Whilst I understand your thinking, @TurboTom. I think there was a definite reason to own a PS5 over a PS4. There were clear differences in capabilities that made the PS5 worth upgrading too. However, I think that many people will see the PS6 and be unconvinced that it is a necessity when compared to the PS5.
I could just as easily be wrong, and the majority of people could be just like me and want the best bit of kit regardless of the meagre differences. I'll be there day one with my pre-ordered PS6. I just don't think most people will be so easily tempted...
I agree, @themightyant, though I would suggest that all the flip-flopping is most likely due to the shift in power within Xbox (or rather from it!). I think Phil Spencer and co. were able to make statements that they believed to be true at the time they were uttered, but that since those statements were made, Nadella and Hood have seized control, changed direction, and made Spencer look like a chump as a consequence.
I do not think that Spencer lied when he made these statements. I believe he had full faith in what he was saying. It's just that the rug has been pulled from under him.
Regardless, it has supremely damaged my trust in anything that comes out of Microsoft these days to the extent that I would trust the word of a Politician over anything that Microsoft says... 😂
I agree that Microsoft handled previous generations differently, @T-Bone09. The Xbox One ceased production at the end of 2020, the year that the Series console launched. However, the reason I think Microsoft will continue to manufacture the Series consoles well into the next generation, and potentially all of it, is simply because the Series consoles will be treated as entry level consoles into the Xbox ecosystem, and Microsoft will probably believe this to be a necessity due to the high entry point for the PCBox which is rumoured to cost in excess of £1000/$1200, and thus out of the price range of families just wanting a console for a child, and indeed, more expensive than many gamers will be willing to pay.
I have zero evidence that Microsoft will do this, it just seems a common sense approach for Microsoft to do it, which likely means they will not do so...
Both the PS5 and the Series consoles will be sold for pretty much the entirety of the next generation, though for differing reasons. I don't think that the next PS6 will be vastly better than the PS5, and so uptake on the PS6 will be slower than it was for the PS5. With the PCBox, it will likely be significantly better than the Series X, but it will also be significantly more expensive, possibly twice as expensive as the Series X, meaning that far fewer people will buy it with the target at Microsoft likely being something like 10 million lifetime sales*. Upshot for both Sony and Microsoft will be a much slower start for the next generation.
*Unless the PCBox is the last Xbox console, and therefore the console is sold for far longer than a typical generation. Thus, assuming that it is still shifting units, then Microsoft may continue to make it available...
I guess am speaking from the perspective of being a console gamer, @themightyant. I trust Sony to keep doing what they are doing (albeit I'd prefer them to bring out more of the single-player games they are known for), whereas I don't trust Microsoft to keep investing in consoles.
I believe that the start of the next generation will see a very sizable shift of Xbox gamers over to the PS6, which in turn will harm those that remain with Xbox because Microsoft will likely react by raising prices on both their consoles and their subscription services.
Basically, I have far more trust in Sony than I do in Microsoft, and that is despite Xbox being my main. I think if Sony says something, they are far less likely to be trying to mislead or misdirect us, whereas I have little faith that Microsoft will either tell us as it really is, or stick to what they say.
I do believe that Microsoft will have a very bright future in terms of being a publisher, but have very little faith in terms of their treatment of their more loyal userbase...
Thank you, @UltimateOtaku91. As I said @21, it seems that both Sony and Microsoft count the numbers in a slightly different way, or at the very least, a large number of people are playing very small games on mobiles and PCs, which Microsoft are able to use to artificially inflate their MAUs. Personally, I trust the numbers that Sony put out far more than I do Microsoft's, and I would suggest that they don't really tell the whole story...
Thank you, @themightyant. I see so many people trying to say that Xbox is doing better than PlayStation due to MAUs, and yet we all know that is not really a metric that shows that to be the case.
PlayStation is in a far more stable, and better position than Xbox, yet some real fanatics will die on the hill that says MAUs is the only metric that counts. Truthfully, MAUs is about the only statistic that, on first glance, would suggest that Microsoft have the upper hand, but I think that the more rational, and sensible, among us, know that is not the case...
Is the definition the same for Microsoft? I seem to remember that they were saying they have over 500 million MAUs, and I'm struggling to understand why they have so many more than PlayStation...
Ghost of Yotei is a fantastic game, and as much as I loved Ghost of Tushima, I thought the second game to be even better.
That vocal minority, who always seem to make their voices heard the most, did not speak with the majority who bought, played and really enjoyed Yotei. All of them so upset because of a female protagonist or because the game did not feature Jin. Just ridiculous...
Are you able to tell me exactly what constitutes a Monthly Active User, please, @LiamCroft? Are these individual PlayStation accounts that are being played on? And is this just on console, or do PC players count too? Thanks...
Oh I entirely agree, @UltimateOtaku91. I just think the sale price versus the full price has ruffled a few feathers. However I agree, may as well wait for a sale if the price offends you so much...
I think the issue people have with the price on the Xbox, @UltimateOtaku91, is that it has been on sale, in the sales, on the PlayStation 5 for as low as £29.99 in recent months...
I'll be indulging in some more Outer Worlds 2, interspersed with a couple of Master Horde runs in Gears 5 as a trio instead of a team of 5 that the difficulty really demands. Much more difficult and challenging, but all the more rewarding when you get a map done...
I don't believe that there will be a decline in actual sales, on the PlayStation, for the next Final Fantasy game. People already invested in the series, who have already bought them on the PlayStation, are unlikely to suddenly buy them elsewhere instead (at least not in substantial numbers).
What will happen though is that the third game will sell better than it would had it released solely on the PlayStation. If previously 100% of the sales were on the PlayStation, due to it only releasing there, then it stands to reason that if it is suddenly available elsewhere, then those other platforms will eat into that 100% of sales being only on the PlayStation. However, if the game was going to sell a million copies on the PlayStation, had the game been exclusive, it is likely that it will still sell those million copies, because people will be invested in the series on the PlayStation anyway, and it is probably their preferred platform...
If they really want to address this situation, then surely one way to go is to make digital downloads cheaper. Currently, at best both physical and digital cost the same when a game is first released, but more often, physical can be found more cheaply than digital, which makes zero sense, when you factor in all the other expenses involved with having the physical version of the game. So, either make digital more enticing, or make physical less attractive...
Genuine question, @get2sammyb, so when someone is looking at a digital game on the US PlayStation Store, do they see a price including tax, or is it added at the point of paying, or does it even attract tax at all due to it being a non-tangible product (i.e. digital)?
The US way of pricing things always confuses me as when I visited America back in the 90s, I don't recall getting to the checkout and finding the price on the shelf, to be different from what I had to then pay when paying. Having said that, have trouble recalling what day it is, so... yeah...
I went with Ghost of Yotei because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Outer Worlds 2 would be my second choice, but I have not yet finished it, so cannot say with any level of certainty how it compares to Ghost of Yotei. Both are extremely good games though...
I voted for Ghost of Yotei, but I have to admit to being extremely disappointed that Cronos: The New Dawn was not in the list as that would definitely have got my vote instead...
I'm currently level 9 in Outer Worlds 2 on a Very Hard run, and very much enjoying the game.
I have also completed one Master Horde as a trio in Gears 5 yesterday, and failed another on Wave 40 today. Plan is to have another stab at one tomorrow. Absolutely loving the challenge of having just 3 people in a mode that is supposed to have 5. Master is difficult with 5, so with 3 it is uber-hard...
The simple answer is that I disagree with the notion that TikTok is the direct competitor of PlayStation. Sony's true competitor is Xbox, and then PC, and then Nintendo. However, that said, every other life experience then competes with gaming (not just PlayStation).
My view is that it is a weak way for Microsoft to say that TikTok is their direct competitor, because I believe they are only saying this because they are losing in so many ways when compared to PlayStation. Everything can be compared and evaluated when comparisons are made between PlayStation and Xbox; from consoles sales, to MAU's, to where games are bought and played, and to subscription services. They can all be compared, and in that comparison, Xbox generally comes off worse. So rather than publicly admit that they are not doing particularly well, it easier to simply not do the comparison and claim that something else it their competition.
Yes, gaming companies are competing with other pastimes for peoples attention, but a person choosing to buy a PlayStation, where they then play games not made by Xbox, is still not a win for Xbox. So Xbox are PlayStation are in direct competition with one another as they both want that person to join their platform.
My view is that Microsoft are being disingenuous when they made the comment because all they are trying to do is deflect from the problems they are currently having...
It seems to be an industry that always has an air of uncertainty hanging over it, @Deadlyblack. One false step and a studio can go under. The game you make doesn't even have to be bad, it just has to fail to find an audience, and you're done for. I wouldn't want to be involved in something like that myself, and I'm glad my son didn't take that route...
That's a real shame. Although I didn't partake in the multiplayer aspects of New World (PvP etc.), I did spend an enormous amount of time playing it. Fully played two seasons, and have the coinage to indulge in another. Hopefully it sticks around for a while yet.
It's always sad to see people losing their jobs, so hopefully it is handled well, and the people affected find new employment quickly. It must be terribly worrying for them.
My youngest son wanted to get involved in game making, and I have to say I'm glad that he didn't...
They will definitely be releasing a standalone PvP mode that will be added to ad infinitum for years to come. They may even update Infinite's multiplayer with U5 graphics, etc, and then put that out as the Halo version of Call of Duty's Warzone. It's definitely coming, it's just a question of when they put it out. Hopefully they will have learned from the Infinite debacle, and it will release with far more content...
I bought Outer Worlds Premium Edition, so started that last night. I'm playing on Very Hard, and am about 10 minutes into the first mission and already having a bit of difficulty because I am faced with two enemies and am finding it very hard to take them on! It'll probably be okay once I have levelled up a few times, but right now? Ob, boy... 😂
My mate is away today, but I'm hoping he'll be back tomorrow so that we can attempt another Master Horde run in Gears 5 as a trio with my youngest son. We actually managed to complete one last weekend on what was probably a harder map than we will be attempting next, but Master is meant for a team of 5, so attempting it as a trio is really challenging a good fun (and frustrating!)...
Yes, Bond is Spencer's subordinate, and will do as he instructs, @Lowdefal. However, I did not mention Bond! It is Hood who has said that all studios must hit a 30% profit margin, not Bond, and not Spencer. Spencer is Hood's subordinate, and has to do what she says...
As I said yesterday on Pure, this is what happens someone (Amy Hood) who has no understanding of gaming sets unreasonable, and potentially unobtainable, targets, and that has manifestly changed everything about Xbox. No wonder we have seen all these massive U-turns, and unpopular decisions.
Everyone keeps blaming Phil Spencer, but I've been saying for ages that he is no longer in charge. He is just the Xbox figurehead, there to repeat the instructions passed down from senior management at Microsoft. I honestly don't think he believes in what Microsoft are doing to Xbox, but he remains in post in an effort to prevent them from doing even more harm to to the division.
However, I have to ask, if Gears of War: E-day does not hit that 30% margin, will that be the last game in the franchise? Will Microsoft say that if a game like that cannot hit 30%, then it should no longer be made. And if Microsoft do pull the plug on their mainstay franchises, why on Earth would you bother sticking with Xbox?
This target has already massively affected Xbox, who knows what more damage will be done before Microsoft finally realise that gaming is very different to all their other divisions..?
Halo is not stuck in a rut at all, @nomither6. When I played 4 and 5, I did not enjoy them as much as the original trilogy, although they are still very games. When I played Infinite, I very much enjoyed it.
Stuck in a rut means they are doing the same thing over and over, yet you can hardly say that 4 and 5 were doing the same thing as 1-3, and 5 was very different in style to 4 (and not as enjoyable as a result). Infinite was completely different from everything that came before it.
Thus, if the games are very different from the original trilogy, how can they possibly be stuck in a rut?
As I have said, I do not play the multiplayer aspect, and so can only speak to the campaigns. I can say though, as someone that went through every Halo for the umpteenth time earlier this year, they are all very good games, different in many ways, and all good, and I would score all of them as 8s and above.
So no, I do not think they are stuck in a rut, but yes, I do play only the campaigns, if that is what you consider to be offline...
It's weird to me that Microsoft think that Halo needs resuscitating because I thought Infinite to be a very good game. I went through the campaign twice on my own, including on the hardest difficulty, and also twice with a mate, again including on the hardest difficulty.
That said, as is always the case with me, I don't touch the multiplayer component, so I cannot speak to how that faired, although I understand that 343 were too slow to release more content.
What I will say though, in a move that is unusual for me, I played the game via Game Pass rather than buying it, so maybe that was the general problem in that insufficient people actually bought the game. So yeah, maybe it's all my fault... 😂
My God that looks good. That game has soared right to the top of my 'Cannot Wait' list. I wonder if it is a souls-like? Looks like something I'd get anyway, but still would like to know about that..
Almost, @Dogbreath, but only almost! The Premium version comes complete with all the DLC/Expansions. You would need to factor buying the DLC into your equation too... 😉
I have bought the Outer Worlds 2: Premium Edition via Loaded (formerly CDKeys) for the Xbox (because you obviously cannot buy codes for PlayStation games there), and I paid £56 for it. That's a saving of £34 on the PlayStation and Xbox Store price. So if you have a choice of console, and want that version of the game, then you can get it cheaper elsewhere...
I read through the entire review and guess it would score and 8, @OldGamer999. I based that on all that I read, so I do think 7 is a tad low, as the review read like an 8 out of 10. That said, I am very much looking forward to it...
I buy a PlayStation every generation, @Juanalf, even though Xbox is my main. In fact, I don't just buy one every generation, I pre-order it and receive it day one. I only play PlayStation exclusives on my PlayStation, and every third-party game on my Xbox. So someone needs to tell Bond that exclusives do serve a purpose because without there being exclusive titles, I would not own a PlayStation...
I finished Ghost of Yotei yesterday, having bought the Collector's Edition, and thought the game to be absolutely superb. I have no criticism of it whatsoever.
Personally, I prefer a female protagonist anyway, and where I have the option of creating my own character, I always make a pretty redhead! My Mass Effect Shepherd has always looked that way, and even when I play Gears of War Horde, I always select a female character.
All told, I have no idea why people would object to the protagonist based purely on her gender. I can understand people wanting to continue the story of Jin, that's one thing, but objecting to an entirely different character, in a different time setting, just because she's female? Get a life...
I really don't set out to get certain trophies, or all of them, @MrPeanutbutterz, I like to just earn them as I go as I don't want to have them dictate how I play. I say that, but there is one way I do allow a game to determine how I play it and that is with difficulty. I always like to aim for the trophy/achievement for playing on the hardest difficulty, where I am capable of doing so. Other than that, I pretty much like to play a game the way I want, but I do like to know that I can beat it on the hardest difficulty.
What I will say though is that I never, ever look at achievements before I buy a game. I buy a game on its own merits, on whatever system that I want to play it on. I don't think to myself oh these will be easy trophies, I'll get that, because, honestly, does anyone ever look at those you've earned in the past, or look to see what you have platinumed, or how big you achievement score is? No, because no one cares about it at all. You can certainly have pride in what you do for yourself, but no one else cares one bit, so why let it determine what games you will or won't play. Utterly ridiculous...
Absolutely agree, @MrPeanutbutterz. I really don't care that much about them, and certainly don't let them dictate what I do, and don't, play. The madness of it is that you would miss out on so many fantastic games if you refused to play any game that you couldn't get all the trophies on. It's kind of sad really...
I've said all along that Starfield will come to the PlayStation as a 'Complete Edition', @PsBoxSwitchOwner, and I think part of the reason that Bethesda are still doing another DLC, and also working on the game in general, is because they know that the game has a fairly negative overview and that it needs to be better if it is to do well on the PlayStation.
Having said that, even now, the game is better than when it first released both in terms of performance and content, so those 7s it received should probably be 8s by now, though it will be interesting to see whether it is marked down by PlayStation centric websites simply because it released first on the Xbox (and PC)...
How ridiculous are the combos, @Quintumply? in other words how many different buttons do you need to press in order to pull one of the better ones off?
I have ADHD, which majorly affects my memory, meaning I cannot remember overly long or intricate combos. Is there a mode for basically light and heavy attacks, or is there no assistance in this regard? Thanks...
That's very true, @MrPeanutbutterz. If you only earn easy trophies, and will only play games that have easy trophies, what does that say about you?
Having said that, whilst I like to earn all the trophies/achievements in a game that I enjoy, I most certainly never allow trophies or achievements to dictate the games I choose to play. I decide what games to play on what I know of the game, and that's it. If I'm really enjoying it, I'll try and get the lot, but if I don't, then so be it.
Imagine how many truly fantastic games that you would miss out on if you cannot bring yourself to buy a game because you think the trophies are too hard...
Comments 1,716
Re: PS5 'In the Middle' of Its Lifecycle, Claims Sony
Whilst I understand your thinking, @TurboTom. I think there was a definite reason to own a PS5 over a PS4. There were clear differences in capabilities that made the PS5 worth upgrading too. However, I think that many people will see the PS6 and be unconvinced that it is a necessity when compared to the PS5.
I could just as easily be wrong, and the majority of people could be just like me and want the best bit of kit regardless of the meagre differences. I'll be there day one with my pre-ordered PS6. I just don't think most people will be so easily tempted...
Re: PS5, PS4 Userbase Keeps on Getting Bigger, Attracts More Players Year-on-Year
I agree, @themightyant, though I would suggest that all the flip-flopping is most likely due to the shift in power within Xbox (or rather from it!). I think Phil Spencer and co. were able to make statements that they believed to be true at the time they were uttered, but that since those statements were made, Nadella and Hood have seized control, changed direction, and made Spencer look like a chump as a consequence.
I do not think that Spencer lied when he made these statements. I believe he had full faith in what he was saying. It's just that the rug has been pulled from under him.
Regardless, it has supremely damaged my trust in anything that comes out of Microsoft these days to the extent that I would trust the word of a Politician over anything that Microsoft says... 😂
Re: PS5 'In the Middle' of Its Lifecycle, Claims Sony
I agree that Microsoft handled previous generations differently, @T-Bone09. The Xbox One ceased production at the end of 2020, the year that the Series console launched. However, the reason I think Microsoft will continue to manufacture the Series consoles well into the next generation, and potentially all of it, is simply because the Series consoles will be treated as entry level consoles into the Xbox ecosystem, and Microsoft will probably believe this to be a necessity due to the high entry point for the PCBox which is rumoured to cost in excess of £1000/$1200, and thus out of the price range of families just wanting a console for a child, and indeed, more expensive than many gamers will be willing to pay.
I have zero evidence that Microsoft will do this, it just seems a common sense approach for Microsoft to do it, which likely means they will not do so...
Re: PS5 'In the Middle' of Its Lifecycle, Claims Sony
Both the PS5 and the Series consoles will be sold for pretty much the entirety of the next generation, though for differing reasons. I don't think that the next PS6 will be vastly better than the PS5, and so uptake on the PS6 will be slower than it was for the PS5. With the PCBox, it will likely be significantly better than the Series X, but it will also be significantly more expensive, possibly twice as expensive as the Series X, meaning that far fewer people will buy it with the target at Microsoft likely being something like 10 million lifetime sales*. Upshot for both Sony and Microsoft will be a much slower start for the next generation.
*Unless the PCBox is the last Xbox console, and therefore the console is sold for far longer than a typical generation. Thus, assuming that it is still shifting units, then Microsoft may continue to make it available...
Re: PS5, PS4 Userbase Keeps on Getting Bigger, Attracts More Players Year-on-Year
I guess am speaking from the perspective of being a console gamer, @themightyant. I trust Sony to keep doing what they are doing (albeit I'd prefer them to bring out more of the single-player games they are known for), whereas I don't trust Microsoft to keep investing in consoles.
I believe that the start of the next generation will see a very sizable shift of Xbox gamers over to the PS6, which in turn will harm those that remain with Xbox because Microsoft will likely react by raising prices on both their consoles and their subscription services.
Basically, I have far more trust in Sony than I do in Microsoft, and that is despite Xbox being my main. I think if Sony says something, they are far less likely to be trying to mislead or misdirect us, whereas I have little faith that Microsoft will either tell us as it really is, or stick to what they say.
I do believe that Microsoft will have a very bright future in terms of being a publisher, but have very little faith in terms of their treatment of their more loyal userbase...
Re: PS5, PS4 Userbase Keeps on Getting Bigger, Attracts More Players Year-on-Year
Thank you, @UltimateOtaku91. As I said @21, it seems that both Sony and Microsoft count the numbers in a slightly different way, or at the very least, a large number of people are playing very small games on mobiles and PCs, which Microsoft are able to use to artificially inflate their MAUs. Personally, I trust the numbers that Sony put out far more than I do Microsoft's, and I would suggest that they don't really tell the whole story...
Re: PS5, PS4 Userbase Keeps on Getting Bigger, Attracts More Players Year-on-Year
Thank you, @themightyant. I see so many people trying to say that Xbox is doing better than PlayStation due to MAUs, and yet we all know that is not really a metric that shows that to be the case.
PlayStation is in a far more stable, and better position than Xbox, yet some real fanatics will die on the hill that says MAUs is the only metric that counts. Truthfully, MAUs is about the only statistic that, on first glance, would suggest that Microsoft have the upper hand, but I think that the more rational, and sensible, among us, know that is not the case...
Re: PS5, PS4 Userbase Keeps on Getting Bigger, Attracts More Players Year-on-Year
Thank you, @themightyant. That's very helpful.
Is the definition the same for Microsoft? I seem to remember that they were saying they have over 500 million MAUs, and I'm struggling to understand why they have so many more than PlayStation...
Re: Ghost of Yotei PS5 Sales Surpass 3.3 Million Units, Crush Boycott Nonsense
Ghost of Yotei is a fantastic game, and as much as I loved Ghost of Tushima, I thought the second game to be even better.
That vocal minority, who always seem to make their voices heard the most, did not speak with the majority who bought, played and really enjoyed Yotei. All of them so upset because of a female protagonist or because the game did not feature Jin. Just ridiculous...
Re: PS5, PS4 Userbase Keeps on Getting Bigger, Attracts More Players Year-on-Year
Are you able to tell me exactly what constitutes a Monthly Active User, please, @LiamCroft? Are these individual PlayStation accounts that are being played on? And is this just on console, or do PC players count too? Thanks...
Re: Silent Hill 2 Puts Incredible Survival Horror on More Platforms This Month
Oh I entirely agree, @UltimateOtaku91. I just think the sale price versus the full price has ruffled a few feathers. However I agree, may as well wait for a sale if the price offends you so much...
Re: Silent Hill 2 Puts Incredible Survival Horror on More Platforms This Month
I think the issue people have with the price on the Xbox, @UltimateOtaku91, is that it has been on sale, in the sales, on the PlayStation 5 for as low as £29.99 in recent months...
Re: Real-Life Prague Becomes Raccoon City for Sony's Resident Evil Movie Reboot
Thank you, @JB_Whiting
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 606
I'll be indulging in some more Outer Worlds 2, interspersed with a couple of Master Horde runs in Gears 5 as a trio instead of a team of 5 that the difficulty really demands. Much more difficult and challenging, but all the more rewarding when you get a map done...
Re: Real-Life Prague Becomes Raccoon City for Sony's Resident Evil Movie Reboot
Ahh, cool, thank you, @JB_Whiting. Is the lead male or female? I've not seen the Weapons series...
Re: Don't Expect Any PS5 Exclusives from Square Enix in the Future
I don't believe that there will be a decline in actual sales, on the PlayStation, for the next Final Fantasy game. People already invested in the series, who have already bought them on the PlayStation, are unlikely to suddenly buy them elsewhere instead (at least not in substantial numbers).
What will happen though is that the third game will sell better than it would had it released solely on the PlayStation. If previously 100% of the sales were on the PlayStation, due to it only releasing there, then it stands to reason that if it is suddenly available elsewhere, then those other platforms will eat into that 100% of sales being only on the PlayStation. However, if the game was going to sell a million copies on the PlayStation, had the game been exclusive, it is likely that it will still sell those million copies, because people will be invested in the series on the PlayStation anyway, and it is probably their preferred platform...
Re: Real-Life Prague Becomes Raccoon City for Sony's Resident Evil Movie Reboot
Do we know who the leads are or who the main protagonists are yet...?
Re: Study Claims Physical PS5 Games Are 100 Times Worse for the Planet Than Digital Downloads
If they really want to address this situation, then surely one way to go is to make digital downloads cheaper. Currently, at best both physical and digital cost the same when a game is first released, but more often, physical can be found more cheaply than digital, which makes zero sense, when you factor in all the other expenses involved with having the physical version of the game. So, either make digital more enticing, or make physical less attractive...
Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 May Be the Most Expensive PS5 Game to Date
Thank you, @Dragonaged. It must be slightly confusing when looking at games on the Store if you mentally have to add the tax to it...
Re: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 May Be the Most Expensive PS5 Game to Date
Genuine question, @get2sammyb, so when someone is looking at a digital game on the US PlayStation Store, do they see a price including tax, or is it added at the point of paying, or does it even attract tax at all due to it being a non-tangible product (i.e. digital)?
The US way of pricing things always confuses me as when I visited America back in the 90s, I don't recall getting to the checkout and finding the price on the shelf, to be different from what I had to then pay when paying. Having said that, have trouble recalling what day it is, so... yeah...
Re: Poll: Vote for Your PS5 Game of the Month (October 2025)
I went with Ghost of Yotei because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Outer Worlds 2 would be my second choice, but I have not yet finished it, so cannot say with any level of certainty how it compares to Ghost of Yotei. Both are extremely good games though...
Re: Clair Obscur, Ghost of Yotei, and More Battle for Golden Joystick's Ultimate Game of the Year Award
I voted for Ghost of Yotei, but I have to admit to being extremely disappointed that Cronos: The New Dawn was not in the list as that would definitely have got my vote instead...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 605
I'm currently level 9 in Outer Worlds 2 on a Very Hard run, and very much enjoying the game.
I have also completed one Master Horde as a trio in Gears 5 yesterday, and failed another on Wave 40 today. Plan is to have another stab at one tomorrow. Absolutely loving the challenge of having just 3 people in a mode that is supposed to have 5. Master is difficult with 5, so with 3 it is uber-hard...
Re: Talking Point: Is PS5 Really in Competition with TikTok?
The simple answer is that I disagree with the notion that TikTok is the direct competitor of PlayStation. Sony's true competitor is Xbox, and then PC, and then Nintendo. However, that said, every other life experience then competes with gaming (not just PlayStation).
My view is that it is a weak way for Microsoft to say that TikTok is their direct competitor, because I believe they are only saying this because they are losing in so many ways when compared to PlayStation. Everything can be compared and evaluated when comparisons are made between PlayStation and Xbox; from consoles sales, to MAU's, to where games are bought and played, and to subscription services. They can all be compared, and in that comparison, Xbox generally comes off worse. So rather than publicly admit that they are not doing particularly well, it easier to simply not do the comparison and claim that something else it their competition.
Yes, gaming companies are competing with other pastimes for peoples attention, but a person choosing to buy a PlayStation, where they then play games not made by Xbox, is still not a win for Xbox. So Xbox are PlayStation are in direct competition with one another as they both want that person to join their platform.
My view is that Microsoft are being disingenuous when they made the comment because all they are trying to do is deflect from the problems they are currently having...
Re: 'Significant' Layoffs Are Set to Hit Amazon Game Studios
It seems to be an industry that always has an air of uncertainty hanging over it, @Deadlyblack. One false step and a studio can go under. The game you make doesn't even have to be bad, it just has to fail to find an audience, and you're done for. I wouldn't want to be involved in something like that myself, and I'm glad my son didn't take that route...
Re: 'Significant' Layoffs Are Set to Hit Amazon Game Studios
That's a real shame. Although I didn't partake in the multiplayer aspects of New World (PvP etc.), I did spend an enormous amount of time playing it. Fully played two seasons, and have the coinage to indulge in another. Hopefully it sticks around for a while yet.
It's always sad to see people losing their jobs, so hopefully it is handled well, and the people affected find new employment quickly. It must be terribly worrying for them.
My youngest son wanted to get involved in game making, and I have to say I'm glad that he didn't...
Re: Loulan: The Cursed Sand Looks Like Another Must Play PS5 Console Exclusive
The game looks utterly fantastic, and definitely something that I will buy. I'll be there day one with a pre-order...
Re: Review in Progress: Wreckreation (PS5) - Single Player Feels Like Budget Burnout Paradise
Great preview. Is the game a sequel to Wreckfest in someway, @Quintumply, or is the only connection the word 'Wreck'? Thanks...
Re: Halo PS5 Is Great, But Why Doesn't It Have Competitive Multiplayer?
They will definitely be releasing a standalone PvP mode that will be added to ad infinitum for years to come. They may even update Infinite's multiplayer with U5 graphics, etc, and then put that out as the Halo version of Call of Duty's Warzone. It's definitely coming, it's just a question of when they put it out. Hopefully they will have learned from the Infinite debacle, and it will release with far more content...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 604
I bought Outer Worlds Premium Edition, so started that last night. I'm playing on Very Hard, and am about 10 minutes into the first mission and already having a bit of difficulty because I am faced with two enemies and am finding it very hard to take them on! It'll probably be okay once I have levelled up a few times, but right now? Ob, boy... 😂
My mate is away today, but I'm hoping he'll be back tomorrow so that we can attempt another Master Horde run in Gears 5 as a trio with my youngest son. We actually managed to complete one last weekend on what was probably a harder map than we will be attempting next, but Master is meant for a team of 5, so attempting it as a trio is really challenging a good fun (and frustrating!)...
Re: This Is Why Xbox Is Bringing All of Its Games to PS5 Now
Yes, Bond is Spencer's subordinate, and will do as he instructs, @Lowdefal. However, I did not mention Bond! It is Hood who has said that all studios must hit a 30% profit margin, not Bond, and not Spencer. Spencer is Hood's subordinate, and has to do what she says...
Re: This Is Why Xbox Is Bringing All of Its Games to PS5 Now
As I said yesterday on Pure, this is what happens someone (Amy Hood) who has no understanding of gaming sets unreasonable, and potentially unobtainable, targets, and that has manifestly changed everything about Xbox. No wonder we have seen all these massive U-turns, and unpopular decisions.
Everyone keeps blaming Phil Spencer, but I've been saying for ages that he is no longer in charge. He is just the Xbox figurehead, there to repeat the instructions passed down from senior management at Microsoft. I honestly don't think he believes in what Microsoft are doing to Xbox, but he remains in post in an effort to prevent them from doing even more harm to to the division.
However, I have to ask, if Gears of War: E-day does not hit that 30% margin, will that be the last game in the franchise? Will Microsoft say that if a game like that cannot hit 30%, then it should no longer be made. And if Microsoft do pull the plug on their mainstay franchises, why on Earth would you bother sticking with Xbox?
This target has already massively affected Xbox, who knows what more damage will be done before Microsoft finally realise that gaming is very different to all their other divisions..?
Re: Rumour: New Halo Game Heading for PS5, Will Almost Certainly Be Announced This Week
Halo is not stuck in a rut at all, @nomither6. When I played 4 and 5, I did not enjoy them as much as the original trilogy, although they are still very games. When I played Infinite, I very much enjoyed it.
Stuck in a rut means they are doing the same thing over and over, yet you can hardly say that 4 and 5 were doing the same thing as 1-3, and 5 was very different in style to 4 (and not as enjoyable as a result). Infinite was completely different from everything that came before it.
Thus, if the games are very different from the original trilogy, how can they possibly be stuck in a rut?
As I have said, I do not play the multiplayer aspect, and so can only speak to the campaigns. I can say though, as someone that went through every Halo for the umpteenth time earlier this year, they are all very good games, different in many ways, and all good, and I would score all of them as 8s and above.
So no, I do not think they are stuck in a rut, but yes, I do play only the campaigns, if that is what you consider to be offline...
Re: Rumour: New Halo Game Heading for PS5, Will Almost Certainly Be Announced This Week
It's weird to me that Microsoft think that Halo needs resuscitating because I thought Infinite to be a very good game. I went through the campaign twice on my own, including on the hardest difficulty, and also twice with a mate, again including on the hardest difficulty.
That said, as is always the case with me, I don't touch the multiplayer component, so I cannot speak to how that faired, although I understand that 343 were too slow to release more content.
What I will say though, in a move that is unusual for me, I played the game via Game Pass rather than buying it, so maybe that was the general problem in that insufficient people actually bought the game. So yeah, maybe it's all my fault... 😂
Re: Project Tal Is Another Stunning Open World Action RPG Targeting PS5
My God that looks good. That game has soared right to the top of my 'Cannot Wait' list. I wonder if it is a souls-like? Looks like something I'd get anyway, but still would like to know about that..
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5) - Mechanically Fantastic RPG Struggles to Be Memorable
Almost, @Dogbreath, but only almost! The Premium version comes complete with all the DLC/Expansions. You would need to factor buying the DLC into your equation too... 😉
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5) - Mechanically Fantastic RPG Struggles to Be Memorable
I have bought the Outer Worlds 2: Premium Edition via Loaded (formerly CDKeys) for the Xbox (because you obviously cannot buy codes for PlayStation games there), and I paid £56 for it. That's a saving of £34 on the PlayStation and Xbox Store price. So if you have a choice of console, and want that version of the game, then you can get it cheaper elsewhere...
Re: The Outer Worlds 2 (PS5) - Mechanically Fantastic RPG Struggles to Be Memorable
I read through the entire review and guess it would score and 8, @OldGamer999. I based that on all that I read, so I do think 7 is a tad low, as the review read like an 8 out of 10. That said, I am very much looking forward to it...
Re: Xbox Boss Believes Sony's Strategy of Console Exclusives Is 'Antiquated'
I buy a PlayStation every generation, @Juanalf, even though Xbox is my main. In fact, I don't just buy one every generation, I pre-order it and receive it day one. I only play PlayStation exclusives on my PlayStation, and every third-party game on my Xbox. So someone needs to tell Bond that exclusives do serve a purpose because without there being exclusive titles, I would not own a PlayStation...
Re: Sep 2025 USA Sales: Ghost of Yotei PS5 Boycott Fails, Sequel Sells 'Great'
I finished Ghost of Yotei yesterday, having bought the Collector's Edition, and thought the game to be absolutely superb. I have no criticism of it whatsoever.
Personally, I prefer a female protagonist anyway, and where I have the option of creating my own character, I always make a pretty redhead! My Mass Effect Shepherd has always looked that way, and even when I play Gears of War Horde, I always select a female character.
All told, I have no idea why people would object to the protagonist based purely on her gender. I can understand people wanting to continue the story of Jin, that's one thing, but objecting to an entirely different character, in a different time setting, just because she's female? Get a life...
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
I really don't set out to get certain trophies, or all of them, @MrPeanutbutterz, I like to just earn them as I go as I don't want to have them dictate how I play. I say that, but there is one way I do allow a game to determine how I play it and that is with difficulty. I always like to aim for the trophy/achievement for playing on the hardest difficulty, where I am capable of doing so. Other than that, I pretty much like to play a game the way I want, but I do like to know that I can beat it on the hardest difficulty.
What I will say though is that I never, ever look at achievements before I buy a game. I buy a game on its own merits, on whatever system that I want to play it on. I don't think to myself oh these will be easy trophies, I'll get that, because, honestly, does anyone ever look at those you've earned in the past, or look to see what you have platinumed, or how big you achievement score is? No, because no one cares about it at all. You can certainly have pride in what you do for yourself, but no one else cares one bit, so why let it determine what games you will or won't play. Utterly ridiculous...
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
Absolutely agree, @MrPeanutbutterz. I really don't care that much about them, and certainly don't let them dictate what I do, and don't, play. The madness of it is that you would miss out on so many fantastic games if you refused to play any game that you couldn't get all the trophies on. It's kind of sad really...
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 (PS5) - A Bloodthirsty Action Game Ripped Straight from the PS3 Era
Thank you, @Quintumply. That's very helpful, and reassuring... 👍
Re: 'Even I Can't Tell the Difference': Shuhei Yoshida Thinks PS6 Needs Something Other Than Just More Power
He's not wrong. Graphics are pretty much peak now, and it is just that consistent performance that is required from the PS6...
Re: Xbox, PC Sci-Fi RPG Starfield Won't Be Revealed for PS5 Until Next Year
I've said all along that Starfield will come to the PlayStation as a 'Complete Edition', @PsBoxSwitchOwner, and I think part of the reason that Bethesda are still doing another DLC, and also working on the game in general, is because they know that the game has a fairly negative overview and that it needs to be better if it is to do well on the PlayStation.
Having said that, even now, the game is better than when it first released both in terms of performance and content, so those 7s it received should probably be 8s by now, though it will be interesting to see whether it is marked down by PlayStation centric websites simply because it released first on the Xbox (and PC)...
Re: Ninja Gaiden 4 (PS5) - A Bloodthirsty Action Game Ripped Straight from the PS3 Era
How ridiculous are the combos, @Quintumply? in other words how many different buttons do you need to press in order to pull one of the better ones off?
I have ADHD, which majorly affects my memory, meaning I cannot remember overly long or intricate combos. Is there a mode for basically light and heavy attacks, or is there no assistance in this regard? Thanks...
Re: All PS5 Games with Power Saver Support
...early tests on a base PS5 show a reduction of up to 50% when the Power Saver feature is enabled...
I'm a little confused, @get2sammyb; if it's up to 50%, then why is Demon Souls showing a reduction of 68%..? 🤔
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
That's very true, @MrPeanutbutterz. If you only earn easy trophies, and will only play games that have easy trophies, what does that say about you?
Having said that, whilst I like to earn all the trophies/achievements in a game that I enjoy, I most certainly never allow trophies or achievements to dictate the games I choose to play. I decide what games to play on what I know of the game, and that's it. If I'm really enjoying it, I'll try and get the lot, but if I don't, then so be it.
Imagine how many truly fantastic games that you would miss out on if you cannot bring yourself to buy a game because you think the trophies are too hard...
Re: You'll Have to Be Damn Good at Ninja Gaiden 4 to Get Its Platinum Trophy on PS5
Funny enough, I thought exactly the same thing, @Kidfunkadelic83 & @Kraven... 😂
Re: The Possibility of Ghost of Yotei DLC Could Be Down to You
I'd be happy to have another chunk of single-player DLC, but if it's not single-player, then I'd rather they got on with a new game next...