Tag: Sony
News Shogun Star Hiroyuki Sanada Reportedly in Talks for Role in Sony's Ghost of Tsushima Film
We'll allow it
Hiroyuki Sanada, hot off the success of FX's Shogun, is reportedly in talks for a role in Sony's upcoming Ghost of Tsushima film. While no further information was forthcoming, fans quickly decided which role the talented actor would best suit. That's according to DanielRPK (thanks, The Game Awards), an industry insider behind...
News Unease as Helldivers 2 Players Succeed in Sucking Planet of Meridia into Black Hole
Another victory for Super Earth
Helldivers 2 players have succeeded in the Major Order set by Super Earth, deploying enough of the alien liquid known as Dark Fluid on Meridia to destabilize the entire planet, causing it to collapse into a black hole. Predictably, developer Arrowhead is positioning this as another victory, but an uneasy sense of...
Random What Happens to Your Digital PSN Library When You Die?
Banished to the void
What happens to gamers' digital games when they inevitably shuffle off this mortal coil? We've pondered this question many times in the dark hours before dawn, and it seems we aren't the only ones. A debate has picked up steam on Steam and other platforms about what happens to these increasingly valuable libraries we all collect...
Guide PlayStation Studios: All Sony First-Party Developers and What They're Working On
Every PlayStation exclusive project
What are all PlayStation Studios developers and what are they working on? In this PlayStation Studios guide, we’re going to list all of the Japanese giant’s subsidiary game makers, along with their current projects. We’ll be updating this article regularly, as new titles are announced. Note: We've focused...
News Astro Bot Is the 'Biggest' Game Team ASOBI Has Ever Made
Players will have a "renewed experience" every 10 minutes
Astro Bot Rescue Mission, the PSVR exclusive outing, was a full-length adventure – but the upcoming Astro Bot on PS5 will kick things up a notch. Speaking exclusively with Entertainment Weekly, studio head Nicolas Doucet revealed that his team wanted to make a “big game” – in fact,...
Poll What Was Your Favourite Game from State of Play?
Does it begin with Astro and end in Bot?
Okay, let's just push the negativity aside for a minute and actually consider the things that we enjoyed in the latest State of Play broadcast. After all, packing 14 different games into a 30-minute event isn't especially easy, and there was an impressive amount of variety on offer. Surely there was something...
News Latest State of Play Is One of the Worst-Received PS5 Shows Yet
Astro Bot aside
The online reaction to Sony's latest State of Play broadcast has been fairly negative. The half-hour event featured 14 PS5 and PSVR2 titles, but outside of the wonderful-looking Astro Bot, the show struggled to wow its audience — especially off the back of heightened expectations surrounding a supposed 'PlayStation Showcase'. This...
News Big New PS5, PC Shooter Concord Has an Uphill Battle Ahead of It
Fan reaction has been mixed to say the least
Sony has bet big on first-person shooter Concord, the debut project from a group of esteemed Destiny veterans. PlayStation acquired the studio early in the outing’s development, after signing on as a publisher; since then, it’s given the title an enormous budget, and awarded the title prime time...
News Astro's Playroom Composer Kenny Young Returns for More Catchy Tunes in Astro Bot
Earworms ahoy
There are many things to love about Astro's Playroom, and one of them is its soundtrack. Composed and produced by Kenny Young, the PS5 title is filled with joyful electronic songs that stick in the mind long after you put the pad down. Good news, then — he's back for Astro Bot, the newly announced PS5 platformer. The composer has...
News Astro Bot Raises the Bar for Sony's PS Studios Intros on PS5
Everyone's here
The logo blast at the start of every game's boot phase has become so homogenous that you're generally better off just scrolling through Twitter for a few seconds before reaching the main menu. Sony tried to inject some personality into each of its first-party titles by personalising the PS Studios logo drop with the characters from...
Reaction PS5 Livestreams Are No Longer Speaking to the Fans Who Built the Brand
Tough times
It’s been eight years since Sony’s outstanding E3 2016 press conference, where it hired a full-blown orchestra and introduced the rebooted God of War to the world. And it’s been nine years since arguably the greatest gaming livestream in history, where the holy trifecta of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Shenmue 3, and The Last Guardian...
News Monster Hunter Wilds, Astro Bot the Biggest PS5 Winners from State of Play
Justice
It’s always interesting to look at the most viewed trailers after a State of Play has aired, just to get a better idea of which titles resonated with fans. While this is far from a scientific experiment – especially when you consider we’re only taking into account views from the PlayStation channel roughly 12 hours after the event...
News PC Players Are Fuming Until Dawn, God of War Ragnarok Appear to Require PSN Logins
Aw sh*t, here we go again
One of the bigger stories in 2024 is how Helldivers 2 exploded in popularity to such a degree that Arrowhead decided to postpone a pre-planned PSN login requirement on PC. When the developer eventually attempted to enforce the feature, the Internet imploded, leading to such a fierce review bombing campaign that
News PS5 Platformer Astro Bot Will Have 80 Action-Packed Levels
Across six unique galaxies
Ever since the original tech demo in The Playroom VR, fans have been waiting for a full-blown Astro Bot adventure. Astro Bot Rescue Mission, the outstanding PSVR outing, checked the box – but due to its virtual reality requirements, many missed out on the excellent Team ASOBI outing. Now, after the tantalising Astro’s...
News PS5, PC Fans Are Trying to Figure Out If Concord Is Free-to-Play
Doesn't look like it
Sony spent a lot of time building up hero shooter Concord during its recent State of Play, and it did a decent enough job. All we’d seen of the release previously was a greasy looking hamburger, so that it was able to establish its cast of Guardians of the Galaxy-esque wise-crackers within the span of a single CG trailer was...
News Helldivers 2 Major Order Directs Players to Destroy Supercolony-Infested Planet of Meridia
Exterminatus
Helldivers 2 players have been issued a new Major Order, focusing the community's ongoing Galactic War efforts in a specific place, towards a particular end. However, this time, the Meridia Superhive situation will require a more permanent solution, with the planet slated for permanent destruction. Super Earth has decreed that the time...
Round Up What Was Announced During Sony's State of Play Livestream for May 2024?
All the PS5, PSVR2 reveals
In stark contrast to the prolonged, seemingly unending rumours leading up to it, Sony's latest State of Play presentation was announced and executed in less than 48 hours. We're now on the other side of the show, having seen a total of 14 games in the span of just over 30 minutes — including some updates from one or two...
News Until Dawn Looks Scarily Good in PS5 Gameplay Trailer, Arrives in Fall 2024
Boo
Sony and developer Ballistic Moon have unveiled a gameplay trailer for the upcoming PS5 and PC remaster of Until Dawn. The beloved PS4 horror game is getting spruced up for modern machines, and it's looking good from what's been shown here. In case you don't know, Until Dawn is a narrative-focused horror adventure. It frames itself as a teen...
News Astro Bot Looks Absolutely Glorious, Lands on PS5 This September
We're so happy
Astro Bot is the name of the cutesy robot's big new game, and this time it's a full length excursion rather than just a tech demo. The trailer has put a smile on all our tired faces — it looks utterly delightful. Team Asobi's platformer will feature more than 80 levels across six galaxies, which you'll explore in order to find...
News God of War Ragnarok PC Officially Confirmed for 19th September
Winter is coming, again
After much speculation, Sony Santa Monica's epic sequel, God of War Ragnarok, has been officially confirmed for PC. Kratos' journey continues with all exclusive accoutrements like Ultrawide support, unlimited framerate, and support for Nvidia DLSS 3.7/AMD FSR 3.1/Intel XESS 1.3. Preorders are now live on Steam and other...
News Concord Is Sony's Answer to Overwatch, Launches August, Beta Test in July
Team-based hero shooter
After Concord's vague debut teaser, we now know much more about Sony's shooter for PS5 and PC. This sci-fi, team-based hero shooter brought to mind Overwatch with a twist of Destiny in the above gameplay video. In this first-person shooter, two teams of five are pitted against each other in a variety of modes, taking control...
Poll What Did You Think of Sony's State of Play for May 2024?
Did it deliver?
Sony's latest State of Play livestream has just concluded, giving us a glimpse at what's heading to PS5 and PSVR2 in the near future. Expectations have been all over the place for this one; protracted rumours about the show may have somewhat heightened the hype of fans, while others saw the words 'State of Play' and instantly reined...
Live Watch PlayStation's State of Play Livestream Right Here (30th May, 2024)
Astro Bot! Concord! More?
Looking to watch PlayStation’s State of Play livestream? This is the big one – apparently. Sony’s big summer showcase is upon us, although the days of glitzy 90-minute stage shows from the E3 era are long in the past. The Japanese giant will instead be conducting a tight, half-hour show with an emphasis on 14 upcoming...
News Sony Invites Public to Play Insane, Massive PS5 Pinball Machine
Pinballin'
PlayStation's marketing team has pulled off some memorable stunts in the past, but this latest promotion might actually take the cake. On Friday and Saturday of this week, just hours before the Champions League final takes place, Sony's inviting people to test their skills with a massive PS5-themed pinball machine. Claim the high score...
News Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Swings 11 Million Sales as Sony Calls PS5 Exclusive a 'Great Success'
Can it catch the first game?
According to Sony's latest financial briefing, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has topped a rather impressive 11 million sales. The PS5 exclusive launched in October of last year, and got off to a flying start as the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game to date. It moved a staggering 2.5 million copies in the space of 24...
Guide What Time Is PlayStation's State of Play?
Dates, times, and what to expect
What time is Sony's State of Play livestream, and when and where can you watch it? State of Play is Sony's irregularly scheduled show for providing updates on the latest games coming to PS5, PS4, and PSVR2. Usually a little smaller in scale than a PlayStation Showcase, the State of Play will still be worth watching...
News Don't Worry, Sony's Most Recognisable Studios Are Still Focused on Single Player PS5 Games
It ain't all live service
As part of its business segment meeting overnight, Sony categorised all of its first-party studios based on the type of content they’ll be delivering. It divided its teams into four segments: Single Player Narrative Focus, Partner Studios, Evolving and Multi Genre, and Live Service Focus. Here’s how it divided its...
News Sony Wants Non-PS5 Owners to Use Its Accessories
Beyond boundaries
While it’s generally been a smaller story within the overall PlayStation narrative this generation, there’s no doubt Sony has quietly increased its focus on accessories for the PS5. The mix of products available is really good, spanning the official pro controller DualSense Edge, the streaming handheld PS Portal, and various...
News PS Plus' Higher-Priced Extra, Premium Tiers Command 35% of Overall Subs
Increasing share year-over-year
How many PS Plus members are subscribed to the higher-priced PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium tiers? Well, accurate as of 31st March, 2024, around 35 per cent of all subscribers are paying additional money for the more expensive subscription options. In fact, the breakdown looks like this: PS Plus Extra has 16 per...
News PS5 Players Are Buying Fewer New Games, But Spending More Than Ever Overall
Microtransactions making the moolah
One difference between the PS5 and PS4 is the rise of live service games. A dirty word among the most engaged enthusiasts, this is not a genre but merely a business model; it means titles are designed to evolve and improve over time, as opposed to offering one-and-done experiences. And it’s changing consumers’...
News PS5 Is Sony's Most Profitable Console Generation to Date
Not-so doom and gloom
There’s a growing sentiment among the gaming enthusiast circles, not necessarily always backed up by fact, that console gaming is collapsing. While it’s true the market is facing issues of spiralling costs and slowing growth, it’s a concern not always rooted in reality. Case in point: Sony’s just announced PS5 is its...
News PS5's Streaming Handheld PS Portal Is Proving a Huge Hit
A whole new world
Back when the PS Portal was rumoured and subsequently announced, social media was filled with armchair executives deeming the device to be a disaster. As it turns out, Sony understands the market better than many people think, and its PS5 streaming handheld has become a lynchpin of its new-gen console’s overall experience...
News Sony Plans to Convert PC Gamers Through the Power of PlayStation
Just one hit and you'll be hooked for life
Soon-to-be PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst says the strategy behind releasing its single-player narrative games on PC is to push future console sales. The thinking goes that getting PC players hooked on some of its marquee tentpole franchises will entice a portion to play future sequels on a PlayStation...
News PS5 Sales Trend Ahead of PS4 in US, Leads Console Market By 'Significant Margin'
PS5 alive
Over the last few weeks or so, there's been some debate regarding the PS5 and its perceived sales momentum. This discussion likely stems from the fact that Sony itself reported a decline in units sold year-on-year, and as a result, revised its commercial forecast. However, as we pointed out in our Reaction article, context is key. The PS5...
Talking Point State of Play May 2024 Predictions - What's Next for PS5?
Play it again
Bloody hell, it's finally happening. While it might not be a full-on PlayStation Showcase — as was rumoured — Sony is putting on a State of Play broadcast, which will be its first event since February. The 30-minute showing promises a look at 14 games, but what's actually in store for us starved PlayStation fans? We've gathered...
News Five More Cars, New Events, More Come to Gran Turismo 7 in Latest Free Update
Beep beep
Gran Turismo 7 continues its slow but steady expansion with yet another free update from Polyphony Digital. Game version number 1.48 will soon be available, and it brings with it a handful of cars, new events, and more. The cars on offer are the Honda Civic SiR・II (EG) ’93, Honda NSX GT500 ’00, Nissan Skyline GTS-R (R31) ’87,...
Deals PS5 Consoles, PSVR2, Games and Accessories Reduced in Sony's Days of Play Sale
$50/£40 off PS5 Slim, $100/£90 off PSVR2!
Sony's Days of Play sale is well underway, and there are plenty of discounts now live at retail that may well take your fancy. In addition to the 500+ games currently discounted on the PS Store as part of the celebrations, we now have deals on PS5 Slim consoles, PSVR2 bundles, accessories such as...
News Helldivers 2 Director: Live Service Is Good for Gaming, But Only If It's 'Done Right'
Hell yeah?
'Live service' has become something of a dirty term over the years, but as is often the case, there are both good and bad examples of the model — it's just that we all tend to focus on the negatives. But Helldivers 2 director Johan Pilestedt would rather talk about the positives — and that's exactly what he did at the recent Nordic...
News State of Play Officially Confirmed for 30th May, Updates on PS5, PSVR2 Games
Including first party
Sony has finally announced the heavily rumoured State of Play presentation. It'll be going out live tomorrow, 30th May 2024. The platform holder says we can look forward to "updates on PS5 and PS VR2 titles, plus a look at PlayStation Studios games arriving later this year". It sounds like we'll finally be getting a glimpse at...
News Sony Removes Naughty Dog Boss Interview Following Complete Misquotes
"We apologize to Neil for misrepresenting his words"
Well, this Neil Druckmann saga just doesn't stop giving, does it? In case you missed out on the origin point of this whole thing, Sony featured an interview with the Naughty Dog boss on its official website last week. It contained a bunch of quotes that had people questioning the developer's tone,...
Rumour God of War Ragnarok's PC Announcement Is Imminent
Ragnarok is coming
It would be no surprise whatsoever to see God of War Ragnarok arrive on PC — but it might be dropping sooner than people realise. According to ultra-reliable leaker billbil-kun, the port's official announcement is coming "very soon", with the original PC version rumour doing the rounds earlier this month. Is this yet more...
News Stellar Blade Maker Promises More Outfits for Eve on PS5
Hey, good lookin'
One of the most fun things to do in Stellar Blade is collect outfits and equip protagonist Eve with a variety of different looks and styles. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that developer Shift Up is plotting even more costumes for the fashionable heroine. Speaking with Famitsu, director Kim Hyung-Tae said: “We plan to add more...
News PSVR2's Anticipated PC Adaptor Appears Imminent
Sony submits certification in Korea
Sony said a little while back that it was exploring ways to expand PSVR2’s compatibility with PC, and it looks like it may be nearing a solution. An eagle-eyed user on social media site Twitter (or X, depending on which name you prefer) noticed that in Korea, the Japanese giant has submitted certification for an...
News Stellar Blade Dev Currently Making Photo Mode for Hit PS5 Game
Capture every moment
Stellar Blade is an outrageously beautiful game – and no, we’re not just referring to protagonist Eve and her many outfits. There are some artistically stunning moments throughout the campaign, and as is tradition for big PS5 titles, fans want to capture them all. Fortunately, developer Shift Up is busy beavering away on a...
News PS5, PS4's Brand New PS2 Emulator Features Up-Rendering, Rewind, Quick Saves, More
Quality of life
Sony’s already revisited a number of the classics from PS2’s catalogue on PS4, but the emulator was a bit of a disaster and the platform holder eventually pulled support. Following a successful string of PS1 and PSP re-releases, however, the Japanese giant is now bringing more PS2 titles to both the PS5 and PS4 – and it’s...
News Over 500 Massive PS5, PS4 Games Discounted As Days of Play Gets Underway
Lots of lowest ever prices
Sony has plunged the price of some of PS5 and PS4’s biggest games, as its annual Days of Play event gets underway. Many titles are enjoying their lowest ever prices, with relatively new releases like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League available at an enormous 60 per cent off, making the Rocksteady affair just...
News Big Discounts on PS Plus Subs, PS5 Consoles, and PSVR2 in Days of Play Promotion
Days of pay
Sony has dropped details on this year's Days of Play promotion. As has become tradition, PlayStation fans can look forward to rather sizeable discounts across a range of potential purchases. This includes PS Plus subscriptions, actual consoles, and additional platforms like PSVR2. All of the deals come into effect from the 29th May. So,...
News Heist Shooter Fairgame$ on Track to Deliver AAA Multiplayer Experience for PS5, PC
"Evolving world will keep players entertained for years"
Haven Studios, the Canadian first-party outfit established by Assassin’s Creed veteran Jade Raymond and immediately inducted into the PS Studios family, is “on track” deliver a “AAA multiplayer experience” with its debut project Fairgame$. That’s according to a job listing for the...
News PS5's Sublime Stellar Blade Can Now Be Yours with PS Stars Points
But you'll need a fair few
If you’ve been banking your PS Stars points, then you may have incentive to spend them: Shift Up’s awesome character action Stellar Blade has been added as a 17,500 points reward. As a reminder, you get ten points for each $1 you spend on the PS Store, so you’re going to have to have coughed up a significant amount...
"This is not quite what I said"
Neil Druckmann, the co-studio head of The Last of Us, Uncharted creator Naughty Dog, has pushed back on comments he supposedly made in a recent Sony interview released alongside this week's Corporate Strategy Meeting. Druckmann is quoted as saying the developer's next first-party title could "redefine mainstream...