What is there to get excited by Playstation 4?

[mandijames]

I'm a current PS3 owner and made the effort to get a 60GB PS3 because I want my PS3 to play all Playstation games. Rather than simply being wowed by graphics I like to have the biggest choice possible in games, with the PS3 already being pretty impressive and development times for the most modern, most complicated games being so great now the PS3 doesn't feel like its coming to the end of its life, it feels as if it could easily last 10-12 years. Only this year we will have GTA 5 for it which promising to be very impressive and immersive in graphics, what do we need a new console for?
The PS3's library of games isn't as comprehensive as PS2 for precisely the reason that PS3 games are much more graphics intensive and complicated in nature, the PS4 coming along can only reduce the choice in available games by shutting down the PS3 far too early.

The PS4, so is it worth it?

Having to buy a new console just to get a few new games they probably could have developed for the PS3 instead if it weren't for the "market" such as the new Uncharted and Final Fantasy, the PS4 just means the end of what is already a highly developed console for what is only an incremental bit of progress in gaming development, the PS3 was much more of a chasm leap from the PS2 in terms of technology as was the PS2 from the PS1.

Goodbye to your old games, not only is Sony planning to offer ZERO support for your PS3 library but it's also planning to be hostile to second hand games with the rumour that PS4 games might be tied to the Sony Entertainment Network online. Unsurprisingly the only access you'll get to PS2 and PS1 games will be that way too.

There's nothing that jumps out and "wows" you in terms of PS4's new features, a few of them sound nice enough but could have easily been applied to/added to the PS3. Streaming games to Vita, recording your last few minutes in gameplay, the eye movement in the controller with camera and microphone, these aren't quantum type leaps like the last time such as the Blu-Ray drive over DVD, the ability to use Wi-Fi for the first time and network gaming in the box, the PS4 is a victim I feel of the PS3 actually being so good, so good that the improvement over the PS2 was massive, it felt exciting to get a PS3 but I'm stopping there.

The PS4 will probably pack less features than that first PS3 60GB with the PS2 backwards compatibility, it'll probably have no SD card reader, it's rumoured not to be playing Audio CD's yet it has the same Blu-Ray drive, it's all about the graphics which I feel are already impressive on the PS3, the PS3 even offers 3D in games already and support for 3D Blu-Rays! The only thing the PS4 will do is bring it on par with PC gaming as it's improved, but big flippin' deal the key thing to making games fun is ideas and content. Nintendo isn't the front runner of graphics and their consoles are underpowered yet some of their games are indeed the most fun, surely Playstation must realise this too? If you keep changing consoles every 5 minutes and closing each library off, then you're not build up a lot of content are you?

[Pike]

Well that's a pretty intensive bot thread.

I'll leave it up in case we can squeeze some discussion out of it even though it will probably turn into arguing.

[Bolivar]

Well, it's something a lot of live people are pondering so I guess I'll jump in.

It's actually a good question. You got Ni No Kuni, God of War: Ascension, The Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, and now GT6 coming out on PS3 this year. That's a killer lineup, and buffered by the last few years, it does make upgrading from a PS3 a very tough sell. But more importantly, I feel like this generation still hasn't given us what we're entitled to as gamers. The PS3 hasn't had its "Dragon Quest VIII" or "Final Fantasy XII," those ridiculously epic in scope games you can play, explore, dissect, and critique for years to come. Maybe some feel Ni No Kuni did that? I don't know. But I feel like this generation started off an ambitious, a lot of games testing the waters for what was possible, but over time everybody just kind of scaled down the creativity and settled in the middle for action games with a few big set pieces here and there.

I'm only going to upgrade because I can afford it, and I really want to play the next games from Sucker Punch, Guerilla, and Evolution. I'm real excited to see what Naughty Dog and Santa Monica are working on at E3. I'm really interested in what the streaming infrastructure will bring, especially for the sharing features. Buffing up my profile with content is one of my favorite things to do on Steam, this looks to be taking it much further.

But no, I don't think upgrading to PS4 is that much of a necessity for most people, especially if you're not a fan of Sony's first party studios.

[Gzussaves]

Like always I will most likely wait a little bit before getting the PS4.... I give it a little time for the tweaks in the patches to be thrown out there and a decent catalog of games to be on it.

I do agree with Bolivar with the lack of epic rpg's... every other Sony console had countless rpg's that just drew you in while the PS3 had only enough that you could count on a hand or two. They had the NIS games which are very niche games to say the least, FF13 which took 3 parts for them to tell and took less time to do all the side stuff and complete the game than most other ff's, Ni No Kuni which was epic yes, but really I want more. I guess they though they had enough rpg's because of games like elder scrolls, kingdoms of amalur, and fallout...
I don't know though that is just my thought.. I love Sony but they need to step their games up... I will say they are grabbing me with beyond two souls though.. granted quantic dream is the tits

[Del Murder]

I'll definitely get one. From what I can tell, it will be a pretty sweet machine. Of course all that matters is that it has good games, but it will only take one big-ticket RPG from SE to get me on board.

[Pete for President]

Agreed, shinier explosions are no reason for me to get a PS4. When my ps3 broke down a couple months ago I actually made the decision to buy a new 320gb ps3 slim, along with playstation plus. Brilliant, new free games to play each month and enough space to leave all my games installed.

I don't need better graphics and that unfortunately always seems to hook the crowd. I want original gameplay, an engaging story and a deep experience. The only games that have truely given me that on ps3 are Deus Ex HR, Hitman Absolution and most of all: Dark Souls. Not that much eh? So I agree a new console isn't really what I want right now.

Dark Souls 2 is heading to ps3 late this year/early 2014 and that is all I care about right now. Sony won't get me hyped by showing shiny ps4 cinematic trailers.

[NeoCracker]

The biggest reasons I can see for a PS4 are Infamous: Second Son, and Suda51 saying he was excited about what he could do on this new system. And if you know me, you know I have a boner for Suda.

[Formalhaut]

Really the only draw for me to get a PS4 is the vain hope that Versus XIII is released on it as an exclusive PS4 release.

Besides that? Eh. For me the PS4 barely manages to attain 'next-gen' status.

[CimminyCricket]

So far none of the next gen consoles have me interested. I've been seeing the Wii2 around stores and I just go meh. When the Wii and PS3 and XBOX360 came out, I was losing my mind trying to get them. The PS4 not having backwards compatibility at all is a major no sell point for me.

[Gzussaves]

it not being backwards compatible doesn't mean anything to me. I keep all my systems so i have no need. On top of that the fact that it isn't means it is cheaper than if they had to put the hardware to make it backwards compatible. But then again that is just me

[Loony BoB]

It all comes down to how much money you have, how much you want to play a game and how long you want to wait for a larger game library. There might be other reasons, but that's the general gist of it for me. I'm sure I'll be buying one once a game I really want to play comes out exclusively for it, and I'm sure this will happen at some point. I might buy it earlier to try things out if I have the cash, but it's hard to say anything for certain.

Having a PS3 doesn't matter to me because I have the PS3... it's not like I'm going to be giving it up the moment I get a PS4.

[Old Manus]

What is there to get excited by Playstation 4?
Another few years of people arguing over which console is better

[Del Murder]

That excites you?

[Old Manus]

I haven't had sex in a long time

[DMKA]

I'm looking forward to InFamous: Second Son, Knack, Deep Down and whatever the new Final Fantasy is going to be for the PS4.

But I don't know that I'll buy one at launch. The PS3 still has several games I've been meaning to play but haven't, and it also has some upcoming titles I'm very much looking forward to; The Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. I know the latter two are getting PS4 releases as well but it certainly wouldn't stop me from playing the PS3 versions.

I think the PS4 is just bursting with potential and I'll definitely buy one. I just don't know when yet.

[Mirage]

I'll leave the excitement for when the system has some games on the shelves.

[Aulayna]

I'll likely be picking up both. I had a PSone and an N64. A PS2 and a Gamecube. A 360, PS3 and a Wii.

For me I'll likely pick one up and then the other will come later on after price reductions - the one I get first is going to be purely decided by which platform has the most enticing games library. Or, the unlikely event that Versus XIII gets released as a PS4 exclusive and is actually good!

But beyond that I don't really have any particular brand loyalty anymore. My PSone was my go too system with my N64 having a couple of gems I'd play from time to time. Same with the PS2 and Gamecube. I got the 360 first because it was cheaper and most of my friends had picked it up for Halo - which meant I built up more of a library for that until I got a second hand PS3 off of a colleague. The Wii basically spent the entire time collecting dust outside of SSBB, Zelda and Metroid.

Saying that I'm such a sucker for Nintendo that I'll probably get a Wii U just for Wind Waker HD and the new Smash Bros/Mario Kart.

But right now the games library is pretty much going to be the determining factor of which platform I'm an early adoptor of.

[Wolf Kanno]

Not much really, granted the system has just been announced and everyone knows you won't get a real feel for a system until a few years into its life cycle. I agree with Bolivar that I don't feel this current console generation has really given us those high marks that define them. Perhaps the Wii has with its Operation Rainfall titles, but I definitely feel that the PS3 and 360 have underperformed this generation and I'm still waiting for that game that makes me say to myself " Damn, I'm happy I purchased you!". This whole generation feels like some awkward teen years where gaming experimented with Motion controls, and really tried to sell online gaming and digital distribution. I feel this generation has been more about how gamers interact with gaming rather than the games themselves, and more than previous generations, do I feel the hardware was more important than the software.

The Wii U has the new Xeno game to be excited for, but there is still so little known about it that its not enough to make me consider picking up the console, and cosidering its track record, this console is looking at being a late buy just to play one game after both have finally been priced cut into bargain bins. Hell, only recently has the 3DS finally managed to confer up a library of games that make it look like a good purchase, and I am still disappointed that many of those games are remakes and ports. The Vita has yet to really impress me and will probably fall into the same camp as the WiiU at this pace.

I haven't really paid much attention to what the PS4 and XBOX One are offering to see why Microsoft and Sony can justify their pending price tags for them, and I'm still hesitant about the idea of moving gaming into the streaming business or Cloud. Hopefully E3 will shed some light on reasons to be excited for them, but I can honestly say that I feel the Big 3 all need to step up their game this console generation because this last one was pretty disappointing from all three of them.

[NeoCracker]

I don't know, I think there was a lot of great stuff this gen. We saw Record of the Agarest War, the Rainfall games (Only one I've played), Heavy Rain, Valkyria Chronicles, No More Heroes, there was a lot of great stuff.

This generation only really suffers for having to follow up to the glory that was the PS2. And if you count Handhelds in all of this, which fuck you I do, Shin megami has released some stuff that is absolutely amazing. Look no further then the two Devil Survivors.

PSP, while offering crap for original games, gave us some amazing updates to games like FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre. I think this Gen was very good. :p

That said, the coming genration has me excited. We have Suda51 excited about the PS4, Infamous: The Second Son to kick us off, Project X from the Xeno team, an inevitable announcement of P5, and Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensai. XBox 1 may seem like a bust thus far (It could change, we'll see), but the next gen has my pants tingling just fine.

[Bolivar]

Yeah dude don't get me wrong I could go on and on about the great games I played this gen and serious props to Sony for all the new IPs and franchises they invented, as well as indies and publishers they funded to bring awesome content like thatgamecompany, From Software, and Level 5. It's just for me, gaming doesn't get any better than a huge epic console RPG and we just never got it. Valkyria and Demon's Souls were both shining classics of innovation, but like I said, we never got that Final Fantasy IX type of game. I heard Nino Kuni may fill that gap, we'll see...

[NeoCracker]

Yeah, it doesn't. At all.

I think the critics were way to easy on that game, though I can understand why people enjoy it. Just don't get your hopes up to high. :p

[Del Murder]

This generation gave us the Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, and Arkham series which were pretty badass imo. I mean, the two Arkham games were the best licensed games of all time. That's pretty special. And then there was also the almost perfect Red Dead Redemption and special games that broke new ground like The Walking Dead or Journey. Or were you just talking about JRPGs?

And of course 'great games' for a generation is entirely subjective. ;)

[Wolf Kanno]

Its not that there were no great games this generation, as much as it was the feeling that in order to really get your money's worth, you better have all the consoles and a Steam account. I mean the Rainfall titles and Atlus handheld RPGs filled that RPG itch but that was all they were really good for, whereas I needed other consoles to fill other needs. Basically, no system really had a solid lineup to fulfill me, whereas previous generations I can honestly look at what other consoles were doing and feel pretty content with what I had. I don't necessarily feel like I missed much not owning a Gamecube, an X-Box, or a N64 but this generation I really needed to own most of the systems to quench that gaming thirst and damn it if it wasn't expensive and sad that I was buying $200 dollar systems for maybe ten games that were really great and all that's left is a library that leaves me utterly cold.

I also count the DS and PSP as last gen since they arrived in the middle of the last generation, though trying to fit handheld generations with console generations is just a headache.

As for what's around the horizon... well I'm stoked for the new Xeno project but I need more info, the rumors it may be closer to Monster Hunter than Xenoblade have me worried and trying to shove an online co-op mode like White Knight Chronicles will be enough to make me give the game a pass. I would be more psyched for MegaTen Vs. Fire Emblem if I was more of a Fire Emblem fan (haven't had time to really check out the series though my GF is in love with it) and I honestly believe P5 is going to wind up on the Vita or 3DS. I wouldn't be surprised if Atlus dropped in-house console development for their games to focus on handhelds, and simply acted as a publisher for console titles. I never really cared for InFamous and there are very few exclusive titles announced for the new systems that have me getting me drooling yet. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, I just don't feel like the new consoles have enough going for them yet to make me really excited, especially since I don't really feel like I got my money's worth this generation. I'm still waiting for two of the PS3 exclusives promised before the system was released.

[champagne supernova]

I think that there were some games with a serious 'wow' factor. Mass Effect immediately springs to mind. So does Metal Gear Solid. And God of War. And then there were great western RPGs in the shape of The Elder Scrolls and Kingdom of Amalur (which I loved).

I'm also getting excited for the end of this current generation. GT6 and GTA5 look like they are going to be amazing.

But I am also equally excited for the next generation. Hopefully, and some people may dislike me for saying this, Versus XIII is launched on it so it can get the full potential that it deserves. Imagine combining a world map the scope of Skyrim or Kingdom of Amalur and merging it with the graphical detail that comes with a Final Fantasy game. That level of immersion has got to be exciting.

So yeah, I will get a PS4, mainly because I find Sony's exclusives are more my kind of thing, and I'll get it when I feel that there is an exceptional game, or several very good games, that merit the outlay.

[Bolivar]

^ Yep. While I do feel like current gen "owes me more," I can't say I didn't get my money's worth. This was the generation to expand your horizons, and there were a lot of reasons to do so. Going into this generation, I never thought I would be into a console shooter like Killzone, a superhero game like inFamous, or an off-road racing series like Motorstorm. And then we were playing games in genres that didn't really exist yet, like Heavy Rain, and the online/offline rivalry of Demon's Souls.

So to bring this back to the topic, one thing I'm excited about is that we're getting new games from Guerilla, Sucker Punch, and Evolution at launch which should be pretty compelling experiences. I'm hoping we get a few more at E3 :D

[black orb]

>>> I`ll care about PS4 in like.... 5 more years..:luca:

[Dat Matt]

So far none of the next gen consoles have me interested. I've been seeing the Wii2 around stores and I just go meh. When the Wii and PS3 and XBOX360 came out, I was losing my mind trying to get them. The PS4 not having backwards compatibility at all is a major no sell point for me.

Personally, I don't find an issue with consoles not being backwards compatible. The consoles I have now still complete their purpose, and paying extra for a console with backwards compatibility isn't something I feel getting up in arms about. Both my PS2 and PS3 are still under my TV and both are played frequently enough.

On a side note, if backwards compatibility is a selling point for you this generation, Wii U is the only one that has that function.

[Formalhaut]

So far none of the next gen consoles have me interested. I've been seeing the Wii2 around stores and I just go meh. When the Wii and PS3 and XBOX360 came out, I was losing my mind trying to get them. The PS4 not having backwards compatibility at all is a major no sell point for me.

Personally, I don't find an issue with consoles not being backwards compatible. The consoles I have now still complete their purpose, and paying extra for a console with backwards compatibility isn't something I feel getting up in arms about. Both my PS2 and PS3 are still under my TV and both are played frequently enough.

On a side note, if backwards compatibility is a selling point for you this generation, Wii U is the only one that has that function.

It only becomes a problem if your PS2 breaks. The virtual store does serve a purpose, but then you're essentially paying twice for a game.

[champagne supernova]

And then we were playing games in genres that didn't really exist yet, like Heavy Rain

Forgot how cool that one was. Not that I played it more than once. Bit of a novelty game admittedly, but one pretty awesome novelty.

[Bolivar]

And then we were playing games in genres that didn't really exist yet, like Heavy Rain

Forgot how cool that one was. Not that I played it more than once. Bit of a novelty game admittedly, but one pretty awesome novelty.

Yeah I'm interested in what they do with Beyond, don't really know much about it.