Sony Launches the PlayStation 4 in North America

Sony Interactive Entertainment released the PlayStation 4 in North America, beginning Sony’s eighth generation of home consoles. The launch followed the system’s formal unveiling earlier that year and preceded its European debut on 29/11/2013. The PlayStation 4 launched at a retail price of $399. The console featured an x86-64 AMD “Jaguar” processor combined with a Radeon-based graphics engine and 8GB of GDDR5 memory. It supported Blu-ray discs, digital downloads via the PlayStation Store, and online multiplayer services through PlayStation Plus. The redesigned DualShock 4 controller introduced a touchpad, integrated light bar, improved analog sticks, and a Share button for gameplay capture and online streaming. Launch titles available on 15/11/2013 included Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack, Battlefield 4, and Call of Duty: Ghosts. Sony reported that more than one million PlayStation 4 units were sold within the first 24 hours of availability in North America. The system later launched in Japan on 22/02/2014. Over its commercial lifespan, the PlayStation 4 sold more than 117 million units worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling home consoles of its generation. The North American launch on 15/11/2013 established Sony’s presence in the competitive eighth console generation alongside Microsoft’s Xbox One and Nintendo’s Wii U. #PlayStation4 #PS4 #Sony #VideoGameHistory #2013