@1shayd Is it cheaper? I don't know why the PSNow library always falls flat for me when I peek at it, and I don't look too much more into it after that. I had a sub for a minute when I had a PSVITA and would stream PS2/PS3 games. If the value and library is there for people, I think more people should be talking about it!
I also only have Gamepass for PC which is a smaller library (with some PC exclusives), but only $9.99/mo and just kills it for me and my taste, plus getting new releases day one really staves of FOMO feelings and helps me keep spending under control.
@1shayd It’s a common comparison because they’re both gaming subscription services that offer access to games. It doesn’t matter as much how the companies try to distinguish them. From my end, I compare all subs including gaming, video streaming, etc., just to sort out my entertainment budget. It’s a bang for buck operation from the user end, regardless of how these companies want to position themselves.
@HotGoomba I probably shouldn't have "@" ed you... I was trying to follow the "negativity" comments going up the thread and I might've missed the plot. I didn't mean my reply to be pointed AT you, but rather I wanted to invite you to this conversation about what the "negative" really is in these threads. I should have done that better, and hope @naruball and @TommyNL get to read this comment before they take the other one personally.
I think you're right as far as judging games, and honestly if that was the majority of the discussion in these comments, that would be the way to do it. That said, Hitman 2's servers are shut down for Frank's sake. That's really insulting to put it out on the service no matter how good the game was.
What you are saying is how I feel personally — I don't think I've ever said a thing about a PS+ game being bad or worth nobody's time, or even that there was a "bad month".
The bee in my bonnet is — and I hate to call it this but there's no other way to put it — the Sony Defense Force who comes out and polices the comment section for anyone who complains and calls them names, even blames society's ills on their mentality. The latest argument is that we should only be allowed to compare it with Games With Gold, which is completely disingenuous from a consumer perspective. I WISH we were just talking about the games on their own merits, but something else entirely is going on in here.
The comment section HAS been the past few months, pretty much after FF7R — even though I personally thought VF5 was huge deal even if it didn't pan out that way. I think the reason is really that during those months — which was during and since E3 — the story has really been about the contrast with Gamepass. It's a very hard comparison to get out of, and a very hard conversation to ignore. You're pitting WWE Battlegrounds, Hunters Arena Legends and Hitman 2 against Flight Simulator, Hades, Psychonauts 2 — truly bargain bin stuff no matter how you slice it versus three GOTY contenders. It's ROUGH to have you're money locked in a Sony sub when that's what's happening. We HAVE to talk about that. It should be indefensible, and the conversation should not be being dismissed the way it is on this and other forums. I think people should be complaining loudly until Sony restructures Now and Plus into something looking like parity with Gamepass, not this Crunchyroll premium BS they're trying to pull now.
@HotGoomba @naruball @TommyNL What side of this argument is the "negative" one?
From my POV, it is toxic and really kind of nasty to call fellow gamers and commenters "entitled" who are disappointed in a service they are paying for, and that's about half these comments.
Rah-rah cheerleading or defending Sony here is not "positive" because you're not complaining, and going after people who do.
Some of us don't have the luxury to not be getting value for the money we spend for entertainment. Maybe everyone who calls people "entitled" should be forced to play these PS+ games. In fact... I promise for every ONE PERSON who commits to streaming these games to a satisfactory degree of completion each month, I will not comment or complain or shoutout XBox Gamepass in the PS+ article, and I implore my fellow "Oliver Twists*" to do the same.
"Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:
'Please, sir, I want some more.'
The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear.
'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice.
'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.'
The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle."
@Bubba_Cho_Tep If you get the good annual deals you're probably right, but keep in mind we're in a transition generation, and a lot of us don't have a PS5 now or in the near future. If it wasn't for Guilty Gear Strive, I'd be right pissed I'm paying for a PS4 sub right now I haven't used otherwise since I packed up Greedfall and found out VF5 netcode was total cheeks where I live.
I never like to tell people how to spend their money and what a value is to them, especially when all our bank accounts are leaking with these service subscriptions for nearly every piece of entertainment and lots of software some people need for work as well.
So you're totally right in a sense, but please have more sympathy for those in different financial circumstances. Sony was a really great place to be a hardcore gamer on a tight budget for most of this last generation, but it's rough times now and for the foreseeable future.
@TooBarFoo They are good games — at the very least quality games even if they're not your cup of tea.
The problem is best illustrated by the most extreme example: the PlayAtHome Bundle 2 has to rank as one of — if not the best free game bundle of all time. Problem is, I had had owned and played all but one of those games already. After a near-religious experience over 80 hours with Subnautica, now what?
What people want is Gamepass LITE. They want a new game — at least new-to-them to occupy some time. Doesn't have to set the world on fire, but occasionally can. Imagine if September PS+ was Hades and Psychonauts 2, cuz that's what's happening "over the fence".
There's some kind of FOMO going on as well as some kind of weird reflexive defense of PS+ — when it's good (Control, FF7R, VF5) , Sony is the best and winning the gemeration. When it's WWE Battlegrounds and Hitman 2, it's a free extra (tell my bank) and we're ungrateful, entitled Oliver Twists who are asking for more.
@JapaneseSonic From my POV I don't really care about XBox per se, but you're right it is definitely a cult... we want to share with you brothers and sisters in the Good News!
I haven't had an XBox full-time since the original — still don't — because I really do not care for their output since those days of JSRF / SegaGT, Munch's Oddysey, Blue Dragon, etc. For me it's about the simple fact that for my budget and tastes... listen, Sony was killing it earlier in the year with Control, FF7R, Greedfall, and the PlayAtHome 2 Bundle, and I got a lot of action over that period. But WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY? I've downloaded and play about 15 games over the last month and a half on Gamepass — really tucked in to about half of those — and I've spent $10 so far (Gamepass for PC). None of them (save Sunset Overdrive which wasn't a hit for me) are exclusive, I think they're all on PS4/5 and most on Switch too.
I know this site silos all it's users by platform, but for me it's really from a gamer perspective and this is the best play to play right now. When Sony announces it's PlaystationNowNext that blows Gamepass out of the water — or at least has parity in an ecosystem I'd rather be in all things being equal — I'll be in that cult and razz the meatheads in XBox with their Gears and Halo and the car game. For now, while Sony makes the Last Of Us Again (Again), Last Of Us the TV Show, Last Of Us multiplayer, and Last Of Us the breakfast cereal, I'll be playing games in the glorious green glow of the savior-of-the-moment... until Metroid Dread and Elden Ring comes out anyway.
@JapaneseSonic Fair point if you’re looking at it from a product perspective, but from a consumer perspective, Gamepass and/or Ultimate is your MS monthly sub, and PS+ is your monthly Sony sub. Microsoft doesn’t need to pay shills, we’re happy to do it for free. Not only is an amazing value for people who have a broad taste in games, the conversation around it are generally very positive. Check out a Pure XBox comment thread after even the weakest Gamepass release and compare to this fanboy mayonnaise that’s been sitting out in the sun of bad news week after week, month after month since the early Spring.
@SJBUK You're probably right as far as the reality of the situation, but there's enough talk about "New PS5 WORSE than Original", it's going to catch some people surely. For example, I don't know the rates for "Switch Pro" holdouts, but how many people waited because of unfounded rumors of a Switch Pro around the corner for the last couple of years, and likely even still. I'm not exactly in the market right now or even soon, but even though I know what you're saying is more than likely true, I'm still hoping there are some tests done on internal chip temps that makes the rounds once these models are in the wild. The concern then becomes about "let's wait for the facts" actually coming to fruition — good news and reassurances do not make headlines the way alarm and FUD does.
@Telekill It is a concern for people looking to get a PS5 now or in the near future, and it’s not an overreaction.
The problem (and maybe the bigger reason for your woe for humanity as well) is that it is confusing.
1) We have some facts: the new PS5 has smaller heat sinks and the exhaust runs hotter.
2) We have two contradictory conclusions: either new PS5 is running hotter internally, thus the exhaust is hotter, or the new PS5 is more efficient at cooling, thus the exhaust is hotter. Both sounds sensible to a laymen.
3). We have more people interested in the narrative than the truth. Most comments — and this is everywhere — are not trying to get to the truth, but dismissing the position that disagrees with what they would prefer to be true. The evidence is “Sony is too good to fail” vs. “Sony is evil corporation ripping off gamers”.
That’s the cocktail for your drama. Genuine news, genuine reasons for concern, churned up in a cottage industry of clicks and comments that’s optimizing for outrage, doubt, and division.
@uptownsoul That makes sense. I don’t have a PS5, but from the outside it seems like the whole library is PS4 games one way (backwards compatibility) or the other (PS5 version is PS4 with similar performance boost to BC plus DualSense support).
@uptownsoul I must be missing something... what exactly is the issue with the Playstation release? I mean we're lucky in the sense that it's available on Playstation at all i.e., it's an XBox Studios game. Could have been made exclusive.
@PanFriedSoup I hope so. In fact, I believe that there likely is something innovative gameplay-wise that can be done with Sony’s SSD tech, but the sector of the industry than could put the resources to work to do it have become so risk-averse that our only chance is Sony first-party — which now has a track record of presenting common 3D coding solutions as proprietary technology (e.g. Horizon’s camera geometry culling) and the fanboys fall for it and never push them to truly do something new and special.
I totally agree with you on the tech jump too. I think Dreamcast was the last time I really felt that leap where new possibilities seemed imminent, save VR of course.The NHL 22 footage looked like the same game I played on PS3 a decade ago in everything but resolution.
@uptownsoul Why not? We’re lucky to have it on Playstation at all. Shouldn’t you be supporting it Day 1 full price is so? If you wanna “stick it to Microsoft” get a $1 trial then cancel it.
@NomNom I’m not mad at all. I’m a little disappointed for all the technological marvels of the PS5, there’s nothing new under the sun, but mostly I feel embarrassed for all the fanboys who refuse to believe Sony sold them some snake oil.
I like the attempt at a uniformity, but I can’t stop seeing a “pause” button where they intended an ii. Just me? Maybe they should have stylized it or added the caps if it’s not.
30+ Game Dev: Ratchet tech is marketing hype, can be done on a PS3.
@NomNom Because Sony PS3 is so amazing
Good grief!
@CielloArc Why move the goalposts to make a “Blast Processing”-esque BS marketing attempt true somehow?
Of course the fidelity would scale with the system Nobody is imagining the PS3 has PS5 level pocket dimensions, and nobody is even saying PS5 is not great piece of hardware. It’s just not as special or unique as Sony is trying to claim it to be and fanboys need it to be for some reason to validate it.
@Voltan That’s not what he’s saying. Of course any game can load something behind a load screen or stream in during an elevator/corridor/door animation. He’s saying what Ratchet and Clank boasted about being only possible on PS5 is very possible on even a PS3. We literally had an article on here this year about Argonaut achieving a Portal-like effect on N64, which is a couple of assets away from being a Rachet and Clank “rift”.
@Voltan Anji has a great AA option against reckless jumping Chipps with Kou — so active, good damage off a hit and some movement options off a whiff and just a huge active hit box... the Chipp “nerf’ might make it even more consistent too.
I lose to Chipp just cuz I’m old and dull and he’s too fast haha.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m new to GG and have no baggage or assumed play style, it I play very defensive and reactive with Anji, and only go “gorilla” when I have meter and corner. It’s easy to be brainless with Fuujin, and players that lab it can basically shut it down, but I think his normals and pressure decent enough that Fuujin becomes stronger the more sparingly it’s used.
Anji definitely has a very different game plan that most of the cast, and I think it’s just the age we’re in with streaming and YouTube that people follow the “meta” and tiers more than they ought to, that you don’t see him much. Conversely, I hardly find Sol matches because they got “shamed” by the community for playing a strong “OP” but not really character.
THIS is how you balance a game. BUFF > NERF. The balance is very good already — streamers complain about Sol but the fact is someone is going to be strongest and Sol was very fun to play and play against. We’ll see how the “meta” changes but Strive feels a lot more like a matchup/knowledge game than a raw tier driven game.
Sol was the best character, but I’ve been shredding them with low-tier Anji. Guardpoints and counters beat “gorilla” mode 7-3.
Yo that Anji buff!!! Easily my best character and I was not struggling like the streamers were (I bounce between floors 8 & 9 to be fair)... giving him Fuujin follow-ups on whiff gives some more interesting looks in neutral and mid-range, and those moves might have new properties and utility and these new ranges.
@kingbreww Sounds like the internals are identical, just some alterations to the form factor. Unless overheating is an issue with the update for some reason, performance should be identical.
@Amppari Tokyo Jungle was this decade so I have to disagree. Sony Japan was crushing the PS3/PSVita era. I don’t know what happened in the PS4 era — especially when you consider Sony now had the proper online marketplace to support those creative sub-20$ games like Tokyo Jungle and squandered it.
@PossibLeigh No I didn’t! That’s really cool you thought of me I really appreciate it!!! Downloading as soon as I get home. How you been? What have you been playing?
@Saucymonk I downloaded on Gamepass and will definitely check out. Some of the negatives here seem like a positive — I’d prefer a breezy, fast - paced Metroidvania right now over getting bogged down with puzzles and overwrought combat — basically whatever the opposite of Narita Boy to maybe help get that bad taste out of my mouth for the genre.
@The_Moose Don’t be so sure. It’s one thing when they’re dominating the market. It’s another when their main competition is going the opposite direction with value.
I don’t want to tell anyone what the value of their dollar is, but you have to look at it a little objectively — paying $30 to play a title you already played again with marginal improvements is a sucker’s game, especially with what you can get for that price in other places.
The pricing scheme here is ridiculous and confusing. I have a feeling it’s going to tarnish the title. Do you really have to upgrade a PS4 copy TWICE to play on native PS5??
@ATaco We’ll see. Microsoft has been pretty generous with its IP on Switch. Maybe exclusivity windows will be the model going forward for some titles a la Sony’s PC outings.
@ATaco That's really interesting to think about. I don't know much at all about the Japanese streaming scene. I only heard about Apex's popularity from 8-4 Play Podcast.
Still, even though there's no hard data, there's a lot of solid points of inference like Steam data on sales and concurrent players, comparing those other historical data, other digital platforms with platform:platform ratios (which get announced sometimes), physical:digital ratios, the odd announcement of digital sales and player bases, etc.
You're right about the trends and that information will be less and less reliable until there is better and more available digital tracking, but we can make pretty good assumptions now. There aren't any secret hits or successes we don't know about hiding on a digital storefront.
I think folks in here have some phantom Top 50 digital sales chart in their hearts, where Sony/PS5 has blocked out every other platform and there's some media conspiracy to hide that data because everyone hates Sony. So while I think you're correct in your overall assessment, I don't think there a good reason to think there are these huge anomalies or outliers to the obvious assumptions — that then all happen to favor Sony — to support the wishful thinking counter-narrative in this comment section.
@ATaco I think so too. I think Microsoft ended up with the best situation for themselves given their strategy of pushing services over hardware, and my theory about Nintendo is that the OLED model was made from the screens they procured for a cancelled Switch 2/Pro, so they didn’t dodge a bullet so much as make lemons out of lemonade. Sony got the brunt of the disruption. Personally I think they should have delayed the launch and but I have no idea how much it costs to delay a project like that.
@Titntin Dude, I’m playing more games than I ever have, just not on a PS5. I love this messed-up in between generation. GG Strive is keeping my PS4 spinning, and I got Gamepass for PC which really took over my Switch gaming and the older titles I was playing on Steam.
I’m glad your having a great time too! We’re obviously in two different bubbles, and that’s why we should be sharing our perspectives — especially when they seem “negative” to the other. You’re obviously in peer groups that had the resources to get PS5s and maybe not hurt so much spending 70 bucks on a game.
My gaming peer group was hit very hard by the pandemic, and some of my friends have turned to emulation and pira.... “retro”, some have gone to indie games on potato PC laptops and some have gone to Gamepass on PC or Series S.
I think Sony did a great thing with the free games they’ve putting out so I’m not trying to knock them wholesale. I’m really talking about the PS5’s position today from that perspective, and, obviously from Japan relating to this article.
From my perspective, Sony is losing a lot of fans, and not because they want to leave for greener pastures. They’re getting priced out and the company is tone-deaf to what they want, of which AA, indie, and Japanese games is a major part of.
Does that not warrant a “negative” attitude because you’re having fun? Isn’t it obvious there’s also a lot of people who are going to be left behind?
@rjejr I grabbed Sekiro and Yakuza 7 for $10 and $20, plus Nioh and Nioh 2 for pennies around that same time. I thought GoT at $30 was an indication it would be $20 after the holidays. I kinda wish I snapped it up, but now I think I’ll just wait until this edition is bargain bin cheap because I don’t know when I’ll be able to find or afford a PS5.
@ATaco For sure, but it’s really interesting besides the “rah rah” console wars stuff.
There hasn’t been a chart domination like that in over 30 years. It means “something” and more than just a console pissing contest. Since we’re on the Sony site, you gotta point out it’s not a good look for Sony at all. How many games are hiding on the digital only charts really? Games tend to do well on both in a proportionate ratio.
I think it maps onto Sony’s abandonment of Japan, and this either is the canary in the coal mine that they saw coming and it justifies their pulling of resources there, or the first results of many indicating they being out of touch with reality. All speculation, but what else is a gaming forum for?
@Flaming_Kaiser I can’t tell you what a good value is to you. I played FFVIIR on Plus, so I’d be paying $70 for a DLC. If I had the disc and a PS5, personally I wouldn’t buy maybe Death Stranding or GoT with this new model I might bite if there was nothing else to play... which seems like the case now.
I played all backlog and old games in 2020 and I appreciate the idea of extending the generation and the longevity of these titles, but being very cheap is a big part of the value there. I heard this somewhere and I think they nailed it: Playstation 5 is the best system... to play PS4 games.
Maybe it’s a value to you and I, but it’s a tough sell to most people. This isn’t the Wii U where most people missed these games, and even then I think it’s fair to be critical of those prices. Two years ago when I had money to burn on games, I’d grab Super Mario 3D World for $60, and GoT + DLC for full price even though I waited for price drop. Now though? No way.
@Titntin What’s my agenda!? I love talking about games. I’ve been playing my whole life. I’ve loved Atari, Nintendo, NEC, SEGA, Sony and Microsoft machines, and recently started playing on PC for the first time since the Apple IIc, and play on Steam, Epic, Xbox, and itch.io.
My “agenda” is Sony pushed an expensive system out during a pandemic with global supply chain shortages into the hands of profiteers. They cut off their legs in Japan. They’re pushing the prices of games up during a time when most economies are in the dumps. They can’t even justify their new hardware for most of the owners, complaining about cross-gen holding innovation back (which I don’t necessarily agree with).
My “agenda” is I love gaming more than any I care about one company or corporation, and I’m not going to be a sycophant or believe their PR on it’s face, especially when the reality for me and others is very different.
I want to Sony (and everyone) to do well. They were amazing in the PS4 era when they didn’t even have to be to succeed. That is not what’s happening today, and I’m not going to talk about how nice the emperor’s clothes are with fanboys.
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Re: PS Plus PS5, PS4 Games for September 2021 Announced
@1shayd Is it cheaper? I don't know why the PSNow library always falls flat for me when I peek at it, and I don't look too much more into it after that. I had a sub for a minute when I had a PSVITA and would stream PS2/PS3 games. If the value and library is there for people, I think more people should be talking about it!
I also only have Gamepass for PC which is a smaller library (with some PC exclusives), but only $9.99/mo and just kills it for me and my taste, plus getting new releases day one really staves of FOMO feelings and helps me keep spending under control.
Re: PS Plus PS5, PS4 Games for September 2021 Announced
@1shayd It’s a common comparison because they’re both gaming subscription services that offer access to games. It doesn’t matter as much how the companies try to distinguish them. From my end, I compare all subs including gaming, video streaming, etc., just to sort out my entertainment budget. It’s a bang for buck operation from the user end, regardless of how these companies want to position themselves.
Re: PS Plus PS5, PS4 Games for September 2021 Announced
@naruball Start at the beginning, then, when you get to the end, stop.
Re: Horizon Forbidden West Will Now Offer Free PS4 to PS5 Upgrade, Sony Confirms
@Steel76 “ So, I wonder what the fanboys (who defended Sony about paying for the upgrade) have to say now”
Thank you.
Re: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced
@HotGoomba I probably shouldn't have "@" ed you... I was trying to follow the "negativity" comments going up the thread and I might've missed the plot. I didn't mean my reply to be pointed AT you, but rather I wanted to invite you to this conversation about what the "negative" really is in these threads. I should have done that better, and hope @naruball and @TommyNL get to read this comment before they take the other one personally.
I think you're right as far as judging games, and honestly if that was the majority of the discussion in these comments, that would be the way to do it. That said, Hitman 2's servers are shut down for Frank's sake. That's really insulting to put it out on the service no matter how good the game was.
What you are saying is how I feel personally — I don't think I've ever said a thing about a PS+ game being bad or worth nobody's time, or even that there was a "bad month".
The bee in my bonnet is — and I hate to call it this but there's no other way to put it — the Sony Defense Force who comes out and polices the comment section for anyone who complains and calls them names, even blames society's ills on their mentality. The latest argument is that we should only be allowed to compare it with Games With Gold, which is completely disingenuous from a consumer perspective. I WISH we were just talking about the games on their own merits, but something else entirely is going on in here.
The comment section HAS been the past few months, pretty much after FF7R — even though I personally thought VF5 was huge deal even if it didn't pan out that way. I think the reason is really that during those months — which was during and since E3 — the story has really been about the contrast with Gamepass. It's a very hard comparison to get out of, and a very hard conversation to ignore. You're pitting WWE Battlegrounds, Hunters Arena Legends and Hitman 2 against Flight Simulator, Hades, Psychonauts 2 — truly bargain bin stuff no matter how you slice it versus three GOTY contenders. It's ROUGH to have you're money locked in a Sony sub when that's what's happening. We HAVE to talk about that. It should be indefensible, and the conversation should not be being dismissed the way it is on this and other forums. I think people should be complaining loudly until Sony restructures Now and Plus into something looking like parity with Gamepass, not this Crunchyroll premium BS they're trying to pull now.
Re: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced
@HotGoomba @naruball @TommyNL What side of this argument is the "negative" one?
From my POV, it is toxic and really kind of nasty to call fellow gamers and commenters "entitled" who are disappointed in a service they are paying for, and that's about half these comments.
Rah-rah cheerleading or defending Sony here is not "positive" because you're not complaining, and going after people who do.
Some of us don't have the luxury to not be getting value for the money we spend for entertainment. Maybe everyone who calls people "entitled" should be forced to play these PS+ games. In fact... I promise for every ONE PERSON who commits to streaming these games to a satisfactory degree of completion each month, I will not comment or complain or shoutout XBox Gamepass in the PS+ article, and I implore my fellow "Oliver Twists*" to do the same.
"Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:
'Please, sir, I want some more.'
The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear.
'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice.
'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.'
The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in his arm; and shrieked aloud for the beadle."
Re: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced
@Bubba_Cho_Tep If you get the good annual deals you're probably right, but keep in mind we're in a transition generation, and a lot of us don't have a PS5 now or in the near future. If it wasn't for Guilty Gear Strive, I'd be right pissed I'm paying for a PS4 sub right now I haven't used otherwise since I packed up Greedfall and found out VF5 netcode was total cheeks where I live.
I never like to tell people how to spend their money and what a value is to them, especially when all our bank accounts are leaking with these service subscriptions for nearly every piece of entertainment and lots of software some people need for work as well.
So you're totally right in a sense, but please have more sympathy for those in different financial circumstances. Sony was a really great place to be a hardcore gamer on a tight budget for most of this last generation, but it's rough times now and for the foreseeable future.
Re: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced
@TooBarFoo They are good games — at the very least quality games even if they're not your cup of tea.
The problem is best illustrated by the most extreme example: the PlayAtHome Bundle 2 has to rank as one of — if not the best free game bundle of all time. Problem is, I had had owned and played all but one of those games already. After a near-religious experience over 80 hours with Subnautica, now what?
What people want is Gamepass LITE. They want a new game — at least new-to-them to occupy some time. Doesn't have to set the world on fire, but occasionally can. Imagine if September PS+ was Hades and Psychonauts 2, cuz that's what's happening "over the fence".
There's some kind of FOMO going on as well as some kind of weird reflexive defense of PS+ — when it's good (Control, FF7R, VF5) , Sony is the best and winning the gemeration. When it's WWE Battlegrounds and Hitman 2, it's a free extra (tell my bank) and we're ungrateful, entitled Oliver Twists who are asking for more.
Re: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced
@JapaneseSonic From my POV I don't really care about XBox per se, but you're right it is definitely a cult... we want to share with you brothers and sisters in the Good News!
I haven't had an XBox full-time since the original — still don't — because I really do not care for their output since those days of JSRF / SegaGT, Munch's Oddysey, Blue Dragon, etc.
For me it's about the simple fact that for my budget and tastes... listen, Sony was killing it earlier in the year with Control, FF7R, Greedfall, and the PlayAtHome 2 Bundle, and I got a lot of action over that period. But WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY? I've downloaded and play about 15 games over the last month and a half on Gamepass — really tucked in to about half of those — and I've spent $10 so far (Gamepass for PC). None of them (save Sunset Overdrive which wasn't a hit for me) are exclusive, I think they're all on PS4/5 and most on Switch too.
I know this site silos all it's users by platform, but for me it's really from a gamer perspective and this is the best play to play right now. When Sony announces it's PlaystationNowNext that blows Gamepass out of the water — or at least has parity in an ecosystem I'd rather be in all things being equal — I'll be in that cult and razz the meatheads in XBox with their Gears and Halo and the car game. For now, while Sony makes the Last Of Us Again (Again), Last Of Us the TV Show, Last Of Us multiplayer, and Last Of Us the breakfast cereal, I'll be playing games in the glorious green glow of the savior-of-the-moment... until Metroid Dread and Elden Ring comes out anyway.
Re: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Announced
@JapaneseSonic Fair point if you’re looking at it from a product perspective, but from a consumer perspective, Gamepass and/or Ultimate is your MS monthly sub, and PS+ is your monthly Sony sub.
Microsoft doesn’t need to pay shills, we’re happy to do it for free. Not only is an amazing value for people who have a broad taste in games, the conversation around it are generally very positive. Check out a Pure XBox comment thread after even the weakest Gamepass release and compare to this fanboy mayonnaise that’s been sitting out in the sun of bad news week after week, month after month since the early Spring.
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@uptownsoul Makes sense. I hope Psychonauts 2 is the only game that might lose you.
Re: PS5 Revision Teardown Prompts Cooling Concerns
@SJBUK You're probably right as far as the reality of the situation, but there's enough talk about "New PS5 WORSE than Original", it's going to catch some people surely. For example, I don't know the rates for "Switch Pro" holdouts, but how many people waited because of unfounded rumors of a Switch Pro around the corner for the last couple of years, and likely even still.
I'm not exactly in the market right now or even soon, but even though I know what you're saying is more than likely true, I'm still hoping there are some tests done on internal chip temps that makes the rounds once these models are in the wild. The concern then becomes about "let's wait for the facts" actually coming to fruition — good news and reassurances do not make headlines the way alarm and FUD does.
Re: PS5 Revision Teardown Prompts Cooling Concerns
@Telekill It is a concern for people looking to get a PS5 now or in the near future, and it’s not an overreaction.
The problem (and maybe the bigger reason for your woe for humanity as well) is that it is confusing.
1) We have some facts: the new PS5 has smaller heat sinks and the exhaust runs hotter.
2) We have two contradictory conclusions: either new PS5 is running hotter internally, thus the exhaust is hotter, or the new PS5 is more efficient at cooling, thus the exhaust is hotter. Both sounds sensible to a laymen.
3). We have more people interested in the narrative than the truth. Most comments — and this is everywhere — are not trying to get to the truth, but dismissing the position that disagrees with what they would prefer to be true. The evidence is “Sony is too good to fail” vs. “Sony is evil corporation ripping off gamers”.
That’s the cocktail for your drama. Genuine news, genuine reasons for concern, churned up in a cottage industry of clicks and comments that’s optimizing for outrage, doubt, and division.
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@uptownsoul That makes sense. I don’t have a PS5, but from the outside it seems like the whole library is PS4 games one way (backwards compatibility) or the other (PS5 version is PS4 with similar performance boost to BC plus DualSense support).
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@uptownsoul I gotcha. I don't understand the point — personally I don't buy more consoles to play less games — but I get were you're coming from.
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@uptownsoul I must be missing something... what exactly is the issue with the Playstation release? I mean we're lucky in the sense that it's available on Playstation at all i.e., it's an XBox Studios game. Could have been made exclusive.
Re: TT Games Founder Reckons Insomniac Games Misled Fans with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
@PanFriedSoup I hope so. In fact, I believe that there likely is something innovative gameplay-wise that can be done with Sony’s SSD tech, but the sector of the industry than could put the resources to work to do it have become so risk-averse that our only chance is Sony first-party — which now has a track record of presenting common 3D coding solutions as proprietary technology (e.g. Horizon’s camera geometry culling) and the fanboys fall for it and never push them to truly do something new and special.
I totally agree with you on the tech jump too. I think Dreamcast was the last time I really felt that leap where new possibilities seemed imminent, save VR of course.The NHL 22 footage looked like the same game I played on PS3 a decade ago in everything but resolution.
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@uptownsoul Why not? We’re lucky to have it on Playstation at all. Shouldn’t you be supporting it Day 1 full price is so? If you wanna “stick it to Microsoft” get a $1 trial then cancel it.
Re: TT Games Founder Reckons Insomniac Games Misled Fans with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
@NomNom I’m not mad at all. I’m a little disappointed for all the technological marvels of the PS5, there’s nothing new under the sun, but mostly I feel embarrassed for all the fanboys who refuse to believe Sony sold them some snake oil.
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@uptownsoul It’s a banner title for Gamepass and MS, doubt it will ever get onto PS+. $1 trial Gamepass if you have a PC that can run it.
Re: Soapbox: Don't Let Psychonauts 2 Pass You By
@nessisonett This was the game the got me to get onto Gamepass on PC. $1 trial sub to play Psychonauts whenever:)
Re: Horizon Zero Dawn's Logo Retroactively Refreshed to Reflect Forbidden West
I like the attempt at a uniformity, but I can’t stop seeing a “pause” button where they intended an ii. Just me? Maybe they should have stylized it or added the caps if it’s not.
Re: Rumour: PS Plus September 2021 PS5, PS4 Games Leaked Ahead of Official Reveal
@Jacko11 I think calling people who spend their money and feel ripped off “entitled babies” is pretty ‘cringe’. Who do you think you are?
Re: TT Games Founder Reckons Insomniac Games Misled Fans with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
30+ Game Dev: Ratchet tech is marketing hype, can be done on a PS3.
@NomNom Because Sony PS3 is so amazing
Good grief!
@CielloArc Why move the goalposts to make a “Blast Processing”-esque BS marketing attempt true somehow?
Of course the fidelity would scale with the system Nobody is imagining the PS3 has PS5 level pocket dimensions, and nobody is even saying PS5 is not great piece of hardware. It’s just not as special or unique as Sony is trying to claim it to be and fanboys need it to be for some reason to validate it.
Re: TT Games Founder Reckons Insomniac Games Misled Fans with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
@Voltan That’s not what he’s saying. Of course any game can load something behind a load screen or stream in during an elevator/corridor/door animation. He’s saying what Ratchet and Clank boasted about being only possible on PS5 is very possible on even a PS3. We literally had an article on here this year about Argonaut achieving a Portal-like effect on N64, which is a couple of assets away from being a Rachet and Clank “rift”.
Re: TT Games Founder Reckons Insomniac Games Misled Fans with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
I (and others) are feeling very vindicated by these statements. I’m going to make some popcorn and read the defense force bile in the comments now.
Re: Guilty Gear Strive Patch 1.09 Improves PS5, PS4 Pro Input Delay, Buffs a Lot of Characters
@Voltan Anji has a great AA option against reckless jumping Chipps with Kou — so active, good damage off a hit and some movement options off a whiff and just a huge active hit box... the Chipp “nerf’ might make it even more consistent too.
I lose to Chipp just cuz I’m old and dull and he’s too fast haha.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m new to GG and have no baggage or assumed play style, it I play very defensive and reactive with Anji, and only go “gorilla” when I have meter and corner. It’s easy to be brainless with Fuujin, and players that lab it can basically shut it down, but I think his normals and pressure decent enough that Fuujin becomes stronger the more sparingly it’s used.
Anji definitely has a very different game plan that most of the cast, and I think it’s just the age we’re in with streaming and YouTube that people follow the “meta” and tiers more than they ought to, that you don’t see him much. Conversely, I hardly find Sol matches because they got “shamed” by the community for playing a strong “OP” but not really character.
Re: Guilty Gear Strive Patch 1.09 Improves PS5, PS4 Pro Input Delay, Buffs a Lot of Characters
THIS is how you balance a game. BUFF > NERF. The balance is very good already — streamers complain about Sol but the fact is someone is going to be strongest and Sol was very fun to play and play against. We’ll see how the “meta” changes but Strive feels a lot more like a matchup/knowledge game than a raw tier driven game.
Sol was the best character, but I’ve been shredding them with low-tier Anji. Guardpoints and counters beat “gorilla” mode 7-3.
Yo that Anji buff!!! Easily my best character and I was not struggling like the streamers were (I bounce between floors 8 & 9 to be fair)... giving him Fuujin follow-ups on whiff gives some more interesting looks in neutral and mid-range, and those moves might have new properties and utility and these new ranges.
Re: PS5's Lighter, Revised Hardware Model Has Already Gone on Sale
@kingbreww Sounds like the internals are identical, just some alterations to the form factor. Unless overheating is an issue with the update for some reason, performance should be identical.
Re: Sony Investing in External Japanese Development Group
@Amppari Tokyo Jungle was this decade so I have to disagree. Sony Japan was crushing the PS3/PSVita era. I don’t know what happened in the PS4 era — especially when you consider Sony now had the proper online marketplace to support those creative sub-20$ games like Tokyo Jungle and squandered it.
Re: Sony Investing in External Japanese Development Group
@Steel76 They still “somewhat” are. That not doing it for ya?
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
Two weeks in a row.
/bump
Re: Ariana Grande Will Headline Huge Fortnite Concert This Weekend
@PossibLeigh No I didn’t! That’s really cool you thought of me I really appreciate it!!! Downloading as soon as I get home. How you been? What have you been playing?
Re: Mini Review: Recompile (PS5) - Digital Metroidvania Has Style But Little Substance
@Saucymonk I downloaded on Gamepass and will definitely check out. Some of the negatives here seem like a positive — I’d prefer a breezy, fast - paced Metroidvania right now over getting bogged down with puzzles and overwrought combat — basically whatever the opposite of Narita Boy to maybe help get that bad taste out of my mouth for the genre.
Re: Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut Is Superb, But Sony Shouldn't Be Charging Extra for PS5 Upgrade
@The_Moose Don’t be so sure. It’s one thing when they’re dominating the market. It’s another when their main competition is going the opposite direction with value.
I don’t want to tell anyone what the value of their dollar is, but you have to look at it a little objectively — paying $30 to play a title you already played again with marginal improvements is a sucker’s game, especially with what you can get for that price in other places.
Re: Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut Is Superb, But Sony Shouldn't Be Charging Extra for PS5 Upgrade
@The_Moose They shouldn’t just because they can. Goodwill goes a long way in this industry, and Sony is squandering theirs.
Re: Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut (PS5) - Excellent Iki Island Expansion Adds to an Already Amazing Adventure
Looking forward to playing this one day..
The pricing scheme here is ridiculous and confusing. I have a feeling it’s going to tarnish the title. Do you really have to upgrade a PS4 copy TWICE to play on native PS5??
Re: Black Myth: Wukong Returns, Looks Utterly Jaw-Dropping in New Gameplay Video
I think this is now my all-time favorite vaporware title.
Re: The Original Quake Is Out Now on PS4 with Improved Visuals, New Content, More
@ATaco We’ll see. Microsoft has been pretty generous with its IP on Switch. Maybe exclusivity windows will be the model going forward for some titles a la Sony’s PC outings.
Re: The Original Quake Is Out Now on PS4 with Improved Visuals, New Content, More
@__jamiie You might be right.. wasn’t Quake Champions a total dud? Never heard a peep about it after it was announced.
Re: If We Have to See Struggling, a Grotesque Co-Op Platformer Coming to PS4, Then So Do You
Can’t tell if it looks good or if it’s just streamer bait.
@Logonogo My thoughts too... Carrion meets Getting Over It. Artstyle is like Dethklok Metalocalypse’s gore by way of Earthworm Jim.
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@ATaco That's really interesting to think about. I don't know much at all about the Japanese streaming scene. I only heard about Apex's popularity from 8-4 Play Podcast.
Still, even though there's no hard data, there's a lot of solid points of inference like Steam data on sales and concurrent players, comparing those other historical data, other digital platforms with platform:platform ratios (which get announced sometimes), physical:digital ratios, the odd announcement of digital sales and player bases, etc.
You're right about the trends and that information will be less and less reliable until there is better and more available digital tracking, but we can make pretty good assumptions now. There aren't any secret hits or successes we don't know about hiding on a digital storefront.
I think folks in here have some phantom Top 50 digital sales chart in their hearts, where Sony/PS5 has blocked out every other platform and there's some media conspiracy to hide that data because everyone hates Sony. So while I think you're correct in your overall assessment, I don't think there a good reason to think there are these huge anomalies or outliers to the obvious assumptions — that then all happen to favor Sony — to support the wishful thinking counter-narrative in this comment section.
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@rjejr That’s the plan!!
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@ATaco I think so too. I think Microsoft ended up with the best situation for themselves given their strategy of pushing services over hardware, and my theory about Nintendo is that the OLED model was made from the screens they procured for a cancelled Switch 2/Pro, so they didn’t dodge a bullet so much as make lemons out of lemonade. Sony got the brunt of the disruption.
Personally I think they should have delayed the launch and but I have no idea how much it costs to delay a project like that.
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@Titntin Dude, I’m playing more games than I ever have, just not on a PS5. I love this messed-up in between generation. GG Strive is keeping my PS4 spinning, and I got Gamepass for PC which really took over my Switch gaming and the older titles I was playing on Steam.
I’m glad your having a great time too! We’re obviously in two different bubbles, and that’s why we should be sharing our perspectives — especially when they seem “negative” to the other. You’re obviously in peer groups that had the resources to get PS5s and maybe not hurt so much spending 70 bucks on a game.
My gaming peer group was hit very hard by the pandemic, and some of my friends have turned to emulation and pira.... “retro”, some have gone to indie games on potato PC laptops and some have gone to Gamepass on PC or Series S.
I think Sony did a great thing with the free games they’ve putting out so I’m not trying to knock them wholesale. I’m really talking about the PS5’s position today from that perspective, and, obviously from Japan relating to this article.
From my perspective, Sony is losing a lot of fans, and not because they want to leave for greener pastures. They’re getting priced out and the company is tone-deaf to what they want, of which AA, indie, and Japanese games is a major part of.
Does that not warrant a “negative” attitude because you’re having fun? Isn’t it obvious there’s also a lot of people who are going to be left behind?
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@rjejr I grabbed Sekiro and Yakuza 7 for $10 and $20, plus Nioh and Nioh 2 for pennies around that same time. I thought GoT at $30 was an indication it would be $20 after the holidays. I kinda wish I snapped it up, but now I think I’ll just wait until this edition is bargain bin cheap because I don’t know when I’ll be able to find or afford a PS5.
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@ATaco For sure, but it’s really interesting besides the “rah rah” console wars stuff.
There hasn’t been a chart domination like that in over 30 years. It means “something” and more than just a console pissing contest. Since we’re on the Sony site, you gotta point out it’s not a good look for Sony at all. How many games are hiding on the digital only charts really? Games tend to do well on both in a proportionate ratio.
I think it maps onto Sony’s abandonment of Japan, and this either is the canary in the coal mine that they saw coming and it justifies their pulling of resources there, or the first results of many indicating they being out of touch with reality. All speculation, but what else is a gaming forum for?
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@Flaming_Kaiser I can’t tell you what a good value is to you. I played FFVIIR on Plus, so I’d be paying $70 for a DLC. If I had the disc and a PS5, personally I wouldn’t buy maybe Death Stranding or GoT with this new model I might bite if there was nothing else to play... which seems like the case now.
I played all backlog and old games in 2020 and I appreciate the idea of extending the generation and the longevity of these titles, but being very cheap is a big part of the value there.
I heard this somewhere and I think they nailed it: Playstation 5 is the best system... to play PS4 games.
Maybe it’s a value to you and I, but it’s a tough sell to most people. This isn’t the Wii U where most people missed these games, and even then I think it’s fair to be critical of those prices. Two years ago when I had money to burn on games, I’d grab Super Mario 3D World for $60, and GoT + DLC for full price even though I waited for price drop.
Now though? No way.
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@MrGawain That’s my sense too. This feels like the PS3 era where it took a few years to right the ship, then it was place to play... offline anyway;)
Re: There's Not a Single PS5, PS4 Game in the Japanese Sales Charts
@Titntin What’s my agenda!? I love talking about games. I’ve been playing my whole life. I’ve loved Atari, Nintendo, NEC, SEGA, Sony and Microsoft machines, and recently started playing on PC for the first time since the Apple IIc, and play on Steam, Epic, Xbox, and itch.io.
My “agenda” is Sony pushed an expensive system out during a pandemic with global supply chain shortages into the hands of profiteers. They cut off their legs in Japan. They’re pushing the prices of games up during a time when most economies are in the dumps. They can’t even justify their new hardware for most of the owners, complaining about cross-gen holding innovation back (which I don’t necessarily agree with).
My “agenda” is I love gaming more than any I care about one company or corporation, and I’m not going to be a sycophant or believe their PR on it’s face, especially when the reality for me and others is very different.
I want to Sony (and everyone) to do well. They were amazing in the PS4 era when they didn’t even have to be to succeed. That is not what’s happening today, and I’m not going to talk about how nice the emperor’s clothes are with fanboys.