Xbox 720 vs PlayStation 4: Whats in Store?

[ForeverChiefs58]

Microsoft's Xbox 720 and Sony's PlayStation 4 are the two gaming consoles that have been heavily discussed on the Internet over the last few months.

Though both the companies had denied any such developments, gamers expected announcements of the devices at the CES 2012. However, no such announcements were made and now it is expected that official announcements will be made at the E3 2012.

Both PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720 have to be launched at the same time if they want to stand any chance to outclass each other in the console market. The prices are expected to be high for a console that will deliver next-gen graphics and gameplay. However, both the companies have to play this card wisely as the price factor will have a major determining point in the popularity of the console. The same goes for the game and points achievements and the Live arena options.

Let's have quick look at what could be expected:

Processing Power: Though it is widely believed that the current PlayStation 3 has the edge over the Xbox 360 technically with processing power, graphical prowess and high-definition media via Blu-Ray drive, the next generation Xbox is expected to sport a more powerful processor with extreme graphics capability. According to a New Xbox 720 report, the new Xbox will feature an advanced Central Processing Unit with ground-breaking graphics. The current generation console sports a triple-cored 3.2 GHz processor, coupled with an exciting Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).

However, these specs have been countered by a report from PS4Playstation4.com report, saying Sony will add more SPEs (Synergistic Processing Elements) to the current amount of 8 SPEs which run at 3.2 GHz. Out of this, one is disabled for yield purposes and one for security purposes such as encryption and decryption of the hard drive in real time.

The cell in the PS3 has an overall performance of 204 GFLOPs (floating-point operation per second). It is believed that Sony will increase the current amount of 8 SPEs to 16 SPEs to provide optimal power to heat ratio, provided it is manufactured at 32nm. This will make it capable of consuming the same amount of energy as the 90nm Cell processor found in the 60/20GB PS3s.

It is expected that Microsoft may not choose to stick with IBM to deliver the device's processing power in the future for their new console and a new Fusion chip from AMD might replace it. To meet the fan expectations, Microsoft will surely have to bring in more horsepower to last for at least 10 years. This can be done with an enhanced CPU that will compliment the GPU to produce amazing visuals. Although no game has been declared for the new Xbox, it is believed that titles like "Halo 5" and "Gears of War 4" could become one of the first few games to arrive for the console.

Disc Format: Many believe that Sony will let to go its usual Blu-Ray and replace it with HVDs (Holographic Versatile Disc) though the HVD drives are too expensive and too big.

The new drives are expected to use a full 100GB disc with an advanced Blu-Ray drive for faster reading. The current PS3 has a 2x Blu-ray Disc, where 4x is the minimum to read a 100Gb disc. However, the average read speed nowadays is 8x and it is also relatively cheap. Hence it can be expected that the PS4 will have at least an 8x drive which reads at 36MB/s, and games will load much faster.

The 720, on the other hand, has an unusual rumor making rounds saying that the new console will use Cloud for storage which have been redirected from the fact that Steam has done so well on PC over the years. Now it is being thought if the 720 games will actually feature on a disc at all, or will be simply downloaded from Cloud whenever they will be required. Microsoft could also have opted for the traditional Blu-ray system hadn't it been already owned by rivals, Sony. Other sources have claimed that the future 720 games could also come as Flash drives.

Controller: With rumors making rounds, stories about the console controllers have also gained momentum over the months. Although nothing really is known about the PS4 controller or is too absurd to write about it, the 720 controllers have seen interesting rumors and stories making headlines. It is expected that the 720 controllers will be controlled purely by Kinect style motion sensors. This may sound absurd at the moment but could make a surprise entry with the 720. However, hopefully the traditional style controllers for both Sony and Microsoft will be around for a while.

USB connections: Like the controllers for Sony above, nothing really is known about the Xbox 720 USB connections while a little has been known about the PS4 USB connections. At least 2 to 4 USB 3.0 connections are expected that will back up 100GBs of install data, save data and applications that will take only half the normal time of transfer which can currently take up to 8 hours.

(These are all speculations based on what the consoles currently have and the latest technology that is available at the moment. Any further developments will be posted.)


Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/technolog...#ixzz1jggMJJFG

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Guru

I could live with it if they would take on the Steam model and drop prices appropriately over time AND have the occasional kick ass sale.

This.

[007]

my kid just experienced his first online pass game. We rented Ratchet and Clank All for One. He was pissed when he couldn't go online with it. Told him there is no way I am paying for a $10 pass for a rental.

[WV]

Not liking the stuff I'm reading lately....I'll stick with my old ones or go PC.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Guru

my kid just experienced his first online pass game. We rented Ratchet and Clank All for One. He was pissed when he couldn't go online with it. Told him there is no way I am paying for a $10 pass for a rental.

The one I really hated hearing about was a Tiger Woods golf game from a year or so ago. They forced you to buy career mode courses, so even if you bought the game new, you had to pay more to play the complete game.

[|Zach|]

There is no shortage of demand. None.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I have news for you - EVERYTHING is moving towards the cloud. When Google first unveiled their operating system concept, it had NO local storage. Microsoft is gradually moving applications from the desktop OS to the cloud.

We're moving further and further into a realm where we, the consumer, do not and will not own content. We'll consume it on-demand, with permission from the actual owner/provider.

Forgive me, I know very little about the technology, but isn't "the cloud" just a ****ing server? I like having my own games on my own disc, and my game data and game saves on my own console hard drive. That way if something ****s up on their end, I'm not shit outta luck. As far as streaming games, it makes sense for the gaming industry due to piracy, but I hate having to rely on an internet connection to play games. Call me old fashioned, but I like to put the ****in game in the ****in system and hit start.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by ForeverChiefs58

I don't like this at all


Say hello to the brave new world of console gaming



New game console rumors are piling up -- and they're painting a pretty bleak picture. Is the future of console gaming something out of an Orwell novel?

By Jeff Bakalar, CNET

The next evolution of home console gaming is shaping up like a dystopian Philip K. Dick short story. Refueled by the latest PlayStation 4 rumor, signs continue to point to a future in which games are no longer really yours to own, instead just a virtual right to play -- just as long as you're connected to the Internet, have a unique ownership ID, and aren't playing a used copy.

This isn't the first we've heard of this either; a January report says Microsoft's next machine will attempt to thwart used games too.

Of course Sony hasn't confirmed any of these supposedly leaked details, but is it really out of the realm of possibility? The Vita is a prime example of the company's piracy paranoia. It's locked down and vacuum-sealed, made painfully apparent by how tedious it is doing trivial things like transferring files between device and computer. The reason for all the red tape? To combat piracy.

Given this recent display of aggressive protection, reading a rumor about a PlayStation 4 that's just as meticulously locked down isn't too hard to swallow.

Think this worst-case scenario is that far off? Think again. It's already starting to happen. Every EA game sold for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 now has anti-used game components built in. New games ship with one-time use codes that give the original owner access to online game play and features. If you try and play one of these titles without the code on a different console or gamertag, it'll cost you extra to get online.

The most infamous anti-used game controversy came with the release of last year's Batman: Arkham City. Players who bought the game used missed out on the entire Catwoman campaign as it required a unique code upon playing the game for the first time. Game reseller GameStop eventually made good on the incident by including codes for those who bought the game pre-owned.

Speaking of GameStop, I can't imagine the company is too thrilled about the recent rumors surrounding the PS4 and its anti-used game tech. Gamesindustry is already suggesting the game giant could theoretically refuse to sell PS4 games simply for the fact that they would be "un-resellable." Now I'm not going to lose sleep over the death of a company that makes money off buying used games at a low price and then selling them back just $5 less than retail, but GameStop isn't the only entity that could potentially see an impact from the elimination of used games.

Look at the game rental business with services like Gamefly and sites that organize game trades between consenting players. What about those guys? It all funnels into a core concept of how ingrained used games are to the entire video game marketplace and ecosystem.

But perhaps the most overlooked element of this entire conversation is the idea of selling a game back has become such an integral part of the psychology of game buying. A customer feels much better about buying a brand new $60 game that turns out to be awful because they know there's a safety net in place that will most likely get them at least half their money back -- or more if they sell it in the right marketplace. In a world where selling back games is no longer an option, will games sell as well as they do now?

And what about the social ramifications of eliminating used games? Does this mean kids won't be able to go to a friend's house and show them the great new Portal game they just bought? That was half my childhood for crying out loud. But in this brave new world, that act may be considered trying to play a used game.

This week's PS4 rumor suggests that all games would be tied to a single PSN ID -- so could one sign into their ID on a friend's console thus allowing the "sharing" of the game? We just don't know yet.

So what does the future of gaming look like? I think a good indication of what might come to be is how Activision has approached Modern Warfare 3. Encouraging gamers to hop on board a subscription-based gaming experience not only shifts focus away from those who might want to sell a game back, but also increases overall game play value.

Modern Warfare 3 offers a one-year subscription price that includes any and all DLC over the course of a calendar year. It's cheaper to buy the membership upfront rather than picking and choosing which DLC you want.

What this really boils down to is the end of physical media. We lost a possessive right the second physical discs and material items like books, games, and music became nothing more than 0s and 1s on a drive. Sure, they might consist of the same data you'd get on an actual disc or book, but once they were made intangible, an unwritten sense of ownership was severed. There doesn't seem to be a used-game epidemic plaguing the Apple's App Store, does there?

So why is this the trend? Why does every little rumor and bit of news that leaks out all indicate that the next generation of game consoles will be fashioned this way? It can't be because console manufactures actually believe it will increase revenue when I just explained how, if anything, it might even lead to less sales.

Is there a silver lining here? Perhaps. Maybe this will could drive the cost of games down. The push towards the elimination of physical media does remove a number of middlemen from the equation, bringing overhead down. It'll also light a fire under those who can help improve the state of broadband connectivity in this country because not everyone is lucky enough to have a high-speed connection that will deliver a 50GB game in a timely manner.

Will Sony unveil details about the next PlayStation at E3 2012? Microsoft has already preemptively announced that an Xbox 360 successor will not be a topic of conversation at the big show. If the rumors are true and we do see a PlayStation 4 in 2013, Sony would also trade places with Microsoft in being the first to market with a new console, the opposite of what happened with Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2005 and 2006 respectively (not counting the WiiU of course).

Whichever way the chips fall, we'll be the first to let you know as we'll be covering E3 2012 live from the show floor this June.


http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged...003839870.html

I really hate the way this is going. Considering how shitty most newer games are anyway (christ most games I play now are HD collections of older generation game trilogies for example) I might just consider myself a casual "retro" gamer. I still own a NES, SNES, PS2. Still so many great games I haven't played for those systems. With so little time to play games anymore, I might just stick to that. Although I know I'll probably splurge and get a next-gen console once a few really awesome games are out, making this whole rant entirely pointless.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

It's not just MS and Sony. The large publishers like EA and Activision want this just as much, if not MORE, than the console manufacturers themselves.

What they want is irrelevant in the end. EA and Activision wanting it just makes it an easier sell.

This really screams as a license to fleece GameStop to me.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by lcarus

Forgive me, I know very little about the technology, but isn't "the cloud" just a ****ing server? I like having my own games on my own disc, and my game data and game saves on my own console hard drive. That way if something ****s up on their end, I'm not shit outta luck. As far as streaming games, it makes sense for the gaming industry due to piracy, but I hate having to rely on an internet connection to play games. Call me old fashioned, but I like to put the ****in game in the ****in system and hit start.

Technically, the "cloud" is a NETWORK of servers.

If the hard drive or storage stick fails in your console, your game data is gone. FOREVER.

The appeal of the cloud is that your game data and game saves are stored in a place where they could NEVER be lost. They are stored on one or more servers that are backed up constantly and continuously.

And while I certainly understand the sentiment of not wanting to rely on an Internet connection, we crossed that bridge a decade ago. Games are frequently shipped now and require a Day 1 patch, which means without an Internet connection they are somehow unplayable.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

What they want is irrelevant in the end. EA and Activision wanting it just makes it an easier sell.

This really screams as a license to fleece GameStop to me.

How do you figure that? EA, Activision, and Take Two control something like 85% of the game distribution industry. What they WANT is what we will GET.

And it goes much, much more deep than just digging at Gamestop. This will essentially kill rentals, used games, and any other revenue stream that doesn't flow directly to them and the console manufacturers.

EA has been looking at Zynga and Playfish - there's a reason they payed $750 MILLION for PopCap games.

The future of gaming is being nickeled and dimed to death...

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Technically, the "cloud" is a NETWORK of servers.

If the hard drive or storage stick fails in your console, your game data is gone. FOREVER.

The appeal of the cloud is that your game data and game saves are stored in a place where they could NEVER be lost. They are stored on one or more servers that are backed up constantly and continuously.

And while I certainly understand the sentiment of not wanting to rely on an Internet connection, we crossed that bridge a decade ago. Games are frequently shipped now and require a Day 1 patch, which means without an Internet connection they are somehow unplayable.

That's true about the patches. And while I think the cloud is great for storage, I'd like to have my game date and saves stored on my console hard drive and then backed up on the cloud servers. But you're right, it's nearly impossible to buy a brand new game and just play it without having to install a patch immediately. It's pretty lame in my opinion but what can we do about it. After all, this is a world we're living in where the few ruin everything for the majority. Meaning the pirates. Sad.

[Quesadilla Joe]

According to an article on Mashable, a 56-page document from Microsoft was released regarding the highly rumored Xbox 720.
So what all do we know about the next-gen Xbox?

Life cycle of the new Xbox will be 10 years
1080p output and native 3D
Blu-ray player
SmartGlass

A release date possibly for 2013 with a price tag of $299

A new concept was also released. Under the name Project Fortaleza, these are glasses. These glasses will be able to connect to Wi-Fi,* incorporate augmented reality in gaming and should be releasing around 2014. There are no specifics available regarding these glasses.
Based upon the design images leaked it looks like the Xbox 720 may look like more of a DVD player than the Xbox 360s we know now.

http://aggregame.com/news/2012/06/16...-720-for-2013/

[ThaVirus]

Welcome to the future, boys.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

According to an article on Mashable, a 56-page document from Microsoft was released regarding the highly rumored Xbox 720.
So what all do we know about the next-gen Xbox?

Life cycle of the new Xbox will be 10 years
1080p output and native 3D
Blu-ray player
SmartGlass

A release date possibly for 2013 with a price tag of $299

A new concept was also released. Under the name Project Fortaleza, these are glasses. These glasses will be able to connect to Wi-Fi,* incorporate augmented reality in gaming and should be releasing around 2014. There are no specifics available regarding these glasses.
Based upon the design images leaked it looks like the Xbox 720 may look like more of a DVD player than the Xbox 360s we know now.

http://aggregame.com/news/2012/06/16...-720-for-2013/

I like the 10 year life span and including a blu-ray player, I figured if they tried to move away from discs for games they wouldn't include a blu-ray player. The price point seems right as well.

[007]

Originally Posted by Cassel>Manning

According to an article on Mashable, a 56-page document from Microsoft was released regarding the highly rumored Xbox 720.
So what all do we know about the next-gen Xbox?

Life cycle of the new Xbox will be 10 years
1080p output and native 3D
Blu-ray player
SmartGlass

A release date possibly for 2013 with a price tag of $299

A new concept was also released. Under the name Project Fortaleza, these are glasses. These glasses will be able to connect to Wi-Fi,* incorporate augmented reality in gaming and should be releasing around 2014. There are no specifics available regarding these glasses.
Based upon the design images leaked it looks like the Xbox 720 may look like more of a DVD player than the Xbox 360s we know now.

http://aggregame.com/news/2012/06/16...-720-for-2013/

I call BS on the price. There is no way they will open up at $299 even on the base model.