According to insider details emerging Tuesday morning, Sony’s forthcoming PlayStation 4 will introduce features that support smartphones and other portable devices.
More than a decade ago, the Wall Street Journal reported today, a Sony Corp. executive called the “Father of the PlayStation” predicted that one day video games “wouldn’t require a console, because the hardware would eventually ‘melt’ into a network that linked players together.”
We may be closer than ever to this envisioned video game system, as the next PlayStation 4 will reportedly allow users to play games streamed over the Internet as well as on discs.
The new feature is one of many expected on Sony’s next game machine, which is slated to be unveiled at an event in New York on Wednesday. But the addition of streaming exemplifies how the video game industry is searching for new ideas to cope with dramatic shifts in technology and consumer behavior.
Other early clues with regard to system features suggest that social features will also be expanded to enable players to share achievements on Facebook and Twitter. Gameplay footage can even be uploaded directly to YouTube.
Are these features in line with your expectations for the next generation PlayStation?
