First Impressions: The Playroom May Be the Most Impressive Use of PS4 Yet

Push Square: "Expectations can be curious things. If you’re already extremely excited for something, it can be hard for that unfortunate entity to live up to the standards that you’ve assigned to it. As a consequence, it’s easier to be surprised when your anticipation at rock bottom. And that’s exactly what happened to us when we got hands-on time with The Playroom at a secret PlayStation 4 showcase in London this week."

[Destrania]

I think we'll see some cool stuff with the new camera. That's why I pre-ordered it along with my PS4.

[theWB27]

I fully expect this article to get slammed by the Sony brigade since camera tech is so useless and stupid. Especially with the headline claiming it to be the most impressive use of "teh specs" that the PS4 boasts.

On topic...pretty impressive stuff.

[MasterCornholio]

Its neither useless or stupid but games can live without out. And i have the whole history of gaming to back me up. Its a cool demo though and im glad that Sony is giving me the option of whether i want the camera or not.

[theWB27]

The whole history of gaming has nothing to do with the way this site slams camera tech. Im sorry, Xbox camera tech. So an article featuring camera tech would be useless on this site.

Be glad that they're giving you a choice MasterCorn. On the flip side, I glad Micro built a camera that is as good as Kinect 2 with the features built in the X1. I'll take full advantage of them. See how some people have a different view of Micro and Sony?

[Furi17]

Give me that blonde and burn this stupid-casual-gimmick minigames.

[Wanted Rogue]

"I don't want a camera always looking at me". "The kinect is an invasion of my privacy". "The kinect is just a gimmick, not for real gamers".... "I can't believe the arrogance of Microsoft in bundling something I don't want"

...however, a Sony version based on something M$ did 3 years ago is really cool and impressive innovation from Sony!

Well done to Sony for not bundling it with the PS4 and ensuring it is nothing more than the gimmicky addin the original kinect was. There'll be PS eye games and non-PS eye games rather than an integrated gaming experience that uses both.

[saint_seya]

You mean a sony version of a product that came on another sony console first #ps2# ...
Besidesmany consider this a gimmick, others like this kind of things..Its called having options, things u dont know, because you are used to what MS dictates to you..
I like my car in red because the guy who sold it to me told me only he will be selling red ones.. so i like the color, and ofc its better than the blue ones, yellow, green, orange etc other guys got because they had to chose a color, mine is better because i was told its better for the car seller!

[Polysix]

Sony did this stuff with PS-Eye way before Kinect!! They were doing this stuff on PS3 in the early years, at least 3 years before Kinect was even released!

And they even did it on the PS2 in a more limited fashion.

As for kinect spying vs this OPTIONAL and DISCONNECTABLE camera that NEVER phones home, totally different things. Sony are not using the camera to profile you and target adverts at you, and that's the least of the nefarious reasons behind Kinect, the rest is just too bad to even think about.

Not bundling it is the best way, it means devs won't just take on useless camera usage and only those devs that REALLY want to target the camera will and hopefully make better games for it.

next!

[Wanted Rogue]

They did, I had it for my PS2. The argument is not who invented the technolgy, but if this technology is to advance and be little more than a gimmick, then developers need confidence the investment they make it developing for it will return a profit.

Microsoft saw this with the original kinect, which is why they have bundled it now. Giving you options, does not help developers create great games. They need to know what they are developing for. The more variations, the less time they can spend on the actual game and the certainly won't incorporate functionality if only a limited percentage of the user base can use it.

If Sony had developed the PS2 Eye for the PS3 to be what the kinect became, the Nintendo Wii would probably never have existed.

As easy as it is to hate the corporate arrogance if MS, I think they are trying to enhance the gaming experience by giving developers confidence that time spent developing for kinect will not be wasted. Surely this will lead to added dimensions in gaming, no?

[Polysix]

the point is pretty much all motion gaming, be it camera or wiimote waving has proven to be mostly short lived, un fun, gimmicks - even when incorporated into otherwise 'core' games. It actually works better in those games if the developers feel a love for the cam/motion usage. If the camera is there by default you'll find the equivalent of wii shovelware but using kinect instead.

ALSO it will possibly encourage many core games to tack on needless camera gimmicks where time would be better spent on the games proper controls/ergonomics. There's an argument for both ways (included with all or optional) but based on what I've seen I think games stand a better chance of being less gimmicky if the cam/motion is NOT included as standard.

I don't think kinect actually did much to improve gaming on Xbox360 (other than for 7 year olds?) so can't see how bundling it will make a difference. You'll mostly still get tacked on gimmicks in core games and pure kinect games will most likely be targetted at casuals/kids.

And I doubt they included kinect purely so developers could make great games for it, it's obviously more for Microsoft's own needs than gamers. everything about XB1 has been for MS not for gamers so why would Kinect be? the very device they want to infiltrate every living room with and watch what you watch, see how you react to tv shows/adverts then profile you, use your data, reward you for sitting through adverts (gamerscore) stuff like that. Am certain 'gaming' was the last thing on the list of reaons to bundle kinect, if it wasn't then we'd have seen a proper killer app for kinect at E3 and we saw NOTHING but voice activated channel switching - big deal!

As it stands Sony's playroom is already FAR more creative, interesting and fun looking than anything seen for kinect for XB1 (if there even was anything other than voice control which gets old fast, been around for years on PCs it really is annoying after the novelty wears off).

So sony's playroom - built in to every PS4 on a system that doesn't force the camera on you is already a more enticing time waster for camera usage than anything XB1 has? Not that playroom is a compelling 'game' or will last much past a quick play but at least they haven't made it their heart and soul of the system.

Options are good, and if anything Wii has already proved that just cos you bundle a 'new way of interacting' with a device doesn't mean it'll ever actually be better than the traditional gamepad (until a PROPER new way of interacting is found - not motion/waving/talking). Wii suffered from tons of crap and even it's first party stuff was arguably worse off for using motion rather than traditional controls.

Kinect can't be any different. In fact worse. Move is better as you actually hold something, have feedback from the wands and IS OPTIONAL - sony got THAT right as has been shown by the fact the PS3 at the end of this gen is the #1 system with the LEAST shovelware crap and the most HIGHLY rated exclusives while STILL having one or two great move games (sports champs for one). If that model won in Sony's favour this gen while the massively popular kinect 'failed' in it's intent even having so many sales then why would it not fail next gen just cos it's bundled?

[husomc]

Microsoft says bend over and lo and behold @Wanted Rogue bends over and spreads in addition

[Wanted Rogue]

Seriously, what kind of comment is that? Try to be constructive or at least give a view point that enhances the discussion. Anyone can be insulting.

@Husomc Do you think games will be enhanced because developers know the kinect is there to be used or will it only make games worse and what is your reasoning?

[sic_chops]

Haha... So what did the original kinect become? It was choppy and only good for flailing your arms around in front of it and dancing. Wonder why I seen a pile of like 25 used ones sitting at my local gamestop.

[Wanted Rogue]

@slc_chops. My point exactly. Developers need to know the Kinect/PS Eye will be there or they won't develop for it. If they don't develop for it or just half heartedly implement something because MS/Sony give them cash to add some pointless feature, people won't buy the Kinect/PS Eye and those who do, sell it on because there are no decent games that use itt. It's verging on a catch 22. By bundling it with the Xbox One, MS have given all developers a chance to create new way of gaming, confident that all Xbox One owners will be able to use it.

Having said that, there may not be many Xbox One owners if the forums are anything to go by. :-)

[PositiveEmotions]

I find it very interesting makes me wonder what else sony can do with this technology :)

[Wanted Rogue]

Buy an Xbox 360 with Kinect and you'll see.

[sic_chops]

Or buy a ps3 and play the last of us (game of the year) don't waste your money on an original kinect. I'm still waiting to see that kinect racing game they plastered all over TV. Where is it?

[PositiveEmotions]

@sic_chops i have a ps3 and im not interested in last of us its not my type of game.

And i pre oreded my ps4 the other day!!! :D

[B1uBurneR]

OMG Becky this is so dumb what a waste of perfectly good HD cameras. Sony didn't give you the options to buy out of good will they knew if it was bundled it would bring down value of the purchase that can't compete with the X1 .. ok let me get out of the PS4 trolls way. I HEAR THEM RUNING towards this comment section like the zombies in War World Z

[Snookies12]

Can't compete with the X1? Oh, you must not know anything about these two systems and their hardware. Otherwise you'd realize in terms of raw power, the PS4 is at the very least on par with the X1 (better in terms of gaming if you want to get into the tech) at 100 dollars less than the cost of it.

I'm sure you'd know that though, if you have any idea what you're actually talking about.

Not that I'm bashing the X1. It'll do just fine with what it has under the hood. Simply trying to educate.

[Agent_hitman]

I have seen the demo of PS4 playroom and I'd say that I was impressed by it..

[pyramidshead]

I guess this is cool for the people who WANT to buy and use the camera. I think I'll pass on it though :).

[younglj01]

this could be an huge feature in the horror genre..Thinking about playing an horror game and exactly have an creature jumped into the room with you that would be scary as fuk...

[No_Limit]

Sounds cool but since a camera won't be included with the PS4, many people will missed out on this neat feature.