PS4 Release Date - The Countdown Begins
When Will the PlayStation 4 Grace Our Homes?
While the PlayStation 3 has only recently been released and has its best days still ahead of it, Sony is not one to rest on its laurels, and with the intense competition in the video game world, plans for the PlayStation 4's future release are already being put into motion. In fact not only is the PlayStation 4 getting this treatment, but even the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 6 are in the early stages of planning and conceptualization at Sony's R&D labs.
Although we've yet to see what the PS3 can do when really put through its paces (in fact Sony states that games currently on the market are not even close to pushing the system to its full potential), the thought of an even more powerful console looming on the horizon has gamers worried about the holes it will leave burning in their pockets, but giddy at the possibilities of what this new behemoth of a console will be able to pull off. Just imagine the hardware on this thing, it will be insane!
As a result, the question on everyone's mind is, when will the PlayStation 4 see the light of day?!?!? While Sony has not released any official information concerning the system's future launch, the generally accepted release date is pegged as late 2012, which would follow the trend of Sony's previous console generations. The PlayStation 1 was first released in late 1994 in Japan and 1995 throughout the rest of the world. The PlayStation 2 hit stores in 2000, giving the PS1 a retail shelf life of 6 years from its Japanese launch. Likewise, the PlayStation 3 came out in 2006, 6 years after the release of the PS2. Following this trend that Sony has established would give us a late 2012 release for the PS4.
Other rumours have also circulated of late which backs up these claims. At last year's Game Developer's Conference in Germany, the CEO of Crytek announced that his company's development of their next-generation graphics engine, the CryEngine3, will release in 2012, around the same time as the PlayStation 4. Although he stated he had no concrete information that the PS4 would be released around this time, and that even if he did, he would not be at liberty to share that information, he expected this to be the release window of the new system.
It's possible that how the PlayStation 3 fares in the current console war may also determine the release date of the PS4, for a couple of reasons. If the system continues to flounder in 3rd place in the console wars, failing to generate the revenue which was initially expected of it, Sony may be far more eager to cut their losses and rush the PS4 to market sooner rather than later, possibly as early as late 2011.
If the PS3 does indeed fail to make ground on the Wii and Xbox 360, it may also convince Sony to try and jump the gun on the next generation console wars and get their system out the door first. Both the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2, which dominated their generations of the console wars, came to market at the same time or earlier than their competition. The PlayStation 1 was launched just after the Sega Saturn, and well before the Nintendo 64, while the PlayStation 2 was released before both the Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube.
This enabled Sony to get a head start on the competition and gave developers time to build their skills at developing games for the console, to the point that even as more powerful consoles came after, games released on the older system were just as good technically, providing no real incentive for players to move to the new consoles.
This same effect has worked against the PlayStation 3 to some extent, as though considered to be far more powerful than the Xbox 360, the one year head start the 360 received has allowed developers to more quickly maximize the system's potential, resulting in games that rivaled games on the PS3 when it released. Only as the system's life spans come to an end will we likely see the PlayStation 3 come out with games that clearly trump what the 360 can do graphically.
How Sony plans to play their hand is cause for much speculation. What we do know is that the PlayStation 4 is coming sooner than we may think, and it will take gaming to a whole new level.
Let us know what you think. Will we see the PlayStation 4 within the next 2-3 years, or is the release further off? Feel free to comment below. You can also join our forums to voice your opinion on everything PlayStation.
Update - In a recent interview, Doom and Quake creator John Carmack speculated that Sony will likely attempt to be first to the dance floor with their new console, before Microsoft launches their next console. As talked about above, there is plenty of rationale in this line of thinking. On the other hand, Sony has long maintained they have a long-term plan for the PS3, and with the lower production costs of the new slim model PS3, and the increased sales of the new version, the PS3 may just be coming into its own. Whether Sony will try to launch before Microsoft (by all accounts Nintendo will actually launch first, but they're not considered direct competition to the others like Sony and Microsoft are to each other) remains to be seen. Let us know what you think.
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Comments
So much Fail here
Have a corporate water bottling billionaire spouting off like he actually has some form of sense. PC's are now adays designed to run multiple threads, there are so many background programs, and things stored to pop at a moments notice, that Consoles dont have to do.
Remember the old Nvidia FX gpu's? they could perform 1 action unbelievable well and the rest of everything else was hindered, Consoles basically have this approach. $200-300 dollar consoles nowadays play games $1500-2000 PC do at the same level. look at crisis core, when it realeased not a computer on earth could play it at max and 1080p 60+fps, quad core quad sli with best in slot gpu's might have barely pulled it off for 5+ grand.
Another thing MICROSOFT DOESN'T MAKE COMPUTERS YOU IDIOTS!!!! they are a software company and the first xbox was there first attempt at hardware. now really all they make are xbox's and Zunes.
Funny how (and even i'll admit i do) people think that the xbox is old and ps3 was just realeased. truth of the matter is, if the xbox 360 has both feet in the grave, the ps3 atleast has one leg in and about to fall over itself after being born in the grave to start and making its way out.
sony, i still dont know if its beating the 360 and even if it is it's not by much like the WII does to both of them so that's trivial. sony, to put nails in xbox's coffin needs to be first, needs to come at a fair price, and a great line up of games, and a console extremly more powerful than the ps3. nothing in sony's hardware history supports all those, look at the pspGO 250 for a smaller 100% proprietary system that lacks just about everything.
sony's biggest thing is giving the cutting edge technology to it's followers, the exact words of one of its Executives. if sony releases a console before M$ it just has to be more powerful than the ps3 but by a fair margin and it can actually hit many of those key points and set the new standard leaving M$ and perhaps Nintendo holding the bag.
Xbox MADE<-- sony have to out do it's console. you can say it was easy, but if you actually look at it, it almost KILLED sony as a coporation. it "needed blu ray" "needed built in wifi" "HDMI ports" "Blue tooth" "built in HDD" why? cause xbox 360 didn't have them, but all that besides the blu ray (HD DVD) and blue tooth (who cares) was offered as accessories. why come out with a console a year later thats just as good as the one released by a company a year ago?
if sony released ps4 christmas this year millions would buy it, many people pay 5 to 10 times the price for both systems for the holidays but the rest of us non billionaires just wait a few weeks months to get it for the 800 bucks.
no new consoles for 3 to 4 years
It cost in upwards of 50 million + to produce a blockbuster game, BEFORE it hits marketing... the next gen games are expected to cost more than double to produce. Imagine the cost of a single game then, if we pay $59.99 now for games on our current gen consoles. There is still much profit to be made by Sony and MS with Sony's 3d tech being introduced into games and Project Natal for 360. One last thought, they're now finding out how to harness the power of these consoles to make better quality games. They'll ride it out til at least xmas of 2013 I bet! I'm in no hurry to spend $99.99 - $119.99 for a single game, are you?
Xbox Live gamertag ..... Killing End
*Look at my date*
Look, Obviously there's no way that the ps4 will come anytime soon. If it was, wouldn't it have LEAKED over the internet by now? Sony isn't going to sit silent for ONE maybe TWO year before they putting the ps4 on the market, it would totally decrease enthusiasm and popularity. With the SLIM, they will defiantly try and expand the life of the ps3, making this 5th generation investment go to waste. Plus, there's going to be credibility issues. Why would they suddenly make new consoles just 2-3 years after developing the previous one *SLIM*. Buyers will be APPALLED at their wallets on fire, and people will be skeptical about when the next console will come out. Even though I am a huge lover, and an eager buyer for the PS4, I really doubt that such enormous information such as the ps4 could be still kept a SECRET with internet, phones, blogs, etc. From this limited knowledge we have about the ps4, it's implied that nothing is yet confirmed; hence it is not even remotely ready to be beta tested. My personal OPINION is that the information will be "leaked" (by Sony) around 2011, just to get moral up, but to actually have it go onto the market is a whole different story.
ps4
jut wait for it wont be that long
PS4 release date
PS4 at the moment is far away.PS3 just came out and more recently the slim was introduced.We probably wont hear anything about the PS4 until late 2011 or 2012.Sony is going to put another 2 to 3 years of attention to the PS3 before its new "brother" comes out.For now enjoy your PS3 and PS2, PS2 still has some life in it, 10 years going man,its beautiful.
PS4
i don't think they would release the ps4 in 1 year from now.. just look back.. ps1 was released sometime in 1995 then ps2 was released sometime in 1999 then the ps3 was released in 2006..
So they kind of have a 5-6 year release date pattern.. i don't see what more they can do with the hardware they already have to work with.. they say that they will be coming out with the motion controllers and support for 3dtv technology what more could we ask for? i mean come on.. us ps3 phat users can install a linux based os, browse the web, music well us ps3 users know all the features..
as for the 360 sheet.. ha the system sounds like it can barely handle the minimum we throw at it.. that system needs to have a Xbox 720 or Xbox 3 or whatever.. it's making the ps3 look like crap because the 360 handle anything..
don't think im a fanboy of ps3 or 360 i have both systems the new ps3 80GB and the 360 elite i say that because i don't want to piss off a 10 year old xbox 360 fanboy (there seems to be alot of them on the internet and on xbl)
as for pc users i think there will be more of us pc gamers if the pc hardware was'nt so damn expensive and hard to put together.. then we have to overclock it (for max performance), then configure the os.. when i spend $100+ i want to use the thing i just bought as soon as i get it in my house.. and me trying to save money as a teen.. it's really impossible
PS4
Above they said it was going to be late 2011 to 2012 and look at your math 5-6 years from 2006 is 2011 so it is posability that the PS4 could be out by christmas next year but it could also be as late as christmas 2014 according to other websites
costs
pc's offer better graphics and improved speed but the costs are to high to attract most gamers. pcs would be comprable in price to consles however if microsoft would mass produce them like the xbox, the reasion they dont do this to create demand for 2 platforms in order to generate more cash this is the same for all platforms. this lack of high quanity production of one modl has keep most houshold with lowend computer that are used mostly for internet.
just my responce to the comments below
Funny as sh*t
Reading the comments on here made me laugh so hard. I have taken extensive marketing classes and I know the truth. It's all about the money. Microsoft is a computer company and they made the xbox to make extra cash. Computer's are better than both systems but now suddenly some of the best games come out on xbox or ps3 exclusive. The computer is better than both of them but they make those games only on console. Why? Because you can easily download those computer games and crack them so that they are free. But suddenly now you have to buy them. Now they are only on console. Think about it.
Greed is all they need
The rich get richer
The poor get poorer
Here is a FACT 40% of the earth's fresh water has already gone back into the ocean. LOL I own a water bottling company and it makes me laugh so hard. Fools now have to pay money for water. The truly poor people drink dirty water and they DIE!!!
Hmm...
I'm not sure I'm understanding your point. You seem to think Microsoft is in some huge conspiracy with game companies to stop releasing games on PC?
Video games have been a completely different beast from PC games since the dawn of gaming, with different genres of popularity, and different developers. While the two are now far more integrated than in the past, many developers still make games exclusively for one platform or the other. It's not like this is anything new. As I said, it was actually more pronounced in generations past, where there was very little crossover except for EA Sports games.
You say the computer is better, but computers aren't uniform between gamers. Yes a company could release a game on PC that would blow away anything that could be done on consoles, but the requirements would be so high that only a select few PC gamers could play it.
Ultimately it's up to each developer as to where they choose to release their games. You are right about one thing though; if piracy on the PC continues to increase, you'll see fewer and fewer games released for it, or more invasive DRM, which several upcoming games are going to implement, such as the PC version of Assassin's Creed 2.
Don't be Naive
I did not say that it was a conspiracy. I said It is called MARKETING. These are facts. Naive people don't believe the truth when they hear it. In marketing a company can find a product and make a cheaper version. Microsoft is a huge company. They decided to find a product that was selling and start making the same type of product to compete with the other companies. ex nintendo sony sega atari They can sell the expensive version for a huge amount of money and sell a cheaper version for less. Ex Computer's compared to a console gaming system. Ex Ipod's sizes.
Now if they only made a high quality product and not cheap pieces of shit then this wouldn't happen there would be 1 good product that everyone would buy.
If you are poor then you cannot afford an expensive computer instead the consumer buys a cheaper computer because they cannot afford it. The consumer will buy a cheaper version of a computer. A console. Rich People on expensive computers can crack those games and play for free but an xBox or Ps3 game ca be lot harder to do
The games for some of those console systems are lazer engraved with an emblem which must be read by the machine. Sometimes this cannot be done on any device other than the console which they are made for.
Now can be a real hassle for the people who want to rip off those games and play them on their computer. But it can still be done
http://ezinearticles.com/?Its-Easy-to-Burn-PS3-Games-on-Your-Computer!&id=2884828
http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2006/11/8303/?utm_source=feedburner&utm...
Also I play my games with a keyboard and mouse not a controller.
http://obsiv.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!948789BF56FAF394!282.entry
Now if there was only high quality parts manufactured and not low quality parts then everyone would have that expensive computer. But instead there are many of different quality listed from high quality to low quality.
It is not a conspiracy these are Marketing facts. Don't be Naive.
Computers
Your argument is so convoluted and ignorant that it's almost impossible to address it.
If PC's were only gaming consoles, and had the exact same games as consoles but superior quality, then your view might hold some water, but as it is, it sounds like the pointless ramblings of some uppity PC gamer trying to extol the virtues of the PC. Never mind the fact that consoles have superior quality and quantity of games; the few games which get released on PC can look better on the right system, therefore it's a superior gaming platform. But of course, everyone's too poor to own a PC, so Microsoft had to pander to the poor people, am I getting you so far?
Too bad us poor people are missing out on all the great PC games like...um...Hotel Giant 2? S.T.A.L.K.E.R? Yes, it's rough being a console gamer and not owning a PC. Oh wait, how the hell am I talking to you right now? Oh that's right, on my quad core PC. I guess I play console games simply because they're better. How novel.
Have fun playing Farmville and Flyff with your keyboard and mouse.
Keyboard and Mouse
I am playing with my XIM plugged into the USB port of my ps3. Through my computer I am winning with my keyboard and mouse.
Call of duty modern warfare 2
and all ps3/xbox 360 games work with my XIM through my computer which is hooked into the usb port of my ps3
I could use a controller but I want a keyboard and mouse.
What happened to Sega
Here is a prime example
What happened to Sega?
They made the Sega dreamcast around the same time as the sony playsation/ps2. With The dreamcast was easy to copy the games and play burned games. So people didn't buy the games and Sega stopped making games. Instead they became a software company.
Now if you know what you are doing you can still make and play burned ps3 or xbox games. It is a lot harder than doing the same thing on a computer.
Sega
The Dreamcast's downfall wasn't due to piracy at all, that's an old wive's tale. Piracy on game consoles was minimal back then (it wasn't even prevalent on PC's). Sega's downfall was a lack of consumer and developer trust, and a lack of quality games. The system only sold just over 10 million units worldwide despite a massive marketing campaign. The attach rate (games sold per console) was comparable to the other systems of the day, so no, piracy had nothing to do with it.
And while you may be able to burn PS3 games, you can't play them, making the backups all but useless. And don't bother trying to cite some garbage article on ezinearticles or something saying how to do it, it's a well known fact that the PS3 has not been hacked, and may never be.
History of The Dreamcast
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2101
here is my quick link
history of the deamcast
Quick examples
I was using quick examples. I didn't spend hours researching this garbage because it isn't worth remembering. PlayStation beat the dream-cast into the ground. Sony is a bigger company than sega. I know I didn't buy one. Until I found out I could burn all the games for free. It's all about the money.
You speak the words that have been said to me time and time again. Small minds think alike.
ps3 vs xbox natal vs wii
sony has always had the edge when it comes to power. it can outbeat any console in regards to graphic processing and game memory storage. i have yet to see a game to use the full potential of the bluray on the ps3. most games are just half ass games because of the damn xbox 360. if that stupid piece of crap had not been released before the ps3 we would be in a new era of gaming already. i mean seriously the only reason why games arent as great as they should be is because they have to make it so that it also works on the xbox console to make more sales. im a huge FF fan. when i heard that FF was also going to be released on the xbox i got bummed out because they might now hold back so the xbox can handle it. and natal wont make it too far. its either going to be wii or natal. there is not enough room for both which will put the ps3 as the only true hardcore gaming console way on the top of the pyramid. at least by then we will finally experience the ps3/ps4 true potential and nothing will hold it back.
Cross platform
You definitely see with most cross platform games that there's little difference between versions graphically. In some cases the PS3 versions are even inferior because of shoddy programming. Yet the PS3 exclusives are clearly beginning to show their graphical superiority over other cross platform releases and 360 exclusives, most notably Killzone 2, Infamous and Uncharted 2.
I wouldn't worry about Square holding back on FFXIII for the 360's case, by all accounts of the Japanese PS3 version(even ones which criticize the linear gameplay), it is probably the most beautiful game ever made. Whether that carries over to the 360 is anyone's guess, but what we do know is that the 360 version will have to come on 4 DVD's, while the PS3 version is coming on one blu-ray disc. More good news is that Versus XIII is still a PS3 exclusive.
ps3
man, if u want to talk about ps3 graphical superiority you just have to mention metal gear solid 4. the graphics in that game were flawless. i didnt know that the final fantasy for the xbox 360 was going to be released in 4 dvd's. at least now i know that final fantasy wont be a disapointment. versus XIII is giong to be one of the games im going to be getting soon. just one of those that you cant let pass by either. just hope the battle system has improved from teh one that they had for the ps3 a few years back.
FFXIII 360 version
Unsurprisingly, I read a preview version of the 360 version today that says the cut scenes suffer from greater compression than they do on the PS3. What was surprising though was that he said the regular gameplay seemed to actually have slightly more clarity on the 360, which I find somewhat unlikely, but I guess we'll see.
chill they cant be a ps4
I might get the ps3 and if I buy the ps3 and a ps4 comes out all hell is gonna break loose! Nah the ps3 is good ehough.
no world endo
and the world is not gonna end in 2012 sceinists proved it they said its gonna end in like 2500 or 3000
end of the world
No one knows when the world will end, Only god has the power to end it.. it could be 5000 years from now or 5 seconds from now... no one will ever know.
End of the World
Scientists haven't proved anything. And by then we'll be so far evolved we may have discovered a sister planet to Earth that is habitable, and just go there and civilize.
nooooooooooooooo
end of the world Ps4 will never come out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~~~~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
PS4
Don´t be stupid everyone maybe they will release it soon so what they won´t to make more money.
And they are trying to let the people have fun with it. One thing is ridiculous 2012 isn´t the end of the world.
ps4
there will be no ps4 . The world will end in 2012 :-D
2012
Good point. :P
come on bring it playstation i want it!!
I'm waiting for the ps4 I have the ps1& ps2 so I want the ps4 & I just got a new 32" vizo t.v. So I want the ps4 bad!!!!!!!! By the way.I want it now I hope the ps4 comes out mid 2010 late 2010 or early 2011
loser
only 32"? lol
This is stupid
Why the hell would Sony release a new Playstation so soon? look at the Ps2's and Ps1's lifespan, 9-10 years or so, and the PS3 has been out for how long now, 4 years? Think about it...
This is a ridiculous website as the next Playstation will inevitoubly be released but i can assure you it wont be soon, we're looking at 2016 or 2017 somewhere around this time.
You ps4 weirdos
the ps3 is a brilliant console i work for sony they have told me that it is not coming out till 2013 november 1st they said so bye bye roll on 2013
Lifespan
I think you're overstating the length of time between system launches. Yes the PS1 and PS2 had long lifespans in the sense that they had games released for many years after the next console launched, and sales of the systems remained steady, but there was only a 5 year gap between the release of the PS1 and PS2, and a 6 year gap between the PS2 and PS3. Based on that, 2012 is a far more likely release window than 2016 to 2017 as you say. The PS3 WILL continue strong for a time after the PS4 is launched, just as Sony's previous consoles have, it's not like it will disappear the moment the PS4 is released.
I didn't read the other
I didn't read the other comments so Im not sure what was all talked about however, the natal is comming out in mid to late 2010, according to rumors, and the ps4 has been rumored to follow it in late 2010-thru mid to late 2011. However I agree 2012 seems more plausable, I feel that it's likely they want to keep up with the competetion and stay ahead of the wii and the next microsoft product. It better not be some crappy peice of shit built to give you an excercise though. I dont want another wii or natal. I don't want to have to do a workout, I like games were you can sit on a couch with a controller and do nothing.
project natal
natal is comming out this christmas and its not a consol its a controler or "lack there of" geting sick of reading natal posts that thank its a consol replacment
project natal
nothing will touch xbox's project natal... when there finished tweaking up the software and game packages it will be the goliath of all gaming consoles.... no doubt everyone will switch from sony to microsoft,even those loyal sony servants like myself...
PlayStation 4
Please, dont be stupid. PS4 will come out at about 2011-2012, and stop saying that 2012 will be the end of the world. Find me proof of this and then I'll agree. And Sony better release the PS4 as a Slimline, because they loose so much money just because they start off big and expensive!
Natal
all you have to do is give sony just a little bit of time and they will blow natal out of the water. natal does not interest me because i dont want to have to use my whole body as a controller.
Natal
Personally, Natal just doesn't interest me that much, in fact even less than the Wii's control scheme did. I don't understand how hardcore gamers can bash the Wii (and it's partly due to lack of quality games I know, but also due to the sheer repetitiveness of the control scheme, and lack of challenge it provides, and skill it requires), but then act all excited about things like Natal. Does anyone really think that games using Natal are going to be any different than the majority of Wii games? All that's going to happen is the 360 will get flooded with the same gimmicky, family-friendly crud that infests the Wii.
Natal
To me personally Natal is just trying to be another Wii. I dont see either how hard core gamers can bash the Wii. But with me it is the lack of a true controller, that being like the PlayStations controller. I love button masher games and to me that is one thing that the Wii just doesn't provide.
Button mashers
Yeah, I'm a big fan of button mashers myself, I've been a Dynasty Warriors addict for years. I'm all for trying out new things, but I think controllers will always be my preferred method of control as well.
Reply:
Well the Playstation3 is a monster by itself i wonder what the PS4 will be like. Very interesting post. Thanks for sharing.
No its not a monster anymore
No opposed to the new Intel technology it is not a monster anymore...what saves it is the high memory bandwidth between the Cell-RSX. 20 GB/s opposed to 4 GB/s, 8GB/s with the new PCIe 3, supposing of course that they do not increase the standard lanes to 32 which can give a nice 16GB/s memory transfer. If this happens this means totaly goodbye to the PS3 in 2012.
So PS3 has to evolve into PS4 quite soon.
May not be a monster, but...
Yes the PS3 may not be any monster, but that does not mean that they need to come out with a new one right away. The world is in an economical crisis still. It would unwise to release too early. There is no reason to. On the other hand if there was complete backwards compatibility for the PS3 then it may be more logical to purchase the PS4.
Right away is of course out
Right away is of course out of the question I am talking about late 2011. Think about it. The new Fermi Nvidia is coming out late 2010 (supposing of course they deal with the 40nm technology) and becoming a standard at Christmas 2010. Do you really think that the economic crisis is going to stop people from buying it? Definately not, it is going to sell like a fresh cake. Seriously the PS3s processor has been surpassed by the Intel Processor, its Graphic card has been surpassed by the Nvidia or ATI card. The PC games cost less than PS3. For a person like me the PC is the best way but for 10-15 years old and people who don't know about Computers it is still ok and it is going to sell I think until 2014. Imagine the CryEngine 3 is coming out in 2010 and the most interesting part it is going to be distributed for free to Schools. So in a few years next gen gaming is going to be well understood. Graphics are becoming more and more like the tramsition from Dos to Windows. What I personally think? I personally think that people are going to turn to PCs unless consoles have to offer something unparallel to the PC. The only thing right now that keeps the consoles in the market is their price which cost less than a PC Processor and offer a competitive realism to PCs. So my claim about the PC can be debated by the question : "At what price". No answer to this for the time being... future will tell.
costs
if microsoft would massproduce a pc like they do the xbox the costs would be comprable the reasion they dont is to create 2 needeed platforms, Also Known As..$
Also something very very important
Just one last piece of advice. The new PS4 should be open for programming. How can this happen, through a Keyboard and Mouse to the PS4? Certainly not, this is now extremely old fashioned borrowing NVIDIA client-server concept :
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nexus.html
The programmer is going to sit in his Client PC/Mac and code for the server side residing on the PS4. So according to my opinion the new PS4 should have a Gaming Mode and Programming Mode. The programmer should pay *just* for the SDK which can be integrated to an IDE like VS, Eclipse etc. They could certainly create protocols for authenticity since the server can send the key of the SDK to Sony for authenticity and I am certain they can make it very hard to break.
PC gaming
I agree with a lot of what you say, but regarding PC versus consoles, I don't think PC gaming will ever drive away console gaming, no matter how low the cost of PC gaming becomes in relation to consoles. PC and console gaming are by and large two very different beasts. You mention consoles having to offer unparalleled experiences, well they already do that.
There are a couple of crossover genres like FPS and sports, but the variety of games available are generally vastly different. A gamer who likes fighting games, JRPG's, platforming, action, etc., will find little to play on the PC, just as gamers who like simulation games, puzzle games, RTS's, CRPG's, etc, will need to stick to PC gaming for the most part. Things still haven't changed much in that respect in the last 15-20 years, despite more and more gamers of both platforms, and easier portability of games between PC's and consoles (especially between PC's and Microsoft's consoles).
You also have to consider that consoles are the only real choice for party gaming, which has become increasingly popular as the appeal of gaming has spread (as typified by the Wii). How many multiplayer games have you played with friends in front of your PC monitor, compared to in front of your TV on a console? I imagine it's no contest. So console gaming definitely does offer things PC gaming doesn't, and perhaps never will.
Party Gaming
I play with my friends on computer games as much as i do on console games. Playing with friends on consoles may seem more common, but many people have computers (by which i mean pcs not mac) which makes it easier to play online with friends.
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