PS4: Social and Cloud Ideas

Sony presented the idea of creating a social gaming network, focused on "real people", without aliases to mask identity. The "share" button of the new controller is living proof that Sony paid attention to what was happening around them. There is no doubt that social networks have taken hold of modern life. This social concern extends beyond the console.

With this network, gamers can share video clips of 10 seconds of the game thei're playing, stream gaming sessions and "keep in touch with the evolving world of your game, regardless of your location." The system will be able to evaluate, based on what the user likes and dislikes, what content will be most suitable for each user. There is also the possibility of offering control of the game to a friend, remotely, so that he can help in a tricky part, for example.

As for the store, Dave Perry, founder of Gaikai, says it will be possible for players to experience the game before purchasing. That's right. Free of charge, we suppose? And when you download a game, you can play immediately while the download is done in the background. Pretty cool huh?

With the "PlaystationApp", for iOS and Android, smartphones and tablets become second screens of the game. One example of the use of this system is to see a map while playing an adventure game, buy games while we're away from home and download it directly to your console, remotely see players playing on their consoles.

The idea is to make a smartphone, tablet or a PS Vita a companion, taking the game beyond the living room, beyond the console. The system will be "tuned" to our preferences, making the service more personalized and focused on the content you want. Personalization.

The PS Vita will become an important part of this new concept. It's possible to play on the portable console remotely, using Gaikai game streaming technology. This functionality was demonstrated on stage with the new game Knack. Of course we can not think that this will be a novelty available in every game, but still, it's an interesting feature and can help the PS Vita to find a market.

Regarding the format of games, I was a bit confused. I did not understand, I confess, if there will be physical media for games. It seemed to me that they spoke a lot of cloud, streaming and online services.