PlayStation 4 signals new era of gaming

The new Playstation 4 is expected to be unveiled today and details of game sharing are rumored despite Sony's attempt top keep key features under wraps

SONY'S launch of the PlayStation 4 this week has opened a new front in the battle of the gaming consoles - but it's smartphones and tablets that are dictating the fight.

In the seven years since the last PlayStation was launched, smartphones and tablets have become everyone's favourite device, bringing with them a new, and cheap, way of gaming.

Analysts estimate mobile devices already account for about 10 per cent of the gaming market and some predict they will be as much a force as the traditional consoles within a few years.

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Consoles are having to adapt as a result. One of the key features of the PS4 is that gamers can interact with a second screen.

If they have a PlayStation Vita portable game player, they will be able seamlessly play their PS4 games.

The PS4 will also interact with iPhones, iPads and Android tablets but not to the same extent.

A person playing a game on the PS4 will able to look at a map for their game on their iPhone, for instance.

Someone can use their iPhone to watch streaming video of their friends playing on a PS4 but they will not be able to join in the game.Interactive Games and Entertainment Association chief executive officer Ron Curry said the announcement of the PS4's connection with Apple's iPhone was telling.

"The Sony announcement highlights that fact that it's no longer a console vs smartphone-tablet environment,'' Mr Curry said.

"We are seeing gaming intersecting at many points between consoles and newer platforms.

"We've seen the movement of mobile games onto consoles and adaptation of console games on mobiles, handhelds and other digital devices.''

Swinburne University communications and media lecturer Dr Mark Finn said the trouble with the PS4-iPhone announcement was that it did not go far enough.

"The functionality they are talking about here isn't really that much of a leap from what is already possible, and the Remote Play for the Vita is probably little more than an attempt to bolster what seems to be a dying console,'' he said.

Australia's video games industry recorded $1.161 billion in sales last year - a 23 per cent drop compared with the 2011 figure.

But that industry figure does not include mobile game sales which are booming.

Telsyte analyst Sam Yip said Australians will spend $730 million on digital game subscriptions and mobile games in 2013, which was a significant rise from $620 million spent in 2012.

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PlayStation 4 signals new era of gaming

The new Playstation 4 is expected to be unveiled today and details of game sharing are rumored despite Sony's attempt top keep key features under wraps

SONY'S launch of the PlayStation 4 this week has opened a new front in the battle of the gaming consoles - but it's smartphones and tablets that are dictating the fight.

In the seven years since the last PlayStation was launched, smartphones and tablets have become everyone's favourite device, bringing with them a new, and cheap, way of gaming.

Analysts estimate mobile devices already account for about 10 per cent of the gaming market and some predict they will be as much a force as the traditional consoles within a few years.

Consoles are having to adapt as a result. One of the key features of the PS4 is that gamers can interact with a second screen.

If they have a PlayStation Vita portable game player, they will be able seamlessly play their PS4 games.

The PS4 will also interact with iPhones, iPads and Android tablets but not to the same extent.

A person playing a game on the PS4 will able to look at a map for their game on their iPhone, for instance.

Someone can use their iPhone to watch streaming video of their friends playing on a PS4 but they will not be able to join in the game.Interactive Games and Entertainment Association chief executive officer Ron Curry said the announcement of the PS4's connection with Apple's iPhone was telling.

"The Sony announcement highlights that fact that it's no longer a console vs smartphone-tablet environment,'' Mr Curry said.

"We are seeing gaming intersecting at many points between consoles and newer platforms.

"We've seen the movement of mobile games onto consoles and adaptation of console games on mobiles, handhelds and other digital devices.''

Swinburne University communications and media lecturer Dr Mark Finn said the trouble with the PS4-iPhone announcement was that it did not go far enough.

"The functionality they are talking about here isn't really that much of a leap from what is already possible, and the Remote Play for the Vita is probably little more than an attempt to bolster what seems to be a dying console,'' he said.

Australia's video games industry recorded $1.161 billion in sales last year - a 23 per cent drop compared with the 2011 figure.

But that industry figure does not include mobile game sales which are booming.

Telsyte analyst Sam Yip said Australians will spend $730 million on digital game subscriptions and mobile games in 2013, which was a significant rise from $620 million spent in 2012.

View the original article here

Sony set to launch PlayStation 4

The new Playstation 4 is expected to be unveiled today and details of game sharing are rumored despite Sony's attempt top keep key features under wraps

• Sony is believed to launch the PlayStation 4 today
• Details of the new gaming console have been closely guarded
• Watch the live stream here from 10am AEST today

THE new front in the gaming wars begins today, as Sony is expected to unveil the PlayStation 4 in New York.

8.55am: The big day is almost here. On Wednesday, February 20th (Thursday, February 21 here in Australia), Sony is holding an event in New York City to discuss “the future of PlayStation.” We’re pretty sure this means the PlayStation 4 – or Orbis or whatever it’s called – is getting announced.

But regardless of what’s going to happen in NYC, we will be covering it from all angles.

Despite leaked pictures of what is claimed to be the new controller, Sony has managed to keep details of what could be its most important launch for the next few years under tight wraps.

Even the name of PlayStation 4 has not been confirmed, with reports that Sony has labelled its new console with the codename Orbis.

Rumours this week of price points for Sony's new games console may not be confirmed today, with some gaming experts expecting that price details and even features of the PlayStation 4 to be announced later.

Some analysts are tipping the release of the PlayStation 4 to be before Christmas this year, although the PS3 was announced about 18 months before it hit the market.

WATCH THE LIVE STREAM HERE FROM 10AM (AEST) TODAY

Live video for mobile from Ustream

It's been more than seven years since Sony launched the PlayStation 3 and the games market has changed dramatically in that time along with game players expectations with the development of smart phones, tablets and cloud services in that time.

The leaked pictures of what could be the controller for the new PlayStation suggests there is little change in the unit but there are reports the new PlayStation 4 will come standard with a camera for body motion control of games.

The picture purporting to show a prototype of the new Playstation 4 controller.

There are also rumours that the controller with have a button for social media, so that gamers can share video clips of their gaming glory.

The Wall Street Journal reports cloud computing will be a key feature of the new console, perhaps allowing people to save a game on the PS4 and then continue playing that game from the same point using another Sony device such as the Vita handheld game console or perhaps a Sony smartphone or tablet.

The gaming industry gathered in New York for the launch are looking to Sony to announce not just pricing details of the game console, release dates and games titles but also an explanation of how the new PlayStation 4 will fit into a range of products.

With IGN.

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