Sony finally unveiled its eagerly-awaited PlayStation 4 console yesterday, but while the boxy games machine might look similar to Microsoft’s rival Xbox One, there are big differences elsewhere. Not only will the PS4 be cheaper than the Xbox One, but there’s also good news for those worried about used games, the need to be online and other possible restrictions

As we watched Sony’s announcement unfold E3 yesterday, it became immediately apparent that Sony was listening very closely to the criticism leveled against Microsoft when it announced its own console last month. First there’s the price play, with Sony hoping to achieve an early advantage over its rival by making its own games machine a full $100 cheaper than Microsoft’s, with a $399 in the US.

However, this wasn’t the only good news. More importantly, Sony confirmed two other key facts about the PS4 that will bring a huge sigh of relief from gamers around the world. First, there’ll be no restriction on the ability to play used games, and second, there’ll be no need for an internet connection in order to play. This is in direct contrast to Microsoft, which recently announced that Xbox One gamers will need to connect once every 24 hours in order to play, as well as restrictions on playing used games.

Another key difference is that the PS4 will be able to play older PS3 titles, something that’ll appeal to older PlayStation fans that don’t want to give up their favorite games. Once again, this is something that the Xbox One cannot do – meaning that gamers will have to keep their old consoles if they want to continue playing their older games.

These three factors look like giving Sony a big early advantage over Microsoft in the next round of console wars, though we should point out that that’s all they are for now – an advantage. The Xbox One still has plenty going for it – for example its flagship Halo series is unavailable on any other platform and that will surely swing several thousand fans, regardless of the console’s restrictions. Even so, the used games issue in particular has touched a nerve with many gamers, and if Microsoft doesn’t back-track on this then surely more than a few Xbox devotees will consider switching.

Of course there’s still lots more to come, with the official release of both consoles being several months away – while Microsoft has penciled in a November release date, Sony has yet to announce when the PS4 will hit the shops.