Since the inception of the original PlayStation way back when, Sony’s machines have become synonymous with gaming. Here we unearth all the latest news, rumors and speculation for the inevitable PlayStation 4 or “Orbis.” Maybe some of the information below are just rumors and speculation and maybe some of the information below will turn out to be 100% correct – time will tell. However, in the mean time, let’s look forward to what the future for Sony could hold!
Hardware
The final details of the hardware is still under speculation, but we can borrow information from some trusted sources and unveil some serious details for Sony’s next console. (Courtesy of Kotaku.com and DigitalFoundry.com). The test specs don’t guarantee an appearance in the final product, but they can give us an understanding of what to expect, such as:
- System memory: 8 GB
- Video memory: 2.2 GB
- CPU: 4x Dual-Core AMD64 (so, 8x cores)
- GPU: AMD R10XX
- Ports: 4x USB 3.0, 2x Ethernet
- Drive: Blu-ray (of course)
- HDD: 160GB
- Audio output: HDMI Optical, up to 7.1 channels
There are a few things to note: first, ignore the small size of the hard drive. Developers only need enough room to create them, not download and store them like a consumer. The final release will likely have a much bigger HDD. Second, the CPU confirms that Sony intends to go punch-for-punch with Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox, which is rumored to have a similar 8-core processor of their own.
Digitalfoundry.com, a software planning and implementation site, also did some great side-by-side footage using hardware from the PS3 and Orbis to compare quality and frame rate. The advantage for Sony is that their exclusive titles like Killzone and Uncharted tout graphic superiority over its competitors, a progression that any Killzone 3 or Uncharted 3 player would note hasn’t stopped. So PlayStation still holds the edge over Xbox in that department as far as we can tell right now.
The Controller
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s Sony’s philosophy concerning the PlayStation controller, as it’s remained nearly untouched since the first-generation PlayStation hit stores in Japan. The PlayStation controller is one of the most iconic in gaming history, and Sony isn’t about to go and mess that up. According to Kotaku, developers have been creating new games using both the Sixaxis and Dualshock 3 controllers. Even better, Sony will finally combine these technologies into one controller when the Orbis launches, something fans were crying for when the original PlayStation 3 controller lacked rumble capability.
The news behind the PlayStation Move motion controller is limited, but it will likely be used in development for the Orbis as well, seeing as Sony invested very heavily in the technology to compete with Nintendo Wii.
Accounts and Online Play
This is where it gets interesting. Sony wants to change the way we log in to games. They’re taking the concept of owning your account away from the console and moving it to the individual by using “multi-user simultaneous logins.” This will allow multiple users to be logged into the console at the same time by linking accounts to controllers. This could turn out to be pretty awesome for a few reasons.
Let’s say you’re playing four player co-op and you take down a boss. Instead of just one account getting the trophy, all four users would get credit for the victory. Also, my favorite, is that a gamer could potentially take their own controller to a friend’s house and the foreign console would recognize login information. That would avoid the annoying migration process you have to deal with using Xbox.
According to iDigitalTimes.com, Sony might be waiting for Microsoft’s Xbox announcement to even give a date for the release of Orbis, but the fact that we already know this much about the new console is promising. So keep your ears to the ground. Let us know your thoughts on all of this information in the comments below and happy gaming!