Tag: Sony

First photos of PlayStation 5 devkit leaked on the web

Earlier this month, Sony revealed some enticing details about the upcoming PlayStation 5 console. In an interview, CEO Jim Ryan stated the DualShock controller that’ll come bundled with the PS5 will feature haptic technology and adaptive triggers. According to Sony, haptic technology will allow gamers to truly feel a broader range of feedback. The second innovation is called adaptive triggers, will be incorporated into the L2/R2 trigger buttons. Sony says that these two innovations when combined ‘can produce a powerful experience that better simulates various actions’.

“Developers can program the resistance of the triggers so that you feel the tactile sensation of drawing a bow and arrow or accelerating an off-road vehicle through rocky terrain,” explained Sony

Besides, the company said it’ll stick with the existing naming pattern, which essentially means that the next console will be officially called the PlayStation 5. Finally, the company also confirmed its plans to release the PS5 sometime during the 2020 holiday season. Now, leaked photos of the console’s devkit have surfaced on the web.

Credits: LetsGoDigital

Credits: LetsGoDigital

The photo falls in line with previously leaked patent sketches of the PS5. We can see several front-facing ports as well as multiple vents. Besides, the top of the console features a V-shaped design, which happens to be Roman numeral V. Elsewhere, we can see a big circle on the console’s right, which rumors indicate will allow 4K live streaming at the press of a button. The leaked image also shows as many as six USB ports, along with the standard eject, reset, and standby buttons.

That said, even if this leak is genuine, there’s no guarantee that the actual finished product will look similar to the PlayStation 5 devkit.

Sony has confirmed its plans to release the PlayStation 5 during the 2020 holiday season. Though we can expect plenty of photos and rumors to emerge before the company officially unveils the PS5 next year. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

October 21, 2019
New PlayStation 5 details revealed by Sony

Sony has revealed new and rather exciting details about its next-gen PlayStation console. To begin with, the company has confirmed it’ll stick with the existing naming pattern, which essentially means that the next console will be officially called the PlayStation 5.

Besides, Sony has also confirmed the console’s release date. In an interview with Wired, company CEO Jim Ryan confirmed that the console will launch for the 2020 holiday season. Also, the company shared some specific details about what we can look forward to in the PlayStation 5. For instance, the DualShock controller that’ll come bundled with the PS5 will feature haptic technology and adaptive triggers.

“First, we’re adopting haptic feedback to replace the “rumble” technology found in controllers since the 5th generation of consoles. With haptics, you truly feel a broader range of feedback, so crashing into a wall in a race car feels much different than making a tackle on the football field. You can even get a sense for a variety of textures when running through fields of grass or plodding through the mud”, explained Sony.

The second innovation is called adaptive triggers, which are incorporated into the L2/R2 trigger buttons. Cerny stated that adaptive triggers offer varying levels of resistance.

“Developers can program the resistance of the triggers so that you feel the tactile sensation of drawing a bow and arrow or accelerating an off-road vehicle through rocky terrain. In combination with the haptics, this can produce a powerful experience that better simulates various actions. Game creators have started to receive early versions of the new controller, and we can’t wait to see where their imagination goes with these new features at their disposal,’ explained Sony.

The upcoming DualShock 5 controller will also get USB-C charging and larger battery capacity.

Another notable mention is ray-tracing support. System architect Mark Cerny stated that ‘there is ray-tracing acceleration in the GPU hardware, which I believe is the statement people were looking for”.

Cerny also mentioned the console’s sold-state-drive id designed to keep everything nice and smooth. He added that SSD will not only offer faster reading, but it’ll also save space. Now, this implies that the extra space can be used to make games or patches smaller or to make more detailed environments. The PlayStation 5 will come equipped with a 4K Blu Ray player that supports discs of up to 100GB.

“Rather than treating games like a big block of data, we’re allowing finer-grained access to the data,” explained Cerny.

Meanwhile, Marco Thrush, President of Bluepoint Games, the studio behind Shadow of Colossus remake, also seemed excited about the PS5’s solid-state drive.

“The SSD has me really excited. You don’t need to do gameplay hacks anymore to artificially slow players down- lock them behind doors, anything like that. Back in the cartridge days, games used to load instantly; we’re kind of going back to what consoles used to be,” said Thrush.

As far as games go, Thrush also mentioned that ‘we’re working on something big right now’, I’ll let you figure out the rest”.

Sony plans to launch the PlayStation 5 during the 2020 holiday season. More details about the console are likely to surface as we near its official release. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

October 11, 2019
PS4 System Update 7.0 brings Remote Play for all Android devices

Sony is prepping the launch of the new PS4 System Software update version 7.0 later this week. As expected, the new update will bring several changes to the platform, however, the most notable among them is the official rollout of Remote Play for Android devices.

With the new update, gamers will be able to stream games from the console directly to their Android smartphone or tablet. Therefore, any Android device running Android 5.0 or later will allow PS4 owners to transmit audio and video from their console. All you’ll need to do is download the PS4 Remote Play app from the Play Store and follow the instructions to create the link.

“For those who want to stream select PS4 games on mobile devices, Remote Play can now be used on smartphones and tablets running Android 5.0 or higher. Just download the PS4 Remote Play App from the Google Play store to use the feature,” Sony explained in a blog post.

Not to mention, the Remote Play App has been updated for iPhone or iPad users, so they now can display the controller at all times, as well as lock the screen orientation.

Elsewhere, Sony has also added the ability to use your DualShock 4 controller via Bluetooth on iOS, Mac, and Android devices.

“Also, players will be able to use their DualShock 4 wireless controllers via Bluetooth for Remote Play on an Android, iPhone, iPad, and Mac. All you need to do is update to Android 10, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, or macOS Catalina (releasing in October) to use this feature,” Sony further added in the blog post.

Apart from Remote Play, Sony has also enhanced the ‘Party’ feature on PS4 with the new update. From now on, you can play alongside sixteen as opposed to just eight friends. Besides, there’s been an improvement in Network connectivity as well as audio quality. Also, there’s now accessibility support in the form of chat transcription in the United States.

Finally, Sony recommends that gamers should use a PS4 system with a wired connection via a LAN cable.

October 7, 2019
PlayStation 5 to be more environment-friendly

Sony recently announced in a blog post about its commitment to making the PlayStation 5 more environment-friendly. The UN Environment committee plans to join hands with the video game industry to make it more sustainable.

CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment Jim Ryan said that the next PlayStation 5 will consume less power while in rest mode. According to him, one million PS5 owners using the feature would save enough electricity to power nearly a thousand homes. Besides, Sony wants to provide reference material for developers who want to make games that create sustainability.

Sony will also work on several campaigns to create awareness, such as informing customers via messaging about energy-saving features in their consoles. Also, the company plans to launch PS VR games and applications that could bring awareness about climate issues.

“There is an undeniable opportunity for leaders in the games industry to take a stand and support the UN Environment team by communicating the importance of preserving natural resources for generations to come. At PlayStation, we believe games have the power to ignite social change through educating people, evoking emotions, and inspiring hope. We could not be more proud to be part of the Playing for the Planet Alliance and the commitments announced. We look forward to seeing what the industry can achieve together,” said Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan.

Sony also bragged about how it has been revising its production to become more energy-efficient and environment-friendly. According to the company, changes to the PlayStation 4 have already saved around 16 million metric tons of carbon emissions. Besides, Sony believes that this number will rise to 29 million metric tons over the next ten years.

Elsewhere, the PlayStation 5 is also expected to feature a built-in SSD and offer 8K gameplay support. As far as release and pricing goes, Sony hasn’t revealed a specific price point or an exact release date yet, but multiple sources indicate that the PS5 won’t be released before April 2020.

September 24, 2019
Spider Man PS4 ‘Game of the Year Edition’ leaked

It appears last year’s PS4-exclusive blockbuster Spider will get a Game of the Year edition. The GOTY edition for Spider-Man will likely include the latest version of the game with three different DLC releases for the PS4, and presumably for the PS5 as well. While Sony Interactive is yet to acknowledge such a product officially, many believe one is on the cards. Now, it appears Amazon UK might’ve accidentally leaked Marvel’s Spider-Man Game of the Year edition for the PS4.

While the listing doesn’t reveal any concrete details, but it does suggest one is on the horizon. Leaks via retail listings generally lack credibility, though something leaked on Amazon usually turns out to be a real product. Of course, Amazon UK has removed the listing, but what goes up on the internet, stays on the internet. That said, just like any leak, we’ll take this information with a pinch of salt.

In any case, Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PS4 is one of the best open-world games out there. Insomniac Games has intricately crafted a fantastic story that hardcore comic books fans have come to appreciate. The PS4- the exclusive title was the Insomniac’s most successful game, reportedly selling 13.2 million copies worldwide. Given the game’s enormous success, it’s apparent Sony and Insomniac might pair up for a Spider-Man sequel on the PlayStation 5.

In other related news, Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the acquisition of Insomniac Games, developer of last year’s Spider-Man game. The latest acquisition brings Sony Worldwide Studios to a total of 14 game development studios.

Insomniac Games was founded in 1994 and has largely remained an independent studio for around 25 years. They’ve worked with big-name companies like Sony and Microsoft on several projects. Besides, Insomniac has also worked with Oculus on several VR games. They’ve also developed the yet-to-be-released VR game ‘Stormland’, currently announced as an Oculus exclusive.

August 20, 2019
Sony acquires Insomniac Games, developer of Spider Man

Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the acquisition of Insomniac Games, developer of last year’s Spider-Man game. The PS4 – the exclusive title was the Insomniac’s most successful game, reportedly selling 13.2 million copies worldwide. According to Sony, Insomniac will shortly become a first-party PlayStation studio. The latest acquisition brings Sony Worldwide Studios to a total of 14 game development studios.

“Insomniac Games is one of the most highly-acclaimed development studios in the industry and their legacy of best-in-class storytelling and gameplay is unparalleled,” Shawn Layden, Chairman of SIE WWS, said in a statement. “We have enjoyed a strong collaborative partnership with the studio for many years, and are thrilled to officially welcome them to the Worldwide Studios family. The addition of Insomniac Games to SIE WWS reiterates our commitment to developing world-class gaming experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform.”

“The decision to join forces with Sony extends far beyond familiarity. Our studio vision is to create experiences that have a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives. As we look ahead to our future, we know that joining the WWS family gives us the best opportunities to fully achieve that vision on a much larger scale. Further, we believe that Sony shares a similar vision to positively impact players’ lives, their employees’ lives and the games industry at large,” said Ted Price of Insomniac Games in a statement to fans.

Apart from last year’s Spider-Man, Insomniac has also developed popular games like ‘Ratchet & Clank’ as well as ‘Resistance’. Insomniac Games was founded in 1994 and has mostly remained an independent studio for nearly 25 years. It has worked with big-name companies such as Sony and Microsoft on several projects. Besides, Insomniac has also worked with Oculus on several VR games. They’ve also developed the upcoming Stormland game, currently announced as an Oculus exclusive.

That said, there weren’t any announcements about future games alongside the acquisition. However, given the fact Spider-Man on PS4 has sold over 13.2 million copies worldwide as of July 28, 2019, it’s apparent Sony and Insomniac might pair up for a Spider-Man sequel on the PlayStation 5.

August 19, 2019
Sony offering high-end headphones for free with Xperia 1 pre-orders

Sony has already confirmed that its latest Xperia 1 flagship is slated for a release in the US on July 12. That said, the company recently announced that preorders for the smartphone begin Friday, June 28. The Japanese tech giant also confirmed that those who pre-order the Xperia 1 would get Sony’s 1000X M3 wireless noise-cancelling headphones for free, which carry a standalone price tag of nearly $350.

If you’re planning to buy Sony’s latest flagship, this should make for a rather good deal given the fact that the Xperia 1 is priced at $949 in the US. However, the pre-order deal ends on July 12th, the day when Xperia 1 will be officially released.

The Xperia 1 features a super tall 6.5-inch, 21:9 4K HDR OLED display, which Sony brags as a first for any smartphone. Under the hood, the smartphone gets powered by the latest Snapdragon 855 processor bundled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Elsewhere, the Xperia 1 boasts triple rear cameras , Dolby Atmos sound, and ‘game enahncer’ mode that disables notifications and other distractions during gaming.

The Xperia 1 will be available on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Interested buyers can take advantage of this pre-order deal via Best Buy, Amazon, B&H Photo, along with several other outlets.

June 26, 2019
PlayStation 5: Everything we know so far

We already know that Sony has already begun work on its next-generation console – the PlayStation 5. However, we haven’t heard anything substantial so far from the company itself. Luckily, analysts and fans just can’t stop talking about it, giving us an idea about what’s next. Hence, without wasting a beat, here’s an article about all the key details we’ve gathered about the PS5 so far:

PlayStation 5 release date

Sony is expected to publicly unveil the hardware roadmap for PS5 on February 21, 2019. However, the hardware reveal date hasn’t been announced yet. That said, sources indicate it could happen between August to September 2019.

As far as release goes, Sony is rumored to release the PS5 in the United States and Japan on November 16, 2019. Release for Tier 2 regions, which include Australia and Europe, has been planned for November 23, 2019. While the 25th Anniversary Limited Edition PS5 is slated for a release by December 3rd, 2019.

PlayStation 5 rumored specifications

We already know for a fact that game studios are already developing titles for the PS5. According to credible industry insider Marcus Sellers, third party studios have had access to PS5 dev kits since early 2018. Thanks to that, key specs of the upcoming PS5 have been tipped at. Hence, we have a fairly good idea about the upcoming console’s hardware.

Just like the PS4 and PS4 Pro, Mark Cerny is the lead system architect for the PlayStation 5. At the core of the PS5, there’ll be an AMD accelerated processor unit or APU – a chip which includes both the CPU and GPU. It’ll be a desktop class APU unlike the PS4 which features a mobile-class APU – meant for notebooks.

The APU unit in the upcoming PS5 will pack 8-cores, 16 threads, and will be based on the latest 7nm manufacturing process. As far as GPU goes, the PS5 will likely feature a custom GPU, based on the upcoming Navi architecture.

Even the memory is expected to receive an upgrade, as the PS5 will likely come equipped with the faster GDDR6 RAM, compared to GDDR5 found on the PS4. In terms of storage, the PS5 will most likely come with a 2TB HDD, as the size of games keeps increasing.

Rumor also has it that next-gen consoles will be based on flash storage, which will make noticeably them faster and quieter. Another big focus on the PS5 would Virtual Reality. The AMD APU mentioned above has been designed with VR in mind.

Elsewhere, an industry analyst also indicates the PS5 will almost certoianly feature backwards compatibility. Mat Piscatella, analyst with NPD group suggests he’ll be surprised if the PS5 didn’t support backwards compatibility.

Readers, however, should take this information with a pinch of salt as nothing is official for now.

January 14, 2019
New PS5 and next-gen Xbox details revealed

While Sony and Microsoft have already confirmed they’ve begun work on the PS5 and the next-gen Xbox console, though we haven’t heard anything substantial so far. We’ve come across plenlty of leaks and rumours, though nothing concrete from the companies themselves. That said, developers and industry experts keep discussing about it giving us a good idea about what to expect. The latest information comes from Cradle Games technical director Marc-Andre Jutras, who recently had a brainstorming session with GamingBolt about to what to expect from next-gen consoles.

He suggests we won’t see a huge upgrade in RAM, as most games don’t require that much memory anyways. Instead, he stated that we might see an increase in processor cores.

“I don’t think we will see 16GB of RAM, most games don’t use that much RAM anyway. I think the next generation will be between 8 and 12, probably. What you will see however is probably a good amount of cores. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next gen was Ryzen 2600 or something like that. Because it is really stable, cheap, and has a good amount of cores,” said Jutras to GamingBolt.

He also spoke about what major changes in hardware we might see with upcoming consoles, which would be the focus on VRAM. He explained that 4K games need good amount of VRAM to buffer smoothly, unlike the PS4 which currently offers shared RAM space.

“So if you end up with a 4K buffer, you need four times the VRAM. So I think you will see, you won’t see shared RAM space next gen like you do with the PS4. I don’t think you will see that because it’s a big bottleneck. You’ll see more VRAM to support 4K and 5K and whatever else comes around. Just how much of that? I wouldn’t be surprised if the PS5 had 8GB of RAM and 8GB of VRAM,” he added.

It will intersting to see what Sony and Microsoft have to offer with their next-gen gaming consoles. That said, we’re bound to come across a barrge of rumors and speculations before the big reveal. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything more. Until then, keep checking back for more.

December 29, 2018
Sony releases new firmware update 6.20 for the PS4

Sony starts rolling out the new firmware update for its PlayStation 4 console, version 6.20. The new update is essentialy aimed at improving the overall performance and stability of the console. However, the update does not seem to bring any new features to the PS4.

PS4 system software version 6.20 isn’t that big either, weighing in at just around 450MB. Hence, it won’t take long to download and install the update on your PS4 console.

As always, PlayStation 4 owners are advised to “always update their console to the latest version of the system software,” as Sony suggests it’ll allow you to “enjoy additional features, improved usability and enhanced security.”

It’s also worth noting that today’s update does not bring name changes for everyone. The feature was being tested with beta for firmware 6.10, though it appears the feature won’t arrive until sometime in 2019.

In any case, the latest firmware update 6.20 for the PS4 is a mandatory download for everyone. The update weighs in nearly 450MB for the normal version, or 979MB for the recovery version. For more information on how to install the update, Sony has provided step-by-step guide which you can find in the source link below. The update is now available in all regions across the globe.

December 12, 2018
PlayStation 4 sales crosses 86.1 million units in five years

Sony has offically announced that over 86.1 million units of the PS4 have been sold till today. In a blog post celebrating PlayStation 4’s fifth anniversarry, Sony announced this monumental figure since the console’s launch back on November 15, 2013.

Besides, Sony also revealed that the platform has sold over 777.9 million copies of software till date. The company also shared top five selling games on the PS4. These inlcude the likes of Grand Theft Auto V, FIFA 18, FIFA 17, Call of Duty; Black Ops 3, and Call of Duty: WW2.

“It’s hard to believe it’s already been five years since the launch of PlayStation 4. In that time, we’ve sold more than 86.1 Million hardware units, in addition to over 777.9 Million software units worldwide. We are so grateful to all the fans who have helped us come this far — it truly is an amazing time to be a part of the PlayStation family, and we thank you for your continued support,” wrote Eric Lempel Senior Vice President, PlayStation Worldwide Marketing, SIE in the blog post.

In addition, the blog post also revealed best-selling colors for the DualShock 4 Controller. Apart from the standard black, Steel Black was the top selling color for the DualShock 4. While rounding up the top five spots were blue, red, white, and camouflage color variants.

Finally, the company also confirmed in the post that the new PS4 Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 bundle will be released on November 27 for $299.99. The bundle will include the standard Jet Black 1TB PlayStation 4 console and a physical retail disc of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

The PlayStation 4 has surpassed its predecssor, the PlayStation 3, which sold nearly 83.8 million units. As successful as the PS4 and PS3 have been, the PlayStation 2 did even better, selling more than 150 million units during the course of its lifetime.

November 15, 2018