The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is the latest home video game console from Sony Computer Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 during a press conference on 20 February 2013, it was launched on 15 November 2013 in North America, and 29 November 2013 in Europe and Australia. The PS4 places an increased emphasis on social interaction and integration with other devices and services, including the ability to play games off-console on PlayStation Vita and other supported devices (“Remote Play”), the ability to stream gameplay online or to friends, with them controlling gameplay remotely (“Share Play”).
The console also enables users to record and share “captures” of their gameplay through the PlayStation 4’s social features. The PS4’s controller, the DualShock 4, has several new features compared to its predecessors, such as a highly sensitive six-axis sensor, as well as an integrated touchpad among other changes. The PlayStation 4’s main competitor in home console market is Microsoft’s Xbox One.
Specifications
The PlayStation 4 console was unveiled in 2013 at the Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Asia conference in Singapore. The system specifications were released on 17 June 2013.
The PlayStation 4 uses an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) developed by AMD in cooperation with Sony. The APU is a semi-custom 28nm quad-core processor with x86 based cores and integrated graphics processing unit (GPU). The CPU contains two quad-core modules totaling 8 x86-64 cores. The GPU contains 18 compute units based on the GCN architecture, totaling 1152 stream processors. The system has 8 GB of unified system memory, GDDR5 with 176 GB/s bandwidth.
The PlayStation 4 features a 500GB hard drive for storing games and other data, as well as a built-in Blu-ray Disc drive for playing Blu-ray Discs. The system has 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth 2.1 support. The console also features USB 3.0 ports, auxiliary ports, and an HDMI 1.4 output. The PlayStation 4 measures 275mm x 53mm x 305mm (width x height x depth) and weighs 2.8kg.
History
Pre-announcement
Prior to the official announcement, there had been numerous rumors and reports surrounding the PlayStation 4 console. In February 2012, VGLeaks acquired what it claimed was a detailed specifications sheet of the PlayStation 4, codenamed “Orbis”. The document indicated that the console would feature an AMD processor with eight CPU cores and a custom version of their Radeon HD 7000 series GPU.
On 7 March 2013, Sony released the first official details of the PlayStation 4 in a press release. They confirmed that the system would indeed be using an AMD processor with “eight x86-64 cores” as well as an AMD next-generation Radeon based graphics engine. The press release also revealed that the system would include 8 GB of unified system memory, GDDR5 with 176 GB/s bandwidth, a built-in Blu-ray Disc drive, and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity. Sony also stated that the PlayStation 4 would feature “suspend mode” which would allow users to put the system into a low power state without having to fully shut it down.
On 20 February 2013, Sony announced the PlayStation 4 during a press conference at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The console was unveiled as the successor to the PlayStation 3, and it was revealed that it would be released in North America on 15 November 2013, and in Europe and Australia on 29 November 2013. The event also featured a number of game demonstrations, including live gameplay of Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall.
Launch
The PlayStation 4 was released in North America on 15 November 2013, and in Europe and Australia on 29 November 2013. The console was launched with a lineup of 22 games, including Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall, and Resogun. In North America, the PlayStation 4 was initially available for purchase at a retail price of $399.99 USD. In Europe, the console was initially available for €399.99 EUR in Germany, £349.99 GBP in the United Kingdom, and AU$549.95 AUD in Australia. The PlayStation 4 sold one million units in its first 24 hours of availability in North America, making it Sony’s fastest-selling console ever in that region.
