If, as current rumours are suggesting, Sony are aiming for next Christmas for the PlayStation 4 (with a mid 2013 reveal) then it’s likely that their mainline first party studios are working hard on a series of launch (window) titles.
That would include Guerrilla, Sucker Punch, Polyphony and Evolution, among others.
So, let’s speculate on what those teams might be working on…
Killzone 4 – Guerrilla Games
Back in late 2011, Edge magazine pointed to the next installment of the Killzone series, citing Guerrilla’s Steven Ter Heide as the game’s director.
A previous statement from the same magazine also highlighted that “one major Sony-owned studio has now ceased PlayStation 3 development, its entire focus having shifted to the console’s successor” – it’s not guaranteed that this was Guerrilla, but seeing as how this was last November, there’s a fair change that the Dutch studio is indeed working hard on Killzone 4. [1]
Guerrilla’s last release was Killzone 3, back in early 2011. That would leave them with well over two years development time for the next game in the series, closer to two and a half should the PS4 end up launching in late 2013.
Elsewhere, Guerrilla are working on Killzone Mercenary for the PlayStation Vita, but it’s assumed that it’s mainly the guys at Cambridge Studio here in the UK that are handling duties on that – a series of job advertisements would at least partly confirm my suspicions there. [2]
Tomhlord
GT6 as part of the launch line-up? Bahahahahahaha!
cam the man
Polyphony have to say it’s out for the launch of PS4 so they have more time to get as many ‘delays’ as possible.
Peter Chapman
I’m really starting to feel the excitement for a new generation of PlayStation, hopefully some of the potential new IP also comes to fruition, alongside the showcase sequels.
kjkg
Yeh so am I. The problem is I’m getting excited prematurely.
It’s when they release the official PS4 website that I got really excited. I visited that mental PS3 every day for months, reading the same stuff over and over again.
gideon1451
Urgh, the danger of hype.
bunimomike
“The problem is I’m getting excited prematurely.”
As you get older this becomes less of a problem. :-p
The Lone Steven
But you will end up with the risk of being unable to become excited. ;)
kjkg
Should have seen this coming!
Haydar
Hope Killzone is a prequel and we’ll see Colonel Radec again.
I’m so sad that they killed the greatest character in series.
gideon1451
Didn’t, technically, we kill him?
Kennykazey
I didn’t, he was still alive in KZ3 when I played it…. :-P
Taylor Made
If K4 is a launch game, I’m sold on ps4. Don’t care for the other 2. Uncharted 4 should be a launch game since ND got 2 teams now it can be done. You can’t release 2 racing genre on launch cars games are a bore
david24
“car games are a bore”
you may find them boring but sony’s accountants love them, gran turismo 5 is the best selling game on ps3 selling nearly double the number of copys gt5 prologue sold, which incidentally happens to be the second best selling game on ps3. (motorstorms 7th)
also gran turismo is pretty much PlayStation biggest “system seller”, if i remember correctly the month gt5 came out saw a 3 million increase in ps3 sale’s. I only bought my ps3 for gt5 (still play it regularly) and will probably only buy a ps4 once there’s a gt game on it.
it’s also probably worth me pointing out that gran turismo and motorstorm are as different as time crysis and arma 2. they may technically be part of the same genre but there a world apart in terms of gameplay.
kjkg
Right, I will make a prediction. If the first five games turn out to be true, I am going to have to remortgage my house at the end of 2013. Wonder how the fiancee will feel about that.
However, we all know not all of those will come true. If they did, it would surely be the greatest launch line up ever, on any console!?
tactical20
Do you think there will be a long cross-over period this time? I mean when PS3 came out, the PS2 didn’t just die overnight. Lots of games for the PS3 had stripped back PS2 versions for a fairly long time. Same with PS1/PS2 actually. I remember having THPS3 on both PS1 and PS2.
Everyone seems to talking like when the PS4 comes out, the PS3 will instantly be defunct, but this hasn’t been the case in the past.
Anyway, if they can get EA to make a Skate 4, I’ll starve my kids, sell my wife’s engagement ring and remortgage my house to get one.
kjkg
I would be surprised if they didn’t do the same again. Those years were very profitable for the PS2. So they would no doubt hope that the PS3 had the same run of sales.
Peter Chapman
There will be an overlap, for sure, but probably not with first party games. Sony want people to buy the new machine so they put their high impact games exclusively on that (think back to Uncharted, MotorStorm, etc. from the PS3 launch – they never appeared on PS2). They continue support for the outgoing console with more casual fare (Buzz!, SingStar) that appeals to those less willing to throw £500 at a new console and a few games.
Third parties – EA, Activision and the like – will put their big games out on both the new console (for the attention and impact it offers, as well as the continuation of their business) and the older console (because there are actually enough people who own that console that their game might sell enough there to turn a profit).
tactical20
Makes sense. I’ve spent vastly more money on this generation than any in the past, so will definitely be clinging on for as long as I can!
Backwards compatibility would make such a difference for me. It’s not like I’m gonna re-buy PS3 games on the store. I have only bought one PS2 classic. And while I have a few of the HD trilogy remakes on disc, they are a clear upgrade that I can’t see developers bothering with next generation.
gideon1451
If this is true, I’ll be in the industrial year then so might actually be able to afford it :)
Ben
Sony will undoubtedly come up with a premium price as always – their prices on the store show no signs of change.
Kennykazey
I hope Sucker Punch is working on a new IP. And I wonder what Ready at Dawn is cooking. Then there’s also the development factories that is Sony Japan and Santa Monica. Sure they’re working on Puppeteer and GoW, but they could probably get something like a PSN title out in the launch window too. Next gen Fat Princess please! Oh and HouseMarque!
brillerment
There has to be a new Resistance.
Bodachi
It would mostly likely need a new developer to do it, like in the case of Sly 4.
hol
I think that’s spot on myself, with evolution also working on a new Wipeout, where else did studio liverpools staff go? ;)