PlayStation 4 In the Works?

If you've kept up with the times and the gaming news, this really shouldn't be anything new for you. Sony just today didn't decide, today we're going to start work on the PlayStation 4. No, this is something that has been in the works for quite some time now.

Some time ago, there as an ad that was posted online that was in fact believed to be a teaser for the PlayStation 4 that was also said to be a cover up with an excuse that it was a project a college student had pieced together but was in actuality a PlayStation 4 teaser.

Well today, it was mentioned that during and investor meeting, it was confirmed that Sony has their next console in the works. I suppose the board have gathered  together to discuss how their pockets are going to get even deeper as Nintendo have announced Project Cafe and Microsoft are known as well to have the next Xbox in the works. The fact the PS3's console security was compromised was something surely brought up and talked about during that meeting and that Sony's new console will have learned from that mistake and the next PlayStation will certainly be able to change that.

But, is the world really ready for another PlayStation? Ask the developers of Battlefield 3 and they will tell you most certainly yes. But, what about current gamers today? Sure it would be cool to see what next generation consoles graphics would be like but, we're not exactly sure ourselves gamers are ready for that. I'm certainly not ready for the next wave of game consoles and this will explain why.

When we first heard of Nintendo's Project Cafe rumor, we sat forward in our seats and our ears were open. Then we heard what was under the hood of the new Nintendo system and then we sat back in our seats with skepticism. Project Cafe is only rumored to be slightly more powerful than a PlayStation 3 which means that it is outdated not long off in the future with Microsoft and Sony on its tail certain to create a bigger badder beast. Games that grab our attention on PC as having high end graphics require a mass amount of RAM and both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have a total of 512MB of RAM and so does Project Cafe. Games like Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 on PC command a lot more RAM causing Project Cafe to already feel out of date and that even Project Cafe won't be able to power Battlefield 3 to its fullest. That turns us off.

The terms graphics aren't everything is really starting to shine through. With all of the footage we've seen of "next generation graphics" the differences are beginning to seem like smaller jumps rather than leaps. We've seen Epic Games Trailer for the newest Unreal Engine and though its flashy, there doesn't seem to be much of a significant jump in graphical technology. Perhaps the new engine is display is the equivalent of the Gears of War first release on Xbox 360 and that developers on Sony's side like Santa Monica and Naughty Dog will follow suit as their reputation has been with Uncharted this generation. We just don't feel the graphical jump is so significant as to merit a new console generation. There's no denying that Battlefield 3 is a pretty game but, we're not sold.

We also know that Sony have always stated that they're committed to a ten year life cycle with their consoles. We don't feel the PlayStation 3 hardware is expired just yet. We have reason to believe there's still potential and room to grow within that black behemoth. EA had deemed the Xbox 360 was maxed out and then along came Crysis 2. We've heard it time and time again that consoles have been maxed out and then something else comes along smacking us in the sucker and knocking our teeth out. We feel there's still that sort of growth with the PlayStation 3. There's just something about Sony in which their consoles seem near the end, but a curveball is thrown that psyches the batter out and its back to the bench. We look at the PlayStation 2's launch of games and then seven years later, God of War is birthed. We're not at year seven with the PS3.

Perhaps its just us but, last we heard Sony wanted to make their next console more developer friendly. But, we've learned that there's something about PlayStation hardware that sets it apart from the rest of the gaming world. Its only displayed through Sony's first-party developers but it has a uniqueness about it and we believe that comes from the challenge the console has with its development. It has that unique look and style to it. It doesn't look and move like your average PC game. I'd actually take Uncharted over Crysis 2 any day. The PlayStation doesn't feel like a PC like the Xbox 360 does to us. It stands on its own and has a unique look.

We're not exactly ready for a new disc format either. We're hoping that Sony's next gen console, we're hoping three or four years down the road continues to use Blu-ray technology. Maybe with the rumored high storage capacity disc but that the technology remains the same and that 1080p remains the standard. Blu-ray is still working its way into homes around the world as people are still using DVD format and homes are still adopting HDTV's. Heck, Sony's pushing 3D and even fewer homes have 3D technology. We're not prepared to shell out another several thousand dollars to buy new home theater equipment when we're still adopting the current or have just spent $3000 on a new TV to stay current now. We may not be able to afford the new tech.

That's our final point, is cost. Can people really afford the new technology of this game console. When the PlayStation 3 launched, Sony lost money for every console they sold pretty much. The gaming world whined and complained the PlayStation 3 was far too much money at $500. We later found that may not have been the case, which most that complaining from Xbox 360 gamers yet when the Xbox 360 Slimmer was released, sixteen year-olds were at the counter ready to plop down $300 for a new Xbox. But, can gamers really afford the next generation? Myself, I owned all three consoles this generation as well as the handhelds but, next generation consoles, I'm going to have to really wait, watch and see as I'm only going to be able to afford one. Its going to have to be Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Apple or whomever jumps in or even just stick with my PC. More technology comes with a higher cost to develop for. If games remain released at $60 for next gen games, then that can only mean one thing, that there isn't much of a graphical jump as we mentioned before.

We'll what happens with Sony's next gen console. Will 3D and motion control be the standard? Is PlayStation Home just a testing ground for what will replace the XMB when you boot up your PlayStation 4? How will the PlayStation Network evolve to accommodate more power and what has Sony got up its sleeve to surprise the gaming world like they did with the Cell Processor, or will they give in to consumer demand and be like everyone else and become the traditional PC, or will they continue their trend of being unique and set apart from the typical world? The next Xbox is likely to be very much like a PC, we expect it just as the Xbox and Xbox 360 were. We want Sony to maintain that graphically unique nature and we want a new gaming console, but not for at least another three years. We believe the PS3 still has some untapped potential. The Xbox 360 may be maxed out, after all its several years old but even the Xbox 360 may still have a trick or two up its sleeve. There's no denying Gears of War 3 looks great and a vast improvement over Gears of War and Gears of War 2. We hope Sony remains committed to the ten year life-cycle. Our pockets can't handle more at the moment. Especially with the potential of the NGP if the price is right.

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