The COVID-19 pandemic still ravages the world, and its effects are still being felt in the game industry. With games like The Last of Us Part II now indefinitely delayed, and just about every event cancelled or moved online, it’s only a matter of time before the next generation feels the heat. A report from Bloomberg claims that Sony is going to manufacture fewer consoles than they normally would for a launch like this. They aren’t directly blaming the pandemic, but it’s easy to connect the dot here. The report also mentions potential pricing, so let’s see what’s new! The PS5 Will be Incredibly Hard to Find at Launch Numerous gaming outlets have broke the news, originally reported by Bloomberg in mid-April of 2020, that Sony may not be manufacturing very many PS5 consoles for launch compared to other major product roll outs. Sony is quoted as saying they will only manufacture between 5 and 6 million PS5’s between the launch and the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 2021). The PS4, which was notoriously hard to find at launch, sold 7.5 million consoles in the first two quarters of its release. While the pandemic isn’t the immediate reason for this, the real issue is that certain components are difficult to find in high quantities right now. This could be due to ongoing shortages, but it’s most certainly a partial result of the constraints on global supply chains due to the coronavirus shutting down manufacturing centers. The report claims that the price will be higher than expect at launch, due to the technical specs of the system, and the scarcity of the parts. Speculation points to somewhere between $499 and $549, which lines up with our pricing predictions. Production for the system is scheduled to begin in June of 2020, but it remains to be seen if the pandemic will have any effects on the release date (which remains simply “holiday 2020”). Sony’s goal remains to have a worldwide launch of the system, but the pandemic could change this, as well as the availability of launch titles. We don’t know anything for certain yet, and that’s perhaps the scariest news of all. Stay safe out there fellow gamers. Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 4/16/2020

During the PS4 generation, Sony has absolutely crushed it with their exclusive titles. This strategy could easily give them an edge in the next generation, specs be damned. Even if the Xbox Series X has an edge in raw power, it’s the games that really matter. To that point, a new rumor claims that Sony is considering a purchase of the Metal Gear, Silent Hill, and Castlevania licenses from Konami, who has been content to let them rot, or use them in Pachinko Machines (I wish I was kidding). Let’s see if this rumor holds water! Bringing Metal Gear, Castlevania, and Silent Hill Back Home As part of this rumor, Kojima Productions (who recently released Death Stranding), would handle development of both a new Metal Gear and a new Silent Hill. This is all on the heels of yet another rumor that suggests there are already two Silent Hill games being developed for PS5. The sources of these rumors come from a Twitter user by the name of Aesthetic Gamer, Rely on Horror, and a Konami leaker known as JackofallControllers. It’s a delicious rumor, to be sure. We do know that Kojima and team are hard at work on their next project, based on little tweets and teases online. We’ve also heard from Kojima himself that’s he’s ready to get back into the horror genre. If Sony were to buy the rights to these franchises, the rumors state that Kojima Productions would take the reigns for a Silent Hill and Metal Gear project. Castlevania is up for a reboot, but a different developer (unamed) is on deck for that one. The other Silent Hill project would come from SIE Japan Studio, where the original director and writer, Keiichiro Toyama, would be working on it. The original creature designer, Masahiro Ito, along with the composer, Akira Yamaoka, would also be on board. Another interesting thing to note is that the rumor claims one Silent Hill project would be a soft reboot. The other is episodic. I myself would love to see Kojima pick back up where P.T left off, but as always these rumors could amount to nothing. One can hope. The franchises would most certainly be safer in Sony’s hands than Konami’s. They should sell the rights to Sony, honestly. It’s the least they can do for cancelling Silent Hills in the first place. That’s my two cents, but what about you? Would you like to see these franchises on PS5? Which one would be your top pick? Let us know in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 3/25/2020

Learn all about the PS5 Specs below (click play). Prepare your inner Playstation Nerd. It is very detailed! Welcome, one and all! We are here to for the first major PS5 event, this happened at 9AM pacific on March 18th, 2020. In this stream, titled “The Road to PS5,” Sony’s System Architect Mark Cerny gives a deep dive into the system’s architecture. Major Highlights Here are some quick highlights from the event! Less than a month for developers to get comfortable with PS5 hardware, compared to much longer times in the past SD was a major focus, developers wanted it as their top priority. 1GB can take anywhere from 10-20 seconds to load from a disc or hard drive. The new hardware can do 2GB in 0.2 seconds! Current hard drives hold back the vision of developers. The ability to stream in data hampers how fast players can move through the world. Current patches on a hard drive require us to create a new file with the new changes. The SSD removes the need for this, meaning no more long installs the way we know them. 16GB of GDDR6 RAM on PS5 is able to store the next second of gameplay at all times, and it’s far more utilized than the RAM on PS4. Fast booting, no load screens, high-speed streaming, and no more patch installs. Multiple priority levels for loading data, such as audio before textures. This is done through a custom flash controller. The new system utilizes a compression/decompression system called Kraken, with some custom changes, that can process up to 22GB per second. The goal is to address and remove any and all bottlenecks of data that could affect performance. Sony will support readily available SSDs in an internal port on the PS5 for expanding data. An external hard drive can be used to store and play your PS4 games on the new system. SSD M2 drives have differing heights and capability, so don’t go buying one yet. After launch Sony will share which models are okay for expanding your internal storage. GPU supports ray tracing, but it’s not required for every game. The same goes for other features, giving developers flexibility. The GPU is a custom AMD chip using RDNA 2 technology. Some features may find their way into PC GPUs as part of the collaboration with AMD, but the two cannot be compared due to the custom nature of Sony’s chips. PS4 backwards compatibility is confirmed, with at least the top 100 titles playable at launch, but it has to be done on a title-by-title basis. Ray tracing is optional, but can be used for audio, global illumination, shadows, reflections, etc. One PS5 title is already using ray tracing reflections in a complex scene without a major cost to the system’s power. Another focus is going to be power consumption and system heat. The idea is to minimize fan noise and heat overall. The new GPU has 36 RDNA 2 CUs which are larger in … Read More

Update: Confirmed as cancelled: NEWS: E3 2020 CANCELLED DUE TO GROWING CONCERNS OVER COVID-19 VIRUS After careful consultation with our member companies regarding the health and safety of everyone in our industry – our fans, our employees, our exhibitors, and our longtime E3 partners – we have made the difficult decision to cancel E3 2020, scheduled for June 9-11 in Los Angeles. Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we felt this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation. We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our fans and supporters. But we know it’s the right decision based on the information we have today. Our team will be reaching out directly to exhibitors and attendees with information about providing full refunds. We are also exploring options with our members to coordinate an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020. Updates will be shared on E3Expo.com. We thank everyone who shared their views on reimagining E3 this year. We look forward to bringing you E3 2021 as a reimagined event that brings fans, media, and the industry together in a showcase that celebrates the global video game industry. If you had described the world to me, as it is now, a decade ago, I would have told you to stop watching disaster thrillers. Putting aside much of the things going wrong with the world, the crisis of the day is the ongoing spread of the Coronavirus. Now, it seems, the ramifications of this new disease have hit gaming once again. Reports from reputable sources like Ars Technica are saying that E3 2020 is going to be cancelled in the coming days. An Industry Institution, Brought Low by Time and Panic E3 has been a staple of the game industry since the 1990s, but I would be ignorant to say that it hasn’t declined in recent years. With a medicore 2018, Sony backing out of 2019, and this year looking to be bare as well, it seems this could be the final nail in the show’s coffin. Even Devolver Digital, known for their brash humor, also gave people a heads up in the form of a tweet: Cancel your E3 flights and hotels, y’all. — Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) March 11, 2020 Of course, they usually do a digital stream anyway, but given that other sources, supposedly from within the ESA (who runs E3), are also reporting an upcoming cancellation, it seems like this isn’t one of their usual jokes. Given this, it seems like E3 2020 isn’t going to happen, at least not in the way we usually expect. That doesn’t mean we’ll be without gaming news, however. I have some thoughts on what this shift could mean. Virtual For Me, Virtual For Everyone While the writing has been on the wall for a few years now, as someone who has never been to E3 in person, I’ve always enjoyed the event as a digital … Read More

Retailers are often the source of reliable leaks in the gaming industry. Whether it’s a rogue employee or a corporate mishap, you can bet they will spill the beans in one form or another. GameStop is the latest to make this fumble as they published unannounced details about the PS5 in their pre-registration page. It has since been updated, but you can check out a cached version here (I love the internet sometimes). Let’s find out what they leaked! GameStop’s Mistake Reveals New PS5 Specs Looking at the cached version of GameStop’s page, we can see some new spec details that were otherwise rumors until now (they still are, but this adds credibility). Some sites are reporting that the backwards compatibility for PSVR and PS4 titles is news, but Mark Cerny already confirmed that a while back, something we reported on here. Now, what is actually new here are some fresh specs: Full 8K Support A Bespoke (custom) 8-Core AMD Chipset 3D Audio SSD Storage Backwards compatibility with PSVR and PS4 Ray Tracing Capabilities While this doesn’t officially confirm that the system is more powerful than the recently revealed Xbox Series X specs, it does show that the PS5 is shaping up to be an equally impressive console. The page goes on to mention other things we already know about, namely the DualShock 5’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. The page has since been updated to remove the unconfirmed details, but the information is already out there. Now, Sony, can you please just give us some details! We can’t have Microsoft taking all the glory with their surprise Xbox blog post. Let us know what you think of these details in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 2/28/2020

The electronics supply chain is in a constant war over components. Everything, from your phone, to your console, to your car, is packed with electronics these days. That means that shortages will drive up costs as manufacturers try to keep up with demand. According to a new report from Bloomberg, sources believe Sony is feeling the heat from these shortages, and it’s making the PS5 more expensive to manufacture than they originally planned. Turns out Console Wars are Costly Both Sony and Microsoft have next generation consoles coming out in holiday 2020. This means that mass production is going to start soon in order to fulfill holiday quotas. Despite this, neither Sony nor Microsoft have announced the price of their new systems. This could be due, in part, to Sony spending a rumored $450 on each PS5 they build. With that kind of cost, they would need to charge closer to $500 to make any kind of profit. Now, this is nothing new. Consoles have always been barely profitable at launch. Companies use them to get people into their ecosystem, so they can sell them games. For example, estimates say that PS4 systems cost $381 to manufacture, so Sony wasn’t making much when they sold them for $399 at launch. Even so, it looks like the PS5 will need to be $499 minimum to make any sense. That’s reasonable for someone who plays games constantly like I do, but others may not see the point in paying $100 more when they can get a PS4 Pro for less, and a regular PS4 for less than that. This opinion is mirrored by Macquarie Capital Analyst, Damian Thong: “Consumers will benchmark their expectations based on the PS4 Pro and PS4. If Sony prices above that, it would like be to balance a need to offset higher materials cost, against risk to demand.” Sony hasn’t commented on any of this, but during am earnings call, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki said that keeping the PS5’s bill of materials (the parts used to make it) under control is a focus, along with a focus on making sure they have enough to meet demand at launch. Microsoft Will Blink First The aforementioned Bloomberg article also mentions that people in the PlayStation business (who remain anonymous), have said that Microsoft’s price will play a key factor in the decision Sony makes. That makes sense, but it also means that Microsoft has more to lose here. After all, they have been in the last place of the console war, with PS4 outselling Xbox One the entire generation. While Microsoft is leaning more into their game streaming, they can’t afford to have another flop on their hands, which is why they have been more forthcoming with their Xbox Series X news and reveals. My thinking is that Microsoft will blink first and reveal the price, possibly before E3 2020. I don’t think Sony will wait until then to reveal the price regardless, mostly because they won’t be … Read More

Since the dawn of the coronavirus outbreak, many of us have been following the news far more than usual. With the United States ahead of the world in confirmed cases, the pandemic has come home to roost. There are currently Thousands and thousands of confirmed cases of the virus around the world. So, what does this have to do with PS5 preorders and gaming in general? As it turns out, quite a lot. Some Good News in These Uncertain Times There’s not a lot of good news out there these days, but the world of gaming does have a few things for us to talk about that offer some slight silver linings. For starters, the World Health Organization is now recommending that people play more games in general. You don’t have to tell me twice. Ray Chambers, World Health Organization Ambassador for Global Strategy, also highlighted this sentiment in a tweet: We’re at a crucial moment in defining outcomes of this pandemic. Games industry companies have a global audience – we encourage all to #PlayApartTogether. More physical distancing + other measures will help to flatten the curve + save lives. https://t.co/QhX0ssN0lH — Ray Chambers (@RaymondChambers) March 28, 2020 Next up, we have a positive story about how Sony is handling the shift towards working from home during the pandemic. Specifically, PlayStation employees are getting full pay until April 30th and budgets for equipment they need. This news also comes from a tweet by Patrick Klepek, who obtained a memo received by employees with the news: According to a memo I've been briefed on, all NA/European PlayStation employees will continue working from home through at least April 30, due to coronavirus. Workers will continue to be paid, "regardless of ability to perform remote work due to job function or responsibilities." — Patrick Klepek (@patrickklepek) March 27, 2020 Last, but not least, it seems like the PS5 launch won’t be delayed by the virus as of March 2020. Speaking to Bloomberg, a Sony representative said that it expects “no material impact” for its gaming and network services in the current fiscal year. As we’ve said before, the new console may be in very short supply if it launches on time, due to factory shut downs. We’ll of course keep this page updated with any news. In the meantime, you can find out how else the Coronavirus has affected gaming below. Sony Backs out of Two Major Events, Citing Coronavirus Concerns Near the end of February 2020, Sony announced that they would not be attending two major gaming events in the coming weeks. It started with Sony revealing that they would not be at PAX East in Boston. The company cited the ongoing virus concerns and the safety of their global workforce as reasons for pulling out of the event. Despite this, the evemt is moving forward with “enhanced cleaning and sanitation” in place across the venue. A day later, GamesIndustry.biz reported that Sony would also be pulling out of the Game Developer … Read More

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that collective Sony fans are ravenous for new PS5 info. After all, Sony has been pretty tight-lipped about details, while Microsoft has been throwing around trailers and announcements like they’re going out of style. Given this collective attitude, is it any wonder that the entire internet was fooled by a hoax one weekend in early 2020? This PS5 boot screen may be fake, but the hype surrounding it was most certainly real. A Look at How Rumors Spread Online It’s a testament to the internet as a construct that something like this can spread so quickly over the course of 48 hours or so. It all started with a Reddit post, as these typically do (note: The video is now listed as fake, but that wasn’t the case when it first went live). #PS5 boot up and console ???!!!!!. pic.twitter.com/ZzGQP7q4HI — Jose Miguel Esparza (@P0sitiveEmoti0n) January 25, 2020 From there, it went to Twitter and spread across the internet, where media outlets latched onto it and arguments flew across the digital sphere about whether it was real or fake. People on the fake side of things quickly pointed out discrepancies ranging from use of a Google Play logo to a QR code, which isn’t something you normally see on PlayStation hardware. The Jig is up, Now What? By the end of that cold weekend in January 2020, the original YouTube channel uploaded a second video confirming the fake PS5 boot screen. Not only that, but the video, titled “How to win the interwebs. -make a PS5 video” walked viewers through the process that went into this prank. The purpose? To see how far the rumor would go. Pretty damn far as it turns out. The process even involved a sound designer and programmer to help create something that would at least seem plausible. I honestly don’t know whether to applaud this guy or reach through the interwebs to smack him. On the one hand, it’s an impressive fake, but on the other hand, why? Just to troll people? What do you think? Did you buy into this hoax or were you sure it was a fake from the get-go? Let us know in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 1/28/2020

When Sony revealed they were skipping out on E3 2019, I was shocked and hurt. I love E3, despite the fact that it’s been in decline over the years. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a national holiday in my household. Unfortunately, Sony isn’t coming back for 2020. The official announcement comes in the opening weeks of 2020 as Sony confirms it will not be attendance at E3 2020. Among this, talk about a potential reveal at a PlayStation Meeting 2020 has resurfaced as it looks more likely than ever. All of this, and a new tease from Sony’s own Jim Ryan. Let’s dive in! Sony Says “No Thank You” to E3 2020 Sony Skipping E3 2019 made us all feel like it was a result of them not having any PS5 stuff to show, but that’s clearly not the case this year. After all, the PS5 is confirmed for holiday 2020. So, why would they skip E3 again in 2020? In a statement provided to Gamesindustry.biz, they had this to say: “After thorough evaluation SIE has decided not to participate in E3 2020. We have great respect for the ESA as an organization, but we do not feel the vision of E3 2020 is the right venue for what we are focused on this year. We will build upon our global events strategy in 2020 by participating in hundreds of consumer events across the globe. Our focus is on making sure fans feel part of the PlayStation family and have access to play their favorite content. We have a fantastic line up of titles coming to PlayStation 4, and with the upcoming launch of PlayStation 5, we are truly looking forward to a year of celebration with our fans.” As the article notes, Sony announced the original PlayStation at E3 in 1995, and we all remember the absolute thrashing they gave Microsoft at E3 2013. It seemed like E3 was always going to be a tradition for this kind of big hype, but Sony seems to prefer doing their own thing. The ESA, who organizes E3, responded with a statement of expected optimism about the show, but without one of the big three in attendance, it just feels like a hollow attempt to hype up an empty show (Microsoft notwithstanding). With E3 2020 out of the running, where and when will we see the PS5’s official reveal? There are a few options. PlayStation Meeting 2020: When and Where? The PS4 and PS4 Pro were both revealed at specific Sony events. So, it’s safe to assume that will be the case again with this generation. Back in August of 2019, we reported on a rumor that Sony would have a PlayStation Meeting on February 12, 2020. To me, this is the most plausible approach, especially now that they’ve decided to exit E3 2020. It’s also worth mentioning that Sony is holding an Experience PlayStation event in their Sony Square NYC space from January 14th-16th of 2020, but I don’t … Read More

While Sony’s keynote at CES 2020 did little to share new PS5 details (beyond an official logo, displayed above), that doesn’t mean we’re completely out of new things to talk about. You may recall the PS5 dev kit photos that surfaced back in 2019. Well, now it’s time for the DualShock 5 prototype to see the light of day! Let’s see what this brave cleaner managed to capture. The Hero We Need, But Not The One We Deserve While we did see some photos of the PS5 dev kit in 2019, 2020 is offering a better look at both the prototype system, and the controller. Keep in mind, these are not final designs, but they do mimic what we’ve seen in recent patents. Needless to say, this office cleaner is going to need new employment. Here’s the image from ResetEra: They mention that their employed at “U…” but fail to give us any details. Ubisoft would be an easy guess, but let’s not rule out Unity, which is an engine used by a lot of different games on PS4. The controller image doesn’t offer much in the way of the triggers we heard about, but it does seem to fit the bill of being similar to the DS4, just bulkier. The touchpad also seems to be larger as patents have suggested. Now that 2020 is here, images of the PS5, the DualShock 5, and more concrete details are bound to surface faster than ever. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 1/7/20