November is perhaps the best time of the year for gamers. Looking to latch onto holiday sales, publishers strategically keep their heavy hitters in the wings, ready for launch come mid-to-late Autumn.
2013 has been no exception as already proved by the likes of Call of Duty Ghosts, Battlefield 4, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Though all well-established series, they’re are showing few signs of fatigue in and consistently have the punters queueing.
Again, it’s a great time of the year. However, as many of us all know, these later months of the year often take their toll on our poor wallets. If we’re not skipping big releases, then we’re usually buying and tearing through them in a week, just to make sure we aren’t missing out on a decent trade-in price.
It has to be said that this year is a little different. Aside from juggling the latest and greatest in the world of gaming software, there are two new players on the console market, one of which clearly holding more value than the other.
I am, of course, talking about the PlayStation 4.
With a launch price of £349, Sony’s next-gen platform already has a leg-up on its rival, the Xbox One. The main reason for the difference for Microsoft is that each of their consoles come with the all-new, Kinect-enabled, camera, with a starting price of £429.
Judging from initial reports, the camera is a solid piece of tech, though it’s debatable as to whether it’s really needed for gaming or just another vehicle for Microsoft’s push towards a unified entertainment hub. With that said, Sony has a counterpart available at launch, the PlayStation 4 Camera slapped with an RRP of £54.99.
Throwing down the best part of half a grand on gaming hardware is a big statement, even at launch. However, it’s when consumers actually get their consoles home and start eyeing the catalogue of games available that they really start to feel the pinch.
Here, the difference is harder to pick up on. Boxed titles, for either platform, are coming in at £50-£55, or a little less depending on which game we’re talking about. There is also a suite of premium downloadable games to be had too, including Trine 2, Crimson Dragon, Super Motherload, and LocoCycle.
Dig just a little deeper though, and Sony comes out on top again in terms of providing gamers with better value. Let’s face it, no one likes paying just to get access to multiplayer, but at least for PlayStation fans the deal is made sweeter. Only yesterday Sony delivered its monthly PlayStation Plus update, a free supply drop instantly giving users free access to titles such as GRID 2 and Guacamelee for PS3, and even a pair of PS4 games: Contrast and Resogun.
But wait, there’s more. In the wake of conventional, in-store releases, it’s easy to forgot Sony’s secret weapon, the dark horse kicking around in the back of the stable.
Even though it has been around for a while now, free-to-play is still a fairly new concept in the realm of console gaming. Over the past few years publishers, including Sony itself, have dabbled with the business model with mostly positive feedback. When the PlayStation 4 launches this Friday, players will have immediate access to three promising free-to-play titles straight off the bat. All you need, of course, is an internet connection.
Leading the F2P march is a game which currently exists on both the PlayStation 3 and PC. DC Universe Online, developed by Sony Online Entertainment, allows players to craft their own heroes and villains to explore an iconic, comic-inspired open world. It’s not your conventional MMORPG, nor is it your everyday action title so, in that respect, it isn’t going to be everybody’s cup of tea.
Next up we have Warframe from Digital Extremes, the same guys that developed The Darkness II. It’s a fairly fast-paced third person shooter that takes a unique approach to sci-fi. Banding together with up to three other players, you are the Tenno, an ancient alien race caught in an ongoing war with the Grineer. Select a Warframe, develop it, and watch as you become a co-op killing machine as you look to take back the galaxy one operation at a time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5wvLky7MZE
Lastly, we have Blacklight: Retribution, which will probably serve as the biggest surprise out of the three. It’s predecessor, Blacklight: Tango Down, launched a while back for Xbox Live and PSN but failed to captivate gamers despite some unique ideas. A few years down the line and developer Zombie Studios has sculpted a high-octane online shooter experience. It’s one that feels both refreshing and familiar with a boat load of customisation options to create your own loadouts.
What’s best about all three games is that they are completely free to download from the PlayStation Store right away, and sit outside of the PS+ online play paywall. Yes, there may be micro-transactions tucked away but, as far as F2P games go, Blacklight, Warframe, and DCUO are among the best that can be played without shelling out a penny.
We won’t go into too much detail but Sony is also offering savings elsewhere. Those who purchased Flower, Sound Shapes, or Escape Plan in the past will be able to download their PlayStation 4 counterparts right off the bat.
These cross-buy savings and the presence of F2P won’t be to everyone’s taste but for those who get on board, you’re already saving a shed-load of money on day one. Microsoft will surely need to step up their efforts in this area, and although its Games With Gold promotion has sought to emulate PlayStation Plus, there is a noticable gap between the two, both in terms of value and the free games on offer.
What about you? Are you making the most of Sony’s F2P games and cross-buy offers or have you been saving up to splooge on a next-gen day one library?
Robothamster
You’ve forgotten the F2P I’m mostly looking forward to, War Thunder. It’s also out for Europe on launch.
beeje13
Yup, looks huge, 100 vehicles in one game! And air fights!
Dominic Leighton
Yup, War Thunder is the one I’m most excited for too. Can’t wait!
TheDemocrodile
I’ve been playing that for months now, It’s excellent. Ought to be good with the new DualShock.
Tarbun84
Cant believe the day is finally here. Going to be heading down to my local game at 10pm and waiting patiently for it to open. Then home for a bit of Killzone before bed.
To all heading out tonight to pick up and those getting their consoles tomorrow, have fun and let the little kid in you get as excited as it can. I will probably be as excited as I was when I opened my Mega Drive on Christmas Day back when I was a nipper.
salvodaze
You guys must be so hyped. Even I’m hyped for you! Have fun tommorrow, everyone!
SpikeyMikey23
be careful. Watch out for scum lurking around the store
bunimomike
Which store are you going to?
SpikeyMikey23
be warned, Bunimo aint after your console!…..
Crazy_Del
Haha brilliant!
ron_mcphatty
I’m getting a Vita, decided to do it last week and I’m just waiting until I’ve got some exams out of the way before I buy it. I realised last night that I have a plethora of games for it already, Wipeout is the only boxed one (from my first Vita dabble), but between the many PSP downloads, PSOne Classics, Thomas Was Alone and now Flower I’ll easily be filling an 8GB card. Wipeouts cross buy HD/Fury DLC is a fantastic surprise too! Cross buy and multiplatform support are great, especially now when were suddenly getting several ‘free’ games on a new platform, it certainly makes me feel loved as a PlayStation customer.
Skillshot-89
People already have received their consoles from gameseek, on the ps forums some guy says he got his this morning but he has to go to work which suck major donkey balls
Vallon
Status: Preparing for Dispatch
/grin
Vallon
On another note, PSPLUS was a major reason for me to get a PS4 over a XBox One. After the PS2, I went with the 360, but last Christmas I got a PS Vita with Plus and its been great. Some fantastic titles totally free. I figured as I want to keep the Vita, and you get PS4 and Vita games on plus it was a no brainer.
Resogun I cannot wait to play. As for titles like DCUO … I actually bought that on PC at release and LOVED it, but SoE’s customer service was appalling and the game had some MASSIVE bugs, one being the netcode making the game unplayable. I quit after just 2 months, but with it being on a console and all consoles being equal and not as susceptible to problems with PCs (e.g. so many different hardware combinations) I will definitely be trying it again…
tonycawley
Certainly is value for money as a plus subscriber. I’ve purchased FIFA 14 and Killzone, but I will also have War Thunder, Wardframe, DCUO, Resogun and Contrast. So I’m essentially getting 7 games for the price of 2! Can’t be bad, should keep me going for a while which is definitely a good thing as there’s actually not a lot on the horizon for PS4 which massively interests me.
Skillshot-89
I am getting a PS4 and have pre paid with shopto but I can’t help but think I have made the wrong decision. I currently have a PS3 but I have prefered the 360 over that for years. I do care about which machine is better in the raw power sense like everyone else but i just want to play Ryse and Dead Rising 3 oh and Forza. It probably wouldn’t be bad if there was a few games to play that interested me on the PS4 but sadly the likes of resogun, or Knack just look poop to me.
I will obviously have to wait until I get my PS4 but its a long wait.
Vallon
Well to be honest I really wouldn’t worry about it. Over here in the UK XBOX One’s were going for £100+ over the RRP on sites like EBay. If you get the PS4 and decide its not for you, you could easily sell it for more than you paid (after fees etc) and still get yourself an XBOX One.
As the PS4 stock is going to be limited until Christmas I expect you’d make yourself a tidy little profit anyway.
beeje13
A console is for a generation, not just for Christmas. Look at the games next year. Main reason I’m getting a PS4 is just because it’s new tech and I love anything like that.
DividSmythe
My money has gone from my bank Account now awaiting despatch. I’m going to download patch when wife gets of computer. Then I’ll wait for courier at window (like a Dog waiting for its owner) all day tomorrow. I’m really excited.I probably won’t sleep tonight.
cam_manutd
The most interesting FTP games imo are Planetside 2 and Guns Of Icarus when they both arrive next year hopefully.
I’m buying the PS4 because each PS console gets better with age, the exclusives get better and Gaikai streaming will be a major boost for PS gamers.
Starman
Why are the games on ps+ referred to as “free”? You pay for the rental of them via the subscription cost. And I wouldn’t really count f2p games as another in your collection. More like a demo.
double-o-dave
You could spark off a massive debate there. :)
I’ve designed ads for certain companies which have used ‘Buy One Get One Free’ but had to stop using the phrase as certain regulators stated the product isn’t actually free as you have to buy something to get the so-called ‘free’ product. I don’t understand how some companies, particularly supermarkets are allowed to use the phrase. I guess it depends what industry you’re advertising in.
Vallon
I think with the fact you now NEED PSPlus for gaming online its mandatory anyway in my personal opinion hence I can’t see why anyone in this day and age wouldn’t find at least some aspects of Plus useful.
I know what you are saying though, essentially you are renting them.
lambchop
Definitely not like a demo. You can play the game to completion, which I have done with several PS+ titles and they are always there to go back to. Due to several deals on PS+ sub, I am subbed up to 2017. The only frustration is that sometimes feel like they are giving too much and I wont get to play them all
hazelam
i somewhat agree about saying they’re free, i don’t tend to refer to them as free, i see them as what i pay the sub for.
though, they’re more like a long term rental i don’t have to return so long as i keep paying the sub, rather than a demo.
it’d be nice if i got to keep them, but for the price of a game a year i’ve been able to play dozens of games, if i had to pay for each game, even with preowned and trade ins, i’d have spent a hell of a lot more to play the same amount of games.
TSBonyman
I think everyone is aware that they’re not actually free, it just feels like that because you pay the cost of one game and then you keep receiving games for the next twelve months for no extra cost. You generally have ample time to complete those games and i think many people like myself rely on plus for those games which we’re not sure enough about to actually purchase and without the time limitation of a rental.
Starman
Just to clarify, I meant free to play games as more like a demo, not the ps+ games (which are great) My reasoning being you will likely have to pay something to enjoy the games fully. (I’m aware that’s not the case on every f2p game)
TheDemocrodile
If you are the kind of consumer willing to do a bit of research before hand you never have to spend money on a F2P game.
Games like War Thunder and Path of Exile show how it’s done and neither of those games are demos.
Starman
Indeed, but its often the difference between playing the same level 100’s of times to save up for a decent weapon, or paying and getting it immediately.