Staying connected

Aside from the fancy visuals and new games, the unmistakable advantage of upgrading to the PlayStation 4 is demonstrated in the cringe-inducing trailer embedded below. While we’ve become accustomed to the clunky interface of the PlayStation 3 over the years, the next generation console will offer a much more refined experience, allowing you to hop between gameplay, shared footage, and more – all while keeping track of your friends.

The video shows how you’ll be able to download the particular portion of a game that you want to play first, and how the content will be installed in the background while you enjoy other titles. Furthermore, it highlights how you’ll be able to keep track of your friends using your smartphone, as demonstrated by the Taylor Swift impersonator sitting in a greasy spoon.

We really like the LiveArea feature on the PlayStation Vita, so it’s nice to see the whole ecosystem evolved on the PS4. While this kind of functionality is not going to sell systems on its own, it’s definitely going to make playing games a much more communal experience.