@X-Curly-X A token effort to appease the Xbox fans who’ve been vocal about this. They’ve picked games likely to score well with their core but that wouldn’t sell so well they’ll be giving up huge money, especially as they’re on Gamepass.
Not particularly bothered about Gears, having played some of the old ones on my SX before selling it. Glad PS will have Fable and FH6 though!
Also not too fussed about exclusives. If it sharpens Sony up a bit that’s good for PlayStation. I don’t see this really moving the needle for Xbox sales either in a big way, it’s too late for the Series consoles and Xbox seem fixated on Helix, which is likely too expensive to really threaten the PS lead in consoles.
Lots to look forward to on either platform, exclusive or otherwise, so enjoy all the games everyone.
I really enjoyed it. Played it last night in one sitting. Fun story, good characters and perfect if you want a relaxing evening.
It’s a vibe game but it had the nostalgia factor for me, albeit I’m from the U.K. There are a handful of standout moments that were really excellent.
As someone who recently tried NTE as their first gacha game I found Mixtape’s simplicity and lack of a million layers of buttons and currencies etc a wonderful palette cleanser!
I get the cost incentive for physical, especially if you go second hand a lot for some bargains.
I’m pretty much all digital today, the odd Switch 2 cart is the only exception. Laziness played a part but so did minimising clutter in my house and saving plastic/shipping impact to the environment.
‘Collecting’ aside I really don’t see the point of physical these days though, on PS5 at least, as no physical game is complete without further downloads and will always need updates at some point too. Defeats the long term aspect of owning it I think. In S2 at least you have some fully formed games on the card.
@For-Kier That was my thought too and I think it would be attractive to a lot of people, and familiar given many people do it with their phones.
I did it for my XboxSX. Two years interest free with ultimate included was something like £24 per month. Felt like a great deal and I doubt I’d have got one otherwise!
I’m enjoying NTE, first gacha Ive ever played. There’s a lot in it but it doesn’t feel like a game that should take a reasonable sized dev team eons to make - it’s surprisingly robust at launch but not 100% polished.
Whilst I’m wary of poor working practices in China I think this also speaks to inefficient dev practices in Japan. So many cultures with long working hours aren’t actually more productive per employee than those countries, in Northern Europe for example, that have better work life balance.
Sometimes these commentators need to say their piece and then look inwards, rather than simply land their views of criticism of others.
As a gamer the gacha/open world and ‘one and done’ mix feels about right though. I like having a couple of games to keep going back to over months whilst majoring on something to completion per month.
Played around an hour last night. It’s the first gatcha game I’ve ever played.
On PS5 Pro it runs well and looks good. The presentation overall is impressive for something you can download for free.
The early gameplay seems fun, not too complicated or deep but works well. The characters are I guess what you’d expect of this sort of game. Not my usual thing but there’s a reasonable range of characters introduced early.
The city could be the star of the show. The very early section puts you in a small section of it and it looks great, is fun to walk around and explore and feels alive with plenty of things to do.
I’ll definitely keep following the main story and trying some of the side content.
The big caveat is the range of layers to the stats etc. I guess this is their way of incentivising lots of different activities for different rewards, but it’s a lot. It might become clearer with time but if I drop off it’ll be because this aspect becomes a pain or it feels like they’re forcing you to pay to progress, which to be fair doesn’t appear from reviews to be a real problem here.
Overall though, first impressions are good and I’ll continue exploring and give it some more time. For £0 even 2-5 hours of entertainment can’t be complained about!
The only thing that makes me think they might consider this and make a strong play, absorbing some financial impact, is if they think it’ll sell more of Helix and this is what they want as a way to put more of their AI software into homes.
If MS are going to push AI hard then, as the article says, they need a way to do this in the home as well as the office, and Helix would seem like a perfect way to do that.
Them going exclusive again wouldn’t move the needle for me, if anything I’m more likely to buy a Steam Machine and play the MS games on that.
I’ve had one freeze in 5-6 hours and other than that I’m really enjoying it. The world and its style just works for me.
I’ve got a mad week and weekend coming up so am going to stop now and it sounds like when I get back to it Sunday/Monday there might be a fix out that would make going back even easier.
Only criticism I’d level is how was this not spotted in QA? As for the game, having played a bit of it now I think a mix of over hype pre-release and fanboyism hasn’t helped it at all.
Managed 3-4 hours from the start over two sessions at 60fps/enhanced on Pro with no issues.
Ironically, it was when I then moved to 40fps in game having watched the Digital Foundry video about it that I got a crash shortly after. Not sure if that’s related! I was discovering a new location when it crashed.
No issues since, another 45 mins or so, having stuck with 40fps/enhanced since.
Really enjoyed my first evening with it albeit on 2-3 hours in.
I personally really like the aesthetic of the game which helps and although I’m not a massive Bethesda fan I do enjoy going through all the dialogue, searching out all sorts of stuff and I found the combat to be fun early on.
I would say also that despite the scale of the game I’m finding the menus etc quite intuitive so far.
Will be getting stuck in again this evening once I’ve enjoyed some of the decent UK weather!
Funny reading the comments on here and Pure Xbox about this game. Quite the contrast in outlook despite a consensus that it’s flawed in many ways.
It’s downloaded on my Pro and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it later. I’m going in eyes open but at the same time I think/hope I’ll enjoy the vibe and world they’ve created.
Looking forward to trying it finally and making up my own mind.
Watching some YouTube videos on it I think I’ll enjoy the vibe and mission types. I think I’m also just looking for another big world to explore so the timing works.
@SMJ I get the cynicism, but I wouldn’t call it a Portal 2 if it runs games natively.
The rumours to date - happy to wear rose tinted specs at this stage - suggest that the consoles and handheld will be scaled to support games so both can play everything. The new low power modes are warming devs up for this.
If the handheld is going for 1080p, especially with some upscaling, that should be quite possible.
Early in the handhelds life the PS5 will have the biggest install base so that’ll help protect the handheld for a while. If the handheld does well then devs will keep developing with it in mind. If it struggles I can see it getting left behind the PS6 console near the end of the cycle, but only for the AAA stuff.
Totally agree it’s an interesting (and expensive) time!
The day any company goes streaming only is the day I stop buying their stuff basically. If they all do it I think that’ll be me done with gaming barring keeping the existing hardware going.
I’m all digital these days but paying, what I suspect will be quite high, subscription perpetually has no appeal to me. Having some standalone hardware to play the games still appeals, and it’s even more important for handhelds.
Once the AI impact settles, hopefully, perhaps it’ll also help this. Although that’s relying on companies lowering prices again which I’m not convinced would happen!
Day one for me most likely. I’d get a good handheld over the PS6 console as I have a PS5 Pro but am really enjoying handheld gaming at the moment.
OLED would be ideal but I can live with a good LCD, I find the switch 2 LCD ok as the extra res and size makes up for no OLED compared to my Steam Deck.
1TB of storage, a 1080p OLED and specs that allow it to play the latest games at 40-60fps using PSSRx and I think it’s a no brainer really.
Price could be painful but I’m going to make sure I’ve got some spare funds ready for mid/late 2027 in case!
I’m tempted to get it day one and get stuck in over some leave over the Easter school holiday period.
The sci-fi look and feel really appeals (more than the fantasy setting in some ‘better’ games!) and the pace of exploration and how that works will work for me I think. I get some of the criticisms but I think I’d get my moneys worth!
Pointless, and I agree with those saying that if a disc is released it should be playable standalone.
That said, I’m all digital these days as all games need patches and generally once I’ve played a game once, perhaps two or three times or over a long period, I’m done and happy to move on - and generally feel like I’ve got my moneys worth.
Never fancied Skyrim as the setting doesn’t appeal but I like sci-fi so am actually quite tempted to pick this up.
At least by now a) I know what I’m getting in to and b) I’ll be playing the best version of it.
Install size isn’t an issue as I’ve got the Pro and only keep a few things installed at any one time as I tend to only ever play 1 or two games at a time.
@hol_up If the PS6 does release next year, which I think is now less likely given the PS5 price rises, I doubt PS5 will be left behind anytime soon.
PS5 has a big install base worth utilising for Sony and if PS6 is close to £1000 it won’t sell well enough to justify leaving the PS5 behind quickly.
Even if the PS6 is a better price I can see closer to a 5 year overlap between 5 and 6. I think it’ll be easier to scale the graphics between them rather than deal with the HDD to SDD change between 4 and 5. Plus there’s the rumoured handheld to consider.
I could see them offering deals dropping back by £50-100 in the run up to GTAVI.
By then the dust will have settled on the price rises and they could find a slightly lower price that suddenly feels like a good deal just as demand spikes.
Glad I’ve got the Pro and my boys have their own so I feel like we’re set and can ride this out a bit.
I’ve cancelled my PSN renewal today and will be focusing my gaming spending on the games I really want when they hit a price I’m happy with. If that means waiting a few months (or years) I can live with that.
Pros still available at £640 in the U.K. for anyone interested. Seems like a safe bet now.
If you can afford it and will appreciate the extras over the base model then it does feel like a good time to bite the bullet.
I normally get consoles day one but with the Pro I feel I’ve got another 5 years before needing to think about a change. The handheld is a different matter!
Doesn’t bode well for the PS6 potentially but all consoles and PC handhelds etc are suffering the same fate at the moment.
@HRdepartment Yep. I do enjoy it when those big games click but that’s hard to get to.
Handhelds make that a bit easier because you can do 10-20 minute bursts and they feel less of an ask compared to sitting down in front of the tv/console after a long day.
It’s one of the reasons I’m really interested in the rumoured PS handheld. Would probably be perfect for my gaming these days.
Most of my gaming so far this year has been either older games on PS5, Switch 2 or (increasingly) Steam Deck.
I don’t want or need lots 100 hour games that look fantastic - I just don’t have the time for more than about one per year. I’m enjoying the older stuff and retro/indie games that are great on handheld.
If they can hit consistent frame rates that prevent it being sick inducing I’m all over this.
Will wait for reviews and initial user feedback and then I’m straight into a fighter for a flight through the grand canyon followed by flight from London to Paris in something slower.
Not outstanding but certainly not bad for such an ambitious first attempt of this type.
Was unlikely to be a day one for me regardless but I’ll keep an eye on it as I suspect a combination of a sale and future patches will make it quite tempting in 12-24 months.
Best way to game these days is be patient - I’ll finally start Cyberpunk when the Pro update arrives!
It’s competing with a number of backlog and new games I’m interested in but I’m still tempted.
The setting and game style should work for me. I had an Xbox, and Gamepass, when this came out but didn’t go for it then as I was put off by the bugs and need for updates. This version is a lot more tempting. I’ve done the same with Cyberpunk!
I’ve got a Switch 2 and Steam Deck but this is still my most anticipated bit of hardware.
I love handheld gaming these days and done properly a PS6 handheld that can access my full PS library would be fantastic. Would probably get the PS6 console as well at some point but already have the 5 Pro so less of a rush for the big screen stuff.
Price will be key! Would hope £600, expect around £700 and anything above £800 will make life interesting…
Ideally an OLED with the screen size and display performance of the switch 2 and the ergonomics of the steam deck mixed with the dual sense. Hopefully it can manage 1080p at 60 for most or all games. I would want 1TB of storage. Expect it to be digital only which might annoy some but I’m pretty much there anyway now, barring the odd Switch card. If it ticks all those boxes and the price isn’t mad I’ll be in on day one if I can get the preorder in!
If the next Xbox is a PC then perhaps the need for dev kits to actually develop games isn’t as big a deal. They could be used just to verify performance nearer the end of a dev cycle?
I was one of those who said I was happy for a 2028 or later PS6 release so am not too fussed, although I do want the PS6 handheld! No interest in buying Helix but interested to see what it ends up like and how it and PS6 perform in practice.
No interest in a Windows based thing that’s as much PC as console at what I fully expect to be £1000+
Might be wishful thinking but I do expect the PS6 to be under £800 and would cave early at that level as I’m weak for PS stuff and gadgets in general. Price depending I may well go for the handheld before the PS6 console though, as with a PS5 Pro I am really not playing things on that and wishing I had more graphics and FPS!
It would be interesting to see whether the type of game also has an influence on this?
Sony will be the ones with the most data regardless and that will be informing their long term strategy. I guess we’ll see who’s got it right over the next 3-5-10 years!
When you look at the recent game sales figures, and consider the lack of exclusives this generation so far, this hasn’t seemingly hurt PlayStation sales at all.
Sony will have all the numbers but I suspect a mix of the next Xbox being a PC and them wanting the PS6 handheld to be as attractive as possible means that exclusives are their way of doing that.
I only own a Switch 2 for the exclusives and the fact it is a great (handheld) partner to the PS5. With handhelds being so popular now It’s understandable.
I don’t understand everyone who cries so much about it either. It’s not like gaming is unique here, every brand on the planet tries to find a unique selling point, for consoles an easy one is exclusives. Some brands are also lucky enough to have a name that becomes synonymous with something and in parts of the world I think PlayStation now equals consoles gaming to people, especially more casual gamers, and that’s a huge bonus for Sony.
Good to see XBox still doing something, to keep Sony somewhat on their toes, but I just can’t see how this works.
Not a console, and likely too expensive for most console gamers. Trends also show the majority of gamers don’t want/need ‘the most power ever’ so this is definitely playing to a niche audience.
Not a PC and lacking some of the build and maintenance flexibility of a PC that a lot of PC gamers want.
As ever, the price and then games will be key. If their games still come to PS there is zero reason to be interested for me. Even if they don’t I think I’d rather build a PC or wait for a SteamDeck 2. Have little interest in having to use Windows other than when forced to at work!
As a tech interested gamer I’ll follow Helix with interest though. More gadgetry to nerd out over!
As others have said, a price hike will likely mean I downgrade or even switch it off while I work through my backlog of purchased games across PS5 and Switch 2.
Not for me but I just hope it’s given a fair crack if it’s actually got good mechanical and design foundations, which appears to be the case.
I worry for these sorts of games that people are now against them before they’re even given a chance, and that’s tough in a busy marketplace. To be clear, if you deliver a generic game that doesn’t stand out in any real way you’re asking for trouble, but even then you deserve a chance!
Will unlikely be playing this but will watch how it lands with interest!
28, 29 or even 2030 isn’t an issue for me. I bought a Pro last year and having played games like Ghost of Yotei on it I don’t need any more power for the time being.
What would be great though is if they delayed the PS6 but still released the rumoured handheld next year. I would personally love one of those and I also think it would help them compete with the likes of Nintendo, Valve et al having a handheld on the market.
It’s not really my sort of setting but the scale of this can’t help but making it interesting.
I do fear reviews that highlight dodgy performance, hit and miss features and an overall feeling that they’ve thrown everything at this but only a small portion has stuck!
I hope for people really interested I’m wrong, and if I am I may look to get this at some point.
I’ve bought a Pro, and Switch 2, in the last year or so and my two sons have PS5s. If this generation extends for a good few years yet that is absolutely fine by me. The only disappointment is I was looking forward to the handheld, but to compete with Switch 2 it can’t be hugely more expensive.
I was interested in what Cerny presented with AMD and think the PS6 could be a good improvement on what we have, with a chance of being competitively priced. At least, it had a chance on price until the recent RAM issues.
Games like DS2, and in a different way GTA6, will prove just how long the legs of these consoles are. No need to rush after marginal gains, especially for 2-4 hundred more £/$/€ than existing consoles.
Agree with others who’ve said this is now an opportunity for devs. I hope they make the most of the stability and optimise better. That’ll go a long way.
I was fairly optimistic re the price of the PS6 based on various reports recently about its makeup.
If hardware prices don’t settle down again though then I think all hardware coming out from mid 2026 will see a fairly leap in price, including existing SKUs that will need to adjust to DRAM increases if nothing else.
For PS6 it might not be the end of the world as it’ll all be relative, but as a consumer it will hurt and for Sony it will make getting people to adopt the newest models harder potentially.
I think people criticising the specs of the Steam Machine are overlooking how the vast majority of gamers are using Steam and the SteamDeck and PCs these days.
People tend to think PC and immediately go to the top end whereas that represents a tiny portion of the population.
Most seem happy with lower specs either because they’re less fussed about ultra graphics and crazy FPS (like most console gamers) or enjoy the ridiculous Steam library of older and indie games that run absolutely fine on a standard PC, and will be fine on the Machine.
Valve seemed confident the Machine will work for a wide user base on this basis and they’ve got the data to back that.
Someone above mentioned Currys as a place, in the U.K., where you could pickup the Machine’s consoles competition, if they’re even competing. If the Machine isn’t advertised more widely and available in stores then, like the SteamDeck, it won’t threaten PS as lots of people will never hear about it.
The fact that we’re commenting on this on a PS forum shows we’re more tuned in to the industry than about 90% plus of the audience. Those that just get their gaming news via shops and ads on TV could well miss the release of the Machine altogether.
For me the Machine looks interesting pending price and real world performance. More options for consumers is never a bad thing and I like how Valve do things on the whole. I will definitely be getting a PS6, and probably the handheld, but will be watching the Machine’s progress with interest.
The impact of all of the changes we’re seeing re hardware and what Xbox do next probably won’t be fully felt for another 5-10 years so we’ve got plenty of time to sit back and watch while enjoying our games on whatever we have today! Although, if I had to guess, I don’t think a huge amount will have changed in the worlds of PS and Nintendo - which is selfishly why I’m happy with my PS5 Pro and S2!
A bit interested and more so in the deck, for the same reason I’m really excited for the PS handheld. The specs aren’t ideal across the board so it’ll come down to price whether I cave.
A big reason I don’t think this will threaten PS is I don’t think they’ll promote it and stock it alongside consoles in stores. If they don’t a huge percentage of people won’t even know it exists, so it’ll never get into the console space.
For the console masses they’ll also have little interest in a PC trying to be console like.
I feel this is a bigger threat to Xbox at the moment. I do think Valves approach might help keep Sony a little more on their toes though, which can only be a good thing as a consumer!
I will say though, as a PS fan first currently, the place I could see me moving to most as an alternative is Steam, via the Machine and Deck.
Comments 65
Re: Gears of War: E-Day Is Not Coming to PS5, Xbox Confirms Console Exclusivity
@X-Curly-X A token effort to appease the Xbox fans who’ve been vocal about this. They’ve picked games likely to score well with their core but that wouldn’t sell so well they’ll be giving up huge money, especially as they’re on Gamepass.
Re: Gears of War: E-Day Is Not Coming to PS5, Xbox Confirms Console Exclusivity
Not particularly bothered about Gears, having played some of the old ones on my SX before selling it. Glad PS will have Fable and FH6 though!
Also not too fussed about exclusives. If it sharpens Sony up a bit that’s good for PlayStation. I don’t see this really moving the needle for Xbox sales either in a big way, it’s too late for the Series consoles and Xbox seem fixated on Helix, which is likely too expensive to really threaten the PS lead in consoles.
Lots to look forward to on either platform, exclusive or otherwise, so enjoy all the games everyone.
Re: Why Is Everyone Acting So Weird About PS5 Game Mixtape?
I really enjoyed it. Played it last night in one sitting. Fun story, good characters and perfect if you want a relaxing evening.
It’s a vibe game but it had the nostalgia factor for me, albeit I’m from the U.K. There are a handful of standout moments that were really excellent.
As someone who recently tried NTE as their first gacha game I found Mixtape’s simplicity and lack of a million layers of buttons and currencies etc a wonderful palette cleanser!
Re: Physical Game Fans, Beware: Digital Downloads Hit an Astonishing 85% on PS5, PS4 Last Quarter
I get the cost incentive for physical, especially if you go second hand a lot for some bargains.
I’m pretty much all digital today, the odd Switch 2 cart is the only exception. Laziness played a part but so did minimising clutter in my house and saving plastic/shipping impact to the environment.
‘Collecting’ aside I really don’t see the point of physical these days though, on PS5 at least, as no physical game is complete without further downloads and will always need updates at some point too. Defeats the long term aspect of owning it I think. In S2 at least you have some fully formed games on the card.
Re: PS6 Release Date and Price Not Decided Yet, Says Sony
@For-Kier That was my thought too and I think it would be attractive to a lot of people, and familiar given many people do it with their phones.
I did it for my XboxSX. Two years interest free with ultimate included was something like £24 per month. Felt like a great deal and I doubt I’d have got one otherwise!
Re: Japanese Devs Think It May Be Impossible for Them to Make a Game Like NTE on PS5
I’m enjoying NTE, first gacha Ive ever played. There’s a lot in it but it doesn’t feel like a game that should take a reasonable sized dev team eons to make - it’s surprisingly robust at launch but not 100% polished.
Whilst I’m wary of poor working practices in China I think this also speaks to inefficient dev practices in Japan. So many cultures with long working hours aren’t actually more productive per employee than those countries, in Northern Europe for example, that have better work life balance.
Sometimes these commentators need to say their piece and then look inwards, rather than simply land their views of criticism of others.
As a gamer the gacha/open world and ‘one and done’ mix feels about right though. I like having a couple of games to keep going back to over months whilst majoring on something to completion per month.
Re: No Need to Brick It, LEGO Batman Primed for PS5 Release as It Goes Gold
Reviews pending it’ll be a toss up between this and 007 when I get back from some leave in late May.
The recent batcave preview looked great, clearly has tons of content.
Re: NTE Launch Guide: Release Times, Free Pulls, Codes, and More
Played around an hour last night. It’s the first gatcha game I’ve ever played.
On PS5 Pro it runs well and looks good. The presentation overall is impressive for something you can download for free.
The early gameplay seems fun, not too complicated or deep but works well. The characters are I guess what you’d expect of this sort of game. Not my usual thing but there’s a reasonable range of characters introduced early.
The city could be the star of the show. The very early section puts you in a small section of it and it looks great, is fun to walk around and explore and feels alive with plenty of things to do.
I’ll definitely keep following the main story and trying some of the side content.
The big caveat is the range of layers to the stats etc. I guess this is their way of incentivising lots of different activities for different rewards, but it’s a lot. It might become clearer with time but if I drop off it’ll be because this aspect becomes a pain or it feels like they’re forcing you to pay to progress, which to be fair doesn’t appear from reviews to be a real problem here.
Overall though, first impressions are good and I’ll continue exploring and give it some more time. For £0 even 2-5 hours of entertainment can’t be complained about!
Re: PSVR2 Will Take Off Again When Microsoft Flight Sim 2024 Arrives Later This Month
If this runs well I’ll be all over it. Could be amazing but performance in VR will be key! Fingers crossed they’ve cracked it.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Debating Whether to Make Its Games Exclusive Again
The only thing that makes me think they might consider this and make a strong play, absorbing some financial impact, is if they think it’ll sell more of Helix and this is what they want as a way to put more of their AI software into homes.
If MS are going to push AI hard then, as the article says, they need a way to do this in the home as well as the office, and Helix would seem like a perfect way to do that.
Them going exclusive again wouldn’t move the needle for me, if anything I’m more likely to buy a Steam Machine and play the MS games on that.
Re: Bethesda Now Aware of Starfield PS5 Crashing Issues, Aiming for a Fix This Week
I’ve had one freeze in 5-6 hours and other than that I’m really enjoying it. The world and its style just works for me.
I’ve got a mad week and weekend coming up so am going to stop now and it sounds like when I get back to it Sunday/Monday there might be a fix out that would make going back even easier.
Only criticism I’d level is how was this not spotted in QA? As for the game, having played a bit of it now I think a mix of over hype pre-release and fanboyism hasn’t helped it at all.
Re: Starfield Has a Serious Crashing Issue on PS5, PS5 Pro
Managed 3-4 hours from the start over two sessions at 60fps/enhanced on Pro with no issues.
Ironically, it was when I then moved to 40fps in game having watched the Digital Foundry video about it that I got a crash shortly after. Not sure if that’s related! I was discovering a new location when it crashed.
No issues since, another 45 mins or so, having stuck with 40fps/enhanced since.
Re: Starfield (PS5) - Better Than Ever, But Still No Space Skyrim
Really enjoyed my first evening with it albeit on 2-3 hours in.
I personally really like the aesthetic of the game which helps and although I’m not a massive Bethesda fan I do enjoy going through all the dialogue, searching out all sorts of stuff and I found the combat to be fun early on.
I would say also that despite the scale of the game I’m finding the menus etc quite intuitive so far.
Will be getting stuck in again this evening once I’ve enjoyed some of the decent UK weather!
Re: 'The Result Is Incredible': Cyberpunk 2077's Big PS5 Pro Update Arrives Tomorrow
Buys Starfield for a sci-fi fix prior to the Pro update.
Update comes out one day after Starfield… 🤦🏻♂️
Re: 'The List Is Crazy': Starfield Support and Updates Will Continue Following PS5 Debut
Funny reading the comments on here and Pure Xbox about this game. Quite the contrast in outlook despite a consensus that it’s flawed in many ways.
It’s downloaded on my Pro and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it later. I’m going in eyes open but at the same time I think/hope I’ll enjoy the vibe and world they’ve created.
Re: Here's Why Starfield Will Be Best on PS5 When It Finally Releases Next Week
Caved a preordered!
Looking forward to trying it finally and making up my own mind.
Watching some YouTube videos on it I think I’ll enjoy the vibe and mission types. I think I’m also just looking for another big world to explore so the timing works.
Re: Hardware Snoop Tips Rumoured PS6 Handheld to Be a Beast
@SMJ I get the cynicism, but I wouldn’t call it a Portal 2 if it runs games natively.
The rumours to date - happy to wear rose tinted specs at this stage - suggest that the consoles and handheld will be scaled to support games so both can play everything. The new low power modes are warming devs up for this.
If the handheld is going for 1080p, especially with some upscaling, that should be quite possible.
Early in the handhelds life the PS5 will have the biggest install base so that’ll help protect the handheld for a while. If the handheld does well then devs will keep developing with it in mind. If it struggles I can see it getting left behind the PS6 console near the end of the cycle, but only for the AAA stuff.
Totally agree it’s an interesting (and expensive) time!
Re: 'The Solution Is to Get Rid of Consoles': Analyst Predicts $1,000 PS6 and a Transition to Game Streaming
The day any company goes streaming only is the day I stop buying their stuff basically. If they all do it I think that’ll be me done with gaming barring keeping the existing hardware going.
I’m all digital these days but paying, what I suspect will be quite high, subscription perpetually has no appeal to me. Having some standalone hardware to play the games still appeals, and it’s even more important for handhelds.
Once the AI impact settles, hopefully, perhaps it’ll also help this. Although that’s relying on companies lowering prices again which I’m not convinced would happen!
Re: Hardware Snoop Tips Rumoured PS6 Handheld to Be a Beast
Day one for me most likely. I’d get a good handheld over the PS6 console as I have a PS5 Pro but am really enjoying handheld gaming at the moment.
OLED would be ideal but I can live with a good LCD, I find the switch 2 LCD ok as the extra res and size makes up for no OLED compared to my Steam Deck.
1TB of storage, a 1080p OLED and specs that allow it to play the latest games at 40-60fps using PSSRx and I think it’s a no brainer really.
Price could be painful but I’m going to make sure I’ve got some spare funds ready for mid/late 2027 in case!
Re: Opinion: Does Starfield Suck? People Keep Telling Me to Skip Its PS5 Release
I’m tempted to get it day one and get stuck in over some leave over the Easter school holiday period.
The sci-fi look and feel really appeals (more than the fantasy setting in some ‘better’ games!) and the pace of exploration and how that works will work for me I think. I get some of the criticisms but I think I’d get my moneys worth!
Re: Starfield PS5 Won't Play Off Physical Disc without a Download
Pointless, and I agree with those saying that if a disc is released it should be playable standalone.
That said, I’m all digital these days as all games need patches and generally once I’ve played a game once, perhaps two or three times or over a long period, I’m done and happy to move on - and generally feel like I’ve got my moneys worth.
Re: Starfield PS5 Needs a Serious Chunk of Your Console Storage
Never fancied Skyrim as the setting doesn’t appeal but I like sci-fi so am actually quite tempted to pick this up.
At least by now a) I know what I’m getting in to and b) I’ll be playing the best version of it.
Install size isn’t an issue as I’ve got the Pro and only keep a few things installed at any one time as I tend to only ever play 1 or two games at a time.
Re: PS5 Pro Buyers Rush to Beat $899.99 Price Hike Next Week
@hol_up If the PS6 does release next year, which I think is now less likely given the PS5 price rises, I doubt PS5 will be left behind anytime soon.
PS5 has a big install base worth utilising for Sony and if PS6 is close to £1000 it won’t sell well enough to justify leaving the PS5 behind quickly.
Even if the PS6 is a better price I can see closer to a 5 year overlap between 5 and 6. I think it’ll be easier to scale the graphics between them rather than deal with the HDD to SDD change between 4 and 5. Plus there’s the rumoured handheld to consider.
Re: PS5 Pricing Strategy Gives Flexibility for Deals if 'Things Surprisingly Get Better'
I could see them offering deals dropping back by £50-100 in the run up to GTAVI.
By then the dust will have settled on the price rises and they could find a slightly lower price that suddenly feels like a good deal just as demand spikes.
Re: Sony Announces Gigantic PS5 Price Increases, Effective from April 2026
Ouch. I get it, but still, ouch.
Glad I’ve got the Pro and my boys have their own so I feel like we’re set and can ride this out a bit.
I’ve cancelled my PSN renewal today and will be focusing my gaming spending on the games I really want when they hit a price I’m happy with. If that means waiting a few months (or years) I can live with that.
Pros still available at £640 in the U.K. for anyone interested. Seems like a safe bet now.
Re: Rumour: Dramatic PS5 Price Increases Incoming, Potential Announcement Tomorrow
Pro currently going for £640 in the U.K.
If you can afford it and will appreciate the extras over the base model then it does feel like a good time to bite the bullet.
I normally get consoles day one but with the Pro I feel I’ve got another 5 years before needing to think about a change. The handheld is a different matter!
Doesn’t bode well for the PS6 potentially but all consoles and PC handhelds etc are suffering the same fate at the moment.
Great time to be a mostly patient backlog gamer!
Re: 'This Is Unsustainable Madness': Modern Video Game Budgets Are Out of Control
@HRdepartment Yep. I do enjoy it when those big games click but that’s hard to get to.
Handhelds make that a bit easier because you can do 10-20 minute bursts and they feel less of an ask compared to sitting down in front of the tv/console after a long day.
It’s one of the reasons I’m really interested in the rumoured PS handheld. Would probably be perfect for my gaming these days.
Re: 'This Is Unsustainable Madness': Modern Video Game Budgets Are Out of Control
Most of my gaming so far this year has been either older games on PS5, Switch 2 or (increasingly) Steam Deck.
I don’t want or need lots 100 hour games that look fantastic - I just don’t have the time for more than about one per year. I’m enjoying the older stuff and retro/indie games that are great on handheld.
Re: Gran Turismo 7 Was an Inspiration for Microsoft Flight Sim 2024's PSVR2 Mode, Coming Soon
If they can hit consistent frame rates that prevent it being sick inducing I’m all over this.
Will wait for reviews and initial user feedback and then I’m straight into a fighter for a flight through the grand canyon followed by flight from London to Paris in something slower.
Re: Round Up: Crimson Desert Reviews Are a Major Disappointment
Not outstanding but certainly not bad for such an ambitious first attempt of this type.
Was unlikely to be a day one for me regardless but I’ll keep an eye on it as I suspect a combination of a sale and future patches will make it quite tempting in 12-24 months.
Best way to game these days is be patient - I’ll finally start Cyberpunk when the Pro update arrives!
Re: Starfield Finally Lands on PS5 in April with New DLC and Huge Updates
It’s competing with a number of backlog and new games I’m interested in but I’m still tempted.
The setting and game style should work for me. I had an Xbox, and Gamepass, when this came out but didn’t go for it then as I was put off by the bugs and need for updates. This version is a lot more tempting. I’ve done the same with Cyberpunk!
Re: Cyberpunk 2077 Finally Gets a PS5 Pro Patch Very Soon
Was due to start this weekend on the Pro and didn’t get round to it, so perfect timing for me!
Re: Feature: Inside Pearl Abyss, the Ambitious Studio Behind PS5's Massive Crimson Desert
Office sounds great. Going to be so interesting to see how CD lands this week, and evolves thereafter.
Childcare onsite just screams ‘expected to work long hours’ to me as a cynical Brit! Wonder if theirs is a sensible price at least?…
Re: Starfield's PS5 Release Seems Practically Inevitable at This Point
Still somewhat interested in this but probably once on sale as I can’t see the 2.0 update justifying a day one PS5 purchase.
Re: Opinion: Crimson Desert Could Be PS5 Game of the Year, or a Total Mess
The digital foundry PS5 Pro overview has nearly sold me on it.
I’ll see what the reviews, and user reviews, are like and give it 2-3 months for the inevitable patches before jumping in though.
At £55 on PS it’s a price, if good enough, that I don’t mind paying early.
Re: PS6's Rumoured Portable Could Be in Your Hands as Early as Next Year
I’ve got a Switch 2 and Steam Deck but this is still my most anticipated bit of hardware.
I love handheld gaming these days and done properly a PS6 handheld that can access my full PS library would be fantastic. Would probably get the PS6 console as well at some point but already have the 5 Pro so less of a rush for the big screen stuff.
Price will be key! Would hope £600, expect around £700 and anything above £800 will make life interesting…
Ideally an OLED with the screen size and display performance of the switch 2 and the ergonomics of the steam deck mixed with the dual sense. Hopefully it can manage 1080p at 60 for most or all games. I would want 1TB of storage. Expect it to be digital only which might annoy some but I’m pretty much there anyway now, barring the odd Switch card. If it ticks all those boxes and the price isn’t mad I’ll be in on day one if I can get the preorder in!
Re: Xbox Targets 2027 for Project Helix Dev Kits, Calling Rumoured PS6 Release Into Question
If the next Xbox is a PC then perhaps the need for dev kits to actually develop games isn’t as big a deal. They could be used just to verify performance nearer the end of a dev cycle?
I was one of those who said I was happy for a 2028 or later PS6 release so am not too fussed, although I do want the PS6 handheld! No interest in buying Helix but interested to see what it ends up like and how it and PS6 perform in practice.
Re: PS6 Rival Xbox Helix Could Cost as Much as $1,200
No interest in a Windows based thing that’s as much PC as console at what I fully expect to be £1000+
Might be wishful thinking but I do expect the PS6 to be under £800 and would cave early at that level as I’m weak for PS stuff and gadgets in general. Price depending I may well go for the handheld before the PS6 console though, as with a PS5 Pro I am really not playing things on that and wishing I had more graphics and FPS!
Re: Study Claims Sony's PS5 Games Are Leaving Big PC Sales on the Table
It would be interesting to see whether the type of game also has an influence on this?
Sony will be the ones with the most data regardless and that will be informing their long term strategy. I guess we’ll see who’s got it right over the next 3-5-10 years!
Re: 'Sony Finally Understands': Over 70% of PS5 Fans Agree with Decision to Scrap PC Ports
When you look at the recent game sales figures, and consider the lack of exclusives this generation so far, this hasn’t seemingly hurt PlayStation sales at all.
Sony will have all the numbers but I suspect a mix of the next Xbox being a PC and them wanting the PS6 handheld to be as attractive as possible means that exclusives are their way of doing that.
I only own a Switch 2 for the exclusives and the fact it is a great (handheld) partner to the PS5. With handhelds being so popular now It’s understandable.
I don’t understand everyone who cries so much about it either. It’s not like gaming is unique here, every brand on the planet tries to find a unique selling point, for consoles an easy one is exclusives. Some brands are also lucky enough to have a name that becomes synonymous with something and in parts of the world I think PlayStation now equals consoles gaming to people, especially more casual gamers, and that’s a huge bonus for Sony.
Re: PS6 Competitor from Xbox Revealed as Project Helix
Good to see XBox still doing something, to keep Sony somewhat on their toes, but I just can’t see how this works.
Not a console, and likely too expensive for most console gamers. Trends also show the majority of gamers don’t want/need ‘the most power ever’ so this is definitely playing to a niche audience.
Not a PC and lacking some of the build and maintenance flexibility of a PC that a lot of PC gamers want.
As ever, the price and then games will be key. If their games still come to PS there is zero reason to be interested for me. Even if they don’t I think I’d rather build a PC or wait for a SteamDeck 2. Have little interest in having to use Windows other than when forced to at work!
As a tech interested gamer I’ll follow Helix with interest though. More gadgetry to nerd out over!
Re: Sony Will Offset Soaring RAM Prices by Further Monetising PS5 Players
Currently on Premium for the Portal.
As others have said, a price hike will likely mean I downgrade or even switch it off while I work through my backlog of purchased games across PS5 and Switch 2.
Re: Sorry Haters, But Marathon Is Looking Real Good Right Now
Not for me but I just hope it’s given a fair crack if it’s actually got good mechanical and design foundations, which appears to be the case.
I worry for these sorts of games that people are now against them before they’re even given a chance, and that’s tough in a busy marketplace. To be clear, if you deliver a generic game that doesn’t stand out in any real way you’re asking for trouble, but even then you deserve a chance!
Will unlikely be playing this but will watch how it lands with interest!
Re: Sony Considering PS6 Delay to 2028 or Even 2029, New Reports Says
28, 29 or even 2030 isn’t an issue for me. I bought a Pro last year and having played games like Ghost of Yotei on it I don’t need any more power for the time being.
What would be great though is if they delayed the PS6 but still released the rumoured handheld next year. I would personally love one of those and I also think it would help them compete with the likes of Nintendo, Valve et al having a handheld on the market.
Re: Crimson Desert PS5 Is Also a Full-On Life Sim Game, Last Deep Dive Video Reveals
It’s not really my sort of setting but the scale of this can’t help but making it interesting.
I do fear reviews that highlight dodgy performance, hit and miss features and an overall feeling that they’ve thrown everything at this but only a small portion has stuck!
I hope for people really interested I’m wrong, and if I am I may look to get this at some point.
Re: PS6 Could Be Delayed Due to RAM Price Chaos
I’ve bought a Pro, and Switch 2, in the last year or so and my two sons have PS5s. If this generation extends for a good few years yet that is absolutely fine by me. The only disappointment is I was looking forward to the handheld, but to compete with Switch 2 it can’t be hugely more expensive.
I was interested in what Cerny presented with AMD and think the PS6 could be a good improvement on what we have, with a chance of being competitively priced. At least, it had a chance on price until the recent RAM issues.
Games like DS2, and in a different way GTA6, will prove just how long the legs of these consoles are. No need to rush after marginal gains, especially for 2-4 hundred more £/$/€ than existing consoles.
Agree with others who’ve said this is now an opportunity for devs. I hope they make the most of the stability and optimise better. That’ll go a long way.
Re: You Can Buy a Fully-Fledged PS5 for the Same Price as a Less Powerful Xbox Series S Right Now
I was fairly optimistic re the price of the PS6 based on various reports recently about its makeup.
If hardware prices don’t settle down again though then I think all hardware coming out from mid 2026 will see a fairly leap in price, including existing SKUs that will need to adjust to DRAM increases if nothing else.
For PS6 it might not be the end of the world as it’ll all be relative, but as a consumer it will hurt and for Sony it will make getting people to adopt the newest models harder potentially.
Re: Valve Won't Subsidise Steam Machine, Expected to Be Pricier Than More Powerful PS5
I think people criticising the specs of the Steam Machine are overlooking how the vast majority of gamers are using Steam and the SteamDeck and PCs these days.
People tend to think PC and immediately go to the top end whereas that represents a tiny portion of the population.
Most seem happy with lower specs either because they’re less fussed about ultra graphics and crazy FPS (like most console gamers) or enjoy the ridiculous Steam library of older and indie games that run absolutely fine on a standard PC, and will be fine on the Machine.
Valve seemed confident the Machine will work for a wide user base on this basis and they’ve got the data to back that.
Someone above mentioned Currys as a place, in the U.K., where you could pickup the Machine’s consoles competition, if they’re even competing. If the Machine isn’t advertised more widely and available in stores then, like the SteamDeck, it won’t threaten PS as lots of people will never hear about it.
The fact that we’re commenting on this on a PS forum shows we’re more tuned in to the industry than about 90% plus of the audience. Those that just get their gaming news via shops and ads on TV could well miss the release of the Machine altogether.
For me the Machine looks interesting pending price and real world performance. More options for consumers is never a bad thing and I like how Valve do things on the whole. I will definitely be getting a PS6, and probably the handheld, but will be watching the Machine’s progress with interest.
The impact of all of the changes we’re seeing re hardware and what Xbox do next probably won’t be fully felt for another 5-10 years so we’ve got plenty of time to sit back and watch while enjoying our games on whatever we have today! Although, if I had to guess, I don’t think a huge amount will have changed in the worlds of PS and Nintendo - which is selfishly why I’m happy with my PS5 Pro and S2!
Re: Poll: Does the Steam Machine Pose a Threat to PS5?
A bit interested and more so in the deck, for the same reason I’m really excited for the PS handheld. The specs aren’t ideal across the board so it’ll come down to price whether I cave.
A big reason I don’t think this will threaten PS is I don’t think they’ll promote it and stock it alongside consoles in stores. If they don’t a huge percentage of people won’t even know it exists, so it’ll never get into the console space.
For the console masses they’ll also have little interest in a PC trying to be console like.
I feel this is a bigger threat to Xbox at the moment. I do think Valves approach might help keep Sony a little more on their toes though, which can only be a good thing as a consumer!
I will say though, as a PS fan first currently, the place I could see me moving to most as an alternative is Steam, via the Machine and Deck.
Re: Rumour: PS Portal Could Be About to Get Even More Compelling
They need to drop the requirement for PS Plus premium for this to become compelling IMO.
Locking this sort of feature behind the top sub they have is why my Portal hasn’t got half as much use as it should have.