February 20th is closing fast. Thanks to Sony, all commitments have been put on the back burner as consumers and corporates the world over ready for Sony’s big PlayStation event. Rumours have been running rampant and more or less confirm that the announcement is related to the PlayStation 4. And while we’ve talked about just what Sony will and won’t announce on February 20th, we sure as hell know what we’d love our next generation console to have. Here’s out top 10 most wanted features for the PlayStation 4, along with the likelihood of their occurrence either at launch or somewhere down the line.
10. Cloud Gaming
Sony’s purchase of Gaikai more or less confirms that we’ll be seeing cloud computing services, such as games streaming directly off the internet, for the console. The question then is when. As it stands, the PS4 looks like the best time to introduce the technology.
With its rumoured specs detailing the console’s emphasis on lower power consumption and heat production, it can form the basis for a strong, always-on internet gaming machine. Things would be even better if Sony released a handful of classics for the Playstation Network that were free (or at least, certain portions of which are) for players to try out via Gaikai. With that in mind, we also come to the next point…
Likelihood: High
9. Improved and Inbuilt Motion Controller With More Functionality
Let’s be honest: While the Playstation Move and Eye combination might have been more accurate than the Kinect when it came to tracking basic movement, it ended up having far less functionality. We want to see Sony combine these two technologies into one killer technology – because who wants to spend more on accessories? – Besides opening up its technology to the public sphere.
With Kinect constantly being improvised for different functions, thus increasing awareness and word of mouth about it, there’s absolutely no reason Sony shouldn’t be able to do the same. Also: We’d love to be able to play FPS shooters without a complicated device like the Killzone 3 gun or rail-shooter controller schemes. Props to Sony if they build said device into the console itself.
Likelihood: High
8. Fix Playstation Certified for Mobiles
Xbox SmartGlass may or may not be doing gangbusters in app downloads but it’s confirmed that connected devices are the future. Users should be able to successfully access Playstation Certified games on their smartphones and tablets, and also form a gateway for successfully syncing up to the progress on their consoles.
If Gaikai is introduced with PS4, there’s no excuse for not being to do this – look at what Apple has done with Mountain Lion OS X and iCloud. If Sony can expand this to include media management, also incorporating SmartGlass’s functionality, it will certainly help it grow out of its niche as a glorified Blu-ray player/hardcore gaming machine and gain more mainstream media attention.
Likelihood: Average
