Perry: Gaikai should be added to current generation of Sony consoles and PlayStation 4

 

"You can't just make the same console as last time. You have to build something that's revolutionary."

Cloud gaming tech Gaikai should be added to the current generation of Sony consoles and PlayStation 4, David Perry has told Eurogamer.

Perry, who has just sold Gaikai to Sony for $380 million, now works for the console maker, and he intends to have as much influence on the PS4 as possible.

"It's a given it should go across the current and next-generation hardware," Perry said in an interview at the Develop conference in Brighton.

"But it's a case of, we have to let them decide what they want to do. I don't want to put words in their mouth.

"We've been experimenting with every single platform. Set top boxes, TVs, mobile devices, tablets, everything. Will it work on consoles? The answer is: absolutely. We've done tests. It definitely works."

Sony is rumoured to be preparing to launch PS4 in late 2013, with an announcement pegged for some time next year. Now Perry is on board, he is uniquely placed to play a crucial role in the development of the hardware.

"I'm going to get to see a console launch from the inside," he said. "I'm excited about that. I've never done that before."

The PlayStation 4 is "very important", Perry said. "There's so much happening right now in the industry. The consoles, if done right, become the anchor. But they need to embrace all the changes in technologies that have been happening, and business models.

They have to evolve. You can't just make the same console as last time. You have to build something that's revolutionary. That's what I will be pushing towards.

"They have to evolve. You can't just make the same console as last time. You have to build something that's revolutionary. That's what I will be pushing towards."

Perry stressed that he will as best he can push Sony to make PS4 a game machine first and foremost - despite the current trend for consoles to feature more and more non-gaming applications.

"I'm certainly going to remind them what I feel about PlayStation. What I feel about PlayStation is, when I'm thinking of buying a game - I don't know how they've done it but the branding has somehow got me there - if I'm trying to find where the best version is, I just automatically go, well that would be the PlayStation version, right? I don't know, the branding worked on me.

"The amount of energy and money and branding and whatever they've done to get me there, don't lose that. That's so valuable. Don't lose that. Let's double down on that."

But what influence will Perry have on the major decision makers within Sony?

"The thing that's great with Sony is we're not way down the stack in some little sub sub sub of a sub sub company. PlayStation is insanely important to Sony and we're dealing with the top people in Sony for gaming.

"We'll be heard. It doesn't mean they're going to do what I say. Don't get me wrong. But I can at least be heard and I hope they like what I've got to say."

With the ink still fresh on the contract between Gaikai and Sony Computer Entertainment, Perry is yet to discuss in detail how the gargantuan Japanese company intends to make use of its fancy new tech. In fact, after he's done with the Develop conference this week, Perry will work on a presentation he will then deliver to the top gaming executives at Sony detailing his ideas for Gaikai.

"Now the deal is done, only now are we going to start having those conversations on what Sony wants to do. What is their strategy? It's their company now so they have to decide what exactly they want to do. There are a lot of pieces to Sony. It's a big company. There is consumer electronics, DVD players and TVs. All of them can be impacted by this.

"So there are going to be a lot of discussions and a lot of meetings."

Reports suggest Sony will use Gaikai to power backwards compatibility on PS3, enabling access to the huge back catalogue of PSone and PS2 games through streaming.

Perry was unable to confirm details, but he did say he was excited about the impact of Gaikai on PlayStation. "I've been saying for quite some time now, how people plan their days around moving data around, like, I'm going to start five games downloading and I'll come back tomorrow.

"It's a really big boon for gamers because they'll be able to play pretty much everything that comes out with no effort."

Given issues with latency and image quality associated with cloud gaming, one concern is that Gaikai will, in its current form, be unable to truly offer a PlayStation-level experience.

Perry rejected this suggestion. "Can the games look ridiculously awesome? No question about it," he insisted. "To do it really really well, you need to stay on the track we were on, and our track was to make special hardware, like working with Nvidia and people like that."

 Read more at : http://www.eurogamer.net

Next generation Xbox, PlayStation rumor roundup

The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3

(Credit: Microsoft/Sony) (CBS News) Questions are arising about what the next generation of video games will look like. Will Microsoft release an Xbox 720 or "Durango"? Is Sony really calling the next PlayStation "Orbis"? What will come first: the Xbox or the PlayStation?
Microsoft had a jump on the competition in 2005 by releasing the Xbox 360 a year before the PlayStation 3. This time around, rumors are circulating that Sony will pull the trigger first by launching the next PlayStation before the Xbox.
Forbes cites a report by VG247 that the next PlayStation will be released in 2013, ahead of the next Xbox. Source close to the matter say top publishers and developers are already aware of the next console and are already working on games, according to VG247.
Full coverage of Microsoft at Tech Talk
Pictures: Video games of Shigeru Miyamoto
"Sony [believes] they have the jump on Microsoft this time," the source told VG247. "You should be watching the timing of next year's E3 keynotes, and who's going to go first."
There could be some truth in that statement. A recent report by AllThingsD cited Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw in saying that they are focused on the Xbox 360.
Microsoft confirms no new Xbox "anytime soon"
Xbox "720" rumors circulate, say hello to Blue-ray, Kinect 2
"While we appreciate all the interest in our long-range plans for the future, we can confirm that there will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at [the Electronic Entertainment Expo] or anytime soon," Microsoft's spokesperson Frank Shaw told AllThingsD. "For us, 2012 is all about Xbox 360."

Read more at :  http://www.cbsnews.com

Market Ready For Next-Gen Consoles, Says 2K Games Boss

 

2K Games boss believes the market is now ready for the next-generation of consoles to arrive.

When asked by GI.biz what Sony’s PlayStation 3 successor, as well as the next Xbox will mean for the publisher, Christoph Hartmann stated:

I think the market is ready to take console gaming to the next level. It is the longest cycle we’ve had and it is harder and harder to launch new IPs. Consumers are very used to the big franchises, but we need innovation in terms of content to really drive things.
As for us getting ready for what is coming one day, we really do not have any concrete plans. It is pretty much the same like always. It’s the same for Wii U – we are awaiting new things and want to try out new things, but we are cautious about where we put our efforts and then will really get behind it.

2K Games’ line-up includes Irrational Games’ BioShock Infinite, which launches on February 26th next year, as well as Borderlands 2, with the sequel releasing on September 18th in North America and 21st in Europe.

 Read more at : http://www.playstationlifestyle.net

PS4 allegedly in development since August 2010

 

Sony's next-gen PlayStation 4 console has supposedly been in development since August of 2010, according to the onlineCV of an ex-SCEA R&D director.

Spotted by VideoGamer, theLinkedIn profile of Attilla Vass claims he began working on the graphics library and security of the "Next Generation PlayStation" from August 2010 to April 2012.

Before you claim it's referring to the PlayStation Vita, Vass lists his work on Sony's handheld separately, suggesting that the "Next Generation PlayStation" listing is referring to the PS4.

"In 1998 I started as the first engineer in the Playstation US R&D," Vass' profile reads.  "I worked on graphics ( COLLADA, PSGL ) and a lot of network related technologies ( advertising, telemetry, PVRs ) for the Playstation2-x, PSP, Vita and Next Generation platforms. Platform security was occupying most of my time at the last years... "

The PS4 has been rumored to be in development for a while now, though Sony has refused to officially acknowledge the development of a next-gen console. The company has continued to deny rumors and express their commitment to the PS3 and recently released PlayStation Vita, though SCE chief executive Andrew House recently told MCV that Sony won't talk about a new console until they feel they've made a "significant leap" from the current generation of tech.

Meanwhile, rumors continue to swirl around the next-gen PlayStation. In March, it was rumored that the PS4 has been codenamed "Orbis" and that there are plans to release the new system in late 2013. Whether or not that's true or not remains to be seen, but sources do seem confident that the PS4 will arrive before the next Xbox system.

 Read more at : http://www.gamezone.com

PS4 Controllers - Looking Towards the Future

By now, we've all seen a lot of the concepts out there for the Playstation 4 and the controllers that we may or may not be getting with it. Some of the concepts for these newfangled controllers look great and others look...interesting to say the least. The best of the bunch tend to keep with the Dual Shock configuration that has proven so successful that other companies have imitated the design for their consoles, while some of the more far out designs almost eschew the design altogether for something more gimmicky. To get the discussion going, let's take a look at some of the designs of the PS3 controllers on the market nowadays and what it may mean for the future controllers of the PS4.

It's All About the Ergo

Arguably the biggest consideration when designing a game controller is the ergonomics of the thing. In other words: How does it fit in your hand? Those of us that have sat down and played our PS3s for hours on end have a good appreciation for an ergonomically sound controller. Even with the best, most comfortable controller you can find for your hand, after hours of play many gamers will find that their hand has a particular ache that nothing will shake. Sometimes it lasts for days. I've even known some gamers that had to have hand surgery back in the days of the first Nintendo console and those not-so-ergonomic rectangular controllers.

And not to mention the callouses.

The Dual Shock controller effectively addressed many of these issues, wrapped in a very sleek design that allowed for more intuitive gameplay in games that required more and more input from the gamer using the controller. Of course, there was room for improvement, something that many third party manufacturers (and Sony) took advantage of. We've seen the removal of the rumble feature (for other reasons, but it did make for a lighter controller), longer grips, more strategically placed buttons, tilt detection, and various other features.

For future controllers for the PS4, look for more of the same as far as the shape goes. Motion games aside, it seems like Sony really hit upon something with the controllers of today. They fit the hand(s) great, have the buttons in the right places, and overall have been wildly successful.

Other Bells and Whistles

Beyond ergonomics, there are plenty of other factors to consider. When it comes to current controllers, we've seen all kinds of little added features, including raised sticks for increased shooter accuracy, controllers with rumble technology, controllers with fans for sweaty hands, smaller controllers for those with smaller hands, among others.

But what does all this mean for future controllers?

First, you have to figure that third party manufacturers are going to continue to do what they've always done, taking into account what the core PS4 controller will look like. I'd say that they longer grips look like they are here to stay. They provide for nice thumb rests and take pressure off the wrists a bit as well. Beyond that, it's hard to say. Third party manufacturers, of course, will use as much in-house technology as they can, so don't expect a whole lot of innovation in the first generation of Playstation 4 controllers.

As far as the other features, look for them to remain in third party territory. I've never had a problem with overly sweaty hands and I've never heard anyone else really complain about it either. PS3 controllers are already pretty small (comfortably so), so smaller controllers will probably remain in that realm as well - though my wife will definitely be picking one up, naturally.

Some things to look forward to that could actually work? How about LCD touch screens?

Just Say No to Gimmicks

I, for one, am hoping that Sony stays away from the gimmicks. We all remember the "boomerang" design of the initial PS3 controllers that never saw the light of day due to poor reception and some of us would like to see their return. Sony claimed that they were just a concept never meant to be distributed, and many hope they stay that way.

Some of the concepts put out there feature such controllers for the PS4, but I'm a little leery of such designs. If they can make the boomerangs work when it comes down to brass tacks, then by all means I say go for it. Without that, however, we're just looking at another gimmick. We've seen enough of those.

What type of controller would you like to see for the PS4?

 Read more at : http://www.ps4playstation4.com

All The Latest Next Gen Gaming Roundup

It’s time again for a roundup of all the next-gen news and rumours, and this week has been a bit interesting with Nintendo defending the Wii U’s specs and a new rumour about PS4 being 10x more powerful than the PS3.
According to the spec sheet posted below, the PS4 will be a powerful machine. These specs are not feasible for a device releasing in 2012, but makes sense for 2014, which is when the next-gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft are set to be released, after an unveiling in 2013.
In other news, 5th Cell founder Jermiah Slazcka, has mentioned that the PS3 and Xbox 360 aren’t powerful than the Wii U, and he has mentioned that he finds the rumours about Wii U being weaker really frustrating.
He said that the Wii U is “definitely more powerful than Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It’s kind of frustrating to see the rumours and speculation of people going back and forth saying it’s weaker or more powerful. It’s definitely more powerful.”
Microsoft has applied for a patent that would make the next-Xbox just like a PC, Eurogamer reports.
“A recent patent filing suggests that Microsoft’s next console is based on the idea that it can be scaled up – or down – over time, leading to speculation that the current notion of a console lifecycle could be replaced with rolling hardware upgrades.”
This is very interesting but it’s not likely that they will go ahead with that.

Read more at : http://gamingbolt.com
 
 Read more at : http://gamingbolt.com

Gamers Likely Won't Welcome Pricey Next-Gen Hardware

 

At this point in time, gamers seem less likely than ever before to shell out lots of bucks for anything related to the video game industry.
Maybe it's just this palpable sensation I get that everywhere I turn, I see people who are very much unwilling to spend too much...on anything. Not that that's a bad thing (I am a very practical and even frugal person) but when it comes to leisure activities, people in this country often spend a whole lot. In fact, more than they should.
But over the past few years, that trend seems to be reversing. I have gone so far as to call gamers a bunch of whiny spoiled brats and for the most part, I'm sticking to that unfortunate assessment. They don't want to pay for extra content (which, to some extent, I can understand), they don't think $60 is a fair price for a new game (and they're right, given inflation and the technology involved, it should by all rights be around $100), and the biggest issue surrounding new consoles is indeed price.
In recent generations, price was always a factor, of course. But I distinctly recall the shift from the PS1 to the PS2, and the primary topic of conversation centered squarely on the new machine's capabilities. The price was discussed as well, but to a far lesser extent. I knew of quite a few big gamers who really didn't care what the price was going to be. In my estimation, that's sort of what hardcore fans are...but this time around, I'm not sure any such freewheeling philosophies exist. Price is not only a concern, it appears to be by far the top priority and in fact, the determining factor. Completely illogical but true, I think.
The bottom line is that this generation has undoubtedly seen far more whining than any other generation in gaming's history. I will certainly concede that some of that whining was warranted, and I too have issues with how the industry is being run. But the spoiled brat syndrome is still running rampant and an expensive new piece of technology might go over like a lead balloon. Toss in games that are almost guaranteed to be more expensive than they are now, and you've got a full-fledged revolt on your hands. I'm not entirely sure why, as inflation is inflation, technology gets better, things get more expensive, etc. It isn't tough to comprehend.
But really, I'm sensing a very large community that isn't willing to pay much of anything for anything. Sometimes I think we're a tweak away from a bunch of people going, "Yeah, we should just be getting this stuff for free. Or maybe it can be government subsidized." They're definitely not eagerly waiting to dump a lot of cash on any new product, even if it is part of their favorite hobby. ...and that could be a serious problem in the near future.

  More information on the site: http://www.psxextreme.com

Is the Sony PlayStation 4 destined for a Christmas 2013 release date?

Sony is yet to confirm the existence of the PS4 games console, but it exists out there somewhere - you can be absolutely sure of that.
There have been rumours doing the rounds suggesting that Sony is calling the PS4 'Orbis'. This comes from a source speaking to Kotaku "who is not authorised to talk publicly about next-gen hardware but has shared correct information" with them before.
Assuming the Orbis name is accurate, it's still unclear whether the name is a codename like Durango or whether the console will literally be called the Sony PlayStation Orbis instead of the Sony PS4.
The name does make some kind of sense if you combine it with the word 'Vitae' (or Vita). Orbis Vitae translates from Latin as 'circle of life' and hints at some serious synergy between the PS4 and the PS Vita.
It could be a red herring, of course, but with the Vita already communicating fairly competently with the PS3, it seems highly likely that this will be the case. So what can we expect from the PlayStation 4?

No announcement yet

As the Sony press conference began at E3 2012, people were eagerly waiting to see if the rumors might be true. Will there be an official PlayStation 4 announcement?
But not only was there no PS4 announcement, but there was'nt even a mention, not even a hint. Nothing.
After E3 though, the chief executive of SCE told MCV that Sony would not be revealing its next console until it is satisfied that the PS4 will show a "significant leap" in technology.
"The right time to talk about new advances in hardware is when you can demonstrate a significant leap on the current experience, and something that is going to be attractive. Beyond that we have nothing to say at this point," he said.

PS4 likely to pack AMD CPU and graphics power

The same source who revealed the PlayStation Orbis name to Kotaku also mentioned that the PS4 is currently penciled in as packing an AMD x64 CPU and 28nm AMD Southern Islands graphics power.
The source doesn't go into any detail about what revision of AMD CPU hardware it's going to be using, but it could be the forthcoming Piledriver revision of the weak Bulldozer architecture from the AMD FX-8150 CPU.

Next-gen gaming

Nintendo Wii U release date, news and rumours

Piledriver is also going to be used in the upcoming Trinity APU, which incorporate both CPU and GPU components on die, but the first iterations of that particular chip possibly wont come with the 28nm GPU part. Subsequent APUs are scheduled to include Southern Island components, so that is still a possibility.
Meanwhile, IGN reports that the PS4 will be powered specifically by the AMD Radeon HD 7670 chip and the A8-3850 APU.
If that's true, it really is a big surprise. Those chips aren't even the best that AMD currently has to offer - so by the time the PS4 goes on sale it would be woefully lacking in power compared to the latest AMD tech, let alone the most advanced chips from Nvidia and Intel.
By 2014, Intel will be shipping 14nm - or possibly even 11nm - CPUs and with that amount of transistors on a die, we're talking serious performance and efficiency gains.

Next-gen gaming

Xbox 720 release date, news and rumours

So it's for this reason that we suspect - or hope - that early PS4 development kits may currently be using these AMD chips, but the final PS4 will most likely pack something a little more special. If that's not the case, it's time for hardcore gamers to start worrying.
According to the source of these rumours, Sony is attempting to get 4K gaming out the door with the PS4, along with full HD 1080p 3D gaming for the first time. We don't think it would even be possible to achieve this kind of output with the Southern Islands GPUs unless some kind of multi-GPU set-up is being used.
The Playstation 4 would also need to have some serious graphics memory inside it to cope with outputting to such high-resolution screens as 4K.
So we fully expect the launch specifications to be far more impressive.
There were actually some previous rumours that PS4 could use Nvidia's ARM-based Project Denver but this now seems quite unlikely.
It's far more probable that AMD is offering Sony and Microsoft (which is rumoured to also be using this AMD hardware in its XBox 720) heavily subsidised access to its CPU and GPU tech. AMD is currently being beaten by both Intel and Nvidia in the CPU and GPU markets, and so we reckon AMD needs these consoles almost as much as Sony and Microsoft do.

Backwards compatibility

When the original original PS3 unit shipped, it contained a chip that gave it the ability to play PS2 games. Subsequent iterations of hardware omitted this chip and so the backwards compatibility was condemned to death.
Current rumours suggests that the PS4 will completely ignore the possibility of backwards compatibility and focus firmly on the next generation. So if you want to continue playing your PS3 games, keep hold of your PS3s, kids.

Second hand games on the way out?

More rumours suggest that Sony is going in the same direction as Microsoft in that it wants to kill off the second hand games market. Current industry wisdom suggests that future PS4 games might be tied to your Sony Entertainment Network account and will thus then have no resale value. That's a similar approach as used by PC developers using Steam so we reckon this is a likely development. Doesn't mean we're happy about it, though.

What are the PS4 features we'd most like to see?

PS4info dreams of a next-gen PlayStation with a 32nm Cell processor an up to 16 SPEs, double the number in the PlayStation 3. While over on gamrConnect, there's talk of a greater partnership with Google. Sony's new fondness for Android on the Xperia Play is an interesting strategy.
Blu-ray on the PlayStation 4 is a dead cert. While digital distribution is undoubtedly the way forward, not every PlayStation owner has access to a fast broadband connection.
As Kaz Hirai told Develop, "we do business in parts of the world where network infrastructure isn't as robust as one would hope. There's always going to be requirement for a business of our size and scope to have a physical medium."
As for the PlayStation 4 controller, Dr. Richard Marks (Sony Computer Entertainment's US R&D manager of special projects) says that "anything that lets us get the player's intent into the system more" is technology they'll be looking at. No brain wave gaming just yet.

You can check out our wishlist PS4 video, to see what we are seeking in the next-gen console below:

PS4 release date

Latest rumours suggest that the PS4 will launch in time for Christmas 2013, though Sony are remaining quiet on the issue.
VG247 is quoting an anonymous source (always a bad start to a rumour) as saying that Sony believes it is in a position to get the PS4 out of the door before the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 720.
We remember, of course, how Microsoft managed to launch the 360 a full year before the PS3 went on sale and that enabled it to gain a huge headstart, despite all sorts of technical faults and expensive repair bills.
So it's a no-brainer that Sony will be looking to make sure that doesn't happen this time. How it can be so sure of beating Microsoft to the punch is another matter though, and as usual we'd take these anonymous comments with a glass of salty water.
Meanwhile, if you side with the likes of ITProPortal, you might believe that "the whole concept of a single lounge-bound gaming device may become obsolete". The future of gaming may well lie in a more portable device/controller that you can play on the move or plug into your TV. Epic's Mark Rein has some interesting thoughts on this here.
Senior execs for a big US retailer told their shareholders that they don't expect the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 til 2014. That seems like a good guess to us, even though Sony has always said the PS3 will have a 10-year life cycle (which began in 2006).
Bethesda's Todd Howard, game director for the blockbuster Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, also says that gamers should not expect follow-ups to the PS3 and Xbox 360 until 2014, at the very earliest.
Speaking to PSM3 magazine, the Bethesda exec said that gamers were happy with the current generation of console tech and that he didn't expect to see an Xbox 720 or a PS4 before 2014.
Long live PlayStation 3!
 By James Rivington June 28th
 More information on the site: http://www.techradar.com

PS4 needs to demonstrate 'significant leap' before unveiling, says Sony

It looks like we'll have to wait until Sony feels they've made an "significant leap" from the current generation consoles before we see a PlayStation 4. Until then, Sony has no plans to reveal a new console or even talk much about new hardware.
"The right time to talk about new advances in hardware is when you can demonstrate a significant leap on the current experience, and something that is going to be attractive," SCE chief executive Andrew House told MCV.
"Beyond that we have nothing to say at this point," he added.
As much as I'd like to see a new console, I can't really argue with his point of view. Why show off a next-gen console unless it makes tremendous improvements on the current gen? It's possible, though I think unlikely, that this next generation of consoles could be the last, so Sony probably wants to make quite the lasting impression. Imagine the disappointment if Sony shows off the PS4 and the graphic improvements are hardly noticeable.
Some analysts and industry experts have already said that next-generation graphics will not be as major of an upgrade as many gamers are hoping. If we are judging from the Wii U which looks on par, if only slightly better, than the Xbox 360 and PS3, then I think those analysts could be right. Then again, Nintendo has never been one to boast graphics, they choose innovation and gameplay experience, which the Wii U definitely looks to revolutionize with the new GamePad tablet.
If Sony doesn't plan on introducing some all-new, game-changing experience to the industry, then they might as well wait until the advances in hardware show a distinguishable improvement.

 More information on the site: http://www.gamezone.com

Sony: We won't show PS4 until it can demonstrate 'a significant leap'

PlayStation Group CEO explains why the firm's next console skipped E3 this year

 

Sony is not prepared to demonstrate its PlayStation 4 console until the system can demonstrate 'a significant leap' in technology, the group chief executive of SCE has explained.

In a rare interview with industry publication MCV, Andrew House appeared to challenge the emerging view that the next batch of game consoles will not provide a considerable leap in technology. Asked why Sony did not showcase the next PlayStation at E3 this year, he said: "The right time to talk about new advances in hardware is when you can demonstrate a significant leap on the current experience, and something that is going to be attractive."
"Beyond that we have nothing to say at this point," he added.
Analysts and executives at rival companies have already claimed that next-generation graphics will not leap as far forward as the current generation did from the previous.
Recently, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata questioned whether consumers will ""be able to realise the difference" between current and next generation technologies
It is widely believed that Sony will reveal PlayStation 4 at E3 next year, if not sooner.

 More information on the site: http://www.computerandvideogames.com

PS4 and Xbox 720 Graphics Specs Toe-to-Toe, Says Insider

The PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 will be on par with each other on a graphics level.
ZoomIGN reports that the PlayStation 4, aka Orbis, may feature custom chips based on AMD's A8-3850 APU and Radeon HD 7670 discrete GPU. According to the APU's off-the-shelf specs, it packs a quad-core 2.9 GHz processor an an integrated HD 6550D graphics core. The APU will work in tandem with the dedicated HD 7670 GPU which is clocked up to 1 GHz, supports DirectX 11, and is accompanied by 1 GB of dedicated VRAM.
On a discrete graphics level, sources say that the PlayStation 4 will be "toe-to-toe" with Microsoft's Xbox 720, as the latter console will reportedly use AMD's HD 6670 card. The HD 7670 is actually a re-branding of last year's HD 6670 featuring the same specs across the board. It's an entry-level GPU by today's standards, costing around $74.99 USD, but capable of cranking out just over 30 FPS in Metro 2033 and Crysis 2 with the settings at high and the resolution cranked up to 1920 x 1080.
The PlayStation 3 will reportedly have the edge over Microsoft's new console thanks to the APU's built-in graphics core. But performance will likely be better on both systems because of their lightweight operating system and games that are optimized for one specific hardware set. Like Apple's iOS, game studios tend to gravitate to consoles because it's cheaper to develop thanks to a limited number of hardware sets, and because they simply generate better revenue.
Previous reports indicated that the PlayStation 4 will feature two GPUs, but they would work separately instead of in CrossFire mode. Yet this latest rumor makes more sense, as the discrete HD 7670 GPU and the HD 6550D graphics core in the APU can still work together in rendering detailed visuals on the fly. The HD 6550D will likely run games at baseline specs and lower resolutions without the need for the discrete HD 7670 GPU. But when heavy rendering is needed, both will be in use.

 More information on the site: http://www.tomshardware.com

You May Already Own a PlayStation 4: The Sci-Fi Implications of Last Night’s Big Sony-Gaikai News

We can always count on the people at PlayStation for planting crazy ideas about the future of gaming in our heads. These are the people who advertised the PlayStation 2 with a commercial for the PlayStation 9, who told us that their PS2 games would look like Pixar movies and who, at one time, were trying to convince us that the then-upcoming PS3 would be more powerful if it was on the same home network as a refrigerator that had its own PS3-style computer chip. Or was it a toaster? It doesn't matter. It didn't happen.
With Sony's continued refusal to say anything about the PS4 (psst. Codename Orbis!), the world of PlayStation has become all too much in the present. This is not what we demand from Sony. We demand sci-fi from Sony. Last night, we got that.
 
It's time to think about the future of PlayStation in crazy ways again, now that they spent about a third of a billion dollars on an outfit called Gaikai.
Gaikai is a cloud gaming service, which is not as boring as it sounds. It's a technology, similar to OnLive, that zaps video game graphics and sound into your home from servers faraway while you zap inputs from your game controller back up to those same servers. This tech is what enables Gaikai to let you play Alan Wake on a web browser or Mass Effect 3 on Facebook. All of the processing that a console would do is happening far, far away, well outside your living room or home. When Gaikai works, you're essentially able to play video games with an extremely long controller cord that might be stretching halfway across your state or country.
Here's the Xbox 360, PS3 game Bulletstorm running in the Google Chrome web browser, for example.
Sony is now in the process of buying Gaikai. Specifically, Sony Computer Entertainment (aka PlayStation) is buying them. That's got people dreaming that the idea of the game console as some sort of physical box that you bring into your home could be going extinct. Who would need to buy a PlayStation 4, the thinking goes, if you could use Gaikai to stream PS4—level-no, let's just say actual PlayStation 4—graphics and sound into your living room through your computer while you send commands from a DualShock controller back upstream?
Gaikai and Sony could make your need to buy a new game console irrelevant, right? Why, you could just stream in PS4 games through your… PS3! And do the same for PS5, PS6 and PS7. End of hardware cycles. End of console generations.
Well, no.

That's the kind of sci-fi future you might foresee if you were the kind of person who really expected the PlayStation 3 to ship with the ability to output to two HDTVs at once (they cut that before shipping).
Gaikai won't make console hardware obsolete, because Gaikai doesn't run everywhere. It requires a stable and fast Internet connection. The company's FAQ asks for "5+ megabits [downstream], but many demos will still work around 3 megabits". That's fine, except it doesn't work in my house in Brooklyn, not if I'm using my Internet connection for other things.

 More information on the site: http://kotaku.com/ps4/

PS4 Release Date - The Countdown Begins

Playstation 4 Release Date Headquarters (Continually Updated)
While the PlayStation 3 is just now hitting its stride, and has its best days still ahead of it, Sony is not one to rest on its laurels, and with the intense competition in the video game world at present, plans for the PlayStation 4's future release are already being put into motion. In fact not only is the PlayStation 4 getting this treatment, but even the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 6 are in the early stages of planning and conceptualization at Sony's R&D labs.

Although we've yet to see what the PS3 can fully do when really put through its paces (in fact Sony states that games currently on the market are not even close to pushing the system to its full potential), the thought of an even more powerful console looming on the horizon has gamers worried about the holes it will leave burning in their pockets, but giddy at the possibilities of what this new behemoth of a console will be able to pull off. Just imagine the advanced hardware on this thing, it will be insane!
The Question Everyone Wants the Answer To...
As a result, the question on everyone's mind is, when will the PlayStation 4 see the light of day?!?!? While Sony has not released any official information concerning the system's future launch, the generally accepted release date is pegged as late 2012, which would follow the trend of Sony's previous console generations. The PlayStation 1 was first released in late 1994 in Japan and 1995 throughout the rest of the world. The PlayStation 2 hit stores in 2000, giving the PS1 a retail shelf life of 6 years from its Japanese launch. Likewise, the PlayStation 3 came out in 2006, 6 years after the release of the PS2. Following this trend that Sony has established would give us a late 2012 release for the PS4.

Other rumors have also circulated of late which backs up these claims. At a Game Developer's Conference in Germany, the CEO of Crytek announced that his company's development of their next-generation graphics engine, the CryEngine3, will release in 2012, around the same time a PlayStation 4 could launch. Although he stated he had no concrete information that the PS4 would be released around this time, and that even if he did, he would not be at liberty to share that information, he expected this to be the release window of the new system.
The Business of Sales (Or How to Get a PS4 Sooner by Not Buying a PS3)
It's possible that how the PlayStation 3 fares in the current console war may also determine the release date of the PS4, for a couple of reasons. If the system continues to flounder in 3rd place in the console wars, failing to generate the revenue which was initially expected of it, Sony may be far more eager to cut their losses and rush the PS4 to market sooner rather than later, possibly as early as 2012.
If the PS3 does indeed fail to make ground on the Wii and Xbox 360, it may also convince Sony to try and jump the gun on the next generation console wars and get their system out the door first. Both the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2, which dominated their generations of the console wars, came to market at the same time or earlier than their competition. The PlayStation 1 was launched just after the Sega Saturn, and well before the Nintendo 64, while the PlayStation 2 was released before both the Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube.
This enabled Sony to get a head start on the competition and gave developers time to build their skills at developing games for the console, to the point that even as more powerful consoles came after, games released on the older system were just as good technically, providing no real incentive for players to move to the new consoles.
This same effect has worked against the PlayStation 3 to some extent, as though considered to be far more powerful than the Xbox 360, the one year head start the 360 received has allowed developers to more quickly maximize the system's potential, resulting in games that rivaled games on the PS3 when it released. Only as the system's life spans come to an end will we likely see the PlayStation 3 come out with games that clearly trump what the 360 can do graphically.
How Sony plans to play their hand is cause for much speculation. What we do know is that the PlayStation 4 is coming sooner than we may think, and it will take gaming to a whole new level.
Let us know what you think. Will we see the PlayStation 4 within the next year, or is the release further off? Feel free to comment below. You can also join our PS4 forums to voice your opinion on everything PlayStation 4.

 More information on the site: http://www.ps4playstation4.com

No PS4 news until 'significant leap' can be shown - Sony

PlayStation CEO Andrew House says company will keep new hardware under wraps until it can demonstrate a major advance over PlayStation 3.

Despite some suggestions that Sony would show new hardware during its 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo media briefing earlier this month, the company did not utter a word about the PlayStation 4. Explaining the console's absence from the show and Sony's wider thoughts about new hardware to MCV, PlayStation CEO Andrew House said gamers should not expect talk of the PS4 until major advances over the PlayStation 3 can be shown.

Sony isn't ready to show off the PS4 just yet, House says.

"The right time to talk about new advances in hardware is when you can demonstrate a significant leap on the current experience, and something that is going to be attractive," he said. "That remains our philosophy. Beyond that we have nothing to say at this point."
A recent analyst report predicts Sony--and Microsoft--will have their respective future-generation consoles on store shelves by the end of next year. Sony's PS4 is rumored to boast the same graphics card as Microsoft's next Xbox, as well as measures to block out used games, though analysts do not find this claim likely.

More information on the site: By Eddie Makuch, News Editor http://www.gamespot.com

PS4 – what do OPM think?

After an E3 no-show the speculat-o-dial for PS4 is back to clueless shrug levels. There’s been talk of it being built from off the shelf components, cloud gaming and more; but what do team OPM think about the next PlayStation?

Joel Gregory, deputy editor

It’s not so much a case of what I want from PS4 as when I want it. And the answer to that – other than yelling “NOW!” while stamping my feet – is ‘not a year after Microsoft’s next console’. Whatever its form or features, it needs to make sure of two things: that it’s not playing catch-up from the off, and that it’s sensibly priced. Trying to cram in every gizmodic-pixelising graphicsonometer under the sun will simply make it too pricey, and releasing too late will give the next Xbox another head start when it comes to the install base. I also demand it comes in hot pink with a diamanté-studded case.

Dave Meikleham, freelance writer

I want my Orbis Sexy 64 (or whatever) to be a multimedia hub. Think watching 60-odd voice-activated channels simultaneously via a built-in projector, Back To The Future Part II-style. Failing that, I want a machine with the raw horsepower capable of recreating Pixar-quality graphics. PS3 can’t even nearly match the dinos in Jurassic Park (a 19-year-old film) so again, maybe that’s a lofty wish. More importantly, and realistically, I want a system that’s easy to develop for out of the gate. No more inferior ports just because of troublesome architecture – just brilliant games that run every bit as smoothly as their Microsoft counterparts.

More information on the site: http://www.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk

PS4 Specs Supposedly Leaked

 A picture has surfaced on the internet showing what could be the specifications for the next PlayStation console. If true we're in for a powerful machine, but some are saying it's far too good to be a reality.





Smart bets, depending on who you ask, is that the above image is a fabrication, a fiction, something that someone with too much time on their hands have done between homework and bed time. Considering that it shows not only the specs for the PlayStation 4, but an absolute powerhouse of a console far beyond what people expect (or could justify the cost of in a console), perhaps they have a right to be cynical.


 More information on the site: http://www.gameranx.com

PS4 release date, news and rumours

By James Rivington April 5th

PS4 rumours are slowly gathering pace

Sony is yet to confirm the existence of the PS4 games console, but it exists out there somewhere - you can be sure of that.The latest rumours suggest that Sony is calling the PS4 'Orbis'. This comes from a source speaking to Kotaku "who is not authorised to talk publicly about next-gen hardware but has shared correct information" with them before.

Assuming the Orbis name is accurate, it's still unclear whether the name is a codename like Durango or whether the console will literally be called the Sony PlayStation Orbis instead of the Sony PS4.
The name does make some kind of sense if you combine it with the word 'Vitae' (or Vita). Orbis Vitae translates from Latin as 'circle of life' and hints at some serious synergy between the PS4 and the PS Vita.
It could be a red herring, of course, but with the Vita already communicating fairly competently with the PS3, it seems highly likely that this will be the case. So what can we expect from the PlayStation 4?

PS4 likely to pack AMD CPU and graphics power

The same source who revealed the PlayStation Orbis name also mentioned that the PS4 is currently penciled in as packing an AMD x64 CPU and 28nm AMD Southern Islands graphics power.
The source doesn't go into any detail about what revision of AMD CPU hardware it's going to be using, but it could be the forthcoming Piledriver revision of the weak Bulldozer architecture from the AMD FX-8150 CPU.

Next-gen gaming

Piledriver is also going to be used in the upcoming Trinity APU, which incorporate both CPU and GPU components on die, but the first iterations of that particular chip possibly wont come with the 28nm GPU part. Subsequent APUs are scheduled to include Southern Island components, so that is still a possibility.
Meanwhile, IGN reports that the PS4 will be powered specifically by the AMD Radeon HD 7670 chip and the A8-3850 APU.
If that's true, it really is a big surprise. Those chips aren't even the best that AMD currently has to offer - so by the time the PS4 goes on sale it would be woefully lacking in power compared to the latest AMD tech, let alone the most advanced chips from Nvidia and Intel.
By 2014, Intel will be shipping 14nm - or possibly even 11nm - CPUs and with that amount of transistors on a die, we're talking serious performance and efficiency gains.

Next-gen gaming

So it's for this reason that we suspect - or hope - that early PS4 development kits may currently be using these AMD chips, but the final PS4 will most likely pack something a little more special. If that's not the case, it's time for hardcore gamers to start worrying.
According to the source of these rumours, Sony is attempting to get 4K gaming out the door with the PS4, along with full HD 1080p 3D gaming for the first time. We don't think it would even be possible to achieve this kind of output with the Southern Islands GPUs unless some kind of multi-GPU set-up is being used.
The Playstation 4 would also need to have some serious graphics memory inside it to cope with outputting to such high-resolution screens as 4K.
So we fully expect the launch specifications to be far more impressive.
There were actually some previous rumours that PS4 could use Nvidia's ARM-based Project Denver but this now seems quite unlikely.
It's far more probable that AMD is offering Sony and Microsoft (which is rumoured to also be using this AMD hardware in its XBox 720) heavily subsidised access to its CPU and GPU tech. AMD is currently being beaten by both Intel and Nvidia in the CPU and GPU markets, and so we reckon AMD needs these consoles almost as much as Sony and Microsoft do.

Backwards compatibility

When the original original PS3 unit shipped, it contained a chip that gave it the ability to play PS2 games. Subsequent iterations of hardware omitted this chip and so the backwards compatibility was condemned to death.
Current rumours suggests that the PS4 will completely ignore the possibility of backwards compatibility and focus firmly on the next generation. So if you want to continue playing your PS3 games, keep hold of your PS3s, kids.

Second hand games on the way out?

More rumours suggest that Sony is going in the same direction as Microsoft in that it wants to kill off the second hand games market. Current industry wisdom suggests that future PS4 games might be tied to your Sony Entertainment Network account and will thus then have no resale value. That's a similar approach as used by PC developers using Steam so we reckon this is a likely development. Doesn't mean we're happy about it, though.

What are the PS4 features we'd most like to see?

PS4info dreams of a next-gen PlayStation with a 32nm Cell processor an up to 16 SPEs, double the number in the PlayStation 3. While over on gamrConnect, there's talk of a greater partnership with Google. Sony's new fondness for Android on the Xperia Play is an interesting strategy.
Blu-ray on the PlayStation 4 is a dead cert. While digital distribution is undoubtedly the way forward, not every PlayStation owner has access to a fast broadband connection.
As Kaz Hirai told Develop, "we do business in parts of the world where network infrastructure isn't as robust as one would hope. There's always going to be requirement for a business of our size and scope to have a physical medium."
As for the PlayStation 4 controller, Dr. Richard Marks (Sony Computer Entertainment's US R&D manager of special projects) says that "anything that lets us get the player's intent into the system more" is technology they'll be looking at. No brain wave gaming just yet.

You can check out our wishlist PS4 video, to see what we are seeking in the next-gen console below:

PS4 release date

Latest rumours suggest that the PS4 will launch in time for Christmas 2013, though Sony are remaining quiet on the issue.
VG247 is quoting an anonymous source (always a bad start to a rumour) as saying that Sony believes it is in a position to get the PS4 out of the door before the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 720.
We remember, of course, how Microsoft managed to launch the 360 a full year before the PS3 went on sale and that enabled it to gain a huge headstart, despite all sorts of technical faults and expensive repair bills.
So it's a no-brainer that Sony will be looking to make sure that doesn't happen this time. How it can be so sure of beating Microsoft to the punch is another matter though, and as usual we'd take these anonymous comments with a glass of salty water.
Meanwhile, if you side with the likes of ITProPortal, you might believe that "the whole concept of a single lounge-bound gaming device may become obsolete". The future of gaming may well lie in a more portable device/controller that you can play on the move or plug into your TV. Epic's Mark Rein has some interesting thoughts on this here.
Senior execs for a big US retailer told their shareholders that they don't expect the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 til 2014. That seems like a good guess to us, even though Sony has always said the PS3 will have a 10-year life cycle (which began in 2006).
Bethesda's Todd Howard, game director for the blockbuster Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, also says that gamers should not expect follow-ups to the PS3 and Xbox 360 until 2014, at the very earliest.
Speaking to PSM3 magazine, the Bethesda exec said that gamers were happy with the current generation of console tech and that he didn't expect to see an Xbox 720 or a PS4 before 2014.
Long live PlayStation 3!
 Source :http://www.techradar.com