GR Roundup: Everything (We Think) We Know About The PS4 [Updated]

We're just days away from PlayStation Meeting 2013, and the anticipation for the PS4 is at an all-time high. Rumors regarding Sony's still unannounced gaming console have been flying around the web for quite a while now, so we here at GameRevolution have taken the time to compile all of the essential reports that have been tossed about over the past several weeks.

Let's get right into it, shall we?

The Controller

[Update]: Kotaku has posted two new images of the controller, which can be seen below.

Finally, a look at the triggers. Sadly, they don't curve quite the like Xbox 360's game pad does, which I find a bit disappointing. What do you think of them? Let us know in the comments below.

This past week, no topic has been quite as hot as Sony's next-gen controller. After reports that Sony was planning to drop the DualShock design with the PS4 and improve the handset with redesigned triggers, a leaked image of what is reportedly a prototype of the actual controller put all our guessing to rest. After picking apart the image, along with a second one from a different angle, it became readily clear that these controllers won't be cheap to produce.

With what appears to be a touchscreen in the center of the unit along with a glowing Move-like light at the top, Sony's new alleged rendition of the DualShock has a whole bunch of new features. The analog sticks, while still parallel with one another at the bottom, have been redesigned, and the d-pad has been altered slightly as well. The controller itself appears to be a bit chunkier than a traditional DualShock, which may be a response to gamers' love for the form factor of the Xbox 360's control pad. Oh yeah, and there's a headphone jack on the bottom in case you were interested.

The Games

[Update]: There's talk that Sony Santa Monica may have something to show, and EA may very well be at the event to blow the lid off of Battlefield 4.

Let's face it, you can have the most powerful gaming platform in the world, but if you don't have any quality software for it, no one will want it. As such, Sony better have some killer launch games ready to go with the release of the PS4. Rumor has it that Killzone 4 be a launch title and will be available by year's end. It certainly would make sense for Sony to have a super-gorgeous FPS to show off their new hardware right out of the gate, and there's no doubt that Guerrilla Games is up to the task.

Word also has it that Sony has entrusted Sumo Digital to work on LittleBigPlanet 3. This certainly seems probable, especially when considering how important the franchise is to the PlayStation brand, despite the fact that Media Molecule wants to move on to other projects. Sackboy is quickly becoming Sony's cutesy mascot, so a new entry for PS4 seems like a given at this point. 

But the fun doesn't end there, as yet another rumor reports that the guys over at Evolution Studios are gearing up for a new racing game to launch alongside the PlayStation 4. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that they're probably make a new Motorstorm game. Anyone want to take that bet? Didn't think so.

The Price/Release Date

[Update]: A new report suggests that the console will launch this November, and bear two different price tags. One SKU will apparently run you $429, while the other is another hundred bucks more at $529. Seems a little pricey to me, but I'll let you be the judge in the comments below.

Two of the biggest questions on every gamer's mind revolve around the console's release details: When is it coming out? And how much will it cost? According to The Wall Street Journal, Sony's next-gen gaming machine will be out by year's end, which is I'm sure what most of you have been expecting anyway. It would be foolish for Sony to give Microsoft any sort of major head start again, so a holiday 2013 release looks quite probable at this point.

As far as price is concerned, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun believes that the PlayStation 4 will cost around ¥40,000, which equates to a price tag somewhere in the $400 range. Again, one would think Sony has learned their lesson from the disastrous PS3 launch that was plagued by super-expensive hardware, so a price tag well under $600 is to be expected.

The Hardware/Features

[Update]: Apparently, the PS4 will be able to connect to a wide array of other devices including smartphones, tables, PCs, and the like. This added functionality will allegedly help push Sony's social efforts forward, allowing for more ways to chat and engage with the PlayStation community. But it doesn't end there, as Gaikai has reportedly registered trademarks for PlayStation Cloud, which at this point sort of speaks for itself. Be sure to speculate on all this and more in the comments below.

Now for the last piece of the puzzle: the console itself. According to alleged leaked dev kit specs, the PlayStation 4 will include the following:

• System Memory: 8GB
• Video Memory: 2.2 GB
• CPU: 4x Dual-Core AMD64 "Bulldozer" (so, 8x cores)
• GPU: AMD R10xx
• Ports: 4x USB 3.0, 2x Ethernet
• Drive: Blu-Ray
• HDD: 160GB
• Audio Output: HDMI & Optical, 2.0, 5.1 & 7.1 channels

What's perhaps even more fascinating is what Sony plans to do in the cloud-gaming space. After acquiring Gaikai last year, it is rumored that the PlayStation manufacturer plans to include PS3 streaming support on the PlayStation 4. This opens up a wide array of possibilities, especially when considering how the functionality could be applied to the Vita as well. Perhaps this is Sony's master workaround for backwards compatibility? [If so, hopefully there's a way to transfer PS3 saves. ~Ed. Nick] There's also been talk of the PS4 bringing new social features into the fray à la Nintendo's Miiverse, but to what extent remains unclear.