The gaming world is about to enter a whole new frontier with the announcement of the Sony PS4 console set for release later this year. Its slick design was unveiled at Sony’s E3 press conference in June, coupled with promises that the console “focuses on the gamer” rather than branching out into a home entertainment system.
From casual to hardcore gamers, the PS4 has numerous new features to excite its users. Here are five top features to really whet the appetite.
1. Headphone port on controller
It may only seem like a small feature, but a headphone jack on the controller means you can still experience the full force of screeching engines and explosions without worrying about making too much noise.
2. Share
The “Share” button on the controller could prove to be Sony’s most innovative feature for the PS4, as it acts as a quick and easy way to upload videos of your gameplay. Instead of describing to a friend about what you did in a game, and how you did it, this addition makes it easier to show them, and vice-versa.
3. Party chats
Sony have completely enhanced the social aspect of their console with the ability to create party groups with friends online. In fact, the whole interface has been re-designed, so things like achievements and recent activity are all in the hub, just like a social network profile.
4. Game development
When Sony claimed this console focused on the gamer, they meant it, and they’ve made a concerted effort to make life easier for developers creating their games, after the PS3 got a reputation as a cumbersome console. This means developers have greater scope to push boundaries for exciting, innovative games, as described by Stewart Gilray, the CEO at Just Add Water: “It’s incredibly easy to develop for and extremely powerful. So far we’re blown away by what we’ve managed to achieve with the hardware. Currently our imaginations are running away with themselves.”
5. Exclusive titles
The most important thing, however, is the games themselves, and there are numerous new, highly-anticipated releases that will only be available only on the PS4 platform, meaning that if you’re a fan of the Killzone series, Gran Turismo and Infamous, you’ll be treated to the hot new releases later this year.