This evening Sony sent an invitation to media and fans to see the future of PlayStation at a February 20th event. The event will be livestreamed on 6PM EST that day on Sony’s “PlayStation Meeting” website.

This is the Playstation 4. This can ONLY BE the Playstation 4. And, it’s very well-timed.

According to the Wall Street Journal (sub required), Sony will pull back the cover on it’s PlayStation 4 (PS4) at the event. The event will apparently also announce the release date: this Fall.

It’s a designed move by the company. Anticipating negative financials by rival Nintendo reported yesterday in their quarterly report, Sony had today circled on their calendar for a while to drop the news of an incoming event. It’s a further kick to Nintendo, who has faced challenges and difficulties in gathering excitement for its Wii U. The one-two punch was brilliantly masterminded by Sony’s management, rekindling the console wars yet again and aimed at causing fans to essentially forget the Nintendo Direct from last week.

The ball is in Microsoft’s court now, as it is rumored to announce its Xbox successor between now an E3 in June. Nintendo is also planning more of the popular Directs to announce third party games coming to the console.

There will be other announcements during that event as well, since it clearly outlines “PlayStation” and not “the Next PlayStation”. Our crack team has boiled it down to these probable details:

• PS4 revealed
• PS4 launch date reveal (Fall 2013)
• Sizzle reel of upcoming PS4 games, with names like Uncharted, Ratchet, Gran Turismo and Resistance probably there
• Playstation Vita redesign
• Vita price cut
• First news of Gaikai integration
• PS3 game updates: Last of Us, Last Guardian, Beyond: Two Souls

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Business as usual, Nintendo did a one-two punch to Sony in the handheld market. Sony wants to do the same to Nintendo in Console market.

What happened to the "We will not announce before Microsoft" thing?

I don't think Sony got the timing right at all. The enemy is not Nintendo, another Wii won't happen.

Oh dear......

What happened to the "I'm taking a break from VGchartz"?

Still waiting on my 3DS problem.

A PS3 price drop and a PS4 announcement could mean a very rough year for the Wiiu. I don't think a Vita price drop or redesign (built in memory) will have much effect on 3DS sales but it could improve Vita sales.

Good.

Sony should announce and release before Microsoft to ensure a chance for them in the Americas first and foremost. They need to steal back some market share there fast, before Microsoft dominates them again in the US. Announcing first or second shouldn't make a difference to Japan and Europe.

Announcing first would then give MS the option to change things up, so whilst I'm 'almost' certain this IS PS4 related, I'm also sure we won't get that much in the way of actual specs or pricing.

What was the one-two? MonHun/Pokémon?

I don't believe that Sony gives a damn about Nintendo's financial briefing. I don't think they care and that they planned a date because of it.

Also a PS4 anouncement on the 20th is not to make ppl forget the last Nintendo Direct. Do ppl seriously believe this is an answer to last week's? It's not, after a month the last Nintendo Direct's will have already made it's impact, ppl won't forget it because of the PS4, they will just stop talk about it because it happened 1month ago and that everything that had to be said has already been said. And even if that was the case, Nintendo can always fire back with a other Nintendo Direct aslong as they have anything to announce, wich I know they do but they should keep it for E3, Retro's game, Galaxy3, Mario Kart, Smash are all example of things they can use but should keep for E3 but they can always fire back by finaly giving us a Bayonetta 2 trailer.

And I'm not worried for WiiU's momentum, it will gain sales when they launch new games wich they have'nt since launch over 2months ago. I'm also expecting PS4 to have a slow start similar to WiiU's. We don't know what games they will have ready for launch, if they only have 1 or 2 appealing game I could see alot of ppl waiting buying (especialy if it cost 450$ or more). I expect this to happen, but if i'm wrong and that the PS4 launch with 3 or 4 AAA exlusive games with a price of 399$ then it will be a other story, but I doubt it.