstation has even hinted at this with a commercial that was aired during the launch of the Playstation 2 that featured the Playstation 9.

This commercial, while possibly some what satire, really is further proof that Sony intends to stay with the Playstation numerical branding for as long as they are producing gaming systems. Dated 2078 and offering some of the most wild and futuristic technology imaginable, this advertisement goes to the merit and power of the current Playstation branding tactics.

All of this, and thousands more references throughout the internet, point to the next Playstation gaming console as being named the Playstation 4. With Sony unlikely to announce any official information regarding the Playstation 4, until just before launch, the mentioning of the console by name from Sony executives is the biggest indication so far.