New Game Consoles for the Next Generation

The PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s new system are soon being released: what are the notable features of the new systems?

By Ani Hajderaj, staff writer

The Nintendo Wii U was released on November 18, 2012,  and Sony and Microsoft both have new consoles in the works, primed for release next fall. Sony announced the PlayStation 4 on February 20. The console is expected to be released during the winter holiday season of 2013.

[pullquote]There is also rumored to be a visual component that will project images onto the walls, immersing the gamer in the experience.[/pullquote]

Microsoft is also working on a brand new gaming system, unofficially known as the “Xbox 720.” It will be unveiled it on Tuesday, May 21. Though not much information has been made public for the next Xbox console, TechRadar has reported it will feature an AMD-Jaguar CPU and it will be about as powerful as the PS4. There is also discussion that the next Xbox system will emphasize motion control through the “Kinect” system add-on. There is also rumored to be a visual component that will project images onto the walls, immersing the gamer in the experience.

The PS4 is confirmed to have 8 GB of DDR5 Ram,  the same predicted capacity as the next Xbox. It’s clear that both systems aim to provide gamers with a smooth and powerful gaming experience. Sony revealed in the conference that gamers will be able to “stream” games, meaning if you’re downloading a game from the online store, you can play it as it downloads in real time, instead of having to wait for the download to finish. Additionally, CNET reports the PS4 will have more social media involvement as part of the experience.

In terms of software, not much information has been released from Microsoft, however Sony has made some big game announcements for the PS4. A fourth installment of Killzone, a first-person shooter series that was introduced on the Playstation 2 in 2004, is in the works, called “Shadow Fall.”

Capcom’s next big project announced another big game, Deep Down, a role-playing adventure game that will feature dynamic graphics and realistic facial expressions on characters. A trailer is available on GameTrailers.

Courtesy of William Hook

Both Sony and Microsoft have begun to brand their consoles as media centers for the home: you can stream movies and TV shows and subscribe to music services on both systems and these features will be intensified on the new platforms. Sony, specifically, will aim to make everything flow together smoothly and ensure an experience with shorter loading times.

The consoles have not been priced yet, but given the hardware specs and features, one can assume they will cost about as much as their predecessors when they were first released.

Now is a great time to be a gamer, and it is especially exciting when new consoles are being released. With every generation, there are advancements in the game play, the hardware and the overall functionality of games consoles. With each new console, both Sony and Microsoft have raised the bar for the video game industry, and the public is ready to see what new improvements Sony and Microsoft have in mind.

Ani Hajderaj is a journalism student involved in the electronic music scene in Toronto. He enjoys writing about music, technology, business and the general city life. Please follow him on twitter @AniHajderaj.