Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Pachter: PS4 "Impressive," Will Sell 85-95 Million Units


Everybody likes more RAM.
For developers, one of the most appealing aspects of the PlayStation 4 is its drastically increased RAM. And in addition to the 8-core CPU, analyst Michael Pachter believes Sony's new console is "impressive" and capable of great innovation.
Furthermore, in speaking at the SXSW panel (as cited byGameChup), Pachter said he believes the PS4 will go on to sell 85-95 million units lifetime; in direct comparison, the PS3 has sold about 77 million units since its launch in 2006. The analyst added that he expects the new console to sell below the $599 price point, which should give it an early boost.
In regards to the competition, Pachter sees the new Xbox selling the same amount as the PS4 when all is said and done. So essentially, it seems he sees the trends set this generation to continue going forward, which probably seems likely. But I have to reiterate- As I said in my Week in Review, the availability of PS4s come launch will be critical. And that's lookin' good, so... Cross your fingers!

Just Cause Dev: PlayStation 4 Is "The Best Of All Worlds"


When Sony announced the technical specifications for the PlayStation 4, some were just a little underwhelmed.
After all, it didn't appear to be some futuristic, next-level tech; it just appeared to be some relatively high-end PC technology. Developers really seem to love it for its accessibility, but what about the overall raw power?
Well, Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios says we really shouldn't be too concerned about that. Co-founder Linus Blomberg told GamingBolt that Sony's new machine will "out-power most PCs for years to come." He also said due to aging tech, consoles are in "desperate need" of a new generation:
"It’s always very exciting with a new console cycle, for a number of reasons. The consoles desperately need a boost since having been overtaken in terms of performance by PCs several years ago, and also losing market share to mobile platforms."
This generation has lasted longer than any previous generation in the industry's history (at least as far as I can remember), and many game makers have complained about battling gamer fatigue. In other words, we're all waiting for the new hardware, so even the most anticipated titles for current hardware seems a little less exciting. Anyway, Blomberg definitely seems to like the PS4:
"It’s the best of all worlds in a way; great performance for demanding high-end gaming, good social ecosystem and connectivity, and integrated business marketplace. For Avalanche Studios as an open-world games developer this is super exciting and opens up many new opportunities."
Avalanche is rumored to have several next-gen projects in the works, including Just Cause 3 and a new Mad Max game. As for next-gen power, we'll have to wait and see what the PS4 is truly capable of..