Rob_230

Very excited for a female lead. Will be a refreshing change for the series and i wouldn't be surprised if she appears in future 'best of' lists for the series.

My only concern - as i have said before - is that with many of the creatives who made the previous games we have loved in the past having left Rockstar Games, we risk getting a watered down product lacking the wit and satire of previous releases.

Very excited to see how this turns out either way. It will no doubt be a fantastic sandbox to mess around in

2020 was better imo. Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Ghost of Tsushima, Last of Us 2, Persona 5 Royal, Like a Dragon / Yakuza 7 (albeit only on PS4), Resident Evil 3 remake, Streets of Rage 4, Fall Guys (given the period we were in), Tony Hawks 1 and 2 remake, 13 Sentinels, Astros Playroom, Demons Souls, Miles Morales, PS5 release - to name but a few.

2023 has been very good but a tad overated in my opinion

Happy new year team! Thank you for a brilliant year of content in 2023, and looking forward to what is to come in 2024. Hopefully playstation comes out swinging with some big surprises

Happy new year to the fantastic Push Square community too. Hope it brings you all much joy and success.

The countdown to like a dragon infinite wealth and Final Fantasy 7 rebirth is officially on

I wouldnt normally do this, but Final Fantasy 16 absolutely should be on this list for 'Away', 'Find the Flame', No Risk, No Reward, and 'To Sail Forbidden Seas' to mention but a few. The soundtrack is phenomenal.

If nothing else, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - released in Feb - celebrating 30 years of final fantasy music also deserves an honorable mention

That said, ill have to check out the games on the list because if they top FF16, then i will be in for a treat

On the soundtrack (which is fantastic), i dont think i've seen it reported here, but the latest dlc / season pass for Theatrhythm Final Bar Line added 11 songs from FF16 as part of the content drop in November

This is an incredible month all round to be honest. Very excited to play all of these. Keep this up Sony!

Will possibly pick up Rogue Legacy 2 but dont think i will be spending much given my backlog.

I guess i might get cars 3 for my son given he's currently big into lightning mqueen, and its only 3 pounds. I'll have a look through the full list though.

The leaks are one thing (it sucks) and i feel bad for Insomniac and Sony that their roadmap and communication strategies are disrupted, but MOST IMPORTANTLY , i feel bad for all the Imsomniac employees whose data has been compromised. Absolutely terrible. Happened to my organisation this year and it sucks! I hope all affected get the support they need

I love these every year. I did find it amusing that Square Enix has 2 and both are just blatent adverts - and spike chunsofts is of a game only available on switch 😅

Should have made factions 2 for Pt 2 Remastered and be done with it. Its massively frustrating because it likely means we'll only see 1 new title from naughty dog for the whole of the PS5 generation - and thats if we're lucky at this point. And this is a story that will be repeated across many other fp studios. Its a gamble that clearly hasnt worked and ultimately has left the mid life period of the console feeling light from a first party perspective.

With that said, i have full sympathy with all who worked so hard on this title. I hope they can turn their frustrations into something even more rewarding in their next release

It is disapointing given this game was in development as a multiplatform title prior to the bethesda buyout (albeit no platforms were announced), but i guess its no less exclusionary than spidey exclusively releasing on playstation. Despite the debate, id be genuinely shocked if blade is not also exclusive. Will be interesting to see how well they perform at market

Microsoft needs the exclusives and competition is good for Sony. It might prompt Sony to get the hammer out and break open the case marked Uncharted 5 which at this point would be a good thing

• Digital only means lack of eyes on the product in stores thus lower exposure - even for those that might purchase digitally
• released at a busy time when many were playing spiderman 2
• digital is expensive. Physical release = increased competition and opportunity for resale. Im another that probably would have bought day 1 if a disc was released. Instead will wait for a sale.
• personally didnt love AW1 (remastered) despite the hype and loving Remedy's other output so valued the opportunity to trade in when i was done.

For what its worth i do want to play the game, but not until its either on a deep sale or releases on disc.

Yep as others have said, dont give this story any oxygen here. Not interested in giving it any exposure.

First and foremost, I hope that Sony and Insomniac are able to quickly identify the full nature of the leaks and the risks to personel and put the security and wellbeing of their staff front and centre

Most played:

Hogwarts legacy - 84 hours
Final Fantasy 16 - 78 hours
Lost Judgment - 70 hours
Spiderman 2 - 34 hours
Resident Evil 4 Remake - 23 hours

Pretty happy with that line up!

I already know next year will include Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and Persona 3 reloaded - of that i have no doubt

As an aside i was pleased to see return to monkey island as my most played game in January

I guess online platforms like youtube giving publishers and developers greater reach to their community for significantly lower cost, and the likes of Summer Game Fest dealt massive damage to E3 (pun intended).

I'll miss it, for all its issues. I have great memories of getting hyped for various showcases and i liked the reliability- you knew what month Sony would be announcing the latest and greatest releases, whereas now its a lottery and we are at the whim of when they randomly decide to announce stuff.

So its farewell from me and a thank you for the memories. It had lost its way and it was probably its time - but while it lasted, it was fab

This sucks. Hopefully all the devs can land on their feet as soon as possible

@Arkham24601 @JDCII haha glad im not alone! Rocking a 43 inch 1080p that i bought in 2012 and my wife is saying new to a new one until ours breaks. Really fascinated to see how transformational it will be.

As for PS5 pro, im not interested in half gen refreshes. I still dont feel we are seeing what the base model is capable of and are still a year or two away from that due to the cross-gen releases. Feels like it will be more of a niche product like the PS4 pro - albeit one i would pick up if my PS5 were to die. Would not be surprised to see a bundle / marketting deal for GTA6

@ShogunRok how easy did you find it to drop back into the game after a break i tend to forget the controls and how to play titles pretty quickly after finishing a game - and having completed 16 at launch, i am curious if its a tall order to drop back in

Just to say PushSquare Team, thank you. This little quiz has become a bit of an annual tradition now and i always look forward to it.

Thank you for continuing to run things like this (on that note we havent had a weekly quiz for a while 😄)

@personauser93 ive said this before and got shot down. Its absolutely bizarre. I just dont understand Atlus. Microsoft having marketing rights is one thing but i've never known Sony to block developers from revealing all systems via socials etc when they have had similar.

I'm fascinated to see what the sales breakdown looks like for this

From a show perspective im glad i went to bed and caught up on the reveals later, but from an announcement perspective it has to be one of the best ever surely? Great announcements for a variety of systems. Excited for Final Fantasy 16 dlc, God of War, Rise of the Ronin, Jurassic Park (chanelling Alien Isolation no less? Count me right in), SEGA revivals, mana, Metaphor, among others.

Based on that earlier article, that kid that was going to slam his...uh... in a car door will be upset to wake up to the news of no elden ring dlc i guess 😅

Other observations:

• RIP my wallet
• Rise of the Ronin dropping in March feels a mistake given FF Rebirth releases then, but gives me hope that Sony has a stacked 2nd half of 2024 planned (and possibly dont want the game overshadowed by a potential Ghost 2 announcement?)

Anyway happy with some of the announcements. Some people are way too critical for shows like this

@PixelDragon And i advise you strongly not to. Its a generic snorefest, albeit beautiful to look at. Ironically i sat through it (in 4 sittings) thinking it would have been better as a game rather than a movie, although the reviews for this seem luke warm so perhaps not.

I adored this game as a kid. I thought it was excellent and played through it multiple times

Good. Either they are part of Playstation or they arnt. You cant be having different management structures from my perspective or you end up focussing on different goals and having different priorities. And it leads to a lack of coordination.

What has Bungie done to be in a position to dictate to naughty dog what they can and cant release for example, when ND can point to years of evidence showing they know how to develop successful products. That just breeds resentment that would be less likely to happen under a single management structure.

For my book allowing bethesda to have autonomy rather than being brought fully in house by Microsoft is a mistake, and it will be the same with Activision

Sony dont want to be dealing with that model surely. Keep it simple and aligned to what has brought them years of success. And if Bungie dont like it they should never have sold to Sony (and Sony made a mistake purchasing them)

Trailer has a great vibe so lets see. I reckon this is out between Jan and March 25 as Strauss Zelnick has previously estimated record profits for the next financial year

Could it finally be one of SEGAs super game concepts?

@Bez87 That's very much my concern. This is not Rockstar of the PS3 generation anymore, who were truly peerless. And all those creatives left in the lead up to and after RDR 2 launched as Take 2 increasingly doubled down on the money printing factory that is GTA online. They seem happy to fly by on brand name alone with the GTA trilogy release showing a complete lack of respect for the audience as they knew people would buy it as it had GTA on the box.

So where will the focus be here. Is it going to be on telling a fantastic story, or is it going to be creating a new playground for people to spend money in.

In my opinion the game will be very good (but not live up to the hype resulting from 10 years of waiting). I certainly dont expect the writing and parody to be as clever as it once was.

At this point why watch a leak. Just wait a couple more days for the official reveal. Genuinely fascinated on how this game turns out. This isnt the same Rockstar that released GTA5 / RDR 2. Fingers crossed!

Torgal dlc is a lock right?

Seriously, i would like to know more about what the medicine girl's deal was and if she is actually leviathan. It will also be interesting to see who we play as - could it be Jill, or even Gav? Both seem possible candidates

I actually think xbox game pass coming to nintendo's new console in the next year or so will be one of those megaton announcements that come around every few years.

It makes alot of sense as it will give microsoft a foothold in japan given the expected wide adoption of the successor to switch, and access to a handheld device without having to develop hardware of their own.

From nintendo's perspective they already are increasingly developing closer ties with microsoft and perhaps they get support with building out their cloud and online infrastructure, as well as access to microsoft's first party

Money could have been much better spent on bolstering what Sony was already good at in my opinion.

I still think this happens in the future and the likes of Elder Scrolls VI come to Playstation. If Microsoft pull out of the console market in particular it will be no different to a service like EA access and Ubisoft plus where Sony take a cut.

Really interested in powerwash given all the buzz so will defo give that a whirl. Lego 2K drive might be fun with the kids. Sable looks interesting visually, although i seem to remember hearing the game is less memorable. Happy with this month overall

Didnt we get a 10th anniversary release too? Will we hit 30 years before the sequel? Ubi has fumbled this series hard

Why not put the studio up for sale?

Hahaha thank you for reminding us of Christopher Judge's speech. That was a fantastic moment 😅

Tbh i am extremely glad i DIDNT grow up in the age of fortnite, genshin impact, and roblox. The thought of getting currency for those money sinks for xmas may be a sign of the times, but will never replace the magic of unwrapping my mega drive and sonic the hedgehog 2 back in the day, or getting my gameboy, or finding a PS2 and some games under the tree (GTA3). It simply does not compare.

Im looking forward to continuing the magic with my kids this christmas as they are now at the age where i have been able to get them a switch (yes i know a new one will be out next year), but having something physical for them to open and to see the joy on their faces playing through something like mario kart will be wonderful. I genuinely dread the day my daughter hears about roblox. As someone who has gamed for 30+ years, it simply is not for me. Give me my JRPG's that are launching in the spring over that any day of the week.

@Vega37 yes i was keeping everything crossed it would hit in early december (dare i say a missed opportunity??) , and digital coin just doesnt have the same impact!

Which makes it all the more ridiculous i cant gift a game to my sister in law for christmas. I want to get her balders gate 3, but it doesnt feel the same just giving her some random psn top up card

On the shelf for when i finish Dead Space Remake 👍

Sony will be boasting impressive numbers shortly. PS5 is everywhere at the moment and i have seen a lot of people walking out of shops today with one

Yep i have mine and thoroughly enjoyed it too! I actually thought the plat completion was higher, having looked at PSN profiles this morning, but its a good sign in particular that people are seeing out the story and then sticking around for more content

Embracer grew too quickly without a clear vision or plan for how to manage all these studios. Embracer group is made up of business people with no experience in the video game market and just saw a money making opportunity by harvesting up 'name' intellectual property in the hope of spinning a profit on name alone.

The layoffs will absolutely continue to happen as the human cost appears secondary, particularly with statements like those above:

'but we know it's a necessary thing for us to hit our new and needed goals. So overall, good progress, and we push on."

It's like they are saying we have to make a statement about it to show we care, but really we are only interested in our bottom line. Talking about the layoffs in the same paragraph as good progress is gross

@UltimateOtaku91 🤣🤣

What on earth did i just watch....knack....3...confirmed?

Games, Games, Games. That is the secret ingredient that has led to their success. Putting PS1 and PS2 aside for a moment, it was the doubling down on quality first party software, and supporting 'niche' 3rd party titles like the Yakuza series before they became big that has helped to define Sony's current identity and success. We can talk about Microsoft dropping the ball with the launch of the Xbox One, but Sony's first party output from the end of the PS3's life through to the start of the PS5's life has continuously kept that momentum going, supported by that top tier third party exclusive content that - even if it has spread its wings (cough Persona) - has an identity on Playstation.

Hopefully this shows that simply buying studios is not enough.

Sony must continue to evaluate the reasons for their success and don't move away from this. There are some games with fantastic potential on the horizon (Wolverine, Ghost of Tsushima 2 etc) so i remain excited to see what is coming next

@chrichtonsworld i dont want the case to fail. Lower prices is better for consumers and increasingly so as we approach an all digital future. Just anticipating the arguments Sony will make in their defence.

My hope is however that regardless of outcome, this is the start of greater conversations around long term consumer protection as the industry heads towards an all digital future. By which i mean:

1. Removal of monopoly on pricing on the PS Store as and when there is no alternative route to purchase

2. Consumer protection against paid for content being removed at the whim of the platform holder (i.e. through store front's being shut down - i have ALOT of digital vita content and if the store gets closed i would be furious)

3. Greater archiving of digital content

So in summary:

No i dont want the case to fail if it is found Sony adopted unethical practices.

No i dont see Sony losing the case, but if they do, hey i will get some money back.

Yes i want to see greater consumer protections in place for gamers

Way i see it is that this case falls down because:

1. Sony isnt forcing anyone to pay those prices. People can make their own purchasing decisions

2. For those unhappy with the digital price, there is more often than not a physical version available to buy at retail

3. Third parties set their own prices on the store. Sony has said this multiple times

4. Other platforms - as noted in the article - take a similar cut to Sony and charge the same prices on the store front

5. Sony regularly discount the prices of digital games on the store. Pretty much every title has had some form of discount over the past year

There are other factors at play too but will leave it there. I will say its an important case to bring when thinking about the bigger picture and as games increasingly go digital only. There will have to be some form of secondary market to keep publishers honest, but that is a conversation for another day

Will be more meaningful next year with a year of stats based on a readily available system. Not to say this isnt impressive, but stock shortages last year have had a significant influence on these figures.

Granted this months sales are going to be insane. Sony is pushing PS5 stock HARD for black friday and has been for over a month to clear out all the old stock of 'fat' PS5's. That - combined with Spiderman 2 - are going to result in silly sales numbers

@DonaldMcRonald I mean that has to be the only valid explanation!!