This may become known as the year of the point/counterpoint in console gaming. When Sony does one thing, Microsoft does another. When Microsoft announces something, Sony comes out with a video on why that’s crazy, and then Microsoft reverses position entirely. Here at SonyRumors, we love a good console war, but it’s got to stop at some point, right? I mean, is there anything left to go back and forth on?
Apparently so. On Wednesday, Microsoft revealed that the game DVR features of the Xbox One will only be available to customers that have subscribed to Xbox Live Gold. Skype and Smart Match, the online multiplayer matchmaking service designed to keep you playing with friendly competitors, will also be exclusive to Gold subscribers. Naturally, PlayStation fans began to wonder whether or not Sony’s next-generation device would also lock game sharing behind a pay wall; after all, the PS4 finally followed Xbox’s lead in making multiplayer dependent upon a PlayStation Plus subscription.
Enter: Shuhei Yoshida. Yes, the President of Sony Worldwide Studios [disclaimer: that’s the software side of things] who has given us some helpful tidbits in the past stepped in once more to give us the lowdown on just who could use the PS4’s Share button:
Shuhei’s curt answer sums up the differences pretty nicely. Just recently Sony confirmed that the PS4 will continuously record the last 15 minutes of your gameplay, 10 minutes longer than Xbox One. And while it’s understandable that the Smart Match service will be available only to Gold subscribers–it is for online multiplayer matchmaking–locking Skype behind the paywall, along with Netflix and their television services that were introduced back at the system’s May reveal, is something potential buyers will have to assess before dropping $499 US come November. The PlayStation 4 will release for $399 US this Holiday season.
More PlayStation 4 news keeps coming out every week, so keep your eyes on SonyRumors for all the latest.
Discuss:
Should certain game sharing features be exclusive to paying PlayStation Plus members? Why or why not?
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