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PlayStation 4 announcement stream drew 8 million viewers, 1 million concurrent peak
Ustream viewers were really engaged by Sony's big PlayStation 4 hullaballoo last week -- around eight million folks tuned in to the live broadcast on Ustream, with a whopping 1 million concurrents at peak viewing. On average, said viewer watched the two hour and five minute press conference for one full hour. To put that in perspective, the average Ustream viewer in general watches a given broadcast for 20 minutes, effectively meaning the average PlayStation 4 event viewer tripled the norm. Ustream CEO Brad Hunstable told Engadget that the numbers are emblematic of his company's worldwide infrastructure strength, and a good example of why Sony chose Ustream for sharing game footage and streaming on its next console, the PlayStation 4. "Game consoles are global in nature," Hunstable pointed out. "We need to be able to serve both, from broadcasting out of the console and to the viewers, on a global basis. To be able to do that, you need an infrastructure footprint that's on a massive scale. We're the only ones that have that." The video streaming company boasts offices around the globe -- "two in the US, one in Europe, and two in Asia; 180 employees strong," Hunstable told us -- and it already has partnerships with a variety of media and electronics companies, from Viacom to Panasonic. Despite the PlayStation 4 partnership, Hunstable said Ustream's game console plans extend beyond a single next-gen box. "We're absolutely free to work with all partners. Our vision is to have Usteam be ubiquitous. We wanna power the world's live broadcasting. If that happens to be on a gaming console, which increasingly it is, we wanna have a place there." Of course, we've yet to hear Microsoft' next-gen plans, but it sounds like nothing's off the table for Ustream just yet. "There'll be a lot more coming for certain, not just about this announcement but all of the things that we have in store for gamers around the world," Hunstable teased.
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%
PlayStation 4 games revealed: a preview of what's to come
As with any gaming console, good hardware only tells half of the story. Today, Sony announced a stable of games that'll play a large role in determining the early success of the PlayStation 4, which is set for availability this holiday season. Leading the charge will be biggies such as Killzone Shadow Fall, Bungie's next first-person shooter known as Destiny, Diablo III and a new installment of Final Fantasy. These games will be joined by creative efforts such as Knack, a game directed by the PlayStation 4's lead architect, Mark Cerny, Watch Dogs from Ubisoft, and Driveclub, which aims to bring team-based racing to new levels. PS4 owners can also expect exclusives such as InFamous: Second Son and The Witness. Rounding out the list -- for now, anyway -- is a game from Capcom with the working title of Deep Down, along with an unnamed entry from Media Molecule. While it's clear that Sony and the development community have a number of surprises that've yet to be revealed, you're invited to check out a preview of what's to come in the following gallery.
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!
Diablo 3 heading to PlayStation 4 (and 3), part of 'strategic partnership' between Blizzard and Sony
Blizzard Entertainment's Chris Metzen announced tonight that Diablo 3 is headed to both the PlayStation 3 and 4. He announced as much during Sony's big PlayStation 4 reveal event this evening, noting that it's part of a "strategic partnership" between the two companies. He didn't say anything about how it'll change, but he did say that fans will get a chance to check out the new version at PAX East this March. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!
Sony teases PlayStation 4 developer list, includes many of the majors (update: Blizzard and Bungie)
Want to know just who's developing for the PlayStation 4? Sony just gave us a very good peek: it's promising worldwide support for the console, and quickly flashed just which companies that entails. The cursory look shows us many familiar heavyweights, such as 2K, Activision, Capcom, EA, Konami and Ubisoft. We've also spotted Rockstar, Square Enix and other names that most would have hoped for with the new PlayStation. Suffice it to say that Sony hasn't had any problems attracting the support it needs for a decent early lineup, although we don't know how many of these developers will have something ready for launch day. Update: A few exist that aren't (directly) mentioned in the graphic above: Blizzard is porting Diablo III to the PS4, and Bungie will put its future MMO-like shooter, Destiny, on the game machine. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!
The PlayStation 4 supports the PlayStation Move controller
The PlayStation 3's microphone-looking motion controller, PlayStation Move, works on the PlayStation 4. LittleBigPlanet dev studio Media Molecule had its head, Alex Evans, on-stage at Sony's big PlayStation 4 event to introduce what his company's been creating for the next-gen game system. That meant two gentlemen acting as puppeteers, employing the aforementioned Move controller, to create a ... well, a kind of crazy scene in a game. Two puppets, two men with Move controllers, and an '80s metal concert recreation. We're not sure what to make of it, but hey, it confirms that Move works on PS4. Hot dog! Oh, and as for an actual game title? We didn't hear one, but it looks like we'll hear something from MM about PS4 software in the future. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!
The Witness is headed to PlayStation 4, the next game from Braid creator Jonathan Blow
Nothing could've been more delightful than Braid creator Jonathan Blow suddenly walking on-stage at Sony's big PlayStation 4 reveal only to make fun of all the explosions the event had already featured. Oh sure, he was also at the event to reveal that his latest game, The Witness, is headed to Sony's PlayStation 4 (as well as to PC and iOS, as the reveal trailer elucidates), but the first statement was much funnier. Anyway, the game looks much, much better than the various demos we've played across the past few years -- Blow's been developing The Witness for quite some time, and showing it publicly, albeit never on a PlayStation 4. We'll hopefully hear more in the coming days, so keep an eye out. Update: This post originally stated that The Witness was heading exclusively to the PlayStation 4, when in fact it's only "console exclusive" to the PlayStation 4. It will also launch on iOS and PC. We've added the new trailer below the break.
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.
PlayStation 4 supports remote play on PlayStation Vita
Sony is eking more out of its Gaikai acquisition than we thought -- it's using the streaming game technology to allow for remote play on the PlayStation Vita, advancing what we saw with the PS3. From a brief demo on stage, the company showed gameplay of the PS4 title Knack on the Vita with little apparent degradation in the visual quality -- it's not leaning on the smaller system's processing, after all. There was also a hint that remote play might not be exclusive, although there's nothing specific in this regard. Not every game will support remote play, either, so don't expect it to be a ubiquitous feature -- but it may help justify the Vita as a companion. Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!
PlayStation 4 will stream gameplay to friends, allow them to take the reins
Sharing in-game screenshots? That's last-generation stuff -- Sony wants to give gamers the ability to share their entire game with friends. Taking the stage at the company's PlayStation event, Mark Cerny explained that PS4 owners will be able to share their gameplay stream with friends, even giving their peers the ability remotely take control of the game to help them get through a tough spot. Sound familiar? It's Gaikai's streaming technology, in action. Gaikai founder Dave Perry explained that the technology is baked in to the PS4 architecture, and will give players new avenues of sharing their experiences by piping out video to Facebook and Ustream. The cloud gaming trick is central to the PlayStation Store too, promising to allow gamers the ability to "instantly experience anything." In other words, try before you buy, and forget about waiting for downloads. It's not quite the game streaming announcement we expected, but Sony certainly seems to be putting the technology to good use. 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
