Intr1n5ic

@SlipperyFish I hope that will always be the case with first party, I don't want to imagine the conversation if it isn't seeing as they've provided the option in every game so far this gen.

@SlipperyFish You're absolutely right. My wording is admittedly poor in what I was trying to convey.

I was talking about the potential to optimise cpu/gpu demand and help overall performance by having a superior upscaling solution at a lower resolution. It should be easier, in theory, to ensure 60fps at 2k and allow for PSSR to upscale and produce a better image then what we're currently seeing in fidelity modes.

@HonestHick Alan Wake 2 is out in October for those who had the patience to wait, I was not one of them. I would say roughly 90% of my purchases this gen have been digital. I'm tinkering with the idea of abandoning physical but I haven't made my mind up yet, I do want the option of physical to always be there though.

@HonestHick I definitely am. I wasn't that shocked at the price, I was shocked at the lack of a drive for said price.

@themightyant I thought so too. Obvious sticking points are the cost and lack of drive, there's no getting away from it, but he was very positive about its possibilities outside of that. Time will tell.

@themightyant Did you watch Michael's video on the Pro?

SSR on console has the potential to be a real game changer, it will obviously come down to how the devs get the best out of it though. I expect first party to lead the way on what's possible.

@NEStalgia And an operating system, keyboard and mouse, and likely a controller as well unless you have one sitting around. What cooling solution are you using in a 40 series rig for only $50?

Either way, you're comparing a $995/1195 setup (more with the things I mentioned) to a $699 system without any of the added headaches that come with PC.

@GamingFan4Lyf You're right. For some reason I thought the 2tb was digital as well. I'll just grab my coat and edit my comment on the way out 🙈

I have to laugh at the responses here. People purposely ignoring the fact Sony don't want to sell yet another sku at a loss, an OPTIONAL one at that, and also choosing to completely ignore what all of the experts are saying about the cost of components and manufacturing right now, and not just in gaming but in every industry. Instead, this is what happens when Sony have no competition.

Edited - For idiot reasons.

@OldGamer999 No, it will almost certainly be 30fps. That type of game is incredibly cpu intensive with everything going on in the cities they create. The only advantages the pro will offer on GTA are improved resolution and rendering.

I don't see it doing as well as the PS4 Pro at this price point. The lack of a bundled drive was a big misstep, and something I expect will harm its sales.

@ButterySmooth30FPS A lot of those who are angry obviously want one, but they also want Sony to take a significant loss on each one made so its more in line with what they want to pay 😂

@Mustoe If you're going to make a like for like comparison then the base price is what should be used.

Until we get some benchmarks, the assumed GPU comparison on paper right now is the equivalent of a RX 7700 XT, that card alone is £400. CPU on the base PS5 without the new clocks was comparable to a Ryzen 5 3600, that's roughly £76. So with the remaining £223 you need a case, power supply, ram, motherboard, 2tb of ssd storage, fans and cooling, an operating system, and a keyboard and mouse or controller to play anything on it.

If you have something comparable in the PC space for that price, that will be optimised specifically for gaming as a console is, I'd love to see it.

@themightyant I still will. I'll sell my PS5 to CEX for £232, £593 for the pro and add ons.

I think they're taking the piss a bit here, but I can currently get £232 for my PS5 from CEX making the pro £468 which makes things a lot more palatable.

It's good but I wouldn't put it in my top 3.

@HonestHick If the rumors are true, Microsoft might get the jump on next gen with a 2026 release of their next console. Gears is expected late next year, but could easily get pushed in to 2026 as well. It might end up being a fantastic showpiece for the next Xbox.

I feel like that's one of those legacy franchises that should never get ported, but who knows what their plans are these days.

I imagine Yves Guillemot is perched on a viewpoint right now watching this all unfold around him.

@NEStalgia

Jim was very much a "this worked before, lets keep doing it until it doesn't" kind of guy.

Was he? Wouldn't that imply the PS4 Pro met their expectations? I also don't believe a lot of the contracts you mentioned would have been in place when he announced his retirement last year, the dev kits weren't even in circulation at that point.

@LogicStrikesAgain You're not wrong, but I don't ever see a point where Sony doesn't ensure a game runs well on the base model. The uproar would be a lot worse if the pro was a necessary requirement for any title.

@NEStalgia A lot of great points, I'm not sure about this though

honestly I think the fact that it exists probably comes down to a leftover Jim blunder that was too far along to cancel.

I don't think Sony have ever shown hesitation to cancel anything.

The PS4 Pro also did a lot better than people give it credit for. It sold 14.3 million units in the four years it was being manufactured. Not incredible numbers, but you have to remember it was specifically aimed at 4k tv sets, which weren't as commonplace in 2016 as they are now, and it's last year was in the run up to a new generation.

Sony will know it's niche and have targets reflecting that. If the improvements can demonstate it's worth, it will probably hit whatever those numbers are.

@NEStalgia You could make the argument that both PlayStation and Xbox changed that expectation last gen. I think mid gen refreshes are going to be a given going forward. It doesn't really matter, the base will always be viable for the entirety of each generation.

@CieloAzure There is no way they release a console costing $850 with a disk drive. I'll start practicing yoga and eat my own **** if that's the revealed price.

@HonestHick The minimal change to the cpu's clocks are a shame for sure, but the improvements to the memory and gpu are great. As you say, I'm interested mostly in what Cerny has cooked up with his version of SSR.

This is possibly nothing more than a test run for enthusiasts to see what their proprietary tech can do in preparation for the PS6, but I don't mind paying for 3 years of that.

@StylesT I could take the time to explain the significant jump in gpu performance between the two systems and how that should noticeably impact resolution and rendering, but I have a feeling it would be pointless, so have a great day.

@Pranwell Because sadly, there are a substantial amount of people who use the Internet for negativity and hate. You would think the ability to keep quiet about something you supposedly have no interest in would be easy, but for many it's evidently not.

@StylesT The PS5 runs every first party game at 60, and on paper, specs wise, no game will look identical graphically, the pro should be a significantly noticeable upgrade in that department if utilised properly.

Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe was a favourite in our household when it came out. The Bitmap Brothers were killing it for a period back then.

@Fiendish-Beaver Speculation and assumptions are forms of evidence and logical arguments?

I'm not going to get to read those statements from Sony or Game Science, am I? 😞

@Fiendish-Beaver "I just cannot help myself because it is really strange to watch people strain every sinew to defy truth, reason, deduction and logic to blindly defend their little plastic box, when all the time that little plastic box, to which they have pledged their undying allegiance, has no regard for them whatsoever... 🤪"

In psychology this is called projection.

@Fiendish-Beaver

That's not the same as Sony being fully aware that by aiding in the development on the PlayStation version will get it out the door quicker, and that will have a knock on effect to the Xbox version.

Quicker than what, the same announced launch date for all systems? Talk of a knock on effect is conjecture.

1. Sony have stated they aided the developer with the PlayStation version of the game. Fact!

We all believe this to be the case but can you provide me with a link to Sony's statement, I haven't seen their official comment on it.

2. Game Science stated they were prioritising the PlayStation version. Fact!

I haven't read this either, can you provide me with a link so I can. I'm not saying it's untrue, I would just like to read the statement from Game Science on it.

When Sony and the Developers began working on the PlayStation version, the Developer stopped (at that time) working on the Xbox version, or at the very least they prioritised the PlayStation version, which means they did the opposite to the Xbox version.

Speculation.

Now, for the love of God, you cannot tell me there was no deal between Sony and the Developer that enabled Sony to assist in development, can you?

If Sony helped with their version, which I believe to be the case, an agreement would need to have been made to facilitate that. How that affected development on any other platform is again, speculation.

When that work then happens, it enables the game to come to the PlayStation first. It is as simple as that.

Not necessarily. If optimization for the Series X and S had gone smoothly then all versions could have potentially been ready for launch. Without knowing the facts it's just an angle you're pushing.

If Microsoft had been on the ball, they would have helped out too, though once Sony began, that may not have been possible for Microsoft.

When the delay was announced more than two months before release, Microsoft stated: We’re excited for the launch of Black Myth Wukong on Xbox Series X|S and are working with Game Science to bring the game to our platforms". This is also when they implied a deal was in place with Sony, but provided no evidence to support that, and haven't since.

If a bunch of people work on Project A, and no one works on Project B, then Project A will be finished first

Of course, but we don't know who was working on Project B, so speculating is pointless unless you're trying to form a narrative.

@Fiendish-Beaver I must have mixed up your posts here with those over at PureXbox.

On here: "Personally, I do not believe that an exclusivity deal exists."

Over there: "Whilst I accept your premise about Sony would usually announce an exclusivity deal PsBoxSwitchOwner, Sony would also have noted the damage to the Xbox brand that is done when a game is delayed due to the S etc. So, in some ways, it makes perfect sense to both sign an exclusivity deal AND say nothing about it, because then you can sit back and watch Xbox being torn apart by its own fans.

In response to another: "As for why they may not have promoted Wukong, take a look at my response directly above this one. Wukong was widely anticipated, so advertising it was not essential, and if Sony have signed a secret deal, then advertising it heavily would put pressure on them to reveal the deal, with the implications being that they had signed it as an exclusive. No need to advertise a game that going to sell itself. I have no idea one way or another whether they have signed a deal. I simply would say that it is not beyond the realms of possibility..."

As I said, speculating on stories like this without knowing the facts adds nothing but nonsense to the conversation.

Say hello to my old mate Northern Munkey for me as well. I'm guessing that silly Northern sausage is still angry with me after all these years. He once told me that he'll fight for everyone to have access to affordable gaming, whatever their financial circumstances are. I asked him if he fights for those same people to have affordable access to the private golf course he plays at every week and I think I upset him.

Give him my love 😉

@Fiendish-Beaver F**k me, you're using a Peter Higgs analogy to support your assumptions.

"So let me get this straight, @Intr1n5ic; I'm wrong simply because nothing has been confirmed. Right?"

I didn't say you were wrong. I'm saying making speculative claims without knowing the facts of a situation, particularly when those claims are a deliberate attempt to cover one party in shade, adds nothing but nonsense to the conversation.

@Fiendish-Beaver "Do I know any of it to be a fact? No, of course I don't, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong...."

I understand your position clearly now.

@Fiendish-Beaver So what speculative theory do you have for Microsoft not offering to help get it ready for their platform?

@Fiendish-Beaver What are you talking about? You're creating your own narratives based off nothing but speculation. Sony have on many occasions provided help to get a game optimised for their platform, both exclusive and non exclusive. In what way does that constitute a deal being made to delay its release on another system?

I asked you a simple question, from the direct quotes of Jeff Grubb, what did he say to suggest a deal had been made, or better yet, what was said that lead to you stating this: "now the most recent claim by Jeff Grubb is suggesting that the deal may have been for the Developer to prioritise the PS5, which will have been at the detriment of the Xbox".

£51 at Curry's is a great price.

@Fiendish-Beaver "He speculates it’s possible the PlayStation maker may have helped on development"

"Game Science potentially may have prioritised PS5 due to its larger Asian audience."

In what part of either of those quotes from Jeff is the suggestion of a deal?

This looks really impressive. I love that it's turn based but includes some sort of active parry/dodge mechanic.

I would have preferred Rival Schools over Project Justice as well, but this is an awesome collection.

@Voltan Same for me, it shouldn't make much difference in the demo though.

Sounds good. I was just on the app and there's a demo available so I'll definitely give this a try.

@NaughtyBoy Ahh okay, no worries 👍. Reviews are in today so I'm just waiting on the feedback before I pull the trigger.

@NaughtyBoy Thoughts so far?

They nailed their coffin shut with the £35 price reveal. You can't enter a congested market with competing F2P options unless you're offering something significantly better than the competition to justify it. When Marvel Rivals was revealed they should have reevaluated and adjusted their approach.

@Icey664 Is your horizon excluding Astro Bot which comes out in 13 days?

@NEStalgia I don't blame you, I plan on building a rig myself at some point next year. I think you're spot on with everything else.

"For some reason the market wasn't interested"

I believe that reason was them not having a marquee launch title ready, and not releasing anything for the first 12 months. Sony had Demon's Souls, Miles Morales, Ratchet and Clank, and Returnal out the door before Microsoft released yet another Forza. From that point on they found themselves playing catch up again.

@Kevw2006 I get that but you wouldn't be the market I'm referring to. I'm specifically talking about those who are so brand focused that every announcement is met like it's a personal slight on them and their loyalty.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner "I don’t believe Sony being the single manufacturer is a good thing either."

For the record, neither do I.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner Perhaps, but I believe to a lesser degree. Put it this way, are you buying that Series S today if you have a road map of everything you can play on the PS5, would you even consider a more expensive X in that situation?