The long-awaited PlayStation 4 (PS4) release date is going to be on December 31st bearing a price tag of $399, which is about $100 less than Microsoft’s Xbox One launched last month. Amazon launched pre-orders for the console just minutes after Sony announced the PS4 at the June 10th Electronic Entertainment Expo, the gaming industry’s yearly trade exhibition.
Sony revealed that PS4 will support used games without restrictions. Users won’t require round-the-clock Internet connection to play games. A collection of new games from the portable PlayStation Vita and the PS3 console were revealed as well. The Vita will get over 80 new titles in 2014, including new editions of God of War, Dead Nation and Final Fantasy. YouTube, Skype and Netflix are also expected for Vita.
Among the new game titles for PS4, Sony announced 12 brand new IP’s that will participate in the new platform. The company gave a glimpse into a few games, including The Order 1886, Killzone Shadowfall, Knack and Second Son. All the new titles are expected this year except for Second Son that will come in 2014.
Regarding games for PS3, the event featured a preview of a good number of games, including Last of Us, Puppeteer, Beyond Two Souls and Gran Turismo6. The GTA 5, with a GTA-branded headset and a package of episodes, is expected to bring an “epic experience” on PS3, as Sony CEO Jack Tretton put it.
The peripherals of PS4 include a Wireless Controller and a PS4 Camera, which will come for $59. They exude a simple yet elegant design with a slim and light form factor. The angled front and back portions of the jet-black console allows easy access to disc slot and power button in both the horizontal and vertical position, and also conceals cables.
How will the PS4, with its cost advantage over Xbox One, perform?