By now we’re all certain that the PlayStation Meeting on February 20th is going to be the announcement of the PS4. While Sony did try to be fairly mysterious in their teaser trailer for the event, they did a good job of making it obvious they’re ready to talk about their next piece of hardware without ever explicitly saying so. With their iconic face buttons on show what else could it be?
I’m sure the event has many salivating at the prospect of something genuinely new to sink their teeth into, Twitter and conversations with other writers have made that very clear. Personally, though, I’m feeling a bit cold on the event. Maybe they’ll excite me when 6pm EST on the 20th arrives, but for now I’m just not buzzing at the prospect.
[videoyoutube]I think that may well be because the actual, physical hardware doesn’t interest me all that much. Although we’re hearing some strange rumours about adding a touchpad to the console’s controller, something I’m not convinced by, in all likelihood what we’re going to see will be a box that’s more powerful than the box we have right now. And that’s it.There’s nothing wrong with that at all, hardware developers are allowed to go in whatever direction they want, but it’s also not terribly exciting. Before Nintendo announced the Wii U I was excited. They’d taken a different approach with the Wii and brought something genuinely new to gaming, I wanted to see what they had up their sleeve to come next. We knew it probably wasn’t going to be an immense bundle of processing power, but the general suspicion was that they were going to do something new and interesting again.
With Sony I don’t get that feeling, and I don’t really get it from Microsoft either. Certainly they’re going to give developers more power to play with and that unlocks new possibilities for future games, new innovations in graphics and gameplay, more powerful physics engines and AIs. However, it doesn’t make the console in and of itself exciting or interesting, it’s what people can do with it. The same is true of the Wii U I suppose, but at least there you can see the new possibilities that the GamePad presents.
Obviously Sony won’t just unveil the new physical hardware, that would be exceptionally strange, they’ll probably have some tech demos and some early concept videos of upcoming stuff to show just how much more powerful the PS4 is than the PS3. Of course if you remember in the past Sony have had tech demos that feature rubber ducks, and while I like rubber ducks, they also aren’t going to make me fall head over heels in love with a bit of hardware.
[drop]I am, perhaps, being rather unfair to Sony, we probably will see a few bits and pieces about some first-party games for the platform, although they almost certainly aren’t going to be the main focus for this event.Now if you want to talk to me about what Sony are going to have going on at E3 then I will admit to being almost worryingly excited (what if there’s a new Syphon Filter game?!), and that’s because it’s easy to get excited for games. Games are somehow more tangible than the hardware itself, they’re the product that the hardware exists to power.
I’d love for Sony to blow me away though, I really would. I’d love them to reveal the next console, show me a few big games running live on stage and looking absolutely stunning, and then just drop the mic as they walk off stage. While we might get some of that, I honestly believe they’re going to focus fairly tightly on the hardware itself, with a few trailers for games instead of live demos.
Although I don’t find that nearly as exciting, I can’t blame them if they take that approach. It lets them build to a big showing at E3 and a trailer is much safer than a live demo of a game, particularly when you’re trying to pull of the perfect reveal of your flagship product for the next five to ten years.
But personally I’m counting the days till E3. Just 124 to go.
KeRaSh
While I’m really excited about the possibility of a PS4 reveal on the 20th, I’m even more excited about the fact that 3rd party studios will finally be able to talk about their next gen games. There hasn’t been much info on Final Fantasy Versus XIII besides the confirmation from Square Enix head honcho telling fans that it still exists and that it will sweep people off their legs. The Last Guardian is also a possible candidate for PS4 material. Who knows? : )
Germanos
About FF Versus XIII: it;s just a rumor but: “This time, the rumor comes from NeoGAF forum user Verendus, who claims that Versus XIII will be re-revealed later this year for at least one next-generation console. He also suggests that the name will be different and that the game will definitely drop sometime next year.
Verendus then goes on to say that development is underway for both Final Fantasy XV and XVI, and that XV in particular might be an exclusive (presumably for the PS4).
Take this giant rumor as you will, but, for his part, Verendus seems confident that the information he provides is correct. “You can have my account deleted if this information turns out to be inaccurate,” he wrote in the forum post.”
KeRaSh
So I’m not that far off, eh? I don’t mind a renaming of the title. I just want to play it. Next year might still be far away but I’ll take it.
Stev_lewsey
I know that people want a new console, but for me the current gen of consoles are amazing. The games coming out or that are out now are amazing compared to a few years ago. People are finally getting to grips with the tech and are producing some fantastic, innovative and amazing games.
I really think that, especially in the current financial climate, announcing a new console is not a good idea. Consoles and games are a luxury, which not everyone can afford. There are a load of games I want to play, but due to normal life, I dont have the time or the money to play them all. I am happy to keep my PS3 for as long as possible. It does everything I want and more and I am a very contented gamer.
I think back to when I was younger and the games we used to have to play then and what we have now and the difference is just immense. As gamers I think we are spoilt today with the quality and choices available.
If Sony do announce a new console I think it will need to have backwards compatability with PS3 games (a huge gaming market already), blu ray drive, and be familiar enough to entice gamers in.
I personally will need a massive reason to ditch my PS3 for a new console, can Sony give me a good enough reason or not?
cc_star
My gaming kicks come from anything but consoles 99% of the time now so beyond curiosity at things like the console’s OS, features, control scheme & importantly seeing if the business model moves away from the terminally broken ~£300 console + $60/£40 boxed games bringing with it new game types… I’m barely interested at all.
Only something earth-shatteringly huuuuuge will change my decision to turn my back on console gaming for good.
plutoniumdragon
Before I got an iPad I wouldn’t have been quite so sure, but sadly I think you are right and it spells the end of traditional PC gaming as well. The PC may continue in a niche the consoles won’t be able to, but outside of some browser based games I think its days are numbered as well.
Nismo400R84
I think the hype as been killed by various sites going on with what rumour and specs the console will be .the equivalent would trying to guess your Christmas presents which bloody ruins the hype.
TSBonyman
I’m excited about the new hardware and it’s potential – not so much about any ‘new ways to play’ – or indeed new ways to PAY.
I was hugely impressed by PS3 from the start (even at the price) and bought one at launch. Since then though a lot has happened, removal of OtherOs, online passes, day one dlc etc.- and worse, too many to mention here but certainly enough to make me wary of the ‘future of gaming’.
So, excitement tempered with concern.
bunimomike
I’m excited by the announcement but not in a bed-wettingly wonderful sort of way. To be honest, your article sounds particularly dour. You were late to own a PS3; late to own an HDTV and have also confessed a lack of interest in certain Sony things (can’t quite recall but some major franchises, I think). With all of that in mind, it makes the article a little futile in merit when the majority of us are curious and hoping for the best.
I don’t think I’ll be buying a PS4 at launch but the idea of Sony releasing new console hardware is a time for the inner-child to sit there and shout “shiny, shiny, SHINY!” at the computer when seeing what they have to offer.
Oooo, you’re like a February Scrooge trying to ruin our fun. I bet you trample budding flowers too when you walk to the shops to pick up your copy of Menopausal Monthly. :-P
Oooo! *shakes fist*
Kris Lipscombe
But if I wrote about how I was excited someone would complain that I was buying into Sony’s hype too much ;)
bunimomike
Nah… you’d be joining the rest of society. :-p
CR8ZYH0RSE
I heard that the announcement on the 20th is that they’ve managed to fix cross game chat.
orimisac
Almost 100% of video game studios understand that the current problem regarding their market is that there’s little space for $50~70 titles. Let’s take Square Enix – among others – that had a bad 2012, with losses over two of their most publicized titles. While these studios are licking their wounds, all of them acknowledge that the problem is that AAA games are overpriced.
PS4, the way it has been announced, just doesn’t change perspectives about how games are made and thus, does not present any kind of solution to industry. On the other hand, it can backfire heavily: if architecture is close to IntelPC, then it will make interesting for publishers to develop titles primarily to PC platforms and them port to PS4. And a fancy controller won’t help. It will be hard to convince studios to launch exclusive titles for the platform unless Sony pay for the development and cover the risks. But then, these will be $50+ titles that are hard to generate profits.
gazzagb
I’m excited to see what Sony have to announce, but only so it will put an end to speculation of what the PS4 will be like. Hopefully Sony aren’t really vague and just say, “we’re making the PS4, get excited”. I want actual info and specs, with then some top games at E3 to show it has a line up that’s worth buying day 1.
ultimatepunchrod
Seems like every time there’s something exciting coming up, TSA has to post something about how unexciting it is.
2ofclubs
TSA – raining on parades since 2000 & whatever, lol. Sure there’s no issue in having an alternative review but sometimes you can come across as a right bunch of cynics.
bunimomike
Ah, the very words I had in my head was “pissing on our parade”. Glad someone else saw it as that too.
Kris Lipscombe
I know we can be like that, but I genuinely am really excited for E3, that’s an upcoming thing.