SONYs E3 2014 press conference: greater daring and diversity seal another confident PS4 victory
PlayStation continues to outstrip Xbox at every turn this generation. Sonys showcase had more surprises, more impressive game demos and far greater diversity than Microsofts briefing. Sony also had a wider range of things to talk about: there was PlayStation TV, Vita, PS Plus, Project Morpheus and the same kind of services Microsoft once focused on too much, but above all, the games therein simply looked better and more daring. This was a high pressure, high stakes showcase, and yet Sonys executives were clearly brimming with the kind of easy confidence and good humour that comes with a significant lead in the console race, a superior games line-up and a richer ecosystem.
Bungies Destiny led the way. A new hardware bundle complete with a white PS4 plus alpha and beta access for existing PS4 owners show the strength and extent of its partnership with Activisions expensively-constructed next big thing. Its an important deal for Sony, and not just because it feels like Xbox mainstay and Halo creator Bungie has somehow switched sides. It felt as if Sony was parking its tanks on Xboxs lawn and declaring itself the shooter box of choice this generation, countering Microsofts well-established Call Of Duty partnership with a wider variety of its own better on PS4 shooters. Later, a spectacular Far Cry 4 demo was backed up with the news that even PS4 owners who hadnt bought the game could jump into the games co-op; Sony also had Battlefield Hardline in its armoury, with PS4 players able to sign up for its beta now.
It all fed into what Andrew House talked about at the shows outset, that his goal was to ensure that the biggest multiplatform games would look better and have exclusive content on PS4. Often, theyll come to PlayStation first; there was a surprise remastering of Grim Fandango, for example, and all of Devolver Digitals mouthwatering indie offerings including Hotline Miami 2, Broforce and The Talos Principle will debut on Sony consoles. Batman: Arkham Knight will have exclusive scarecrow missions on PS4, and those intending to pick up the newly next-gen GTAV will be able to transfer their online profile and progress to PS4 from PS3 and even Xbox 360. And lets not forget No Mans Sky, a game of stunning ambition which continues to dazzle with every new sighting. It was difficult to tell whether Hello Games Sean Murray wanted to cry or vomit (maybe both?) as he took the stage to confirm that itll arrive first on PlayStation.
No Man's Sky - Trailer
This assortment of incentives added up to a rounder, more diverse offering than we saw at Microsofts briefing several hours previous, and was also joined by meaty, old-fashioned exclusives, from both firstparty and thirdparty studios. It was difficult to tell where the cutscenes and live play in The Order 1886 began and ended, such was its terrifying fidelity. Hidetaka Miyazakis Project Beast is now officially Bloodborne, a PS4 exclusive for 2015, with Suda51 striking the same deal and targeting the same launch window for his latest project, Let It Die.
It was impossible not to raise a smile at LittleBigPlanet 3s unveiling, though it was interesting to note that the series is now being helmed by Sumo Digital, not Media Molecule. Uncharted 4s presence at the finale of the Sony briefing was just as expected as Crackdowns appearance at the end of Microsofts, and its presence was just as welcome. Though like so many of the game announcements weve seen over the course of the last 24 hours, it was a CGI trailer for a game not to be released until 2015.
Other, more offbeat surprises added to the mix. In place of the new Thatgamecompany project, we got Entwined and Abzu the former got a good chunk of time on stage and went live on PSN as the conference unfolded, a game created by a small, young team whose gently abstract whimsy and soothing soundtrack might be described as Rez meets Flower. Giant Squid, a developer with more explicit ties to the Journey developer, was founded by that games art director and composer; its debut Abzus sedate, dreamy underwater adventuring signals another credible indie first on PS4.
Our first reference to raising the bar arrived a little earlier during this mammoth, overlong conference. It was in reference to Infamous Second Sons performance capture and lead into the first sighting of standalone DLC for that game in the form of First Light, coming in August. Later, Dead Island 2s bro-friendly, taste-free unveiling was short on detail but its trailer had some of the sunny cartoon exuberance of Xbox Ones Sunset Overdrive, without its class; a fun promo for Paradox Interactives Magicka 2 provided a few laughs but will generate even fewer headlines, and a brief mention for Project Morpheus, which will host two new demos plus Eve Valkyrie on the show floor, reminded us that Sony is continuing to gaze into one of our mediums potential futures with interest.
ABZÛ - Trailer
