That’s about £275, although there’s no chance the two price points will simply match up like that come release.
The PlayStation 3 was wildly expensive, and there’s no way that Sony will want to attempt to repeat that mistake at launch. For reference, the more expensive of the two configurations was 60,000 yen at the PS3’s launch in Japan.
It was £425 here in the UK.
The paper also reiterates what we’ve heard before – that the PS4 will launch in Japan and the US this year, with no mention of Europe, and that the Dual Shock 4 will feature a touch pad in the centre. Of course, they could just be repeating previously heard rumours.
In related news, Japanese business paper Nikkei points to Gaikai as being fundamental to the PS4’s infrastructure, and says that the new console will not feature the Cell chip, making backwards compatibility a most definite “no” if true. It’s possible that Sony will leverage Gaikai’s streaming tech in some way, though.
Sony bought Gaikai for $380 million last year.
cc_star
Gaikai will almost certainly be used in that way although it will be the first time older games have been streamed to better hardware rather than amazing games being streamed to relatively ‘dumb’ hardware.
I wonder if Sony will be able to get third parties on board, something they usually struggle with.
Of course this is ignoring that a PS4 would be redundant to SOME people if Sony made a Gaikai client for the PS3 or SmartTVs/Blu-ray players and simply streamed PS4 games to that.
The relationship between Gaikai & PS+ will be interesting too.
Dom El
Not the first time if you count PS1 games being streamed to a Vita!
Having played a relatively large amount of Onlive, the system at least presents an interesting opportunity. I think free games streaming with Plus would make it a pleasant bonus, and if the rumours about the 720’s DRM/internet connection are true it’s yet another reason to choose Sony.
Dazbobaby
So pay the extra for a GaiKai subscription and get backwards compatibility, not a bad idea for those who don’t want to pay for extra hardware costs upfront.
parryman
Hoping the GaiKai element will be the PS+ lure, since there won’t really be a IGC to push.
Alex C
That’s true.
KeRaSh
A PS4 around 300€ would be amazing. I’d be willing to pay up to 400€. Anything beyond that and they would need a Final Fantasy launch title to convince me.
As for Gaikai: I really like the idea but I’m currently restricted by a 3Mbit connection so it’d be pretty pointless for me.
cc_star
Yeah, you need a stable connection of 5mbps for HD streaming, the stability of the connection rather than solely the bandwidth is more important though.
enroene
I agree
Paranoimia
I see the excellent value in PS+ for new users or those who don’t buy games new on release, but it has little value for me. Streaming old games wouldn’t add to the value either, for me at least, as I’ve no interest in them.
JBoo
I would love PS1 & PS2 & PS3 playback of my discs on PS4 but i doubt it will happen because everyone wants a cheap-ass-console :-/ + I am sure ‘GOD Ken’ would of built that & added ‘4K 500GB Blu-ray’ drives & other things that only his brilliant & mad :D mind would of thought of. Oh well, i guess if Gaikai(change the name SONY) could play PlayStation classics then i can live with that but how many years will it take(if ever) to get all the PlayStation games on Gaikai? Is it easy to do? I haven’t a clue LoL:D
cc_star
PS3 certainly won’t happen, it would require the PS3 innards to be in the PS4 as well as the PS4 innards, that just won’t happen.
PS1 could easily happen via software emulation, PS2 probably couldn’t though looking at how variable the emulation of PS2 titles are on PC.
Alex C
yeah, no way will PS4 play PS3 games.
Bilbo_bobbins
Price wise, I’m in if its around £300, any more and I will be thinking twice about it. I hope backwards compatibility is only an extra cost with P+ or something, I don’t want to pay more money for that when I can just play my old games on the ps3 etc.
Interesting times, I hope the 20th really gives a good insight.
cam the man
I’m planning to keep my PS3 for the games I already own so too don’t want to pay extra for what I’ve already got.
kjkg
£300 is my limit too Bilbo. More than that and I just have to say no. Hopefully not.
RedStarGlow
I agree. Besides the developers would probably want the opportunity to re-release the new PS4 version of the PS3 classic. I would guess the PSN, PS1, and minis would port right over.
Any word if we will see a new memory card format with the PS4?
jimmy-google
As long as it doesn’t cost more than a mid-range iPad then I don’t mind – assuming it’s not replaced every 6 months
3shirts
In pure numbers, taking the conversion of 60,000 yen to £425 (from the PS3 launch price), the 40,000 yen this is set to cost works out as £283.33 so I can see Sony launching it at £299 in the UK.
cc_star
Taxes, both at EU trade tariff level and of course VAT.
Dom El
I guess that depends on how close to the bone Sony are planning to sell the console. They’ve always sold console hardware at a loss to begin with, but with the figures they’re posting is that likely?
If they can come in anywhere between £300 and £350 though count me in!
Avenger
Well if Sony actually get some solid coders aboard they could make a PS3 emulator easily. Although I dare say everyone will be prepared to keep their PS3s anyway.
Still can’t see the point of a touch-pad on the front. I’ll be surprised if they turn out not to be rumours.
Alex C
PS3 won’t be emulated in software until at least the generation after.
TSBonyman
Access to my older games is important to me – i’ve spent most of last week playing some of my earliest psn purchases even though i have a bunch of new games to play. I will never ever pay to stream games, especially ones i already own, so it looks like i will have to hang on to my ps3 if i buy a ps4 and still want access to all my purchased content.
The price point fit’s in with the €400 i was expecting so that seems reasonable.
Lot’s more details to find out yet though.