News - Analyst expects March reveal for PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720

[HEXUS]

PS4 and Xbox 720 to be priced around $400, Nintendo to become “niche”.

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[mojothejester]

I like consoles, but am turning more to the power of PC. I do prefer gamepad over keyboard, but then again, mouse is better than right analogue stick.

[d032sh]

I think there's space in the market for both. Or there will be once people realise that trying to play FPS games on a console controller is like trying to do brain surgery with an oven mitt on.

Consoles have always been about simple arcade games for me. FPS, RTS, Sims, Strategy, Adventure games are just unplayable on a console once you've used a PC for any length of time.

[Stringent]

Ill be surprised if that $400 translates over here in UK. More like £450. I'm not holding my breath though for that announcement.

[zaph0d]

Personally I prefer a little something in the middle, I use a Logitech G13 and mouse combo.
The G13 has a little thumbstick for movement which allows all 4 fingers of the left hand (sorry for southpaws it's designed for use with left hand only) to access the 24 Macro Programmable buttons (button 25 is accessed by pressing the thumbstick). This allows for faster responses in all virtually game types (doesn't get much use in racing or space/flight-sims)

But back on topic, it's nice to see the consoles using hardware that allows for a unified codebase and common development systems. Makes porting the games between PC,PS(4?),Xbox(720?Next?) almost instant.
This also allows for greater optomisation of the code as they will all run an X86-64 based operating systems (NT 6.2 based for Xbox and likely a custom Linux core for Playstation).
It also looks like both will be running on AMD cpu's & gpu's so there's so much common hardware in there dev costs will drop considerably in the coding and hardware side, resulting in quality of graphics increases not only on the console lines but the PC as well (at long bloomin' last).

[krazy_olie]

If they make good media hubs it'll be a price worth paying as you know how much future proofing will be engineered in to these things, unlike some fancy smart blu-ray player or tv who's software will seem dated fairly quickly. I suspect a couple years down the road the ps4 can be THE device to push 4k content thus being strategically important, in the same way the ps3 pretty much won them the blu-ray battle.
I'd be surprised if these will run games at 4k though, seeing as that's barely possible on high end pcs.

As for PC vs console, I think in theory some sort of gaming capable htpc has the potential to replace a console and the big screen steam stuff might move things in that direction. A console even at launch price can work out pretty decent value when you consider it's lifespan.

[crossy]

I think there's space in the market for both. Or there will be once people realise that trying to play FPS games on a console controller is like trying to do brain surgery with an oven mitt on.

Don't agree with that second statement at all - sure keyboard+mouse is fine for the "l33t play3rz" but for a casual gamer (and kids) it's a disaster.

As for PC vs console, I think in theory some sort of gaming capable htpc has the potential to replace a console and the big screen steam stuff might move things in that direction. A console even at launch price can work out pretty decent value when you consider it's lifespan.

Yes, I've got high hopes for the Steambox, since it'll remove (imho of course) the biggest issue with PC gaming - namely that Windows just doesn't lend itself to quick-booting "just want to have a go" no-hassle gaming sessions.

As to the new consoles, hopefully there will be someone out there (not HMV now of course) that takes trade ins of the current gear for the new stuff. Oh, and here's hoping that the '720 will run legacy/current XBox titles.

[Kumagoro]

Just because using a mouse and keyboard is easier than using a controller in fps games doesn't make it better. I found that the difficulty in using a controller makes a stone what more realistic experience. You can't spin 180 near instantly in real life which is better replicated on a controller and when you get surprised it's a lot harder to maintain control on a controller. The results of which make for more hilarity as people end up shooting up in the air or the floor.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Its hilarious how analysts said Nintendo would be nice with the Gamecube and then with the Wii and it never seems to quite work out for them.

[Sc0rian]

I like consoles, but am turning more to the power of PC. I do prefer gamepad over keyboard, but then again, mouse is better than right analogue stick.

Yup I agree. Been pc gamer for long. Not to sound biased, but rather have a pc game and if you really want to use controller just plug it into the PC. This is how it should be. Wish the gaming world would catch up with this idea.

[krazy_olie]

I prefer mouse/keyboard for fps and similar games but a controller for something like pro-evo, beat 'em ups etc.
You can't really have a mouse/keyboard on the sofa but you can have a controller in your bedroom. On the other hand the controller friendly games will lend themselves better , usually, to same screen multiplayer. So I think there is certainly room for owning both.

[Platinum]

AMD APU's all round then?

[Rob_B]

AMD APU's all round then?

I'd guess so, what are the real alternatives in the same cost/performance bracket?

[jnutt]

I think there's space in the market for both. Or there will be once people realise that trying to play FPS games on a console controller is like trying to do brain surgery with an oven mitt on.

Consoles have always been about simple arcade games for me. FPS, RTS, Sims, Strategy, Adventure games are just unplayable on a console once you've used a PC for any length of time.

I agree totally. I have an XBOX 360 but its mainly used to stream and play movies. I tried COD and Fallout 3 on it but gave up. Conversly on my PC gaming rig Fallout 3, Fallout NV, Skyrim, Borderlands2 etc are games that scream for a keyboard and mouse and have given me many hours of enjoyment. Platform and driving games are all my Xbox gets used for.

[crossy]

I prefer mouse/keyboard for fps and similar games but a controller for something like pro-evo, beat 'em ups etc.
You can't really have a mouse/keyboard on the sofa but you can have a controller in your bedroom. On the other hand the controller friendly games will lend themselves better , usually, to same screen multiplayer. So I think there is certainly room for owning both.

Assassin's Creed (Brotherhood/Revelations) I find are so much easier on the PC with an XBox controller plugged in.
Likewise the driving in Saint's Row 3 is far more fluid with a game controller. On the other hand if you're sniping the head off of an enemy in the same game then my old Logitech MX mouse is my weapon of choice. As you say it's nice to have that choice. Maybe Microsoft will do a keyboard add on for the 720 that's supported in games?

[wasabi]

I prefer mouse/keyboard for fps and similar games but a controller for something like pro-evo, beat 'em ups etc.
You can't really have a mouse/keyboard on the sofa but you can have a controller in your bedroom. On the other hand the controller friendly games will lend themselves better , usually, to same screen multiplayer. So I think there is certainly room for owning both.

Assassin's Creed (Brotherhood/Revelations) I find are so much easier on the PC with an XBox controller plugged in.
Likewise the driving in Saint's Row 3 is far more fluid with a game controller. On the other hand if you're sniping the head off of an enemy in the same game then my old Logitech MX mouse is my weapon of choice. As you say it's nice to have that choice. Maybe Microsoft will do a keyboard add on for the 720 that's supported in games?

That is because they havn't even remotely tried to make the AC controls usable on a PC keyboard. I've had to roder an Xbox 360 controller just to make the game playable. Pity - lots of games have had the fluid fast motion of mouse / keyboard replaced by nasty up/down/left/right gamepad movement and even onscreen colour coded Xbox press-this-button dialogues. Yuk.