At E3 2013, Sony has announced a bunch of games that will hit its current console, the PS3 as well as games slated for the PS4. The company has also announced that the PS4 will be available this year for $399 making it $100 cheaper than the Xbox One.
Every year, a small event called E3, which is considered to be the mecca of gaming, takes place in LA, USA. Developers, publishers and console makers come here to show off what new games they have to offer and this event is generally the benchmark for what to expect in the world of gaming for the rest of the year.
This year’s E3 is quite special. To start with it is one of those events where the two big guns, Microsoft and Sony show off their latest hardware offerings, the Xbox One and the PS4 respectively. So here is a quick roundup of everything Sony had to show off in their press briefing.
Finally we see the black box!
Before Microsoft had its dedicated Xbox event last month, Sony issued a teaser of what its next gen console would look like. The teaser didn’t show much except a hazy black box. Towards the end of the Sony E3 press conference, the company showed us what the PS4 looks like. The console has matte as well as glossy accents and is angular towards the edge. Just like its preceding two consoles, the PS4 can be kept horizontally or vertically.
There is only one variant of the console that will be available to consumers. The specifications of the PS4, which were announced in February, include an AMD chip with eight Jaguar cores and a Radeon graphics processor. It houses 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, a 6x Blu-ray drive, and a built-in storage of 500GB.
PS4 is VERY attractively priced
The PS4 will be available to consumers this holiday season in the US and UK for 399 USD, 399 Euros and 349 Pounds, making it $100 cheaper than Microsoft’s Xbox One. There is no exact launch date mentioned for the PS4.
Original content coming to the PS4
At the Sony E3 press briefing, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lyton said that Sony Pictures is working on original programming content for the PS4. There are no details available on what this content will be. On the PS3 we have seen some dedicated shows like the Tester that was targeted at a gaming audience. The content, which Sony is working for on the PS4, will also be specific to gamers.
No restrictions on used games
One of the biggest concerns in the mind of the consumers was with used games and how Sony will handle the transaction. At E3 2013, Sony has announced that the PS4 will not impose any restrictions on used games. There is also no requirement for online connectivity to verify the games. If you want to have an offline single player experience, you can do so on your PS4. You don’t need to be online to verify the game either.
At the conference, Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America said, “PlayStation 4 won’t impose any new restrictions on used games. This is a good thing. When a gamer buys a PS4 disc, they have the rights to that copy of the game. Disc based games won’t stop working if you haven’t authenticated within 24 hours.”
Just to “mock the competition”, Sony has a video which shows you how to share games. Enjoy the video below.
PlayStation Plus required for online multiplayer gaming
If you want to play a game online with your friends on the PS4, then you will require a PlayStation Plus account. One of the features mentioned at the press conference under the PS Plus head was the ability to enjoy “immersive multiplayer online” gaming. Streaming services and single player games will not require PlayStation Plus access. You will still be able to log on to PSN but to avail the best features of PSN, you will require PlayStation Plus.
Gaikai streaming services coming to PS4 along with the PS3 in 2014
Remember backward compatibility along with the ability to stream games, which Sony spoke about at the February PS4 event? Well, the service won’t be one of the launch features for the console. The good news however is that when streaming launches in 2014, it will come to the PS4 along with the PS3.
The service will be available to gamers in the US only at launch. When the service launches, it will give PS4 users the ability to steam a limited library of PS3 games on the system. The details of the streaming service still need to be revealed.
The Vita isn’t dead
Ok, so the Vita hasn’t been getting the kind of traction that Sony wants it to get but that doesn’t mean that the platform is dead. At E3 2013, Sony announced that the Vita would be getting some pretty exciting content.
To start with, the Vita will receive bundle in August, which will come with complete Walking Dead game series, 400 Days, and other “bonus content.” FFX and X-2, God of War collection, Flower, and Dead Nation will make their appearance on the PS Vita soon. Other games slated for the PS Vita include Batman Arkham Origins, Destiny of Spirits, Doki-Doki Universe, Killzone Mercenary and Tearaway. There are 85 titles in the works for Sony’s hand held this year.
Games, games and some more games
Let us cut to the chase! E3 is all about gaming and Sony had a pretty impressive show for us. To start with, gamers can get an exclusive GTA V bundle for PS3 priced at $299. A Grand Theft Auto headset will also be in the box.
Batman Arkham Origins, which is set to hit store shelves in October, will have some exclusive skins for the PS3.
GT6 will also makes its way on the PS3 as well as the PS4. The game will have an all-new physics engine and of course the graphics of the game are expected to be awesome.
Beyond Two Souls: Next up we have the Willem Dafoe and Ellen Paige starrer, Beyond Two Souls. Sony showed off a trailer of the game. There was no gameplay demo. From what the trailer showed, the game looks quite impressive.
Rain: We also saw a trailer for a new IP called Rain. The trailer shows off a boy and his companion who are invisible and you can see their silhouette when they walk in the rain. You can enjoy a gameplay video of the game below.
The Order: The Order: 1886 introduces players to a unique vision of Victorian-Era London where Man uses advanced technology to battle a powerful and ancient foe. You can enjoy the trailer of the game below.
Knack: First shown off at the February PS4 event, Knack has an all-new trailer at E3 2013. You can enjoy the trailer below.
infamous Second Son: infamous Second Son is expected to hit the PS4 in Q1 of 2014. The game has a brand new trailer for us to enjoy at E3 2013.
Killzone: Shadow Fall: Killzone has established itself as a great FPS exclusive for the PS4. The game was one of the highlights at the PS$ event in February and we also have a new trailer of the game at E3 2013.
DriveClub:
Destiny: Bungie, the masterminds behind the Halo franchise are working on their first multiplatform game. The developer was present at Sony’s press conference to show off some gameplay footage of the game. You can have a glimpse of Destiny’s gameplay below.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag: Ubisoft also made an appearance at the Sony press conference and showed off some gameplay footage of the next instalment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Black Flag. You can enjoy the E3 2013 trailer of the game below.
Watch Dogs: Considered one of the most anticipated games of 2013, Watch Dogs will make an appearance on the current as well as next generation consoles. Put simply the game looks great and you can create some serious havoc with just your smartphone. Want to know how? Check out the E3 gameplay demo below.
Catch the complete Sony E3 2013 press conference
There are a lot of announcements that came out of the Sony press conference and we have tried to cover them all for you in this story. But if you would like to relive the Sony E3 2013 press conference, you can do so below.