Tomorrow marks a very important day in the world of video games. Sony are hosting a PlayStation meeting, only the third in 10 years. The last two were to announce the PS3 and then in 2011 the NGP (now called the PS Vita). The 20th February 2013 will certainly be the announcement of the next home PlayStation console.
This will almost certainly be called the PlayStation 4, or maybe just PS4. Forget names like Orbis that have been knocking around, Sony aren’t going to drop probably the best known name in games. So what else can we expect?
Controller
There will be a new controller. Prototypes that have been leaked already show a light bar in between the triggers which use PlayStation Move technology, a multi-touch pad (possibly even a screen) in between the PlayStation and direction buttons, a speaker (or microphone) and even a socket at the base most likely for headphones. There also appears to be amended triggers and analogue sticks which should be more comfortable. How much of this actually makes it in to the final version is still a guessing game as Sony did announce the “boomerang” controller for the PS3 which was swiftly dropped after negative feedback. This time Sony themselves may even have aided the leaks in order to get a feel for gamers and press reaction before officially showing it off. What is certain is that the touch pad and Move will feature somewhere.
PlayStation Move
Sony spent a lot of money developing this (and the EyeToy before it) so a evolution of Move will be coming. It’s widely expect that The PlayStation Eye will be upgraded to something closer to Kinects abilities but the Move will still feature as well. This could be in the main controller but I would be surprised if the Move controller was dropped completely, it was probably the most comfortable controller ever made. What I also expect is that you won’t be able to buy a PS4 without some sort of Move accessory being included in the box. Forcing it into the hands of gamers means more games can use it with the vastly bigger pool of potential sales.
Backwards Compatibility
PS1 games and maybe even PS2 games will be backwards compatible. PS3 games are unlikely to be, on disc anyway. I would be keen to see two models released, one with and one without PS3 compatibility. There would be a cost involved in this as essentially the PS3 innards would need to be in the PS4 as well. The most likely outcome is the ability to stream PS3 games straight to the console. This leads us on the what will potentially be ground breaking in the console world
Gaikai
This is the cloud gaming company Sony bought not long ago (the main rival to On Live). This is be included somewhere in the PS4. With PS3 games it is possible that inserting the disc will allow you to play the game through online cloud streaming. The other possibility is that a subscription will allow you access to games streamed to your console. How they manage what games you can play and how much it will cost will be a big question. I can’t see them opening up every PS3 game for a fixed monthly price, but it maybe how you access all your PS3 PlayStation Plus games if they won’t run on the PS4 directly. What would shock everyone if the PS4 was essentially a just streaming box, it would probably back fire. It’s just too soon for that.
PlayStation Plus
This isn’t going anywhere. Gaikai could be a PlayStation Plus Premium service. With the value already offered I can’t see Sony being able to include it for free. Plus really has been a great idea from Sony and something Microsoft and Nintendo haven’t managed to match. This isn’t even something you’re find on Andoird, iOS or Steam. This, with Gaikai, puts a PS4 ahead of the competition early doors.
PS Vita
The Vita has been flagging a little bit, mainly due to third-party support, so any chance to give it a boost should be taken. Firstly this can done by expanding the LBP Vita connectivity into other games and taking a leaf out of the Wii U book. It could also bring Gaikai to the Vita as well. It maybe we see new Vita games and a price cut. I’m hoping there is some truly innovative stuff involving the PS4 and Vita working together. Cross-play could be a big player too.
Games
This is the bit that really matters. You can have the best console ever made but without the games it’s worthless. So these are the games we could see unveiled for the first time, I don’t expect all of them but any game reveal is probably in this list somewhere.
Killzone 4 – this is coming and we made see it for the first time tomorrow. Some sort of link the Mercenaries for the Vita (out in September is also possible)
A new racing game – from the creators of Motorstorm a new racer is in the works. Motorstorm will be given a rest and the the WipEout team now gone Sony need a new racer for launch. Gran Turismo will probably have some small tech demo to download but a full release is unlikely to be in the launch window.
LittleBigPlanet – It’s well-known another game is in the works but not at its original developer Media Molecule. Where do they go from LBP 2? Who knows but the suggestion I read about a LittleBigUniverse game sounds promising and in Sackboy Sony finally have a mascot that can survive a generation change.
Agent – there will be a surprise or two tomorrow. This would be right up there. The GTA creators PlayStation exclusive hasn’t been heard of for years. Tomorrow would really be a good time to show something
The Last Guardian – a game in danger of becoming the vapor ware has been tipped for a while to have been moved to the PS4. Development issues have prevented its PS3 completion. The improved PS4 hardware could help see this game finally finished.
Ratchet & Clank – Insomniac delivered Resistance at launch and Ratchet a few months later on the PS3. As they’ve move on from Resistance a Ratchet game looks likely. Q-Force was surely just a stop-gap so the engine could be upgraded for the PS4
Resistance – it’s not with Insomniac any more but surely Sony has someone at work on it
Destiny – wouldn’t Sony love to show something exclusive for the PS4 from Halo developers Bungie. We know it’s coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 but with code on their website pointing to next-gen and Vita releases something Vita/PS4 specific could be a focal point for an announcement
David Cage game – the man behind Heavy Rain apparently already knows his next few games and with Beyond expected to be released this year on the PS3 Quantic Dream could well be at work on a PS4 game. As they have registered the website for Singularity it maybe in preparation for a reveal
Suckerpunch new IP – the makers of Infamous and Sly Cooper are working on something new and new exciting IP are needed for a new console so they may have something to show
Infamous 3 – did Cole die at the end or is there a new story to tell? Someone somewhere must be working on a follow-up to the popular IP.
Sports Champions 3 – if Move is still important then there must be some Move games. The Sport Champions series has been the best for Move so expect a third installment
Wonderbook – more from wonderbook, probably from Disney. We know they’ve signed up and it looks like Toy Story and the Muppets are on their way
EyePet on the Move – EyePet isn’t on the Vita yet so a Move/Vita PS4 combination would be a family focused opportunity
Ready at Dawn new IP – the team behind the PSP God of War games have something of their own up their sleeves
Uncharted 4 – a Vita launch title and much-loved by everyone. Naughty Dog have two teams now so what is the one not making The Last of Us doing? Uncharted 4 surely.
There are still more I could list; the resurrection of old IP like Syphon Filter, new exclusives like Kingdom Hearts 3, changes of platform from PS3 like FFXIII Verses or even taking exclusives from others like an Alan Wake sequel and more new IP. Don’t forget the usual crowd as well; Call of Duty, Fifa, Assassin’s Creed and already announced new IP in Star Wars 1313 and Watch Dogs. I’m also hoping for those games Sony put on hold a while back, like The Getaway and 8 Days, come back. I may be asking a lot there. What is certain is that Sony have a lot of developers, established IP and new IP that if the PS4 is done right they will be hard to stop no mater how many tablets and phones people buy. Let’s not forget the PS3 isn’t dead yet and God of War Ascension, Beyond, Last of Us, Sly Cooper 4, Diggs Nightcrawler, Rain, puppeteer and Unitl Dawn are all due on out exclusively this year.
My Speil 