PlayStation 4 hardware unveiled, priced at $399

Sony has unveiled the official model for its PlayStation 4. It bears a not unsurprising resemblance to its direct rival, the Xbox One, but smaller and, dare we say, cuter. Sony also promised a host of crossmedia offerings on the platform from day one, including its Video and Music Unlimited services, as well as Netflix and, at a later time, Flixster. In the closing of its E3 press conference, Sony has announced it is pricing the PlayStation 4, set to release holiday season 2013, will be priced at $399 US. This will undercut its direct the competitor, the Microsoft Xbox One, by $100. It should be noted that multiplayer service is not included in the base console price, but will instead require a PlayStation Plus membership. Reports are circulating that Sony will be producing several hardware models, with the $399 being "restrictively basic." We will have more details as they emerge. Update: Sony has released more information about the PlayStation 4's pricing and specs. Additional DualShock4 wireless controllers for the console will cost $59, while the PlayStation Camera has a similar price tag. Elsewhere, the console will come with a 500GB hard drive, which can be replaced in the same way that the PS3 hard drive can be swapped out. It's also notable that Shuhei Yoshida has confirmed that the PlayStation 4 is region-free, meaning that consumers can purchase games from other regions and play them on any PS4 console.