Bit of a meh month but Essential subscribers mostly are just paying for online, and cloud saves (still can't believe Sony/Nintendo charge for cloud saves).
Normally, the PS Digital price is £330-£340. I do wonder where the £294 price tag has come from - I suspect a speculative US to GBP conversion price from the site. It could also be the new 825 GB variant, which would come in at a lower price.
I think Sony, like MS, know that PC is the future and creating a PS PC platform for PlayStation users allows them to bring across their library and ensure their software sells well as hardware sales continue to shrink.
At this stage of the gen PS5 in theory should have eaten up the -20 million consoles that Xbox hasn't sold, but they are stuck on the same 80 million approx (as PS4) and not the 100 million they should be at for Xbox doing poorly. That 20 million consoles is effectively a shrinkage of the console market and Sony knows it will only grow with Switch 2, further squeezing a shrinking piece of the pie.
Also, Sony, please make cloud saves free like Xbox rather than charging a subscription for it, please.
Being able to stream a number of the games I already own without needing my PS5 on is actually a really big plus and may prompt me to get a portal now.
Also, Ghost of Yotei probably won't be in the top 5 (or 10) bestsellers of 2025, so it would be unfair to put it up against MP games like FC 26 or Battlefield 6. Sequels always seem to sell less because of the perceived need to play the first game as a barrier to entry.
Really pleased to see there is a demo. In my mind, it's a day one buy, even ahead of Yotei, but this demo will allow me to make a more informed choice based on how much I click with Story Time Stranger's gameplay.
A reasonable length for those who like the more recent AC games and like to get stuck into open worlds. It often depends on the game and how you click with it. For Persona 5 Royal or Starfield I could still play after 200 hours. For Dragons Dogma 2 and Dragon Age the Veilgaurd around 75 hours was about right. For something like Avowed 50 hours was enough and for Final Fantasy 16 I was glad to be done after 32 hours.
I am wondering if this will make 2025 or slip into 2026. It's almost March now and there is no launch date for a game coming out in the remainder of this year. With Ghost of Yotei I expect a fall date to be given in the summer but will this also be fall? Or will be get a Summer/Autumn date soon?
£300 and I'll consider. I still don't understand why it launched more expensive than the base console in the first place. It's still more expensive than a PS5 digital edition in the UK.
I'm looking forward to this game. With Ubisoft games I know exactly what I'm getting. No nasty suprises.
You typically get great performance and optimisation on console, average writing, lots of fetch quests, tasks to complete, enemy zones to clear and a new tech feature (such a lighting or reactive materials for Shadows). I find the gameplay loop rather addictive and based on the sales of other AC games I'm not the only one. Valhalla was a bit too long though. This one is tracking very well on pre orders and won't be the flop naysayers online are hoping for. It's the 2nd most pre ordered AC game ever behind Valhalla now.
For anyone wondering Veilgaurd sold around 1 million units as of Jan 2025. It's not awful but given the amount spent of the game they are clearly looking at other revenue sources. I got the game and I enjoyed it. The writing isn't the best but the world and combat are actually pretty fun. I hope being on this services allows people to at least give the game a try despite some outward appearances.
The PS5 generation is even more disappointing than the PS3 generation, and for most of that time I was playing my Xbox 360 more. The fact that I am more interested in the games Xbox will be bringing to PS5 than Sony themselves is wild.
I would to see this remade to the P3R/P5R level. I enjoyed Golden on the PS Vita back in the day and would love to revisit the world in a modern light.
@AhmadSumadi Very true I think post pandemic were judging games on units sold and cost to sales ratios like we are an investor haha. I still try to enjoy games without worrying how many units it sold or it's budget.
@Joker Boy322 I don't remember them sharing data on the pre orders for Outlaws. It could be 270,000 or 325 either way it's a solid start for pre orders. If you don't like Ubisoft just say that .
@JokerBoy322 To be fair they actually have the data to back it up. Outlaws sold around 150,000 pre orders up to launch and Shadows has over 300,000 pre orders as of wc 10th Feb.
Tbh I am pretty certain that the game will launch now on March 20th as it's about a month out and this really would the the latest they could pull a last min delay. The Insider gaming story is a bit of a nothing burger tbh because they probably spoke to some random dev as opposed to a studio head or management team that decide.
I have pre ordered the game (to get the free DLC) and I am looking forward to it. I know what to expect from Ubisoft games. Its like eating junk food for me. It's not good all the time but I enjoy it now and again.
I would definitely like to see more Sony 1st party single player games like the PS4 gen but I think having Microsofts collection of games come over is great for PS players and MS's bank balance. It takes nothing away from Sony so everyone wins in different ways.
No Ghost of Yotei, No Death Stranding 2, Plenty of games coming to the PS4 or in 2026. Pretty poor is an understatement. Mindseye was the only one that caught my attention.
I'm day one for both. I really enjoyed the first game and I'm sure a sequel in a new time with new characters and areas would be great! I just hope WB doesn't make it a live service game.
Overall I enjoyed the game, the open zone style and the gameplay. I actively liked it more because there was no mtx or live service elements. This Dragon Age game didn't connect with a broader audience because it wasn't dragon age, just an RPG.
Like a lot of others here the larger rpgs and open world games are usually done within a month if I'm fully invested, or over several months if I'm juggling it alongside new releases. I've put in about 20 hours to KCD 2 so far and I only just got a horse and met the blacksmith! Still working on getting Mutt and not even strong enough yet to get Tomcats master strike! I'll keep grinding up my gear and my levels/ perk points though as I'm very invested in the world
I purchased the game after been on the fence about the difficulty and the time investment but I have been very pleasantly surprised with how much I'm enjoying it. I really appreciate the level of detail and choice you just don't get in other open world games. This game is for those who look for depth and challenges. I can understand there are many casual gamers who wouldn't enjoy this.
DA Veilgaurd got nearly 50,000 more all time concurrents on steam and was considered a sales flop so this must be an ultra sales flop on PC for Square. I can see why moving console multiplat makes sense for them.
I can imagine it will go to PS5, not day one but 3-12 months after. I noticed they do day 1 or within a few months on certain Bethesda (Doom/Indy) and Actibizz games (COD) and a little longer for Xbox Studio games (Avowed, MS Flight Sim 24)
Comments 1,077
Re: Poll: Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Essential Games for December 2025?
Bit of a meh month but Essential subscribers mostly are just paying for online, and cloud saves (still can't believe Sony/Nintendo charge for cloud saves).
Re: Poll: Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Essential Games for December 2025?
@JoeNobody Honestly, I much prefer Game Pass games, and I am subscribed to both.
Re: Geoff Keighley's Cryptic Post Has Fans Speculating Wildly About The Game Awards Announcement
It will be something most people will probably be disappointed in lol.
Re: $100 Off PS5 Consoles, PSVR2 for Black Friday 2025
Normally, the PS Digital price is £330-£340. I do wonder where the £294 price tag has come from - I suspect a speculative US to GBP conversion price from the site. It could also be the new 825 GB variant, which would come in at a lower price.
Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 May Be the Most Expensive PS5 Game to Date
I just play it on Game Pass and never bought any DLC. The game has tons to do without it for anyone but a hardcore aviation enthusiast
Re: Leaked Cross-Buy Icon on PS5 Hints at Mysterious Pro-Consumer Move from Sony
@IOI If Sony locks PC games away from Steam it will be clever but will turn a pro consumer move into an anti consumer move haha
Re: Leaked Cross-Buy Icon on PS5 Hints at Mysterious Pro-Consumer Move from Sony
I think Sony, like MS, know that PC is the future and creating a PS PC platform for PlayStation users allows them to bring across their library and ensure their software sells well as hardware sales continue to shrink.
At this stage of the gen PS5 in theory should have eaten up the -20 million consoles that Xbox hasn't sold, but they are stuck on the same 80 million approx (as PS4) and not the 100 million they should be at for Xbox doing poorly. That 20 million consoles is effectively a shrinkage of the console market and Sony knows it will only grow with Switch 2, further squeezing a shrinking piece of the pie.
Also, Sony, please make cloud saves free like Xbox rather than charging a subscription for it, please.
Re: PS Portal Gets So Much Better Today in Huge UI, Cloud Streaming Update
Being able to stream a number of the games I already own without needing my PS5 on is actually a really big plus and may prompt me to get a portal now.
Re: Study Claims Physical PS5 Games Are 100 Times Worse for the Planet Than Digital Downloads
I have gone full on digital now - I don't fancy leaving all that plastic behind for someone else to throw away.
Re: Nintendo's New Playtime Tracker Has the Granular Gameplay Activity Data We Want from PS5
The Sony backend has just about got to 2015, I don't think it can handle this haha.
Re: Ghost of Yotei Can't Beat Battlefield 6 as EA's Shooter Dominates PS5 in October
The Outer Worlds 2 launched October 29th lol
Also, Ghost of Yotei probably won't be in the top 5 (or 10) bestsellers of 2025, so it would be unfair to put it up against MP games like FC 26 or Battlefield 6. Sequels always seem to sell less because of the perceived need to play the first game as a barrier to entry.
Re: Sony Reveals Icon Blue PS5 DualSense, Quite Possibly the Bluest Controller Ever
No launch in the UK market is a big miss.
Re: PlayStation Gear Merch Store Closing Down, Sale Live Now
Now you'll need to earn trophies to purchase PS gear.
Re: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter (PS5) - This Is How You Remake a Classic RPG
Great price vs the Nintendo eShop. It's £5 less for a better version. I enjoyed the demo and am glad the progress has carried forward.
Re: Super Promising RPG Digimon Story Time Stranger Gets a PS5 Demo This Week
Really pleased to see there is a demo. In my mind, it's a day one buy, even ahead of Yotei, but this demo will allow me to make a more informed choice based on how much I click with Story Time Stranger's gameplay.
Re: PS5 Pre-Orders for Bloodlines 2's Premium Edition to Be Refunded as Paradox Promises Changes
I had always planned to get the base version, so the potential that the extra 2 clans could be in the base game is great news!
Hopefully, all will be clear on Sept 17th.
Re: Preview: Why Digimon Story Time Stranger Will Scratch Your Pokémon Itch on PS5
This is one I am really looking forward to. I will probably push Ghost of Yotei into November so I can give this a proper playthrough.
Re: Single Player Games Aren't Dead, 'They Just Have to Be Good', Says Larian Studios CEO
Sadly, the game doesn't need to be good; it must fit a set definition of mass-market "good." If you follow the formula you may find success.
They fall into some core categories:
The Casual Gamer:
AAA Sports games - FC25, NBA 2K25
Large Franchises - Harry Potter, Spiderman
PlayStation "Filmic" games - God of War, The Last of US, Death Stranding
The Nerds:
Historical and Fantasy games - Witcher 3, KCD 2, Dragons Dogma, Warhammer, BG3 (D&D)
JRPGs - Persona, Xenoblade, Like a Dragon
The Hardcore Gamer:
Souls Like Games - Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Wukong
The Family Gamer:
Nintendo games - Mario, Zelda, Pokémon
Everyone:
Rockstar games - Any
Re: Be the First to Try New PS5 Games and Features with Sony's Beta Program
I just joined up!
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Length Between 40 and 80 Hours, New Game+ Under Consideration
A reasonable length for those who like the more recent AC games and like to get stuck into open worlds. It often depends on the game and how you click with it. For Persona 5 Royal or Starfield I could still play after 200 hours. For Dragons Dogma 2 and Dragon Age the Veilgaurd around 75 hours was about right. For something like Avowed 50 hours was enough and for Final Fantasy 16 I was glad to be done after 32 hours.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Gameplay Goes In-Depth on Combat, Stealth, Character Progression
I am looking forward to this game! Based on the pre orders it will sell quite well.
Re: Nacon Connect 2025 Promises Exciting PS5 News on 6th March
They will announce a new controller for Xbox haha.
Re: 'Expect the Unexpected' in Anticipated PS5 Exclusive Death Stranding 2
I am wondering if this will make 2025 or slip into 2026. It's almost March now and there is no launch date for a game coming out in the remainder of this year. With Ghost of Yotei I expect a fall date to be given in the summer but will this also be fall? Or will be get a Summer/Autumn date soon?
Re: PSVR2 Gets Enormous Price Reduction Starting March 2025
£300 and I'll consider. I still don't understand why it launched more expensive than the base console in the first place. It's still more expensive than a PS5 digital edition in the UK.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows PS5 Trophies Will Test Your Shinobi, Samurai Skills
I'm looking forward to this game. With Ubisoft games I know exactly what I'm getting. No nasty suprises.
You typically get great performance and optimisation on console, average writing, lots of fetch quests, tasks to complete, enemy zones to clear and a new tech feature (such a lighting or reactive materials for Shadows). I find the gameplay loop rather addictive and based on the sales of other AC games I'm not the only one. Valhalla was a bit too long though. This one is tracking very well on pre orders and won't be the flop naysayers online are hoping for. It's the 2nd most pre ordered AC game ever behind Valhalla now.
Re: Xbox Wants Its Games to 'Reach the Broadest Audience Possible' as It Plots More Long-Standing, Flagship Franchises for PS5
I don't know why this topic is revisited beyond engagement, which is shame. At least try and trick me into thinking I'm not being monetized.
Re: PS Plus Essential Games for March 2025 Announced
For anyone wondering Veilgaurd sold around 1 million units as of Jan 2025. It's not awful but given the amount spent of the game they are clearly looking at other revenue sources. I got the game and I enjoyed it. The writing isn't the best but the world and combat are actually pretty fun. I hope being on this services allows people to at least give the game a try despite some outward appearances.
Re: Yakuza Creator's Next Game Will Be Sent to Die As NetEase Implodes
NetEase, More like NetSleaze!
Re: Sony's Pricey PS5 Pro Is Now Being Outpaced by PS4 Pro Launch Aligned in the US
The PS5 generation is even more disappointing than the PS3 generation, and for most of that time I was playing my Xbox 360 more. The fact that I am more interested in the games Xbox will be bringing to PS5 than Sony themselves is wild.
Re: Copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows PS5 Sneak Past Official Release Date
Looking forward to this game! roll on March 20th!
Re: Evidence Mounts for Seemingly Inevitable Persona 4 Remake on PS5
I would to see this remade to the P3R/P5R level. I enjoyed Golden on the PS Vita back in the day and would love to revisit the world in a modern light.
Re: Sony Clarifies the Difference Between First-Party, Second-Party, and So On
@AhmadSumadi Very true I think post pandemic were judging games on units sold and cost to sales ratios like we are an investor haha. I still try to enjoy games without worrying how many units it sold or it's budget.
Re: Sony Clarifies the Difference Between First-Party, Second-Party, and So On
@Ravix Cave in or make tons more money? Everyone benefits from MS not locking their games to one console, especially MS financially.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Pre-Orders Are 'Solid', in Line with Odyssey
@Joker Boy322 I don't remember them sharing data on the pre orders for Outlaws. It could be 270,000 or 325 either way it's a solid start for pre orders. If you don't like Ubisoft just say that .
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Pre-Orders Are 'Solid', in Line with Odyssey
@JokerBoy322 To be fair they actually have the data to back it up. Outlaws sold around 150,000 pre orders up to launch and Shadows has over 300,000 pre orders as of wc 10th Feb.
Re: Ubisoft 'Confident' Assassin's Creed Shadows' Imminent March Release Date Will Stick
Tbh I am pretty certain that the game will launch now on March 20th as it's about a month out and this really would the the latest they could pull a last min delay. The Insider gaming story is a bit of a nothing burger tbh because they probably spoke to some random dev as opposed to a studio head or management team that decide.
I have pre ordered the game (to get the free DLC) and I am looking forward to it. I know what to expect from Ubisoft games. Its like eating junk food for me. It's not good all the time but I enjoy it now and again.
Re: PS5 Fans Are Pondering the Point of Days Gone Remastered After Graphics Comparison Emerges
Maybe PS6 will be a remastered version of the PS5 generation. Waiting for the new IP. I'm just seeing sequels and remasters everywhere.
Re: Embattled Publisher Embracer's Sales Tumble 22%
@R_L_Stine Looks like Focus Interactive were sold off and run under a group called Pull up.
Re: Reaction: Xbox Publishing More Games on PS5 Than Sony Is Not a Gotcha, It's Just a Sign of the Times
I would definitely like to see more Sony 1st party single player games like the PS4 gen but I think having Microsofts collection of games come over is great for PS players and MS's bank balance. It takes nothing away from Sony so everyone wins in different ways.
Re: London Is in Ruins for New PS5 Game Tides of Annihilation
As long as it's not a souls-like, I'm in!
Re: Poll: What Did You Think of Sony's State of Play for February 2025?
No Ghost of Yotei, No Death Stranding 2, Plenty of games coming to the PS4 or in 2026. Pretty poor is an understatement. Mindseye was the only one that caught my attention.
Re: PSN Finally Back Online, But Some Problems Persist After Biggest Outage Since 2011
Friendship ended with PS5. I'm now friends with Switch 2.
Oh and get your 2-step login activated if you haven't already.
Re: Hogwarts Legacy 2, Expanded First Game Both Reportedly in the Works
I'm day one for both. I really enjoyed the first game and I'm sure a sequel in a new time with new characters and areas would be great! I just hope WB doesn't make it a live service game.
Re: PSN Down Worldwide as PS5, PS4 Players Can't Log In or Play Online
Not surprised it's PSN. This happens pretty much every year. I'll just play on my Xbox.
Re: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Failed Because It Wasn't Live Service, EA CEO Seems to Suggest
Overall I enjoyed the game, the open zone style and the gameplay. I actively liked it more because there was no mtx or live service elements. This Dragon Age game didn't connect with a broader audience because it wasn't dragon age, just an RPG.
Re: Poll: How Long Does It Take You to Beat a Big RPG?
Like a lot of others here the larger rpgs and open world games are usually done within a month if I'm fully invested, or over several months if I'm juggling it alongside new releases. I've put in about 20 hours to KCD 2 so far and I only just got a horse and met the blacksmith! Still working on getting Mutt and not even strong enough yet to get Tomcats master strike! I'll keep grinding up my gear and my levels/ perk points though as I'm very invested in the world
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?
I purchased the game after been on the fence about the difficulty and the time investment but I have been very pleasantly surprised with how much I'm enjoying it. I really appreciate the level of detail and choice you just don't get in other open world games. This game is for those who look for depth and challenges. I can understand there are many casual gamers who wouldn't enjoy this.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Enjoying a 'Fantastic' Launch on Steam
DA Veilgaurd got nearly 50,000 more all time concurrents on steam and was considered a sales flop so this must be an ultra sales flop on PC for Square. I can see why moving console multiplat makes sense for them.
Re: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (PS5) - Immersive Knight Sim Makes for a Peerless RPG
Roll on 4pm tomorrow!
Re: Microsoft Job Listing Suggests Perfect Dark Could Also Be Heading to PS5
I can imagine it will go to PS5, not day one but 3-12 months after. I noticed they do day 1 or within a few months on certain Bethesda (Doom/Indy) and Actibizz games (COD) and a little longer for Xbox Studio games (Avowed, MS Flight Sim 24)