Ben-DutkaIn each generation, there's always one console that I consider to be the "definitive" console of that particular era.
For instance, I know for a fact the PS2 qualified, and I'll always say the SNES topped the Genesis. But in looking at this generation, what will ultimately make the PS4 the definitive machine for core gamers?
I've heard some say the PlayStation Network has long since come into its own, easily rivaling – and in some ways even surpassing – the Xbox Live network, which at one time was indeed superior to the PSN. A lot of people I know opted for the PS4 this generation because they play almost exclusively online, and they've seen how far the PSN has come over the past four or five years. I think they also believe that if they're paying for it, it's a better service by default, but whatever.
Reliability is also a big key. You can't be the definitive console of an era if you keep breaking down (I'm looking at you, Xbox 360). Thus far, the PS4 has proven extremely reliable but then again, so has the Xbox One and the Wii U, last I checked. It might all come down to the games once again, though; PlayStation exclusives are often head-and-shoulders above the competition's, anyway. We're also noticing third-party multiplatform games performing better on the PS4; if that trend doesn't disappear with time, it will be a very good reason to own the PS4, especially as the vast majority of titles released are multiplatform.
What say you?
I think we're already seeing it, the "definiteveness" of this generation, in the PS4.
With consumer friendly policies FROM THE BEGINNING, policies that encourage indie developers to bring their games to the PS4 without silly platform parity constraints, and Sony's willingness to invest in creativity and embrace variety – It's really pretty clear this generation.
Good points.
I don't think it's exclusives, unless they manage to be breakout hits suddenly, no matter how fantastic they are they rarely draw the crowds or sales.
I think it will be the infrastructure Sony has developed. Gamers will have an easy to use system where they pay for PSPlus to play online, PSPlus will give them "free" games and discounts. People will buy more because of the discounts, and they won't want to drop Plus because at some point you have a huge collection of digital games you'd still like to get to at some point.
When you do spend money you add points to your Sony Rewards, which keeps you loyal when buying anything. There's also the great consumer respect mention by Saiyan.
The share function will create a network of videos that will be better than Xbox One's simply because PS4 will have more gamers on it and the more hardcore console gamers contributing due to the best specs and graphics on everything. Now one person's friends are buying PS4 just to be a part of the video sharing experience.
Finally you have the movie and music, which while not appealing to old school gamers is probably a handy place for newbs to get their shows and music into their home entertainment centre.
All of these things will combine to make people wedded to their PS4, and the great games will keep them happy about it.
As the X1 lags behind more and more, Sony won't need to pay for any exclusives. Because thanks to the PS4's popularity, hardware sales & large user base, developers will flock to it. Using it as the target platform.
Once consumers notice that MS needs to PAY 3rd party devs to have any games on the X1 (and the games they do get, are watered down versions of what is available on the PS4), hopefully they'll make the right choice and buy a PS4.
I mean why pay more for less?
I think it will be an exclusive Western RPG similar to the likes of Dragon Age, Fallout or Elder Scrolls, or a JRPG series with a Western Influence like Dark Souls.
I can see something unexpected being a runaway hit like that. Would anyone would have predicted a third person action adventure game would've gone on to be the greatest trilogy on PS3?
Games can only go so far with traditional controller mediums. Without a new way to interact with our games, we'll forever be stuck within an endless loop of rehashed experiences. While it's sad to see the competition being ignored for their innovations, such as Microsoft's attempt at controller free interaction, and Nintendo's combination of practically every type of control scheme under the sun, I truly believe that Sony's virtual reality concept will rejuvenate the otherwise simplistic PS4. Innovation is the future, and the PS4 currently lacks any innovative properties, and feels more like a PS3 than a true leap forward. That is, it is more powerful, has software enhancements, but lacks a new way to play. The touch pad on the controller offers no real gameplay value, making the controller a slightly enhanced DualShock 3. The PlayStation camera is a welcomed addition, but it isn't properly supported right now.
What will really set the PS4 apart is the upcoming virtual reality headset, combined with new and unique gameplay experiences. Virtual reality on the PS4 could not only revolutionize the video game industry, it could change the movie industry as well. Imagine a movie where you control the camera in a 3D space. It would provide unparelled levels of immersion, if done right. While this may not work for live action movies, it could completely change animated movies forever. The magical atmosphere of actually feeling like you're in a Disney movie, as the art of the film is represented in a true 3D environment. You could even combine that with gaming elements, allowing you to interact with the movie depending on where you're looking. For instance, if you're primarily focusing on a part of the film that has a door, have the film progress through the door, continuing or even altering the story line to match your point of interest.
So, while I currently do not see the PS4 as being at all innovative or unique, with Microsoft and Nintendo being ahead in the innovation department, I strongly, strongly believe that the PS4 has the most potential to change the industry. And that's what will set it apart as one of the greatest and most innovative consoles of all time.
Yes it seems the PS4 isn't as innovative and here are a few of my thoughts on that.
1) PS MOVE: Their attempt at PS Move not performing as well as hoped, which is why it's absent in most titles. I find it has some decent, even few good games, but isn't used very much, nor perceived as always implemented as smoothly. I've got the Move as well as some games. I still use it from time to time. I also think there aren't as many PlayStation fans whom just aren't as interested in that kind of tech, and prefer a more traditional controller as opposed to motion controls.
2) VITA SECOND SCREEN/REMOTE PLAY: Another thing I wish they'd make more use of, like the Wii U gamepad, is use the Vita as a second-screen. The Remote Play feature is surely cool and appreciated, and in this regard it functions like a semi-Wii U gamepad, but to my knowledge Second Screen is only offered in a few PS3 games and zero PS4 games. I'd personally like the option of more of that.
3) PS CAMERA: The camera doesn't seem very essential. Does anyone here have and use it? I think it's nifty accessory as well, but it could use more innovative and useful implementation.
So those control/app features like the Wii U and XBOX ONE are/could be there, they just don't seem to be used much generally. The one thing though that Sony does seem to want to develop further with the high hopes of implementing in the future, is the VR functionality.
4) Lastly… Virtual Reality: @wiiplay Project Morpheus does also seem interesting, and seems to be Sony's counterpart to the Oculus Rift. I don't recall hearing/reading about Microsoft or Nintendo having their own respective VR technologies, so there's that which may certainly have potential depending on implementation, quality and pricing. The thought does partially make me a little anxious however. I mean I do have the Sony Pulse Elite Headset and use it often, but it's not always plugged into the PS3 via USB. I imagine this always has to be plugged in and is more enveloping than a standard headset, and the thought of one's head getting fried… =O
Although I guess it could be a wireless chargeable gadget. I wonder how long the charges would last for something like this though, especially being in it's infancy.
Still, it does seem kinda cool though.
Sorry. Replacing double post. Didn't seem to go through first time.
Last edited by H8WL3R on 7/7/2014 10:25:06 AM
-sony is more consumer-friendly than MS
-PS4 has the better exclusives
-indeed PS4 has also better performance with multi-platform games
-PS4 is the more powerful console
definitely not reliability!
ive already gone through 2 ps4s, well my launch day one kept coming up with some stupid error saying it could not find the FW when i upgraded the HDD so EB swapped it out for a new one and it did the same thing so i said f*ck it and left the original drive in.
have not had a single problem with my xbox one!
certainly wont be what it always is either, power.
seriously disappointingly underpowered so there goes that.
and with the recent closures of multiple first party studios, and the sudden MIA, delayed games, game cancellations, and just a massive general unknowingness of what each studios working on im starting to wonder if the other thing playstations been famous for, amazing massive amounts of amazing exclusives, is going to leave us as well.
so what is going to make the ps4 stand out this gen?
certainly not what made its predecessors stand out thats for sure!
You either have the worst luck imaginable or is full of it. No offense, but nothing but hate for Sony from you and if you really had such an intense distrust and dislike for them why the hell would you invest in two ps4's?
What will make this generation stand out is what made the PS2 stand out. Everyone has one, and everything is on it. From top tier exclusives to hundreds of thousands of 3rd party games. Better multiplatform games, and the better online experience. PS+ dishing out more free games and overpowered discounts. The lack of ads while on the ps4 is another big bonus.
The ps4 stands out as the most honest console. That's all it needs right now after what Microsoft pulled, and honestly, some aren't ever going back to them after that entire thing.
I've only had a single issue when it comes to reliability, and it's an issue that seems to be very widespread. The disc drive constantly ejecting for no apparent reason, freezing the system in the process.
I've found a fix for that, but it does require some maintenance. It's really more of an inconvenience though.
WWhile I don't own an Xbox One yet, a friend of mine does. He's gone through two of them so far, both having issues with controller connectivity. As for the Wii U, my launch console is working flawlessly with zero issues at all, and it's heading on the two year mark.
Overall, I'd say the PS4 is fairly reliable, with a minor design flaw. While it truly sucks to hear that you've gone through two units, that sounds more like a software issue than a hardware problem. Right now, the PS4 interface is riddled with bugs, which is fairly normal considering how new the system is.
@Knightzane, I wouldn't really consider the PS4 to be an 'honest' console. Sony simply has a better marketing strategy, and is taking advantage of consumer trends. While they are currently prioritizing games, they're only doing it for the marketing advantage. I guarantee you that, within the next four years, the PS4 will become a powerful multimedia hub. Cloud computing capabilities, virtual reality technology. Sony won't let their own last generation console beat them in terms of multimedia features.
The PS4 needs a breakout IP to reach that "Owns everyone" stage. The console is designed and aimed as a social machine but every one of Sony's flagship series is single player (GoW, TLoU, UC, etc). The only one I can think of to dent that would be Gran Turismo and it's damn near impossible for a driving game (without the name Mario in it) to carry a system. It's high time Sony made some inroads into building a quality franchise that isn't simply story driven, regardless of how epic and grand that story is.
The PlayStation 2 had Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The Xbox 360 had Halo. The PlayStation 3 had Uncharted. The Wii/U has Mario.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both need their own unique gaming identities. All of the above mentioned games helped sell their respective systems. Personally, I can't wait to see what Sony and Microsoft can come up with. So, I agree with you completely; the PS4 needs a breakout IP that'll help define it.
Your last paragraph said it all Ben. The only thing left to do on Sony's part is to make sure those first party studios are working to pump out high quality exclusives like they have been like for the last 5 years.
The PS4 is the definitive console because it's the most powerful and has amazing exclusives. Also 9 million sold through says it all. Hardcore gamers really care and want the more powerful console. Hence, the exodus from the X360 to PS4 continues. Bloodborne, No Man's Sky, DC Universe, Warframe, Planetside 2, FFXIVARR and others prove that Sony has the more diverse gaming console.
The Dual Shock 4 has been getting rave reviews as arguably the best controller available especially after Sony fixed the rubber issue on the launch controllers.
Also, probably one of the most underrated reasons is that Sony takes chances and doesn't just rehash the same formula of bro-shooters and the like. They don't make a profit on a lot of the games they release but I sure throw my money at them and appreciate the diversity.
Also, this is huge for me but Vita Remote Play is the most amazing bonus feature available on a console. To have an awesome portable console that has it's own fantastic game library able to play PS4 games is just a game changer for me.
The wild card that Sony has not shown is all of the secret exclusives their in-house studios are working on. That next killer game could be on the horizon. Gamescon and TGS could be killer for Sony!