On September 23rd, 2019, Sony, along with twenty other gaming companies, committed to use their platforms to join the fight against climate change. This agreement, known as the “Playing for the Planet Alliance,” has led to new initiatives in the industry and in the design of the PS5. You may not realize it, but gaming companies have a large carbon footprint. Let’s find out how Sony is tackling this issue with their plans for the PS5. Sony Commits to an Environmentally Friendly PS5 Feature A recent study found that video game consoles alone emit the equivalent of 2.3 million cars worth of carbon into the atmosphere every year. This number continues to rise. A statement from the United Nations describes just how much impact this new alliance will have: “Some of the biggest names in the video games industry, with a combined audience of 970 million players, have today formally committed to harness the power of their platforms to take action in response to the climate crisis,” the UN stated. “Combined, these commitments from 21 companies will result in a 30 million tonne reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030, will see millions of trees planted, new “green nudges” in game design and improvements to energy management, packaging, and device recycling.” Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO detailed PlayStation’s plans to contribute to this initiative in a full post on the PlayStation Blog. The company has achieved some progress already using technologies on the PS4 like System-on-a-chip architecture, Suspend-to-RAM, and low-power rest modes, they recognize that more can be done. Specifically, Jim Ryan confirms that the “next generation PlayStation console” will include a new feature to suspend gameplay with much lower power consumption than PS4. The current estimate is a minuscule 0.5W. According to the post, if just 1 million people use this feature, it would save the electrical equivalent of 1,000 homes in the United States. Ryan also commits to making changes to the company’s operations by reporting the energy efficiency measures that are using at their data centers. The post even goes on to mention efforts to educate gamers through helping developers include themes of sustainability in their games and potential PSVR applications that could help raise awareness about climate issues. Moving in The Right Direction Our planet is heading down a dark path. Sony is already taking steps to make the PS5 more environmentally friendly, and their commitment to educating gamers about sustainability is a noble pursuit. Other companies like Microsoft have their own initiatives they’ve announced as a result of this alliance. I for one would love to see a different kind of console war that focuses on how each company can better influence the future of this planet we call home. In either case, it sounds like the PS5 will be a little greener than we expected, and that’s certainly fine by me. Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 9/23/19

Saying that Sony is releasing a next-gen console isn’t really news. But, what if I told you they were working on a second cloud gaming console as well? It could be their answer to Google Stadia. A new patent filed by the company in August of 2019 describes a “cloud gaming system” that would most certainly rival Stadia. Could we be looking at both a traditional console and a cloud option in 2020? Let’s see what the facts have to say! Another Day, Another Patent We’ve seen a lot of patents in recent years that offer insights into the things Sony may be working on behind closed doors. It’s important to remember that patents don’t always indicate things they are actively working on. It’s more like ideas they wanted to copyright before anyone else took them. That being said, the latest patent comes in the form of a “cloud gaming” system. More specifically, it’s the software architecture needed to power one. This patent was spotted by Segment Next. The A1 utility patent application was filed on August 29th with the United States patent office. Some of the text pulled from the patent describes what sounds like a typical cloud streaming setup. Servers within data centers run different instances of games and compress them before streaming it to the player. It specifically mentions that the memory is used for storing video frames before they are compressed. This sounds like a good way to keep latency low. As we’ve discussed before, cloud gaming systems like this don’t need an expensive console to work. All it needs is enough electronics to maintain a connection and receive inputs from a controller. As a result, cloud-based systems are a lot less expensive. That’s why Google Stadia just needs a controller and a Chromecast Pro to function. With a patent like this, it makes sense for Sony to be thinking about selling a cloud console as a less expensive alternative. This becomes even more plausible when you consider PlayStation Now. This is a streaming service you can sign up for right now. It comes in several packages, up to a year subscription at a time. Having tried it myself for several months and across different titles, I think it’s time to talk about where things stand. We’ll also consider what Sony could improve if they want to ramp up PS Now. The New PlayStation Now? I think the standard $99.99 price for a year of PlayStation Plus is pretty steep. However, the option to grab it on sale for $59.99 made it easier to jump into. The service does primarily offer titles from the PS2/PS3 eras with the option to download a select number of PS4 titles. For the purposes of this discussion, I’ll be focusing on the streaming experience (downloading them works like any other digital game purchase). In terms of speed, I will say that getting into a game is pretty fast. There’s a short wait while everything gets set up, and then you’re … Read More

There are no shortage of titles left on the PS4 that people are excited about. From Death Stranding, to Borderlands 3, to Ghosts of Tsushima, there’s plenty of life left here. However, few come close to the gravity of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II. News broke on September 9th, 2019 that Sony will be holding a media event on the 24th dedicated to this very title. Could this also be an opportunity to tease the PS5? Let’s discuss! Could We See PS5 at The Last of Us Part II Media Event? The next generation is more of a badly kept secret than a mystery at this point. It has been odd to see Microsoft get the jump on Sony with their E3 2019 Project Scarlett reveal. Even more interesting is Sony’s willingness to share details via Mark Cerny in the Wired magazine interview, and subsequently even more details from a reveal of their proprietary SSD technology. Still, we haven’t seen anything about the actual system, or what the graphics could look like. Microsoft has the edge here with an impressive Halo Infinite reveal running on the new technology. Back in the present, renowned journalist and creator of The Game Awards, Geoff Keighly, revealed via Twitter that Sony is hosting a media event for The Last of Us Part II on September 24th, 2019: And…here….we…..go! See you later this month @Naughty_Dog @Neil_Druckmann pic.twitter.com/LL6RZVbJc1 — Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) September 9, 2019 While this game is indeed one of the PS4’s swan songs this generation, there’s no doubt in my mind that the title will make an appearance on the PS5 as well. This press event could be a great opportunity to show new gameplay, talk about a PS4 release date, and maybe, just maybe, tease some footage of the title running on PS5’s hardware. I don’t expect a full-blown PS5 reveal until early 2020, but I do think it’s about time Sony stopped playing coy with their next-gen news. Microsoft has been in the limelight long enough, it’s time to secure the throne for the next generation. Of course, that’s just my speculation. What do you think? Could Sony show off some PS5 Last of Us Part II gameplay, or will they just stick to the basics? Let us know what you think in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 9/10/19

Original Render of Dev Kit by nl.LetsGoDigital.org Dualshock 5 Concept Added by PS5Playstation5.com

Sony filed a patent for this device that looks very similar to the PlayStation Dev Kit system. We believe it is the PS5 Dev kit. Does that mean the actual PS5 will look like this? No. Will it have some of the features? Probably.

We heard a while back that PS5 development kits were going out, but until now we haven’t seen anything reliable about what they look like. All of that has changed, thanks to a new Sony Interactive Entertainment patent. The images here, courtesy of LetsGoDigital, are a combination of drawings and some custom 3D renders of the concept as well. It’s certainly an interesting design. Let’s take a closer look and see how it compares to dev kits of old! Breaking Down The Dev Kit Models While people didn’t immediately assume that the concept was the PS5 dev kit, the connection came when Matthew Stott, a senior artist at Codemasters (known for racing games like Onrush, Grid, and F1) tweeted that it was indeed a dev kit. Interestingly enough, the tweet has since been deleted. However, the exact wording he used was this: “it’s a dev kit, we have some in the office.” Since the tweet was deleted shortly after, it’s pretty easy to assume that he wasn’t supposed to say that. Since the pictures went out, people have been making a lot of assumptions and comments about the look. LetsGoDigital even went so far to create 3D renders of the concept: Now, one thing to keep in mind here is that dev kits rarely look much like the final product. They are just there to give developers the hardware they need to start making games. To give you an idea of what I mean, this is the PS4’s dev kit: Also, for fun, this next image is the Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, and Dreamcast dev kits from left to right: Is This What The PS5 Will Look Like? As I mentioned earlier (and showed), development kits are usually nothing like the final system design. That being said, people have been critiquing this look all over the internet anyway. What I will say, is that the giant V in the center is an interesting element. It could be stylistic to signify the Roman numeral for “5,” but it could also be a way to add additional ventilation to the kit. While the PS5 may not adopt the same design, the fact that the dev kit has such a high number of vents makes me think Sony is looking for ways to keep the system cool, especially given the kind of hardware we’re expecting under the hood. Other elements, like the addition of an SSD logo on the front in the 3D renders probably won’t happen either. PlayStation designs tend to be sleek. That kind of hardware flaunting would be on the box, but not the console itself. Beyond these mockups, you can also find plenty of other unique concepts and console designs in our full gallery. What do you think about this crazy design? Despite it being a dev kit, would you want the PS5 to look something like this, or do you hate it? Let us know in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 8/23/19

If you live in the United States, odds are you’ve heard about a problem we have in this country. As of August 5, the 217th day of the year, there have been 255 mass shootings in the U.S. More than the number of days we’ve had this year so far. Nowhere is safe anymore it seems. Not your grocery stores, not your food festivals, and certainly not your favorite bars and clubs downtown. As other countries take steps to ban assault weapons, focus on mental health, and make real, tangible steps towards a solution, we are still pointing the finger at completely unrelated and unsubstantiated scapegoats. Blaming video games for mass shootings is like blaming fire for the flood. They have nothing to do with each other. Odds are, you agree with me, but for those still on the fence, let me tell you a story I’ve never put to paper before. A Night I’ll Never Forget, and a Medium That Kept Me Going Before my time as a full-time writer, I worked at the lovely GameStop, which we’ve all heard stories about. In fact, you may have heard a story like mine, but despite it’s massive influence on my life and my mental health, I’ve neglected to write it down until now. It was 2008. I had been working in the same GameStop store for a year, and it was shortly after the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I was working with two other associates (whose names will remain private). I was good friends with both of them. In fact, I had plans to go hang out and play MGS 4 after our shift was done for the night. There were a few customers in the store. One of them was a man in baggy clothes. He had dreadlocks under a colorful knitted cap. He walked up to the counter and put down a generic brand GameStop GameCube controller. The associate at the register beside me went to check him out, but the man stopped him. He went back out to grab a game. The other customers left and the man approached the counter once more. This time he had Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. I was standing in the center of the counter, processing some trade-ins while one associate grabbed the disc and the other opened the register to take his payment. I heard the register pop open, but then everything stopped. The associate at the register was completely frozen in place. The one grabbing the disk was oblivious to what was happening. I felt the tension in the air almost immediately, but I didn’t register what was happening until I looked up and to my left. Placed against my friend’s head was the barrel of a silver revolver. It shimmered in the flourescent light of the store, as if it had just been polished. It was a massive gun, with a long thin barrel. The man holding the gun stood perfectly still, staring … Read More

As the PS4 continues to dominate this generation, we all know that the PS5 is on the horizon. Microsoft has already played their hand with the reveal of Project Scarlett at E3 2019, so all eyes are on Sony. New rumors are pointing to a few big details, including the a February 2020 unveiling of the system, and which titles we may see in action at this event. Read on to find out everything we know! PS5 Reveal Coming in February 2020? This latest leak comes to us courtesy of NeoGAF, and it details both a new State of Play stream, and the official unveiling of the PS5 in February 2020. It starts with the next State of Play, which is rumored to happen on November 1st, 2019. Here the main titles on show will be Death Stranding, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and The Last of Us Part 2 (which is rumored to be releasing in May of 2020. The source of this information is supposed to be a former senior marketing manager who worked with Sony and obtained this information from a company email to the employees of the marketing department. The main event, of course, is the PlayStation Meeting 2020, which is rumored to happen on February 12th, 2020. Here Sony will supposedly unveil the PS5. Both The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghosts of Tsushima will supposedly be running on PS5 during the event. There are also rumors that they will talk about PSVR 2, which supposedly had great results in prototype testing. We may see some version of this at the event, with plans to start ramping up the marketing before the start of the 2021 fiscal year. Are You Ready For The Future? While it’s not possible to fully verify all of this info, NeoGAF has always been a pretty good source for promising leads. All of this also points to a release date for the PS5 in holiday of 2020, so we of course are happy with this development (seeing as how we’ve predicted this date for years). What do you think? Does this line up with your expectations? Are you ready to make the switch to PS5? Let us know in the comments! Article by – Bradley Ramsey Insert date – 8/20/19

Imagine the new PS5 is right in front of you ready to be powered on. What excites you most about it? Post your ideas below!