@StrickenBiged
Physical game stores more or less died for me me the day they (Game in my case) started removing manuals and discs and storing them in shelving units to get dusty and scratched (and they lose that new game smell lol) - more than once I refused a 'New' disc because it looked 2nd hand. It ended up Pre order or buy elsewhere.
@get2sammyb Im mostly digital these days, but I don't think many would even care that much if they charged an extra £5 for physical and included a manual etc (and the actual game on the disk).
I just hope the publishers dont go after people doing stuff like this (ie the fan manuals) - hopefully unlikely in this case as it's Sony, and I dont think they want the bad press, but there has to be significant copyright infringement here, and certain publishers might try it.
This all sounds like a complete mess. Game direction changing mid development very rarely results in anything but a disaster. Im not going to get into the staff treatment side as I just dont know any facts - but it does not sound like there was any connection between management and staff, and I will add that a happy workforce is always far, far more productive.
One part of this debacle that needs more explanation though, is that this game was such a technical disaster - 30fps only, with issues, on Pro IIRC. If the game had issues but technically had a sound base (even if very buggy) there might be something to redeem here, but what is there would need such a huge overhaul.
I tend to buy digital these days, but I just dont see the point in a Physical copy where the actual game isn't on the disc, I mean what is the point?! - it almost seems like someone came up with the idea as a bad joke, particularly this far after launch.
@Cikajovazmaj I just read the patch notes @redapt posted above, and it did 'ring a few bells' so to say, (in a bad way) with what was reported for the Xbox version.
Hopefully DF do a full re-review here, because no way am I buying it, even on heavy sale, without a full technical analysis after how bad it was - I have seen / heard nothing since to suggest it was close to being fixed, and had basically given up on it.
Even then, I may just wait until the new PSSR version is out for Pro next year, and see if they implement it.
@ShogunRok Never had W40K. If I remember correctly, in ACV's case they had got to the point where every patch was bloating the file size and replacing the code actually significantly reduced how much space it took up (maybe 110-120 Gb to around 90ish, but im really testing the limits of my memory here lol).
@Oram77 I would wait to see what they do first. If I remember correctly (and thats a big if because I basically gave up on this one so only read / watched odd bits from DF) their Xbox version made fairly big changes, but I don't think it was thought of as an improvement.
@AgentMantis I agree with you, however there can be a very big difference in how powerful a console is on paper vs real performance (unless we are talking simple upgrades like PS5 to Pro) - there are a huge number of reasons for this, including system bottlenecks, how good the dev kit tools are etc. Series X struggled to keep up with PS5 in far more games than the reverse this gen, and in others it was much of a muchness, despite all the marketing BS around 12 Tflops and Full RDNA2. MS likes its big numbers for advertising but im not sure they know nearly as much about hardware efficiency.
@Nf157 No problem. I think the main problem is some people are just considering that its 'another' revenge story, whereas its big poisitive is HOW its being told/experienced.
I am a really big fan of Hogwarts Legacy - there is a good main story there, but I love the way there are other ongoing storylines, and a number of short stories that often intertwine across its length. Particularly for example Sebastian's story with the main arc. Also, by the end of the game your character is set on a path and is doing things that would make them in some ways almost unrecognisable to the person who started the game.
GoY expands on the first part of this - in how its main and side stories intertwine, both in terms of your character and their homeland - and this includes from a game mechanics point of view.
Whereas Atsu's path as a person is often handled more steadily / subtly imo, and in part by a very different method - ie by the playable memories of her past. It feels more like we are learning about her as she is rediscovering her past.
@Nf157 Nb I am probably around the halfway mark, and certainly no where close to finishing. Nb Very light spoilers.
The story is fairly 'well known' - Protagonist wants revenge for death of family who were killed X (16) years ago. They return to their home (island in this case), having learned how to fight in the intervening time, to find it under the control of said bad guys - the main antagonist, and (in this case) his 5 lieutenants. The Protagonist sets out to free their homeland and kill their family's killers, starting with the lieutenants. There is a faction who oppose the rule of the antagonists who may or may not be any better, along with individuals who also can aid you.
From what I have played, the main story is progressing well, even though as I say its fairly 'well known' (most stories are these days though). There is a twist near the very start (why the locals call Atsu what they do), that may become very relevant at the end, but its not a twist that hasn't been done before.
The way in which the story is told / discovered IS very interesting however. Certain things / exposition are told after visiting open world locations / compleing open world encounters. Its not unusual to end a piece of side content that links into the main quest, or even even where you interrogate an enemy to find out where you should go next on the main quest - I purposely did side content early on, yet increased my main quest markers. A number of locations (particularly your family estate on multiple occasions) also link to events before your family was killed and allow you to complete a playable memory, which sometimes lead to you obtaining something in the present. These help to fill out your characters back story to varying degrees.
There are a number of clear base to allow the people to return type side events, along with other side content to help 'heal' the land, and some 'myth' type quests, often in pursuit of new gear, for you to discover along the way.
Everyone talks about 7 years from PS5 launch ie same as PS4 to PS5. If we consider 4 years from PS5 PRO launch (same as PS4 PRO to PS5) we are at 2028, which sounds far more realistic.
@Oram77 It is worrying how big a gulf there is now between Sony 1st party studios (and a few others), and a lot of 3rd party games, when programming for PS5/Pro.
(Sadly though you could have 100 games like this and some will still say theres no difference between PS5 and Pro lol).
@graymamba @Th3solution In addition to the stamina point I would also add to the combat point that precise range is a key component of combat - a lot of action adventure games can have similar combat, with dodges and parries etc, and games like SWJS include a number of other points too, but the combat 'feels' different if precise range is not a key factor.
@get2sammyb Im not into MP games, but if I wanted to try one out one day, there is no way I would try one that doesn't have Skill based match making.
Combative Sports, as well as sports where you are competing directly against others, always have a form of SBMM - people dont learn by being quickly and easily beaten by someone much better than themselves. That only works if the better person goes 'easy' in order to help train the other person(s). If you say wanted to try MMA, what do you think you would learn by sparring with a Champion Pro fighter who was trying their hardest - well apart from what concussion feels like, or how to tap out fast!
This just sounds like appeasing the few at the expense of others, and is a sure fire way of putting off newcomers. I hope my analagy makes sense.
@TheFakulty The new version of PSSR is certainly the more exciting part - hopefully it will be be able to integrate easier with UE5, as this gets messed up by some (but not all) devs. I already like PSSR due to its clarity during motion (I remember at least a couple of times DF have said during a review that it can be better than DLSS in this regard), but the new version should be a big leap, and Mark Cerny seems very confident.
As to use for PS5 Power saving mode. The base PS5 doesn't have the capability to run PSSR in any circumstance as it doesn't have the hardware to do so.
However, PSSR could be used on the Pro in Power saving mode. Im fairly sure the PS6 handheld was intended to use PSSR. Presuming the whole point of the power saving mode is the handheld (likely imo), if the Power saving mode on Pro does in fact reduce the consoles power to such a degree that it is equivalent to the base PS5 in Power saving mode, and both are equivalent to the PS6 handheld, then in the Pro's case they could add the new PSSR and you effectively have a PS6 handheld.
@Luigia In regards PS5 not even having been really tested, I have to disagree.
If we are talking inefficient use of the resources available - thats a bit of a different matter. The trouble being that we are seeing more and more 3rd party games using the PS5s hardware inefficiently (eg by using UE5). This may even get worse as we go forwards.
If we are talking about the PS5 having been tested in a meaningful way - we have seen this since launch, but only with Sony titles and a few 3rd party titles. Demon Souls remake, and Miles Morales really pushed the hardware from day 1, and every (I can't remember a bad one) Sony title has since. We have also had some really good 3rd party titles, but the cross gen period was the best for these - having to get the game working on a PS4 was the best thing to ensure the engine etc was efficient, allowing good scale up to PS5. The trouble is now that we see too many games scaled down to fit the PS5.
The SSD is one area that not even Sony use fully every game, and 3rd parties much less. Games like R&C and SM2 show us what its capable of, and a lot of games do not use its fastest loading / full streaming capabilities.
PS5 will probably be supported until 2035 though, as cross gen will probably last nearly all generation next time - but what games will look/run like on it by then is anyones guess!
@Th3solution I agree. 'A couple of years' = 2, 'a few years' = 3+
In this case I think 3 years in late 2028 should be about right.
I understand people expect the gen to last 7 years and it to be out in 2027 but generations are going to get longer, and its also 4 years from the Pro's launch, which sounds right - literally a mid gen upgrade.
@Ravix Totally agree with you. I would add 2 things:
1) Sadly, while its easy to see some of the non-genuine reviews, this is not always the case as they start by criticising things like Story, plot direction etc. I have even read reviews that criticise everything including graphics(!) just to hide what they want to say eg imagine saying the graphics of HFW are crap! It makes it much harder to just 'filter' out the noise.
2) I dont know about others, but when I see certain BS mentioned it actually makes me more inclined to buy the game! Which makes it even more annoying that genuine issues / problems that would put me off, get 'lost' within the mire.
@LifeGirl
The trouble is too many obnoxious people ruin review systems like this these days.
There used to be a time where if I was not sure about a game, I would look at user reviews on metacritic etc. These days, all too often you just find large numbers of reviews 'bombing' games for completely non game related things - often, but not always related to political agendas.
If a game is truly bad, or has numerous bugs / bad performance etc, fine, give it a low score, but people pushing political or other agendas has just become far too common.
@Oram77 gave a recent example, but I will give another - which coincides with the last time I bothered visiting the site.
DAV last year was a very good game, unfortunately you didnt have to look far to find numerous 0 scores submitted by people who clearly had not played the game and were rating it based on 1 scene * they saw repeated over and over again on Youtube.
I can see that some might not think the game is a high score, due to real opinions, but all too often people were just 'bombing' - frequently the 'opinion' wasn't even there own - they were just regurgitating someone else's opinion from YouTube etc.
You always used to see a bit of this sort of behaviour eg on any new Sony game where the fanboys of other consoles would go rubbish the game, which was ridiculous in itself, but sadly its become too much now.
Reviews rating games at 10 where they have significant issues running, are also becoming more common too. This is just as annoying in my opinion - Im presuming these people don't have literally magical consoles that simply don't experience these problems!
Edit * Im not trying to say this scene was good either - it really wasn"t, even in context - but it was just 1 poorly thought out scene in 1 story of many, and other scenes in this story were much better thought out.
The key thing here is availability. Not knocking S2 (in fact to a large degree the opposite), but we all know PS5 could have sold far, far more units had they actually been available to buy. Kudos to Nintendo for largely avoiding the hassle of trying to find a unit available to buy, and therefore the scalper issue.
@get2sammyb But I heard it from a Youtuber who just puts out news for the love of it (and wouldn't dream of sensationalising anything), who heard it from another Youtuber, who read it on reddit, where it was being posted by someone who has real sources, that obviously cant be named....
@Kidfunkadelic83 No worries - I tried to word my response in a way I hoped it was clear I wasn't saying you were wrong, just that your TV was not showing the whole truth with the 30fps modes.
(Also @ShogunRok) Ive been playing in the 'Pro RT' mode and it has been very good performance too. A couple of tiny stutters around Atsu's home, but they were tiny, and probably due to loading to facilitate the time changing mechanic here (they happened in the standard Performance mode too).
It would be nice to have the option to uncap to 120hz, and it would be really very nice to have an option to turn off the depth of field (intentional blurring) effect that starts at mid distance, but Im really quite pleased with this game from a visual/performance point of view, and the Pro implementation is good too. Its no SM2 / R&C / HFW or even GOWR, but compared to most 3rd party offerings (with a couple of exceptions) it is excellent. Most importantly, I haven't seen any real performance issues, which is a fantastic change from a lot of 3rd party offerings lately, but this is normally one of Sony's 1st party strengths.
@Kidfunkadelic83 The modes are definitely running at the fps I stated on my set up - and are as detailed by DF. I would add that they appear to be fairly much locked on both PS5 and Pro (DF did notice a few minor drops but that was a few patches ago); with the Pro not changing the fps target but instead displaying higher Res in each standard mode, and having the additional 60fps RT mode (ie the standard RT mode is still 30fps).
Im sure I have seen on video (eg DF) cases where LG TVs give readouts of 60 when games are running at 30fps - due to the TV recording a refresh of 60hz, despite the console outputting 30fps. It may be only certain games / set ups do this, I just dont know. Im pretty sure that Low Frame Rate Compensation in VRR works this way - in order to get round the 48hz lower limit, 2 refreshes per outputted frame are used so that VRR can work down to 24fps=48hz.
Similarly - and I have seen this more commonly - in 120hz windows, they can record 120hz even though the console is only outputting 40 or 60fps if 3 or 2 refreshes per frame are in the set up. NB this is how you actually achieve 40fps modes - 120hz, but 3 refreshes per output frame; and similarly low latency 60fps is 120hz with 2 refreshes per frame, I believe.
I like the open world, and the way in which its accessible very early on. Its very clever how you can find content in multiple ways, including rumours or bounties, or just stumbling on it by say inspecting a body nearby, or hearing noises. Its also clever how you can just find info relating to the main story within the open world.
But, sometimes it does feel like theres just a bit too much or some of the simpler things (eg climbing for a shrine) are a bit too long.
An optional 'tick list' would be nice for each area too.
@Kidfunkadelic83 Not sure what you are seeing on your TV but the Graphics and RT mode run at 30fps, and only the Performance mode at 60fps. The Pro has access to the above 3 modes at higher Res, and an additional 4th mode called 'Pro RT' (or similar) that runs at 60fps and includes RT and an excellent implementation of PSSR.
@BAMozzy And the cooling systems needed are ever more complex - just look at the difference (seen during teardowns) between PS4 and PS5 (and even to a lesser extent PS5 and Pro). Though I do find it interesting.
@ShogunRok From what Ive played so far, which is a lot less, I'd definitely say its a GOTY contender. (Its a pity LoP Overture doesn't count as its a dlc)
@Toilet_Goat
I dont generally play anything but English dub - so far, Ive been quite impressed with the English Language VA for Atsu (not younger Atsu though).
Pretty Great so far, though im not massively far in.
Im thoroughly enjoying the game. The storyline has been good, with the way its being 'told', from an artistic, technical and game mechanics point of view, being very well done and clever at times.
The graphics (playing on the dedicated Pro mode with PSSR doing a brilliant job) are very good - not quite HFW or SM2 but very good. They need to unlock 120hz VRR ideally though.
I do have a few minor grumbles relating to side content / open world, but its just that - minor grumbles.
GOT didn't click that well with me, and Im much preferring the sequel.
Sound and Controller use has been very good too.
Playing English dub - VA has been good in general (except young Atsu who grates a bit).
@Vaako007 The old model is dependent on hardware manufacturing costs dropping considerably over the generation, and being reasonably close to the RRP - a subsidise now then make money later model eg: Launch: MCost £600, RRP £500, Loss £100 Year 2: MCost £500, RRP £500, Break even Year 3: MCost £400, RRP £450, Profit £50 Year 4 MCost £300, RRP £400, Profit £100
Sadly, this type of tech is just not seeing much manufacturing price reduction over time, and them P***ing around with SSD size reduction to keep RRP down is a bad indicator.
Sony clearly weren't subsidising the Pro this gen, but neither do I think they were making much money off it either (evidenced by the various sale prices eg £100 off base, £50 off Pro) - this gives us a good guess at the manufacture cost of the higher spec console.
Of course they could heavily subsidise PS6 using profit from storefront game sales / PS Plus but with Xbox in the state its in, I doubt they will want to do this - though faced with the choice of this or producing an underpowered PS6 few see as an upgrade, or a too expensive PS6, who knows what they may consider.
"There needs to be a lot of overhead for when current gen games get developed." Totally agree with you here!
@Oram77 I haven't got to that mission yet, but I also thought about how they could do a good horror game, or maybe a much darker infamous type game.
The way they 'frame' the opening scenes of the prologue, there is clearly a talent in that direction here.
I also think the 'visions of the past' mechanic, and the smooth way you switch between times could clearly be used for a more horror inspired game, and in a more significant way (for puzzles, traversal, and maybe even stealth/combat) if they chose to use it slighly differently.
Interestingly, from the scenes in the Prologue, im not sure this game doesn't have a strong supernatural element, but as I say im not too far in at the moment.
@Fiendish-Beaver "because using a mouse on an armchair is somewhat tricky" - somewhat dangerous for me - my cat would probably attack it lol!
I do agree with what you have said about Xbox - I may have issue with the direction they were going, hence why after 360 (I had no PS3) I went back to Sony for PS4/Pro / 5/Pro, and I have always disliked the Day 1 aspect of GP, but Sony is only at its best when they are being 'challenged' directly.
Im enjoying it so far. I have a few minor complaints about pacing related to the open world structure, and open world content, but its a good game. The story has been enjoyable, and the way its been 'told' has been very clever at times - and this is coming from someone who just didn't click with GoT.
The graphics - playing on the dedicated Pro mode - have been very good indeed (with PSSR helping to make this mode look better than much higher res modes). Not quite to the standards of HFW or SM2 for example, but very good. They could do with uncapping 120hz though. Audio and controller useage are very good too, which is a little bit rare these days.
@Fiendish-Beaver I would disagree a little about potential numbers, but im only just guessing so im happy to agree to disagree here, and I do think there are scales / factors involved.
It does all hinge on just how good the PS6 actually is, and how much it costs - Personally, with Xbox's current state, I think anything massively less than £700 would be somewhat surprising.
I do appreciate your response though, and agree with a lot of it. Maybe, Im just thinking out loud too.
Personally I would love PS6 to be amazing, or for them to offer multiple options at launch, at significantly different capability and price levels - eg PS6 Handheld / PS6 / Pro (with Xbox effectively dead, Sony can mandate all this for software purposes, and more if they want).
I am also thinking on PC getting somewhat easier in terms of build / maintenance - that seems to be where all the rumours are heading, but if they want to entice console owners this is really key. (As well as easy TV integration)
I dont know which post (of mine) you were answering but Im not arguing that PC prices can get VERY high - I 'loved' the 'gymnastics' some went through to try and prove they could build a PS5 Pro capable PC at a similar price. Easiest way to put my back up is when I see people stating how cheap it is, then 'forgetting' cooling / case / using 2nd hand parts etc etc.
For me, it will all come down to how good the PS6 hardware is (eg locked 60fps is a red line for me, and higher is what I want). One positive is it looks like the PS6 handheld will keep certain devs 'ambitions' in check.
I love the simplicity / plug and play nature of Consoles (and would only consider setups with my TV, and game controllers ie not M/KB fir games), but, if console hardware does not keep up with the demands of the games, then I may move to hardware that does, and I have talked to / seen many saying exactly the same. Unfortunately, my faith in Sony with the PS6 is just not high enough at the moment, but I hope Im wrong.
Sony exclusives on PC would also make the choice easier too, as I really like their games.
@Flaming_Kaiser But, if there is insufficient power increase, then it wont matter how inexpensive it is (and lets be honest, with Xbox out of the picture just how subsided do we expect it to be?) - it just wont be necessary enough or marketable enough at its price for adoption rates to be high enough.
If I stay on console - I would buy it, and so too would most of those who buy Pro's, but thats not enough to kick start a generation.
PS5 could literally be the PS6s worst enemy in terms of adoption rates - with Switch 2 and PC very slowly eroding market share from either end... If Sony dont pull a rabbit out of the hat. I hope they do.
@Oram77
I don't necessarily see as big a leap as that, but it will still need to be significant, and say goodbye to 30fps, and issues with 60fps. CPU upgrades would be cheaper than big GPU upgrades too.
I will try to explain my thinking here, but please forgive me if its a bit all over the place lol.
30fps will be 'full' : Switch 2 / PS6 Handheld / PS5 / PS5 Pro, all with variable Quality.
Given the % of people willing to upgrade from PS5 to PS5 Pro, if the generation leap is not enough, it just wont sell - as in people will stay with PS5 / Pro. That would be a bit of a disaster for Sony in my opinion, as things will stagnate.
You may well also get more people who are willing to stay with PS5 for their 'main' console as they don't see the necessity to upgrade to PS6, but (wanting something 'more' ) they will couple this with going out and buying a Switch 2 for the Nintendo exclusives. This will likely split some customer spending away from the PS ecosystem.
PS6 has got to be capable of transitioning to 60fps minimum with no issues on quality modes, and higher for performance modes to offer any form of saleable upgrade.
If this is the case, I can see most future (from PS6 launch) games on PS5 (and maybe even Pro) only being capable of running at 30fps (or running poorly at 60fps) - thus making upgrading to PS6 "essential' to those who dont want to 'lose' 60fps (or don't want bad 60fps). They may even 'force' this to a limited degree.
A low powered PS6, even with bells and whistles, is going to be a tough sell. The PS5 control pads have significant functionality that a lot of games, even Sony's own, just do not use even now. (Completely off topic - I like how GoY uses the pad though)
PC is an even more unpredictable threat if PS6 does not have a significant enhancement.
My belief is that within the next couple of years we will see easier / better pre built PCs, fully suited to Home TVs, maybe in the form of 'PCs in a box' with standard configs.
They will need to go this way to entice those unhappy with what Sony is offering.
The one aspect that will not change is Price - they will always be more expensive, even taking into account Steam game prices, no PS plus sub, etc. Anyone saying how cheap they are is talking BS.
But price is not excluding to everyone.
I myself would go this route, IF the simplicity was there - the one big thing that could hold me back would be PS exclusives.
Next gen is a big gamble for Sony.
Gamble that people will accept higher console prices for the 'right' console; or risk serious non-adoption of PS6 if its not powerful enough (which in turn will alienate some, and maybe lead to more people turning to multiple systems instead of just PS).
Releasing multiple configs of hardware all at once would be a very sensible option now - eg PS6 Handheld, PS6, PS6 Pro - with appropriate pricing, to give people the option based on what they CAN afford from the start (and abandon any idea of mid gen refresh). With Xbox dead, they can easily mandate this, and more.
I do wonder whether the current state of Xbox (which is bad to say the least) is actually changing Sony's PS6 plans as we speak, particularly in terms of timing and planned options.
@Gr8VngnzN4esAngr I partially agree with you, but if the PS6 is not significantly more powerful than PS5 Pro:
People who can afford a PC may well see PC as the only reasonable upgrade (particularly if PS6 does not see the end of 30fps) - this includes myself and at least half the people I know with PS5 / Pro's. Even a modest 10% of Sony's userbase would be very damaging for them.
A LOT more People will simply also just not buy a PS6, and stay with PS5 if the upgrade is not sufficient. Cross gen is almost guaranteed to last much longer next gen.
A low power PS6 might be cheaper, but it would also be dead on arrival.
1 way Sony can solve this to a degree is release a high powered PS6 Pro at launch, to offer people the choice, but that does run the risk of the base PS6 becoming next gens series S.
If the rumours / reports of their next hardware were correct, their next hardware was a pre-built PC, NOT an Xbox console.
Actual Xbox consoles will end with this gen, whether or not they cancel the proposed hardware for next gen.
Sony is going to have issues next gen though - if the PS6 is not a significant leap over PS5 Pro, it just wont sell - people will stay with their PS5s (cross gen will likely last all generation).
Plus if the PS6 is not powerful enough, they will lose a lot of customers over to PC - even if thats 10 to 20% of their userbase (due to the increased cost of PC), thats a disaster.
But how do they do this and not exceed £700?
This will be remembered as one of those "be careful what you wish for" moments.
The number of Xbox fanboys proclaiming that the "console war was over and Xbox has won!" in various comments sections and articles / Youtube videos, due to this acquisition...
Then it backfired spectacularly...
The thing is, I also believe it backfired spectacularly on Xbox too - after MS as the parent company started getting far more 'involved', because they wanted a more immediate return after spending all of that money.
Comments 2,733
Re: PS6 Manufacturing Scheduled to Get Underway in Early 2027
Hopefully (whenever it does launch) they learn from Nintendo regarding how to have enough units available for launch.
Nb I don't own a S2 - but it was easy to see how well planned they were.
Re: Complete Your Physical Copy of Ghost of Yotei with a Fan-Made Manual
@StrickenBiged
Physical game stores more or less died for me me the day they (Game in my case) started removing manuals and discs and storing them in shelving units to get dusty and scratched (and they lose that new game smell lol) - more than once I refused a 'New' disc because it looked 2nd hand. It ended up Pre order or buy elsewhere.
Re: Complete Your Physical Copy of Ghost of Yotei with a Fan-Made Manual
@get2sammyb
Im mostly digital these days, but I don't think many would even care that much if they charged an extra £5 for physical and included a manual etc (and the actual game on the disk).
I just hope the publishers dont go after people doing stuff like this (ie the fan manuals) - hopefully unlikely in this case as it's Sony, and I dont think they want the bad press, but there has to be significant copyright infringement here, and certain publishers might try it.
Re: Complete Your Physical Copy of Ghost of Yotei with a Fan-Made Manual
@Czar_Khastik @Oram77
I used mine as shiny coasters!
Re: The MindsEye Situation Only Gets Uglier as Devs Accuse Management of Mistreatment
This all sounds like a complete mess.
Game direction changing mid development very rarely results in anything but a disaster.
Im not going to get into the staff treatment side as I just dont know any facts - but it does not sound like there was any connection between management and staff, and I will add that a happy workforce is always far, far more productive.
One part of this debacle that needs more explanation though, is that this game was such a technical disaster - 30fps only, with issues, on Pro IIRC. If the game had issues but technically had a sound base (even if very buggy) there might be something to redeem here, but what is there would need such a huge overhaul.
Re: Confirmed: Oblivion Remastered's PS5 Physical Edition Requires 'Additional Download' to Actually Play
I tend to buy digital these days, but I just dont see the point in a Physical copy where the actual game isn't on the disc, I mean what is the point?! - it almost seems like someone came up with the idea as a bad joke, particularly this far after launch.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Will Soon Run Better on PS5, But You'll Need to Prepare for the Patch
@Cikajovazmaj
I just read the patch notes @redapt posted above, and it did 'ring a few bells' so to say, (in a bad way) with what was reported for the Xbox version.
Hopefully DF do a full re-review here, because no way am I buying it, even on heavy sale, without a full technical analysis after how bad it was - I have seen / heard nothing since to suggest it was close to being fixed, and had basically given up on it.
Even then, I may just wait until the new PSSR version is out for Pro next year, and see if they implement it.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Will Soon Run Better on PS5, But You'll Need to Prepare for the Patch
@ShogunRok
Never had W40K. If I remember correctly, in ACV's case they had got to the point where every patch was bloating the file size and replacing the code actually significantly reduced how much space it took up (maybe 110-120 Gb to around 90ish, but im really testing the limits of my memory here lol).
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Will Soon Run Better on PS5, But You'll Need to Prepare for the Patch
@Oram77
I would wait to see what they do first. If I remember correctly (and thats a big if because I basically gave up on this one so only read / watched odd bits from DF) their Xbox version made fairly big changes, but I don't think it was thought of as an improvement.
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Will Soon Run Better on PS5, But You'll Need to Prepare for the Patch
Sounds like they are basically replacing the full code - AC Valhalla did this at one point after a number of patches (and maybe a WWE 2K game too).
Re: PS6 Release Date Touted for 2027, Cheaper But Less Powerful Than Next Xbox
@AgentMantis
I agree with you, however there can be a very big difference in how powerful a console is on paper vs real performance (unless we are talking simple upgrades like PS5 to Pro) - there are a huge number of reasons for this, including system bottlenecks, how good the dev kit tools are etc.
Series X struggled to keep up with PS5 in far more games than the reverse this gen, and in others it was much of a muchness, despite all the marketing BS around 12 Tflops and Full RDNA2. MS likes its big numbers for advertising but im not sure they know nearly as much about hardware efficiency.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Ghost of Yotei?
@Nf157
No problem.
I think the main problem is some people are just considering that its 'another' revenge story, whereas its big poisitive is HOW its being told/experienced.
I am a really big fan of Hogwarts Legacy - there is a good main story there, but I love the way there are other ongoing storylines, and a number of short stories that often intertwine across its length. Particularly for example Sebastian's story with the main arc.
Also, by the end of the game your character is set on a path and is doing things that would make them in some ways almost unrecognisable to the person who started the game.
GoY expands on the first part of this - in how its main and side stories intertwine, both in terms of your character and their homeland - and this includes from a game mechanics point of view.
Whereas Atsu's path as a person is often handled more steadily / subtly imo, and in part by a very different method - ie by the playable memories of her past. It feels more like we are learning about her as she is rediscovering her past.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Ghost of Yotei?
@Nf157
Nb I am probably around the halfway mark, and certainly no where close to finishing.
Nb Very light spoilers.
The story is fairly 'well known' - Protagonist wants revenge for death of family who were killed X (16) years ago.
They return to their home (island in this case), having learned how to fight in the intervening time, to find it under the control of said bad guys - the main antagonist, and (in this case) his 5 lieutenants.
The Protagonist sets out to free their homeland and kill their family's killers, starting with the lieutenants.
There is a faction who oppose the rule of the antagonists who may or may not be any better, along with individuals who also can aid you.
From what I have played, the main story is progressing well, even though as I say its fairly 'well known' (most stories are these days though).
There is a twist near the very start (why the locals call Atsu what they do), that may become very relevant at the end, but its not a twist that hasn't been done before.
The way in which the story is told / discovered IS very interesting however.
Certain things / exposition are told after visiting open world locations / compleing open world encounters.
Its not unusual to end a piece of side content that links into the main quest, or even even where you interrogate an enemy to find out where you should go next on the main quest - I purposely did side content early on, yet increased my main quest markers.
A number of locations (particularly your family estate on multiple occasions) also link to events before your family was killed and allow you to complete a playable memory, which sometimes lead to you obtaining something in the present. These help to fill out your characters back story to varying degrees.
There are a number of clear base to allow the people to return type side events, along with other side content to help 'heal' the land, and some 'myth' type quests, often in pursuit of new gear, for you to discover along the way.
Re: PS6 Release Date Touted for 2027, Cheaper But Less Powerful Than Next Xbox
Everyone talks about 7 years from PS5 launch ie same as PS4 to PS5.
If we consider 4 years from PS5 PRO launch (same as PS4 PRO to PS5) we are at 2028, which sounds far more realistic.
Re: Animated Wallpapers for Two of 2025's Biggest Games Added to PS5
@Northern_munkey @daveofduncan
It was only a (bad) joke lol
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Ghost of Yotei?
@Oram77
It is worrying how big a gulf there is now between Sony 1st party studios (and a few others), and a lot of 3rd party games, when programming for PS5/Pro.
(Sadly though you could have 100 games like this and some will still say theres no difference between PS5 and Pro lol).
Re: Animated Wallpapers for Two of 2025's Biggest Games Added to PS5
Does the Battlefield one say the number of people ahead of you in the queue? lol
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Ghost of Yotei?
A very good 9.
Its not perfect, and GOT didn't click with me, but im thoroughly enjoying GOY.
The story, premise, and more importantly, how its being told are better imo.
Graphics (playing on Pro RT mode) are excellent, although not quite on par with games such as Insomniac's best and HFW (and a few others).
Re: PS5 Soulslike Code Vein 2 Couldn't Be More Anime If It Tried
@graymamba @Th3solution
In addition to the stamina point I would also add to the combat point that precise range is a key component of combat - a lot of action adventure games can have similar combat, with dodges and parries etc, and games like SWJS include a number of other points too, but the combat 'feels' different if precise range is not a key factor.
Re: Call of Duty Is Trying Everything It Can to Make You Play Black Ops 7 Over Battlefield 6
@get2sammyb
Im not into MP games, but if I wanted to try one out one day, there is no way I would try one that doesn't have Skill based match making.
Combative Sports, as well as sports where you are competing directly against others, always have a form of SBMM - people dont learn by being quickly and easily beaten by someone much better than themselves. That only works if the better person goes 'easy' in order to help train the other person(s).
If you say wanted to try MMA, what do you think you would learn by sparring with a Champion Pro fighter who was trying their hardest - well apart from what concussion feels like, or how to tap out fast!
This just sounds like appeasing the few at the expense of others, and is a sure fire way of putting off newcomers. I hope my analagy makes sense.
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
@TheFakulty
The new version of PSSR is certainly the more exciting part - hopefully it will be be able to integrate easier with UE5, as this gets messed up by some (but not all) devs.
I already like PSSR due to its clarity during motion (I remember at least a couple of times DF have said during a review that it can be better than DLSS in this regard), but the new version should be a big leap, and Mark Cerny seems very confident.
As to use for PS5 Power saving mode.
The base PS5 doesn't have the capability to run PSSR in any circumstance as it doesn't have the hardware to do so.
However, PSSR could be used on the Pro in Power saving mode.
Im fairly sure the PS6 handheld was intended to use PSSR.
Presuming the whole point of the power saving mode is the handheld (likely imo), if the Power saving mode on Pro does in fact reduce the consoles power to such a degree that it is equivalent to the base PS5 in Power saving mode, and both are equivalent to the PS6 handheld, then in the Pro's case they could add the new PSSR and you effectively have a PS6 handheld.
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
@Luigia
In regards PS5 not even having been really tested, I have to disagree.
If we are talking inefficient use of the resources available - thats a bit of a different matter. The trouble being that we are seeing more and more 3rd party games using the PS5s hardware inefficiently (eg by using UE5). This may even get worse as we go forwards.
If we are talking about the PS5 having been tested in a meaningful way - we have seen this since launch, but only with Sony titles and a few 3rd party titles. Demon Souls remake, and Miles Morales really pushed the hardware from day 1, and every (I can't remember a bad one) Sony title has since.
We have also had some really good 3rd party titles, but the cross gen period was the best for these - having to get the game working on a PS4 was the best thing to ensure the engine etc was efficient, allowing good scale up to PS5. The trouble is now that we see too many games scaled down to fit the PS5.
The SSD is one area that not even Sony use fully every game, and 3rd parties much less. Games like R&C and SM2 show us what its capable of, and a lot of games do not use its fastest loading / full streaming capabilities.
PS5 will probably be supported until 2035 though, as cross gen will probably last nearly all generation next time - but what games will look/run like on it by then is anyones guess!
Re: PS6 Out 'in a Few Years' as Sony, AMD Discuss the Future of Games
@Th3solution
I agree. 'A couple of years' = 2, 'a few years' = 3+
In this case I think 3 years in late 2028 should be about right.
I understand people expect the gen to last 7 years and it to be out in 2027 but generations are going to get longer, and its also 4 years from the Pro's launch, which sounds right - literally a mid gen upgrade.
Re: Write Full-Length Reviews for Your Favourite (or Least Favourite) PS5, PS4 Games on the PS Store
@Ravix
Totally agree with you.
I would add 2 things:
1) Sadly, while its easy to see some of the non-genuine reviews, this is not always the case as they start by criticising things like Story, plot direction etc. I have even read reviews that criticise everything including graphics(!) just to hide what they want to say eg imagine saying the graphics of HFW are crap! It makes it much harder to just 'filter' out the noise.
2) I dont know about others, but when I see certain BS mentioned it actually makes me more inclined to buy the game! Which makes it even more annoying that genuine issues / problems that would put me off, get 'lost' within the mire.
Re: Write Full-Length Reviews for Your Favourite (or Least Favourite) PS5, PS4 Games on the PS Store
@LifeGirl
The trouble is too many obnoxious people ruin review systems like this these days.
There used to be a time where if I was not sure about a game, I would look at user reviews on metacritic etc. These days, all too often you just find large numbers of reviews 'bombing' games for completely non game related things - often, but not always related to political agendas.
If a game is truly bad, or has numerous bugs / bad performance etc, fine, give it a low score, but people pushing political or other agendas has just become far too common.
@Oram77 gave a recent example, but I will give another - which coincides with the last time I bothered visiting the site.
DAV last year was a very good game, unfortunately you didnt have to look far to find numerous 0 scores submitted by people who clearly had not played the game and were rating it based on 1 scene * they saw repeated over and over again on Youtube.
I can see that some might not think the game is a high score, due to real opinions, but all too often people were just 'bombing' - frequently the 'opinion' wasn't even there own - they were just regurgitating someone else's opinion from YouTube etc.
You always used to see a bit of this sort of behaviour eg on any new Sony game where the fanboys of other consoles would go rubbish the game, which was ridiculous in itself, but sadly its become too much now.
Reviews rating games at 10 where they have significant issues running, are also becoming more common too. This is just as annoying in my opinion - Im presuming these people don't have literally magical consoles that simply don't experience these problems!
Edit * Im not trying to say this scene was good either - it really wasn"t, even in context - but it was just 1 poorly thought out scene in 1 story of many, and other scenes in this story were much better thought out.
Re: PS4's Record-Setting US Sales Pace Is Being Comfortably Beaten by Switch 2
The key thing here is availability.
Not knocking S2 (in fact to a large degree the opposite), but we all know PS5 could have sold far, far more units had they actually been available to buy.
Kudos to Nintendo for largely avoiding the hassle of trying to find a unit available to buy, and therefore the scalper issue.
Re: Aug 2025 USA Sales: Massive Month for Single Player Games, PS5 Can't Catch Switch 2
@get2sammyb
But I heard it from a Youtuber who just puts out news for the love of it (and wouldn't dream of sensationalising anything), who heard it from another Youtuber, who read it on reddit, where it was being posted by someone who has real sources, that obviously cant be named....
Re: Now Xbox Owns Call of Duty, Sony's Investing Its Marketing Budget into Battlefield 6 Instead
Microsoft or EA... what a choice they had here!
Re: 'As Long as You're Having Fun, We Don't Care': Ghost of Yotei Dev Comments on Open World Freedom
@Kidfunkadelic83
No worries - I tried to word my response in a way I hoped it was clear I wasn't saying you were wrong, just that your TV was not showing the whole truth with the 30fps modes.
(Also @ShogunRok)
Ive been playing in the 'Pro RT' mode and it has been very good performance too. A couple of tiny stutters around Atsu's home, but they were tiny, and probably due to loading to facilitate the time changing mechanic here (they happened in the standard Performance mode too).
It would be nice to have the option to uncap to 120hz, and it would be really very nice to have an option to turn off the depth of field (intentional blurring) effect that starts at mid distance, but Im really quite pleased with this game from a visual/performance point of view, and the Pro implementation is good too.
Its no SM2 / R&C / HFW or even GOWR, but compared to most 3rd party offerings (with a couple of exceptions) it is excellent.
Most importantly, I haven't seen any real performance issues, which is a fantastic change from a lot of 3rd party offerings lately, but this is normally one of Sony's 1st party strengths.
Re: Sony Reveals Icon Blue PS5 DualSense, Quite Possibly the Bluest Controller Ever
Blue as a baboons bottom!
(I cant remember where I first heard this line lol)
Re: 'As Long as You're Having Fun, We Don't Care': Ghost of Yotei Dev Comments on Open World Freedom
@Kidfunkadelic83
The modes are definitely running at the fps I stated on my set up - and are as detailed by DF.
I would add that they appear to be fairly much locked on both PS5 and Pro (DF did notice a few minor drops but that was a few patches ago); with the Pro not changing the fps target but instead displaying higher Res in each standard mode, and having the additional 60fps RT mode (ie the standard RT mode is still 30fps).
Im sure I have seen on video (eg DF) cases where LG TVs give readouts of 60 when games are running at 30fps - due to the TV recording a refresh of 60hz, despite the console outputting 30fps. It may be only certain games / set ups do this, I just dont know.
Im pretty sure that Low Frame Rate Compensation in VRR works this way - in order to get round the 48hz lower limit, 2 refreshes per outputted frame are used so that VRR can work down to 24fps=48hz.
Similarly - and I have seen this more commonly - in 120hz windows, they can record 120hz even though the console is only outputting 40 or 60fps if 3 or 2 refreshes per frame are in the set up.
NB this is how you actually achieve 40fps modes - 120hz, but 3 refreshes per output frame; and similarly low latency 60fps is 120hz with 2 refreshes per frame, I believe.
Re: 'As Long as You're Having Fun, We Don't Care': Ghost of Yotei Dev Comments on Open World Freedom
I like the open world, and the way in which its accessible very early on. Its very clever how you can find content in multiple ways, including rumours or bounties, or just stumbling on it by say inspecting a body nearby, or hearing noises.
Its also clever how you can just find info relating to the main story within the open world.
But, sometimes it does feel like theres just a bit too much or some of the simpler things (eg climbing for a shrine) are a bit too long.
An optional 'tick list' would be nice for each area too.
Re: 'As Long as You're Having Fun, We Don't Care': Ghost of Yotei Dev Comments on Open World Freedom
@Kidfunkadelic83
Not sure what you are seeing on your TV but the Graphics and RT mode run at 30fps, and only the Performance mode at 60fps.
The Pro has access to the above 3 modes at higher Res, and an additional 4th mode called 'Pro RT' (or similar) that runs at 60fps and includes RT and an excellent implementation of PSSR.
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
@BAMozzy
And the cooling systems needed are ever more complex - just look at the difference (seen during teardowns) between PS4 and PS5 (and even to a lesser extent PS5 and Pro). Though I do find it interesting.
Re: Poll: What Are Your First Impressions of Ghost of Yotei on PS5?
@ShogunRok
From what Ive played so far, which is a lot less, I'd definitely say its a GOTY contender.
(Its a pity LoP Overture doesn't count as its a dlc)
Re: Assassin's Creed Mirage's Free, Saudi-Funded Expansion Launches in November
Love the article sub-heading.
Re: Poll: What Are Your First Impressions of Ghost of Yotei on PS5?
@Toilet_Goat
I dont generally play anything but English dub - so far, Ive been quite impressed with the English Language VA for Atsu (not younger Atsu though).
Re: Poll: What Are Your First Impressions of Ghost of Yotei on PS5?
Pretty Great so far, though im not massively far in.
Im thoroughly enjoying the game. The storyline has been good, with the way its being 'told', from an artistic, technical and game mechanics point of view, being very well done and clever at times.
The graphics (playing on the dedicated Pro mode with PSSR doing a brilliant job) are very good - not quite HFW or SM2 but very good. They need to unlock 120hz VRR ideally though.
I do have a few minor grumbles relating to side content / open world, but its just that - minor grumbles.
GOT didn't click that well with me, and Im much preferring the sequel.
Sound and Controller use has been very good too.
Playing English dub - VA has been good in general (except young Atsu who grates a bit).
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
@Vaako007
The old model is dependent on hardware manufacturing costs dropping considerably over the generation, and being reasonably close to the RRP - a subsidise now then make money later model eg:
Launch: MCost £600, RRP £500, Loss £100
Year 2: MCost £500, RRP £500, Break even
Year 3: MCost £400, RRP £450, Profit £50
Year 4 MCost £300, RRP £400, Profit £100
Sadly, this type of tech is just not seeing much manufacturing price reduction over time, and them P***ing around with SSD size reduction to keep RRP down is a bad indicator.
Sony clearly weren't subsidising the Pro this gen, but neither do I think they were making much money off it either (evidenced by the various sale prices eg £100 off base, £50 off Pro) - this gives us a good guess at the manufacture cost of the higher spec console.
Of course they could heavily subsidise PS6 using profit from storefront game sales / PS Plus but with Xbox in the state its in, I doubt they will want to do this - though faced with the choice of this or producing an underpowered PS6 few see as an upgrade, or a too expensive PS6, who knows what they may consider.
"There needs to be a lot of overhead for when current gen games get developed." Totally agree with you here!
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
@Fiendish-Beaver
Mine just likes to 'kill' / savage small(ish) inanimate objects!
Re: 'It's Selling Like Hot Cakes': Hokkaido Goes Crazy for Ghost of Yotei on PS5
@Oram77
I haven't got to that mission yet, but I also thought about how they could do a good horror game, or maybe a much darker infamous type game.
The way they 'frame' the opening scenes of the prologue, there is clearly a talent in that direction here.
I also think the 'visions of the past' mechanic, and the smooth way you switch between times could clearly be used for a more horror inspired game, and in a more significant way (for puzzles, traversal, and maybe even stealth/combat) if they chose to use it slighly differently.
Interestingly, from the scenes in the Prologue, im not sure this game doesn't have a strong supernatural element, but as I say im not too far in at the moment.
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Force Microsoft to Comment
@Fiendish-Beaver
"because using a mouse on an armchair is somewhat tricky" - somewhat dangerous for me - my cat would probably attack it lol!
I do agree with what you have said about Xbox - I may have issue with the direction they were going, hence why after 360 (I had no PS3) I went back to Sony for PS4/Pro / 5/Pro, and I have always disliked the Day 1 aspect of GP, but Sony is only at its best when they are being 'challenged' directly.
Re: 'Really, Really Good': Ghost of Yotei Beats EA Sports FC 26, Super Mario Galaxy in UK Physical Sales
Im enjoying it so far. I have a few minor complaints about pacing related to the open world structure, and open world content, but its a good game.
The story has been enjoyable, and the way its been 'told' has been very clever at times - and this is coming from someone who just didn't click with GoT.
The graphics - playing on the dedicated Pro mode - have been very good indeed (with PSSR helping to make this mode look better than much higher res modes).
Not quite to the standards of HFW or SM2 for example, but very good. They could do with uncapping 120hz though.
Audio and controller useage are very good too, which is a little bit rare these days.
A very solid 9 so far.
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
@Fiendish-Beaver
I would disagree a little about potential numbers, but im only just guessing so im happy to agree to disagree here, and I do think there are scales / factors involved.
It does all hinge on just how good the PS6 actually is, and how much it costs - Personally, with Xbox's current state, I think anything massively less than £700 would be somewhat surprising.
I do appreciate your response though, and agree with a lot of it. Maybe, Im just thinking out loud too.
Personally I would love PS6 to be amazing, or for them to offer multiple options at launch, at significantly different capability and price levels - eg PS6 Handheld / PS6 / Pro (with Xbox effectively dead, Sony can mandate all this for software purposes, and more if they want).
I am also thinking on PC getting somewhat easier in terms of build / maintenance - that seems to be where all the rumours are heading, but if they want to entice console owners this is really key. (As well as easy TV integration)
I dont know which post (of mine) you were answering but Im not arguing that PC prices can get VERY high - I 'loved' the 'gymnastics' some went through to try and prove they could build a PS5 Pro capable PC at a similar price. Easiest way to put my back up is when I see people stating how cheap it is, then 'forgetting' cooling / case / using 2nd hand parts etc etc.
For me, it will all come down to how good the PS6 hardware is (eg locked 60fps is a red line for me, and higher is what I want). One positive is it looks like the PS6 handheld will keep certain devs 'ambitions' in check.
I love the simplicity / plug and play nature of Consoles (and would only consider setups with my TV, and game controllers ie not M/KB fir games), but, if console hardware does not keep up with the demands of the games, then I may move to hardware that does, and I have talked to / seen many saying exactly the same.
Unfortunately, my faith in Sony with the PS6 is just not high enough at the moment, but I hope Im wrong.
Sony exclusives on PC would also make the choice easier too, as I really like their games.
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
@Flaming_Kaiser
But, if there is insufficient power increase, then it wont matter how inexpensive it is (and lets be honest, with Xbox out of the picture just how subsided do we expect it to be?) - it just wont be necessary enough or marketable enough at its price for adoption rates to be high enough.
If I stay on console - I would buy it, and so too would most of those who buy Pro's, but thats not enough to kick start a generation.
PS5 could literally be the PS6s worst enemy in terms of adoption rates - with Switch 2 and PC very slowly eroding market share from either end... If Sony dont pull a rabbit out of the hat. I hope they do.
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
@Oram77
I don't necessarily see as big a leap as that, but it will still need to be significant, and say goodbye to 30fps, and issues with 60fps. CPU upgrades would be cheaper than big GPU upgrades too.
I will try to explain my thinking here, but please forgive me if its a bit all over the place lol.
30fps will be 'full' : Switch 2 / PS6 Handheld / PS5 / PS5 Pro, all with variable Quality.
Given the % of people willing to upgrade from PS5 to PS5 Pro, if the generation leap is not enough, it just wont sell - as in people will stay with PS5 / Pro. That would be a bit of a disaster for Sony in my opinion, as things will stagnate.
You may well also get more people who are willing to stay with PS5 for their 'main' console as they don't see the necessity to upgrade to PS6, but (wanting something 'more' ) they will couple this with going out and buying a Switch 2 for the Nintendo exclusives. This will likely split some customer spending away from the PS ecosystem.
PS6 has got to be capable of transitioning to 60fps minimum with no issues on quality modes, and higher for performance modes to offer any form of saleable upgrade.
If this is the case, I can see most future (from PS6 launch) games on PS5 (and maybe even Pro) only being capable of running at 30fps (or running poorly at 60fps) - thus making upgrading to PS6 "essential' to those who dont want to 'lose' 60fps (or don't want bad 60fps). They may even 'force' this to a limited degree.
A low powered PS6, even with bells and whistles, is going to be a tough sell. The PS5 control pads have significant functionality that a lot of games, even Sony's own, just do not use even now. (Completely off topic - I like how GoY uses the pad though)
PC is an even more unpredictable threat if PS6 does not have a significant enhancement.
My belief is that within the next couple of years we will see easier / better pre built PCs, fully suited to Home TVs, maybe in the form of 'PCs in a box' with standard configs.
They will need to go this way to entice those unhappy with what Sony is offering.
The one aspect that will not change is Price - they will always be more expensive, even taking into account Steam game prices, no PS plus sub, etc. Anyone saying how cheap they are is talking BS.
But price is not excluding to everyone.
I myself would go this route, IF the simplicity was there - the one big thing that could hold me back would be PS exclusives.
Next gen is a big gamble for Sony.
Gamble that people will accept higher console prices for the 'right' console; or risk serious non-adoption of PS6 if its not powerful enough (which in turn will alienate some, and maybe lead to more people turning to multiple systems instead of just PS).
Releasing multiple configs of hardware all at once would be a very sensible option now - eg PS6 Handheld, PS6, PS6 Pro - with appropriate pricing, to give people the option based on what they CAN afford from the start (and abandon any idea of mid gen refresh). With Xbox dead, they can easily mandate this, and more.
I do wonder whether the current state of Xbox (which is bad to say the least) is actually changing Sony's PS6 plans as we speak, particularly in terms of timing and planned options.
Edit: removed unintentional Emoji! Again!
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
@Gr8VngnzN4esAngr
I partially agree with you, but if the PS6 is not significantly more powerful than PS5 Pro:
A low power PS6 might be cheaper, but it would also be dead on arrival.
1 way Sony can solve this to a degree is release a high powered PS6 Pro at launch, to offer people the choice, but that does run the risk of the base PS6 becoming next gens series S.
Re: PS6 May Go Uncontested as Rumours of Next-Gen Xbox Cancellation Spiral
If the rumours / reports of their next hardware were correct, their next hardware was a pre-built PC, NOT an Xbox console.
Actual Xbox consoles will end with this gen, whether or not they cancel the proposed hardware for next gen.
Sony is going to have issues next gen though - if the PS6 is not a significant leap over PS5 Pro, it just wont sell - people will stay with their PS5s (cross gen will likely last all generation).
Plus if the PS6 is not powerful enough, they will lose a lot of customers over to PC - even if thats 10 to 20% of their userbase (due to the increased cost of PC), thats a disaster.
But how do they do this and not exceed £700?
Re: Xbox Squandered Over $300 Million Putting Call of Duty in Game Pass
"PlayStation platforms accounted for an outrageous 82% of all full-price launch month sales"
Rather proves the adadge that Xbox gamers as a whole, do not buy games anymore!
Re: 'Told You So': Ex-FTC Chair Lina Khan Is Having the Last Laugh Over Xbox's Activision Acquisition
This will be remembered as one of those "be careful what you wish for" moments.
The number of Xbox fanboys proclaiming that the "console war was over and Xbox has won!" in various comments sections and articles / Youtube videos, due to this acquisition...
Then it backfired spectacularly...
The thing is, I also believe it backfired spectacularly on Xbox too - after MS as the parent company started getting far more 'involved', because they wanted a more immediate return after spending all of that money.