12w ago - Today Kotaku reports that Sony's PlayStation 4 / PS4 console is rumored to use real names for online gaming.

Below are the details, to quote: "Among the bits of information dropped during last week's PlayStation 4 announcement was this from PS4 lead architect Mark Cerny, as he discussed the system's enhanced social features:

"With the PlayStation 4 we are transitioning to a friends network based on real world friends. We'll keep around the alias and icon used in today's multiplayer matches. These are great to have when anonymity is important. But most of the new social dimension to PS4 will be interacting with friends using real names and profile pictures most likely seeded from your existing social network."

Some crucial-sounding words in there: "Alias." "Real names." "Profile pictures." "Anonymity." But what exactly does all that mean? Like so many other things introduced at the PS4 event, it's not entirely clear.

Since its inception, the PlayStation Network has for the most part been a gateway to buying content and a loose way to connect with your friends to play games. But Sony appears set to turn their service into much more of a "proper" social network. And parts of that social network are going to involve your real name.

Let's scrounge for crumbs of information...

13w ago - Following up on yesterday's confirmation of PlayStation 4 video game pricing, today Sony CEO Andrew House also confirmed that the PS4 won't support CD and SACD (Super Audio CD) formats.

To quote from ReijiAsakura's Tweet (via twitter.com/ReijiAsakura/status/304699622717267968):

"ソニー・コンピュータ・エンターテンイメントのアンドリュー・ハウス氏、インタビュー終わり。まずプレイステーション4ではSACD、CDはサポー トしません。

Andrew House said PS4 does not support CD and SACD in interview.

So no CD music ripping."

Those seeking to rip disc audio tracks will have to use Sony's Music Unlimited service.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts on this news in the discussion thread below guys!

13w ago - Evolution Studios Game Director Matt Southern announced today that racing evolves on PlayStation 4 / PS4 with Driveclub!

To quote: When I joined Evo nine years ago, the first concept I worked on was for a racing game that was all about racing with friends. It combined the best cars (and they would have to be real ones), on the most breathtaking roads in the world, with gameplay that was totally focused on team-based racing.

I loved the job from day one.

The game was all about utter car passion. It was about connecting people who are as in love with car culture as we are, and creating a universe for these impassioned racers to all play together.

We created web design concepts that showed how you could connect with people and access your club when you were away from the living room, and we created prototypes of the most immersive, detailed vehicle interiors and exteriors possible.

Except...they weren't possible. Our concept was simple, but needed a socially connected network and audiovisual technology that wasn't available.





When we knew PlayStation 4 was coming, we realised that the time was right to make the Driveclub dream a reality. It was time to combine nearly 15 years...

13w ago - Ubisoft Community Developer Nik Schmidt has announced that Watch Dogs is coming to both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 platforms.

To quote: Watch_Dogs is back. In reality it never really went away, but it has been a while since E3 2012. A lot of development has been done on our side. We know you have many questions. Believe this: we'll do our best in the upcoming months to answer all of them... well, most of them.

For now, though, the whole development team is very proud to show you this new gameplay demo where you'll get to see yet another facet of Watch_Dogs in action. In it, you can see that Watch_Dogs will be a game of opportunities and choices; of connections and consequences.





As we continue our march towards launch you'll get to know Aiden Pearce, our mysterious protagonist. Learn what drives him and what makes him tick. You'll get to experience and understand the concept of a hyper-connected, smart city. You'll realize what it is like to have complete control over a major city right at your fingertips and the chaos it can create.

Watch_Dogs will be available on PlayStation 4 at launch, as well as the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. Keep checking back with us by visiting the...

14w ago - Following up on the PlayStation Cloud news, today Kotaku reports that according to their sources the PS4 / Orbis console will be out this November, and purportedly users will be able to control it with a phone.

Below are the rumor details, to quote: "A reliable Kotaku source has informed us that the PlayStation 4, codenamed Orbis, will be out this November in the United States.

Our source - the same reliable source who back in early 2012 told us the codename for Sony's next console and the codename for Microsoft's next console - tells us that there are two models planned for the new machine, and that pricing won't be announced until later this year, possibly around E3. The current plan, our source says, is to release them at $429 and $529, but that could change.

Although nothing is confirmed just yet, as we get closer and closer to the release of Orbis, which Sony is expected to officially announce during an event in New York City tomorrow night, we continue to hear more details about what will ship with the new hardware. Back in January, we learned about the PS4's new controller, which has a small touchpad in the center, and the fancy new user account system that will allow...