PlayStation 4 Now Official, Releasing This Year

The PlayStation 4 is official and it's coming this year. If you're reading this blog, you undoubtedly knew this already as Sony formally unveiled the console this week. Actually...they didn't unveil it all! Although we saw games, tech demos, and the controller, we never saw the console itself. Earlier in the week, I posted a few recommendations for Sony on how they could have the best showing possible. Let's see if they earned a passing grade.

1.) Save Something For E3

Pass.

Sony definitely kept a number of details under wraps. While we know the console is set to release "Holiday 2013," we don't have a firm date. The company made no mention of price, other than to say it would be "affordable." What company doesn't say this? Still, let's hope they learned from the PS3's launch and manage to release the console for $399 or less.

And of course, we're all itching to know what the system itself actually looks like. It's a little pointless if you think about it. The console's shell serves no other purpose than to house the internals (which are incredible by the way). Even so, there's just something about a nice, sleek design sitting next to your television. We're almost assured to see the system at this year's E3.

2.) Show The Console And Show The Controller

Fail/Pass.

As mentioned above, we didn't get to see the console. Sony President of Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida told The Guardian, "Our focus here was to show some games and talk about the key principles - we wanted to save the unveiling of the actual console."

After the fact, I'm actually glad they didn't revel both. It definitely leaves us wanting more as we begin the wait for this summer's E3. After all, can we really complain considering they revealed a near-final version of...

...the dualshock 4! The leaks were mostly accurate; however, this version looks more polished overall. The new controller features a touchpad (similar to the Vita's backtouch), as well as new L1/L2/R1/R2 shoulder buttons, a share button, and semi-concave thumbsticks. The controller also appears more ergonomically pleasing than the dualshock 3. The company proved they care about fan response by making revisions to the thumbsticks and the triggers, two of the more popular criticisms regarding the dualshock 3.

3.) Show Real Gameplay

Pass!

I'm really happy about this one. We have to be at least nine months from release so I had reservations they'd actually show gameplay. We saw live demos of Killzone: Shadow Fall, a new title called Knack, and Watch_Dogs from Ubisoft. As expected, Killzone looks absolutely amazing and Watch_Dogs continues to impress.

4.) So Why Do I Need A New Console?

Incomplete.

I say incomplete not because Sony did a poor job of illustrating the need for a new console, but because the presentation was mostly packed with goals, ideas, and lofty expectations. We've yet to see if they'll actually deliver on cloud gaming for every generation through Gaikai (one of my previous predictions), remote play with the Vita on every PS4 game, how the new social features will work, and more.

Overall Grade? Pass

For this type of event so far in advance, Sony really hit it out of the park. We saw gameplay. We saw the new controller. We saw innovative ideas. We saw concepts. We even got a few surprises with Bungie showing Destiny and Blizzard announcing Diablo III for both PS3 and PS4.

I look forward to the news that will no doubt trickle out over the coming months leading up to E3. I'm also curious to see how Microsoft responds. Sony fired the first shot of the new console war and they definitely made it count.

What Are Your Favorite PlayStation Memories?

A new trend has taken Twitter by storm: #PlayStationMemory. Sony's incredible marketing campaign for today's PlayStation Meeting certainly isn't sputtering at the finish line. In fact, it's been just the opposite. Although I have no idea who started the trend, #PlayStationMemory is officially dominating Twitter. Here are a few memories posted thus far:

@jeffrubenstein: Trading in my SNES, Game Boy, & every game I owned for a PS1, Twisted Metal, & RE in 1996 #PlayStationMemory

@JimSterling: That PSOne demo with the T-Rek and the Whale. Also that puzzle game demo that ranked your IQ at the end. #PlayStationMemory

@GameOverGreggy: Waiting 9 hours in line to buy the @PlayStation 2 #PlayStationMemory

This got me thinking about my fondest PlayStation memories and I quickly realized they are rather unique. First of all, I got a PlayStation because of school. Yep. You read that correctly. School!

A company called lightspan adventures designed a series of educational games around the character known as Mars Moose. My father, a superintendent of schools at the time, realized the potential of this. He actually implemented a program where certain classrooms had a PlayStation to play these educational games. We also had a close friend who worked at lightspan. She gave us the games and voila! My parents bought me a PlayStation.

In terms of "real" games, there are two games I remember most fondly: Twisted Metal 2 (TM2) and Final Fantasy VII (FFVII). My friends and I played TM2 for hours on end. This was the go-to game at all our sleepovers. We'd play multiplayer death match, but we spent most of our time on the co-op campaign mode. Even my younger sister enjoyed playing TM2.

Having FFVII on a list of PlayStation Memories is an absolute must. You probably already know how great the game is so I won't even go there. Instead, I'd like to share a specific story. I was in the 6th grade when I played FFVII for the first time. A certain 8th grade girl wanted to come over to my house to "visit my sister" (man how naive you can be in the 6th grade!). Well, she arrived...and I was playing FFVII. And I continued to play FFVII. She came into my room several times and I literally didn't budge. "Hey. What's up? Oh, my sister is in the other room." And I just kept on playing. Talk about playing "hard to get" long before I'd even heard the phrase "hard to get."

I could go on for quite some time about my favorite PlayStation memories. I remember the first time I saw Madden on PS2 and my jaw hit the floor. The helmets! The grass! You can even see their breath in the cold weather! Buying a PS3 and only planning to use it for a blu-ray player. My first platinum trophy. Aye, such great memories.

As I've blogged on a few different occasions, Sony has an incredible opportunity before them tonight. They've hyped the PlayStation base better than any company I've seen in a long time. None of it will matter if they don't deliver on this evening's event.

So...get your popcorn, pull up a chair, and find one of the 1,348 websites streaming the event (that's an exaggeration) in 9 different languages (that part is actually true) and enjoy hearing about the PS4! I'm confident we're about to have another amazing #PlayStationMemory.

Marketing For PlayStation Meeting Has Been Superb

Excited yet?

It would be an understatement to say Sony's recent marketing has been poor. From the early PlayStation 3 (PS3) commercials to the lack of any marketing push for certain titles (ex. Sly Cooper Thieves in Time), the company has struggled to get a grasp on how best to market many of its products. As I discussed last week, Sony has a unique opportunity on their hands with this week's Futre of PlayStation event and despite past struggles, the marketing for this meeting has been absolutely superb. 

Sony has released a video each day, starting with the history of the original PlayStation (PS1) this past Friday. Saturday night's video detailed the story and hype of the PlayStation 2 (PS2). Sunday's video focused on the PS3. Does this point to a PSP video for Monday and a PS Vita video for Tuesday, all leading up to the PS4 event this Wednesday? That remains to be seen, but of the videos released thus far, they will undoubtedly conjure up a number of memories about owning your first Sony console. This sense of nostalgia is exactly what Sony is hoping for with these videos. 

Geoff Keighley of GameTrailers.com tweeted out "Best PlayStation Meeting video yet coming to GT early next week." But even folks who aren't directly associated with the video game industry are taking notice. Mark Gurman of 9to5mac.com tweeted "Sony continues teasing the next PlayStation...they're setting ridiculously highly expectations us.playstation.com/meeting2013." 

So have they set the expectations too high? I suppose we won't know the answer until Wednesday, but the expectations themselves though are certainly high. As someone who works in marketing myself, I'm more intrigued by the why. Why are they releasing daily videos? Strictly just for hype? How do they relate to the PS4 event? Some answers are obvious. They want to ride a continuous stream of momentum leading up to Wednesday. They're focusing on their "past" while teasing the "future." But there's more than that; specifically, why is Sony attempting to draw on their past in hyping their future?

Does this still resonate with consumers?

Reason #1: Brand Loyalty

Sony currently holds the #1 and #2 spot for all-time home console sales with the PS2 and PS1, respectively. Each system sold more than 100 million units worldwide with the PS2 selling over 150 million (source). Those numbers are staggering. For comparison's sake, even the most optimistic estimates have the PS3 selling roughly 77 million units worldwide. That's nearly a 50% drop in user base from one generation to the next! Think about that for a second. Of those 150 million PS3 owners, roughly half of them purchased a PS3. And this is assuming that no one bought the PS3 as their first Sony console, which is highly unlikely.

With these videos, Sony is hoping to bring back those 150 million PS2 owners. They're attempting to remind you of the feelings you once held toward the brand, feelings that resulted in more sales than any home console ever. In a sense, they're conveying how they once had your full trust as a consumer. They were the go-to option for gamers, a pinnace they're boldly trying to reach again...with PS4.

The best-selling home console of all-time.

Reason #2: Brand Power

This could almost be included with reason #1, but I thought it different for a couple of reasons. Sony has often been described as an arrogant company. They once posited that gamers would get a second job to afford the insanely overpriced launch PS3. Aside from Nintendo though, I'm not sure anyone can claim to have changed the industry as much as Sony. And that certainly brings a sense of power and respect that Microsoft just doesn't have yet. These retrospective videos attempt to show Sony isn't a new kid on the block (Ouya) or the still relatively young but promising (Xbox). They are showing how they were (and still are?) the company that once toppled the almighty Nintendo for console supremacy back in the mid-90's. 

The home console that changed everything.

Reason #3: Gamers Can Relive That Past...While Enjoying The Future (theory)

It's entirely possible these videos were only designed and created for the reasons already mentioned. After all, a strong brand is an incredibly powerful tool. Perhaps I'm giving them too much credit, but I think there's more to it than the first two reasons I outlined.

Let's start with Sony's purchase of Gaikai, the streaming service. I think it comes full circle here with the announcement that every PS1, PS2, and PS3 game will be available from day 1 on the PS4 via cloud gaming. How is that any different from PS1 and PS2 classics currently offered on the PlayStation Store? Well for starters, it's every game. And second...it's going to be part of the PlayStation Plus subscription service. Users won't actually pay on a game by game basis. 

"Uhh...what?" - reaction of most when I mention Sega Channel

Anyone remember Sega Channel? No? Didn't think so. It was such a niche product, I don't know anyone else who had it.  My wonderful parents realized its awesomeness and gave it to me as a gift. For a monthly fee, I had unlimited access to roughly 35-50 games, which changed each month. Sound familiar yet? Personally, I think Sega was ahead of its time as this is almost exactly what Sony has created with the PlayStation Plus service and its Instant Game Library. More on Sega Channel here and here if you're thinking I'm a loon who created this with my imagination. How big a statement would it be if Sony announced that every game you grew up playing will be available on PS4 through a new Gaikai application?

These videos, while expertly crafted and resulting in rampant speculation, mean nothing if Sony's event flops on Wednesday. Although I'm clearly a zealous PlayStation fan, I think it accurate to say Sony has our attention for this week's PlayStation Meeting. The gaming world is watching; will Sony deliver? 

One Week Until "The Future Of PlayStation"

On January 31st, Sony dropped a bombshell announcement. They issued a series of tweets, emails, facebook posts, and blog posts within seconds of one another. The purpose of said tweets, emails, and posts? The above video. "Come see the future of PlayStation."

The Internet reacted accordingly and whipped itself into a frenzy over the news. Why you ask? Sony's event and this announcement are likely the official beginning of a new console generation. That's right. The PlayStation 4 is set to be revealed next week in New York. The mainstream gaming sights have already made their predictions. Now we're just counting the days.

Sony is really pushing this as a big event. First of all, they're live streaming, clearly indicating they want their fans to watch. This isn't going to be a corporate meeting filled with financials (although I'm sure there will be some); no, this event is focusing on the gamer. They've invited industry editors and are having the event in New York's famed Hammerstein Ballroom. So instead of predicting what Sony will do, how about hearing what they should do at the event? At least, what they should do if they want to please millions of die-hard fans and trophy hunters like myself ;-)

E3 remains a key show for industry enthusiasts

1.) Save Something For E3

Not what you were expecting at the top of the list? It's true though. Unless the console is releasing within 2-4 months, which I can't possibly imagine, Sony can't afford to show all their cards from the beginning. Announcing a price or release date this soon would give Microsoft ample time to counter that. Many have stressed the importance of being first in this console generation and up until this point, rumors pointed to Microsoft as being slightly ahead of Sony for planned their planned release date.

Recent "Apple-style" press conferences from all three major video game companies seem to be moving us toward an industry where E3 is less important. While I certainly believe this to be true, we aren't there yet. E3 remains an important industry show and Sony shouldn't ignore it just yet.

The infamous boomerang controller

2.) Show The Console and Show The Controller

This one may go without saying, but we absolutely need to see the new console and the new controller. Rumors have suggested a slight redesign of Sony's classic dualshock we all know so well. Expectations range from minor improvements to the triggers and thumbsticks, to a Vita-esque touchpade in the center of the controller. A share button has also been mentioned, which would theoretically give players the option of quickly posting gameplay videos or screenshots to their favorite social media outlets. Sony needs to show this now so they have a chance to receive any constructive feedback. After all, we really don't want a boomerang controller.

Mockup by kairu of NeoGaf

Most consoles launch with a flagship FPS. 

3.) Show Gameplay...Real Gameplay

Back when Sony first debuted the PS3, attendees gawked over the now legendary footage of Killzone 2. Many questioned whether the footage was truly running on PS3 hardware and it turns out, they were right. Although Sony certainly came very close to achieving that quality in later titles, they admitted the video in question was in fact a "target render" rather than actual gameplay. Don't repeat that mistake with the PS4.

As a child growing up, the leaps and bounds in terms of graphical quality seemed monumental between each generation. While we're getting closer to graphical ubiquity (I mean...can they really get that much better?), I believe Sony can - and should - wow us one more time. Rumors indicate the Killzone franchise may once again be the title to showcase the system's power. This time...just make sure it's legit.

Sony acquired Gaikai for $380 million.

4.) So Why Do I Need A New Console?


I love my PS3. The games look fantastic. Online games are great. So...why do I new console? As has been proven time and time again, graphics are important but not the end-all, be-all. Two of the best selling consoles of all time were actually two of the least powerful systems in their respective generations (PS2 and then the Wii). IGN and the Podcast Beyond crew recently speculated about this and I think they're close with their ideas. Namely, Gaikai will play a key role in what's coming.

So, just what is going on with Gaikai, the cloud gaming service Sony acquired for $380 million back in September? Is it just so the console can be backward compatible with legacy titles? Is Sony envisioning a world where I can play any PS4 title by streaming it to my Vita through Gaikai? If so, what's the point of buying the new console? So many questions remain to be answered in relation to Gaikai. Sony invested a significant amount of money in them, so what's the payoff? It's almost certainly intertwined with the PS4.

Regardless, I'm definitely looking forward to next Wednesday. We'll get a peek into the company's future and hopefully we fans will be excited about what we see. And so I leave you with this wonderful  Kaz Hirai gif, courtesy of NeoGaf user Dawg.