PlayStation 4 does not require an internet connection

**Blacksite** · 02-21-2013

If Diablo 3 taught us anything, it's that not everyone loves the idea of games that demand an internet connection.

In fact, it was hard to find anyone who loved games that demand an internet connection, which was sort of the problem: if you can't outweigh the pain of potential inconvenience to whatever proportion of your audience, then you simply aren't going to win that battle. Click click click loot loot loot.

Good news, then, because Sony Computer Entertainment seems to have reached the same conclusion at a system level for PlayStation 4, and as the result the new console will do pretty much whatever you customise it to do when it comes to the internet.

Sony's super-slick PS4 conference talked about a lot of functionality that will clearly benefit from an internet connection more than ever before - a processing module that handles downloads in the console's suspend state, for one thing - but when I talked to Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida after the PS4 conference he was adamant it was all customisable.

Does the PlayStation 4 always need to be connected to the internet, I asked?

"You can play offline, but you may want to keep it connected," he suggested. "The system has the low-power mode - I don't know the official term - that the main system is shut down but the subsystem is awake. Downloading or updating or you can wake it up using either the tablet, smartphone or PS Vita."

Are all of those things optional, though? For people who have broadband data limits, for example? They can customise everything?

"Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that."

Sony clearly isn't afraid of technical nuance. This is a company that announced its next-generation console by declaring it has an x86 architecture, advanced PC GPU, 8GB of GDDR5 memory and a massive hard disk. You may like some of its networking ideas. You may not like some of them. I got the impression speaking to Yoshida that Sony has other priorities.

Speaking from experience, it's always been good at allowing people to change what they want up to a logical point - far beyond any of its competitors - and I see no reason to suspect any change this generation.

via Eurogamer.

**RyanGT** · 02-21-2013

Well that's a big sigh of relief for a lot of people out there. I'll always be connected but some people aren't able to so that's good news for them.

**radgamer420** · 02-21-2013

Awesome news. I was wondering about that. Thanks for posting this Blacksite. +rep

**Blacksite** · 02-21-2013

Originally Posted by RyanGT

Well that's a big sigh of relief for a lot of people out there. I'll always be connected but some people aren't able to so that's good news for them.

I don't mind being online but I mostly play offline so this is good news.

**PeanutButterMunky** · 02-21-2013

This will shut some people up. That's good news, though. :]

**The Boy From School** · 02-21-2013

"Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that."

lol

**Coconut_Crunch** · 02-21-2013

it would be a very dumb move to make an online only console, very very stupid move. It's good Sony didn't do that because it would hit their sales figures or they just wouldn't sell as many as they could have.

**manutdfan** · 02-21-2013

I hope they have a appear offline option

**PeanutButterMunky** · 02-21-2013

Originally Posted by manutdfan

I hope they have a appear offline option

You have to give them your address, your social, a copy of your birth certificate, and a list of your fears to unlock that option.

**radgamer420** · 02-21-2013

Originally Posted by The Boy From School

lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t0affoV5rI

**claud3** · 02-21-2013

Well i am really happy to hear this and it takes me back the old days were consoles never had the internet

**manutdfan** · 02-21-2013

Originally Posted by PeanutButterMunky

You have to give them your address, your social, a copy of your birth certificate, and a list of your fears to unlock that option.

Could tart it up and call it stealth mode

**ash91** · 02-21-2013

Service providers take down their services far too much for consoles to require internet connection. Can you imagine wanting to play your favourite game at 1am (like a lot of teens do) and you can't because your service is down? The internet has to improve a hell of a lot for this to become a possibility.

**Lefein** · 02-21-2013

Day 1 buy. Done. PS4 is the bomb!

**radgamer420** · 02-21-2013

Originally Posted by ash91

Service providers take down their services far too much for consoles to require internet connection. Can you imagine wanting to play your favourite game at 1am (like a lot of teens do) and you can't because your service is down? The internet has to improve a hell of a lot for this to become a possibility.

Thats very true. If I'm having an internet outage I want to still be able to play my SP games.

**ttech10** · 02-22-2013

Good to hear. I didn't expect it to force online to play - that entire concept just sounds ridiculous to me - but I read numerous comments yesterday from people assuming and then bashing Sony for it. I mean sure we live in the digital age but there are still people who can't constantly be connected. There are also those times where you find yourself at a place without internet, while traveling (like maybe you're in a hotel that would charge $5.99 a day for it).

**ps3freak18** · 02-22-2013

All the info is great! Most of our worst fears for the PS4 have been calmed now. No always online and used games saved. So glad those rumors never amounted to anything.

**shepard** · 02-22-2013

Between this and the used game news....there are alot of people out there that can sleep well tonight.

**HellsJester** · 02-22-2013

Got all the info i wanted to hear for PS4.
Now just announce more games at E3 Sony and i may just buy it day one.

**emmerich** · 02-22-2013

Great news, very pleased with this. PS4 might just be my main system next gen

**John25** · 02-22-2013

Originally Posted by Lefein

Day 1 buy. Done. PS4 is the bomb!

Hopefully that isn't Literally :P

**Syphon_Filter** · 02-22-2013

For me, no worries. Iam online 24 80 days per week.

**Ixion** · 13 Hours Ago

With the X-bone needing an online connection at least once every 24 hours, there has been some confusion recently over whether Sony might use the same approach, since that technically isn't 'Always-Online' and Sony might have tried to hide behind semantics.

I just stumbled upon this article when browsing GAF and it seems Michael Denny from Sony already confirmed that you can play PS4 100% offline...

Originally Posted by Michael Denny

PlayStation 4 can still be enjoyed old school without an Internet connection at all

Source

So I figured I would just post this to clear up confusion. We also know that the EYE doesn't need to be plugged in for the PS4 to function.

With that said, Sony hasn't been clear on their used games policy.

**AaronSOLDIER** · 13 Hours Ago

Well I'll wait until the console is released but that's good if it doesn't need to be connected at all. I don't so much mind needing a connection anyway but if 20 years down the line the servers get shut down it'll just be a paperweight.