I’m just going to go out and say it, I am a Playstation fan. I have a lot of reasons for being one, but my most irrational reason is because the Xbox that I started Mass Effect on booted my save and forced me to restart the game like four times. However, since the Microsoft press conference last month, I’ve been chewing at the bit for the new Playstation 4 press conference, and some more information about the console.
With the beginning of E3, the convention started off with the big hitters, with the Microsoft conference first, EA, Ubisoft, and ending the night with Playstation. Sony teased their crowd pretty badly, starting off with PS3 games, Vita, and Indie as the crowd waited with baited breath. I’m not even going to mention the fact that the stream came up twenty minutes late. I’m not going to talk about the games that they showed here because that would just be too much. That will be a post of it’s own all together.
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The first http://premier-pharmacy.com/product-category/anti-anxiety/ thing they revealed was the actual box from the PS4. They tortuously teased fans before, but as they pulled it out I felt a little disappointed. I wasn’t sure what I was waiting for, but as someone put it artistically, “it looks like the Xbox One in italics”. A quarter of it is a glossy plastic, while the rest is a matte, combining the original PS3 material with the new PS3 slim material. I personally found the matte plastic to look a little cheap, so I wasn’t exactly happy with the design, however it’s not what’s on the outside that counts. Also although it is shown in the official images and on Amazon, the PS4 would not be sold with the Playstation Eye, unlike the Kinect with the Xbox One.
So we are about half way through the conference and I keep talking to my friends saying this is just going to be like Xbox, and I have to say for a flicker of a moment, I was scared. However, as Jack Tretton took the stage, and started talking about the features of the PS4, I knew it was do or die time.
“We are equally focused on delivering what gamers want most…without imposing restrictions or devaluing their PS4 purchases.” BIG APPLAUSE
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2013
The most important things that I care about in a console is the ability to play used games without restrictions, which Xbox is leaving up to the companies to decide on. I was against the required internet connection, because despite the privileged talk of “everyone is always online all the time”, I know that that just isn’t true. I didn’t feel like it was necessary for a required internet service, and neither did Playstation. The first thing that got a great response from an anxious crowd was the announcement about used games:
“PS4 SUPPORTS USED GAMES” ***huuuuge applause*** ““PS4 won’t impose any new restrictions on your use of PS4 game discs.”
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2013
And judging by the thunderous applause after the second announcement, it seems that people agree with me about the internet connectivity issue:
“PS4 disc-based games don’t need to be connected online to play” THUNDEROUS DEAFENING APPLAUSE
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2013
“If you enjoy single-player games offline, PS4 won’t require you to “check in” online periodically.”
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2013
“PS4 games won’t stop working if you haven’t authenticated in 24 hours.” We heard you!
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2013
For me, as a person already ready to purchase the PS4, no matter the consequences, this was a huge selling point in convincing me to separate with my money. For many of us, this was game over. It was also hilarious to see just how smug the smile on Jack Tretton’s face was as he announced this news to screaming fans everywhere.
The best part about Playstation is that I don’t need a Plus account to access media services like Netflix. I can sign into my Netflix without dropping another $60-$70 bucks a year for an additional account. In fact, that was one of the biggest reasons why I chose Sony over Microsoft. I was glad to hear this still was the case.
After that it seemed to be all uphill, however they had yet to announce a price. In my head, I was hearing exorbitant amounts, given the earlier announcement from the Xbox One from Microsoft, weighing in at a hefty price of $499. But as the conference came to a close, after few more announcements and play throughs, we got the price. $399. Well as the news comes in, it’s up to you to decide who won the console wars.
For many people, myself included, I was already rooting for a side and would have stuck to it even if Sony had caved into the same niche as Microsoft. But the continued reiteration from Sony was that the Playstation was for the gamers and they were not wrong. For those curious, since the PS4 comes without the Playstation camera, it will be sold separately as $59, making it still cheaper than the Xbox and the Kinect.
PS4 out $399 in the US, out this Holiday.“At PlayStation, true consumer ownership and consumer trust are central to what we do.”
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2013
I don’t know about greatness, but I’m getting pretty excited for the holiday season. No word on when the date for release is, just that it will be out this “holiday”. So I’m prepping for a Black Friday campout.
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