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Tag: PS4

  • PS4 Gets A New Codename, Rumored For A Spring/Autumn 2014 Release

    Since the first rumors sprang up earlier this year, the next PlayStation has always been codenamed Orbis. It has remained that way until yesterday when a new rumor began circulating that suggested the PS4 was getting a new codename.

    According to SemiAccurate, the PS4 is now being called Thebes by those working on it. The Orbis name may still be present as the Thebes name may apply only to the chipset whereas Orbis refers to the console as a whole. As for the chipset, it’s still rumored to be using the AMD CPU/GPU that was reported on back in early November.

    As for the launch, it’s now being reported that the Orbis/Thebes/PS4 will launch in either Spring or Autumn of 2014. If that’s the case, that would put Sony’s next console behind the Wii U and the next Xbox. The report says that Microsoft is still planning on launching its next Xbox in late 2013 with chips entering mass production before the end of the year.

    So where does this leave Sony? If true, Sony will be behind the curve yet again when it comes to entering the next generation market. That doesn’t seem to be a problem for the company as it has already stated that it doesn’t matter who’s first, but rather who’s best. The extra time in development could lead to the PS4 being a more powerful system with more features than Microsoft’s machine, but the delay could also undercut demand for Sony’s machine. Many gamers buy only one gaming console, and an early launch for Microsoft’s machine could mean that many will choose it over whatever Sony has cooking.

    Regardless, both companies will need to show off their respective next-gen consoles at some point next year, either at E3 or some private event. Microsoft and Sony need to reaffirm that they’re dedicated to the next generation of gaming and show that there’s something to look forward to. Gamers might even be willing to wait an extra year for Sony’s machine if its initial showing is impressive enough.

    [h/t: CVG]

  • Sony Considered Dropping Optical Drive From PS4

    One of the biggest contentions amongst console gamers these days is the digital media versus physical media argument. I have a 50 MB connection and I do not trade in games, so what do I need a physical optical drive for? Other people might have a slower connection and not have as much money so they actually need the ability to trade in games and have that physical disc in their hands. Other people just like the idea of having something tangible to get their hands on.

    A big rumor that was floating around a few months ago was that the new console coming form Sony codenamed “Orbis” would not include an optical disc drive. This set off a storm of hate towards Sony form the two crowds of need and prefer it. I loved the idea personally. Well as it turns out, those rumors weren’t very far from the truth. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that considered but ultimately rejected a download-only plan for its next videogame console. The rumor floating around now is that they will instead offer same day downloads of every single game. So best of both worlds actually, but that also means that the “Orbis” will have to include a massive HDD likely in the range of 1-1.5Tb.

    The WSJ’s source said that “Sony decided against a download-only model largely because Internet connections are too inconsistent around the world. Because game files are large, customers in countries where Internet connections are relatively slow would be hobbled by a requirement to download games, the person said.”

    Gamestop must be taking a huge breath right now because they have dodged a huge bullet. “If we all agree the technology is inevitable—which I think it is because it’s like death and taxes—it’s still going to take longer to happen than it did for music and movies,” said GameStop CEO Paul Raines. But that is also a man fighting for his company. I would bet my arm that the next gen console will be download only or be a Steam like service that offers no physical media at all.

  • Is The Playstation 4 Ditching The Cell Processor?

    According to sources in the gaming world, Kotaku has reported that the PlayStation 4 will not use Sony’s Cell processor nor any possible successor. As we all remember, Sony developed the current cell processor in combination with Toshiba and IBM at the tune of 1 Billion Dollars. The report further states that following a Forbes report, That AMD would not only be working on the PS4’s Processor, but also it’s graphics card.

    The Cell processor was not the technological feat that Sony had hoped it would be. Many developers complained at its release that it was “very difficult to program for” and that it had a “high learning curve.” Which could explain why the PS3 took 18 months to find its stride in great games. This being said, it is hard to know if it was the cell processor underperforming, or a conscience decision by developers to program in such a way to make it easier to port from the PS3 to the 360 and vice versa.

    It will be very interesting to see how these rumors pan out.

  • PlayStation Network Testing Major Redesign?

    Sony has to be thrilled about the reasons that its PlayStation is in the news as of late. In the past few days the gaming community has been focusing on the future of the console, which has to be a welcome change from the months of PR hell following the crippling hack of the PlayStation Network.

    It looks like the PlayStation Network may be getting a huge facelift.

    According to The Register, a massive redesign is being “quietly tested” by Sony. The new PSN would have an entirely different layout, in that it would be more “image-driven.” This means that the interface would look more like the Xbox Live menus that have proved successful for Microsoft. Apparently PS3 gamers feel like the PSN is way too text-heavy in its current form.

    Apparently, the redesign would “de-clutter” the screen by using “logically marked sections and rolodex lists.”

    Here are some more elements of the new design –

    • Live search feature, with results appearing as users search
    • Scrapping the blue background and opting for brighter colors on a black background
    • More detailed information when browsing movies with an “IMDB-style database”
    • New “deals” section for games and other content

    The hush-hush testing of a dramatic new interface should spawn discussion about their motivations. Does Sony just feel it’s time for a new look? Have they heard the complaints of users about the text-happy menus and feel they need to change?

    Could they be updating the PSN for the upcoming release of a new console?

    DigiTimes reported on Monday that Sony will begin production on the PS4 near the end of 2011. According to “component makers,” the new console will have full motion-control integration. This would make sense considering the massive success of Microsoft’s Kinect.

    This DigiTimes report has already drawn skepticism, however, with many inside the gaming circle wondering why Sony would rush out a next-gen console considering the PS3 just became truly profitable recently.

    Any discussion about the future of the PlayStation console is great for Sony considering the nightmare of the past few months.

    Yesterday, for a brief period, the PlayStation Network went down for scheduled maintenance.