I haven’t bought any Capcom games this year but I’ve bought quite a few RE over the years. One thing I appreciate is that the games tend to go on a good discount after a while, so if you’re patient then you can get a good deal. Over the last few years I’ve bought remakes of RE2-4 and RE8 each for less than $20. I picked up the RE4-6 pack on PS4 for like $5. RE7 was given out during the Play at Home program so it didn’t cost me anything (although it’s currently on sale for $8). In recent years games aren’t going down in price as quickly as they used to (I think largely due to decreasing competition from the shrinking physical market) but Capcom does seem to be one of the few that still drops price if you’re patient. As I’m gradually making my way through my backlog, I’ll wait and eventually pick up RE9 when it gets to the $20 sweet spot. Probably that will be around the time Veronica comes out, and the cycle will continue
I wonder why the delay between the digital and physical release. Perhaps they didn’t plan to print a disc version until late in the development. Or maybe they purposely wanted a second pop of sales several months after launch. Maybe they saw strong disc numbers on other games recently. We’re being told how awful disc sales are and how it’s losing money, and then we are getting moves like this. Methinks we’re not being told the full truth about how bad physical media is doing.
I can agree that some of the issue Sony got themselves into has less to do with the decision to stop discs and more to do with how they have handled it. Their public relations and finesse with their fans is pretty horrible. It’s not just limited to this one decision either, but rather a series of consecutive missteps that show a complete misunderstanding of their core player base. I’m certain that they could have rolled out the plans for disc cessation in a more palatable manner and received a fraction of the hate.
Sony doesn’t seem to pay attention to social media comments anyway. In recent years they’ve ignored fan feedback on a variety of criticisms. Perhaps they’ve always just assumed anyone unhappy is a bot. 😅 Why else would they have poured billions of dollars into live service projects that ended up cancelled or colossal failures all the while fan feedback was trying to tell them we don’t want those?
I think the only avenue to get their ear is from developers and publishers telling them they don’t want to lose the physical market. It seems like that’s been the main thing that has given Sony pause about it all.
@Northern_munkey Yes, and there’s a lot of hyperbole and people commenting dramatically for effect. But it’s what we humans do 😅. And to be fair, the economics and freedom of choice are more limited lately due to the general unrest in the industry and the world economy. And the corporate heads have done very little to endear themselves to the masses, speaking not of Sony only but of many large businesses over the last decade. My comment above was all just tongue-in-cheek, however the dehumanization and objectification of the consumer by some of those comments from Totoki and others has rubbed me the wrong way, when taken in the context of all the poor decisions they’ve made lately. I went on a little rant about that when the “monetize the players” comments came out, so I won’t beat the dead horse too much, but for me it’s a frustration that encompasses several years of corporate missteps over and over, billions of dollars worth and thousands of jobs. Many things out of Sony’s control, like the article says, but also many things very much in their control, where the same mistakes were made repeatedly. All well-documented so no needing repeating here.
But to be honest, I totally agree that this generation has been wonderful and I’ve never had this large of a library of absolute quality after quality gaming experiences. Like you, I’ve been monetized to the gills, own a Pro and a vanilla PS5, a Portal, PS+ Premium subscription, hundreds of games and I just keep buying them. 😂
We all have our line in the sand though, and each misstep, whether it be discs, price-hikes, live service, layoffs, or whatever, brings me gradually closer to the “go off the gaming grid” moment. I don’t think that will happen for me, but fortunately I have a little discretionary income to devote to this, but that could change in an instant the way the economy is going and layoffs are happening. The sad thing is, I don’t think Sony care if people like you and me disappear, even though we spend thousands and thousands on our hobby. They seem to primarily care about the crowd who feeds the microtransaction machine. They don’t want to lose them.
@Northern_munkey Indeed. That’s what I thought too when Totoki (I think it was him) recently said in that WSJ article they were looking for more ways to monetize the existing player base since they aren’t adding new players. How much more can they squeeze from us? 😅
@Ravix Yeah, totally not fair that the Heat get the cool GTA merch. So in GTA lore, Vice City = Miami, Liberty City = NYC, Los Santos = Los Angeles, San Andreas = San Francisco, and Leonida State = Florida? I am interpreting it right?
People need to have their eyes checked. Am I looking at the right Deborah Ann Woll? I’m wondering to myself why a hottie like Faye would be hanging out with a guy like Kratos. 😂
@Stonecold730 I see your point (on comment #57) about convenience and time being as valuable (or moreso) than money, but as someone who buys some games physically (occasionally at Best Buy!) I guess my thought is, I simply like having the option. Maybe I have a Best Buy gift card. Maybe I just want to browse and make an impulse buy for some retail therapy.
Furthermore, for people who pick up a copy of RE Requiem 2 weeks later because of it being sold out, and spending $5 on gas to drive around searching for it, it diminishes nothing from those who just buy it digitally. It doesn’t harm you, hurt you, or take away from your experience if they do it that way. You lose nothing if physical discs are still available. However, what you gain is competitive pricing for your digital games which have to compete with the physical market.
That’s really interesting though that your Best Buy is so restrictive with disc orders and it does underscore how the deck is stacked against showing the true demand for physical media. It’s part of why Sony has miscalculated how popular having a physical option is, the sales numbers don’t tell the whole story. It’s one thing to announce “only 5 copies of RE Requiem were sold in the first week at our store” which sounds awful, but it hides the fact they only 5 copies were available. 😂. It probably could have sold many more (dozens? hundreds?) if they had the stock. I know they order stock based on projected demand, but 5 copies? Surely that is a large under supply.
Been eyeing the sale price of this. It’s discounted to $30 right now. I think I’d like it and these improvements look great. Problem is… when am I going to find time to play it. Like others have said, I’m going to be prioritizing other games in the backlog
@Slayer25c I understand that PS6 isn’t ready to be shown, although I suspect the development is complete and there are dev kits out in the wild with games already being developed for it. I know that the situation with a bad economy and high cost for components makes Sony unsure of when to launch the thing. However, I think if they are so unprepared to say anything about the future of the PlayStation ecosystem, why drop the bomb about stopping discs when you aren’t ready to talk about the future. They basically gave us only the bad news with none of the good news. And every day that goes by, rumors and bitterness smolder in the fanbase. They simply made a huge mistake by making the disc announcement in the manner they did. It could have been handled so much better than this. Hindsight is 20/20, as the saying goes, so I can understand that people and companies make mistakes and they obviously didn’t forecast a huge backlash like this, but it’s one of many missteps they’ve made over the last few years, so it’s harder to excuse it.
I played this game a couple months ago for the first time and really enjoyed it. I know it’s not a popular opinion but I actually liked the story, in some ways better than Zero Dawn. The gameplay was more diverse and it took some getting used to as I was more of a ‘spam melee’ player in the first game but in this one you have to use different tactics. Trying to just spear everything to death will definitely get you killed. After adjusting and settling into a range playstyle, primarily with the bomb launching blastslings with hunter bow was a backup, it became less frustrating and I started to enjoy it more.
Aloy is a little more stoic and can come across as aloof or arrogant occasionally, but she has her kind and caring moments too. I think her personality fits given what happens in the first game and her rise to be the heroine she has become. So I didn’t mind the snark from time to time.
The environments are fantastic and beautiful. To me, the characters and tribal politics are more interesting and better fleshed out that the first game. Personally, I think the setting and lore of this series is terrific, with its retro+futuristic elements, and all explainable within the world and narrative circumstances. The map is bigger and has more to do than HZD, more than I had time and patience for.
Speaking of, I play fairly slow and thorough, and simply doing a regular playthrough I ended with 78% trophy completion. The majority of the trophies I missed had to do with not using the override mechanic. I just settled into my own play style and left the machine override alone and so there’s about 5 trophies related to that. Also never did Machine Strike or the Hunting Grounds. I left the game in a state of satisfaction and fondness for it all, so I didn’t push myself to grind those last trophies for the platinum, which I was worried may spoil the positive experience. Maybe I’ll go back one day.
Maybe that’s why Sony hasn’t said a word about this since they first announced the end of disc production. Have they been keeping silent because they are considering backtracking, or are they keeping silent because they are inept at public relations?
@Krlozgod I do remember the cross-buy feature for some games where buying either the console version or the Vita version automatically opened access to the other version. I’m not sure about the technical details but I have a suspicion that those titles were specifically prepared to make that system work. I don’t think all games had the disc manufactured to be uniquely identified. I could be wrong though.
But you bring up a good example of a nostalgic initiative from years past where Sony really was customer-focused and had cross-buy as an incentive to engage with their ecosystem. You basically got two copies of the game for the price of one. Not all game had the feature, and I do remember having PS3 games where I bought both the console version and the Vita version as two separate licenses, but indeed some games the other version came free.
Even if there’s not a unique identifier on each disc, perhaps there’s a way to still make disc-to-digital work. Like I say, I’m not technically savvy (that’s why I like playing on console instead of PC). It’s a completely different issue but I remember how PlayStation had trouble working out the ability to change your PSN ID. Apparently Sony tied your account to the actual name you create when you open your account and so changing it was felt impossible, whereas on Xbox, Microsoft tied your account to a linked numerical identifier and your name was just what showed and so it was easy to switch the name that linked to your account number. So Xbox always had the ability to change your online ID name easily, but it took Sony a long time to figure a workaround to be able to change your name and yet not lose access to your whole account because it was linked to that specific name. They finally figured it out though. I have no idea if this disc issue could be similarly solved by the programmers.
@CielloArc @8th_Observer Yes, indeed. In my humble and simple opinion, as someone who just buys their games and products, I think one of the largest missteps to this whole debacle is that Sony dropped a bomb and then just ran for cover with no further explanation. It would have gone over much better (not good, but better) to say “we’re stopping disc production in a year and a half and this is how we are going to make our services even better for you the customer… “ and then fill in with info of some positive improvements, like maybe this disc to digital, competitive pricing or price reductions, enhanced store features like refunds or exchanges, game preservation, improved digital rights, added competitor storefronts, options for physical game collectors, the options for people with physical PS4/PS5 libraries to carry forward to PS6 and how/if it will be back compatible, the shaky infrastructure of the PSN and security lately and how that will be improved, etc.
Obviously they don’t need to address all these things in the announcement but even just tossing us a bone to say “we’re ceasing discs in 2028 but we have some great improvements and enhanced options for our dedicated fans coming up for the PSN. More info soon”. But we didn’t even get that. They only gave us the bad news and the went on media silence. Meanwhile Xbox is laying out a better plan for the all-digital future.
It would go a long way to repairing the fan outrage if Sony has something similar, but my understanding is that Xbox disc have unique identifiers included on each disc whereas Sony never did that with theirs. So I don’t know how easy it would be to implement this without the risk of the system being taken advantage of. 🤞🏼 Here’s hoping!
@LogicStrikesAgain Yes indeed, WSJ is a financial publication. So I can allow for some “corporate speak” to be taken out of context with the interview, and if this was an isolated incident then it would probably be swept under the rug. Unfortunately Sony are under the microscope now though, after disc-gate, layoffs, billion dollar mistakes, cancellations, rising prices, and general controversy about their corporate strategies. So everything will be magnified.
And even though he’s speaking to a closed peer group of business people, it’s a small peek behind the curtain of how the decision makers really feel. Kind of like when you’re with your buddies chatting at the pub people might say something offensive that they’d never say in public, and yet it’s a window into maybe how they really feel. 😅
@LogicStrikesAgain Honestly I don’t think the lay public “know how businesses work”, at least beyond the surface level. And I don’t necessarily think companies should expect them to. It’s literally why a public relations department exists. To, well… relate to the public.
And in fairness, as has been mentioned by someone else, the interview in the Wall Street Journal wasn’t meant to be consumed by the lay public, but I think a CEO needs to be prepared for content to permeate downward.
And I do think it’s not Mr. Totoki’s job to be a PR expert, but when the average hourly wage earner out in the mines reads about “monetizing the user”, as if the customer is an object to be manipulated, it does come across as a tad… offensive. Again, I know CEO’s don’t have time (or the talent) to be in touch with the commoner and the end user who is being trivialized from being a valued person who supports the brand to simply… a number to be exploited or schemed. So, as many things with Sony lately, it’s an issue of poor communication. Although I do still feel like it’s telling, in the context of all the other stumblings of late, that there’s been such a loss of connection to the players and an inept reputation management.
@GirlVersusGame Personally I enjoy these discussions, mainly because Push has users from across the globe with various backgrounds and we all bring a slightly different perspective, even if in the end we’re all gamers with a common love for the craft.
When economics and politics get mixed in, things get complicated. Because as you say, I also think/thought the games industry (like most artistic endeavors like music, art, literature) is, at its core, people “happy doing something they love” and so we can only hope that those convictions and principles diffuse into the corporate suite from time to time. Because yes, economics and livelihood are what make the world go round but art and culture are what make life worthwhile.
@GirlVersusGame That’s very interesting and I appreciate what you’re saying.
I guess I just have issue with what @ButteredCrumpet and several other of the more pragmatic users have said in looking at the situation through a unipolar lens of “all successful companies don’t actually care about their product or their customer.” And that making more money at all costs is the only driver for their actions. Or like you say, that all corporations are basically glorified drug dealers, essentially.
I think such a philosophy ignores the B-corporations and philanthropic purpose-driven organizations like Costco, Patagonia, and of course, Newman’s Own (which I’ve learned is quite a unique company that I need to support more).
Being nice to your customers and being successful are not mutually exclusive. Altruism and good customer service can be used as an economic asset and be a means to empower your company. The pessimistic view that Crumpet and others are saying (if I’m interpreting them correctly) is that even companies that treat you well with good PR are only manipulating you for their selfish gain. Can an action be genuinely kind and considerate if doing it makes an organization more successful? I would argue yes. An individual who enjoys being generous doesn’t thereby become less generous. Likewise, a corporation can have a business model where virtue and competitive advantage reinforce each other.
The alternative viewpoint is that there is no viable institutional structure in which an organization can be both extremely successful and also genuinely oriented toward being humane. That is a depressing thought, and I think at that point we all have to look around and say, “Well then what’s the point?” , teleologically speaking. It’s baffling to me that we’ve all been trained to just accept the fact that we’re supposed to be slaves for the machine and there’s no alternative outcome.
@ButteredCrumpet Yikes! That’s a dismal commentary on our existence as human beings. I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you, but I have been clinging to a semblance of faith in the decency of people, and by extension the institutions they create. This may be why I’m not a millionaire. If you’re right, then there are no virtuous millionaires. No one finds joy or satisfaction by doing the right thing for the right reason anymore. It’s all about lying and manipulating others for self gain. I think that’s what you’re saying are your observations of the corporate world. Aren’t there any artists, creatives, philanthropists, or altruists out there who are honest and still make money? “The customer is always right” is an antiquated way to run a business?
@ButteredCrumpet “I must admit, people have claimed they desire Sony and their PlayStation brand to be a lot more transparent of late, well, here we are now, realising why many companies prefer to either be fake or silent.”
Option 1) Inconsiderate, tactless, and brutally honest, option 2) fake, option 3) silent…. Well, there is an option 4. How about having a little discernment, understanding, and graciousness toward the customer. 😅 I think a company can be transparent and still not come across as ruthless and objectifying to their clientele.
Unfortunately I have to agree with a lot of this article. Sony first party has underperformed the last few years, and many years and many dollars have been wasted in empty pursuits.
This is at the core of why I’ve lost faith in the executive decision making. I completely understand that people make mistakes from time to time, but this has been a series of poor decisions and poor management, billions of dollars, thousands of employees livelihoods.
When people tell me that Sony knows what they’re doing with cutting off physical media, these drastic game development missteps with live service are what I point to as the major reason that I cannot have faith in the upper leadership to know the gaming industry and what players want. How can I trust that there’s any sense among them? It seems like basic common sense is all but gone. I’m not sure they know how to read and interpret gaming trends.
@get2sammyb @AdamNovice It has been 13 years and true that the industry has changed since the disc-sharing video he was in, but still— that was an iconic moment and a direct troll on Xbox, and seemed like a major turning point for the PS4, XB1 generation. It’s just bitter irony that he says this after being part of that important and consequential ad. Sure, the guy is allowed to promote what he was trolling 13 years ago (I certainly have changed in the last 13 years), but there’s no doubt that it’s quite ironic.
Regarding social media and “…the wild way this algorithm amplifies and forces negativity upon you…”
Absolutely, 100%. I’ve been saying this for years. The social media algorithmic manipulation of the populace is a travesty. The way it creates massive misrepresentation, promotes misinformation, and exploits and distorts reality is problematic and I don’t know why we as a society continue to feed the beast.
I played Mafia The Definitive Edition a couple months ago. It was my first experience with the series. I liked it alright, like 7/10 level of like. Nothing life changing. It would have been nice to have the full PS5 visual and performance that this is bringing but honestly some of my issues with the game were more from the antiquated gameplay and game flow rather than how it looked or performed. I’m sure back in its release timeframe (PS2? I think) it was great but there are parts that feel a little dated when played through a modern lens.
A very good month, indeed. I won’t make it to KCD2 anytime soon because I’ve yet to play the first, but I have some curiosity about Hell is Us. I might even try the much lauded Helldivers 2 but it’s not my usual cup o’ tea. Been meaning to get into the Metro series for a while. I played a small amount of Vampire Survivors on my phone, so maybe I’d like it better on console. It’s nice to have options if I want to try any of these in the coming months.
@Ravix I’m allergic to online games as a general rule, regardless of the critical score. Props to the dev team though because it does look like quite a laugh, even though the scores might be suspect (😜)
In all seriousness though, this seems to be tapping into the Rocket League energy whereby giving the game on PS Plus probably helped increase the awareness and paradoxically boosted sales. It will be interesting to see if the game has legs to stick around in the public consciousness
Paying this Ultimate Edition tax seems more justifiable than most. The description of what you get for $20 seems like a significant addition. I see a lot of Deluxe Editions that are $10 more and only have a digital art book or perhaps one extra cosmetic item. As a value proposition I can’t fault Rockstar for pushing the envelope of pricing. Unfortunately many other publishers will see this as a green light to raise the prices of their less robust games. I won’t be surprised if most PS6 AAA games are $90-100.
Ah… the blissful ignorance of the wealthy and powerful….
“game discs just don't really make sense for the consumer.”
What?!? I think he meant to say “for the publisher”
“Also, most instances you have to register online to play anyhow. So if you're already connected, who cares if you download digitally? It's all the same and it's much more convenient.”
Oh wow… missing the point entirely. He obviously doesn’t read the comments and threads on enthusiast websites! I don’t even know where to begin for the whole case in point from the consumer’s perspective.
@Jaxx420 Yeah, Amazon Prime came to mind. I don’t know if they changed things based on negative feedback, but it feels like the ads are not very intrusive lately. I watched the whole Project Hail Mary and don’t recall any interruptions once I started it. Maybe I’m accidentally paying for the no-ad tier. 😅
It absolutely depends on how hard they push it. After years of paying the full sub fees for Disney+ and Hulu I went down to the cheaper sub with ads and now I rarely use those services anymore because the ads are excessive. It’s drained any interest in their content that I once had and my time is too valuable to spend with constant interruptions which make a 25 minute show into a 35 minute show. I’ll just do something else instead.
First I’ll say that squeezing its most loyal customers to subsidize the rest of the player base is such an awful idea. That said, if I’m keeping an open mind and not knee jerk reacting, I think there’s ways to implement advertising which might actually benefit those of us who are the core user base. I could envision that the free-to-play games would have periodic ads in them like mobile games do. And then perhaps purchasing a game or paying a subscription would remove those ads. To this point the DLC microtransactions have served to monetize the games and I was under the impression that they made good money but if Sony needs more of a cut then maybe they go that route with putting an advertisement there while a F2P game launches.
Another scenario I wouldn’t immediately recoil at would be if they gave a discount to PS+ for a subscription that included some form of advertising. So maybe I have to watch a 1 minute commercial every time I launch a PS+ catalog game, but my sub fee is 20% discounted. Something like that. Maybe there could be a built-in reward system for watching ads where one could get store credit.
Unfortunately, I doubt this will result in discounts or rewards, but rather they’ll use the existing sub prices intact and just ask for even more if you want to avoid ads.
@cainhurst94 Yeah, I mean, it does look nice, but I kept waiting for her to say something else, curious to see if the lip syncing was going to be any good. And it looked like she had something to say, right on the tip of her tongue, but then all we get is her breathing and then backing away. 😅
Interesting choice for that promotional video. 30 seconds of a close up of the lady’s face, staring at the camera. Uh, I guess it’s supposed to make the game seem mysterious and inspire curiosity about the forthcoming trailer, but it just felt awkward.
Really wonderful video Aaron! I really agree with a lot of the game excellent worlds that have been mentioned.
A few others that I’ll add which came to mind:
The world of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West — so clever with the melding of ancient/historical and futuristic components. The imaginative nature of how a simple tribal culture would co-exist and be layered in with a time in the far future where robot animals, AI, clones, space ships, computers, all of which are both ‘ancient tech’ in the far flung future but also futuristic and magical since the people are essentially living like citizens of some Neolithic era. It’s an incredibly unique setup which is unmatched despite oodles of other post-apocalyptic game settings.
Nobody Wants to Die - unfortunately the game itself was disappointing, I think the futuristic noir setting (seems possibly Blade Runner inspired) was a great world to play in.
Bloodborne - this game’s excellent Lovecraftian horror setting of Yharnam speaks for itself
Returnal Biome 4 (I forget the name of the level) - this is the one where the music crescendos through the level as you make your way to the boss and it’s the most memorable setting in a game filled with great game worlds
And finally, The Order 1886 - the long forgotten Ready at Dawn game that has such an awesome steampunk alternate history backdrop of London with references to a variant version of the legendary Knights of the Round, werewolf and vampire lore, as well as actual events and characters like Jack the Ripper and the Industrial Revolution. This game world had some real squandered potential.
Really great article and all are solid points. It confounds me that when I turn on my PS5 I am inundated by ads for gatcha games, Fortnite, FIFA, and COD releases which have never once downloaded or purchased anything remotely related to any of these and yet I have to search like a spelunker to find some of the games I actually want to buy or wishlist.
But yeah, for me the resell of a digital game would be such a fantastic idea. I also like the idea of better competitive pricing and sales, and the rewards loyalty program.
@lindos I recall having some freedom to approach the missions with some variance. It’s been a while since I played it so my memory may be a little off, but I recall there being more than one place you can go sometimes and there was little emergent activities that would pop up and you had the option to chase down if you wanted. Missions were scripted in certain orders but a few things could be done in whatever order you wanted, and there was some openness to how you wandered around The Oldest House (I certainly remember getting lost in it a fair few times). I think some of the missions and areas were optional, if I’m not mistaken, but maybe I’m wrong. I recall for example that I played the 2 DLC’s without even knowing they were the DLC until later, as they could be just mixed in during the course of exploration optionally.
It was definitely more linear than say, Ghost of Tsushima or something with a true open world, but I don’t think it was as linear as a Resident Evil or even an Uncharted or a BioShock. Maybe it felt more open to me because the narrative was less concrete and left a lot more for a wandering interpretation.
Comments 4,436
Re: Capcom's Best Games Continue to Sell, 2026 Releases All Perform Well
I haven’t bought any Capcom games this year but I’ve bought quite a few RE over the years. One thing I appreciate is that the games tend to go on a good discount after a while, so if you’re patient then you can get a good deal. Over the last few years I’ve bought remakes of RE2-4 and RE8 each for less than $20. I picked up the RE4-6 pack on PS4 for like $5. RE7 was given out during the Play at Home program so it didn’t cost me anything (although it’s currently on sale for $8). In recent years games aren’t going down in price as quickly as they used to (I think largely due to decreasing competition from the shrinking physical market) but Capcom does seem to be one of the few that still drops price if you’re patient. As I’m gradually making my way through my backlog, I’ll wait and eventually pick up RE9 when it gets to the $20 sweet spot. Probably that will be around the time Veronica comes out, and the cycle will continue
Re: Phantom Blade Zero Physical Version Set for 2027, 3 PS5 Editions Revealed
I wonder why the delay between the digital and physical release. Perhaps they didn’t plan to print a disc version until late in the development. Or maybe they purposely wanted a second pop of sales several months after launch. Maybe they saw strong disc numbers on other games recently. We’re being told how awful disc sales are and how it’s losing money, and then we are getting moves like this. Methinks we’re not being told the full truth about how bad physical media is doing.
Re: Sony Has Caused 'Friction' Between It and PlayStation Fans Over Disc Mess, Says PS1, PS2, PS3 Creator
I can agree that some of the issue Sony got themselves into has less to do with the decision to stop discs and more to do with how they have handled it. Their public relations and finesse with their fans is pretty horrible. It’s not just limited to this one decision either, but rather a series of consecutive missteps that show a complete misunderstanding of their core player base. I’m certain that they could have rolled out the plans for disc cessation in a more palatable manner and received a fraction of the hate.
Re: Study Finds Almost Half of PS5 Disc Backlash Came from Fake Accounts
Sony doesn’t seem to pay attention to social media comments anyway. In recent years they’ve ignored fan feedback on a variety of criticisms. Perhaps they’ve always just assumed anyone unhappy is a bot. 😅 Why else would they have poured billions of dollars into live service projects that ended up cancelled or colossal failures all the while fan feedback was trying to tell them we don’t want those?
I think the only avenue to get their ear is from developers and publishers telling them they don’t want to lose the physical market. It seems like that’s been the main thing that has given Sony pause about it all.
Re: PlayStation Hardware Sales Hit Lowest Point Since 2013 in US, and PS5's Price Is the Problem
@Northern_munkey Yes, and there’s a lot of hyperbole and people commenting dramatically for effect. But it’s what we humans do 😅. And to be fair, the economics and freedom of choice are more limited lately due to the general unrest in the industry and the world economy. And the corporate heads have done very little to endear themselves to the masses, speaking not of Sony only but of many large businesses over the last decade. My comment above was all just tongue-in-cheek, however the dehumanization and objectification of the consumer by some of those comments from Totoki and others has rubbed me the wrong way, when taken in the context of all the poor decisions they’ve made lately. I went on a little rant about that when the “monetize the players” comments came out, so I won’t beat the dead horse too much, but for me it’s a frustration that encompasses several years of corporate missteps over and over, billions of dollars worth and thousands of jobs. Many things out of Sony’s control, like the article says, but also many things very much in their control, where the same mistakes were made repeatedly. All well-documented so no needing repeating here.
But to be honest, I totally agree that this generation has been wonderful and I’ve never had this large of a library of absolute quality after quality gaming experiences. Like you, I’ve been monetized to the gills, own a Pro and a vanilla PS5, a Portal, PS+ Premium subscription, hundreds of games and I just keep buying them. 😂
We all have our line in the sand though, and each misstep, whether it be discs, price-hikes, live service, layoffs, or whatever, brings me gradually closer to the “go off the gaming grid” moment. I don’t think that will happen for me, but fortunately I have a little discretionary income to devote to this, but that could change in an instant the way the economy is going and layoffs are happening. The sad thing is, I don’t think Sony care if people like you and me disappear, even though we spend thousands and thousands on our hobby. They seem to primarily care about the crowd who feeds the microtransaction machine. They don’t want to lose them.
Re: PlayStation Hardware Sales Hit Lowest Point Since 2013 in US, and PS5's Price Is the Problem
@Northern_munkey Indeed. That’s what I thought too when Totoki (I think it was him) recently said in that WSJ article they were looking for more ways to monetize the existing player base since they aren’t adding new players. How much more can they squeeze from us? 😅
Re: PlayStation Hardware Sales Hit Lowest Point Since 2013 in US, and PS5's Price Is the Problem
Prepare to be monetized.
Re: Another Major PS5 Game Will Be Delisted in October 2026
Wow, if you paid full price for NBA2K25 two years ago and suddenly can’t play it, that stinks. I have it “free” from PS+ and I feel slighted.
It’s like buying Dragon’s Dogma 2 or KCD2 or FF7 Rebirth at launch and now having the game inaccessible to you. That’s pretty awful.
Re: GTA 6 Rebrands Miami Basketball Team to Vice City for One Night Only
@Ravix Yeah, totally not fair that the Heat get the cool GTA merch.
So in GTA lore, Vice City = Miami, Liberty City = NYC, Los Santos = Los Angeles, San Andreas = San Francisco, and Leonida State = Florida? I am interpreting it right?
Re: 'In No Way Do I Agree': Vincent D'Onofrio Defends God of War Laufey Star from Online Hate
People need to have their eyes checked. Am I looking at the right Deborah Ann Woll? I’m wondering to myself why a hottie like Faye would be hanging out with a guy like Kratos. 😂
Re: PS Plus Essential Games for October 2026 Announced
Already warming up my finger to trigger the “It’s a crap selection” option in the upcoming poll.
Didn’t we just get an F1 game recently already?
Re: PS Plus Premium's Cloud Streaming Is Unlimited, But for How Much Longer?
Ugh… I don’t like that at all. Keep it unlimited Sony. For the love of Pete, don’t screw this up too.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 648
You’re killing me… my entire circadian rhythm is now thrown off.
Re: You Might Benefit from a $7.85 Million Payout as PlayStation Settles Anti-Trust Lawsuit
@Stonecold730 I see your point (on comment #57) about convenience and time being as valuable (or moreso) than money, but as someone who buys some games physically (occasionally at Best Buy!) I guess my thought is, I simply like having the option. Maybe I have a Best Buy gift card. Maybe I just want to browse and make an impulse buy for some retail therapy.
Furthermore, for people who pick up a copy of RE Requiem 2 weeks later because of it being sold out, and spending $5 on gas to drive around searching for it, it diminishes nothing from those who just buy it digitally. It doesn’t harm you, hurt you, or take away from your experience if they do it that way. You lose nothing if physical discs are still available. However, what you gain is competitive pricing for your digital games which have to compete with the physical market.
That’s really interesting though that your Best Buy is so restrictive with disc orders and it does underscore how the deck is stacked against showing the true demand for physical media. It’s part of why Sony has miscalculated how popular having a physical option is, the sales numbers don’t tell the whole story. It’s one thing to announce “only 5 copies of RE Requiem were sold in the first week at our store” which sounds awful, but it hides the fact they only 5 copies were available. 😂. It probably could have sold many more (dozens? hundreds?) if they had the stock. I know they order stock based on projected demand, but 5 copies? Surely that is a large under supply.
Re: You Might Benefit from a $7.85 Million Payout as PlayStation Settles Anti-Trust Lawsuit
I bought several games during that timeframe but nothing from that list! It’s a lot of PS3 games. I wonder why only those.
Also, I had to chuckle at this statement: "reasonable consumers understand they don't own a game they buy.”
😂 I think they are giving people more credit than they are due.
Re: Colossal, Game-Changing Dragon's Dogma 2 Patch 3.2 Out Now on PS5
Been eyeing the sale price of this. It’s discounted to $30 right now. I think I’d like it and these improvements look great. Problem is… when am I going to find time to play it. Like others have said, I’m going to be prioritizing other games in the backlog
Re: 'There's a Lot of Resentment for Sony': Sources Go Back and Forth on Publisher Backlash to PS5 Physical Discs
@Slayer25c I understand that PS6 isn’t ready to be shown, although I suspect the development is complete and there are dev kits out in the wild with games already being developed for it. I know that the situation with a bad economy and high cost for components makes Sony unsure of when to launch the thing. However, I think if they are so unprepared to say anything about the future of the PlayStation ecosystem, why drop the bomb about stopping discs when you aren’t ready to talk about the future. They basically gave us only the bad news with none of the good news. And every day that goes by, rumors and bitterness smolder in the fanbase. They simply made a huge mistake by making the disc announcement in the manner they did. It could have been handled so much better than this. Hindsight is 20/20, as the saying goes, so I can understand that people and companies make mistakes and they obviously didn’t forecast a huge backlash like this, but it’s one of many missteps they’ve made over the last few years, so it’s harder to excuse it.
Re: Going Platinum: Horizon Forbidden West, a Very Good Sequel People Love to Hate
I played this game a couple months ago for the first time and really enjoyed it. I know it’s not a popular opinion but I actually liked the story, in some ways better than Zero Dawn. The gameplay was more diverse and it took some getting used to as I was more of a ‘spam melee’ player in the first game but in this one you have to use different tactics. Trying to just spear everything to death will definitely get you killed. After adjusting and settling into a range playstyle, primarily with the bomb launching blastslings with hunter bow was a backup, it became less frustrating and I started to enjoy it more.
Aloy is a little more stoic and can come across as aloof or arrogant occasionally, but she has her kind and caring moments too. I think her personality fits given what happens in the first game and her rise to be the heroine she has become. So I didn’t mind the snark from time to time.
The environments are fantastic and beautiful. To me, the characters and tribal politics are more interesting and better fleshed out that the first game. Personally, I think the setting and lore of this series is terrific, with its retro+futuristic elements, and all explainable within the world and narrative circumstances. The map is bigger and has more to do than HZD, more than I had time and patience for.
Speaking of, I play fairly slow and thorough, and simply doing a regular playthrough I ended with 78% trophy completion. The majority of the trophies I missed had to do with not using the override mechanic. I just settled into my own play style and left the machine override alone and so there’s about 5 trophies related to that. Also never did Machine Strike or the Hunting Grounds. I left the game in a state of satisfaction and fondness for it all, so I didn’t push myself to grind those last trophies for the platinum, which I was worried may spoil the positive experience. Maybe I’ll go back one day.
Re: Going Platinum: Horizon Forbidden West, a Very Good Sequel People Love to Hate
@nomither6 Lol, as opposed to Kratos, Geralt, Joel, Arthur Morgan, Big Boss… honestly Aloy looks a lot less mean than most. 😅
Re: Sony's Rumoured to Be Reversing Its Physical Discs Decision, But I Don't Buy It At All
Maybe that’s why Sony hasn’t said a word about this since they first announced the end of disc production. Have they been keeping silent because they are considering backtracking, or are they keeping silent because they are inept at public relations?
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 647
Bruh, isn’t this early? Until @Zuljaras shows up in the comments the weekend hasn’t started.
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Disc-to-Digital Program in the Wake of Sony Decision to End PlayStation Discs
@Krlozgod I do remember the cross-buy feature for some games where buying either the console version or the Vita version automatically opened access to the other version. I’m not sure about the technical details but I have a suspicion that those titles were specifically prepared to make that system work. I don’t think all games had the disc manufactured to be uniquely identified. I could be wrong though.
But you bring up a good example of a nostalgic initiative from years past where Sony really was customer-focused and had cross-buy as an incentive to engage with their ecosystem. You basically got two copies of the game for the price of one. Not all game had the feature, and I do remember having PS3 games where I bought both the console version and the Vita version as two separate licenses, but indeed some games the other version came free.
Even if there’s not a unique identifier on each disc, perhaps there’s a way to still make disc-to-digital work. Like I say, I’m not technically savvy (that’s why I like playing on console instead of PC). It’s a completely different issue but I remember how PlayStation had trouble working out the ability to change your PSN ID. Apparently Sony tied your account to the actual name you create when you open your account and so changing it was felt impossible, whereas on Xbox, Microsoft tied your account to a linked numerical identifier and your name was just what showed and so it was easy to switch the name that linked to your account number. So Xbox always had the ability to change your online ID name easily, but it took Sony a long time to figure a workaround to be able to change your name and yet not lose access to your whole account because it was linked to that specific name. They finally figured it out though. I have no idea if this disc issue could be similarly solved by the programmers.
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Disc-to-Digital Program in the Wake of Sony Decision to End PlayStation Discs
@CielloArc @8th_Observer Yes, indeed. In my humble and simple opinion, as someone who just buys their games and products, I think one of the largest missteps to this whole debacle is that Sony dropped a bomb and then just ran for cover with no further explanation. It would have gone over much better (not good, but better) to say “we’re stopping disc production in a year and a half and this is how we are going to make our services even better for you the customer… “ and then fill in with info of some positive improvements, like maybe this disc to digital, competitive pricing or price reductions, enhanced store features like refunds or exchanges, game preservation, improved digital rights, added competitor storefronts, options for physical game collectors, the options for people with physical PS4/PS5 libraries to carry forward to PS6 and how/if it will be back compatible, the shaky infrastructure of the PSN and security lately and how that will be improved, etc.
Obviously they don’t need to address all these things in the announcement but even just tossing us a bone to say “we’re ceasing discs in 2028 but we have some great improvements and enhanced options for our dedicated fans coming up for the PSN. More info soon”. But we didn’t even get that. They only gave us the bad news and the went on media silence. Meanwhile Xbox is laying out a better plan for the all-digital future.
Re: Microsoft Confirms Xbox Disc-to-Digital Program in the Wake of Sony Decision to End PlayStation Discs
It would go a long way to repairing the fan outrage if Sony has something similar, but my understanding is that Xbox disc have unique identifiers included on each disc whereas Sony never did that with theirs. So I don’t know how easy it would be to implement this without the risk of the system being taken advantage of. 🤞🏼 Here’s hoping!
Re: This Promising PS5 Indie Doesn't Deserve Being Buried in Next Month's Crowded Release Calendar
@GirlVersusGame @Ravix @Tjuz @Werehog Happy day, happy day! I have a release date!
Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@LogicStrikesAgain Yes indeed, WSJ is a financial publication. So I can allow for some “corporate speak” to be taken out of context with the interview, and if this was an isolated incident then it would probably be swept under the rug. Unfortunately Sony are under the microscope now though, after disc-gate, layoffs, billion dollar mistakes, cancellations, rising prices, and general controversy about their corporate strategies. So everything will be magnified.
And even though he’s speaking to a closed peer group of business people, it’s a small peek behind the curtain of how the decision makers really feel. Kind of like when you’re with your buddies chatting at the pub people might say something offensive that they’d never say in public, and yet it’s a window into maybe how they really feel. 😅
Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@LogicStrikesAgain Honestly I don’t think the lay public “know how businesses work”, at least beyond the surface level. And I don’t necessarily think companies should expect them to. It’s literally why a public relations department exists. To, well… relate to the public.
And in fairness, as has been mentioned by someone else, the interview in the Wall Street Journal wasn’t meant to be consumed by the lay public, but I think a CEO needs to be prepared for content to permeate downward.
And I do think it’s not Mr. Totoki’s job to be a PR expert, but when the average hourly wage earner out in the mines reads about “monetizing the user”, as if the customer is an object to be manipulated, it does come across as a tad… offensive. Again, I know CEO’s don’t have time (or the talent) to be in touch with the commoner and the end user who is being trivialized from being a valued person who supports the brand to simply… a number to be exploited or schemed. So, as many things with Sony lately, it’s an issue of poor communication. Although I do still feel like it’s telling, in the context of all the other stumblings of late, that there’s been such a loss of connection to the players and an inept reputation management.
Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@GirlVersusGame Personally I enjoy these discussions, mainly because Push has users from across the globe with various backgrounds and we all bring a slightly different perspective, even if in the end we’re all gamers with a common love for the craft.
When economics and politics get mixed in, things get complicated. Because as you say, I also think/thought the games industry (like most artistic endeavors like music, art, literature) is, at its core, people “happy doing something they love” and so we can only hope that those convictions and principles diffuse into the corporate suite from time to time. Because yes, economics and livelihood are what make the world go round but art and culture are what make life worthwhile.
I’ll be on the forums as well!
Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@GirlVersusGame That’s very interesting and I appreciate what you’re saying.
I guess I just have issue with what @ButteredCrumpet and several other of the more pragmatic users have said in looking at the situation through a unipolar lens of “all successful companies don’t actually care about their product or their customer.” And that making more money at all costs is the only driver for their actions. Or like you say, that all corporations are basically glorified drug dealers, essentially.
I think such a philosophy ignores the B-corporations and philanthropic purpose-driven organizations like Costco, Patagonia, and of course, Newman’s Own (which I’ve learned is quite a unique company that I need to support more).
Being nice to your customers and being successful are not mutually exclusive. Altruism and good customer service can be used as an economic asset and be a means to empower your company. The pessimistic view that Crumpet and others are saying (if I’m interpreting them correctly) is that even companies that treat you well with good PR are only manipulating you for their selfish gain. Can an action be genuinely kind and considerate if doing it makes an organization more successful? I would argue yes. An individual who enjoys being generous doesn’t thereby become less generous. Likewise, a corporation can have a business model where virtue and competitive advantage reinforce each other.
The alternative viewpoint is that there is no viable institutional structure in which an organization can be both extremely successful and also genuinely oriented toward being humane. That is a depressing thought, and I think at that point we all have to look around and say, “Well then what’s the point?” , teleologically speaking. It’s baffling to me that we’ve all been trained to just accept the fact that we’re supposed to be slaves for the machine and there’s no alternative outcome.
Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@ButteredCrumpet Yikes! That’s a dismal commentary on our existence as human beings. I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you, but I have been clinging to a semblance of faith in the decency of people, and by extension the institutions they create. This may be why I’m not a millionaire. If you’re right, then there are no virtuous millionaires. No one finds joy or satisfaction by doing the right thing for the right reason anymore. It’s all about lying and manipulating others for self gain. I think that’s what you’re saying are your observations of the corporate world. Aren’t there any artists, creatives, philanthropists, or altruists out there who are honest and still make money? “The customer is always right” is an antiquated way to run a business?
Re: 'We Don't Need to Aggressively Sell the Console': Sony CEO Says Timing of Memory Crisis Is 'Lucky' for PS5
@ButteredCrumpet “I must admit, people have claimed they desire Sony and their PlayStation brand to be a lot more transparent of late, well, here we are now, realising why many companies prefer to either be fake or silent.”
Option 1) Inconsiderate, tactless, and brutally honest, option 2) fake, option 3) silent…. Well, there is an option 4. How about having a little discernment, understanding, and graciousness toward the customer. 😅
I think a company can be transparent and still not come across as ruthless and objectifying to their clientele.
Re: Opinion: Hermen Hulst Has Failed and PS Studios Needs a Change
Unfortunately I have to agree with a lot of this article. Sony first party has underperformed the last few years, and many years and many dollars have been wasted in empty pursuits.
This is at the core of why I’ve lost faith in the executive decision making. I completely understand that people make mistakes from time to time, but this has been a series of poor decisions and poor management, billions of dollars, thousands of employees livelihoods.
When people tell me that Sony knows what they’re doing with cutting off physical media, these drastic game development missteps with live service are what I point to as the major reason that I cannot have faith in the upper leadership to know the gaming industry and what players want. How can I trust that there’s any sense among them? It seems like basic common sense is all but gone. I’m not sure they know how to read and interpret gaming trends.
Re: 'I Don't Understand If It's Such a Big Issue': Shuhei Yoshida Isn't Too Bothered About No More Discs
@get2sammyb @AdamNovice It has been 13 years and true that the industry has changed since the disc-sharing video he was in, but still— that was an iconic moment and a direct troll on Xbox, and seemed like a major turning point for the PS4, XB1 generation. It’s just bitter irony that he says this after being part of that important and consequential ad. Sure, the guy is allowed to promote what he was trolling 13 years ago (I certainly have changed in the last 13 years), but there’s no doubt that it’s quite ironic.
Re: 6 Ways PS5's Tides of Annihilation Blew Me Away After 2 Hours of Play
I’ve had my eye on this one since the reveal. I find the Arthurian legend angle very interesting. Looking forward to more preview footage.
Re: 'It's a Relentless Onslaught': Wolverine PS5 Dev Responds to Unprecedented Criticism
Regarding social media and “…the wild way this algorithm amplifies and forces negativity upon you…”
Absolutely, 100%. I’ve been saying this for years. The social media algorithmic manipulation of the populace is a travesty. The way it creates massive misrepresentation, promotes misinformation, and exploits and distorts reality is problematic and I don’t know why we as a society continue to feed the beast.
Re: Mafia Remake Joins The Old Country on PS5 in Full Series Collection with 60FPS, Visual Upgrades
@GirlVersusGame No, I finished it on the default game setting. I don’t think I have any interest to put myself through any further torture 😅
Re: Mafia Remake Joins The Old Country on PS5 in Full Series Collection with 60FPS, Visual Upgrades
I played Mafia The Definitive Edition a couple months ago. It was my first experience with the series. I liked it alright, like 7/10 level of like. Nothing life changing. It would have been nice to have the full PS5 visual and performance that this is bringing but honestly some of my issues with the game were more from the antiquated gameplay and game flow rather than how it looked or performed. I’m sure back in its release timeframe (PS2? I think) it was great but there are parts that feel a little dated when played through a modern lens.
Re: 10 PS Plus Extra, Premium Games for August 2026 Announced
A very good month, indeed. I won’t make it to KCD2 anytime soon because I’ve yet to play the first, but I have some curiosity about Hell is Us. I might even try the much lauded Helldivers 2 but it’s not my usual cup o’ tea. Been meaning to get into the Metro series for a while. I played a small amount of Vampire Survivors on my phone, so maybe I’d like it better on console.
It’s nice to have options if I want to try any of these in the coming months.
Re: 'A Must-Have Day One Purchase': You Only Need to Buy Control Resonant in September, Remedy Reckons
@Ravix A lock as a 10/10, baby!
Re: PS Plus' Big Walk Hits Big Sales, Surpasses 1 Million Copies Sold in Under a Week
@Ravix I’m allergic to online games as a general rule, regardless of the critical score. Props to the dev team though because it does look like quite a laugh, even though the scores might be suspect (😜)
In all seriousness though, this seems to be tapping into the Rocket League energy whereby giving the game on PS Plus probably helped increase the awareness and paradoxically boosted sales. It will be interesting to see if the game has legs to stick around in the public consciousness
Re: GTA 6's $100 PS5 Ultimate Edition Is Getting More Pre-Orders Than the Cheaper Version
Paying this Ultimate Edition tax seems more justifiable than most. The description of what you get for $20 seems like a significant addition. I see a lot of Deluxe Editions that are $10 more and only have a digital art book or perhaps one extra cosmetic item. As a value proposition I can’t fault Rockstar for pushing the envelope of pricing. Unfortunately many other publishers will see this as a green light to raise the prices of their less robust games. I won’t be surprised if most PS6 AAA games are $90-100.
Re: The Eternal Life of Goldman Still Stuns in Latest Trailer, But Where's the Release Date?
@Ravix Here’s hoping for a 2027 release date. It definitely needs some time in the oven to cook.
Re: 'Discs Don't Really Make Sense': GTA 6 Boss Says 'Sony Understands That' as It Kills Physical Games
Ah… the blissful ignorance of the wealthy and powerful….
“game discs just don't really make sense for the consumer.”
What?!? I think he meant to say “for the publisher”
“Also, most instances you have to register online to play anyhow. So if you're already connected, who cares if you download digitally? It's all the same and it's much more convenient.”
Oh wow… missing the point entirely. He obviously doesn’t read the comments and threads on enthusiast websites! I don’t even know where to begin for the whole case in point from the consumer’s perspective.
Re: Sony's Looking to Bring More Ads to PlayStation, and Fans Won't Like It
@Jaxx420 Yeah, Amazon Prime came to mind. I don’t know if they changed things based on negative feedback, but it feels like the ads are not very intrusive lately. I watched the whole Project Hail Mary and don’t recall any interruptions once I started it. Maybe I’m accidentally paying for the no-ad tier. 😅
It absolutely depends on how hard they push it. After years of paying the full sub fees for Disney+ and Hulu I went down to the cheaper sub with ads and now I rarely use those services anymore because the ads are excessive. It’s drained any interest in their content that I once had and my time is too valuable to spend with constant interruptions which make a 25 minute show into a 35 minute show. I’ll just do something else instead.
Re: Sony's Looking to Bring More Ads to PlayStation, and Fans Won't Like It
First I’ll say that squeezing its most loyal customers to subsidize the rest of the player base is such an awful idea. That said, if I’m keeping an open mind and not knee jerk reacting, I think there’s ways to implement advertising which might actually benefit those of us who are the core user base. I could envision that the free-to-play games would have periodic ads in them like mobile games do. And then perhaps purchasing a game or paying a subscription would remove those ads. To this point the DLC microtransactions have served to monetize the games and I was under the impression that they made good money but if Sony needs more of a cut then maybe they go that route with putting an advertisement there while a F2P game launches.
Another scenario I wouldn’t immediately recoil at would be if they gave a discount to PS+ for a subscription that included some form of advertising. So maybe I have to watch a 1 minute commercial every time I launch a PS+ catalog game, but my sub fee is 20% discounted. Something like that. Maybe there could be a built-in reward system for watching ads where one could get store credit.
Unfortunately, I doubt this will result in discounts or rewards, but rather they’ll use the existing sub prices intact and just ask for even more if you want to avoid ads.
Re: Phantom Blade Zero's State of Play Seemingly Cancelled as Dev Teases Its Own PS5 Gameplay Showing
@cainhurst94 Yeah, I mean, it does look nice, but I kept waiting for her to say something else, curious to see if the lip syncing was going to be any good. And it looked like she had something to say, right on the tip of her tongue, but then all we get is her breathing and then backing away. 😅
Re: Phantom Blade Zero's State of Play Seemingly Cancelled as Dev Teases Its Own PS5 Gameplay Showing
Interesting choice for that promotional video. 30 seconds of a close up of the lady’s face, staring at the camera. Uh, I guess it’s supposed to make the game seem mysterious and inspire curiosity about the forthcoming trailer, but it just felt awkward.
Re: Video: What Are Your Favourite Video Game Worlds?
Really wonderful video Aaron! I really agree with a lot of the game excellent worlds that have been mentioned.
A few others that I’ll add which came to mind:
The world of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West — so clever with the melding of ancient/historical and futuristic components. The imaginative nature of how a simple tribal culture would co-exist and be layered in with a time in the far future where robot animals, AI, clones, space ships, computers, all of which are both ‘ancient tech’ in the far flung future but also futuristic and magical since the people are essentially living like citizens of some Neolithic era. It’s an incredibly unique setup which is unmatched despite oodles of other post-apocalyptic game settings.
Nobody Wants to Die - unfortunately the game itself was disappointing, I think the futuristic noir setting (seems possibly Blade Runner inspired) was a great world to play in.
Bloodborne - this game’s excellent Lovecraftian horror setting of Yharnam speaks for itself
Returnal Biome 4 (I forget the name of the level) - this is the one where the music crescendos through the level as you make your way to the boss and it’s the most memorable setting in a game filled with great game worlds
And finally,
The Order 1886 - the long forgotten Ready at Dawn game that has such an awesome steampunk alternate history backdrop of London with references to a variant version of the legendary Knights of the Round, werewolf and vampire lore, as well as actual events and characters like Jack the Ripper and the Industrial Revolution. This game world had some real squandered potential.
Re: 8 Ways Sony Must Improve the PS Store for Our All-Digital Future
Really great article and all are solid points. It confounds me that when I turn on my PS5 I am inundated by ads for gatcha games, Fortnite, FIFA, and COD releases which have never once downloaded or purchased anything remotely related to any of these and yet I have to search like a spelunker to find some of the games I actually want to buy or wishlist.
But yeah, for me the resell of a digital game would be such a fantastic idea. I also like the idea of better competitive pricing and sales, and the rewards loyalty program.
Re: In the Busiest Gaming Month of the Year, PS5's Control Resonant Will Take Up a Lot of Your Time
@lindos I recall having some freedom to approach the missions with some variance. It’s been a while since I played it so my memory may be a little off, but I recall there being more than one place you can go sometimes and there was little emergent activities that would pop up and you had the option to chase down if you wanted. Missions were scripted in certain orders but a few things could be done in whatever order you wanted, and there was some openness to how you wandered around The Oldest House (I certainly remember getting lost in it a fair few times). I think some of the missions and areas were optional, if I’m not mistaken, but maybe I’m wrong. I recall for example that I played the 2 DLC’s without even knowing they were the DLC until later, as they could be just mixed in during the course of exploration optionally.
It was definitely more linear than say, Ghost of Tsushima or something with a true open world, but I don’t think it was as linear as a Resident Evil or even an Uncharted or a BioShock. Maybe it felt more open to me because the narrative was less concrete and left a lot more for a wandering interpretation.