PS4 Zone

During a meeting with Ubisoft the CEO, Yves Guillemot, said that they are already preparing for the next generation of gaming consoles to be launched. However, this preparation wasn’t in the way of starting to develop anything and instead, Ubisoft are being prepared financially. Next gen games will no doubt be a lot more complex and details then the current complex PS3 games that we see on sale. This will put a financial strain on those not ready for it.

“We need to get ready for the future generation of consoles,” Guillemot told investors. “In the next few years, there will be new home and handheld consoles, and if you don’t invest… you will not be able to cope with both [the existing and new generation consoles].”

Not only do developers need to get saving for a PS4, Wii 2 or an Xbox 720… they also need to look at next gen hand held gaming. Nobody really knows what the gaming scene will be like in 3 years time, but if Sony follow their 10 year plan then we can expect a console with in 3 years. Back on to handheld gaming for a minute… we also do not know what to expect here. Possibly larger roll out screens, projected screens etc… What ever they might be capable of Ubisoft feel it is a time to be prepared.

As ever, rumours are still moving around the net about the arrival of a PS4 in a couple of years time. No official specs or even a mention have been found yet except for a few comments made by Sony people saying the expect there to be more and more playstations over the years.

The next question asks if Sony will dump blu-ray in favour of holography. Some content over on the NY Times recently indicated that GE were researching storage capacity on holographic disks (HVD). The technology has been around a few years but isn’t yet available on the market. A theoretical 3.9 TB of data could be stored if the companies working on it get it right. Given those numbers and the time left until a PS4 launch (2012 at a guess) it would appear that HVD’s might be the way forwards.

“This could be the next generation of low-cost storage,” said Richard Doherty, an analyst at Envisioneering, a technology research firm.

As of now the technology is expensive, but given a few years and a lot more research we could see prices drop to a more normal and acceptable level.

As well as being capable of playing HVD’s it would be possible to be backwards compatible too making all your old DVD’s and Blu-Ray discs compatible. This would add convenience to the system while allowing the limits to be pushed on the cutting edge games of the new generation.

Of course you also have to wonder if the PS4 will completely do away with an optical drive and go based on downloadable content only. With Virgin Media testing 200 Meg connections at the moment in the UK there might not even be a need for optical storage on the device (although we do understand that not every country would have access to fast connections).

It seems that a lot of products we buy these days come in a variety of colours. However, the PS3 is still only available in shiny black everywhere except Japan (although there have been rumors of the USA getting another colour choice). If you could choose a colour for the Sony PS4 what would it be?

For me…i’m going to be boring and say shiny black. I like the black look of the PS3, it suits it well, and it matches my Tv quite nicely. I thought i’d like the white PS3, but it really doesn’t do it for me! So, get commenting on what colour you’d like to see, and why.

There’s also a poll of the most obvious colour choices, so you can vote there.

We have mentioned 3D recently a couple of times. The first time was speculating on the PS4 having 3D capabilities built in, and then shortly after news was announced that the PS3 should receive a firmware update to allow 3D to be used. With an update possibly arriving for the PS3 it is pretty certain that the PS4 will follow this same route right out of the gate. This speculation is also held up by the way the movie and TV industry is going with 3D.

At CES a few weeks back in Las Vegas, Sony were showing off some 3D demo’s of games. These games were not planned for being released, but were simply just demos (according to Sony) although if they were patched for CES then maybe updated versions will make it to the PS3 soon. The idea behind the 3D demos was to show what is possible with 3D and where things are going. IGN then went on to speculate that the PS4 when released will primarily be a 3D device capable of 3D games and 3D Blu-ray video. As 3D TV’s are making their way in to the market (some require polarised glasses, some require no glasses at all) I expect that in 3 or so years time that 3D TV’s will be more common place enough to justify a console focused on this technology.

But what about other content? Will every (or even just some) PS3 games get a 3D viewing option? Could a firmware update bring the content to everyone? Maybe, maybe not. But it seems to me that it’s likely that the PlayStation 4 will be built from the ground-up for 3D content, including Blu-ray discs for movies.

I think a mixture of 3D and head tracking could make for a very unique games console which could be enough to give it a slight edge over competition.

More over at IGN.

A Japanese gaming magazine are today claiming to have received a blueprint for Sony’s Playstation 4 roadmap. The supposed official document highlights a number of the PS4’s technical features and details how the PS4’s development will progress.

Here’s a computer generated translation of the Japanese article, so my apologies if it isn’t all too correct. If anyone would like to translate the information properly the original Japanese article can be found here.

The PS4 with the development of CPU-Cell B.E.

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) is the next game console “PLAYSTATION 4 (PS4)” a, Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) are starting to take full consideration based architecture. Currently, much of the reaction GEMUDIBEROPPA, said that the stage of exploring the concrete implementation. The SCE, PS4 generation PS3 production costs are lower than at the same time and generation, seems to be a way to curb investment to continue development architecture.

Cell BE with SCE PS4 are still kept away from the possibility that, for now, Cell BE & expansion seems to be moving in that direction based on the improved version.

SCE was originally a PS3 at the stage of concrete projects, Cell BE architecture PS3 was planning to continue in subsequent generations. Therefore, over the huge cost, to endure over the long term development as a CPU developed the Cell BE architecture. Cell BE-based PLAYSTATION original plan was put in a magnificent sight on the distributed computing network in the end.

The current plan is PS4, Cell BE-based from the original look of the PLAYSTATION + Cell BE as close to the expansion strategy, the reality seems to be no different. In order to reduce the investment in hardware and software, Cell BE-based PS4 is to develop a story. I have already invested a huge Cell BE, the investment in the software stack and tools, is that if you want to inherit would be the aim of SCE. SCE to now, PS3 and development of the same size, would not afford to perform in the next generation.

Moreover, PS4, also reduced the size of the chip itself, to be headed toward a lower cost. PLAYSTATION 2 of the past generation, the two main chip, the die (chip itself), starting at 200 square mm chip’s high-performance, high cost and large size around to shrink the chip manufacturing costs and scaling process taking a strategy to reduce the price. However, PS4 generation of low-cost rival to the Wii, lower production costs in a small chip from the first car, and expected lower price.

? SCE’s direction PS4 or reduce the number of CPU cores

PS4 is, PS3 or the performance will be up for one. PS3 is the Cell BE, for control of the CPU core “PPU (Power Processor Unit)” the one to each CPU core operation for the “SPU (Synergistic Processor Unit)” the seven (originally eight pieces, for a yield disabled) has a total of 8 CPU cores. Then, Cell BE is a scalable CPU by increasing the number of cores, which can increase the performance architecture.

So, PS4 So, CPU core 32 or the numbers and reach. Cell BE is present, 90nm shrink because of the layout while maintaining its basic version, the smaller the degree of reduction of the die. 235 square mm for the 90nm version, 65nm version is 175 square mm, 45nm version is 115 square mm. However, PS4 again to fix the design of a significant number of 45nm chips on the CPU cores can be (SPU Toshiba has significantly reduced the area of core). SCE’s original “IKEIKE” Under the plan, 45 ~ 32nm in the 24 core and 32-core Cell BE and had potential. As if Moore’s Law, 32 reach the core. But SCE will probably do so.

PS4 is, PS3 for, is likely to remain??SHII surprisingly improved performance. The SCE’s plan, not a high-performance, high cost, it seems to be the direction to achieve a certain level of performance while reducing costs. To minimize production costs, reduce the die size of the chip block (CPU units if 100 mm square), Cell BE-based CPU, even increasing the number of cores is expected to hold. Perhaps, from the current 8-core will increase dramatically. 45nm process DATOSUREBA pay up to 100 mm square in one panel, is likely to remain in the core number of 10. Some frequency is likely to improve, but here is the dramatic and put a big hand to cut the circuit design and architecture. Then, CPU and only, live performance and twice the current 2.x, so will be dramatically cut.

However, CPU core number is still waiting for feedback from GEMUDEBEROPPA, has not been determined. Not decided on the specifications in the research stage. However, SCE PS4 say that we take a cautious route, you hear.

Incidentally, for memory, PS3 employs fewer cases of non-XDR DRAM memory instead, such as generic JEDEC (Electronic Industries Association of America in the infrastructure of the EIA, the semiconductor standardization organizations) plan to use a memory standard said to be emerging. This is because of cost savings. However, JEDEC DDR4 because in fact we have been canceled and??RI?SHI, PS4 in phases, in fact, have no choice DDR3 low-voltage version only. However, DRAM memory and CPU implementation of the package stacking or to die, SCE is considering.

SCE, the current generation of game consoles, is struggling big pinch. Although the situation is being improved, the Nintendo Wii is the purpose behind the current generation of machines that carve up the market. Put in a huge investment, high costs and high prices put the PS3 in a predicament because, SCE’s PLAYSTATION strategy, is being forced to change. The traditional game, “winning equation” because it would have been destroyed.

So far, the war game had some theories. The competition for high performance on the high initial investment has been favorable to expanding the user?GERE selling prices and higher prices in the first layer with time and casual gamers to the hard-core gamer with a high-performance?KITSUKERE spread, and a graphic. However, Wii’s success, he is now a question mark to such theories.

Wii because of the success of the performance that put the price by reducing the cost of investment and venture closer to his new proposals on how to play the content MANMASHININTAFEISU, from the first KAJUARUGEMA intuitive interface and low price and that the target layer. Wii or later, if that’s turned the game if the rules of war, SCE must seek to lower development costs and production costs. The strategy will be aimed at?TENAKERE casual layer. The SCE, PS4 If you are trying to lower the cost of hardware, it is estimated that such a background. In addition, SCE itself, unlike the era Hisashi??Thursday, difficult to plan for high-risk, potentially low-flow and investment plans.

The Cell BE-based SCE, and other reasons, will release time. Generation now, incremental improvements are possible because of hardware and software, hardware generation change was considered a long span. However, the current SCE suggests that the movement, SCE that have similar plans in the span of the development of traditional and next-generation machine.

SCE is the one that preceded Microsoft’s Xbox 360, was leading. Microsoft, when the original Xbox, SCE despite Did you make your best development environment, but failed in the delay. The Xbox was released a development kit is a major GEMUDEBEROPPA PS2 had already been made in the game engine. So, Xbox 360 offers a proposition that the PS3 ahead of the success to take the lead in many areas of the world market. Currently, Xbox 360 is being caught up with the PS3, I could make a significant market base.

If you apply the lessons of the Xbox 360, SCE will have to invest ahead of the next car. The game is to start shipping products from the actual chip development for at least three years, four years is usually required. For example, SCE is attempting to launch in the year 2011 if a plan is quite urgent. The best way to fast development is to improve the existing architecture.

? made a huge investment Cell B.E.

Cell BE PS4 you plan to expand the?SEYOU and the SCE. However, many GEMUDEBEROPPA the current Cell BE CPU, simple way to increase the number of cores do not want to be. Cell BE, but have received positive support from many GEMUDEBEROPPA still is not. Despite the Cell BE SCE give, because they have reason to be so.

Cell BE is for this game to a different CPU. SCE & Sony IBM, Toshiba and purpose of the Cell BE was developed during the game, not only can be used to create a general-purpose CPU architectures. CPU this game, unlike in an airplane rather than abandon the use of every generation, used in the broader market is highly scalable general purpose can??KA non-game software assets is pursuing a CPU . Of course, for the game, not just one generation, he assumes that you use across multiple generations.

Therefore, SCE is the development of the Cell BE architecture, made a large investment ever. In other words, Cell BE development costs are amortized, PS3 by more than one generation, not a generation, PLAYSTATION diverted to other devices in addition to a great deal would be done from the beginning. For example, PS4 as the Cell BE can provide improved CPU architecture itself, rather than developing from scratch is a small burden. SCE is, Cell BE will be a preference for continued use.

The idea of future development, Cell BE, the architecture is easy to take to improve the performance and scalable. CPU simply by changing the configuration of the bus and ring connected to the core, it is possible to increase the number of cores. CPU without significantly changing the basic architecture, CPU scalable increase the number of cores, you can raise a theoretical peak performance.

? Easy-to-deploy and scalable architecture Cell BE

In the standard multi-core CPU, CPU and the problem of increasing the number of cores. For example, the only traffic to keep the cache coherent, it is eaten, the bus bandwidth. Cell BE, which incorporate a mechanism to prevent from the start. The question many of the game software development, dedicated memory for each CPU core, “local store” It is the architecture.

Cell BE,?KEZU the cache to each CPU core to access the local store and explicit, CPU KOHIRENSHIMEKANIZUMU eliminates the need for increased drag on the number of core (Intel’s Larrabee is reversed The point is that it has developed a simple extension KOHIRENSHIMEKANIZUMU). And move to the workload of the processing stream of the future, just because the data are not reused, the cache would mean eliminating the most (about prefetched buffer) that were read.

Additionally, Cell BE, each CPU having a separate memory core, and the portable memory, that can scale seamlessly to distributed computing on a network. SPU to access the main memory from the DMA must be disabled?SANAKERE is why there is such.

The Cell BE architecture is the future to facilitate the increase in the CPU core, was to facilitate the way to the distributed computing. Cell B.E.??have to develop it. SCE as the PS4 in the next hope to develop this architecture, it is natural for a generation.

By the way, Cell BE development of SCE (Sony), IBM, Toshiba engineers in Austin, the company made in the STI Design Center, currently, SCE said AKITEKUTOCHIMU of a few. PS4 architecture for the research, and found that it returned to the headquarters. Therefore, PS4 in the Cell BE SCE is it possible to leave the architecture. However, SCE’s, PS4 to have a Cell BE-based study, the results of the research PS4 After determining the direction of where you restart the development.

Reduce the burden of software development lie

Because of this situation, CPU to reduce the burden of development, Cell BE will continue to be a shortcut for SCE. However, SCE has more to worry about, it is estimated that the burden of software development.

SCE is in the PS3 software exceeded expectations and has been suffering the burden of development tools. Additional application development and maintenance of systems software and no end in sight. Compilers and tools can not meet the requirements of developers. BAKKUENDOSABA the system development and the accompanying expansion of network services endless. To reduce the burden on developers of the Cell BE development of software libraries to facilitate the optimization. Multi-core CPU with one of two ISA (instruction set architecture) with special education for the Cell BE programming. The huge burden of software, SCE loom. This is half the job done if the body releases a PlayStation 2 (PS2) and the generation of software development system is very different.

If, SCE to develop the PS4 and a completely new architecture must all start from zero again. Then, the software development costs, they will go up more mad. Than it is to inherit the architecture, and how best to promote the use of software assets and skills that are considered high potential SCE. As a result the PS3 hard to develop software, I finally appointed to a certain extent, SCE as not going to be the accumulation?TETAKU.

The learning curve GEMUBENDA (proficiency) in terms of architecture, it is desirable to continue. Generation now, the gradual rise of the learning curve SOFUTOUEADEBEROPPA, particularly the PS3 platform is said to have a high degree of difficulty. PS3 titles in development is the only place I’m getting a spur. However, PS4 on the PS3 to have inherited it from, PS4 up the learning curve easier. However, in the GEMUDEBEROPPA, Cell BE architecture itself with a firm, say they can not be certain to increase the learning curve.

However, in principle, along with changes in the software side, the current problem could be alleviated to some extent. The original concept of the Cell BE, according to object-oriented software, 1 CPU was an object that can be assigned to the core architecture. Not by a large task granularity, each object to the small particle size CPU software assumes that you were assigned to the core. The smaller the grain size, Cell BE SPU’s easy to fit the size of memory, the principle is to increase the number of CPU cores, will also help to reduce the grain size of the software.

? PS4 is our ability to charm other than HADOSUPEKKU

Cell BE-based PS4 has emerged of the plan, SCE’s PLAYSTATION strategy. The company has already expanded the concept to be stalling over its failure PS3 merit, PS4 seen signs have a plan. However, too much to keep HADOUEASUPEKKU, PS3 fails to differentiate themselves from the generation, PS4 may fail to start. PS4, it will be passed on to less version, Wii points will be added to one or the other HADOSUPEKKU like a charm.

With the Playstation 3’s lifespan claimed to be only 10 years, there’s already lots of buzz about the next console in the Playstation series – the Playstation 4.

But amidst of all this buzz and rumor the SCEE President David Reeves has responded to claims that the PS4 is currently in development.

I’m not even sure if that’s being considered, It’s certainly nothing I can talk about. I have absolutely no knowledge of it whatsoever. Not even sure it’s being planned.

But with Microsoft already putting the hype machine into overdrive with news about their next console do Sony really have time to sit around and wait? Can we expect a Playstation 4 sooner than expected?

[via PSU.com]

Could this Japanese translation be the first real information on the technical specs of the Playstation 4 console?

Japanese news site PC Watch is reporting that Sony “has begun seriously considering” basing the upcoming PlayStation 4 console on the same Cell processor that currently powers the Playstation 3.

Here’s what’s been revealed in the article:

Goto Hiroshige has received PSX4 spec info from Japanese developer sources who received preliminary spec from SCEI for developer feedback(whom Goto refuses to name due to NDA).

SCEI has sent rough PSX4 spec to 3rd party developers for feed back. Based on the description, PSX4 is a Wii-tized PSX3, no more than 2X as powerful.

SCEI wants to beat Xbox 3 to launch. 2011 is the deadline, or sooner.

SCEI pulled all its engineers from IBM Texas, and there is no new CELL architecture being developed. PSX4 will use same CELL architecture with improvements.

SCEI will dump XDR and use standard JEDEC memory type(GDDR3/DDR3) for main memory.

[via pc.watch.impress.co.jp]

Speaking at the Games Developers Conference in Leipzig this week, Crytek president and CEO, Cevat Yerli speculated that we could expect to see The Playstation 4 release around 2011/2012.

“The PlayStation 4 and Xbox ‘720′ will arrive in 2011 or 2012, we think,” said Yerli. “But this is just our estimate – we don’t know, and even if Microsoft and Sony told us, I couldn’t say because it would be under NDA.

“But we think in three to four years’ time, although there are good reasons why it should be 2010 already…but we’ll see.”

[via GamesIndustry.biz]

It seems the battle of words over who will win the next-next generation console war is already starting to hot up.

A thread over on the highdefdigest.com forums shares a number of ways and ideas that Sony should adopt to ensure their success at dominating the future console marketplace.

Launch – The PS4 must launch in the same timeframe. Achievements, Live and the lower price helped the 360 but that head start seemed to be the clincher.

Consistency – When it comes to Online gaming. We’d all love it to be free but if its going to cause 3rd party devs to get headaches and to scramble and host their games just charge for it.

Exclusives – Pay for exclusives. The Kuturagi handshake deals are over now that the market share has shrunk, lock up those 3rd party titles.

More Thought To 3rd Parties – Consider the 3rd parties when designing the CPU/processor.

Varied Launch Titles – A nice varied launch lineup and at least one exclusive killer app. PS3’s launch was filled with delayed games, year old 360 ports, PS2 ports and one really awful exclusive (Mobile Suit Gundam). I am a big fan of Resistance but I feel like it was almost the Luigi’s Mansion of Sony launch lineups.

Premium Accessories – Include a headset, component cables and maybe a demo(physical disc or saved in the hard drive). We want people knowing the benefits of high definition and that they can talk online from day one. The demo could advertise games available now and upcoming to get people psyched. And perhaps a walkthrough explaining the store/differences in cables/online gaming.

Easy System Upgrades – Don’t make the hard drives proprietary like MS. Keep the uprgadeable system we have now

Affordable Launch Price – They must launch at 299. Losses are a given at that price but systems will sell faster and there will be a healthy attach rate early on. Software is where the money’s at. This formula worked twice for Sony It can work again.

So there you have it Sony, eight sure-fire tips to console dominance. What do you guys think of these suggestions? Feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments!

Thanks to JackBauer24 @ highdefdigest.com

AMD recently unveiled a new graphics chip that could possibly give us a glimpse of what to expect from the graphics of the next-next generation consoles.

Like the upcoming IBM Cell chip, the new AMD chip is capable of doing a full TeraFLOPS of processing power, and is actually more powerful that all of the video game home consoles before it – combined!

The real time tech demo of the chip in action – awesome.

Here’s what AMD had to say:

“With Cinema 2.0 you won’t just play movies, you’ll play in them. Imagine the ability to look around the environments in a sci-fi movie, put yourself in the driver’s seat in a race scene, duck behind things and pop up to see what’s going on in an intense firefight – all of these things are possible with Cinema 2.0,” said Charlie Boswell, director, Digital Media & Entertainment, AMD.
“The challenge for any director has always been taking a wonderful vision in the canvas of the mind and translating that to film for the audience to see. Cinema 2.0 breaks down the time and cost barriers of getting a scene or shot that’s ‘just right’, and what’s better, allows audiences to dive deeper into the experience to explore every part of that director’s vision.”

“Today’s demonstration of Cinema 2.0 represents a sip from the multi-billion dollar gaming industry’s Holy Grail, while presenting a new quest to digital filmmakers,” said Richard Huddy, worldwide developer relations manager, AMD Graphics Product Group. “Imagine going to the opening of a movie and upon getting home being able to play a game that looks and feels absolutely identical – right down to the character models and sets.”