PlayStation 4 Review

November 15, 2013 marks the true beginning of the 8th generation of home video consoles with the release of Sony’s PlayStation 4. Announced earlier this year, alongside its primary competitor in Microsoft’s Xbox One a few months later, The PS4 is first out the gate a full seven years after its predecessor.

The PS4 promises to deliver a platform that’s developer-friendly and gamer-focused, on that’s as powerful as it is social. In our lengthy review of the system, we’ll touch on the setup process, the new interface, social and sharing features. We’ll also review the DualShock 4 controller and non-gaming applications the system delivers on day one.


Setting Up The Console

Plugging in and setting up the PlayStation 4 console is thankfully quick and easy. The basics are the same as its predecessor and the package comes with all of the necessary parts to get Sony’s next-gen game system up and running. As we discussed in our PS4 demo and preview impressions, the console itself is slanted and flat in design for two reasons. On the front, the tilted shape makes it a tad easier for users to hit the power button and on the back, the overlap conceals some of the cords that plug into the back. There’s also a break along the front which will conceal the two USB ports.

A built-in power bar prevents the need for a large brick on the power cord and is again appreciated. The slanted design and the light line down the top and front are more for aesthetic than practicality but it looks good and it looks different than its rounded predecessors.

Turning on the system for the first time will require a one-time-only setup process to set the system’s internet and networking settings and to create or login with a Sony account. There’s of course, a Day One (1.5) update as well to enable many of the console’s features but it downloads rather quickly in the background while users can play disc-based games offline.

If users purchase the $60 PlayStation 4 Eye camera peripheral, the system can sign them in via facial recognition. To login this way, you’ll need to hold the controller up so the camera can see the light bar to prevent accidentally turning the system on when in standby. The facial recognition works fairly well under most lighting conditions but takes longer than simply selecting a player profile.

New to the PS4 is the guest sign-in feature which lets any user sign-in on another person’s console. It’s a way to prevent issues with having to delete accounts when leaving a friend’s house and it lets you access digital content on any other system while signed in. It’s another welcome addition and the console allows up to four users sign in at the same time.
PlayStation 4′s New Interface

PS3 users upgrading to its next-gen successor will immediately notice that the outdated XMB (XrossMediaBar) has been replaced with a new interfaced dubbed the PlayStation Dynamic Menu which embraces larger, easier to read Microsoft-esque tiles. Sony claims its new GUI is designed on the five pillars of being Simple, Immediate, Social, Integrated, and Personalized.

At launch, we can safely say it’s at least three of those things. The PS4 menu system is very fast and much more user-friendly than the PS3′s XMB. On the main menu there’s a ‘What’s New‘ screen which is essentially a social wall and of course, there’s social media and sharing integration with Twitter and Facebook. The interface still isn’t as intuitive as the Xbox 360′s home screen but once learning where everything is, users will quickly be able to access all of its features.

Players can use the mic that ships with the PS4 or the Eye peripheral (or any working third-party headset) to access screens and various functions with voice commands as well. There’s also the official PlayStation app, available on iOS and Android devices, which users can connect to the PlayStation 4 system for more second screen features.

Outside of accessing the PlayStation store remotely and adding friends and sending messages over Sony’s network to other users, the main features currently available let users control what’s on the screen with their mobile device by sliding around. It’s a little difficult to use and we quickly gave up on it in favor of using the primary DualShock 4 controller to navigate the screens. The other more useful feature is the ability to type via the app in text boxes on screen since going from one character to another to write a message is tedious and inefficient.

Even here the app is still not as user-friendly as it should be since it requires going back and forth between the DualShock 4 controller and a mobile device to input and submit text in each separate field. There’s also a few extra unnecessary steps involved in adding friends, so it and the interface have room for improvement.

We were not impressed by the system forcefully requiring us to enter credit card information after redeeming a code for the PlayStation Plus subscription in order to “use this product.” A credit card is required to redeem any voucher code and by default, it’s set to auto-renew from said card so the system is designed to get money from you.

That obstacle aside, the design of the PlayStation store and how it’s integrated into the social wall is smart. It’s easy to read and developers have a place to highlight news and updates for their own games. The system supports free-to-play games and the store makes it easy to sort by various categories. Some titles offer the choice of downloading one component before the other so if you wanted to play multiplayer and download the single player in the background, you can do that. If you’re going to be downloading a lot of full retail titles in the future, be weary of what you want to keep installed since the PS4 harddrive is only 500gb and some games like Killzone: Shadow Fall are upwards of 40gb in filesize.

As a digitally-focused system, the PS4 also has a standby mode which allows it to download updates in the background when not fully “on.” By default the console will check for updates late at night but it can turn on remotely and download purchases made on the PlayStation App or Vita while out and about as well. In this state, the console can also charge plugged-in controllers which make standby mode – and its pretty orange light across the top of the console – a welcome addition.
The DualShock 4 Controller

The DualShock 4 controller embraces the same traditional PlayStation button layout as its predecessors, but adds a few new features and important tweaks. The mold of the controller however, sees the biggest and most long overdue change, dropping the old school DualShock design from 1997 (when it was first introduced on the original PlayStation in Japan) and embracing an ergonomic, more rounded design with better grips. It’s light weight, smooth and slick.

In addition to altering the spacing of the dual analog sticks and face buttons, the sticks themselves see an important change, with Sony moving from the rounded dome top of the DualShock 3 and predecessors to grip-friendly concave sticks with an outer ring on the DualShock 4. This change makes using the sticks for lengthier periods of time feel more comfortable while also making it feel more precise. Unfortunately, the sticks are still placed low and far from where human hands naturally place their thumbs so it’s possible to get hand cramps in extended periods of play.

As for the next-gen DualShock 4 features, the center of the controller now hosts a capacitive touchpad that also clicks in. Some of the PS4 launch titles, including Killzone: Shadow Fall and Warframe use the touchpad as a secondary D-Pad of sorts where users can swipe in any of the four main directions to access special abilities. To the left and right of the touchpad are the ‘Share’ and ‘Options’ buttons which replace the ‘Select’ and ‘Start’ of old, respectively. ‘Options’ serves the same purpose as ‘Start’ previously did but the ‘Share’ button opens up one of the most important features supported by both next-generation consoles: social media and screenshot/video sharing. But more on that later!

The PS button (featuring the PlayStation logo) has been moved to the bottom of the controller to make room for the touchpad. It functions the same way it did on the PS3, bringing up the dashboard upon pressing. Double-tapping it lets users switch between any two apps, or a game and an app on the fly which is handy for checking notifications, social feeds or even the browser while gaming.

The DualShock 4 controller also embraces the PlayStation move tech of the PS3 and has a light bar built into it which not only makes it extremely precise – enhanced with an improved three-axis gyroscope & accelerometer – but can also serve as a extra layer of immersion. The color of the light bar for instance, can change color as an extra form of game feedback and in The Playroom suite pre-installed on the console, holding one’s hand in front of it simulates darkness for the little robots on screen. We can think of a few ideas already of how some games can use that in conjunction with the improved motion controls that still let you have the rest of the controls in your hands. At launch, there are not many games/apps available that take advantage of the controller’s features.
Social Media Integration

The PlayStation 4′s friends list builds upon and shares the same friends lists as PS3 and Vita, except users can now link their Sony account with Facebook and Twitter. These accounts are required if users plan to share screenshots or video. Facebook is currently the only way to grab a real-world photo to use as a profile Avatar. Otherwise, you’re stuck with the weak library of default image choices.

It’s also in these social feeds where users can post videos, screenshots and links to livestreams. Users of course can customize settings so they don’t flood their personal walls with PS4-related content and for Facebooking videos, the system lets users select specific predefined groups of friends from their Facebook lists or from their friends who are playing that same game or have a PS4.

An important step in the process that helps protect privacy is that when associating a Sony account to Facebook, users can choose to grab their real name and display it, making their gamer account much more personal. They don’t have to if they don’t want to, and even if they do, your real name won’t display to friends unless they send a “Name Request,” but it just goes to show how far gaming has come in the world of personal social media. Users can similarly choose what posts show up on the PS4′s ‘What’s New’ social wall.
Sharing Screenshots & Video

The sharing ability built into the PlayStation 4 operating system works super slick and is very easy to setup and use, even for newbies to the world of live broadcasting. At any time during gameplay, simply pressing the ‘Share’ button on the DualShock 4 controller brings up the sharing menu with three options: upload video, upload a screenshot or broadcast video.

The PS4 records the last 15 minutes of gameplay at all times and choosing to upload a video lets the user trim it down into short intervals or upload the entire 15 minute clip to Facebook. All video is maxed out at 720p. Unfortunately there are quite a few limitations when it comes to straight-up video uploading that make it a half-baked feature. The 15-minute cap for instance, is too short, especially considering that multiplayer matches in Battlefield 4 can easily go much, much longer, and that players who do let’s plays and walkthroughs of campaigns, often post lengthier clips. There’s inexplicably no way to retrieve the video outside of uploading to Facebook and the biggest shocker of all, YouTube is not supported (yet).

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‘Uncharted’ on PS4 Will Be Pirate-Themed?

There may not have been an ounce of gameplay contained within in, but the first teaser trailer confirming that the Uncharted series would be coming to PlayStation 4 was undoubtedly one of the high points of Sony’s console launch event. Featuring the standard cryptic narration and a hand-painted treasure map, fans weren’t left with much information to decipher. Or…were they?

A closer look at the first trailer for what we assume will be Uncharted 4 reveals some key names and locations that, when taken together, imply the next game in the series will feature a search for pirate treasure off the coast of Africa. If that’s the case, then is Nathan Drake guaranteed to return? Or will Naughty Dog dive even farther into history with a new lead?

We’ll leave that question for now, since many would claim that at this point, Nathan Drake simply is the Uncharted brand. That being said, it’s no secret that the minds behind the series originally intended something far more fantastical than a modern-day treasure hunter, so stranger things could happen.

Those die-hard fans of Naughty Dog may find talk of pirates and period sailors a bit familiar, since it was just last May that a developer diary for The Last of Usoffered a quick glance at some concept artwork being shown in the background of Naughty Dog’s offices. The apparent slip featured concept art of 17th or 18th century clothing, and the rumors of a PS4 historical adventure soon to be announced ran rampant.

With nothing else to go on, the momentum soon slowed (as many assumed the art was related to the then-unannounced The Order: 1886). And as Naughty Dog’s leadership maintained that their production team was enjoying a long-deserved break – given the fast and furious shift from Uncharted 2 toUncharted 3 – the speculation ran its course, and fans remained confident that Naughty Dog’s flagship series would make a return on the next-gen console at some point.

That wait has come to an end, but fans weren’t treated to a signature Nolan North-narrated teaser trailer at Sony’s event, but an unnamed character (voiced by Todd Stashwick) apparently bent on revenge, having been “buried alive” and “forgotten” by a similarly unnamed character. Only time will offer more details on who these characters may be, and what relationship they may have to the series’ star, but the trailer itself is telling.

The first locations noted on the map reveal the African coastline as that being ‘charted’ (Cape of Good Hope among them, with the first legible handwritten phrases scrawled across the map clear to see: “I have lost everything” and “Every betrayed us all.” And in this case, capitalization is everything.

The man being alluded to by that line is Henry Every (1659-??), an English privateer who became known as one of the most infamous pirates of his day. It isn’t easy to attain the nicknames ‘The Arch Pirate’ or ‘The King of Pirates,’ but in his time captaining The Fancy throughout the Indian Ocean, Every distinguished himself as one of history’s most notable pirates.

Much of that reputation comes from his attack on a convoy of ships traveling from India – an attack that made Every the richest pirate in the world, and one of the first men ever made the target of a global manhunt. That kind of money attracted attention, and Every and his crew spent the rest of their lives evading capture.

Although it is unknown whatever became of Every – if he was captured under a false name, for instance – but it is widely assumed that he managed to retire with his fortune, and live in secrecy. That makes Every one of the few famous pirate captains who ever accomplished that task, and one who would no doubt have made enemies along the way.

But the greatest clue comes in the final frames of the trailer: the ‘X’ marking Ile Sainte-Marie (also known as St. Mary’s Island, and Nosy Boraha). The island may be unheard of for even casual pirate fans, but it was home to hundreds of pirates throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In fact, the population was so heavily composed of pirates, their wives, and children, that it features one of the onlylegitimate pirate cemeteries to this day.

That alone makes the piracy connections clear (if the skull and crossbones were too subtle), but the legends of Nosy Boraha and the surrounding area go beyond simple history, and much deeper into the realms with which Uncharted is familiar. According to legend, the island was part of an anarchist colony known as ‘Libertatia,’ founded by pirates under the leadership of Captain James Mission. Pirates with the motto: “for God and Liberty.”

Considering that one of the competing rumors surrounding Henry Every’s fate has him acting as king of a pirate utopia, the links between Every, Libertatia, and Ile Saint-Marie in particular are clear. It’s still unknown if Libertatia ever actually existed, but if it did, and if Every found retirement in its safety, then that would make a good resting place for his colossal treasure.

That’s an awful lot of speculation based on the first teaser, but the evidence is indisputable. For now, it’s impossible to tell if the voice demanding vengeance is after Every or Drake, or what significance should be placed in the Latin phrase “Hodie Mecum Eris In Paradiso” (“Today you will be with me in Paradise,” among the last words of Jesus Christ) but one thing’s for certain: with Sir. Francis Drake dead for over sixty years before Every’s birth, there seems little chance that players will be walking in the shoes of Nathan’s ancestor.

What do you think of Naughty Dog’s decision to turn towards piracy? Does this reveal come too close to Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag for your tastes, or are you confident the team will take the setting and style in a completely new direction? And exactly how do you think the game will blend modern with history? Share your own thoughts and theories in the comments.

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PlayStation 4 Console Review Round-Up: Promising But Lacking For Now

It is finally here. After ten months since it first made its public appearance, thePlayStation 4 is finally out and consumers are getting their first taste of Sony‘s next-gen experience. It has been a remarkably busy road on the way to the next generation. A spirited reveal, a historic E3 and a corporate war have all paved the way to today.

With all that behind us and a new console in front of us, it is time to see what outlets have been making of the PlayStation 4? Will the console be able to over come some of the UI short comings of the PlayStation 3? Will the shaming of theXbox One at E3 ring true now the console is here? And will the hardware be able to come up lacklustre hardware?

We’ll have our own review of the PlayStation 4 hardware posted in the coming days, but in the meantime, read our hands-on preview and check out this collection of reviews from around the web.

NOTE: Not all reviews come with a numerical score.

The Verge (Sean Hollister, Ross Miller, and David Pierce)


“For right now, though, there’s little incentive to spend $399 on a PlayStation 4. Not only are there few games worth the price of admission, the vast library of PS3 games is more compelling than anything the PS4 currently offers. If you’re desperate for a new console, rest assured that eventually the PS4 will be one; it has plenty of power, a great controller, and a lot of good ideas about how we can play games better and how we can play them together. But for right now, they’re mostly still just ideas.”

Score: 7.7

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Polygon


The PS4 hints at plenty of other possibilities. Local network play via the PS Vita has an enormous amount of potential. The PlayStation App and even the Playstation Camera may provide opportunities for developers to broaden the appeal of the PlayStation 4 beyond the hardcore audience it currently seems so intent on courting. Unlike the PlayStation 3, Sony’s latest effort was built to evolve.

But the PlayStation 4′s focus on gaming — and only gaming — is undermined by a distinct lack of compelling software. That failing is sure to improve — better games and more of them will appear on the PlayStation 4 — but right now, this is a game console without a game to recommend it. Early adopters of the PS4 this fall are buying potential energy. We’re just waiting for a place to spend it.

Score: 7.5

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Time (Matt Peckham)


“When I reviewed the Wii U last November, I wrote that Nintendo had “a lock on the future of big-idea gaming.” But sometimes big idea gaming isn’t what captures imaginations (or hearts, or wallets). Sometimes refinement’s enough — taking an imperfect idea and perfecting it (or further trying to). That’s what $400 for a PS4 buys you this time around: a system that feels like something that’s been around the block off the block, instead of a feature-incomplete, overpriced collage of half-baked apps and feature hypotheticals. You’re still buying a promise, but for once it feels like a promise made from solid, well-trodden ground.”

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T3 (Matt Hill)


“With the PS3 and Xbox 360 producing some of the finest games of the moment and acting as fully operational media hubs while they do it, a new console is undoubtedly a want rather than a need right now. But through its super-fast UI, noticeable graphical jump and expansion plans, PS4 looks like one worth buying into in the long run.”

Score: 4/5

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Ars Technica (Kyle Orland)


“Well, it leaves us at the beginning—a messy beginning for a system that’s liable to grow and change a lot over the next few years. The PlayStation 4 has an excellent controller, decently powerful hardware, some intriguing, well-executed new features, and an interface that shows belated acknowledgement of some of Sony’s most user-unfriendly past designs. It also has a lot of features that are half-assed, missing, or downright bewildering at this point. Still, overall, it’s a good starting point for a system that’s meant to last a long time.”

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CNET (Jeff Bakalar)


“Sony has positioned the PS4 as the “gamer’s console,” putting blockbuster and indie gaming at the forefront of its campaign. That might be music to the hardcore gamer’s ears, but it doesn’t necessarily satisfy the ever-growing demands of all-in-one entertainment devices. Microsoft’s Xbox One seems to have a plan laid out about how to tackle media, live TV and gaming in one fell swoop, and has had a lot experience already doing so on Xbox 360. It might not be the case just yet, but the idea of a devices focused solely on gaming has the potential to seem narrow minded down the road. Thankfully, software updates, content deals, and other investments and business relationships can change all that.”

Score: 3.5/5

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Game Revolution (Anthony Serverino)


“Unless you’re a dedicated PlayStation fan or an early adopter, or just dying for new hardware after such a lengthy cycle last-gen, you’d be fine to pick the PS4 up next year…That’s not to say you wouldn’t be happy with the PS4 now if you have one pre-ordered—as a gamer, you’ll love it. And as a PlayStation console, you know the investment in PlayStation-exclusive games from studios like Naughty Dog and Sony Santa Monica will pay off sooner rather than later”

Score: 4/5

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Stuff (Tom Parsons)


“Delivering on the next-gen promise of 1080p gaming and digital distribution are the core things, but that’s backed up by a super-slick UI that feels ‘live’ and interactive, and delivers the content you want with a degree of snappiness that the previous generation couldn’t get close to.

Add stand-out features such as Remote Play, which really is terrific, and you’ve got a massively strong launch for the PS4. And it will only get better as more games, apps and features are released.

Over to you, Microsoft.”

Score: 5/5

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CVG (Jonathan Cooper)


“The PlayStation 4 is a long-overdue leap forward for Sony, but it doesn’t take any risks. Sharing features might change how players approach playing and watching games, but it doesn’t change the central experience. The controller will make playing them more comfortable, but it too is merely an advancement on an a controller blueprint that was etched in the mid-nineties. … There’s a good chance that the software platform will allow for greater innovations in the future, such as more streaming options expected to be added later down the line, but for now, Sony is selling a futuristic machine with not many new things to do on it.”

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Yahoo! Games (Chris Morris)


“The PS4 is bound to be one of the holiday season’s hottest gadgets – and the geek bragging rights that will come with owning one are undeniable. Ultimately, it’s a system that feels almost – but not entirely – finished. There’s no one major flaw to point to, but a number of small ones start to add up.

Fortunately, they’re all fixable – and Sony is well aware of them. Even better, the game lineup for the foreseeable future is a solid one. Once the launch madness ends, there are Infamous: Second Son, Watch Dogs, and Destiny waiting in the wings – proof positive that Sony learned not only from its own missteps seven years ago, but from the mistakes Nintendo made with the Wii U. And that could be a big factor in the PS4’s success for months and years to come.”

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It seems that after all is said and done Sony has delivered a very good console, albeit, with a flawed launch. Many cite the “potential” and “promise” of the console as one of the key reasons to invest in the PlayStation 4. Gaikai, sharing options and incoming games in the future promise tons of fun on the horizon.

The main problem with Sony’s new console appears to be the circumstances of the launch. With few worthwhile titles on the system, gamers are literally buying a promise. A well designed and fluid promise, but a promise none the less.

Are you still interested on picking up the PlayStation 4 early? Do you want to join the Sony party before everyone else? Do you think the Xbox One could have a better launch? Let us know in the comments.

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The PlayStation 4 is available now in North America.

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‘Uncharted’ Confirmed for PS4; First Teaser Trailer Released

As they promised, Sony took to their PS4 launch event in New York City ready to make some major announcements. With all eyes focused on the PS4, they knew it was the perfect opportunity to tease what the future holds for their next-gen console.

And as far as that future goes, it looks like Naughty Dog’s action adventure franchise will be making the jump to next-gen in a new Uncharted game developed exclusively for PS4. The game was teased in a short trailer, which you can watch above.

Although the trailer is decidedly lacking in gameplay (read: there wasn’t any), the important thing to take away is that Naughty Dog is not done with the Unchartedfranchise. They are ready to bring Sony’s blockbuster franchise to the next-gen platform, and will presumably not make fans wait long for this sequel.

The trailer features a foreboding narration from an unnamed character (voiced by Todd Stashwick) as the camera pans across what appears to be a treasure map. The narration is fairly wordy, but the gist is that this character was betrayed, left to “rot” for 15 years, and now wants revenge.

Who this character wants revenge against, however, isn’t quite as clear, but easy money and a lack of info leads us to believe it’s Nathan Drake. We wouldn’t be so fast to completely assume Drake’s return, though, as the trailer makes no mention or allusions to the character…at least as far as we can ascertain. Naughty DogCo-President Evan Wells was quick to point out that there are some clues hidden within the teaser, so chances are we’ll know more about this game in a few hours.

Similarly, a release date and a subtitle (if there is one) for this game are a mystery. Chances are Sony wanted to simply confirm a new Uncharted game was coming if only to build buzz and maybe sell a few more PS4 units tomorrow. In fact, we had heard rumors earlier this year that Sony might make this announcement at E3 2013, but that never came to pass.

The good news is that Uncharted is coming to the PS4, but the bad news is we know next to nothing about the game. Let the speculation begin.

Are you ready for Uncharted to make the leap to next-gen? Do you see any clues in the trailer? How would you feel if Nathan Drake was not the hero of this game?

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Shuhei Yoshida Reassures Fans After Reports of PS4 Hardware Issues

Launch dates are upon us and things are getting intense as the two gladiators of this generation’s console war prepare to land in the hands of the public: in the blue corner is Sony with the PlayStation 4, and in the green corner is Microsoft with the Xbox One. The PS4 is the first to go on sale, and so it is also the first to come under sharp scrutiny as the first units are handed over to waiting critics and gamers.

Game Rant has posted a preview the PS4′s interface and design, but reviewing these new consoles is a slightly tougher challenge. Since they are designed to have a lifecycle of about ten years, the best test of their qualities will be how they both fare over time and with a wide range of next-gen games. After all, the PS3 and Xbox 360 came out seven and eight years ago, respectively, and gamers are still fiercely divided over the matter of which is the better console.

With the first previews from gaming sites and reports from gamers who got early units through special promotions, there have already been some early reports of hardware issues with the PS4. IGN’s review unit would not work after downloading the 1.5 update. Kotaku also noted that while three of the retail units and the pre-release unit used by the site’s reviewers had no problems, one retail unit had a faulty HDMI jack that prevented a stable signal being sent to the television. Two users on Neogaf who received early release units have also reported HDMI output issues.

Sony president Shuhei Yoshida responded with a tweet assuring gamers that Sony is investigating the issues that have been reported, and that the number of units experiencing issues seems to be relatively small. In a statement made to IGN, Sony states that only an estimated .4% of units shipped have been affected by these issues, which is within expectations for a newly-launched console:


“A handful of people have reported issues with their PlayStation 4 systems. This is within our expectations for a new product introduction, and the vast majority of PS4 feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We are closely monitoring for additional reports, but we think these are isolated incidents and are on track for a great launch.

“There have been several problems reported, which leads us to believe there isn’t a singular problem that could impact a broader percentage of systems. The number of affected systems represents less than .4% of shipped units to date, which is within our expectations for a new product introduction.”


Another issue with the PS4 has been affectionately dubbed “Wobblegate,” after theGiant Bomb unboxing video showed that pressing a finger down on one of the left-hand corners of the PS4 will cause the console to tip slightly, due to the location of the rubber feet on the underside. The best solution to this problem, as far as we can gather, is to not press down on the left-hand corner of the PS4 – it seems to sit perfectly flat otherwise.

When the PS4 goes on sale tomorrow it will be a lot easier to gauge how widespread these hardware issues are, but based on the current information it doesn’t look like there’s any reason to panic.

The PlayStation 4 will be available to buy from November 15th, 2013.

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Sony Boss Disappointed By Unimpressive PS4 Software Review Scores

After all the in-fighting and corporate digs, it is now the eve of the next-generation with the PlayStation 4 set to hit shelves in the US and Canada tomorrow. After only a few months of the consoles being public, the battle between Microsoft andSony has had enough toing and froing to last several years.

The PlayStation 4 came out of E3 in a remarkably strong position. At the time it appeared that Sony was in danger of running away with the eighth generation of gaming before it had even begun. Only five months later, Microsoft has madeseveral policy reversals that benefited the Xbox One‘s public standing and the generation is again a two horse race. With the PlayStation 4 so close to release, several outlets have been releasing early console launch reviews to whet gaming appetites. While many will be excited to see that the console has great potential, it appears that it and especially its games have underwhelmed reviewers on first impressions.

This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Sony Computer Entertainment Boss Shuhei Yoshida. In an interview with GamesIndustry International, Yoshida expressed his disappointment in the lukewarm reception of the PlayStation 4 launch library. He attributes the media having to rush through games to get ready for the systems launch as one of the reasons they may not have enjoyed what they had to offer.

“It’s disappointing but I don’t think it’s worrisome for the launch of the system. I’ve played through all of our games, Killzone, Knack and Resogun, and I totally enjoyed playing through these games. I’m now on my second run of Knack and Resogun at a higher difficulty – these games really grow on you when you play more. I’m very confident that once you purchase these games and play, you’ll be happy that you’ve done so.”

One of the games that has disappointed reviewers most is Knack. What looked like a bright and entertaining platformer has been judged as somewhat of a disappointment by many reviewers. Yoshida talks about the game directly, saying he is disappointed in its critical performance, but that the game wasn’t necessarily designed to review well.


“The game wasn’t designed [to meet specific] review scores – I was hoping Knack could score in the mid 70s and last I checked it’s around 59-60, so I’m hoping it goes up. The game uses only three buttons to play, so it’s not the type of game reviewers would score high for the launch of a next-gen system. The game was targeted as what we call a second purchase; you know, people may purchase PS4 for Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed or Killzone, but if they also buy Knack, this is a game that you can play with your family or your significant other”

All isn’t lost though. What the PlayStation 4 lacks in games, it has in promise. While titles like Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall have underwhelmed some, Sony has a slew of world class teams under their brand like Naughty Dog and Team Ico that will be trying to deliver on the promise of the next generation inthe future.

Do the mixed reviews of the PlayStation 4 software worry you? Can you wait until there are more games or are you too excited for the next generation?

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The PlayStation 4 will be available on November 15, 2013

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Preview: Up Close & Personal With The PlayStation 4

The PS4′s unique shape is for aesthetics and functionality, as we were told yesterday during Sony’s launch event for their long-awaited new home console. The PlayStation 4′s slanted design makes it easier for users to hit its power button and to slightly cover the wires on the rear of the unit. The power bar is inside the console so there’s no brick on the power cable. Along the top and face of the console there’s a semi-transparent line down the front which lights up to indicate the status of the device. Blue is powering on while orange represents standby mode.


The latter is important to the new ways players can operate the console, while actually not using the console. While in standby, the PS4 can turn on by itself and download games purchased on a PS Vita or a mobile device via the PlayStation app, no matter where you are when making the purchase. At night, during the hours of 2-4am, the console will also exit standby to download updates automatically. PlayStation Plus subscribers (a paid subscription is now required to play games online) get the added bonus of having the system keep up to date with any game they’ve played in the prior three months.

When turning the system on, users select a profile to sign-in with just as they do on the PS3, but there’s now an option to sign in as a guest. Choosing guest lets other players with PlayStation accounts sign into someone else’s PS4 with their account without having to worry about needing to deleting the profile later. Once they’re done, the profile is signed out and removed with no remnants left on that other console. For users who buy and attach the PlayStation 4 Eye peripheral, they can setup the console to sign in via facial recognition as well.

Users do not however, need the Eye camera to take advantage of voice controls. The mic/headset that comes with new purchases of PlayStation 4 (or any third-party headset that works with the system) can be used for voice controls to navigate the interface or perform certain functions as well.

The PS4 aims to push social media and it begins with the new landing page, dubbed the What’s New screen. It’s a wall of social updates (pictured just above) that’s catered to a user based on their interests. Killzone: Shadow Fall fans for example, will see more friend accomplishments or postings about that title. These can be sorted and any post can be selected for more information. Developers have the ability to post news, highlight events and promote DLC, etc. on their respective game pages.

PS4 profiles can be linked to Twitter and Facebook and on Day One, these are the only accounts where users can share screenshots. For video sharing, only Facebook will work at launch. The third sharing function is live broadcasting and here players can stream out to their Twitch or Ustream account, and include a link to the broadcast to their Facebook or Twitter pages.

While streaming, players can use the Eye peripheral should they want to broadcast an image of themselves while playing and they can turn on the mic to allow for live commentary during play. In our demo, we broadcasted ourselves and then watched it live via the Twitch.tv website on a tablet. Streamers can opt in to have viewer comments display on the screen as they play as well if they’re feeling interactive.

The resolution seemed blurry but it’s our understanding that it supports 720p video. We also watched via the console another playing playing Knack and we could could leave comments as he played. Some games we were told, will even allow for interaction elements although no examples were provided. There’s an ‘Interact’ button on the screen while we were streaming the other player’s footage.

The PlayStation 4 always records the most recent 15 minutes of gameplay footage and at anytime, users can hit the share button and share a clip from that footage by uploading the entire 15 minutes (that’s the max) or trimming down a short interval of it using the simple editor.

Users can pick and choose what activities they see on their What’s New screen and what information they want to show up in their own activity feeds. For Facebook postings of videos or screenshots, players can select what group(s) of Facebook friends the messages will show up for – by custom group, by players who have the same game, etc. When browsing recordings or screenshots, users can sort by game or by most recent.

PS4 player profiles pull real-name info and photos from their Facebook profiles but users can control what information they want to share. Other players won’t be able to see your personal info without first sending a request. Facebook is the only method of the PS4 grabbing real-world photos even if you have the PS4 Eye camera, so for users without Facebook, there’s a predefined gallery of avatar images to choose from.

The PlayStation 4 lets users form parties of up to 8 players, cross-platform with voice support between PS4 and Vita users, no matter what application or game they are in. Another interesting change is in trophies – there’s now a percentage rarity level associated with every trophy that’s constantly changing based on how many players around the world who have said game, have acquired the trophy.

In terms of online connectivity, the browser on the PS4 seemed faster than the PS3′s but still oddly slow for what internet users expect from using a browser on PC/Mac or any other device. Setting up remote play on the PS Vita also requires a bit of a wait but once it’s on, the gameplay is nearly seamless. Streaming gameplay video to Twitch or Ustream however, does of course come with a few seconds lag just as it does on PC.

As for the core interface design, the layout of features and easier accessibility of basic functions, social feeds, apps, store and sharing making the PS4 a much more user-friendly device than its predecessor. Buttons or tiles as they appear on screen are bigger, easier to read and quick to respond and the hardware gives users even more ways to interact with it all, and to interact with other players while doing so.

For more, read our preview of the PlayStation 4 Eye and The PlayRoom. Stay tuned for our PS4 reviews beginning Friday.

PlayStation 4 releases November 15, 2013.

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Sony: The PlayStation 4 Has Learned from The PS3′s Mistakes

Although the Wii U was released a full year ago, many gamers will consider this Friday, November 15, the real kickoff of the next generation of consoles. ThePS4 will be in stores by the end of the week and the Xbox One will arrive just a few days later on November 22.

After comparing the new consoles side-by-side and weighing the pros and cons of purchasing a console during its launch, many consumers will be ready to shell out four or five hundred dollars for a new machine this holiday season. According to Sony, shoppers that decide on a PS4 will end up going home with “the most powerful video game console ever created.” A title the manufacturer claims didn’t come to it easily.

That bold claim, made by PS4 architect Mark Cerny in an interview with Polygon, was backed up by an argument that Sony has learned some valuable lessons from the missteps of its most recent console, the PS3. Cerny outlined some of the shortcomings and problems – both on the consumer and developer sides – that the PS3 had to overcome to stay competitive in the market.


“PlayStation 3 really hit a rough patch and a lot of that had to do with – on the consumer side – of the console being so expensive. So we had this goal with PlayStation 4 that we’d be a much more affordable console than PlayStation 3.”

This is one goal that Sony definitely managed to accomplish. The $399 price tagon the PS4 makes the next-gen console $100 cheaper than the 20GB PS3 was at launch in 2006 and $200 less than the 60GB PS3. More importantly, the (arguably) affordable starting price is $100 cheaper than the main competition, the Xbox One. Although consumers have to consider many factors, from exclusive titles to new controller designs, the lower price barrier for entry definitely gives the PS4 an edge for thrifty shoppers.

Cerny went on to detail some of the lessons that Sony learned through its own development partners:


“But on the developer side, PlayStation 3 had a reputation for being very hard to work with. I mean I knew that, I worked on a launch title, and so we wanted to make sure that PlayStation 4 would be smooth sailing, that it would be the sort of thing where you wouldn’t have to learn every detail of the hardware, in order to make a game. That it could be much more about the vision of the director of the title.”

It will be harder to assess how well the architects at Sony accomplished this goal until we see what kind of gaming experiences are delivered on the PS4 over the course of the next year. Exciting exclusive launch titles like Knack and Killzone: Shadowfall are definitely a good start.

Cerny believes that the development team has successfully managed to prepare for the shift in gaming towards DLC and the longer relationships that players have with each game. He hinted that the PS4 will see a “tremendous evolution” in order to keep up with the six-to-twelve month stints that players are spending with games that offer downloadable add-on content.

Do you think the PS4 will really be the most powerful console available, or is Sony is just generating some last minute hype? Sound off in the comments.

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PlayStation 4 releases on November 15, 2013.

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Sony Reserves the Right to Monitor & Record PlayStation 4 Activity

In the digital age, just about everything we do can be monitored. It’s a fact of living in a modern era where everything is connected to the internet, that some privacy is going to be lost in the process. It seems that there is a new story about a major corporation encroaching onto a consumer base’s privacy by the day. The gaming industry has had to tackle this issue several times before such as when thePlayStation Network was compromised and more recently when there were worries about how the Xbox One could monitor its users. At E3, some held Sony up as the opposite side of the coin, supporting consumer rights and options.

With just two days to go until the PlayStation 4 hits it has now been revealed that Sony might not be the paragon of consumer advocacy that some held it up as.


According to their new terms of service (via CVG) Sony will have the ability to monitor “any and all” user activity.

In Sony’s Software Usage Terms it is asked:


“Are we monitoring PSN?
Yes but we can’t monitor all PSN activity and we make no commitment to do so. However, we reserve the right in our sole discretion to monitor and record any or all of your PSN activity and to remove any of your UGM at our sole discretion, without further notice to you.”

While many people fly past terms of services without a glance, they can be full of these kinds of stipulations. For the moment, this seems to be an exclusive policy for the PlayStation 4 as other consoles don’t seem to have put this kind of condition into their customer agreement.

With Sony also being held up as pro-used games after their famous drubbing ofMicrosoft‘s then restrictive policies at E3, there is another interesting point in the conditions that has caused some worry:


“You must not resell either Disc-based Software or Software Downloads, unless expressly authorised by us and, if the publisher is another company, additionally by the publisher.”

It is worth noting that this is nothing out of the ordinary as almost all terms and conditions have a variant of this.

Nevertheless, fans shouldn’t worry too much – as President of Sony Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, clarified the statement on Twitter:

Where it could become interesting is in the future as it gives Sony the right to cancel their deals with retailers and install something similar to what Microsoft had in place when they restricted used games. There is no indication that that is going to happen but it does give the company some leeway going forward if their position changes. Something worth considering for owners of the new system.

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The PlayStation 4 launches on November 14th

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The Official PlayStation 4 Unboxing Video… of the Future

It is the future. The year is… still 2013, but it’s slightly later in 2013. As the current console generation comes to an end and the future draws close, one of two new major competitors lies waiting in a room full of machines with lots of different colored blinking lights on them, because (as mentioned earlier) this is the future.

The marketing for the PlayStation 4 has been fun to watch so far, if only to see Sony frequently taking catty swipes at Microsoft and the XBox One, and with advertising as dramatic as the “Greatness Awaits” trailer – in which a man in a purple suit delivered a rather evil-sounding speech before kicking a pirate in the butt and clotheslining a clown – it would be disappointing if the official unboxing video of the PS4 was anything less than OTT.

Sony President Shuhei Yoshida does not disappoint in this official PS4 unboxing video, donning a pair of gloves to show proper reverence as he carefully extracts each cable and pamphlet from the box of dreams. The actual console angles a beam of light directly into his face that briefly looks as though it will melt his skin off – like the Ark of the Covenant. In case anyone misses it amidst all the drama, here’s what is included in this box:

Network voucher
Quick Start Guide
DualShock 4 controller
HDMI cable
AC power cord
Mono headset
USB cable
500GB PS4 system

Admittedly it doesn’t look as exciting when it’s laid out in bullet points like that, but the unboxing of new gaming tech is still one of those things that makes many people feel like a kid at Christmas, and that’s likely to be true whether you’re unboxing a PS4, an Xbox One, or just a fancy new graphics card to help meet theincreasingly demanding PC specs for next-gen games.

As cheesy and fun as the official version might be, this video of a Youtube celebrity unboxing an early release of the PS4 is undeniably a more accurate representation of what most people will do after purchasing one. Sony should probably just have used that instead.

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The PlayStation 4 is set to launch in the US & Canada on November 15th, 2013, and will be available worldwide from November 29th.

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To Buy or Not to Buy Next-Gen Consoles At Launch

Xbox One or PlayStation 4? Black and blue or lime green hue? That’s the big question facing gamers this Holiday Season, as both Microsoft and Sony go all out to gain their first tentative footholds in the 8th generation.

With most major retailers having sold out of their pre-sale allocations months ago, the odds of locating a launch day console are now as hopelessly slim as prospective profits are fat – but, is that necessarily a bad thing?


Given what we already know about launch day difficulties, should gamers really be diving into the next generation of video game consoles with both feet , or has the worm finally turned in favor of the early adopter?

Late to the party: lame or lucrative? Game Rant decided to find out…
Launch Prices vs. Price Drops
Weak Launch Lineups
Hardware Reliability
Console War Defeat
Feature Loss/Addition
Conclusion: Your Big Decision

Launch Prices vs. Price Drops

Video game hardware manufacturers bank on excitement, building up a buzz before unleashing their latest kit at a premium price point. Of course, no sooner have they done this, than those same manufacturers begin slashing prices in a vain attempt to renew flagging sales and interest (see: Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita). As such, conventional retail wisdom tends to suggest holding off on your purchase, in order to take advantage of the absolute best deal possible – but does this wise advice apply to video games?

From the mid-90s all the way to today, the average cost of a premium-level console has tended to remain at around $350. The average time it took a major console manufacturer to drop prices during this 18-year span, was seven-and-a-half months (ten if you include the Wii’s three year price fix), meaning that patient gamers could find themselves waiting until the June-to-August period of 2014 for a cheaper PS4 or Xbox One (if then). Interestingly, the average amount of money lopped off a console’s opening day price tag during that time was $83, the same figure a player might expect to spend on a special edition game release today.

Verdict – Is a saving of $83 worth a near-eight month wait? Probably not, but there are many more launch day factors to consider, including…



Weak Launch Lineups

Widely recognized as one of the major drawback of early adoption, poor launch title selections aren’t usually enough to scupper a console on their own, though they do beg the question of why gamers would willingly buy into an experience sporting little more than shovelware. Sure, the better games are on their way, but for the time being you may be stuck with an expensive platform, and only a selection of overpriced and rushed titles to choose from.

Investigating the launch lineups of over a dozen consoles doesn’t exactly do much to generate confidence – outside of a few key franchise-spawning hits like Haloand Resistance. Every past machine seems to feature the same checklist of genres, including at least one exclusive shooter, platformer, racer, fighting title and as always, a healthy selection of licensed sports games. Notable examples from the previous three generations include –
PSX – Air Combat, Rayman, Ridge Racer
Nintendo 64 – Pilotwings 64, Super Mario 64
Saturn – Virtua Fighter, Panzer Dragoon, Daytona USA
PS2 – Tekken Tag Tournament, Timesplitters
Xbox – Halo, Project Gotham Racing, Jet Set Radio Future, Dead or Alive 3, Munch’s Odyssey
Gamecube – Luigi’s Mansion, SSX Tricky, Super Monkey Ball, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
PS3 – Call of Duty 3, Resistance: Fall of Man, Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Xbox 360 – Call of Duty 2, GUN, Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo: Elements of Power
Wii – Call of Duty 3, Rayman: Raving Rabbids, Red Steel, Wii Sports

As video game consoles continue to morph into fully-fledged ‘multimedia devices’ this issue is steadily becoming less and less apparent. Modern gaming systems are outfitted with enough connectivity to ensure that here’s always something to do, whether the platform’s gaming lineup is strong or not. Plus, the relative ease of use involved in Xbox One & PS4 development has led many studios to jump at the chance to headline their respective launches. As such, gamers can expect many credible cross-platform releases this holiday season, including – Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Battlefield 4 and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Verdict - If a gamer can’t find something to enjoy on tomorrow’s multimedia-rich consoles, then the chances are – they aren’t looking hard enough. While it’s true that most launch titles do tend to be weaker than their successors, improved ease-of-development appears to be stamping out this issue.



Hardware Reliability

With the Xbox’s popularization of online console gaming came many other unique possibilities; multiplayer-only adventures, downloadable add-on packs and even post-launch patches. Unfairly abused by some studios as a way to ship out and then fix up broken titles, these patches can act to alleviate otherwise game-breaking bugs, glitches and assorted hardware failures. They can also occasionally cause them.

A 2009 survey conducted by SquareTrade found that the failure rates of otherwise ‘healthy’ new consoles amongst major 7th gen competitors was – 23.7% for the Xbox 360, 10% for the PlayStation 3 & 2.7% for the Wii. While many of these early Xbox 360′s were undoubtedly the victims of the hardware’s weak soldering agent – resulting in the now-infamous Red Ring of Death scandal – that doesn’t explain every single failure encountered. The survey goes on to state that the platform’s failure rate fell to a much more manageable 4% with the introduction of the new ‘Jasper’ model 360 in Q3 2008. Simply put, those gamers who had waited to take the plunge were rewarded with a more reliable console.


Verdict – Following the RROD disaster, neither Sony nor Microsoft will be looking to skimp on extensive hardware testing this time around. While the eventual introduction of slim-line models could affect failure rates in some fashion, you can expect both the original Xbox One and PS4 models to perform much better than their predecessors.



Console War Defeat

Caught between generations, SEGA’s innovative Dreamcast system started out strongly enough, before the power of the almighty PlayStation 2 came crashing down on top of it. In an industry filled with failed competitors, SEGA still seemed too big to fail. When they did, gamers everywhere suddenly became much more wary about backing the perceived winning team. Supporting your favorite IPs was one thing, but watching them disappear halfway through the race was quite another.

It’s important to remember that just about anything can happen between now and a prospective 9th generation, and no one wants to become saddled with an unloved, unsupported console two years from now. Of course, even if your console itself survives, there’s no telling if all of its features – features you may end up investing both time and money in – will also endure. HDDVD had as much right to exist in the post-DVD environment, as did Sony’s Blu-ray. Gamecube’s mini-discs and PSP’s UMDs seemed to reflect the industry’s move towards increasingly small storage devices. Yet all of these technologies ultimately failed. For better or worse, the hardware, features and services for both the PS4 and Xbox One are extremely similar, possibly more than any consoles prior.

Verdict - Obsolete/unsuccessful tech is probably the best reason to embrace a wait-and-see approach. The console market had seemed to crystallize into three major competitors as recently as last year, yet Nintendo’s recent struggles with the Wii U have reinforced the idea that nothing can be taken for granted. On the plus side, the 8th gen really isn’t presenting us with too many new, or exclusive technologies (the Xbox One features Blu-ray, for example) so it’s unlikely either Xbox One or PS4 will become outright failures, especially with the amount of non-gaming services they will also offer.



Feature Loss/Addition

A somewhat less important factor, later console models often cut production costs by removing seemingly unnecessary features, meaning that late-arriving customers may miss out. The PlayStation 3 launched with PS2 backward compatibility, a feature that was later dropped – even before the system’s slim line debut. Given that Sony is now reselling PS2 titles via their network, some gamers will likely have shelled out for an experience they already own in disc form. While it’s difficult to predict exactly which Xbox One or PS4 features will be culled (should the consoles eventually receive slimmed down makeovers) feature losses should always be expected.

Of course, later editions can also spark some notable additions. Microsoft’s horrifying ‘Duke’ controller was eventually replaced 6 months after the original Xbox’s debut by the shapely S-variant, a design that the company has continued to iterate on ever since.


Verdict – It’s tough to say where and how later cuts may occur. Xbox has already cut its always-online requirements, meaning it’s highly unlikely to budge any further, at least as far as feature sets are concerned.



Your Next-Gen Decision

Hardware launches are not an easy thing to pull off, but at least both of the 8th-gen contenders – PlayStation 4 and Xbox One – appear better placed than their predecessors. Whether any of these noted improvements equate to an ASAP-type buy is entirely up to you, but for those on the fence, try considering the following questions.

Is a prospective eight-month wait worth $100 or so? Are cross-gen titles a worthy addition to launch? Will Sony or Microsoft skimp on hardware testing to save money? Which features will end up on the scrap heap, and will both sides survive the upcoming struggle? Give us your opinions, and tell us which console you plan on picking up, (and when), by heading to comments section below.

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The PlayStation 4 will debut on November 15, 2013 across North America and November 29, 2013 throughout Europe. The Xbox One launches worldwide on November 22, 2013.

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More Sony Patents For Head-Mounted Display Uncovered

With the growing success of the Oculus Rift, and more recent developments like castAR, it seems that the next wave of immersive game development can be found in head-mounted displays. Both those examples have very different goals, but whether it’s Virtual Reality or simply Augmented Reality, gamers have been hoping that major manufacturers would take note.

So it will interest tech-savvy gamers that the latest patents uncovered by Sonydon’t just hint that the company is looking to outdo their previous attempts at head-mounted displays, incorporating noise-cancellations, image detection, and much, much more. Will Sony take on the Oculus Rift with the PlayStation 4?


There have been reports for some time that Sony was developing a VR headset for some time, with many believing it would be officially unveiled at TGS 2013. But the show came and went with no reveal, presumably to keep Sony’s message for the coming year clearly focused on the PlayStation 4.

Now, new patents filed by Sony in May of 2013 have been uncovered on NeoGAF, giving a better sense of what technology the company may be pursuing in the realm of head-mounted displays.

One patent pertains to the likelihood that many users will be wearing the head-mounted displays along with noise-cancelling headphones – to maximize the immersive experience. Sony’s patent allows for certain emergency sounds – fire alarms, doorbells, babies crying, etc. – to be detected and allowed through. That functionality would address the most obvious concern for skittish gamers seeking immersion, but the patent also allows for the the “unobscuring of vision” if a hazard is detected moving towards the user.

That would seem to imply a new form of viewscreen than a simple display, and it’s not the only mention of semi-translucent displays that can be found in the patent. The other telling advancement patented by Sony is in regard to image stabilization by detecting head movement. Those terms might conjure images of Oculus-Rift level immersion, but are actually dealing with a more passive problem. Mainly, if users are attempting to watch any content that isn’t meant to be moving with each slight shake of the head, the display would be able to move the screen in the opposite direction so the image remains stable.

Most interestingly, those patents seem to aim at experiences fairly different from those offered by Oculus Rift. Those same previous reports claimed that the headset would work in conjunction with the PlayStation Eye camera, able to pick up markers on the headset itself. If that is the case, then the means by which the headset could correct head movements seem a bit clearer.

So it may not be confirmation that Sony is targeting the same audience as other developers of head-mounted displays, but interesting nonetheless.

What do you make of Sony’s patents? Does this seem like a move to simply bring traditional gaming to head-mounted screens, or are you hoping for something greater? The possible advancements in both noise cancellation and image stablization are intriguing on their own, so we’ll keep you updated as more information arrives.

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Sony PS4 Tech Specs Trailer & Launch Day Apps Detailed: Netflix, Hulu, & More

After years of development, Sony’s next generation hardware, the PlayStation 4, is set to release on Friday, November 15th. Armed with a host of features, which are detailed in the trailer above, the PS4 will debut at a full $100 less than itsMicrosoft-owned competitor, Xbox One (since Sony opted to sell their new PlayStation 4 Camera separately). We’ve been actively reporting on the new PlayStation console for over a year, breaking down pricing and sales speculation, as well as featured rumors and games, but with only a few short weeks before the hardware releases (from the time of this writing), official information is trickling out more frequently.

Following an extensive PS4 FAQ that detailed the full release day line up of games, confirmation of swappable PS4 hard drives, and more, we’re now getting word from Sony on the various entertainment apps that will launch alongside the new console on release day.


In the face of crunch time tweaks to the PS4 launch, and day one software update, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding how long it would be before Sony, and partner developers, were able to bring essential entertainment apps to the new hardware.

However, in a post on the Official PlayStation Blog, Sony has confirmed that eleven apps will be available to download on November 15th – including Netflix, Hulu, and other famous content providers.

Check out the full list below, including descriptions of each service:
Amazon Instant Video — Users can choose from over 150,000 titles to rent or purchase, including new release movies and in-season TV episodes.
Crackle — A part of Sony Pictures Television, Crackle is a freely accessible multi-platform television network delivering original series such as Emmy Award nominated Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and hit movies and television programs in a variety of genres.
Crunchyroll — Watch the latest and best selection of Anime right from Japan such as Naruto Shippuden, Attack on Titan, Bleach and more up to one-hour after Japanese broadcast!
EPIX — Authenticated subscribers on the PS4 system can instantly access and stream more than 3,000 titles on-demand, including top blockbusters such as The Avengers and The Hunger Games in HD, classic Hollywood franchises, award-winning original documentaries plus music and comedy specials.
Hulu Plus — Hulu Plus offers unlimited instant streaming of current hit shows like Family Guy, The Simpsons, and South Park as well as original series including The Awesomes and The Wrong Mans.
NBA Game Time — Stay connected to Live out-of-market NBA game action on the PS4 system with NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband on an authenticated basis for subscribers. Get access to real time stats, complete scores, stats and schedules for every game, and video highlights and recaps.
Netflix — Netflix members can instantly watch a wide variety of TV shows and movies, including exclusive series such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, on the PS4 system.
NHL GameCenter LIVE — Instantly stream live out-of-market games in HD quality with your NHL GameCenter LIVE subscription.
Redbox Instant by Verizon — Subscribers can stream from a library of hit movies on the PS4 system and receive 4 DVD or Blu-Ray rental nights every month for new releases at the Redbox kiosk. Everyone can purchase and rent the latest movies on-demand.
VUDU — Watch the world’s largest selection of HD movies and TV shows, including thousands of blockbusters, Hollywood classics and indies. Stream new releases before they¹re available on DVD, or build a collection of favorites without ever paying for a subscription.
YuppTV — YuppTV offers over 150 Indian TV channels Live and on demand, including a selection of over 600 Movies to watch anytime, anywhere.

Entertainment enthusiasts (and sports fans) will, no doubt, be relieved to discover that some of the PS3′s keystone apps will be available day one on the PS4. Inclusion of high profile apps might seem like a no-brainer, but considering the PS4 won’t even support Sony-made wireless headsets at launch, the jump to the next-generation has already required gamers show some major patience – as developers scramble to make sure the next-gen console offers key features already present in the current-gen.

It’s great to see Sony has prepared a solid line-up of apps for gamers to enjoy on the PS4, with many more on the way, but there are a few major oversights in the launch list – including HBO Go, NFL GamePass, and YouTube, to name a few, that undercut the system’s ability to be a one-stop entertainment hub (especially now that it has been announced the console will not support CD or MP3 playback).

Nevertheless, unlike Microsoft and the Xbox One, Sony has been clear that while they’d love for gamers to use their console as an entertainment/media center, their primary goal for the PS4 is to provide great game experiences. As a result, while certain consumers might be disappointed at the lack of custom soundtracks and missing apps on PS4, it’s hard to fault Sony for focusing on delivering superb gaming experiences on their next-generation gaming machine.

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Console Wars: PlayStation 4 vs. Xbox One Showdown Infographic

The days until the official start of the next console generation continue to fall off the calendar and bring gamers closer to November 15 and November 22, when the PS4 and Xbox One release, respectively. Console enthusiasts who plan to pick up either (or both) may have already secured a pre-order, but plenty of gamers are still weighing the pros and cons of each system. A fair share of bad press and rumors about the Microsoft console facing pre-launch problems has given Sony fans plenty of ammo to use against the Xbox One army, but some analysts still suggest that the Xbox One has a slight edge over the PS4 – which we recently found out can’t play MP3s or upload YouTube videos – in terms of prospective sales.

Consumers still coming to a decision on which console to side with have plenty to consider. It’s undeniable that the Sony console has had a much more successful series of pre-launch press releases and announcements, while Microsoft has continued to stumble through the summer and live up to the less than flattering “Xbone” nickname. Savvy shoppers who are interested in looking beyond name-calling and getting down to a heads-up comparison of the two consoles to help make their decision have a new tool thanks to Xpango.

A detailed infographic (shown below) posted by an admin account on Xpango illustrates side-by-side comparisons of the two new consoles on everything from tech specs to online multimedia services. The infographic may weasel out of offering a decision on which console will reign supreme, but it is full of stats and information that will be useful to shoppers. Take a look…

It’s nice to see that gamers on both sides of the fence will be equipped with a powerful enough processor and enough RAM to deliver a noticable difference in performance compared to the aging current gen consoles, but the upgradable PS4 HD is a big perk for gamers that like a little extra control. 500 GB sounds like more than enough for now, but if this upcoming console life cycle is really going to last for a decade, the potential to upgrade seems like a valid selling point to us.

The infograph also bring up some good points about aesthetics and controller design. I don’t think anyone is arguing that either console is very pretty, but the PS4 is slightly less of a potential living room eyesore. We’ll reserve judgement on the controllers until we’ve put in a respectable about of hours on each, but at first glance, the Xbox 360′s offset joysticks and tried and true layout may seem more appealing, especially for shooter fans. That said, the folks at Sony do have research to support the decision to stick with the symmetrical stick layout which they believe is better.

The neck and neck nature of nearly every category will likely bring the decision down to exclusive launch titles for most consumers. Options for exciting new games aren’t quite as uncommon as they were when the Wii U launched last November, but there still aren’t enough highly-anticipated exclusives to make the choice easy. Titanfall (releasing next year) and Dead Rising 3 (a launch title) are likely to win over a fair number of buyers for Microsoft, while Killzone: Shadow Fall and Knack will be the big draws for the PS4.

How are you making your decision on which console to pick up this holiday season (assuming you’re lucky enough to find one) or is it better to wait for lower prices, more games, features and potential bug fixes? Sound off in the comments.

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‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’ Accused of Copying & Pasting ‘Modern Warfare 2′ Cutscene

If there’s a single most common criticism of Infinity Ward’s annual modern military FPS Call of Duty, it’s that the series is suffering from franchise fatigue and each new game is far too similar to the last. Infinity Ward has made some effort towards rejuvenating things in Call of Duty: Ghosts, which has a playable dog character called Riley and female soldiers in the multiplayer, but the latest round of reviews have been unforgiving and have criticized the game for being over-familiar. New evidence suggests that this feeling of deja vu is not just an illusion.

Video game developers often reuse existing assets, such as textures or character models, when making a sequel, but it appears that Infinity Ward has gone one step further. As the side-by-side comparison above shows, a cutscene from near the beginning of Call of Duty: Ghosts singleplayer campaign is virtually identical to a cutscene from the end of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The characters have been reskinned, the environment is slightly different and the player is being dragged towards a truck instead of a helicopter, but the motion capture animations and camera movement appear to be a direct copy-and-paste job.

There are a few possible explanations as to how this might have happened. Infinity Ward could be trying out some hilarious self-referential humor by literally taking cutscene material from an old game and sticking it in a new one, or there could be some kind of profound subtext to the scene that comments upon the nature of war and the endless cycle of death that repeats itself without apparent end.

The somewhat less kind interpretation is that the copy-and-paste job is the result of either laziness on the part of the game designers or a symptom of the crushing time constraints required to get Call of Duty: Ghosts completed on schedule. The latter is probably the far more likely explanation, as it’s easy to imagine the developers reaching into old motion capture scenes in order to finish piecing the game together by the deadline.

If the cutscene is an homage to Modern Warfare 2 then it’s a very obscure one, but if it’s not an homage then it was somewhat naive of Infinity Ward to hope that no one would notice. Tell us in the comments if you’ve spotted any more cutscenes in Call of Duty: Ghosts that seem to use recycled motion capture material.

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Call of Duty: Ghosts is now available for PC, PS3, Wii U and Xbox 360 platforms. Next-gen editions of the game are scheduled to launch alongside their respective consoles, on November 15th (PlayStation 4) and November 22nd (Xbox One).

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