Tag: Announcement

The Sony Playstation 4/PS4/Orbis is going to be officially announced today in New York.  While many gamers are considering the exciting news about updated graphics engines and gaming innovation there are other things to consider and look for as the new console(s) are announced.

Remember the Duck Demo from the PS3?…  Don’t let them fool you today.

• Pricing – Will Sony make up for their pricing mistake with the PS3?  Most analysts believe that the PS4 will have a price tag around $400.  This is a fair price point in terms of how systems have been priced since 2000.
• Online Functionality – PlayStation Network has been an embarrassment in terms of service and lag in gaming experience.  Add the fact that Sony became a target for hackers and were subsequently hacked to the max should be a sign that they must improve there service and more importantly – security.
• Motion Control – This is a niche function that shouldn’t be considered in terms of controller functionality.  They tried to push the Six-Axis early on and then the ‘Move’ to no avail.  They should try to make more use of the Eye-Toy camera (like the Kinect) if they want to do anything with motion.  Even still – it is a novel concept with little to provide to gamers.
• Design and Engineering – While Sony fanboys like to make fun of 360 users for the RROD (Red Ring of Death) they were victims of similar failings from Sony.  The YLOD (Yellow Light of Death) and over-heating of PS3 Slim consoles was a common theme that should scare any day-one console purchaser at least a little bit.
• What Else Can Be Done… Really? – Console gaming is hitting a peak plateau because graphical improvements are becoming more and more detailed in non-gameplay scenarios.  We may see improvements to physics (which is doubtful in Madden – call me cynical, but you know it is true) but we are getting to a point where developers of games are moving towards microtransactions and forcing you to buy add-ons rather than any sort of true improvement in the game itself.  Don’t let Sony (or Microsoft, when the time comes) to get you drunk with graphics and take advantage of your wallet with fancy videos.