NGN Predicts the PlayStation 4/Orbis Announcement

The next generation is upon us…

By now, everyone’s seen it (if not, here’s a link: Feb 20th 2013-PS4 Teaser). The gaming industry gasped in unison at a 45-second trailer that seemingly came out of nowhere, and with it, the next generation is now upon us. Without question, February 20th is the day Sony will unveil its next PlayStation console, and three of New Gamer Nation’s editors have come together to predict and try to make sense of what’s going to happen. Will it be limited to the PS4? What about the Vita? Will we see games, price, specs, controller? Here’s our take.

I’m as giddy as a school girl for February 20th. This has been the longest console generation we’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t really seem like it. Beautiful games are still being released, but I think it’s time for new tech, and the home console business is in desperate need of the boost that the next generation will provide. Here are my thoughts on what we will, and won’t see at the PlayStation presser.

• The presser will be nearly an hour long. They wouldn’t be flying in industry folk from around the globe for a simple 30-minute conference.  It will be called the PS4, not the Orbis.
• Price will not be announced, and only a release window will be given. My feeling is that they will say holiday 2013.
• Short of a full connectivity announcement with the PS4 (crossing fingers for that one), the PlayStation Vita will not be talked about whatsoever.
• I’m hesitant to say that the controller will be shown, as they won’t want to split the discussion from the hardware, but I think they will show a slightly redesigned Dual Shock featuring a detachable touch screen of sorts.
• A sizzle reel will be shown, but more importantly, specific exclusives will be announced and teased at the event. Killzone 4 and Media Molecule‘s new game have already leaked, but I believe we will see what Naughty Dog is working on as well.
• The Last Guardian will be announced as a PlayStation 4 launch window title. Finally!
• Going out on a limb for this one, but Square will announce that Final Fantasy Versus XIII is now Final Fantasy XV and is being developed exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
• No specific details will be discussed in terms of online plans, redesigned XMB layouts, etc.
• I will faint once during this conference from excitement.

All in all, I’m hoping for more than a few surprises out of this one. Sony has scored a major public relations coup here and the ball is in their court. Don’t mess it up!

I have been a PlayStation fan since the PS2 days, so I have a soft spot for anything Sony. I am very excited for the new announcement; I just hope that it lives up to the hype and expectation surrounding the console. Sony is determined to not let Microsoft get the jump on them like they did with the Xbox 360, but I hope it isn’t a decision they will come to regret. Here is how I see things going down:

• The event will be over an hour long. They are going to talk all about the console, and it will be called the PS4. Orbis is just the project name.
• I think they will give a window for Holiday 2013 / Q1 2014. No price will be given; instead, we will be told it will be competitively priced. Expect $400, more or less.
• The PS4 will be fully compatible with the Vita, just as it works with the PS3 now.
• I say the controller will be detailed; maybe not shown, but definitely featured. I see the controller working like the WiiU does, further pushing Nintendo back to the Stone Age.
• They have to announce some games to go along with the console. I doubt we’ll see gameplay or screenshots, but we will get some titles expected on the console. Look for Killzone 4, LBP 3, and Uncharted 4 to lead the way in first-party support. Look for the next Assassin’s Creed, Yakuza, and Final Fantasy Versus XIII for 3rd-party support.
• Look for an XMB overhaul. I’d even say you’ll see some version of LiveArea outfitted for the console. Every console has different operating systems, and I wouldn’t expect the XMB to exist as is.
• I believe the console will not require a constant internet connection or restrict used game access. There are lots of people without regular internet access, and restricting used games would cause resentment among their fans. This would create problems for them, and I can’t see Sony taking that risk when they are in a position to overtake Microsoft’s Xbox in popularity.

Sony finally got the jump, and they are ready to take the world by storm. Hopefully, they realize where they are now and the potential they have to lead the video game industry once again.

I’m interested to really see what this is, because if it’s not the next PlayStation, people will undoubtedly be very disappointed. I’ve been a PlayStation fan as long as there’s been a PlayStation, and I’ve seen them do a lot of good things, but also some things that just make me scratch my head. I think there’s just too much hype for it not to be the next console, and that Sony has finally learned to steal the show. As a personal note, it’s six days before my birthday, so I’ll just consider this a little “early birthday present” from them.

• I think at some point, we’ll see a video production similar to what Nintendo had at their E3 conference when they officially announced the WiiU. I think we’ll see what they expect the console to do and the usual features of movies/shows.
• Within that package, they might show off a revamped XMB and/or a revamped online system, including a new browser.
• I don’t think we’ll see any specific games titled, but I think we see some major developers say something to the extent of “We’re excited to work on (development company’s name)’s next title for the PlayStation“, even if it’s not an exclusive title.
• I doubt we get any specs, price, or official launch date; I’m thinking more of a launch window for the console itself. Something to the extent of “Holiday 2013″.
• I think we’ll see the controller and its expected functions. Maybe some motion tracking similar to the PlayStation 3’s Six Axis Controller.
• There could be a slight possibility of Move 2.0, but it may have more to do with a better camera than the weird looking controllers with the bulb.
• I think the Vita will be featured as an extra controller type, similar to how they showcased it with LittleBigPlanet. I think it will be an extra option for an “enhanced experience”, but not mandatory.
• I think this presentation will last somewhere between a half-hour and an hour. I don’t see it going toward the hour-long mark, unless they really get into details of the console; I don’t think they’re ready for that just yet.

Sony has my attention ready for the 20th. They seem ready to fire the first salvo in the new console wars, but maybe they will hold back a little and save up for E3 to really show what the next console can do. But if this is a Wonderbook demo, I’m going to shoot my laptop.

As an Xbox 360 owner prepared to make the leap back to Sony, I feel a unique “Okay, impress me” mentality. The thing is, I have no idea exactly what will impress me with the next generation. There are so many rumors and ideas floating out in the ether, and the thought of not knowing what’s next makes the anticipation that much more palpable. I can’t believe every rumor I’ve read, but I have determined what I’d like to see.

• I believe the presser will be an hour to 90 minutes. A separate, specific event in New York wouldn’t seem necessary without a real banger of a showcase.
• We do see a price. Sony remembers the 2006 memes better than anyone and price is one of the key scars from that public backlash. Kaz will announce the price, and I’m thinking two SKUs will be available at 399 and 449 US dollars.
• The Vita is one of the bigger mysteries looming over the February 20^th event. Many members of the video game press have acknowledged the potential of the Wii U model incorporating an off-TV screen, a feature the Vita is in perfect position to make a reality for Playstation 4 owners. One hopes Sony capitalizes on this opportunity to make save transfers and off-TV play a standard component of the new console. This possibility can be helped greatly with a PS4 + Vita bundle this holiday season, but I’m not yet convinced Sony will pull the trigger on that front.
• While the prototype has been linked at the time of my specific addition to this piece, the touch pad and PS Move additions to the controller will be optional. A DS4 resembling (if not identical to) the DS3 will also be available as a cheaper alternative, I speculate.
• There will be a highlight / sizzle reel of some big first party games from studios that have been incredibly silent. Sony’s going to bust out some big guns, and I think the console launches with Killzone 4 and a new Motorstorm, with Gran Turismo 6 to follow within a year.
• Sony will stick with the XMB, but add the fans’ most-desired features such as cross-game chat and invitations.  Minor tweaks and improvements will be made to enhance the subtlety of understanding a pleasant user experience (we hope).
• While these are all rather safe predictions, I will throw in a bold prediction and say either Jak and Daxter, Crash Bandicoot, or Parapa the Rapper will make a return with a new game to be released either at launch or within a year of the console’s launch as a bit of service to our fond memories of the Playstation’s lifecycle.

This is an incredible time to be a gamer following the industry, and judging by how well Sony has created hype and momentum for this reveal, you have to think they’re ready to really hit a home run with this announcement. I’m ready to witness.

A mock up, but could this be it?

There you have it folks. Three different takes on what February 20th 2013 will bring for the future of PlayStation. What do you think? Leave your predictions and thoughts below.