Sony's D-Day: Everything we know about PS4

The console

Codenamed 'Orbis' back in 2010, the later iteration of Sony's next-gen devkits offered 4GB of GDDR5 RAM, which is capable of moving data at a blistering 176 gigabytes per second. On the graphics front, Sony is utilising AMD's 'R10XX' architecture, alongside its codenamed 'Liverpool' system-on-chip.

In real terms this should, combined with an eight-core AMD CPU clocked at 1.6GHz, eliminate the sort of bottlenecks that hampered PS3 game performance.

PS4 will be capable of running visually advanced titles such as Star Wars 1313,Watch Dogs and fully supported by next gen game engines such as Square Enix's Luminous tech and Unreal engine 4.

In addition, the new PlayStation is said to feature - at devkit level at least - a drive for increased capacity Blu-ray discs, multiple USBs, Ethernet, HDMI, Optical ports and a 160GB HDD.

CVG sources claim that each console will ship with the next-gen PlayStation Eye camerawhich is said to contain a pair of wide-angle cameras that will pick up signals from the new DualShock 4 controllers.

Sony has patented various used games circumventions in the past 18 months, though it's not yet clear if it will enact a move to combat pre-owned game usage.

The platform holder is unlikely to price or date its machine before production starts - it will want to gauge public reaction before making decisions even internally. However, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun claimed earlier this month that Sony has internally set the PS4 price above 40,000 Yen - a figure that would represent about $430/£275 at current exchange rates.

PS4 will almost certainly release at the end of 2013 in most territories, though an Edge report has claimed the console won't launch in Europe until after Christmas 2013. Sony Europe CEO Jim Ryan has previously claimed such a decision would not at all be Sony's ambitions.

---

The Controller

The PlayStation 4 controller is set to combine motion control, touch and traditional analogue buttons to offer a fresh spin on a more familiar interface.

Leaked photo of the PS4 controller

At first glance the face buttons on the leaked prototype controller (pictured right) seem relatively unchanged. Look closer though, and you'll notice that the PS4 d-pad has been redesigned to more closely resemble the PS Vita's (often the preferred choice within core gamer circles).

PlayStation's trademark twin anolog sticks have undergone a redesign from its predecessor, now employing concave indents that provide enhanced grip. From what one games developer has heard, this analogue redesign is not just for the dev kits - it will feature on all commercial pads.

Sony has also moved the sticks slightly further apart, but has resisted calls to switch the positions of the d-pad and analogue sticks.

They're not visible in the leaked pic, but a report last week claimed that the L2 and R2 shoulder buttons have been remodelled. A development source has confirmed to CVG that the pictured pad also uses concave shoulder buttons for enhanced grip.

CVG mock-up of the PS4 controller

Three additional buttons (Start, Select and the previously rumoured 'Share' button) are nowhere to be found in the picture. However, CVG understands that the touch-pad itself is clickable, and it appears that two small buttons are embedded either side of the new touch pad.

The grill beneath the touch pad houses an internal speaker system, while at the base there is a headphone jack input.

An illuminated panel along the top can change colour and behaves just like a Move controller, a development source has told CVG. Combined with the same gyro and velocity sensors introduced with the PlayStation 3's Sixaxis, the PS4 pad is said to be an "enhanced motion control device".

Each console will ship with the next-gen PlayStation Eye camera, which at a very basic level would enable Wii-style pointer functionality without sacrificing the mainstay controller features the core has come to expect.

If it works, then the controller could be ideal for navigation, while FPS twin-stick controls might finally make way for mouse-like twitch aiming - and all without giving up the dozens of buttons and triggers that support the core gaming experience.