What Next for the PlayStation 4?

Category: Playstation Published on Thursday, 15 January 2015 Written by Long

The Playstation 4 hasn’t been out for that long and gamers are already wondering what will come next on the platform. While the usual answer to this is “wait and see,” there were some significant changes to PS4 that set it apart from earlier generations and also give a hint as to where Sony is going to be taking the console. Looking more closely at what makes PS4 different from early generations will show you an idea of where it just might be heading in the future.

See why the Xbox One is our choice

On the surface it doesn’t look like there is much of a difference between the PS3 and PS4. They both share the same tower design and base controller. Many of the games offered on the PS3 extend over to the PS4 which leaves many people to wonder what exactly changed. The answer to that lies inside the tower case. Inside the PS4 there is a lot that has been rearranged and replaced compared to the PS3.

More Power, More Memory and Better Graphics

PS4 features more power, more memory and a better graphics accelerator than was used in other versions. The hard drive is larger and the Sony single chip processor used was designed specifically for this generation to harness the combined support of these resources for the best gaming experience possible.

More Options, Less Distractions

Sony also built the Playstation 4 with more connection options. Whether you are wiring in with an Ethernet system or using an A/V or I/O cable you are covered. They expanded the ports to allow for full HDMI, digital optical and even Bluetooth pairing. They did away with the support for third party accessories and controllers, the only exception being for third party headsets. There are two potential reasons for this move from Sony. For one; doing away with supporting 3rd party devices and accessories means that they were able to create more room on the boards to upgrade the engineering of the PS4 system. The second is less obvious.

What All this May Mean

Sony also signed deals with a multitude of independent content developers that are now creating games solely for PS4; games that can no longer be played with third party steering controllers or combat joysticks. While this does hone the gaming experience down to a fine point that many people enjoy, it may also signal a longer term view of the development of the Playstation line.

If PlayStation is ceasing to support 3rd party accessories, but still offering the games they were commonly used for and commissioning more similar games – chances are there is an upcoming line of Playstation 4 specific accessories to be released. This would mean specialized controllers that are suitable for driving and shooting games that are made by the company making the system so there is sure to be compatibility and better game functionality overall. Playstation 4 seems to mark the coming of age of Sony as the source for serious gamers.