PS4 Release Date Delayed?
Seeing as we are dedicated to the PS4, I think it's safe to say that we are all looking forward to its release! Kaz Hirai, however, has other plans. The president of Sony recently came out and pretty much said, "Sorry you guys, not this year."
It all started with a bunch of rumors from supposed "sources" that told somebody at MCV that both the PS4 and the Xbox 720 (or whatever it will be called - "720" is just a working title for speculators) would be announced at this year's E3 in June. We fans spun ourselves into a frenzy, speculating this way and that on various websites.
Soon enough, Sony Computer Entertainment head Andy House came out and said the rumors were not true. Then, Hirai backed up those words while speaking to the press at CES.
"It's a Ten-Year Life Cycle"
That's what Hirai said when talking about developing Sony's consoles, adding, "There is no reason to go away from that." In other words, since the PlayStation 3 came out in 2006, we should not expect the PlayStation 4 until 2016, or maybe 2015 at the earliest.
That's if you believe Hirai, keeping in mind that the PS2 life cycle carried on even after the PS3 was released.
If Hirai is fibbing a bit, it may be that Sony is covering up the fact that they ARE in fact working on the PS4. It's highly unlikely that Sony has not started development of the PS4, and almost impossible for them to not have at least started working on some aspects. Maybe Sony gets a little thrill out of playing cat-and-mouse with us fans and the gaming press. Who knows?
The CEO of PlayStation France, Phillipe Cardone, also chimed in recently, saying that Sony would probably be the last to announce a new console. His Microsoft counterpart, Cedrick Delmas of Microsoft France, agreed regarding the new Xbox, saying, "The Xbox 360's cycle is not over at all."
So it may be a stalemate.
What Does it All Mean?
At this point, the words coming from Kaz Hirai give a lot of Sony fans a sinking feeling. There have even been rumors that there will be no PS4. As in, EVER. Those rumors have less credence, however.
One thing that strikes me is that perception is everything in the market once you get passed the quality factor, which Sony has in spades. The perception out there is that Sony is lagging behind Microsoft in the console wars, whether you like it or not. No matter how great your company or product is, perception can make or break you.
For now, hardcore gamers are still very much interested in what Sony's doing. That's not going to change. Casual gamers, who make up the bulk of sales, probably aren't paying attention, but if they are this can really affect their perception of Sony if they simply keep hearing Sony say, "Nothing to see here; move along!"
The Future
For my money, I'd love to hear that I won't have to wait until 2015 or 2016 to play a PlayStation 4. By then, Microsoft's next console will certainly be out barring any unforeseen apocalypse. If Sony wants to be perceived as a competitor they have to stay in the race. People aren't paying attention to the specs, aside from the hardcore gamers; they're paying attention to broader aspects of the game.
Sure, some people will opt for cheaper, older consoles, but most people want the newest, biggest thing. When they go to the store and see a new Microsoft console and no new Sony console, they're going to buy the new Microsoft one - not an old PS3.
If there is not PS4 announcement at E3 this year, Sony simply HAS to do something to wow us. Anything to do with the Vita or the Sony Tablet is just not going to cut it. The PlayStation, no matter what iteration, is the flagship as far as Sony gaming goes and it needs support. This will especially be compounded if Microsoft actually does announce the new Xbox, as has been rumored.
What do you think?
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Comments
Waiting
I don't consider myself a hardcore gamer, but not a normal gamer, either. I've been playing an xbox360 and it broke a few weeks ago, but with these rumors I want to get a new xbox720, or ps4. The wii u doesn't fit my taste. If ps4 is that late I hope they make a ps3.5 that can play ps3 games unless there's an xbox720 first.
This year or the ps line is dead....
They are still trying to charge 200 bucks for a game system that's 6 years old. Enough of sony already. And its not all about Xbox either. The last time there was a lag, Sega jumped in, and TurboGraphix 16, and the last Atari launch. Sure these systems and companies are all but defunct now, but there's Panasonic, JVC, Samsung and a whole slew of other electronics manufacturers (not to mention Honda-yes HONDA-their AI team had to come up with game relatable soft and firm ware developing the ASIMO robot) that are more than willing to take any stall from sony as a chink in the armor they can exploit. The game market is milk and honey, and its so hard to pirate games in relation to dvds and mp3's its a golden cow in today's uncertain economy. We have 3d tv's with built in blu-ray, I say lets give sony the middle finger. If you sit around waiting for them they will stall as long as possible. You start walking away instead of hanging on their every word and action, and 'surprise' the ps4 is ready now!
Non-standards
Sony doesn't really intend to drag a market down - it's just when they speed it up, no one is ready for it.
The Cell being a classic example - although I suppose you could argue that Sony wasn't ready for the Cell, but I doubt that any company would not be ready for a $5B funding exercise without an intention to do something revolutionary.
PS3/Cell/Blu-ray was just one long mistake that couldn't really be corrected quickly enough. It was a combination of not listening to game developers and just trying to control the games industry by making it completely non-standard - even to itself.
Sony were a*holes in 2005>2010. No one can really deny that.
I doubt anyone here is keen on Sony going back to a habit of "5 years down the line and the problem self-corrects itself from disaster.
PS1 and PS2 were not a mistake. If anything great could happen with a games console, they both achieved it on somewhat different levels.
PS4, on the other hand, will come from the minds of a different group of people; a different mindset of Sony.
We already know that that has already happened in 2012. The PS Vita.
It's not that they looked at Nintendo having found a market for it, it's the fact that they did it at all - it was another huge risk for Sony.
And Sony did it. You'd expect it from the Smartphone "monster manufacturers".
But Sony? At this point in time?
The next big thing from Sony, is the next Playstation; and if it's like the PS Vita - right out there, right where it needs to be, wanting to achieve exactly what Sony intended it for - then that next Playstation is likely to set a precedent that hasn't been seen since the "Sega Dreamcast" days.
Sony's only real competition is itself.
2015-16
If Microsoft has a head start of 2 years, minimum, it doesn't really matter what Sony do with the Playstation 4.
I don't think even the most ardent PS3 user will be able to forestall their want of an Xbox Next that "could" be close to 8x the power of the previous generation in 2013 -
but lets assume for the moment that developers over that 2 year period firmly establish a "to the metal" code ethic, and are able to draw out a clear x10 performance leap from the current generation just from an established devkit point of view and a better understanding of the architecture.
So are you telling me that Sony now are going to suddenly supplant a x10 PS3 power output from the get-go by 2015, with the understanding that 2 years of existing owners have already experience next gen with a very real possibly that 35% of the entire PS3 community is now an Xbox Next owner.
That would be a mistake even the bravest individual would dare not follow to an inevitable conclusion.
The PS4 must make an appearance end of 2013 and as close to Xbox Next as it possibly can.
Otherwise, it will fail. And by fail, I mean another 5 years of catch-up to Microsoft, and now Nintendo.
I'm not saying this is a race; this is simply dictated logic of common market share and consumer desires.
10 year life cycle
10 Years dont mean there is no next console until 2015/2016
it means that sony supports the ps3 at least 10 years with new games and updates
the ps2 is over 10 years old and still get new games (japangames and so)
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