The new always-on device will open up new ways to share with friends, live stream gameplay and download a full library of PlayStation titles.
David Perry, noted developer and CEO of Gaikai, 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 it if you like it."
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."
