Orbis
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PS4 Eye promises to unlock your PlayStation at a glance, tips hat to Kinect
Just finished watching Sony's "see the future" of PlayStation event? We hope you didn't blink, you might have missed a quick reveal of the next PlayStation Eye The optical sensor was overshadowed by the reveal of the DualShock 4, but it's nothing to scoff at -- the second generation Eye features two 1280 x 800 cameras, four microphones and an 85-degree field of view. Put together, the setup promises facial recognition, player positioning and depth sensing and enhanced PlayStation Move support. The Kinect-like camera is designed to work with Sony's new controller standard too, recognizing each player by the color of the DualShock 4's LED light bar. Sony says the Eye will allow the PS4 to use face login, and the collection of microphones might make voice control possible as well. No word yet if the new camera device will be a PS4 pack in or sold separately, but if you're interested in mining press releases for details, you'll find one after the break.%Gallery-179414%
Bungie's Destiny headed to the PlayStation 4 with exclusive content
It wasn't clear if Bungie's 10-year project was headed to a next-gen console, but now the developer has made it official: Destiny is headed to the PlayStation 4. Gamers hoping to pick up the PS4 version of the title aren't in store for an extra-long wait either, as it'll be available at the same time the PlayStation 3 flavor launches. In order to sweeten the pot for fans of Sony's gaming console, Bungie's also promising "exclusive playable content just for the PlayStation community." Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!
PlayStation 4 will not have native PS3 backwards compatibility
During today's PlayStation event Gaikai's Dave Perry revealed that the PlayStation 4 will not natively support PlayStation 3 games, and that Sony's next-gen console will instead stream PS1, PS2 and PS3 games from the cloud -- something that the company has already confirmed on Twitter. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens.
PS4 to get companion social app for tablets, PS Vita
Sony's just begun to show us what's been up its sleeve for the PlayStation 4, and it turns out that it's got social networking and the second screen on its mind. Gamers will be able to share ten second video clips of their gameplay, stream play sessions online to friends and "keep in touch with the evolving world of your game, regardless of your location." The network will also learn a player's likes and dislikes, and automatically download content it figures users will dig. Hirai and Co. are also planning PS Vita and tablet apps for folks to partake in the social experiences when they're not near their PS4. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!
Sony's new DualShock 4 controller official: all-new design, touchpad, share button and more
We had a hint or two about its imminent arrival, but Sony's now made its next-generation DualShock 4 controller official at tonight's PlayStation 4 event in NYC. The company's Lead System Architect Mark Cerny took to the stage to reveal the all-new companion, which has been redesigned and now features a more rounded form factor as well as what appears to be a slightly rubberized grip with "enhanced rumble capabilities." There's also a touchpad now (clearly taking a cue from the Vita), a headphone jack, the long-rumored share button, a light bar that, according to Cerny, will be utilized as a "more friendly way to identify players" and a stereo camera which is used to track the 3D position of the Move-compatible controller. Not surprisingly, Sony's touting the addition of the "Share" button as one of the biggest features of the DualShock 4, allowing players to easily send tidbits like video clips and screenshots to places such as Ustream, Facebook and, naturally, the firm's own PlayStation Network. That's all we know thus far, but we're sure to hear more about the DualShock 4 in the coming future -- for now, head on past the break and enjoy the gallery from Sony's presentation. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!%Gallery-179414%
Sony unveils its next game console, the PlayStation 4, arriving in holiday 2013
Sony tonight announced its much-rumored next video game console, the PlayStation 4. Sony Computer Entertainment prez and CEO Andrew House unveiled the console with little more than a logo and a handful of concepts, though he did say it's coming in holiday 2013. As far as specs, the PS4 has an 8-core 64-bit x86 "Jaguar" CPU from AMD and a Radeon GPU with 18 "compute units" pushing 1.84 TFLOPS of horsepower. It features a 6X Blu-ray drive, 802.11n WiFi, USB 3.0, Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI, optical out, analog AV out, and an unknown amount of internal storage. Lead system architect Mark Cerny -- legendary game dev and, most importantly, creator of Marble Madness -- said that development of the PS4 started five years ago, and since then, he's been exploring how to evolve "the PlayStation ecosystem." Speaking to the limitations of the previous PlayStation console, Cerny said he's been aiming to make sure "nothing gets between the platform and the game." An image of an old-timey hunter shooting Space Invaders ships in the sky (in reality) was used as an example -- later, a more concrete example was given in the PS4's multitasking ability, as well as its ease of use. More on that in a moment. "We were able to create in PlayStation 4 a system by game creators, for game creators," Cerny said. Double Fine president Tim Schafer and Harmonix president Alex Rigopulos were just two of several game devs that spoke to Sony reaching out and asking for input. He next unveiled the DualShock 4, which looks an awful lot like the leaks we saw recently -- it features a new touchpad, a new light bar, a Share button, a mono speaker, and what looks like rubberized grips (in addition to the standard dual analog sticks, d-pad, triggers, shoulder buttons, and four face buttons). Internally, it's still got rumble functionality and a built-in, non-removable lithium ion battery. In so many words, the DualShock 4 looks an awful lot like a DualShock 3 with some new bells and whistles.
Live from Sony's 'see the future' of PlayStation event!
We aren't live from Sony's big PlayStation event just yet -- we asked Sony for the big announcements early, but the company sadly declined our request. Shucks! Rest assured that we'll have all the news just as soon as it spills from the mouths of Sony execs right here -- yes, we're expecting the unveiling of the next PlayStation game console. Stop worrying. Anyway, you're at the right spot. Pour yourself a cup of hot cocoa and join us in re-watching classic moments from the PlayStation 3's launch in this glorious one-minute clip while we get ready to kick off the next-generation of game consoles, won't you? February 20, 2013 6:00 PM EST
Watch Sony's 'see the future' of PlayStation event live, right here
Sony's big "see the future" of PlayStation event kicks off this evening at 6PM ET. While you've assuredly bookmarked our liveblog and pre- / post-show video pages, we wanted to offer yet another option for following along with coverage -- a livestream of the whole show! Yep, Sony's livestreaming the event in a variety of languages, and we've dropped the English version just below the break for you to enjoy. So ... enjoy!
Engadget and Joystiq are broadcasting live outside of Sony's PlayStation event tonight!
Hammerstein Ballroom may be known for its long history as a concert venue, but tonight Sony's taking over to unveil the PlayStation ... something. All signs point to a reveal of the game console we've only known by its codename thus far, "Orbis," and we'll be on site liveblogging the whole shindig. But that's not all! Our intrepid EIC, Tim Stevens, is joining Joystiq's EIC, Ludwig Kietzmann, for a little pre- and post-show conjecture / analysis -- you can find the former here, and the latter right here. We've also got an embedded stream of the event, should you prefer to follow along visually while we break the news apart into so many digestible pieces. Our coverage kicks off around 4PM ET, and the event itself officially begins at 6PM ET -- all we expect from you is wonderful, wonderful GIFs. But then you already knew that, didn't you? The Liveblog The pre-show The livestream The post-show That video of Kaz Hirai saying Riiiiiiidge Racer
We're liveblogging Sony's big PlayStation event tomorrow at 6pm ET!
The day is nearly upon us, folks -- February 20th is looking like the day we'll hear about Sony PlayStation's latest version of Home. Finally! Joking aside, yes, tomorrow evening is very likely when we'll first hear official details on Sony's next PlayStation game console (currently codenamed "Orbis"). Will we see the new version of the DualShock controller? Perhaps the rumored Gaikai game streaming of PlayStation 3 games? Or how about a confirmation of those rumored specs? Only Kaz Hirai knows! (Okay, it's likely that some other folks know as well, but Hirai definitely knows.) We'll of course be liveblogging the goings on should you wish to play along at home -- you can find that right here. And hey, given that these things happen once per decade or so, you should probably play along. February 20, 2013 6:00 PM EST
Rumor: Another day, another PS4 prototype controller photo
Another photo claimed to be of a PS4 controller prototype appeared today, bearing strong similarity to the photo which appeared yesterday. What newly shows up in this photo is what's apparently a 3.5mm audio jack situated on the side below the PS button. The photo can be traced back to the GameTrailers forum, although it's unclear if the poster was who genuinely took it.Destructoid posted a photo yesterday of a similar-looking prototype controller, with the same rounded sides, differently shaped analog sticks, and what's apparently a small touchscreen at the top. The previous photo also showed a bar with a similar glow to that of the PlayStation Move, suggesting the controller has motion tracking built-in. Sources at IGN indicated that photo was the real deal, but that it was of an early prototype.We may know more about the next PlayStation console and its controllers following next week's PlayStation 2013 event, where Sony's expected to announce the PS3's successor.
Take a look at the next PlayStation's prototype controller (update: second photo)
What you see above is the next PlayStation's controller, at least in some version of prototype, seemingly connected to a development unit for the next PlayStation (codenamed "Orbis"). The image popped up on Destructoid a few hours ago -- we've spoken with development sources who confirmed it to be a recent version of the next PlayStation's controller and a beta unit of the dev kit, though it's not clear how much the pictured controller will match up with the final product (and the console will assuredly look quite different from the dev unit). Sony's expected to show the PlayStation 3's successor at a New York City event next Wednesday, February 20th, wherein a new version of the company's classic DualShock controller is expected to be unveiled. Corroborating reports, the pictured controller features a rectangular touchpad in between the standard d-pad and four-button setup, though it's missing the rumored Share button. It's also unclear if the blue light seen atop the controller serves a function -- a stand-in for Move support, perhaps? -- and our sources were unable to clarify. What looks like a speaker grill can be spotted just above a newly lowered PlayStation button, which seems to indicate some form of Wiimote-esque sound functionality built into the controller. Update: A Sony rep tells us, "We can't comment on rumors or speculation."
Sony: PS4's main selling point will be 'new playing options, not improved hardware specs'
As Sony Computer Entertainment warms up its blue lighting and double-checks its playlist for February 20th, one unnamed SCE official says that the PlayStation 4 will act as more of a home entertainment hub than what we've seen in the past. They added, according to the Nikkei, that the main selling point won't be the rumored eight-core AMD64 CPU or other hardware specs, but how it opens up new styles of play -- something Nintendo is also focusing on. Sony is going to push the new console as a home entertainment "nerve center," with a focus on the hardware's ability to connect and share to mobile devices -- the rival that's pulling gamers away from traditional consoles. Edge had previously mentioned the possibility of a dedicated share button on the next-gen controller, though that remains a product of the rumor mill at the moment. No discussion on any Gaikai-powered cloud gaming just yet, but following its unveiling later this month, the report states that the new PlayStation should launch before the end of the year. A bit of a shame, then, that it's still only February.
Rumor: PS4 in Japan later this year, will cost more than $400
The PlayStation 4 – which is currently expected to be announced on February 20 – will be available later on this year in both Japan and the US and will carry a hefty price, according to a translation of a report found in respected Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun. The Japanese version, says the translated report, will cost "greater than 40,000 yen," which means it will be more than $400 there.Asahi adds there will be a rush to meet sales demands on both sides of the world, but the paper doesn't specify a US price; however, the PlayStation 3 launched at $500 when it came to North America, and cost 49,980 yen in Japan, around $535. So Asahi's report suggests that whatever the next generation PlayStation's price is, it will likely be slightly cheaper than the PS3 was at launch.There's also no mention of a European launch, and the PS3's launch was indeed delayed in Europe by hardware shortages. Hopefully, Sony will clear all this up on February 20.
Sony asks us to 'see the future' of PlayStation on February 20th (update: WSJ rumors)
What's this? A Sony invite to "see the future" of PlayStation on February 20th in New York City? From the looks of the very tease-y clip Sony's released (found just beyond the break), it's clearly PlayStation related. Perhaps involving a certain codenamed "Orbis" project? The company's official PlayStation Twitter account says "See the future" and pushes followers to this website, where invitees can sign up and everyone can see the aforementioned video. We'll find out soon enough what the tease is about, as we've just finished up registration. From the video ... well, the future features the same triangle, circle, square, and cross buttons, apparently. A recent report detailed some specs for Sony's rumored next PlayStation, including an eight core AMD64 CPU and an AMD R10XX GPU -- specs that may change dramatically before we hear anything official. Could this be the first volley in Sony's rollout of the next PlayStation?
Report: Next PlayStation features AMD GPU, x64 CPU architecture, touch controller
Chalk up another potential win for AMD. The latest report on the next PlayStation console (courtesy of Kotaku), allegedly codenamed "Orbis," puts AMD at the heart of both CPU and GPU: an eight core AMD64 CPU and an AMD R10XX GPU are said to drive the system. That's at least the dev kit that the site's tipster has as of right now, but those specs -- yes, even biggies like these -- could change completely by retail availability. Should AMD remain the CPU/GPU manufacturer, both Nintendo's Wii U and the next PlayStation will be powered by AMD chips; not too shabby for a company that's been bleeding talent. The rumors we've seen of the next Xbox also point to x64 architecture, but it's unclear whether that'll be supplied by AMD or another manufacturer. If those rumors pan out however, it would mean that a single unified architecture would power two of the major gaming consoles as well your laptop and desktop -- something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. (And would open up a world of possibilities.) We're inclined to trust the current specs of the dev kit, as they're said to be sourced from "official Orbis documentation ... a hive of more than 90 PDFs about the forthcoming console." One slide culled from that official documentation also outlines Sony's vision of user accounts, allowing multiple Sony Entertainment Network accounts to be signed in simultaneously (thus allowing for individual Trophies, and potentially cloud saves, among other uses). The piece also details a new controller -- though it is noted that the current dev kit supports both DualShock 3 and Sixaxis controllers (and the image above shows a Move, so probably that too) -- which is supposedly known as "the Orbis Development Tool." It's said to resemble the DualShock, albeit with the addition of a capacitive touchpad -- a rumor also posited by some UK outlets earlier this week. Whether any of this is actually true is another question altogether, and we can't be sure until Sony gives official word. It sounds like some form of information isn't too far off -- E3 perhaps? Regardless, head over to Kotaku for the alleged full (current) list of specs on the dev kit and even more speculation.
Rumor: Next Xbox 'Durango' specs leak
As E3 and the expected announcements of new consoles from Sony and Microsoft draw ever closer, website VGleaks has posted what it claims are specs for the next Xbox. Codenamed Durango, Microsoft's new console will contain an AMD-provided CPU with 8 cores running at 1.6GHz apiece alongside 8GB of DDR3 RAM. The machine will also use a GPU running at 800MHz, and feature a built-in hard drive. The structure reportedly draws from AMD's cost- and power-efficient "Jaguar" designs aimed at the laptop and tablet market.Durango will also include a "high-fidelity" natural user interface (NUI) sensor. This would suggest that the console has some kind of built-in Kinect functionality, though the inclusion of a dedicated Kinect port seems to indicate that Kinect peripherals will still be available. Also of interest is the capacity for HDMI input, which Digital Foundry speculates could be used for recording or importing video from external sources like cable boxes and personal cameras.DF offers up some more context for the leak as well, noting that there could be a significant performance gap between the new Xbox and Sony's next PlayStation, specifically with regards to its graphics processor. That's based on the blueprints and specs, mind you - we won't be convinced until we see competing real-time demos of that ballroom dancing scene from Final Fantasy VIII.
Sony VP teases 'a big secret' announcement for E3 or earlier, calls out PlayStation brand
Sony's been mum on any new PlayStation (read: PlayStation 4) news since ... well, ever (okay, there is that one exception). But Sony Electronics VP of Home Entertainment Hiroshi Sakamoto may be the first to break that silence. He told Emol (translated by Engadget Spanish) in response to a question about "a new announcement related to the new PlayStation," that while the news is "still a big secret," the PlayStation side of Sony, "are getting ready for it." He of course doesn't directly refer to a "PlayStation 4" or the rumored "Orbis" internal project name. Sakamoto adds that the PlayStation team are "focused on E3," but, "the announcement could take place at that time, or maybe even before, in May." Sounds like Sony's toying with a pre-E3 event for its next-gen console -- E3 takes place on June 11 - 13 -- though Mr. Sakamoto's comments are still ambiguous enough that we can't be sure. This is a company that launched three different major hardware iterations of the PlayStation 3, so anything could happen. When the interviewer follows up on Sakamoto's tease-y answer by asking, "But are you getting ready for a big announcement or something complementary?," Sakamoto continues speaking in ambiguities. "Probably the former, on that date we hope to deliver big news, but we must wait until May at least," he says. We've followed up with Sony for more, but don't expect to hear much beyond a wink and a smile.
AMD exec behind Wii and Xbox 360 graphics jumps the fence to NVIDIA
AMD has been suffering a conspicuous brain drain, with executives like ATI veteran Rick Bergman and CTO Eric Demers crossing over to tangentially or directly competitive companies like NVIDIA and Qualcomm. Chalk up another one for the list -- strategic development VP Bob Feldstein has bounded towards NVIDIA's (literally) greener pastures. The blow cuts deeper than usual through Feldstein's responsibility for graphics in most of the consoles from the past few years: he headed up work behind the Xenos chip in earlier Xbox 360s and the Hollywood core in the Wii, and he likely had some say in the Wii U's video hardware as well. While the staff shuffle won't directly affect AMD's Fusion processors or Radeon cards, it's hard to see much of a positive for AMD's future in video gaming, even in the light of rumors that the next PlayStation and Xbox might use some of Feldstein's work.
