It only does games? – the day after the PS4 FAQ

It only does no DRM.

It only does used.

It only does indies.

It only does games.

Sony’s PlayStation FAQ drew a lot of disappointment and controversy yesterday. Gamers discovered that the console would not support MP3s, DNLA, streaming movies from your PC to the console, or changing your PSN name. The reactions from the PS4 subreddit were a bit shocking:

“This is seriously bulls***. God damn it Sony, it’s 2013” – isbBBQ

“And now I can’t sell my PS3. This is a big deal.” – thesmokingpants

“I am really bothered with this, they went from ‘It only does everything’ to ‘It only does gaming.’” – josemontiel.

People were hurt. They were upset. The excitement and jubiliation they had from E3 was gone.

It’s hard to not point out the irony here. Microsoft was highly criticized for showcasing the Xbox One as not a game system but instead a multimedia device. Sony came out at E3 boasting “this is a game console for your games because that’s what you told us you wanted.” That’s not to say that multimedia capabilities aren’t possible on the PS4. Sony just wants you to use their services. Looking to stream music? Sign up for Sony’s service. How about videos? Sign up for Sony’s service.

Sony has done a lot of good in the eyes of the gaming community, especially with the Instant Game Collection. PS3 sales were aided by the fact that it doubled not only as a Blu-Ray player, but also that savvy gamers could use the device as their multimedia hub. They’re losing that option with the PS4 and for some budget minded people, it’s a major disappointment.

Let’s go back to the comment made by user thesmokingpants. Let’s say that the only way they could afford a PS4 is by trading in their PS3. By doing that, they’re giving away a console that has features they desire. No more custom playlists while playing their favorite games. No more streaming videos while they relax after gaming sessions. For some, this is an extremely big deal.

I’ve yet to even mention the lack of compatibility for external hard drives. That 500 GB HDD is going to fill up fast. While the tech savvy will have no issue replacing the internal hard drive, not everyone is in that type of position to know what they’re doing.

Hope is not lost, however. This is the first time Sony has brought any bad PR towards the PlayStation 4. Considering the build-up for their previous console, that’s pretty impressive. Shuhei Yoshida is also acknowledging the negative feedback, meaning a PlayStation-180 is possible here. After all, it’s just software and software can always be patched. This is a company that has listened to their fans. I’d be shocked if that trend doesn’t continue. This is (hopefully) just a bump in the road.