You may have noticed by now that the PS4 has an irregular shape. In a way, it’s like an Oreo cookie with two larger pieces on the top and bottom slanted forward. So why did Sony opt to go for this shape when every other console in history, including previous PlayStations, have been rectangular?
Speaking to GamesBeat, SCE manager of product planning Tashimasa Aoki described the PS4’s tilted design as “not just a design thing, it also has functionality”. According to Aoki, the shape more clearly defines the buttons for both eject and power, making it easier for consumers to find the button they want to press. He also added that “the back side hides all the cable that you don’t want to see”, assuming you stand your PS4 horizontally, of course. Lastly, the hidden recess between the two slanted protrusions hides the two USB ports accessible from the front, which would otherwise detract from the console’s attractiveness.
These reasons may not seem substantial, but once you see the PS4 in person the most important of its shape will make sense: it looks gorgeous. I’d go as far as to say the PS4 is the best-looking console in history next to the Sega Dreamcast. Sony has always valued stylish design—just look at the PS Vita—and the PS4 carries that heritage into the next-gen with a surprisingly affordable price.
