The Hottest Games Coming to Sony's PS4

Wednesday night, Sony took the wraps off of one of the most anticipated events in gaming history: the launch of the PlayStation 4.

Oddly, Sony did not actually show the PS4 at its two-hour event in New York City, saying only that it will be available in time for the 2013 holiday season. Pricing was also not mentioned. Sony did provide some specs, though, revealing that the PS4 is virtually a PC: it runs an x86 processor from AMD, as well as an enhanced PC GPU. It will have 8GB of high-speed unified memory, as well as system memory backed by local storage.

But one thing is true: a console is only as good as its games. For years, Nintendo has turned its Super Mario, Zelda, and other franchises into moneymakers, and the only real hope of keeping its new Wii U console afloat. Meanwhile, Sony and Microsoft have battled to land the other major developers, securing AAA titles for their own consoles. With the PlayStation 4, the competition is just as intense, with Microsoft expected to launch its own next-generation console (the Xbox 720?) soon, perhaps at the E3 conference this year.

A great deal still isn't known about how Sony plans to distribute games; reports have indicated, finally, that Sony will allow gamers to buy, sell, and trade used games, allowing them to be played on consoles besides their own. But how Sony will use its Gaikai cloud gaming service isn't really known; it appears that one use will be to maintain backward compatibility with the PlayStation 3, allowing gamers to avoid throwing their older games into the dustbin of history.

But what games will cause eager gamers to line up at mindnight, anticipating the launch? One appears to be Destiny (above), the next sci-fi shooter from legendary developer Bungie. But that's not all; check out the slideshow for more.

1. Driveclub

Evolution Studios claims that this game will be focused on team-based racing, with friends. "We collaborated with the best car companies in the world, working with them to create the most detailed and authentic car interiors and exteriors possible," Evolution's Matt Southern wrote. "The result is staggeringly immersive and visceral. This isn’t cockpit view; this is first-person-racing." (Image)

2. inFAMOUS: Second Son

Delsin Rowe is the star of Second Son, and you probably know someone like him: A 24 year-old who is absolutely convinced he’s destined for greatness; though so far that greatness has managed to elude him. He grew up just outside Seattle, where his great – if accidental – calling comes crashing into his life. After rescuing occupants from a fiery bus wreck, he discovers that he suddenly has the ability to direct, manipulate and even transform into… Smoke. Could he have absorbed this power from one of the passengers he pulled from the wreckage? Move over, Cole McGrath! (Image)

3. Knack

"The Doctor (a not-so-mad scientist) studied ancient relics from a long lost civilization for many years, and finally found a way to bind them together and give them consciousness," game director Mark Cerny explains. "The result is Knack, a creature with mysterious powers – for one, he can incorporate more relics into his body as he finds them, which allows him to transform from a three-foot tall creature into a gigantic wrecking machine." Cerny said the game is a "little bit like Crash Bandicoot, and a little bit like Katamari Damacy, in that the Knack can get quite large indeed." (Image)

4. Destiny

The latest sci-fi shooter game from Bungie, the developer of Halo, isn't exclusive to the PS4; it will be released for the PS3, too. Bungie has emphasized that the world of Destiny will be "alive," according to Wikipedia. Events may happen in-game that are not necessarily controlled or planned by the developer, which will help to create a dynamic developing experience for Bungie and a dynamic playing experience for gamers. The game's style has been described as an always-online first-person shooter that will incorporate massively multiplayer online game (MMO) elements, but Bungie has avoided defining Destiny as being in-kind with traditional MMO games." (Image)

5. The Witness

The Witness is a puzzle game, designed by Thekla, which contains a mix of complex and simple puzzles. Jonathan Blow, the company's president, explains: "The Witness takes place on a compact island. You can run across the whole island in 1 minute 10 seconds, yet we have 25 hours of unique puzzle gameplay with no filler and no repetition. We have designed it so that wherever you are, if you want to change paths and go somewhere else, there are three or four different places to go, all within 20 seconds' walk." (Image)

6. Watch_Dogs

Developed by UbiSoft Montreal, which made the Far Cry and Assassin's Creed franchises, Watch_Dogs is an open-world game where the protagonist, Noam Jenkins, uses devices like cell phones, lights, etc. as tools that can be hacked. Combat uses a mix of stealth and parkour, apparently. (Image)

7. Killzone: Shadow Fall

Guerilla Games describes this PS4 launch title as follows: "The game is set in a near future, 30 years after the events of Killzone 3. The world is a very different place; two rival factions known as the Helghast and the Vektans live side by side in a futuristic city, divided by a vast wall. Tensions are high, and the cold war they are embroiled in is about to go hot. In the midst of this all stands a Shadow Marshal, you. The most special of the special forces, tasked with maintaining the delicate balance." Somehow, we think violence will be involved. (Image)

8. Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD Projekt RED confirmed this week that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - an upcoming story-driven, open world RPG - will be released for the PS4 in 2014. "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final episode of the award-winning RPG series and triumphant finish to the legend of Geralt of Rivia," the company said. "While the Witcher 3 is the pinnacle to the Witcher series, it is also a standalone story that players new and old will love as they have another chance to live the dangerous life of a witcher."