Game Creators Provide Sneak Peek into Play Experiences That Will Define
PlayStation 4 And the Unprecedented Power, Deep Social Capabilities, and Instant
Accessibility Offered by the Next-Generation Platform
New York, NY - Feb. 20, 2013 - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today
introduced PlayStation 4 (PS4), its next-generation gaming platform for the
home, alongside the videogame industry's brightest and most creative minds at
PlayStation Meeting 2013. With unprecedented power, deep social capabilities,
and instant accessibility, PS4 allows game creators to unleash their
imaginations and deliver new play experiences to gamers that were never before
possible. The live audience at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, along with
millions of fans streaming the event around the world, were also provided with a
sneak peek of some of the games that will ultimately define the PS4 experience.
Andrew House, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
officially announced PS4 and presented the broader vision for PlayStation
evolving from a console in the living room into the best place to play wherever
gamers are: "Our vision for the future is consumer-centric, developer-inspired,
and characterized by an unwavering commitment to phenomenal play experiences,"
House remarked. "Today we are revealing the genesis of an expanding 'idea' about
the future of play ? an idea with enough potential to satisfy the insatiable
appetites of our creative community of developers and gamers."
Acclaimed game designer and industry veteran Mark Cerny then took the stage to
discuss PS4 in more detail, including the powerful system components that will
give developers the canvas to fully express their creative ideas and deliver
more immersive gaming that transcends today's expectations. Cerny, the lead
system architect for PS4, also talked about the five key principles guiding the
design of the consumer experience that will surround all games: simple,
immediate, social, integrated, and personalized.
"We wanted to ensure that nothing would come between the platform and the joy of
play," Cerny said. "We also wanted to be sure that the system architecture could
fluidly connect the player to a larger world of experiences, and provide easy
access to everything PlayStation has to offer ? across the console and mobile
spaces, and PlayStation Network. And we were able to create, in PS4, a platform
by game creators for game creators."
David Perry, noted developer and CEO of Gaikai Inc., which joined SCE group last
year, announced the ambitions for PlayStation Network and how PS4 will leverage
Gaikai's cloud technology to deliver a sea change in how consumers discover,
access, share and enjoy games. Whether that's connecting PSN more deeply into
social networks or broadcasting the game a user is playing in real time or
getting help from friends in new ways, the gaming experience on PS4 is rooted in
social interaction. Perry also discussed the company's goal to make free
exploration possible for various games, a concept he described as, "Try it for
free, share it if you like it, only pay for games you fall in love with."
PS4 integrates second screens, including PS Vita, smartphones and tablets, to
wrap gamers in their favorite content wherever they are. SCE's long-term goal is
to make almost every PS4 title playable on PS Vita by using Remote Play over
Wi-Fi networks. "PS Vita is the ultimate companion device for PS4, enabling
gamers to pull their games from their beautiful HDTVs to PS Vita's beautiful
5-inch screen," Perry noted.
The spotlight moved toward some of the most creative individuals in the
development and publishing community, highlighting how PS4 brings a new synergy
between hardware and software to enable new emotional states of play never
before possible. "The future of PlayStation is about great games ? inspiring,
new experiences from the imaginations of the world's best creators," said
Michael Denny, SVP, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios.
Denny introduced developers behind some of the first-party titles being created
exclusively for the new platform, including Guerrilla Games' Hermen Hulst,
Sucker Punch Productions' Nate Fox, and Evolution Studios' Matt Southern.
"'Next Generation' no longer just means 'more powerful hardware,'" Southern
said. "We're a next generation of gamer, we want to play great looking games but
in new ways that fit our permanently-connected lives. To us, that means driving
in a team. It's such a thrill for a studio to be asked to help define new
PlayStation technology, so that we can bring our vision for team based racing to
life."
Celebrated independent developer Jonathan Blow then unveiled the first official
trailer for The Witness, which will be exclusive to PS4 for console and
underscores PlayStation's support of developers interested in pushing the
boundaries of play.
PlayStation Meeting 2013 also featured two of the gaming industry's most
talented creators providing a glimpse into the future of what's possible on PS4.
David Cage from Quantic Dream explored narrative-driven gaming and how PS4's
powerful hardware lets developers forget about technology and focus on creating
experiences that trigger emotions. "We can concentrate on what amazing stories
we want to tell and what incredible worlds we want to create," Cage said. "We
can take you to places you have never seen before and make you feel emotions
that you have never felt in real life, without having to wonder if we will have
the horsepower to do so. We are now only limited by our imagination."
Alex Evans from Media Molecule then re-imagined the concept of user-generated
content and creativity. Armed with a PlayStation Move motion controller, he
demonstrated the freedom of expression that PS4 offers to creators, whether
they're professional developers or gamers of all levels. Evans remarked: "PS4,
in our eyes, should be 'the creative console'. It's the place you go to be
inspired; It's the place to experience other's dreams, or make your own: it's
the place you go, to make. With PS4, with the creative console, we want to
change making in every way: from music to gaming to story-telling."
Building on PlayStation's long-standing history of collaborating with
third-party partners, PS4 will have software support from virtually every major
developer and publisher across North America, Europe and Japan. At PlayStation
Meeting 2013, titles in development and technology demos were presented by
partners including Activision Publishing, Inc., Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.,
Bungie, Inc., CAPCOM, Epic Games, Inc., Havok, SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd., Ubisoft
Entertainment, showcasing how the development community has already embraced
PS3's ability to make their imaginations become reality.
Ubisoft Entertainment Co-Founder and CEO Yves Guillemot announced that
Watch_Dogs, introduced at E3 2012 to critical acclaim, will launch with PS4.
"Today, with PS4, Sony Computer Entertainment is introducing an amazing new
platform," Guillemot said. "It will let developers like ours deliver games that
surpass anything previously possible on a home console. PS4 will also help us
deliver on what we believe to be the future of gaming."
Chris Metzen, Senior Vice President of Story and Franchise Development of
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., unveiled that the award-winning Diablo franchise
would make its console debut with PlayStation. Diablo III will be adapted for
PS4 with an interface custom-designed to work naturally on controllers.
Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc., announced full support from
its developers for PS4. Hirshberg then introduced Bungie, Inc., which is working
on "the next great video game franchise ? Destiny?."
Harold Ryan, President of Bungie, Inc., announced that Destiny will have
exclusive content for PlayStation gamers. Ryan said: "Like PS4, Destiny is an
online, connected experience. Like PS4, Destiny lets you access the content you
love from multiple devices. And like PS4, Destiny is designed to entertain you
for years to come."
The lineup of PS4 games shown at PlayStation Meeting 2013 include:
Driveclub (WWS Evolution Studios)
inFAMOUS Second Son (WWS Sucker Punch Productions)
Killzone: Shadow Fall (WWS Guerrilla Games)
Knack (WWS Japan Studio)
Deep Down (working title) (CAPCOM)
Destiny (Activision Publishing, Inc./ Bungie, Inc.)
Diablo III (Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.)
The Witness (Jonathan Blow)
Watch_Dogs (Ubisoft Entertainment)
Additional titles that will be available for PS4 will continue to be announced,
demonstrating the full support of SCE Worldwide Studios, third-party developers
and publishers, and the independent development community.
"The arrival of PS4 is a critical initiative that presents an enormous
opportunity to dramatically evolve the game play experience into something far
grander than ever imagined," House said, as he concluded the event. "From
enhanced social capabilities to intensified power to realizing bigger, better,
and more immersive game play, to the evolution of our ecosystem to meet the
requirements for a simpler, more adaptive interface, we believe PS4 proves we
have more to offer than ever before."
About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of
consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI)
manufactures, distributes, develop and markets the PlayStation 2 (PS2) computer
entertainment system, the PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment
system, the PlayStation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system and the
PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system. SCEI has
revolutionized home entertainment since they launched PlayStation in 1994. PS2
further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked
entertainment. PSP is a handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy
3D games with high-quality full-motion video and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3
is an advanced computer system, incorporating the powerful Cell Broadband Engine
and RSX processors. PS Vita is an ultimate portable entertainment system that
offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within
a real world context. SCEI also delivers the PlayStation experience to open
operating systems through PlayStation Mobile, a cross device platform.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI, along with its affiliated companies, Sony
Computer Entertainment America LLC., and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Ltd., and its division companies, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Sony
Computer Entertainment Asia develops, publishes, markets and distributes
hardware and software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these
platforms in the respective markets worldwide.
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