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Four things to know about PlayStation 4

Brett Molina, USA TODAY 8:58 a.m. EST November 15, 2013

PS4

Sony's gaming console Playstation 4 (PS4) is seen displayed during a press conference in Hong Kong on November 7, 2013. Sony announced that the PS4 will be available on December 17 in Hong Kong(Photo: Philippe Lopez, AFP/Getty Images)

For many video game players, Christmas arrived early.

Sony's long-awaited PlayStation 4 launched during a series of midnight events Friday, ushering in a new generation of home video game consoles.

Here are four things you need to know about the PS4.

1. Good luck getting one. Some retailers such as Best Buy and Target had consoles available in limited quantities at stores, but if your plan was to purchase a PS4 online, it might be a lot tougher.

Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop and Target have sold out of PS4 bundles online. Even Sony's official store has run out of consoles.

Consumers can visit the online marketplace eBay to snag a console, but prepare to pay well above the $399 price tag. According to some listings, the PS4 is going for as high as $649.

2. What's in the box? For the lucky video game players who preordered a PS4, they'll get a 500 GB console, DualShock 4 controller, HDMI cable, USB cable for connecting and charging the controller and vouchers for the PlayStation Plus online service, PlayStation Network and Music Unlimited.

More than 20 games will be available starting today, ranging from familiar names such as Call of Duty and Madden NFL to original titles like Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall. There are also 11 entertainment apps including Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Video.

3. The day-one update. Another important thing to note: when players boot up their PS4, they'll need to install a system update that grants access to the PlayStation Network and other services. To get a headstart, Sony is allowing users to download the update via Web[1]. Just save it to a USB drive and users should be able to quickly update their PS4.

4. Sony steps its game up.In case you missed our review[2], the PlayStation 4 represents a clear upgrade from its predecessor, the PS3. Highlights included the sleeker DualShock 4 controller with a clickable touchpad and built-in speaker.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @bam923[3].

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