PlayStation 4 Thoughts
The Playstation 4 is out and gamers everywhere are flocking to stores to hopefully get their hands on the elusive gaming device. Priced at $399 and sporting a DualShock 4 controller, a month of PlayStation Plus, and a $10 credit for the PlayStation Store. The question that everyone is looming over is whether the PS4 is a smart buy or should they wait till the console sheds its hefty price tag. However, compared to the Xbox One the PS4 seems like a smart buy. The Xbox One is priced higher and has had a lot of bad press. The PS4 has sold over 1 million units in the first 24 hours, while the Xbox One has reported more sales in the first day.
The design of the PS4 may seem a little blocky and look large, but compared to other Playstation’s it looks very sleek. While a console design rarely influences buyers the PS4 looks amazing on a media shelf next to other DVRs. The console has to sit horizontally, which can take up a lot of room in an already cramped media shelf. It’s one of the thinnest consoles, even smaller then the Wii U. Sony decided to build a power source into the console instead of having a power brick taking up space on the floor. The PS4 does not support external hard drives right now but Sony has said they would roll out support for external hard drives. The Playstation is known to have games that take up a lot of space some up to 60GB, which means after a few games on the console it could become full.
Beyond the new style, improved graphics, new features, and all the new games coming soon the biggest change to the console is new Dual Shock 4. Sony has finally put a speaker in the console, but the speaker is not very loud and cannot be heard sometime. The controller is arguably the best controller Sony or any gaming company has ever produced. The start and select buttons are replaced with share and options button. The Sharing button is Sony moving towards the constant sharing culture within gaming. The sites like Twitch could capitalize on these features and allow anyone to stream their games effortlessly.
Sony is also moving their online gameplay towards a paid version, which Microsoft been doing for years. The subscription packages can run you a least $50 a year, which is just a little less than Xbox Live. Playstation Plus gets you into multiplayer games, beta access, online saves, auto system updates and major discounts on games and media. The Playstation 4 is pushing the limits of sharing, gaming, and media consumption. The amount of things you can do with friends during playing are almost limitless now, and provide a more social experience during gaming. The new console has a whole new interface, that’s much more user friendly.
Sony’s tagline for the PlayStation 4’s marketing and release has been “Greatness Awaits.” The commercials for the PS4 have highlighted what fun you can have with friends all the while playing games together.The tagline hits the spot and for once a marketing campaign hits the nail with their marketing. The hardcore gamers will love the device, with the amazing graphics and exclusive games. The everyday consumer will be impressed with the sharing features, improved user design, and graphics will draw users to the console.