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PS4 allows playing games as they're downloading
Sony's PlayStation 4 will allow users to play games as those very games are downloading. The PS4 will have a secondary custom chip for background downloading and processing.Sony's goal is to learn enough about its players' behaviors that the console can guess what individuals are going to buy and download those games even before they purchase them, Mark Cerny said during Sony's conference today.Sony's PlayStation event in New York City kicked off at 6PM EST (3PM PST, 11PM GMT) today. Sony kept a tight lid on any specific game or console announcements prior to the show, though popular speculation suggested it would reveal the next PlayStation home console.
PS4's DualShock 4 controller has built-in touch pad, motion control capability [update: share button explained]
As part of its big PlayStation 4 reveal in New York City today, Sony also unveiled the console's new controller, the DualShock 4. As it turns out, the rumors were right on the money, and the controller features both a built-in touch pad and a "light bar" that can be used to identify players. More importantly, the light bar works in tandem with a stereo camera peripheral, which can track the motion of the DualShock 4, similar to how the PlayStation Move works. The controller also has a built-in headphone jack and a mysterious "share" button.Update: Gaikai CEO Dave Perry has revealed that the share button allows players to broadcast their games in real time to their PSN friends.
Mark Cerny directing Knack for PS4
Mark Cerny isn't just the lead on PS4 hardware. The Marble Madness creator is also directing the first announced game for the hardware, Knack, about a robot made of an assemblage of junk, fighting goblins.It's cartoony and features some combat, some stealth, and big junkbot punches. Knack shows the ability to drop all the seemingly magnetized parts that make up his body, in order to shrink down to tiny size. We're guessing the use of all those parts is meant to show off the PS4's ability to deal with a bunch of particles.Developing...
PS4 has x86 CPU, 8GB onboard memory, local hard drive
Update: Additional details on the hardware can be found on this post.On stage at today's PlayStation event in NYC, lead system architect on PS4 Mark Cerny revealed some technical specs on the upcoming PlayStation 4. It's built on an x86 CPU, with an enhanced PC GPU and 8 gigabytes of fast onboard GDDR5 memory. Cerny also confirmed there would be a local hard drive.Cerny also confirmed a secondary chip that handles all downloading, so that downloads can be performed in the background. PS4 titles are also playable as they're being downloaded.
Watch Sony's PlayStation event right here
This is it: Sony's big PlayStation event where we expect to hear about the company's next-generation console. The stream will be online 30 minutes before the event kicks off at 6PM ET tonight (3PM PT, 11PM Brit-time), and live video should kick in five minutes prior to the event start time. Our liveblog can be found here.Last week, a report from the Wall Street Journal suggested that Sony's next console will be able to stream PS3 games over the internet – the result of a $380 million acquisition of cloud-based gaming company Gaikai. We've also seen supposed leaked images of a new PlayStation controller, sporting a new analog stick design, more rounded edges and a small touchscreen.
Countdown to the PlayStation event: T-minus 6 hours
Sony's mysterious PlayStation event in New York City kicks off today at 6PM ET (3PM PT, 11PM Brit-time), and we're simply buzzing with excitement. Or coffee. Either way, our hands are shaking like mad.We expect an event of this size and at this time means Sony will unveil its next PlayStation home console, but it could all just be a massive buildup to the announcement of the PSP Go 2 – point is, no one knows. Except Sony. We hope Sony knows.We'll post the event's live stream at 5:30PM ET (2:30PM PT, 10:30PM Brit-time) right on the front page, and we'll of course have our standard liveblog straight from the show in NYC. To be sure you don't miss out on the fun, check your local converted time for 6PM ET right here, and stay tuned later today. We'll try to get the tremors down by then.
PlayStation Evolution video reminds us about video games
With Sony taking care to refresh our memories on all its PlayStation hardware over the last few days, it has finally brought it all home with what really matters: Games. The video above highlights a few examples that stand out from the usual gaming crowd, including Gran Turismo, Flower, Journey, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, The Unfinished Swan and LittleBigPlanet.Presumably, we'll quickly forget about all of these games – perhaps even grow to hate them for their hilariously antiquated technologies – after Sony's big PlayStation 2013 event tomorrow night, where the company is expected to unveil its next PlayStation.
PSP, Vita not forgotten ahead of tomorrow's PlayStation 2013 event
After posting retrospectives for the PS1, PS2, and PS3, Sony remembered it released a couple of those portable thingamies too. So, take a look at these, because it's the last time ... you'll see them ahead of tomorrow's PlayStation 2013 event. Unless you replay the video.
PS3, PS2 Evolution videos bring us to this week's PlayStation 2013 event
Sony rounded off its Evolution retrospective series with videos focusing on the PS2 (above) and PS3 (below the break), in addition to the first video on the original PlayStation. So we've looked back now at the PS1, the PS2, and the PS3. What comes next, hmm?We have a sneaking smidgen of a microbe of a hunch we're going to find out at this week's PlayStation 2013 event, which we'll be all over when it rolls into town on Wednesday, February 20, starting at 6PM ET (3PM PT, 11PM Brit-time).
Sony offers up a PlayStation retrospective video
If your calendars aren't already marked for Sony's February 20 PlayStation 2013 event, Sony added a new video to its event page to remind you. The video teases next week's big announcement with a retrospective on the company's first console, the PlayStation.According to the Wall Street Journal, the PS4 will be announced at the event, will launch this year and include Gaikai streaming support for PS3 games.
