If you listen closely, you can hear it: the eye of the console storm. We are between technologies and the big hardware makers know it. It’s a move from an optical-disk-based, high-heat standalone device. To paraphrase William Gibson: the future is here, it’s just unevenly distributed and its on that uneasy plane the new $399 PS4 firmly sits.
This new console is, arguably, the last console to be released before a number of massive shifts in the industry will force sweeping changes to hardware and software. Onlive, though a failure, offered the promise of a cloud-based graphics system that could entertain without heavy hardware. Steam has convinced gamers they don’t need disks. 4K, while still a whimsical feature, is the future, and toys like the Ouya and Oculus Rift point to a leaner gaming business model and new interfaces. In short, the PS4 is the best of last generation’s consoles and, as such, deserves to be looked at as Sony’s last stand and the doorway to an amazing future.
At first glance you can see a certain PC pedigree in the angular lines and large case. There are two hidden buttons – touch-sensitive shards of plastic, really – that turn the console on and eject the well-hidden Blu-ray disk drive.
In the same way that the PS3 massively improved on the PS2 so does the PS4 improve upon the last generation. The graphics are stellar, the media offerings quite complete thanks to Sony’s partnerships, and the controls and hardware are quite usable. PC gamers will definitely see plenty to love on this powerful platform.
Sony knows how to make a nice console. The design is understated and lacks the glossy bulbosity of the PS3. It is almost completely quiet and dissipates heat nicely, even in a confined space. It is the closest you’re going to get to a powerful PC in your living room and until devices like the Steambox hit the shelves I dare say this is about as good as it gets.
My prediction is that the PS4 (and the Xbox One) will go strong for about five years and peter out – and be replaced by the turn of the decade. This console has to tide over the console gamer for years and it will be a tough slog. 4K TV will become commercially popular and, because the console doesn’t support 60fps 4K playback, there will be another console after this one. The PS4 will also be the last console with an optical drive (much to the chagrin of GameStop execs, I’m sure). The console will sell well once the titles match its capabilities.
As it stands, today, however, it’s inherently difficult to recommend that you rush out and purchase a PS4 this season – but that shouldn’t stop you. It’s a solid platform that is dedicated primarily to gaming. There are few distractions – no TV interaction, few voice controls – and the entire device shows a dedication to gaming that isn’t present in competing consoles. The graphics, thanks to a powerful graphics processor, are stunning and everything looks better. The potential for greatness is right there in that angular black box. Sony and its partners just have to fulfill it.
Who is the PS4 for? It’s for die-hard Sony gamers. It’s for fans of major franchises who want PC-quality graphics in the living room. It’s for first-time PlayStation users who are looking for the state of the art. It’s not for the casual gamer – yet – and it’s not for the title-specific gamer who is, say, looking for something massively engrossing not available elsewhere. In that respect even a well-stocked iPad or Android tablet beats the PS4, at least in terms of game selection and playability. Sony has polished the PlayStation experience to a high shine and it’s clear that they knew exactly where to tweak the PS3 to make a true next-gen console. Now they have to figure out how to make it a compelling game platform in a world where most gaming is done on a 4-inch screen and not a 4-foot TV.
We are at the eye of a storm. It took a decade for the console to reach this quiet place and I suspect the next generation will bring us back into a storm of wild change. Until then, the release of the PS4 is a breather on the road to the next-next-gen and it’s a welcome one.
