Nearly three months after the PlayStation 4 was announced, Sony finally unveiled the console itself along with the $400 price tag at the company’s E3 press conference. The hardware is strikingly similar to the Xbox One, featuring a mostly all black color scheme with a dual textured design on the surface of the hardware with both glossy and matte finishes. The console can be used both while laying horizontally and standing vertically.
In perhaps the loudest, longest, and most genuine ovation any E3 presenter ever received, Sony’s Jack Tretton shot a handful of zingers at the Xbox One when he announced that PS4 disc-based games can be traded in without restriction, lent to friends, or kept for life. Unlike the Xbox One, no daily online check-in will be necessary. One bad piece of news for consumers was quietly announced: previously free online multiplayer access will now require a PlayStation Plus subscription.
