If you are a Sony fan you didn’t miss very much with the Xbox reveal flop while waiting for the next big gaming console. Sony’s groundbreaking new console is quickly approaching, and eager PlayStation devotees are anxiously awaiting further news on the PS4. According to PlayStation, in terms of sheer graphical power, the PS4 may well be one of the last big graphical leaps we’re going to see in gaming. From here on, it’s a matter of improving other aspects of the console beyond graphics and sound:
New Inputs
Many of the new input devices attached to the PlayStation 4 are interesting not because they offer a new means of control but because they offer input that is actually out of your control. Namely, the PlayStation Move is going to have facial recognition, meaning it can identify you the second you stand in front of the PlayStation, according to Engadget. No more inputting your name and selecting your save files as it will simply know who is playing.
Remote Play
Handheld gaming platforms have always been thought of as the baby brothers to the big consoles. Remote play and cloud technology are poised to change that. Kotaku International reported that the PlayStation 4 will be remotely playable, so you can play your home console not only through your TV, but through a window that fits in your hands.
Social Sharing
Gaming consoles are finally catching up with the social scene. The new console allows gamers to jump in on one another’s games, post their scores on Facebook and show off their moves with the click of a physical “share” button, described in detail in a PlayStation press release.
Streaming Games
Streaming games are a controversial subject as many are worried that it will be tricky to play a game of Halo on a spotty Internet connection, but by the time the PlayStation 4 debuts, we’re going to have options like Google fiber optics and other lightning speed, reliable Internet sources, explained further by Google. Then, there is the issue of cloud security. InfoWorld noted there have been concerns over the PS3’s precarious cloud services in the past and the safety of users’ personal information stored on the console. Digital security and identity theft concerns will likely continue once the PlayStation Cloud service is launched on the PS4. The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network Databook, which was released in February, shows identity theft complaints have increased 30 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to CNET. If you happen to be dealing with this kind of identity theft, you can contact protection agencies such as LifeLock via their LifeLock FB page.
…And, the Launch Titles
All that really matters at the end of the day are the games. One of the coolest in the lineup has to be Watch Dogs, a near-future open world game that puts your character in the role of a technomancer in a totally connected world. The trailer shows us the character controlling stop lights and other computer-operated equipment with the touch of a cell phone in order to manipulate the world to his will, reported by Digital Trends. According to Polygon, Jonathan Blow, of Braid, will also be releasing a new puzzler, The Witness, which may well meet the high bar that his indie classic set. With developers like Nnooo approved, more games on the way, and most importantly, Sony trying to make the console easier to develop for than its notoriously difficult PlayStation 3, it looks like the PlayStation 4 is definitely going to make an impact.