PS4 Internet Connection Not Essential Continuously - Speculation Suggests 2014 UK Launch Un Certain

PS4 Internet Connection Not Essential Continuously - Speculation Suggests 2014 UK Launch Un Certain

Peek Behind the PS4 Curtain: Details Abound Before Launch

Get ready to bid adieu to New York city in a few short hours, as we eagerly embark on our journey post last night's extravaganza, the PlayStation 4 unveiling. We'll snag an exclusive interview with Sony Europe CEO Jim Ryan (and Ubisoft head honcho Yves Guillemot) before we take off. Rumor has it he might reveal some tantalizing tidbits about the PS4's outstanding queries, but his Sony colleagues have already stirred up some controversy.

Take, for instance, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida's cryptic comments to Eurogamer. When asked about the European release date, he said:

'Europeans always whine about being last even when sometimes things are exclusive to Europe, he said sneakily. 'It's too early to say,' he added, after being pushed for details. 'For one thing, the system needs to be complete, and we've gotta figure out the manufacturing pace. Then we need to look at demand predictions and make a decision on whether we can go global or not. So it takes time for us to know that.'

While rumors swirled suggesting the PS4 may be delayed till 2014 in Europe, traditionally a common occurrence with Sony consoles, to the relief of European PlayStation fans, Sony confirmed a December 2013 release in Europe.

But there's good news too! Sony confirmed that the PS4 does not require a constant Internet connection – though they'll do their best to convince you otherwise. Thanks to a more detailed breakdown from Japan, we learned that the PS4 will boast a supercharged 6x speed Blu-Ray drive and a GPU based on the next-gen Radeon graphics technology from AMD.

Here's the lowdown on the PS4's innards:

Main Processor: Single-chip custom processorCPU: x86-64 AMD 'Jaguar', 8 coresGPU: 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD next-generation Radeon-based graphics engineMemory: GDDR5 8GBHard Disk Drive Built-inOptical Drive (read only): BD 6xCAV, DVD 8xCAVI/O Super-Speed USB (USB 3.0)Communication Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 b/g/nBluetooth® 2.1 (EDR)AV output HDMI, Analog-AV out, Digital Output (optical)

But the party soured again as Sony admitted that PS Network games and game saves from the PS3 cannot be transferred to the PS4[4]. However, sources close to Engadget suggested that Sony is working on a compromise solution.

What's your take on the PS4? Shoot us an email at gamecentral@ourwebsite or leave a comment below.

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[1] "PlayStation 4 Specs Revealed: Here's What Makes Sony's Next-Gen Console Tick," Polygon, Nov 16, 2013. https://www.polygon.com/2013/11/16/5102882/playstation-4-specs

[2] "PS4 Release Date and Price – What We Know So Far," Digital Trends, Nov 14, 2013. https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/ps4-release-date-price/

[3] "PlayStation 4 Launching on December 15 in Europe," IGN, Nov 27, 2013. https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/11/27/playstation-4-launching-on-december-15-in-europe

[4] "Sony confirms PS4 Games will not be backward compatible," Engadget, Nov 15, 2013. https://www.engadget.com/2013/11/15/sony-playstation-4-games-not-backward-compatible/

1. The upcoming PS4, revealed during the recent PlayStation unveiling, promises to offer a blend of technology, entertainment, and general-news, all packed inside its sleek design.
2. While the PlayStation 4's release date has been confirmed for December 2013 in Europe, discussions about certain details, such as backward compatibility with previous-gen games, continue to spark debates within the technology and gaming community.

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