Rumor: The PlayStation 4’s Alias Is Orbis


 

According to the Kotaku’s unnamed source, the new PlayStation console will sport an AMD x64 CPU and an AMD Southern Islands GPU, which will make it as powerful as the high end PCs that will release later this year. Below we have some sketches of what “Orbis” is supposedly going to look like. Observing the sketches, it could be a service that works for a phone or possibly the PS Vita.

 

 

There have been other rumors suggesting that a restrictive DRM system will be in place, meaning that purchased Blu-Ray games will be locked to your PSN account. Anyone buying a second hand game will not be able to use it and will instead be limited to a trial. If the owner of the second hand game wants to unlock the full title then apparently they will need to pay a fee. This is similar to the system that is being bounded around for the next Xbox.

Games will be available on both Blu-Ray or via the PS Store on day one. It is also being suggested that you may require an “always on” connection in order to play either format.

Rumors have also suggested that there will be no backwards compatibility in early or future models, unlike the PS3 launch systems.

Orbis will be out “holiday 2013” with a reveal coming at this year’s E3.

 

Summary Of The Rumors

  • Releasing Holiday 2013
  • Orbis means circle, ring, or orbit in Latin
  • Combining Orbis with Vita gives you Orbis Vita, meaning “the circle of life”
  •  This may be an indication that the Vita will play a big role with the console
  •  Might be the final name (or might not)
  • Will not work with PS3 games
  • New games will be locked to a PSN account for anti-used games measure
  • Buy new games on Blu-ray or download
  • Specs: AMD x64 CPU and AMD Southern Islands GPU
  • Specs could change by the time it launches
  • GPU can display games at a resolution up to 4096×2160
  • Play 3D games in 1080p
  • “Secret developers” have been getting new dev kits since the beginning of this year
  • Revised/improved dev kits sent out around GDC
  • More finalized beta units shipping toward the end of 2012
  • After you download a game and lock it into your PSN account, you can play it, save the entire thing on your HDD, or peg it as “downloaded” in your account history
  • Need to have a PSN account and be online to get this process started
  • Trading in the disc means pre-owned customers will be limited in what they can do
  • Used game sales may be limited to a trial mode or a different restriction
  • Might need to pay a fee to unlock the full game

What do you think about these rumors? If they are true, do you think this could mean the end for consoles? Let us know in the comment section below.