During the announcement of the Sony PlayStation 4 last Wednesday most of us were left scratching our heads, wondering why the actual hardware was not showcased alongside the redesigned DualShock controller with PlayStation Eye.
Interactivity with the portable PS Vita, the potential for streaming games online and the stunning visuals of the gameplay were also among the many points which were addressed on the night, but alas, the console itself was a no-show.
Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida was quick to try to explain the reasons behind this strange approach and the following day offered the less than convincing response that this was to keep gamers interested and keeping “something new for later. Otherwise you’d get bored”.
An interesting thought is that in reality this hesitancy to ‘out’ the PlayStation hardware may be because Sony doesn’t want to reveal a finished product until it sees what the competition is bringing to the table – ie. the new Xbox 720 from Microsoft (Thanks to our reader Ben for this quite plausible suggestion).
Since the PS4’s half-starter and the remarks by the Sony boss, the company’s American CEO Jack Tretton has thrown out a little more commitment in his recent comments regarding the elusive PlayStation 4 console which many believe doesn’t even exist yet, telling business source Forbes “You know, that’s really interesting. I’ve heard that from multiple reporters and shame on me that I didn’t see that as a big issue.”
“I was so focused on the content that when I think of the console I think of what comes through the screen, not the device that it emanates from”. He adds “We made a conscious decision that wasn’t going to be a part of the first reveal, but I would look for E3 as a time when you’ll get a good look at it. Or sooner.”
How about that for a cliffhanger? We actually believe that there may currently be a selection of potential outer shells for the new PS4, which is expected to go on sale in November (nine months away), and we know from the shifting landscape of console designs and colours that we gamers can be a fickle bunch when it comes to aesthetics!