PlayStation 4: All the news, collected
In January, Sony invited press to "see the future" at a New York City event highlighting the PlayStation. That event is tonight at 6 p.m. ET and Polygon will be covering it live from the Manhattan Center. Stick around immediately after the presentation for hours of post-show analysis from the editors.
Sources tell Polygon the event will introduce the company's new console, widely considered to be named the PlayStation 4. Later, a video series explored the "evolution" of the PlayStation business beginning with the PlayStation 1, and images of a new controller leaked with multiple sources confirming their veracity.
PlayStation Plus will have a 'prominent role' on PS4, says Sony
The PlayStation Plus subscription service will have "a prominent role" on PlayStation 4, said Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, in an interview with the PlayStation Blog.
Sony did not highlight PlayStation Plus during its PS4 reveal event last week, but according to Ryan, that doesn't mean it's not going to be a part of the PS4.
Calling the Plus service "a core part of the way forward," Ryan said, "We're not yet in a position to disclose our plans for the future of PlayStation Plus but there will definitely be a prominent role to play for it in the...
The next Killzone aims to prove next-gen gaming's worth
We all watched this spectacle of moving images and an immersive world. We saw some unknown beautiful future city resting on the cusp of cascading waterfalls. The vibrant greens and blues of this world alone set the game apart from the bulk of first-person shooters of this generation.
When natural beauty gave way to manufactured violence, one couldn't help but notice the little things in the bedlam of explosions and gunfire: The leaves swirling against the minutely detailed ground, the trailing tendrils of smoke, the cinder and ash floating in the sky.
Later, when a clutch of reporters...
3D gaming 'not a focus' for PlayStation 4, though it is supported
Despite the push on PlayStation 3, stereoscopic 3D — which traditionally uses 3D glasses to filter offset images to each of the viewer's eyes — is "not a focus" for the PlayStation 4, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida told a panel of journalists last week, adding that 3D "was a big thing a couple years ago."
"We made [3D] a big thing, because it was led by [the] consumer electronics side of Sony," Yoshida said. "Now the consumer electronics side of Sony, and all the companies have shifted focus from 3D TVs to something else. So, they're not talking about it. Why are we?"
...
The PS4 is a dream gaming console, that could be a problem
When Sony laid out the promise of the PlayStation Portable in 2004, it called it the Walkman of the 21st Century, a PlayStation 2 in your pocket. When the company unveiled the PlayStation 3, it talked about gaming across multiple screens, the ability for gamers to buy and sell in-game items and showed off a boomerang-shaped controller.
When those systems hit, they delivered a feast of new playable content and edged forward the boundaries of gaming innovation, but both were shadows of the promises that Sony original made.
Where Sony often promises the heavens, it's typically delivered the...
Sony's Yoshida 'happy to see' some of his games adopt episodic model, praises The Walking Dead
After the company's PlayStation 4 reveal last Wednesday, when it said the new console will allow developers "to explore new business models that offer more flexibility including episodic and free-to-play," there was an opportunity to bring up episodic gaming with Shuhei Yoshida again.
Nearly five years ago, when I last asked Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida about the company's ill-fated episodic series Rat Race, he laughed (a Yoshida trademark) and told me, "You have [a] good memory. Yeah, maybe I talked about episodic games and that's my fault. So, yeah, we stopped it. We...
Sony opens PS4 websites
If you're interested in seeing what Sony has to say about the PlayStation 4, you can head to the console's website — the company has opened official PS4 sites for North America, Europe and Japan.
Each site sums up the details revealed during Wednesday's PlayStation Meeting 2013, when the PS4, its DualShock 4 controller and six games were unveiled to the world. On the North American site, at least, there's also information for developers. And interested parties can sign up for Sony's mailing list to be notified of PS4 news.
If you're thirsting for more details than what's available on...
PS4 games priced between $0.99 and $60
Games for the newly revealed PlayStation 4 will be priced between $0.99 and $60, Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton told CNBC.
Players will be able to sample titles prior to purchasing them, explained Tretton, who described the PlayStation 4 as being "designed with the game developer in mind and the consumer in mind."
Tretton stated that pricing and additional details will be made available throughout "several key events between now and the launch date," giving Sony a "nine-to-10" month period to reveal further information about the system. PlayStation 4 is...
PS4 'doesn't support' current-gen DualShock 3 controller, does support PS Move
During last night's PlayStation 4 reveal event, Sony developer Media Molecule demonstrated a tech demo in which players used a PlayStation Move controller to sculpt 3D objects. With Move-like functionality already supported by the new DualShock 4 controller, we asked Sony's Shuhei Yoshida if the PS4 would support the current-gen DualShock 3 controllers the same way it supports the similarly current-gen PS Move controller.
"No, [the PlayStation 4] doesn't support DualShock 3 but it does support PS Move," Yoshida said.
Asked if that policy extends to other Bluetooth-enabled PS3 peripherals...
PS4's AMD semi-custom processing unit detailed
Sony's PlayStation 4 will be powered by a semi-custom AMD accelerated processing unit designed for high-volume media, technology company AMD announced today.
The PS4 is the first product AMD has created for another company using semi-custom APUs. Both Sony and AMD collaborated on creation of the APU, which includes an 8-core x86-64 AMD "Jaguar" CPU and a Radeon-based graphics engine running a 1.84 TFLOPS chip.
According to AMD, the company utilized the same technology design "roadmap" for its PCs, notebooks and tablets when designing the PS4's APU.
"This unique APU architecture enables...
PS4 may support existing digital purchases through cloud, 'We could do so if we choose to,' says Sony
PlayStation 4 will not natively support PlayStation 3 games, including downloadable PlayStation Network games, said Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Worldwide Studios during a roundtable interview today. The absence of native compatibility means Sony will need to explore other alternatives for playing current-gen software.
"Unless, somehow, some games work on emulation," Yoshida acknowledged. "The easiest thing, technically, would be to make PS1 games work on PS4 with emulation, but we are not talking about our emulation plans as yet." PS1 games currently run through emulation on the...
PS4 will support 4K for 'personal contents' like photos, but not games
The PlayStation 4 will support media output resolution at 4K for photos and videos but not for games, Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida confirmed to Polygon this morning.
"The official answer is that the PS4 supports 4K output but for personal contents, like photos or videos. Not games," Yoshida said. "PS4 games do not work on 4K."
When asked if they could support 4K output if the developer was able to justify the increased processing cost, Yoshida explained, "There's a demonstration. Polyphony Digital's Kazunori [Yamauchi] loves these things. He's been using multiple PS3s...
Sony teases massive PS4 game developer list
Telltale Games, Rockstar and LucasArts were among a massive list of developer logos said to be involved in future game development on the upcoming PlayStation 4, according to an image teased by Sony during last night's console reveal.
While it's unknown whether these third-party studios are currently developing for the new console, or rather that they simply have received a dev unit for the system, Sony later released a list of nearly 150 game developers and publishers across North America, Europe and Asia said to be involved in the future of the console, as of Feb. 20, 2013.
Japan:
A...
Sony explains why the PS4 was a no-show at its own debut
This week's hours-long PlayStation Meeting gave gamers their first glimpse at the new DualShock 4 controller, detailed the philosophy of the PlayStation 4, showed off a half-dozen games and demoed three new engines.
But there was one glaring omission: The PS4's debut was missing the PS4.
I ran into Shuhei Yoshida, president of Worldwide Studios at Sony Computer Entertainment, after the show and asked him why the console wasn't shown during the presentation or after.
"We need something to show off later," he said, half kidding.
Will it be shown at E3, I asked.
"We're still trying to...
PS4 touch-sensitive DualShock 4 controller revealed (update: features, scale detailed)
Sony's next-generation PlayStation 4 will come with an all-new DualShock controller, the DualShock 4.
The controller will feature a touchpad, a Share button and a light bar, Sony announced at an event in New York City today.
Players can use the Share button to select a clip from the last few minutes of gameplay, tag it and return to playing the game while the clip uploads to the web in the background. This functionality will be integrated with Facebook. The Share button will also let players stream games in real time to services such as Ustream.
The PlayStation 4 has a stereoscopic...
Sony's timing for PS4 was perfect, EEDAR says
Sony's timing on its PlayStation 4 reveal "was perfect" and "wise," according to vice president of insights, Jesse Divnich, of market research firm Electronic Entertainment Design and Research
"By announcing early and at an isolated event, it allows Sony to capture 100 percent of the attention of gamers, technology enthusiasts, and industry insiders," Divnich said. "Sony's announcement now gives publishers plenty of time to prepare for E3 and it shifts the focus of the show to the software, which ultimately is what gamers look forward to the most."
According to Divnich, Sony is now "in...
PS4: What We Know
Today was the day. After months of rumors, speculation and hype, Sony finally unveiled its strategy for the upcoming console war. The fourth — and possibly last — PlayStation home console will be called ... wait for it ... PlayStation 4 and among the many other things that can be said about it now, we know that it is due for release this holiday season. We'll go over everything we've learned today at the Sony PlayStation Meeting 2013 in New York City, but first, some background.
To fully appreciate the stakes for Sony with this console launch, it's important to understand the...
PS4 confirmed for holiday 2013 release
Sony will release its next-generation PlayStation 4 this holiday, the company confirmed today. At the conclusion of its PlayStation Meeting, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House announced a holiday 2013 release date for the new console.
The company did not provide specific dates or when the PS4 would release in certain regions. Sony also did not show the PlayStation 4's form factor or announce a price, details that may be revealed at E3 2013.
Destiny headed to PS4, will receive exclusive content
Destiny, Halo developer Bungie's recently revealed "always connected" first-person shooter, is headed to PlayStation 4, Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision publishing, announced today at an event that also revealed Sony's next-gen console.
After announcing the port, Hirshberg stepped off the stage. A video rolled that included new footage from the game, filled with aliens, grand vistas and capes blowing in the wind. You can watch the video, which was narrated by Bungie co-founder Jason Jones, below.
Bungie president Harold Ryan then took to the stage and announced that both the PlayStation...
Diablo 3 coming to PS4 and PS3 from Blizzard Entertainment
Diablo 3 will come to PlayStation 4 from Blizzard Entertainment, the company's senior vice president, story and franchise development Chris Metzen announced today at Sony's PlayStation Meeting.
The announcement is part of a "strategic partnership" between Blizzard and Sony Computer Entertainment, Metzen said. He also announced that Diablo 3 will come to the PlayStation 3 as well, which is already running on the current-gen console and "runs well and looks great," Metzen said.
Metzen says Diablo 3 has been customized to play on consoles, with a four-player, full-screen co-op mode for...
Watch Dogs bound for PS4 at the console's launch
Watch Dogs, Ubisoft's high-tech open-world action game, is headed to PlayStation 4, Ubisoft's Jonathan Moran announced today at the PlayStation Meeting 2013.
A press release from Ubisoft later confirmed that the game will be released as a launch title, pegging it for a holiday 2013 release.
"Ubisoft has a strong history of supporting new technologies with unique and creative offerings," Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in the press release. "The power and capability of the PS4 allows the Watch Dogs team to further push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in interactive...
New Final Fantasy title in development for PS4, will debut at E3
Square Enix CTO Yoshihasa Hashimoto took the stage at the PlayStation Meeting to explain how Square's powerful new Luminous Engine will work on the console. He introduced a "cinematic demo" on stage that seems to be the same Agni's Philosophy demo shown off at E3 last year.
Then Final Fantasy brand director Shinji Hashimoto briefly appeared on stage to announce a next-gen Final Fantasy title for the PlayStation 4. "Please be excited for E3 this year," Hashimoto said, presumably hinting at a reveal for the new game there.
Third parties making PS4 games include EA, Activision, Double Fine, Platinum Games
Sony has brought on dozens of third-party developers and publishers to make PlayStation 4 games, said Sony's Andrew House during PlayStation Meeting 2013 today.
House said Sony has tapped "nearly every major third-party" company, and then flashed the image above, showing the logos of major companies like Electronic Arts, Activision, Square Enix and Capcom, and smaller studios like CD Projekt Red, Bohemia Interactive, Platinum Games and Double Fine.
Capcom, Square Enix and Activision all came out to present tech demos or games later in the show.
Capcom reveals Deep Down, built in engine designed for PS4
Capcom is developing a new game called Deep Down for the PS4 built in a new engine designed for the system, Capcom's Yoshinori Ono announced at the PlayStation Meeting today.
Ono began by speaking about Capcom's development over Sony's systems from PS1 though current consoles. He then revealed that the company has been working on a new graphical engine called Panta Rhei, which translates to "everything flows." The graphical engine for the PS4 will "allow us to take game design in entirely new directions," Ono said. It is a next step from Capcom's current MT Framework engine
The...
Media Molecule demoes digital sculpting, puppetry with PS4 and Move controller
LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule showed off the PlayStation 4's tech capabilities today in a demo that uses the PlayStation Move controller to create digital sculptures and puppetry.
In the demo, shown at the PlayStation Meeting event in New York, Media Molecule's Alex Evans showed how the Move motion controller can be used with the PS4 to sketch and doodle as well as sculpt 3D objects. The Move controller tracks every move the player makes, and "makes 3D sculpting easy for beginners and deep for advanced creators," he said. Players will also be able to create collage sets using...
The Witness from Jonathan Blow to debut on PS4 as timed console exclusive
Braid developer Jonathan Blow will bring his next game, the 3D puzzle adventure The Witness, to PlayStation 4, Sony and Blow announced today.
PlayStation 4 will be the only console The Witness is on during the game's "release window," Blow said. The Witness was previously announced for release on Windows PC and iOS sometime in 2013. The developer's previous game, Braid, was launched as a timed exclusive for Xbox 360 and later came to PC and PS3.
Sony touted PS4 would continue to allow independent developers to self-publish their games on the console maker's next-generation platform.
The...
Infamous: Second Son coming exclusively to PS4 from developer Sucker Punch
Infamous: Second Son is in development exclusively for PlayStation 4 by Sucker Punch Productions, game director Nate Fox announced at the Sony PlayStation Meeting 2013 today.
"Our security comes at a high price: our freedom," Fox said prior to the game's reveal. "Picture how things would change, how the world would react if a handful of people suddenly developed superhuman abilities capable of unleashing incredible carnage ... these people would be living, breathing weapons."
"Which of us would have the courage to fight to get our freedoms back?" Fox asked.
The game's trailer, which you...
Evolution Studios developing Driveclub, a new racing game for PS4
Evolution Studios is working on a new racing game for the PlayStation 4 called Driveclub, the developer announced at an event that unveiled Sony's new console today.
"We're making the game we've always wanted to make," said Matt Southern, game director at Evolution Studios.
"It's all about team-based racing. It's existed at the concept as a studio for 10 years. At it's heart, it's always been a simple concept about driving the best cars in the world in the best locations in the world.
"We've literally waited for the technology to deliver our vision."
It's a game designed to play in...
Killzone: Shadow Fall revealed, coming to the PS4
Killzone: Shadow Fall, the next entry in the PlayStation-exclusive first-person shooter franchise, is scheduled to be a PlayStation 4 launch title, Guerrilla Games' Hermen Hulst revealed during the PlayStation Meeting 2013 today.
Shadow Fall is set 30 years after the events of Killzone 3 and features a new hero. The two rifting factions from the previous Killzone titles, the Helghast and the Vektans, live alongside each other in a city divided by a wall.
"Tensions are high, and the cold war they are embroiled in is about to go hot," senior producer Steven ter Heide said on the PlayStation...
PS4 entertainment services include Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus
The PlayStation 4 will feature a suite of non-gaming apps including Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus, Gaikai CEO David Perry announced during today's PlayStation Meeting 2013.
Perry also listed Facebook, Sony's Music Unlimited service and Crackle among the entertainment apps that will be available on the new console. Facebook is the only app Perry mentioned that is not currently available on PlayStation 3; the current-generation system can only post updates to Facebook.
PS4 not natively compatible with PS3 games
PS3 games are not "natively supported" on PlayStation 4 said Dave Perry, founder of streaming service Gaikai, during the PlayStation Meeting in which Sony announced its next-gen console.
Despite native incompatibility, Perry said that the company is "exploring some very unique opportunities, with the longterm vision of making PlayStation 3 games ubiquitous on any device."
"The technology is so advanced that some day we could easily PS1, PS2, PS3 and the PS Mobile games on any device, including the PlayStation 4."
The "vision of the PlayStation Cloud service" is to play "everything,...
Sony aims to make every PS4 game available on PS Vita
Sony's long-term goal is to make all PlayStation 4 games available on PS Vita, Dave Perry of Gaikai announced during today's PlayStation 2013 event in New York.
PlayStation 4 architecture uses Gaikai technology, so PlayStation 4 serves as server and the PlayStation Vita serves as client.
Shown during the presentation was the newly announced PlayStation 4 title, Knack, accessed through remote play on the PlayStation Vita. Knack is being developed by Japan Studio under the direction of PlayStation 4's lead system architect Mark Cerny.
Sony initially introduced cross-play functionality...
PS4 to use Gaikai for instant demos, Ustream multicasting, social gameplay
David Perry, CEO and founder of Gaikai, took the stage at today's PlayStation 4 announcement to reveal new details on the next generation of Sony's PlayStation Network and Gaikai's integration into the service.
Perry said the PS4's version of the PlayStation Network will be the "fastest gaming network in the world."
Sony will use Gaikai's streaming technology to offer instant demoes through the PlayStation Store, Perry said. With Gaikai in the PlayStation Store, you'll be able to try anything instantly, Perry explained. "Simply press the X button to hop in and start playing the game,"...
PS4 media sharing capabilities revealed
The PlayStation 4 will allow for seamless uploads and downloads of media with its new dedicated compression and decompression systems, it was announced at the PlayStation Meeting 2013 event in New York today.
Speaking at today's Sony event, the PlayStation 4's lead system architect, Mark Cerny said players will be able to hit the "share" button on the PS4 controller, scan through the minutes of a game they've played, pick and tag the segments they want to upload, and the video will be uploaded while the player returns to the game.
"Our goal is to make sharing a video as popular in the...
Knack announced as first PS4 game
PlayStation 4's lead system architect Mark Cerny has announced the first game, Knack, for the newly revealed console.
The game, which features animated, cartoonish graphics, is being developed by Japan Studio under Cerny's direction. The announcement came with a brief trailer to tease the game.
"War has come to our peaceful land," the trailer's narrator, voiced by Jennifer Hale, begins. "We must send our best to neutralize this threat."
Knack, who the game is named for, is a robot "capable of explosive growth." Scenes in the trailer, which you can watch below, show Knack at colossal...
PS4 tech specs: 'supercharged PC architecture,' x86 CPU, 8 GB memory (update)
Sony revealed the first hardware specifications of its PlayStation 4 today, promising "supercharged PC architecture," an x86 AMD processor and 8 GB of GDDR5 unified system memory.
"We wanted to hear from developers," said Mark Cerny, lead system architect, at Sony's PS4 unveiling. "We spoke to dozens of the best teams in the world. We wanted to know what was important to them. We wanted to make them happy. Our goal was to create an architecture that would facilitate the expression of their ideas."
Cerny called PS4 "a platform by game creators, for game creators."
Cerny later added that...
PS4: Sony's next-generation PlayStation announced
The next-generation PlayStation will be called the PlayStation 4, Sony Computer Entertainment announced today.
Sony's next console will launch this holiday, the company said. The PS4's architecture was designed with high performance and ease of development in mind, Sony says. The console will also ship with a new controller, the touch-sensitive DualShock 4, and a new PlayStation 4 Eye camera.
PS4 will feature connectivity with second screen devices, like tablets and mobile phones, through a PlayStation App, Sony announced. The system will place a great emphasis on social components and...
Opinion: Broken PS3 promises may be reason for skepticism tonight
I share this list with you not to revel in Sony's mistakes. After all, they delivered on plenty of big promises. Rather, I'd like to provide some historical context before what will likely be a night full of grandeur and spectacle.
The Features
Dual HD screen support: Games would span across dual monitors. The second monitor would be used for a larger field of view or to display an alternate perspective or menu. The PlayStation 3 was originally announced with two HDMI outputs, ostensibly supporting uses like this one; of course, it would ship the following year with the more...
Where to watch tonight's PlayStation Meeting on Polygon and elsewhere
Sony will hold its PlayStation Meeting 2013 tonight starting at 6 p.m. ET in New York City to unveil "the future" of the PlayStation brand, and the event will also be available online in several locations — including Polygon.
You'll be able to watch the event within a post on the PlayStation Blog. Polygon will have the same streaming video embedded in our liveblog, so you can turn to us for some play-by-play and color commentary. You'll also be able to see the event live on PlayStation.com and on your PS3 through PlayStation Home. You can find a link to the latter under the "What's New"...
Watch Dogs, God of War, Destiny and Beyond developers amassing in NYC in time for PlayStation 2013 Meeting
Developers from Ubisoft Montreal, Sony Santa Monica Studios, Bungie and Quantic Dream are amassing in New York City in time for today's PlayStation 2013 Meeting, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. EST.
It is unknown whether they will simply be in the audience or make a formal announcement; however, taking to Twitter, numerous designers including the developers behind God of War have hinted they will be attending today's Sony event.
"What does our future hold for tomorrow? We heard they may open Pandoras Box (again) live on stage, that would be AWESOME #playstation2013," wrote Sony Santa Monica.
...
Next-generation PlayStation to stream PS3 games, says WSJ report
The next PlayStation, widely expected to be unveiled at an event in New York City on Feb. 20, will reportedly stream PlayStation 3 games, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Current generation PS3 games will be streamed over the internet using technology developed by Gaikai, which Sony acquired last year in a $380 million purchase, according to the Journal. The report backs up similar rumors from 2012, which said that Sony was planning on achieving backward compatibility for the PS4 through a cloud-based streaming service.
The report says Sony is "investing heavily" in preparing...
PlayStation 4 prototype controller reportedly leaked in dev kit photo
A photograph of an early version of the PlayStation 4 controller has been posted by Destructoid, offering a glimpse at possible changes and new inputs coming to the next-generation DualShock. Since the photo was first published, Polygon has received independent verification of the prototype controller.
The controller appears to include a previously rumored touchscreen or touchpad, as well as speaker and/or microphone, above the PlayStation "home" button. A glowing blue bar, which resembles the light used in Sony's PlayStation Move controller, appears at the top of the bulkier-looking...
Sources: Next PlayStation unveiled this month, shipping this holiday alongside next Xbox
The next PlayStation will be unveiled later this month, shown at this year's E3 and then launched this holiday where it will compete with the next Xbox, sources familiar with the console tell Polygon.
The information was provided to Polygon prior to last night's news of a Feb. 20 PlayStation Meeting in New York to "see the future." The Wall Street Journal is also reporting that sources have told them the console will come out this holiday, competing with the next Xbox.
Sources familiar with the Microsoft console tell Polygon that Microsoft, while already aware of Sony's launch timing,...
