Xbox One readies shift to 20nm – but can a smaller node help it match the PS4’s performance?

Ever since the Xbox One and PS4 were unveiled as being based on 28nm technology, it’s been clear that both Microsoft and Sony would transition to smaller nodes as soon as those technologies were ready for prime time. It now looks as though Microsoft may make this jump before its rival. A sharp-eyed member of the Beyond3D forum picked up on the LinkedIn profile of one Daniel McConnell, an SoC designer at AMD, which discusses how he, “Successfully planned and executed the first APU for Microsoft’s Xbox One game console in 28nm and a cost-reduced derivative in 20nm technology.”

So what could it mean for Microsoft’s console to make a quick jump down to 20nm? In theory, such a shift could give Microsoft several advantages. Power consumption and die size both come down modestly at 20nm, which improves yields and price structure. The system chassis could theoretically be redesigned with new features or MS could target a cheaper model with certain capabilities removed. In the past, both Microsoft and Sony have used these periodic revisions to target modest improvements to storage capacity, performance, peripheral hookups, or other similar options.

The current Xbox One SoC – a 28nm APU made by AMD

But I think there’s an interesting question here, that strikes at the concept of what a console actually is and what Microsoft can or can’t get away with doing. For decades, consoles have been presented as fixed units. Sure, the external shell and some of the I/O hookups might change over time, but an Xbox 360 purchased in 2005 should be just as fast as an Xbox 360 bought in 2014. Consoles have been inviolate, even as PC hardware shifts fairly rapidly.

As Microsoft looks at its plans for a 20nm die shrink, it has to be asking if there’s a way to change the Xbox One’s design to better match the PS4. And it probably can — as we’ve previously discussed, there are two unused GPU partitions on the system that would give it a significant GPU performance boost. It might also be able to increase the size of the shared ESRAM cache.

The problem, though, is optics. Early adopters of the Xbox One can’t be particularly pleased that they bought a now-useless doorstop in the form of Kinect 2.0. No one is going to be happy if Microsoft rolls out a new version of the Xbox One (Xbox 1.5?). And the company would risk bifurcating its dev teams between haves and have-nots. For a company whose message has already been badly diluted and confused, the presence of two different types of console would be problematic at best. Furthermore, McConnell’s profile makes it clear that Microsoft chose to drive engagements that would minimize costsover increasing performance in future iterations of the SoC.

Xbox One internals [Image credit: iFixit]

We’ve toyed with the idea of upgradeable consoles in other posts, but after the problems the Xbox One has had with brand and message, I think shifting the system’s design now would only confuse and frustrate users further. 20nm die shrinks are also expected to be relatively modest, with the following 14/16nm technology delivering more raw performance and the bulk of improved thermals.

What about DDR4?

One intriguing option Microsoft might take would be to outfit the console with DDR4. There’s been a great deal of discussion over whether or not the Xbox One’s quad-channel DDR3 memory bus is a problem for most games, with some general consensus that it likely is. Microsoft could close this gap, at least in theory, by upgrading to a faster form of DDR4. 8GB of DDR4-2700 or even DDR4-3200 would improve memory bandwidth by 25-50%. The question, however, is whether games could be programmed to run equally smoothly on both sets of hardware.

Again, that’s problematic. If memory bandwidth is really the issue, Microsoft might wind up having one console that can run 1080p safely, while the other is stuck in 900p territory. Is it possible to build a resolution toggle into games? PCs certainly have done it for years, but it’s not clear if this is possible on the console side.

Microsoft could theoretically swap out the DDR3 on the Xbox One for DDR4 without changing any of the underlying specs, but I suspect this will be difficult. DDR3 and DDR4 have very different latencies and matching the two well enough to make them identical at the design level might be more trouble than it’s worth.

Watch out: If you installed the PS4 2.0 firmware update, don’t use Rest Mode

Remember the big PS4 2.0 firmware release that shipped earlier this month? Well, it turns out there is a bug in this update that can prevent the PS4 from waking properly from Rest Mode (i.e. hibernation, sleep). Affected users are being required to hard boot their systems, and that could potentially cause major problems. There’s no official word on when we’ll see a bug fix, but thankfully there is a workaround for the time being.

Earlier today, I saw a report on CNET regarding a bug in the latest firmware that prevents the PS4 from coming out of Rest Mode. I’ve been using firmware 2.0 “Masamune” since it was released, and I’ve been using Rest Mode on and off since then without any issue. Incredulous, I grabbed my DualShock 4, and jammed on the PlayStation button. Nothing happened. I touched the power button, and the screen remained blank. I decided to hard boot the machine, and I was finally greeted with a screen scolding me for powering off thePS4 improperly. It did a quick scan of the file system, and everything worked out for me this time. Luckily, nothing was ruined.

Of course, not everyone will be so lucky. Hard booting can cause serious problems, and lead to corrupted data. If you’re currently running the 2.0 firmware, you should refrain from using Rest Mode. When you’re done using your console, turn it off completely. Until Sony issues a patch, consider Rest Mode armed and dangerous. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s a lot better than dealing with an unresponsive PS4.

If you’re having problems getting your console to boot properly, Sony recommends using safe mode to fix your issue. If you’ve already been bitten by this bug, I recommend that you wait until Sony releases a patch, and then sideload it onto your PS4 with a USB stick to prevent further headaches.

Combine this firmware faux pas with the Driveclub disaster, and October has proven to be a difficult month for Sony. Of course, this isn’t the first time Sony has pushed out a bad update for its consoles. Just last year, firmware 4.45 caused huge problems for PS3 owners. This just serves as a reminder that blindly installing updates isn’t a good idea. Next time, let’s wait a few days before we install that big, feature-rich firmware update.

Sony reveals PlayStation TV

Sony has confirmed to T3 that the UK price of the PlayStation TV micro-console will be £84.99 when it is released here in the autumn.

T3 got some time with the new console, which is now available in black and was previously titled Vita TV, over in Los Angeles for the E3 convention.

According to Sony, the device will retail for €99 in Europe and is fuelled by Sony's PlayStation Now streaming service which launches in the States on July 31.

As well as offering a budget doorway into Sony's impressive gaming catalogue and the ability to stream PS4 games, the device will also function as a set top box or media streamer to equal the likes of Google's Chromecast.

Unfortunately, in the UK, the device won't come bundled with a DualShock 3 controller - unlike Japan. It is, however, compatible with the PS4's DualShock 4 controller.

Future DualShock 4 update for PlayStation 4 will add option to dim light bar (updated!)

It may seem like minor news, especially considering the hoopla over Sony's Virtual Reality this week at GDC, but the PlayStation 4's DualShock 4 controller is about to get a firmware fix. In an interview with Geoff Keighley of Spike TV, Shuhei Yoshida, Sony PlayStation's head of Worldwide Studios, confirmed that a future firmware update (we're not sure if it's console- or controller-specific like on Xbox One) will give gamers the option to turn off dim the controller's light bar. If you own a PS4, then you know just how preciously short-lived the DualShock 4's battery life can be. The ability to muffle that glaring light should help extend the DS4's longevity, but only slightly. Still, it's a major boon for the community, and those of us that like our controllers to be less of a night light and more of a gamepad.

The Last of Us coming to PS4 this summer with improved graphics

A PlayStation 4 port of highly acclaimed title The Last of Us will launch sometime this summer, a Sony spokesperson has let slip. Talking on CNN Turk's Multiplayer gaming show, a PlayStation exec claimed the port will have better graphics than the PS3 version, and will be available both digitally and physically. PS4 copies will apparently include the Left Behind single-player DLC, so newcomers get the whole story upfront, and diehards get to replay a prettier rendition. Additional single and multiplayer content is in the works, too, but even a straight port should keep most superfans happy while they wait for the movie.

PS4 launches in Japan, Xbox One gets price drop and Titanfall bundle

Three months after the PS4 launched in North America, it has launched in its home country of Japan. The PlayStation brand has a huge presence in Japan, whereas the Xbox brand does not. The PS4 already had a comfortable sales lead, but with the Xbox One not impacting Japan, that PS4 sales numbers are going to eclipse Microsoft’s box. To combat this, Microsoft has dropped the price of the Xbox One, and included the flagship title Titanfall.

Oddly, the Japan launch appears to be a different affair than the North American launch we all survived back in November. Instead of frantic gamers running between Best Buys and GameStops on release morning, many Japanese gamers lined up to receive pre-order tickets which allowed them to go home and come back at release. Back in October, pre-order stock almost immediately sold out, however, reports suggest that the Japanese retail stock didn’t do the same upon the February 22 release. Reportedly, the PS4 still sold quickly, and used the weekend to deplete its stock. Now, Sony is already restocking units — and they’re still selling. Hard numbers have not yet been released, but it’s safe to assume that the PS4′s sales lead on the Xbox One has significantly grown since last week. In fact, Microsoft appears to have responded to the Japanese launch by releasing a new Titanfallbundle and dropping the price.

Unfortunately, the price drop — from £430 to £400, what amounts to about $50 – and bundle are only currently slated for the UK market, but it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s simply a testing ground for a similar price drop and bundle to release stateside. While a $450 Xbox One, Kinect, and Titanfall package is still not as cheap as the $400 PS4, the $50 pill should be easier for gamers to swallow considering the console comes with a Kinect and what is essentially the only flagship (semi) exclusive available at this time. The cheaper bundle releases this Friday.

So, while we don’t have hard numbers just yet — expect them to be disclosed soon — it’s safe to say the PS4 just gained an even larger lead over the Xbox One. Regardless of your console preference, more sales for one or the other not only means there will be a larger online community to game with, but it paints a picture for the portion of the populace that has yet to commit to a console. If the PS4 is painted as the better purchase due to the higher sales figures, then that will only snowball the sales, causing more people to assume the PS4 is the better choice. However, if Microsoft can replicate the UK price drop and bundle, the PS4′s popularity may not have a large enough effect to offset the Xbox One’s “free” game and fancy voice-control camera.

PS4 hits 6 million consoles sold, 13.7 million games; Xbox One still only around 4 million

Bolstered by opening week sales in Japan, Sony has announced that the PlayStation 4 has sold six million units worldwide. Perhaps more importantly, Sony also says that 13.7 million PS4 games have been sold — an attach rate of almost 2.3 games per console — with Killzone: Shadow Fall leading the pack with 2.1 million units sold. The exact number of Xbox Ones sold is unknown, but it’s probably just under four million.

In an official blog post this morning, Sony took the opportunity to offload a bunch of impressive statistics. Six million units sold worldwide. 13.7 million games sold. 90% of PS4s are online — producing 3.6 million live broadcasts, 56 million spectate sessions, and 100 million social shares (via the DualShock 4′s Share button). Apparently 20% of all daily broadcasters on Twitch since January 1 have been PS4 gamers.

Sony also announced today that the PS4 had sold 370,000 units in Japan, in its first week of sales. This is obviously small fry compared tothe one million PS4s sold in the first 24 hours in the US — but do remember that Japan only has around a third of the population of the US. A better comparison is the UK, which has around half the population of Japan, where around 250,000 PS4s were sold in the opening weekend. This still makes Japan’s opening week look weak — though it’s worth pointing out that the PS3 didn’t sell very well in Japan early on, either. The Wii sold around the same number of units in its first week in Japan, and it went on to be a huge success. (The PS2 was the first and last console to truly explode the Japanese market.)

With 2.1 million units sold, Killzone: Shadow Fall is obviously doing its job as a platform exclusive. It will be interesting to see if the Xbox One’s first big exclusive,. Titanfall, which is released next week, can drive a significant increase in console sales. Though, a week later, the PS4 will get its next big exclusive: Infamous: Second Son. The release dates for other big PS4 and Xbox One exclusives haven’t yet been announced, but they are expected to play a fairly big role in deciding who ultimately sells more consoles. Microsoft might also close the widening sales gap if it released the Xbox One in some more markets — and, of course, if its price was cut to directly compete with the PS4.

6 Reasons To Buy A PlayStation 3 Instead Of An Xbox 360

If you still don’t have a current generation video game console, you may want to consider the PlayStation 3 over the Xbox 360. Here’s why.

When it comes to console gaming, it’s close to a toss-up between Sony‘s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft‘s Xbox 360. If you’re a serious Nintendo fan, the Wii makes sense. For most gamers, however, the Wii is not a serious enough piece of hardware. The Wii U may change that, but questions linger as to whether the Wii U will be left in the dust by its next-gen competitors, and what that means for the Wii U game lineup.

Looking at just this generation hardware, assuming you’re still in the market for a new console, should you buy a PS3 or an Xbox 360? I have both, and both are great machines, but in the end the PS3 is the better buy.

While I do think the Xbox 360 controller is better for first-person-shooters, the PS3 controller is just as good (if not better) for just about everything else.

And while the Xbox Live metro-style aesthetic is nice to look at, it’s no more functional than the PS3′s UI and nowhere near as simple to use (at least until you figure it out.)

Forbes’s David Ewalt had a great story recently on Microsoft’s success with the Xbox 360, and there’s reason to believe this success will continue, at least in North America, with its next-gen successor. But that success doesn’t mean its the best choice for either hardcore or casual gamers.

Here are five reasons the PS3 is ultimately the better choice (for most of you.

1. The PlayStation Network is free. Sure, sometimes the PSN goes down or is taken down by hackers, a problem Microsoft has done a better job avoiding, but Xbox Live Gold will cost you $50 a year. That’s $50 more than you’ll pay to play online games on the PSN.

As Paul Tassi notes, if you’re paying for Xbox Live it’s not like you get a discount on Netflix or Hulu or any other app. You’re just paying twice. Fifty bucks a year isn’t a make-or-break deal, but it’s enough to buy an extra game per year ad infinitum.

If the Xbox 720 costs the same per year as the 360 does, and the PS4 maintains its free PSN access, then the next-gen decision will be just as easy to make.

2. The PS3 has a Blu-ray drive. If you’re like me and my family, most of your media these days is streaming. Still, especially for animated movies likeHow to Train Your Dragon and anything from Pixar, as well as other big-screen flicks like The Avengers or The Dark Knight series, the Blu-ray can make a big difference, both in terms of visuals and sound.

It also means there’s more room per disc for PS3 titles over Xbox 360 titles, allowing for somewhat noticeable improvements in graphics on PS3 versions of many games, and – perhaps even more importantly – allowing each title to fit on one disc. There are few things more annoying than having to stand up and switch out an Xb0x 360 disc in the middle of a game.

Next Page: Exclusive titles, controllers, and Kinect.

LittleBigPlanet Karting will have Move wheel support

3. The PS3 has better exclusive titles. Unless you’re a big fan of Halo orGears of War, PlayStation 3 simply has better Sony exclusives than the Xbox 360.

I’m not a big Uncharted fan, but if you like Indiana Jones-style cinematic games, you can’t do much better than the Naughty Dog’s adventure franchise.God of War may be stretching itself a bit thin at this point, but the action-Greek-myth hack-and-slash title is still a big draw.

From Software’s Demon’s Souls is, quite frankly, reason enough all by its lonesome to choose the PlayStation 3 over the competition.

Other exclusives include the LittleBigPlanet franchise, including the upcoming Karting installment, as well asPSN games like The Unfinished Swan, which is one of the most intriguing looking titles I’ve seen in a while.

Meanwhile, many popular titles like Call of Duty are cross-platform, and many Xbox exclusives are also available on PC (though not nearly enough – seriously, why isn’t every Halo game a PC title as well?)

4. The PlayStation 3 controller is rechargeable. Never underestimate how truly irritating batteries can be. I own Dark Souls on Xbox 360, and in the middle of a serious boss fight (Smough and Ornstein) my controller died.

This was my first attempt at the boss, and I’d summoned an NPC and another player to help me in the battle. Just as we entered and began doing battle my character froze up. I clicked madly at the buttons, watching my life drain before my eyes, unable to block, roll, run or fight. Then the message box appeared, saying that my controller was no longer connected.

Had this been a PS3 game I could have, theoretically, leaped from the couch, bounded across the living room, plugged the controller into the console and saved my life. Since it was Xbox 360 I didn’t even try. I would have had to find the batteries, first of all, if we even had any. Sure, it was my fault for letting the controller die, but there’s something to be said for a rechargeable controller in terms of convenience, especially for lazy oblivious people like myself.

Random question: In a fight, could the Kinect beat up the Pixar lamp?

5. The Kinect isn’t ready for the big leagues. Naturally, you don’t need to buy a Kinect or any other motion-gimmick-hardware, but the Kinect does seem to occupy an overly-large parcel of psychological real estate at Microsoft. There’s a plethora of new Kinect titles, and very few top-notch new Xbox 360 exclusives hitting the market these days. Is Microsoft placing too many eggs in its Kinect basket? If so, it’s worrisome.

For one thing, the Kinect is not nearly what it’s cracked out to be. We’ve played mostly demos for the Kinect, but it’s been a really frustrating experience for both us and our five-year-old. It constantly drops players and is about as far from precise as you can get.

Don’t get me wrong – the concept is fantastic, and some of the games are fun, especially for kids. I imagine a future generation of Kinect may be a good selling point for the Xbox 360/720/etc. but this time around, I’d worry more about Microsoft and Xbox 360 developers paying too much attention to a device that’s only half-ready, neglecting non-motion-controller games in the process.

6. Last, but not least, is the PS Vita, Sony’s latest and greatest hand-held gaming device. The world may be moving toward mobile, but the PS Vita is a really impressive gaming machine that can connect directly to your PS3. If you want hand-held games, Microsoft still has some serious catching up to do. If you go with a Vita, you’ll be better off pairing it with a PS3 than an Xbox 360.

~

What do you think? Outside of a handful of good Xbox 360 exclusives, is there anything else that makes that console better than Sony’s PS3? Did I miss any compelling reasons to buy the PS3 over the Xbox 360?

Final thought: Better still, build yourself a gaming PC. Sure, not every title will make it to PC, but you’ll have a much wider array of indie titles to choose from, as well as mods and customizations that make consoles pale in comparison. Still better: buy all three because, you know, you’re made out of money, right?

'Project Morpheus' is Sony's virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4

The rumors are true: Sony's working on virtual reality. The hardware is called "Project Morpheus" and it's headed to the PlayStation 4. The headset is two pieces: a closed display and what looks like a PlayStation Move sensor built in. SCE Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida unveiled it on-stage tonight at GDC 2014; he said the "prototype" is "by no means final." It's the culmination of over three years of work, Yoshida said, and the prototype unveiled tonight will also double as a dev kit.

As seen above, a subtle PlayStation-themed blue light is emitted by Morpheus. A single wire can be seen exiting the unit on-stage; apparently carrying both an HDMI and USB connection. Sony's clearly drinking the VR Kool-Aid: there's serious talk about "presence" on-stage (the term Valve coined as the target for "true VR"). What are the specs in the headset? It's got a 1080p display and just over a 90-degree field of view. There's positional head tracking, a 3-meter working volume with full 360-degree tracking that works with the PlayStation Camera, and games can recognize the PS Move controller as a virtual object. In terms of audio, the device has "true spatial sound" using binaural audio -- pretty neat! It's also apparently "highly adjustable" and supports custom headphones if you'd prefer your own audio choice (it plugs right into the headset). Head below for more!

The current dev kit is wired, though the wire is "very long" (around five meters, we're told). The dev kit also has a "breakout box" between the headset and your television (akin to the original Oculus Rift dev kit).

PlayStation R&D engineer Richard Marks dug into the nitty-gritty a bit: He said Morpheus needs a high-resolution, high-quality screen ("no problem," he quipped), great sound (SCE is developing binaural tech to produce sound, incorporating that into the experience), tracking (he pointed out that the PS4 camera is "almost custom-built for VR"), and control (Sony's sticking with DualShocks, cameras and Move, apparently).

Project Morpheus specs:

Component: Processor unit, head-mounted unit
Display Method: LCD
Panel Size: 5 inches
Panel Resolution: 1920×RGB×1080 (960×RGB×1080 per eye)
Field of View: 90 degrees
Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope
Connection interface: HDMI + USB
Function: 3D audio, Social Screen

Marks admitted that VR needs to be easy to use -- as in, as simple as picking it up off the coffee table and quickly jumping in. So, perhaps no wire then? That's still unclear. He finished with a plea to devs to create content for Project Morpheus, "which is why we're announcing this at GDC." Sony's already working with a handful of devs, including Epic Games and Crytek. We expect it won't be too long before the large world of game devs jumps in.

Update: In a Q&A following tonight's session, we were told by R&D engineer Anton Mikhailov that the headset was given its project name for "the god of dreams" (he's not lying). In terms of first-party Sony studios working on content for Morpheus, the Sony trio on-stage stayed mum, pointing to the handful of titles revealed tonight as the first example.

Sony's Project Morpheus is a VR headset for PS4

Like the Oculus Rift, Project Morpheus lets you step into a virtual world of a game. It has a visor head-mounted display and works with PlayStation Camera to help create these virtual worlds.

As you move your head, the world adjusts so you see what you would if you had been plonked down in it. This headtracking is done using interial sensors.

You can also use the PlayStation Move controller as a sword in some games. Morpheus will show your hands and the sword in the virtual reality world, so you'll feel like you're actually using it to fend off foes.

Project Morpheus uses 3D audio technology developed by Sony. You'll hear stereoscopic sound from all directions, including helicopters flying overhead and footsteps coming up from below. Which will add to the suspense in a game like Resident Evil.

The sounds change in real time as you move your head, too.

In terms of the tech specs, it offers a 5-inch, 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution screen, that gives you a 90-degree field of view. That's less than the Oculus Rift's 110-degree field of view.

Sony showed off Project Morpheus at the Games Developers Conference in San Francisco. Techoblog magazine editor Matt Hill is there, so expect an eyes-on verdict soon.

"VR has been the dream of creators since video games were invented," said Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) Worldwide Studios. "We're looking to go one step further than 'immersion' and deliver 'presence'."

Virtual reality could soon be the norm, and not just for games, according to Sony. "VR is pervasive and going to become the preferred medium for many different applications beyond games," said Richard Marks of SCE Research & Development. "We're already working with NASA to create the feeling of walking on Mars but imagine picking up a VR headset and trying out a hotel room before you stay there."

It's crucial to eliminate the motion sickness feeling that has plagued VR so far. "VR is a medium, not a peripheral, so needs to be approached on its own terms," said SCE R&D's Anton Mikhailov. "Head motion for the player is law – if you mess with that, you make people sick."

Sony admitted this is easier said than done. "Control in VR is still very difficult," confirmed Marks, suggesting that a consumer version of the headset is still a way off. "I have a feeling it's something I'm going to be working on for a while." 

Sony hasn't set a release date or price for the Project Morpheus yet. It did show off demos including Eve: Valkyrie, which is one of the Oculus Rift's launch titles. It also said the software development kit – which will let developers start making games for it – is in development, and that Sony will "continue development of Morpheus looking towards a future commercial launch".

Sony Rift: PlayStation VR headset news, rumours, price and release date

Virtual reality gaming is firmly back on the gaming radar thanks to the success of the Oculus Rift and rumours are circulating that Sony could be planning a headset of its own.

A Sony-branded Rift virtual reality could give the PlayStation maker a huge one up over bitter rival Microsoft. And, the company has already experimented with headsets, releasing the Sony HMZ-T3W last year.

In the run up to last year’s unveil of Microsoft and Sony’s next gen consoles, the big question was whether Sony would team up with the developers of Oculus Rift for a next generation headset built around the PlayStation 4.

PlayStation had confirmed that it’s using Oculus Rift dev kits and further hinted that it could be offering support in the future.

“We’ve got a couple of the development kits and I tried it out and I love it,” said Shuhei Yoshida, head of Worldwide Studios at Sony Computer Entertainment said before the unveiling of the PS4.

Last month, a source told our sister website TechRadar that “the quality and resolution are really, really good. People will definitely be impressed with what Sony’s built.”

So what do we know about what we're calling the Sony Rift?

Sony Rift release date

In all honesty, there is very little indication of when the Sony Rift will be available.

Multiple sources have suggested to T3.com that a protoype will be revealed at the Game Developers Conference later this month. The event starts on March 17 - so if this is true, we don't have long to wait.

And if Sony did show it off at GDC it might allow the company and its developers to take some of the limelight at the E3 gaming expo in LA.

Our best guess of when you’d be able to get your hands on it would be Christmas at the earliest but likely next year.

Sony is said to have been working on this device for more than two years - longer than the Oculus Rift development - and has held back on revealing it until it is up to a standard the company is happy with.

Assassin's Creed 5 main character image leaked?

An image has leaked showing what some believe to be the main character for Assassin's Creed 5. The image is a leaked photo reportedly taken at Ubisoft Montreal.

The poster (courtesy of Gamespace) shows an as yet unseen Assassin holding what could be a hidden blade however gamers have already taken to the forums to speculate as to whether it is in fact a revolver.

Whilst Ubisoft has ruled out the prospect of feudel Japan or ancient Egypt there is still wide speculation that the next Assassin's Creed game could be set in Victorian London or indeed Revolutionary France.

A revolver would certainly support the idea of Victorian London however Ubisoft is staying silent on the matter so for now we'll have to rely on the image above and hearsay.

In a recent interview with Edge Magazine Ubisoft confirmed that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag had been built for Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 then ported to next-gen, whereas its latest venture Watch Dogs had been built for next-gen first.

This could suggest that Ubisoft is looking to create Assassin's Creed 5 exclusively for Xbox One and Sony PS4, of course that's just speculation.

PS4 sales hit 5.3 million ahead of Japan launch, while Xbox One sits pretty at 3.6 million

Sony, after announcing which the Dsi 4 ended up being out-selling the Xbox live 1 nearly two-to-one in January, offers verified so it offers distributed more than 5. 3 zillion PS4s in between the release on Nov 15 and also Feb . 8. This Xbox live 1, in comparison, had distributed 3 zillion devices from the stop associated with 2013. This can be prior to PS4 roll-outs in the household country associated with Asia, also; the moment that comes about on Feb . twenty two we can anticipate the PS4 for you to tremendous increase a step forward before Xbox live 1.

By far the most useful facts simply looks as we tally in place both the natural revenue figures and also the two-to-one tidbit, however. We all don’t offer an current revenue number coming from Microsof company — and so, by the end associated with 2013, Sony had distributed 4. only two zillion PS4s, and also Microsof company had distributed 3 zillion Xbox live Types. And then, in January, the PS4 “nearly doubled” the revenue with the Xbox live 1, dealing with 5. 3 zillion devices by means of Feb . 8. In the event many of us function in the opposite direction, which means the Xbox live 1 simply distributed about six-hundred, 000 devices in between January 1 and also Feb . 8, while PS4 distributed 1. 1 zillion devices.

How to use a PS4 DualShock 4 to play PC games

When Sony first announced that theDualShock 4 would work with Windows, PC gamers across the internet cheered in unison. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly a plug-and-play situation quite yet. While it’s true that the PS4′s controller is recognized by Windows right out of the box, existing games don’t automatically work with the new gamepad. Thankfully, there is an open source application available that maps the DualShock 4′s controls directly to Microsoft’s XInput API — effectively tricking games into thinking you’re using an Xbox 360 controller.

To get started, head on over to the PCSX2 forum, and grab the latest version of DS4Tool. Unzip the folder, and stash it somewhere memorable. Inside the DS4Tool folder, navigate to the “Virtual Bus Driver” folder, and open the “ScpDriver” executable.