Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re not keen on downloading more PlayStation 4 firmware in the wake of that giant Day One patch, we have bad news: Sony is already rolling out its first post-launch upgrade this evening. Thankfully, it’s a much smaller release this time around. The 1.51 update will both fix a few minor bugs and refine the interface, making it clearer when you’re downloading both a game and a patch at the same time. It’s not an exciting upgrade, then, but the PS4’s automatic downloads at least mean that you won’t have to lift a finger to run the latest software.

Filed under: Gaming, Sony

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Source: PlayStation Blog

After crossing under the elevated railroad viaduct that bisects a lush Azerbaijani forest from an industrial landscape, a squad of American soldiers gazes out at the valley that lies below. A saw-toothed horizon of half-assembled buildings juts out in the distance. It’s almost peaceful. Hundreds of seagulls chatter lazily overhead, blissfully unaware that the ensuing firefight will leave the seemingly forgotten structures looking somehow even worse for wear. Whole facades crumble under the hellfire of a military attack chopper. A grenade launcher’s explosive payload immediately contradicts the seemingly harmless thud it makes upon exiting the weapon’s chamber. An enemy scrambles for a new safe haven; his earlier hiding place no longer exists. By scene’s end, all that’s left are roiling flames and caustic black smoke.

This scene from the Battlefield 4 trailer was how the world, perhaps unwittingly, met Frostbite Engine 3, the next-gen toolset powering all of Electronic Arts’ non-sports games for the foreseeable future.

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD

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The PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4 controller may seem like the logical evolution of Sony’s gamepad design, but we now know that it wasn’t always destined to be that way. Product manager Toshimasa Aoki tells VentureBeat that the company threw out all the rules during the early design phase, and had tested both all-touchscreen gamepads as well as one where a touchpad could move to different locations. The PlayStation team had also considered abandoning its signature bottom-mounted analog sticks in favor of moving them up top, much like Nintendo’s Wii U Pro Controller. However, feedback pushed Sony to a more conservative layout — many early PS4 game developers were worried that a new control scheme would break their software design. While it’s unfortunate that Sony had to restrain its creative impulses, we suspect that many gamers are happy with the end result.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Sony

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Source: VentureBeat

Sony didn’t waste any time at its PlayStation 4 launch event, coming right out of the gate with news from Naughty Dog about two of the biggest franchises. Uncharted is coming to the PlayStation 4, and while not much information has been revealed, there is a short teaser trailer complete with vengeful voiceover and treasure map for you to watch. For your PS3 gaming needs, the developer also showed off new “Left Behind” single player DLC coming to its hit The Last of Us, with Ellie apparently taking over the lead role. There’s a video for that one too, check out both embedded after the break, or head straight for the live stream to see what else is coming up.

Filed under: Gaming, HD, Sony

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Source: PlayStation (Twitter)

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Filed under: Misc, Sony, ASUS

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