Earlier today, Sony broke the news that their PlayStation 4 console had hit yet another major milestone on its road to next-gen domination: 7 million units sold. The console is now available in most major markets — from North America all the way to Japan — and is apparently still selling very well.
Not only that, the PS4 has also improved its attach rate, which estimates how many games are sold per console, from 2.3 (its tally back in January) to 2.93. We suspect that increase has a little something to do with the recent release of inFAMOUS: Second Son in late March, but Sony would only confirm the new number.
Alongside the PS4 sales announcement, Sony also confirmed that a new substantial update, number 1.70, would be hitting the console very soon. While past updates have addressed problematic areas or introduced previously announced features, update 1.70's new content was built specifically in response to gamer requests.
First up, the new update adds a feature called SHAREfactory to the PS4. SHAREfactory is a video editor app that gives gamers the tools with which to take their PS4 share videos to the next level. They can add transitions, commentary, or even music to captured videos before sharing them on social media. Check the feature out in the trailer below:
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In addition to sharing on social media, PS4 consoles with firmware version 1.70 will also be able to upload to videos to a removable storage device (e.g. a USB thumb drive). Sharing will also be much more customizable with update 1.70, as players will now be able to determine who they share videos with as well as how long recorded videos last.
Perhaps update 1.70's most exciting feature is the ability to disable HDCP for gameplay capture. Sony promised that an HDCP-off feature was on the way, and they are finally ready to deliver. Now, gamers who want to capture gameplay in chunks longer than a few minutes will be able to do so with minimal hassle.
And, to top it all off, update 1.70 will add pre-loading to the PS4 for digital pre-orders. Like the HDCP configuration, pre-loading ranked pretty high on our list of must-have PS4 features. In fact, pre-loading will be essential for both consoles' success, it just so happens that Sony is delivering the feature first.
PS4 firmware update 1.70 might not be as robust as, say, update 2.00 will be, but it certainly ticks a few important boxes when it comes to much-needed features. Being able to pre-load digital games makes it easier for gamers to start playing the second the game unlocks, and HDCP will help Let's Play-ers and gameplay streamers increase the profile of PS4 games. And even if you're not the type of person who uses an HD PVR to record gameplay, the SHAREfactory feature gives players some handy tools for sprucing up their videos.
Look for PS4 firmware update 1.70 to hit "soon."
Are you ready for PS4 update 1.7? What new feature are you most excited to try out?
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Source: IGN