Analyst: PlayStation 4 Needs to Launch Before the Xbox 720

After the reveal of the PlayStation 4 that took place last night in New York, the race for relevance on the next-console market is heating up and, according to one analyst, Sony needs to launch its device ahead of the Xbox 720 from Microsoft.

Jesse Divnich, who watched the video game industry for EEDAR, tells VG247 that, “Sony’s best chance at changing momentum is being first to market.”

He claims that any future console project needs to benefit from a solid line-up of video games and from strong hardware in order to attract the attention of players.

He adds, “In our current climate, console sales have stagnated. We’ve squeezed nearly every bit of innovation out of the current platforms and consumer interest in high-definition gaming is waning. Sony’s timing was perfect.”

The analyst believes that because most gamers are seeing the industry as being in a slump, Sony can capitalize on the desire for new ideas and new technology.

But the advantage only holds as long as the PlayStation 4 can be launched before Microsoft delivers its own Xbox 720.

Divnich says that many publishers will also see an opportunity after the official reveal of the hardware to show their own new game titles, the ones that they hope will be successful during the first years of the PlayStation 4’s life.

Sony delivered the official hardware specifications for the PlayStation 4 during an event in New York, although the company still needs to offer more details on the actual capacities of the console.

Technology acquired from Gaikai during 2012 will also be used to deliver a strong streaming solution, which will allow gamers to play a video game immediately on the PSN while it downloads in the background.

Sony is also promising a number of enhanced social elements linked to the PlayStation 4 and more options for dealing with friends.