PS4 Specs: Check Friends' Progress, DLC and Challenges Without Booting Up Game (VIDEO)
Sony showed off the PS4 interface at the 2013 Gamescom conference that merely scratched the surface of the console's capabilities, and now Sony is ready to talk about its full power.
"What I showed was only a small portion of the UI," Shushei Yoshida, Sony Worldwide Studios president, wrote on a Playstation blog post. "Obviously the system software is still in development. We really wanted to show off the social aspect of the UI. The minute you boot up, you'll see all the information about games you own, what your friends are doing, whether there's any new DLC coming out, or if your friends have shared a video or screenshot. And you can also spectate anyone playing PS4."
In the demo he gave at Gamescom, he showed the audience social features and a video of the ability to hop into live games.
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"It's like checking your social media every day," Yoshida said. "I really like that people can find out about new games, information, and what their friends are doing, without even booting the game. For example, you can check out whether you have had new challenges from friends from the home screen of every game. All the important information is presented to you immediately."
Sony announced they will launch the Playstation 4 Nov. 15 in North America and on Nov. 29 in Europe.
Sony will launch the system in 32 countries worldwide and it will be $399 U.S. and £349 in the U.K. In addition, the console's predecessor, the PS3, will have its priced lowered to $199.
"We have always been committed to making next generation products but now we're increasingly focused on making those products for next-generation gamers," Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SCEE, told The Telegraph.
