Sony unveils free party chat, online services in PlayStation 4 FAQ video

In a video from PlayStation Access, they answer 10 questions -- probably the most frequent ones that Sony is hearing in the community -- on the upcoming PlayStation 4.

Some of the questions involve PlayStation Plus, online features, and could you even use your DualShock 3 to play with this machine?



While this won't transcribe what can easily be seen in the video, here's the basic answers for all 10 questions:

1. Does PS4 have party chat? Yes, there's a cap of 2,000 users that one person can have on their profile.
2. Will PS4 support the DualShock 3? No, but it will support PlayStation Move.
3. Do I have to pay to play online? Yes, but features like Netflix, party chat, and free-to-play games are all free without PS+.
4. What color will PS4 be at launch? Jet black.
5. How big is the PS4? There are no words, the woman in the video just places the first iteration of the PS3 next to the PS4. On its side, the new console is shorter but possibly a bit wider.
6. Will PS4 games be in 3D? Yes.
7. How big is the hard drive and can I change it? 500 GB and yes.
8. What benefits do I get from the PlayStation camera? "It enhances your gameplay" with two cameras and four microphones.
9. How is the Xross Media Bar changing? It's not really changing.
10. Can I keep my existing PSN ID? Yes.

So there it is. 2,000 friends is definitely enough and party chat will give PS4 gamers the freedom to chat with whomever they want while they play any game, something that the PS3 missed out on badly.

Not supporting DS3 is not a shock at all, and neither is the lone color choice. Having 3D is a bit of a surprise, considering that technology is dying off, but games do tend to be the only thing keeping 3D around.

500 GB is really the only way to go, especially for gamers that will take advantage of the freebies Sony gives out on PS+, or those that will just buy digitally, and expect the desire to expand in the near future.

Hopefully Sony will give us a chance to rename our ID, or transfer information over to the PS4 with a new identity. Having "quagmire305" is very old and outdated, and hearing every clever bastard on the internet saying "giggity" when I kill them grew tiresome many years ago.

[Source: YouTube]

[Image credit: Flickr/Ricky Brigante]