Sony aiming to implement PS4 MP3 and CD playback after angry fan reaction

Sony recently announced that unlike the PlayStation 3, its PlayStation 4 would not be able to play CDs or MP3 files, leading a small but concentrated fan backlash from would-be purchasers upset by the removal of the functionality. Now President of Sony Computer Entertainment Shuhei Yoshida has told Giant Bomb that the PS4 development team is working to add the ability to play both in a post-launch patch.

Yoshida first reacted to comments on Twitter, saying he would share the feedback with the console’s development team. He later told Giant Bomb that he and the PS4 development team “didn’t really think about MP3 and CD,” and that he was surprised by the passionate fan reaction to the announcement of its absence. Some had speculated that the removal of the features was a ploy to force users to sign up to Sony’s Music Unlimited service. Yoshida denied the accusation, and was supported by Sony’s director of music services Anu Kirk, who said in an interview with Polygon that his brief for Music Unlimited “was to just make the best music app available for the PS4.”

According to Yoshida, the PS4’s “system guys” are currently working out when they can add CD and MP3 playback to the new console. It won’t arrive in time for launch in North America this week, but given the vocal threats of canceled pre-orders and Sony’s swift reaction to the backlash, it’ll likely arrive in one of the earliest updates to the machine.

Source: The Verge