Author Archives: Chris Morris

7 facts you might have missed about the PS4

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With playstation4the exhaustive online (and offline) coverage of the PlayStation 4 for the past few weeks, consumers have a pretty good idea of what to expect. But for all the focus on the system’s pluses and minuses and which games are worth your time, there are a few details that may have slipped past you.

While it may not change your mind about wanting – or not wanting – a PS4, it’s information that could still come in handy, or at the very least give you a deeper knowledge of the new console’s nuances.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Six essential PlayStation 4 launch games

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If killzone_650you’re grabbing a PlayStation 4 this Friday, it’s not going to do you a lot of good without games. All totaled, there will be 23 titles to choose from – some exclusive to the platform and some next generation versions of existing franchises.

Here’s the thing to know about launch lineups. They’re usually so-so at best. If you’re looking for a truly great game, you’re more likely to find it on a current gen system. Fortunately, some of the year’s biggest franchises have PS4 versions – and there are a few PS4 exclusives that may still be worth a look.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

10 must-have video games this holiday season

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With game guide cnbcthe launch of Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One this month, there’s a lot of focus on next-generation games, but that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that many of the year’s best titles were made for current generation systems.

The end of a console cycle typically is a boom time for gamers as video-game developers take advantage of their knowledge of the systems and look to send them out with a final hurrah. In many cases, those same games help supplement the launch of new consoles as well.

Whether you’re buying for the person on gaming’s bleeding edge or who’s happy with the game system that’s already in their house, there are plenty of good choices.

Read more at CNBC.com

With console launches, it’s game time for Sony and Microsoft

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Let ps4the games begin.

The unveiling of Sony’s PlayStation 4 on Nov. 15 and Microsoft’s Xbox One on Nov. 22 doesn’t just mark a new console cycle but is a new start of sorts for the companies: The former is trying to right the ship after years of losses, while the latter is moving to expand its empire beyond the PC desktop.

Read more at CNBC.com

Video game companies hope for a bountiful holiday

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There gamersare two stories to follow this holiday season in the gaming world: Hardware and software.

With the high-profile launch of two new gaming systems and a slew of new games still to come, the video-game industry is hoping Santa brings it a turnaround this year. U.S. consumer spending on video games at brick-and-mortar retail stores has fallen nearly 30 percent in the past three years. In 2010, the industry took in $18.6 billion on sales of hardware, software and accessories, according to the NPD Group. In 2012, that number had slipped to $13.26 billion.

Read more at CNBC.com

Sony exec explains PS4’s small hard drive, limited launch lineup

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The ps4_650PlayStation 4 has a space problem – one that could get more significant in the near future.

The console ships with a 500 gigabyte hard drive – of which 409GB are useable – and requires all games to be installed to that drive. If you pick up Killzone, Battlefield 4 and Assassin’s Creed 4 at launch, that will devour nearly 95 GB more. At that rate, it won’t be long before core gamers have to do some significant housekeeping – deleting games to make room for new ones. It’s not exactly an optimal situation.

Adam Boyes, vice president of publisher relations at Sony Computer Entertainment America, says he isn’t worried, though – and says players shouldn’t be either.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Review: Sony hits reset with PlayStation 4

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The playstation4_6502006 launch of the PlayStation 3 didn’t exactly go smoothly. The launch games were tepid. The controller sacrificed beloved features for new ones no one wanted. And system setup was overly complicated.

This Friday, Sony hits the reset button with the launch of the PlayStation 4. It’s a notable improvement over the early days of its predecessor – one that’s likely to satisfy most players. But for nearly every step the PS4 takes forward, it takes a half step back. It’s a healthy start to the next generation, but it’s not the decisive victory some fans were hoping to see.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

PS4 may monitor your communications

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You sony_ps4_largemight want to watch what you say when you’re playing on your PlayStation 4. You never know who could be listening.

The latest update to the next-gen console’s software usage terms includes the disclosure that the company may monitor and record the content of voice and text communication over the PlayStation Network.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Whoops! Xbox One hits the street early

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Technically, xbox-one-launch-datethe Xbox One isn’t supposed to go on sale for a week and a half, but a small handful of consumers managed to get their hands on one early.

Microsoft confirmed the online reports over this weekend, saying a shipping error by “a retail partner” resulted in a pleasant surprise for some fans who had pre-ordered the console. Most likely that partner was Target.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Disney finds theme park inspiration in video games

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The sorcerors-magic-kingdomHappiest Place on Earth doesn’t seem like the sort of location that would require extra distractions, but Disney Imagineers say they’re leaning more heavily on the gaming world to boost the fun factor at Disney World and some of the company’s other properties.

Disney officials recently detailed the games they’ve installed at the parks since 2009 and discussed some of the surprising things they’ve learned in the process.

Read more at Yahoo! Games