In a stunning turn of events, it now seems as though the PS4 might be coming our way much sooner than anyone expected. According to some, we might be seeing the PS4 officially unveiled sometime in February (2013) while others claim to have inside information clearly stating that the next PlayStation console will be hitting store shelves in less than 10 months! These seemingly wild rumors seem to be confirmed be virtue of the fact that a large number of key individuals have recently received invitations to an event called “destination PlayStation 2013” (whereby representatives and attendees are going to get a “first look at what’s coming to retail in 2013”).
There are also a number of other rumors circulating about the PS4 which cover everything from how much supposed RAM the console will utilize to how the games are going to look. At any rate, if the rumors of 4GB of RAM or more are true, then it is likely that the PS4 will be at least 5 times more powerful than the PS3.
One of the most obvious rumors out there is the confusion over the official name of the console itself. Many insiders are adamant about the fact that it is highly unlikely that Sony is going to officially brand the console as the PS4, instead many have pointed out its codename “Orbis” as a more likely moniker.
PS3 fans might soon find themselves disappointed when the PS4 release date and information drops if the rumor about backwards compatibility is true. Basically, the rumor mill has it that there will be absolutely no support for PS3 games with regards to the new console. For many dedicated Sony and PlayStation devotees, this news is perhaps more than just a little bit disheartening. Still though, as long as you have a PS3 on hand to pick up the slack, perhaps it could be labeled as a minor concern.
Similarly, it has been said that it is very possible that all games for the PS4 might need to be registered to specific accounts. In other words, if this rumor is true, pre-owned games will no longer work or they may only possess limited functionality. Word has it that if this rumor is true then something similar to online passes would need to be purchased in order to unlock complete functionality of a pre-owned game. Certainly most PlayStation fans are gawking at this proposal, it seems like a cheap attempt at trying to get people to pay full price for used games; let’s hope it isn’t true.
Although it shouldn’t be entirely labeled as a rumor, word has it that the PS4 might be the first Sony console to take advantage of Cloud capabilities. Regardless of whether or not the PS4 will be the first unit to integrate cloud gaming, rest assured, the technology is on the way, this has been established as fact. The question is, will this next console release feature cloud gaming features or will that distinction fall to the next one?
One of the more startling rumors has it that PS4 gamers might be “treated” to in-game advertisements. That’s right; rumors are flying about stating that Sony is actually considering interrupting gameplay so that advertisers can take a swipe at consumers. Naturally, this is probably one of the more highly speculative rumors out there, but it should be noted that advertising is usually used to offset high development costs and it’s widely known that this latest PS4 venture hasn’t exactly been ‘cheap’.
Cost is always a factor, and there are a number of rumors floating around that have priced the PS4 in the £400-£500 range. For example, the PS3 was released with a price tag of £425, so it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see anything lower than that being implemented for a PS4 release, especially given the rather high development costs of the console.
If you’re looking for tantalizing rumors that are mostly true you should be happy to note that it appears that many next-generation game development projects are clearly underway. This rumor was substantiated by gleaning information from game developers and companies who inadvertently confirmed that development kits for the next Sony console had been received.
Until we get official word from Sony about the specifics, expect to see a boundless stream of rumors spewing forth. All signs seem to be pointing toward an impending official statement however, so we might not have to wait that long.
This post didnt have a specific author and was published by PS4 Home.