PS5 User Interface Will be Revealed Soon
We now know almost everything we need to know about the PS5- and we sure waited a long time to say that. The console's launch lineup has been revealed, its exact dimensions have been detailed, its price and release date have been confirmed, hell, we even know what its retail boxes will look like- but there's one pretty important part of the console that Sony haven't yet talked about.
That's the PS5's user interface and the user experience it will have on offer. With the PS5 roughly two months away from launch now, you might be wondering when that element in particular will be detailed, especially with Microsoft already having done so with the Xbox Series X and Series S' new UI.
According to PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan though, that info is coming, and it's apparently going to be worth the wait. Speaking with GamesIndustry, Ryan mentioned that Sony haven't yet talked about the PS5's user experience, and that they have "some really cool stuff" to reveal on that front.
"We haven't shown yet any of the user experience of the PS5," Ryan said, "and there's some really cool stuff to come on that. Within that, as the PS5 feature set becomes more sticky, and the way people make games are becoming more clever, more interesting… there will be opportunities for greater engagement, and greater time spent on the platform."
Sony have previously said that the PS5's UI is going to be a complete overhaul over what we've seen with the PS4. When that will be revealed exactly remains to be seen. Until then, you can read about 5 improvements we'd wish for it to incorporate.
Sony Plans To Have More PS5 Units Ready At Launch Than PS4 Units In 2013
Well, we finally know the price and date for Sony's PS5, with the disc version being $499 and the digital edition being $399. The pieces are now all on the board for people to get the system, if they can of course. We now are left to wonder what kind of numbers the system will pull this year, and it seems Sony has grand ambitions.
According to The Washington Post, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan says that the plan now is to have more PS5 units for 2020 as their were PS4 units in 2013. The PS4 ultimately saw 2.1 million sold worldwide within two weeks of its launch, and 1 million on just its first day. That was already a strong number, so the PS5 beating that would be quite the feat.
Preorders for the system were supposed to go live today, but if you've been following things, a lot of online retailers went live early and already pre-orders for the system have been selling out. Sony recently denied reports that they had cut production orders for the PS5, which bodes well for stock on paper, though it's hard to say 100% sure if production lines are fully functioning as of now. Regardless, the hunger for the PS5 seems to be fierce. The system will officially launch November 12th, good luck to all vying for a pre-order.
Oddworld: Soulstorm Sees Return Of Molluck In New Trailer, PS5 Features Detailed
It was back in June when it was revealed that Oddworld: Soulstorm, the latest entry in the storied Oddworld series, was one of many timed console exclusives Sony had snatched up their PlayStation systems. The game will see a return to that unique world, alongside promises of many brutal deaths. Now we got the latest trailer for the game, with a familiar face for fans, and details on features to the PS5 version.
The trailer, which you can see below, highlights the return of an old foe: Molluck. He first appeared all the way back in Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. There's also some platforming alongside some of those before mentioned deaths. The official PlayStation blog also details several features that will take advantage of the PS5 hardware, such as 3D Audio as well as utilizing the DualSense controller letting you feel Abe's heart palpitations and the triggers adapting to situations where he struggles. You can read more about that through here.
Oddworld: Soulstorm is set to release for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC at some point, though as of now no date is set.
PlayStation CEO Says Fans Shouldn't Be Disappointed In Recent PS4/PS5 Cross-Gen Title Announcements
Yesterday was the PS5 showcase that many had been waiting for. We finally got the launch date and price announcement everyone has been waiting on, as well as a preview of several titles coming both at launch and beyond. But it was afterward that gave some a shock when it was announced that several presumed PS5 exclusives were actually cross-gen and would be coming to PS4 as well: Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure and, maybe shockingly of all, Horizon Forbidden West.
All of those games were announced at a previous showcase in June, but Sony coyly hid their cross-gen nature until yesterday. Some fans were not too happy about that, especially those who are all in on next gen right off the bat. Speaking to The Washington Post, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan said that fans really shouldn't be upset, saying it's all about choice. He reassures people that the PS5 versions of those games will be made to take advantage of the new hardware and there will be upgrade paths for those starting on PS4.
"No one should be disappointed," he said. "The PS5 versions of those games are built from the ground up to take advantage of the PS5 feature set, and we have an upgrade path for PS4 users to get the PS5 versions for free. It's about people having choice. I'm really quite pleased about the situation."
Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will both be launch titles for the PS5 on November 12th, presumably alongside their PS4 versions. Horizon Forbidden West has no set date, only said to be coming at some point in 2021.
With the PS5's launch date and pricing details now having been officially revealed at long last, it finally feels like its release is within touching distance. Pre-orders have already gone live in many regions (which has resulted in utter chaos, to put it mildly), but what can you expect the console's box to look like when you finally have it in your hands?
The official retail packaging art of the PS5's box has been revealed, and it looks pretty slick. The flagship PS5 model comes in an all-white box, while the PS5 Digital Edition differentiates itself with an all-black box. Take a look below. With the retail packaging for the Xbox Series X also looking rather good, it's fair to say that the next-gen consoles have their aesthetics nailed down.
The PS5 will launch in North America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea on November 12, and the rest of the world on November 19. The prices for its accessories have also been revealed. Meanwhile, its launch lineup is confirmed to include Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, Destruction AllStars, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Godfall.
"PS4 Will Continue to be Incredibly Important to us for 3-4 Years," Says PlayStation CEO
Sony revealed a lot of crucial details about the PS5 yesterday, from its launch lineup to the price it will be releasing for (and when it will be releasing), but something that caught nearly just as much attention was, in fact, related to their ageing current-gen console. The PS4 is on its last legs, ready to give way to its shinier successor- but it seems Sony isn't done with it yet.
Surprisingly, many upcoming major first party releases that were all previously though to be PS5 exclusive games (and even flagship ones, in a couple of cases) were confirmed to be cross-gen titles, with Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Horizon Forbidden West all confirmed to be launching for both PS5 and PS4.
For a company that has, on multiple occasions over the last few months, said that the delivery of cutting edge next-gen exclusives will be the centerpiece of its strategy with the PS5, that has been a surprising development, to say the very least. And Sony, it seems, has every intention to keep the PS4 around for some time to come.
Speaking with The Washington Post, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan said that the PS4 will continue to be "incredibly important" to Sony for the coming 3-4 years, owing to the console's large install base.
"The PS4 community will continue to be incredibly important to us for three or four years," Ryan said. "Many will transition to PS5, we hope if we do our job well, but tens of millions will still be engaged with the PS4."
In the past, Sony has continued to support its older consoles for some years even after newer ones have released, with the PS2 and PS3 (the former especially) both having seen extensive support for several years after their respective successors had launched. It isn't surprising, given the success of the PS4, that Sony wants to keep it around for a while longer yet.
Sony has, of course, recently spoken about having more in store for the PS4 as well- whether that means continued manufacturing support and support from third party partners or more first party flagship games being cross-gen remains to be seen. Thus far, there are several games in that category that are confirmed as PS5 exclusives – including the likes of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Demon's Souls, and the recently announced God of War sequel – so it could go either way.
Final Fantasy 16 – Square Enix Has "No Further Information" on Other Platform Releases
Among the many surprises at Sony's PS5 showcase was the reveal of Final Fantasy 16. Not only did we see snatches of gameplay and cutscenes, but the project is also being produced by Naoki Yoshida and directed by Hiroshi Takai who both worked on Final Fantasy 14. However, despite the claim at the end of the trailer, it doesn't seem to be coming to PC.
IGN reports that Square Enix asked for mentions of the PC version to be removed from its initial story. When asked for further details, a spokesperson said, "We have no further information on if Final Fantasy 16 will be released on platforms other than the PS5." So while it didn't outright deny that it could come to PC, for the time being it seems to be exclusive to PS5.
It may be a while yet before it launches. Yoshida confirmed yesterday that the next big information reveal would take place in 2021. Takai added that even though the team is working hard, "it may still be some time before we can get it into your hands." Regardless, the action RPG looks incredibly fetching and we can't wait for more details.
In the meantime, the PS5 is slated to launch on November 12th for North America and November 19th for Europe. It will retail for $499 while its digital edition will cost $399. Launch titles confirmed thus far include Demon's Souls, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Astro's Playroom and Destruction All Stars.
Demon's Souls is Exclusive to PS5 – Sony
Bluepoint's Demon Souls remake had quite the showing at the PS5 showcase with several minutes of stellar gameplay. However, the end of the trailer excited PC players all the more since it said that the game was "Also available on PC." It seemed too good to be true and after pulling the trailer, Sony has since indicated that it is a PS5 exclusive.
In a statement to PC Gamer, a representative for the company said, "The incorrect text was a result of human error" and that Demon's Souls is "exclusive to PlayStation 5." Interestingly, when asked whether it would be a timed exclusive or a lifetime exclusive, the representative reiterated that it was a PS5 exclusive. Which makes sense given that Sony owns the rights to the Demon's Souls IP.
It's somewhat of a bummer that PC players won't be able to play it at launch. But Sony could port it later down the line. It talked about exploring the possibility of bringing more first party titles to PC and while this was likely in relation to PS4 games, it doesn't completely discount PS5 games either. Either way, we'll need to wait.
Demon's Souls, in the meantime, is slated to release on November 12th for the PS5 in North America and November 19th in Europe. It will retail for $69.99.
Godfall Launches on November 12th for PC and PS5
Following the announcement of the PS5's release date and price, Counterplay Games has confirmed the release date for Godfall. It's launching with the PS5 on November 12th in North America and November 19th in Europe. PC players globally can play it on November 12th via the Epic Games Store.
As one of the first exclusives announced for PS5, Godfall takes place in Aperion, a fantastical realm that's seen better days. The mad god Macros is intent on ending things and it's up to you, a Valorian Knight, to stop him. This involves ascending through various elemental realms and equipping different Valorplates and weapons to tear through foes.
Godfall is described as a looter slasher and features support for three player co-op. Along with a campaign, there are also Tower of Trials to play through and earn better loot. Check out the latest combat gameplay here and stay tuned for more details in the months.
Godfall is officially launching on November 12 for the PlayStation 5 & PC via Epic Games Store!
Pre-order now on PC: https://t.co/o1sL8fJ9g6#PS5 pre-orders coming soon! pic.twitter.com/BdDKp4z4kM
— Godfall (@PlayGodfall) September 16, 2020
PS5's Price Was Decided "Quite Early This Year," Says PlayStation CEO
2020 has been a strange year. With the global COVID pandemic, it has seemingly caused many things to change. Events have been canceled, games have been delayed, but next generation consoles are still coming whether hell or high water. For a long time, far longer than usual, it seemed like Sony and Microsoft were in a game of endless chicken to see who would blink first about revealing price for their new shiny systems. Microsoft's price and launch date leaked, leaving Sony to finally reveal their's earlier today. But, if you believe Jim Ryan, the price was set a long time ago.
Talking to The Washington Post, the PlayStation CEO revealed the somewhat surprising fact that apparently the system's price point of $499/$399 had been decided "quite early" this year. They wanted to have a PS5 SKU that matched the current PS4 Pro price of $399, which ended up being the Digital Edition. While a lot of factors popped up, namely COVID and, you know, the global collapse of civilization as we know it, those prices held.
So, what exactly was the hold up on revealing the price? Well, that part isn't detailed. It's very possible that Sony would have changed that price had Microsoft undercut them significantly, but the Xbox Series X is comparable to the main disc version of the PS5 in price, though the Series S is a full $100 less than the PS5 Digital Edition still. But it's also possible that would have never happened and Sony just wanted to wait to reveal the price. At this point, I imagine it doesn't matter.
Both versions of the PS5 are set to launch on November 12th in select regions with the rest of the world getting it on the 19th.