The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

PlayStation 4 'Orbis' pegged for 2013 release

4K by 2K gaming, anyone?

Details of Sony's next-gen console flooded the web today, with the PlayStation 4 - apparently codenamed Orbis - set for a Q4 2013 release, it has been claimed.

While Microsoft insists there will be no talk of next-gen consoles at E3 2012, gamers' attentions have switched towards its Japanese rival. And now "reliable" insiders have spilled the beans on Sony's PS4 plans, Kotaku reports.

The PS4, aka Orbis, will supposedly be built around an AMD x64 CPU and AMD Southern Islands GPU, handling resolutions up to 4K x 2K, as well as 3D gaming in full 1080p.

The sources also said there will be no backwards compatibility for PS3 games and that the brawny console will come with measures to prevent secondhand games being played without the prior purchase of an unlock code.

Titles, expected on to ship on Blu-ray Discs and as downloads, may require online connectivity for authentication too.

PlayStation controller

Out with the old...

PS4 development kits were said to have been sent out to select studios earlier this year, with a wider developer rollout expected towards the end of 2012. A full release in time for Christmas 2013 is apparently on the cards.

The specifications correspond to reports earlier this month which suggested Sony would roll with AMD for the PS4's CPU and GPU units. ®

Awesome!

A console that runs at resolutions my TV can't support with games that I can't lend to/from a mate which I can't play if my internet went down.

SOLD!

21
0

"measures to prevent secondhand games being played without the prior purchase of an unlock code"

If true, that's truly pathetic.

14
0

Re: Sounds shitty

They might as well burn the R&D and production money instead of wasting it to bring this to market.

They really have missed the whole "knowledge of your market". Game sharing only ADDS to sales. I have often gotten a game from a friend to try and liked it so bought it when he took it back. Without that loan, i wouldnt have tried it, hence wanted it.

Bloody Apple and their walled garden!!!! :-)

6
0

Re: Sounds shitty

"The sources also said there will be no backwards compatibility for PS3 games and that the brawny console will come with measures to prevent secondhand games being played without the prior purchase of an unlock code."

Sounds totally shitty. I quite like my Playstation too, won't be buying one of these though, they simply want to eradicate the second hand / rental / lend-to-friend market.

6
0

You mean.. 1080p at last

Because current consoles almost always draw at 720p or sub-720p resolutions to keep the frame rates reasonable.

4K x 2K? Haha, god no. Maybe for a menu, but no chance for a game.

5
1

More from The Register

US boffin builds 32-way Raspberry Pi cluster
Beowulf cluster built for the price of a single PC
Nintendo throws flaming legal barrel at YouTubing fans
All your walk-through vid revenue are belong to us
Review: HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook
All roads lead to Chrome?
Borked your iDevice? Pay EVEN MORE to have it fixed by Applecare
Or scream at their hapless techies on their forums
Euro PC shipments plummet into bottomless pit of DOOOOM
11th quarter of decline, 20pc drop on last year - Gartner
Report: AT&T dropping Facebook phone after dismal sales
Turns out folks won't buy that for a dollar
Which petite model likes a fondle and GETTING WET? Sony's Xperia ZR
Take this new mobe swimming. Just not deep, or for long, OK?
Google adds Atari Easter Egg for Breakout's birthday
Cute game born in Jobsian heart of darkness
MIT takes battery-powered robot cheetah for a gallop
Biomimetic big cat needs no power cord, just a walker