The Playstation 4 gaming console is coming, it has yet to be officially released but it is just a matter of time at this point.
There have been many unofficial concept images that have been released over the last year, several of them created by SonyPS4.com fans and/or for contest that we ran much earlier in the year. Many of these concepts were designed and released before the Playstation Move was added to the Playstation 3 and so the integration of motion gaming is not present in any of the concepts... which just leaves more questions regarding what the REAL Playstation 4 will look like, and more importantly what it will be capable of.
PLAYSTATION 4 concept by darpan aero
Some of the capabilities (now all of these are assumed at this point) that are expected or have been whispered about include:
- The Playstation 4 will have a larger storage capacity than any other console before.
- As reported by Kaz Hirai (Sony Computer Entertainment Chief), even if the content (games and console updates) for the Playstation 4 could be available completely through download or intangible sources, that the Playstation 4 will indeed offer an optical drive and the majority of the games will be available in the traditional disk format. The global market is decades away from changing console games to a strictly download medium.
- It has been rumored that the Playstation 4 will be an all in one entertainment system, even more so than the Playstation 3. Expect to be surprised either with the integration of a media receiver for surround sound or possibly a 3d video player... What ever next generation entertainment center addition they choose to go with in the end, it will assist greatly in making the Playstation 3 an essential addition to your front room.
- A lot has been said regarding the size of the console itself, and surprisingly even with the addition of so much additional storage and extra devices integrated into the Playstation 4 the console itself is expected to be much smaller than the Playstation 3 console.
- The release date of the Playstation 4 has been debated between 2012 and 2016, although it is very unlikely that the Playstation team will wait until 2016... The vast majority of reputable resources assume the official release to be on or around November 2012.
- The Playstation 4 standard development kit, the game developer software used in making Playstation 4 games, is being and has been designed with the assistance of several game developers to ensure an easy and efficient methodology for making the games. Making Playstation 4 games easier to design and create. This is huge news, and a big difference from the way the Playstation 3 SDK turned out. The biggest problem with the Playstation 3 was the cost in time and resources to develop a compelling game... which scared away many new game companies. With a easy to use SDK for the Playstation 4 you can be sure that there will be a lot more games and there will be a greater depth to them.
- There is a lot of talk regarding backwards compatibility, this is nothing new, but for the first time it looks like Sony may be moving forward on this concept. It is not certain if backwards compatibility will come in the form of an addition for your Playstation 3 of if it will come with the addition of the Playstation 4... but very soon you will be dusting off your PS2 games (or as many of us have lost or gotten rid or them) have the opportunity to buy some of your favorite Playstation 2 games.
- Playstation 4 games are already under development. This is not a rumor this has been stated by some of the big wigs over at Sony. The fact that Playstation 4 games are already under development says a lot about how close we are to a next generation console.
Playstation 4 (PS4) Concept Design
This is a very exciting time, the Playstation 4 is coming and is going to introduce an amazing gaming experience. with all of the additions that are to be expected and those that are already know this can really be the first gaming console to completely change gaming in a very long time. Needless to say we are excited and hope you are too.
Let us know below what you would like to see in or on the Playstation 4, what you think the Playstation 4 should cost and when you expect it to be released.
