Sony Unveils "Super Charged" PS4

In announcing its long-awaited PlayStation 4 console, Sony impressed with new features targeting hardcore gamers. But has the smartphone and tablet boom fundamentally changed the game?

Published

3 months ago

Categories

Technology

Topics

Video Games

People

Kazuo Hirai

Companies

Soni Kabushiki Kaisha

Transcript

Gamers rejoice: the fourth coming is nearly here, the next-gen playstation. Sony's newly-unveiled console, seven years in the making, is actually looking pretty impressive. Demo after demo sizzled with state of the art graphics, promising a generational leap in facial expressions. And the specs are pretty hot too. It's got a custom 8-core CPU, touch-screen dual-shock controllers, and a new motion-control camera. Plus, there's the clever hook-in for Sony's weak-selling PS Vita: a new cloud gaming function lets you stream your PS4 games right onto the handheld wherever you are. But why not extend this to Sony's smartphone and tablet lines too? Now that would be a killer unique selling proposition that neither Apple or Samsung could match. The answer can be seen in how Sony framed this system - as a "super-charged PC". That may be true, but the thing is PCs don't really sell anymore - just ask Dell. And console sales have slowed too. On one hand, that's expected as buyers wait to upgrade to the next-gen cycle. But on the other hand, this huge shift into tablets and smartphones is without precedent. The growth of casual gaming - think flicking birds across your screen - can't be fully ignored as an unpredictable risk factor for console makers. And unlike phones and tablets, which we upgrade every year or two, consoles need to last at least half a decade. So that means Sony really needs to nail this. The firm's charismatic CEO Kazuo Hirai made it to the top of Sony through his success running the playstation division. So it's no surprise to see him rolling the dice here again. But you do have to wonder if his beautiful vision for the future of gaming might go up in smoke as new competition fights back. END