PlayStation 4 – Part 1

The thought of playing the biggest and best franchises on the PlayStation 4 gets me as giddy as a schoolgirl (not actually all that hard to do I admit). With that mind, let's look at some series that are intertwined with the PlayStation brand and likely to see new releases on Sony's behemoth come 2012 (or thereabouts).

Metal Gear Series - Despite the defection of other key series to the Xbox 360, Konami kept the newest MGS instalment exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

Metal Gear got its start way back in the late 80's on the Nintendo, then disappeared for several years before making a triumphant return on the PlayStation 1 with the first Metal Gear Solid. Brilliant gameplay, storytelling, voice acting, and music, all combined to make MGS one of the most popular PS1 games ever.

MGS 2 made the jump to the PS2, and despite a noteworthy twist about halfway through the game that sent fans reeling and flooding message boards with angry curses, the game was extremely well received, topping MGS 1 in sales with over 7 million. MGS 3 followed and was another success, though its sales didn't quite live up to expectations, selling 3.7 million copies (if you can call that underwhelming, which apparently you can).

Recently we were blessed with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on PlayStation 3, the most well-received title in the series to date, which has already sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. With the recent teaser that a new MGS is forthcoming, it's likely that the PS4 will see Metal Gear Solid 6, and not 5, which will likely return to the PS3. Bring it on.

Final Fantasy Series - The once prolific Final Fantasy series has begun to slow with age. The series had its monumental debut on the PlayStation 1 with the 7th instalment of the franchise, selling 10 million copies worldwide, and standing to this day as one of the most talked about and debated games ever. That was quickly followed a year and a half later with part 8, which sold over 8 million copies. Part 9, an homage to earlier games in the series, also saw release on the PS1, selling over 5 million copies. By 2001 and the release of part 10 on the PS2, the series had seen 4 releases in just over 5 years, selling nearly 30 million copies in that span.

Things dried up after 10 though, partly due to the box office failure of the Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within movie, which hit Square hard, with losses in the range of $100 million. The company slowed down game production as it attempted to restructure itself and weather the storm, eventually joining forces with rival Enix.

In the last 8 years we've only seen one major release in the series, part 12, which sold over 5 million copies and continued the series standard of exceptional sales and critical praise. With 13 still awaiting release on the PS3, it's likely to be the only main series instalment to see release on the current system. Final Fantasy 14 has already been hinted at by Square, and will hopefully see release early in the PS4's life cycle, stimulating both the system, and the RPG genre.

Hot Shots Golf Series - Though golf has seen a tremendous increase in popularity in the Tiger Woods era, the game is still seen by many as bland and boring, and this perception often followed golf games around as well. That all changed with the release of Hot Shots Golf on the PS1. Hot Shots combined fun characters and easy controls with a realistic physics engine and quick play to make golf enjoyable even for those who had previously had little exposure or interest in the sport.

Hot Shots 2 went to a different developer, but continued the series success, as did part 3, the first version released on the PS2. Part 4 saw the introduction of online play, which proved to be a great feature. Players could take part in tournaments and match play modes, and a website sprung up where players conducted their own seasons.

HSG 5 came out for the PS3, with improved graphics and physics, and the same easy play style and charming characters. HSG 6 will likely see release on the PS3, giving each PlayStation system 2 versions of the series. Expect the PS4 to get part 7 close to launch, a great start to the system for sports fans everywhere.

With these 3 series and many more making likely appearances on the PlayStation 4, things are certainly promising for Sony's next console. Too bad we have a few years yet before we can lovingly caress it and hold it in our arms (that is common practice is it not?).

Update - Final Fantasy XIV was announced after the original publishing of this article, and in a somewhat surprising revelation, it will be a MMORPG like FFXI. FFXIV will see release for the PS3 and PC. As it stands, it appears that the two PS3 entries in the Fabula Nova Crystalis triumvirate of games will be the only single-player FF games which will see release on the PS3. This of course all depends on the release of the PS4. FFXV could also very well see release on the PS3 if system sales continue to improve, and the release of the PS4 isn't until at least 2013 or later. All we know for a near certainty is that some FF game, be it 15, 16, or even 17, will likely grace the PS4 someday.