When a rumor takes hold prior to a big announcement, a few utterances can often escalate into pure scaremongering, and in the run-up to the grand unveiling of the next-gen games consoles, many had feared we were moving towards a generation of so-called 'always on' connections being a prerequisite for enjoying any game. Suffice to say, Sony has stepped out and confirmed that gamers can happily enjoy games without an Internet connection, and what's more, used titles can be played without any fuss.
Retail price of both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have been confirmed by their respective manufacturers. Here are all the details.
With Microsoft having held a special event last month to announce the Xbox One, the comparisons between it and Sony's PlayStation 4 have already begun. Irrespective of the features of each console, one area in which the battle could be won or lost is in pricing, and according to one analyst, the PS4 will start at $50 cheaper than it's Redmond-made rival. The utterances of Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter are merely predictions based upon the cost of materials used to make the consoles, but with the forthcoming PlayStation's components weighing in at $275 compared with the Xbox One's $325, Pachter reckons the former could start from $349, with the Xbox One costing $399.
The battle of the next-gen consoles is really hotting up, and both Microsoft and Sony will be vying for the attentions of the gaming faithful come the end of this year. In fact, the fight to secure the interests of gamers worldwide is already in full swing, with Sony having announced the PlayStation 4 back in February, and the announcement of the Xbox One last week finally put a name and a face to the plans of Redmond-based Microsoft. While some key details remain a mystery at this point in time, we now have a general idea of what to expect, and designer Ralph Cifra has put together a nice little infographic based on the information currently known.
Microsoft it seems left interesting features and details out of its big Xbox One reveal earlier this week, and we're not just talking about how the machine will handle all this used game palava. Microsoft's been accused of leaving out some of the more intricate details of the Xbox One, but according to one report it would appear that it also left some pretty big features out of its announcement event, too.
While Microsoft was all too happy to show what the Xbox One will look like when it ships later this year, Sony has been much more coy about what form the next PlayStation will take. Even after it announced the PlayStation 4, Sony is still not showing anyone what the finished product will look like when it goes on sale this holiday season.
Mark Cerny, lead architect behind the Sony PlayStation 4, is a pillar of the gaming industry, and having designed the cult classic Marble Madness at the age of just 18, it's little wonder Sony has entrusted the creation of its next-gen gaming portal in his hands. When the PS4 was launched a couple of months back, it only seemed like half an announcement, for Sony neglected to reveal many of the key details. However on Wednesday, Cerny sought to shed a little more light on proceedings by arranging conversation with Gamasutra which he himself billed as a "no-holds-barred PlayStation 4 hardware exposé," and although he stopped short of sending out some images of the as-yet unseen console, he did divulge quite a few very interesting tidbits.
Back in February, Sony announced its upcoming PlayStation 4 console, and although the Japanese outfit did offer some key info pertaining to the machine itself, it's fair to say it played its cards close to its chest. As well as stopping short of enlightening the on-looking gaming world of how much it will cost or indeed, what it will even look like, the electronics giant could also only muster a ballpark 'holiday season' release bracket, which suggested it could arrive at any point the last three months of the year.
Last Summer, Electronic Arts announced Battlefield 4, and with the special event for the title having just been held, the company has released an incredible 17 minutes of in-game footage. It features plenty of combat, a preview of some of the weaponry, and stunning visuals offering a timely reminder of why gaming fans are looking forward to the next installment of the legendary first-person shooter franchise. The title is set to release this fall for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and running on the Frostbite 3 engine, will evidently deliver a cutting-edge gaming experience. More details and video after the jump.
For the longest of time, we have known that Sony has been preparing a new console launch, which was finally confirmed when the company held an event in New York City late last month showing off the technical aspects of the upcoming PlayStation 4. It has not, however, shown off the new hardware design, leaving many to speculate what the next console may look like. A new artist-created render shows off just what might be in store for the next PlayStation.
