Dan Chiappini, Editor, GameSpot AU Follow

Don't fence me in.

Duck and cover, because I'm about to drop some PS4 wish-listing bombs all over this thing.

First up, system updates. PlayStation Plus does a good job of removing the frustration of firing up your console and games, only to be met with a mandatory, user-initiated software patch thanks to automated updates. I get it, Sony, you have to justify the subscription cost by gating off features, but the United Nations says background downloading is a basic human right. Make it available to all users on the PS4, not just those who are willing to shell out for a premium service.

Region locking? Don't even think about it.

Cross-game voice chat. The Xbox 360 has had it for years, and the PS4 should, too. I realise that the PS3 didn't get it because of memory limitations, but now's the chance to make things right. Social interaction (if you choose) is a huge part of the gaming experience. Give players the chance to communicate freely, regardless of what they're playing at the time.

Region locking? Don't even think about it. As a citizen of a country that is, at times, left waiting for games to be released locally, don't put in roadblocks that stop players from supporting you by buying your games. A single, global PlayStation Store with uniform pricing is probably still a pipedream, but hey, this is my list, and you're not my real dad.

You know what would be awesome? Creating new ways to reward loyal PlayStation supporters. Super idea, Dan, but how? I'm glad you asked, Dan. Personally, I'm not into chasing trophies, but what if the amount of time you dedicated to playing a game, either by hours clocked or in achievements earned, offered a scaling reward system? Completed every challenge and unlocked the platinum trophy? Here, have a juicy discount (or free) DLC to keep playing the game you love. Even better if Sony rewarded consistent purchasers with bonus PSN Store price cuts, such as when buying multiple games from a single publisher, or owning the original game when a sequel is released.

Hold on to your butts, because it's about to get crazy in here. What if the PlayStation 4 was built around a 3D printer? All games could be distributed digitally, but users who want a physical version of their purchase for their collection could print off their own discs, cases, and manuals. The copies would only work on the device they were created on. No more rushing out to pick up your pre-order on launch day. Plus, if you really wanted that sweet collectors' edition figurine, you could buy and download blueprints from the PSN and print your own. No more sellers charging jacked-up eBay prices!

Feet back on Earth, the rational part of my mind says that Sony's next home console will probably further lock down PSN IDs to avoid account sharing. Given the rumoured architectural tech changes, it also seems unlikely that the PS4 will support backwards compatibility of disc-based PS3 games--here's hoping for a Gaikai-powered streaming back catalogue.

In my mind, Sony's event is likely to include an even split of next-gen sequels to games you already own, and a handful of new and exciting franchises. The safe money is on new LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm, and Killzone games, as well as the obligatory EA and Ubisoft offerings that mark all new hardware, and help supplement the limited first-party software available at launch. What will be interesting to see is whether some of the big hitters, like Call of Duty, which ships in the holiday window, will appear exclusively on next-gen devices, or be split across current and future consoles. We don't have long to wait to find out.

Follow Dan on Twitter: @DanChiappini

What do you hope Sony's next home console will look like, cost and do? Leave your comments below, and be sure to keep it locked to GameSpot ahead of tomorrow's PlayStation event.