The PlayStation 4 camera seems more and more essential with each passing day, as it is now revealed that it will support Kinect-esque voice commands for the console. We initially reported on this rumour last year – before the system was announced – due to a job listing asking for an intern for the Acoustic Analysis Group.
Well, it seems as though that group’s work, and perhaps even the intern’s, has paid off – one of Amazon’s product details for the camera reads:
From navigational voice commands to facial recognition, the PlayStation Camera adds incredible innovation to your gaming.
A user over on NeoGAF also has an off-screen image of a slide on the topic, though we’re not sure where from. We’re sure that this won’t have the same features as Kinect, but it’s certainly a good move from Sony to level the playing field.
I’m just surprised they didn’t go more in-depth at Gamescom. Perhaps it’s not ready yet and won’t be launching in all of their target countries, though that never stopped Microsoft.
Whatever the case, that Killzone bundle including the camera seems even more tantalising.
Peter Chapman
yep.
removing the camera from the box was a big mistake though, if they don’t manage to sell plenty of them (and their pricing is loony) then developers won’t bother implementing camera features and it’ll be just another dusty peripheral. I suppose it might benefit from third party devs who have to put camera stuff in for the Xbox One versions of their games… maybe that will save it. A bundle is the way to go though, there’s potentially some very exciting stuff that can be done with the camera.
All that said, isn’t there a microphone on the DS4? No need for the camera to have functional voice navigational controls on the console, is there?
knight_spg
It has a speaker, no microphone.
Breezy
A speaker and a microphone are the same thing. If you plug some headphones into a Mic jack you can use them as a mic
Stefan L
This is true, but also faaaaaar to pernickety to be relevant to this discussion.
I do applaud the levels of your pedantry, however. ;)
Breezy
I don’t know if I have just been told off or praised! ha!
double-o-dave
Shut down would be a more accurate description :)
Blair Inglis
I think they’ll force first party developers to use it as they usually do with peripherals, and then third party support will come naturally with Kinect.
There’s a jack and a speaker on the DS4, no microphone.
Starman
Cue everyone going on about the voice localisation.
Scythegpd
I’m surprised anyone doubted this?
I know there was this big “ooh look at what kinect can do” drive but let’s be honest, on most “mainstream” games it’s nothing more than glorified voice controls, nothing that hasn’t been done a ton of times before on current gen games on both the PS3 and 360 using headsets.
And if you can use a headset there’s zero reason why you can’t just change that to a microphone on another device.
Voice control really isn’t all that amazing and innovative as some would have you believe. Hell, there are even tellys available now that have voice activated controls.
Personally I’m not overly keen on shouting at my Telly but hey, if that’s your thing …
double-o-dave
Correct. I used to use voice control over a headset about 8 years ago on Rainbow 6.
rept0n
Think I did mine with SOCOM
arrybags
Tom Clancy’s End War
TheShepanator
I still won’t be picking up the camera. I’m struggling to see why sony would even want every console to have one anyway, now the controller has a touchpad as well I’m struggling to think of a game complex enough to need that many input methods.
Yes the lack of a camera does make the light bar on the DS4 somewhat redundant but I certainly won’t miss it. It’s often less effort to push a button than it is to speak the command anyway.
HunterGatherer
And nobody is forcing you to pickup the Camera. Microsoft bundle it and charge you for it, regardless of if you consider to be a gimmick or not.
TSBonyman
There’s something about not having optional features rammed down your throat that makes them instantly more appealing.
I’m going to go for that bundle if it’s available here, otherwise i’m more likely to buy a second controller before i pick up the camera.
bunimomike
Yours and Andrewww’s comment are spot on. It’s not been rammed down my throat and that’s fine with me. I want them to win me over with awesome integration into games as oppose to trying to justify such hardware with silly reasons and voice commands.
I have a controller in my hand which I can game with, in a way, that a camera can never beat. However, the camera can augment things if the devs do a good job of implementing it.
Sadly, I’m coming into this more cynical than ever after what Sony did (or more importantly, didn’t do) with the Move controller and camera on the PS3.
Andrewww
To be honest, I don’t care at all. I don’t want to talk to my console, and I found all the presentations of the functionality by MS quite ridiculous (‘Xbox, go home… ‘).
I appreciate Sony’s decision a lot not to force this upon us all. And it gave them an enormous advantage, pricewise, so I’m very sure they must be happy they decided that way.
Dar-Kaus
I have pre ordered the camera as I’m confident that there will be Sports Champion PS4 version at some point and that game is always good for a laugh when I have a few mates round.
tatoemonkey
this is one I am also waiting to hear about love a bit of sports champions, think I might play some golf tonight :) if I can tear myself away from Sam Fisher for a few hours that is!
dude90
Might consider buying the camera, shame I can’t use the original PS3 one with PS4.
Khaliel
I pre-ordered the camera but I hope it will have more game using it than the PS3 Eye… cause if it’s not for the PS Move, the PS3 Eye is useless.