12 Innovations We Want From PS4 and Xbox 720

We already know something of the Wii U, but Nintendo operates along its own technology timeline, and it's debatable whether that system can truly be called "next generation." Meanwhile, Sony and Microsoft duke it out in the more traditional competitive "next generation" sphere of technology and services.

The so-called PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 are a certainty. Less certain is what those consoles will offer, the innovations that will set these machines apart from the status quo. Obviously, better graphics, cooler interfaces, sleeker designs, sensible controller innovations. But what about the services on offer?

Here is an IGN wish-list for the services of future consoles. Please do use the comments to add your predictions...

We don't need a hard drive. Let's enter a future where all our games and all our saves live somewhere else, instantly accessible on our next-gen console as well as on associated mobile devices. We want to be connected to our games all the time, from anywhere. We're already starting to see the effect of this now. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 can store saves on the cloud. Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 has a unified connection to Xbox Live and our Gamertags. Sony Erricson's PlayStation phone, Xperia, gives users an astounding 50GB of free online storage. This is the direction we're moving, and it isn't just with saved game data.

Before long, we could be streaming games straight from our consoles. OnLive's iPad app proves limited tech isn't a limitation for the concept. What's to stop Sony of Microsoft from taking a similar approach in a couple years' time? Really, with cloud-based games, there would be little need for complicated, expensive hardware -- never mind another generation with superior tech -- since we'd be streaming the resources.



Let's have day-and-date digital availability to match our consoles' retail release dates. We don't want to have to go to a store and pick up a plastic box. Let's also have an open retail environment accessible from our new XMBs and Xbox Dashboards. Let us access Steam and other platforms and make our choices based on the best offers and the best services.



Whatever these next consoles happen to be, they cannot offer anything less than the last generation. PlayStation 4 needs cross-game and party chat. You can make all the forward progress in the world, but if you don't keep up with what's already done, what's the point?



Netflix, Hulu Plus, VuDu, Zune Marketplace, PlayStation Network Video Store. The number of streaming, rental, and download services we pay for to watch movies and TV is getting out of control. It's nice to have Netflix on our PS3 and Hulu Plus on 360 because they have such different content. Now we're starting to see stuff like UFC Pay-Per-View fights streaming on Xbox Live. This is too many subscription fees and one-time charges. Let's consolidate or eliminate these in a way that makes watching TV easier to afford than a kickass cable package. If we had a unified video service, it'd make our lives so much easier. Sure, jumping from Netflix to Hulu in the same night isn't a big deal, but we're paying for this stuff, and we're going to be paying for another expensive box to use it again. In an ideal world, we'll be paying for fewer versions of similar services to get all the content. What an incredible platform-exclusive feature this would be.




We need to spend less time watching loading bars and more time playing games. It's why we paid for these wonderful things. In the future, we don't want the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live to keep us offline when we don't update. We want to talk to our friends while firmware version 2.0 downloads in the background, and automatically. Don't make us choose to update, and disconnect us if we don't. Just do it, and let us get on with our gaming.



Hey, Left 4 Dead, Unreal Tournament, and Elder Scrolls sure are great series on consoles, aren't they? Man, top notch stuff. Just think of how much better they must be on PC with all those free, optional texture packs, custom maps, and new character models. The PS3 played nice with UT3's mods, but beyond that we haven't seen much in the way of console cooperation with add-on content. (At least not the stuff that isn't for sale.) These things are practically PCs at this point. Let modders publish their stuff on Xbox Live and PSN next time, and let us enjoy and get the most out of our favorite games.