Poll: Push Square Staff and Community Predict PlayStation's 2019

Can you predict 2019? Regular readers of Push Square will know that we're no strangers to predictions. Every E3 for the last four years or so, we've put together a beloved community quiz, but here in 2019, we're branching out.

Below, you'll find 40 yes or no questions, all of them related to events that are supposedly happening this year. All you have to do is answer yes or no in each poll.

This time around, we've also included the votes of our three editors, Sammy Barker, Robert Ramsey, and Stephen Tailby, along with their reasoning behind each answer. You can listen to them, or you can decide for yourself -- that's your choice. All of these polls will close one week from now, on Friday the 18th January.

At the start of 2020, we'll look back on this poll and see how everyone did, you lot included. So get your brain in gear, and try to predict PlayStation's 2019!

1. Will Sony officially announce the PS5 in 2019?

Sammy: No. The rumours are only going to get more intense, but I don't think we'll see the PS5 until 2020.

Robert: No. I don't think it's quite time. Sony will let the year ride out as is and go all-in for 2020.

Stephen: No. I don't think so. Sony has a fair amount of software still to come for PS4 this year, and announcing PS5 will overshadow that. Next year.

2. Will Sony hold a press conference in 2019?

Sammy: No. I don't think so. My guess is that we get some form of PlayStation Direct-type streams throughout the year instead.

Robert: Yes. This is a tough one, but I do think we'll get a PlayStation Experience-style presser this year, even if it's just a quick briefing.

Stephen: No. Not in the traditional mould, no. It's made clear with its E3 exit that it's done with flamboyant showcases.

3. Will Sony stream a Nintendo Direct-esque presentation in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. As above, I think this is going to happen. I think Sony's smart enough to not outright copy the Nintendo Direct format, but it'll be similar.

Robert: Yes. I think Sony's going to try its hand at something like this in 2019. A "showcase", they'll call it, or something similar.

Stephen: Yes. This is more likely than a flashy press conference. I can see Sony hosting a couple of these in 2019 to keep us abreast of its upcoming games.

4. Will The Last of Us: Part II launch in 2019?

Sammy: No. I just think for a project of this size and scale, there's no way it's going to be ready this year. Naughty Dog will not rush a project of this magnitude.

Robert: Yes. I'm going to bite the bullet and say that this will be Sony's "big" game for 2019.

Stephen: Yes. There's a chance. My gut feeling is it will, but there's plenty to suggest otherwise.

5. Will Ghost of Tsushima launch in 2019?

Sammy: No. Very unlikely. I expected the E3 demo to be further along than it turned out to be.

Robert: No. I'd be surprised if it's near finished.

Stephen: No. That E3 demo was seriously impressive, but it seems like there's still a lot of work to be done.

6. Will Death Stranding launch in 2019?

Sammy: No. Same as Ghost of Tsushima, it still looked quite early at E3 last year. 2020 for this one.

Robert: No. Kojima's taking his time with this one and I don't see why he'd push it this year.

Stephen: No. I can't see it happening. We've seen plenty of cool trailers, but we still don't even really know quite what this game even is. This one's next year.

7. Will Shenmue III be hit with another delay in 2019?

Sammy: No. It's possible, but I actually think it will come out on the date that's been announced. Whether it will be any good or not is another question entirely.

Robert: Yes. We're looking at one slight delay before it finally launches.

Stephen: Yes. Kickstarter games have a poor track record for this sort of thing. Another delay is probably likely, but it won't be that bad.

8. Will Capcom release a permanent free-to-play version of Street Fighter V in 2019?

Sammy: No. If it was going to happen it would have happened already in my opinion.

Robert: No. I almost said yes, but I think Capcom's past that point now, it's too late to bother.

Stephen: No. I think it's time Capcom stops tinkering with Street Fighter V, puts it down to experience, and cracks on with its future projects.

9. One week after its release, will Resident Evil 2 -- the PS4 remake -- have a Metacritic score of 90+?

Sammy: No. I don't think so. It's going to review well, but I'm expecting it to land in the 80s, which would be very respectable.

Robert: Yes. I think critics are going to love this thing, and it does look superb.

Stephen: No. I think it'll score highly, without a doubt, but I predict it'll be in the high eighties once the dust settles.

10. Will Kingdom Hearts III top the UK software charts at launch?

Sammy: Yes. I'm not a fan of the franchise, but I'm regularly reminded of how popular it is.

Robert: Yes. I'm certainly not a fan, but I think the weebs will unite for this one.

Stephen: Yes. It's launching in a week absent of other notable releases, so it's pretty likely. Resi 2 from the previous week will give it a run for its money, though.

11. One week after its release, will Kingdom Hearts III on PS4 have a Metacritic score of 90+?

Sammy: No. I expect it to review well -- it played great when I tried it last year -- but I think expecting total universal praise is a bit optimistic.

Robert: Yes. I think critics are going to gush over this one in the most cringeworthy ways.

Stephen: No. I doubt it. It'll be in the eighties, but I can't see it cracking 90.

12. Will God Eater 3 top the Japanese software charts at launch?

Sammy: No. Alternative question: who cares?

Robert: Yes. Japan loves its monster hunting.

Stephen: Yes. Sure, why not.

13. One week after its release, will Far Cry: New Dawn on PS4 have a Metacritic score of 85+?

Sammy: No. I don't think so. Far Cry fatigue is strong right now, and this one looks naff.

Robert: No. Far Cry's still very popular but it's a bit tired in terms of structure. It'll sell well enough but the reviews will be mostly lukewarm.

Stephen: No. This is a tough one. My gut feeling is that, no, it won't get 85 or above.

14. Will Metro: Exodus make the top 3 of the UK software charts at launch?

Sammy: Yes. I mean, it should do, right? It's coming out before Anthem now, so I think it should make this.

Robert: Yes. It'll enter well, but it won't stay there.

Stephen: Yes. Top 3? I think it could get third, but it won't go higher than that.

15. Two weeks after its release, will ANTHEM on PS4 have a higher Metacritic score than Destiny 2 (currently 85)?

Sammy: No. Hmm, good question. I'm going to say no, purely because I think critics are going to be harder on it in the aftermath of Destiny 2.

Robert: No. I think critics are going to be wary of ANTHEM precisely because of Destiny, and few will risk giving it a super high score.

Stephen: No. I think it'll be close, but at the end of the day I don't think it'll surpass Destiny 2's score.

16. Will there be widespread controversy over microtransactions in ANTHEM at some point in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. It's EA and this is the games industry, so yes.

Robert: Yes. This seems inevitable given the indefinite hate for EA. BioWare's said the loot boxes will be cosmetic only, but there'll still be something that riles people up.

Stephen: Yes. I mean, probably. Everyone loves a good microtransaction uproar, especially if EA is involved.

17. One week after its release, will Devil May Cry 5 on PS4 have a Metacritic score of 85+?

Sammy: Yes. I think it will, yes. Not sure it's going to break the 90s, but I expect it to be at the very top end of the 80s.

Robert: Yes. This is going to settle just above 85 I reckon.

Stephen: Yes. Yeah, I think it will. It's looking pretty great, I can see it scoring very highly.

18. Two weeks after its release, will The Division 2 on PS4 have a Metacritic score of 85+?

Sammy: Yes. I think it's going to finish on exactly 85. Do I get double points if I'm correct?

Robert: No. I think it'll be well received, but it'll fall just short overall.

Stephen: No. It'll probably settle around there, but I think it'll come under 85.

19. Will this year's FIFA be called FIFA 20?

Sammy: Yes. What else are they going to call it?

Robert: Yes. I'm saying yes, but a weird part of me thinks EA could change it up. No idea how, though, or why.

Stephen: Yes. My reasoning for this is every FIFA game for the last decade or more.

20. Will Mortal Kombat 11 feature at least one guest character in its base character roster (no DLC included)?

Sammy: Yes. This is always good for marketing, so I can see at least one character making the base package.

Robert: Yes. I think a guest character's going to be thrown in there, I just hope they're not day one DLC.

Stephen: No. I think guest characters will be relegated to DLC, sadly.

21. Will RAGE 2 top the UK software charts at launch?

Sammy: No. I don't think so. It's coming out during a slow period of the year, but evergreen titles like FIFA tend to get price promotions that glues them to the top just prior to the summer.

Robert: Yes. This is a gamble, but I think RAGE 2 will have just enough explosions in its marketing to claim the top spot before quickly fading into obscurity.

Stephen: No. I can see it getting in the top 10, but not numero uno. There's no real attachment to the name.

22. One week after release, will Team Sonic Racing on PS4 have a Metacritic score of 75+?

Sammy: No. It depends how much they've been able to improve it since delaying it. The game was absolutely terrible last year, but it can be saved.

Robert: No. This has got flop written all over it. Sorry, Sonic fans.

Stephen: No. I think it'll fall just short of that in the end, judging by what we've seen so far.

23. Will Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled feature Spyro the Dragon in any form, DLC included, in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. Oh, that's a good one! Yes, I think there'll be Spyro the Dragon DLC.

Robert: Yes. Spyro DLC? That's money on the table, right? Activision surely won't pass it up. He'll have a cool kart too.

Stephen: Yes. I can see that happening. My initial thought is that it'd take the form of premium DLC.

24. Will Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled retain a top 5 position in the UK software charts for at least five weeks after its launch?

Sammy: Yes. The UK absolutely loves Crash Bandicoot, so I think there's a very high chance of this.

Robert: Yes. Crash is going to be in the UK charts for quite a while based on the performance of the Trilogy.

Stephen: Yes. The summer months are quiet right now, so I'd say there's a good chance of this.

25. Will BioMutant make the top 10 of the UK software charts at any point in 2019?

Sammy: No. I doubt it, but strong reviews and good word of mouth can have a big impact. Realistically, though, this isn't going to be a big hit, is it?

Robert: No. As wacky as it looks, I don't think it'll have the mass appeal to break the top 10 at launch, and so it never will.

Stephen: No. I don't think it will. It might get close, and it looks cool, but I can't see it breaking the top 10.

26. Will Catherine: Full Body be criticised for its sexual content in a dedicated article by at least one major gaming website in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. Absolutely it will.

Robert: Yes. Someone's probably already written it and they're just waiting to hit publish.

Stephen: Yes. Of course. It's Catherine, a relatively high profile game with anime boobs, releasing in 2019. This is a dead cert.

27. One week after its release, will Concrete Genie have a Metacritic score of 85+?

Sammy: No. I don't think so, but I expect it to be a good game.

Robert: No. It'll review well, but I don't think it'll be quite up there in critic darling territory.

Stephen: No. I think it will end up in the lower eighties.

28. Will Persona 5 R turn out to be an enhanced remake of Persona 5 in the same vein as Persona 4 Golden?

Sammy: Yes. Yeah, I think it's going to be Persona 5 but with expanded scenarios and scenes. I'd argue they should be streamlining this game rather than expanding it, but that's a different discussion for another day.

Robert: No. I think Persona 5 R is going to turn out to be something a bit different. Nothing more than a hunch.

Stephen: Yes. I think that's exactly what it'll be. I don't have much reasoning behind this, it just makes sense to me.

29. Will Beyond Good & Evil 2 get a release date in 2019 (it won't necessarily release in 2019, but it will be dated by Ubisoft)?

Sammy: No. There's absolutely no chance. This is years away.

Robert: No. Nah, it's ages away, but I do think Ubisoft will stamp it with a year, probably 2020. And then it won't release in 2020.

Stephen: No. I don't think we'll get a concrete date this year. I think it's still miles away.

30. Will Sony announce the PS5 before E3 2019?

Sammy: No. You're not hearing anything official about the PS5 until 2020.

Robert: No. Later this year at the earliest, but even then, I find myself doubting it.

Stephen: No. I don't think Sony will announce PS5 until next year.

31. Will Skull & Bones release in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. I forgot about this game! Yes, I think it will.

Robert: Yes. I think this is going to be Ubisoft's "big" game for the latter half of 2019.

Stephen: Yes. I think so. It's been a long time coming, and now feels like the right time.

32. Will there be a new mainline Assassin's Creed game (not counting remasters) released in 2019?

Sammy: No. Nope, I think Ubisoft has said this is a year off. It feels like the right time, too!

Robert: No. Ubisoft will keep updating Odyssey instead, and it'll lean on Skull & Bones and possibly something new.

Stephen: No. My prediction is that Ubisoft will continue its focus on Odyssey this year.

33. Will Final Fantasy VII Remake get a release date in 2019 (it won't necessarily release in 2019, but it will get dated by Square Enix)?

Sammy: No. Square Enix is rubbish and clearly started over with this game. I wouldn't be surprised if the project is still very early.

Robert: No. I can see it getting a vague release window but nothing more. I do think we'll get a new trailer or something, though.

Stephen: No. I think it'll get a release window of some sort -- 2020, perhaps. But nothing more specific than that.

34. Will Yakuza protagonist Kazuma Kiryu appear in a trailer for a brand new game (not counting remasters) in 2019?

Sammy: No. Didn't they reveal a new character? I assume he'll front the series until SEGA gets itchy feet and brings Kaz back again.

Robert: No. Not in 2019, anyway. I don't think we've seen the last of Kaz.

Stephen: No. I can't see it happening. Kiryu's story has wrapped up, and I think SEGA's focus will be all in on Judgment.

35. One week after release, will Days Gone have a Metacritic score of 85+?

Sammy: No. I think reviews are going to be (unnecessarily) brutal for this game. The disdain isn't as strong as for something like, say, Detroit, for example, but I think critics will be quick to fault this one.

Robert: No. Days Gone isn't going to be the new Knack, but it won't reach the heights set by Sony's other first party blockbusters.

Stephen: No. My gut feeling is it'll fall just short of 85. I think reviewers will generally be fairly critical.

36. Will Shawn Layden, wearing a game-based t-shirt or shirt, appear in a video or on stage at some point in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. I can see him rocking up in a PlayStation Direct with a MediEvil tee on. Or Vib-Ribbon. Something like that.

Robert: No. I think we'll see Shawn at some point for sure, but I don't think he'll be wearing any game-based clothing.

Stephen: No. If Sony does a Nintendo Direct style presentation, then sure, he'll be there. I think his teaser t-shirt days are over, though.

37. Will Square Enix announce a brand new console Final Fantasy game in 2019?

Sammy: No. It doesn't feel like the right time yet to me.

Robert: No. I can see some kind of spin-off or remaster, but nothing brand new.

Stephen: No. I don't think so. The focus this year will be on Kingdom Hearts III, and maybe Final Fantasy VII Remake.

38. Will Bloodborne 2 be announced in 2019?

Sammy: No. But I hope they've signed the deal behind-the-scenes and we're going to get it on the PS5. They must know fans want it, right?

Robert: No. But I do believe it's coming eventually.

Stephen: No. Maybe it'll be announced alongside the PS5?

39. Will the PS4 Pro receive an official price cut in 2019?

Sammy: Yes. I'll go one further: I think we see a new line of hardware in 2019. Two new models: PS4 Super Slim and PS4 Pro Super Slim. Both cheaper and smaller in size.

Robert: Yes. PS5 in 2020, Pro price cut in 2019. It only makes sense.

Stephen: Yes. Sony's been putting off a price cut for a while -- this year would make sense, especially if PS5 is closing in.

40. Will the PS5 release in 2019?

Sammy: No. It's coming in November 2020.

Robert: No. It's not time yet. I still think 2020 is the big one.

Stephen: No. My guess is 2020, and I'm sticking to it.