10 June 2013 Last updated at 21:54 ETBy Leo Kelion Technology reporter
The head of Sony's gaming division showed off the console early in its E3 press conference
Sony has unveiled its PlayStation 4 console.
Although many of the video games machine's features were previously announced it February, the firm kept the look of the box hidden until a press conference at the E3 trade show.
The firm said the machine would offer gamers "unparalleled power".
Sony's gaming division accounted for $7.5bn (£4.8bn) worth of sales in its last financial year, representing just under 10% of its total revenues.
The firm has acknowledged that sales of its PS Vita handheld console fell behind expectations, adding to pressure for the PS4 to be a success.
Its predecessor, the PlayStation 3, beat the Xbox 360 in terms of global shipments but was in turn outsold by Nintendo's Wii, according to market research firm IDC.
However, the Wii U - which launched in November - has failed to meet its sales projections, something Nintendo has blamed on delayed games releases.
"It's a big opening, the Wii U hasn't performed up to Nintendo's expectations or that of the broader industry" IDC's gaming analyst Lewis Ward told the BBC.
"You only get about once a decade to reset expectations around what a platform will be, and therefore the launch of the PS4 has the potential to move Sony back into the pole position it was at with the PS2."
However, it will also face competition from the Xbox One which Microsoft is pitching as an "all-in-one" entertainment system, while Sony has said the PS4 had been designed with video gamers as its focus.
Even so, the Japanese firm took time to highlight new video programming and music services for the PS4 before it discussed its games.
Sony has unveiled its PlayStation 4 console.
Although many of the video games machine's features were previously announced it February, the firm kept the look of the box hidden until a press conference at the E3 trade show.
The firm said the machine would offer gamers "unparalleled power".
Sony's gaming division accounted for $7.5bn (£4.8bn) worth of sales in its last financial year, representing just under 10% of its total revenues.
The firm has acknowledged that sales of its PS Vita handheld console fell behind expectations, adding to pressure for the PS4 to be a success.
Its predecessor, the PlayStation 3, beat the Xbox 360 in terms of global shipments but was in turn outsold by Nintendo's Wii, according to market research firm IDC.
However, the Wii U - which launched in November - has failed to meet its sales projections, something Nintendo has blamed on delayed games releases.
"It's a big opening, the Wii U hasn't performed up to Nintendo's expectations or that of the broader industry" IDC's gaming analyst Lewis Ward told the BBC.
"You only get about once a decade to reset expectations around what a platform will be, and therefore the launch of the PS4 has the potential to move Sony back into the pole position it was at with the PS2."
However, it will also face competition from the Xbox One which Microsoft is pitching as an "all-in-one" entertainment system, while Sony has said the PS4 had been designed with video gamers as its focus.
Even so, the Japanese firm took time to highlight new video programming and music services for the PS4 before it discussed its games.