Sony Announces The Benchmark

Rarely do I feel like I'm stuck in the past.  I remember an incredibly similar situation to me reading up on PS4 announcements this morning.  This situation came back in 2005 when the first details of the PlayStation 3 were released.  "Change the Gaming Industry." "No more technological limitations."  I'm sorry, but I've heard this all before.

I really have 2 distinct feelings about the PlayStation 4 announcement.  In this particularly post, however, I want to talk about how incredibly trivial I find most of what Sony is offering me this holiday season.

Polygons

Man do we have a lot of polygons now.  We're going to get so many polygons that every pixel on my 1080 display is going to burst with polygon-juice.  In fact, I don't know that I'll even be able to comprehend the number of polygons.  I mean, just watch those promo videos!  CAN YOU SEE THE POLYGONS?  In the paraphrased words of the late, great Aaron Ladd(not dead, just hiding, but mourn just the same): "They're gon-ing so many polys right now!"  Just imagine all the things we'll see in the next 6-10 years! Oh boy, Polygons. 

Rebuttal: Journey

Emotion

Quantic Dream(Makers of Heavy Rain) want us to know that we will experience more emotion on PS4.  They may have said this between two giant planes exploding in bursts of polygon glory, but they meant it.  In fact, just think of all the feelings we could have felt in Call of Duty and Super Mario Bros if we just had more technology! Lift the cap, Sony! I'm sick and tired of not feeling emotions from my video games.  In fact, If Heaviest Snow: Scraper's Torment  doesn't make me cry or get angry or smile at every Quick Time Event where I "control" my character, I'm going to be pissed.(well I guess that's some kind of self fulfilling prophesy)  

Rebuttal: Shadow of the Colossus

Social Interaction

Now I'm just tired of the sarcasm and need to get to the heart of this nonsense.  Apparently the huge step forward for racing games, which the creators of MotorStorm have been waiting for to launch their new Drive Club, is the ability for your friends to see your leaderboard times and to compete against it.  You're right, we haven't been doing that since the arcade.  Ok, I'll forgive it since arcades are history until 2008 when that became a staple of the racing genre for home consoles.

Rebuttal: History

I'm not saying that the PS4 didn't have some impressive tech and features.  You can read about my thoughts on those over at 2 Guys Some Games.  I'm just saying that I don't care until I see actual gameplay, design, or system innovation.