The weekend is here and what better time to catch up on this week’s gaming news highlights than on a Friday? I appreciate you taking a moment to catch up with us and that being said, let’s move onto this week’s highlights! To get us started, Sony has announced a new handset for PlayStation VR and I will tell you what, I would use these even if I wasn’t playing a VR title (is that even possible?). While PSVR owners have been using the traditional PS4 controller (DS4) for their VR game sessions, it seems Sony has finally caught up to the likes of controllers that can be used with the Oculus and the HTC something. Many of us have been quietly jealous of these style of controllers as they really free up your hands can things even more immersive. Keep in mind these were announced as PS5 VR controllers, so we don’t know if they’ll have any backward compatibility with PS4. It seems unlikely as the Dual Sense controller for PS5 doesn’t work with PS4. If it does, you can expect the haptic feedback features that are built in, will probably be disabled. Oh, by the way, these PS5VR controllers have haptic feedback built in. Boom! Excited for some Dying Light 2 updates? Yeah, us too! If only Techland could give us some useful info instead of mocking the internet trolls and letting us know the game is currently being developed… I don’t like bashing on developers. They work hard and their jobs are incredibly stressful (especially when working for large companies like Activision, EA, Ubisoft and yes, Techlamd considering they self publish now). But when it comes to announcing that you have an announcement for a game that has been getting the development treatment for what seems like ages now, you kind of expect more than 13 seconds of gameplay and a bunch of nasty tweets being read off by the developers. Thank you for letting us know the game is still being worked on. You could have tweeted that and probably saved a few dollars in the process, Techland. So, yeah… there’s your Dying Light update. I was pretty disappointed too. Sorry. Speaking of developers and publishers, I’m sorry to say that Activision Blizzard has laid off 50 employees and word has it that the number is actually much higher. No idea how much higher, but so far, 50 have been confirmed. The employees laid off were not developers, but they were part of a team that set up and took care of in-person live events. Because the pandemic has created such regulations as social distancing (at least in the U.S.), most of these venues have turned to digital showings instead. Man, that just goes to show you how bad things have been. I hope the laid personnel manage to hang in there and get back to work when and where possible. It is a jungle out there and it seems like … Read More
Most PlayStation Fans Prefer to Wait for the PS5
Gamers are used to have console generations, but all of that has changed. Now, we have the PS4 Pro, along with the standard PS4, to choose from. While this new option is 4K enabled and more powerful, it’s not the PS5. The PS5 is still coming, which leaves gamers with a decision to make: should they wait for the PS5? We ran a poll to ask that very question, and the results were very interesting. Join us as we look at the answers our fans gave us, and how you can decide for yourself. We Asked and The Fans Answered We were curious about how our fans thought of the PS4 Pro. Was it something they had to have, or would they rather keep their PS4 systems and await the inevitable PS5? It was an interesting question to ask. After all, wouldn’t PlayStation fans leap on the opportunity to try out a new console? Well, since the PS4 is more of an upgraded PS4 Pro, the difference wasn’t as striking as a next generation console would be. So, we went to work to see what the fans wanted. As part of our poll, we gave gamers three different choices: Buy the PS4 Pro Wait on the PS5 Neither As of this writing, the poll shows a whopping 60% prefer to wait for the PS5! It’s followed up by those who will buy the PS4 Pro, and the neither crowd came in the last place. So, it’s clear that the majority want to wait on the PS5. It makes sense, given the fact that PS4 Pro is simply an upgraded PS4. The fact that it exists within the same generation as the PS4 means that it will play all of the same games and that all future games will have to work on the PS4 as well. That means that the difference, while noticeable, won’t ever be the generational leap that the PS5 could provide. Sony has also focused intensely on the 4K aspect of the system. While it doesn’t always hit native 4K resolution, the checkerboard rendering it uses does give resolutions well above 1080p. The problem with this is that this is only something that 4K TV owners can have. 1080p owners can get benefits like supersampling, higher frame rates, and better graphics, but these features are rarely advertised or used to their fullest potential. Exceptions include games like Rise of the Tomb Raider, which offers multiple modes for PS4 Pro owners to choose, including higher frame rates or improved graphics. Beyond cases like this, the PS4 Pro hasn’t managed to really offer a major leap. It offers a lot for 4K TV owners, but the incentive for 1080p owners isn’t as high. That being said, if you’ve opted for PlayStation VR, the additional power of the Pro does create noticeably better experiences fairly consistently. Even with these things in mind, the PS4 Pro is still a $400 console. With Microsoft selling the Xbox One X for $499, it’s … Read More
PS5 vs Xbox One X: How Sony Will Dominate
The gaming industry is in a weird place right now. With the release of PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X, we received new consoles that exist in the same generation as their brethren. The power of the Xbox One X could easily be touted as “next-gen,” and yet, Microsoft prefers to keep it in this generation. We already know that Sony is planning to release a PS5 in the future. How will the PS5 compete with the Xbox One X, if at all? Is it all about power and 4K, or are there some key features that should be included in Sony’s next generation console? Join us as we look at how Sony is going to put Microsoft in their place with the PS5. Microsoft Talks Big About Xbox One X Microsoft has been extremely proud of themselves since E3 2017. They often refer to Xbox One X as the “most powerful console ever built” and, while they’re not wrong, it seems to be going to their heads. Even the Microsoft E3 2017 press briefing saw the entire staff wearing t-shirts that stated “I witnessed the most powerful console ever.” They should be proud, though, because the specs on Xbox One X are certainly impressive. Where they should be careful, however, is how they stoke the flames of competition. They’ve poked the bear that is Sony before, and it didn’t go well for them. We all remember the unveiling of the Xbox One and Sony’s excellent rebuttal. Despite this, Phil Spencer still sent some warning shots across Sony’s bow in an interview with Eurogamer. During this interview, he was asked if the $100 price difference between PS4 Pro and Xbox One X concerned him. His response: “I look at Pro as more of a competitor to the Xbox One S, than I do to the Xbox One X. This is a true 4K console. If you just look at the specs of what this box is, it’s in a different league than any other console that’s out there.” He doesn’t even acknowledge the PS4 Pro as a competitor! It’s true that Xbox One X does have more power than the Pro, but if it’s not going to compete with Sony’s current lineup, then the only other option is to compete with the PS5. Should Sony be Worried About Xbox One X? Phil Spencer’s comments about the PS4 Pro were certainly more harsh than one would normally expect from corporate banter, but if he truly believes the PS4 Pro isn’t in the same league as the Xbox One X, does that mean Sony should be worried about the gap in hardware while we all wait for the PS5? Since there is a large gap in the hardware, it’s hard not to wonder if Sony is worried about Xbox One X games looking or playing significantly better. The interviewer mentioned titles where Sony has a marketing deal with them, and asked if Sony anticipates a major difference in image quality for … Read More
PS5 in 2018? 5 Reasons Why It Absolutely Won’t Happen
Recently, the PlayStation 5 has been on everyone’s mind. No, it’s not because Sony said something about its inevitable release, it’s because a major analyst named Damian Thong predicted that Sony would be releasing the PS5 in 2018 to record breaking sales. Where does this leave new PS4 Pro and VR owners? Is Sony really moving on this quickly? The answer is no. Releasing the PS5 in 2018 would be a foolish move, and it’s not likely that Sony would make such a grave mistake when they’re doing so well. Join us for five reason why this prediction absolutely will not happen. 5 Reasons Why We Won’t Be Seeing The PS5 in 2018 (Despite Predictions) While I respect the opinion of Damian Thong, I don’t believe the PS5 will be coming in 2018. Beyond the obvious reason that it’s too soon, I’ve compiled my top 5 reasons why PS5 needs to come out later. Holiday 2020 seems about right, given the evidence we’ve compiled on our PS5 Release Date Page. Let’s take a look: 1. Sony is Winning in Sales Sony has literally zero reasons to rush the PS5 out of the gate. The PS4 has sold over 60 million consoles and that number continues to grow. Furthermore, Microsoft has only pushed between 25-30 million consoles to date, according to estimates. Even with Project Scorpio (Xbox 2) looming over the horizon, there’s still no rush. Even if Scorpio sold like crazy (which it won’t because it’s going to be expensive), it would take years for Microsoft to catch up. With Sony dominating the market, it just doesn’t make sense for them to compromise their lead by rushing out a new console. So, why did Damian Thong predict this? Well, it’s hard to say, but I would venture to guess that he say Microsoft’s upcoming console, how it was more powerful than Sony’s PS4 Pro, and threw in some other numbers to get to his prediction. I can understand that side of things, to an extent. The PS5 would, and will, sell like hotcakes, but it will sell better if people are ready for it. For this reason and all the others, that’s simply not the case. 2. PS4 Pro is Still Young The PS4 Pro hasn’t even been out for a year and we’re already talking about PS5? Sony committed to this concept of a mid-generation hardware refresh and said that it would be their focus for the foreseeable future. Two years (2018), is within the foreseeable future. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that gamers would be utterly enraged if they found out that their brand new console was about to be obsolete. It just doesn’t make any sense from a customer service perspective. Not to mention, look at the power that developers have managed to squeeze out of the PS4. The games continue to increase in both size and scale, and graphics have never looked better. Even though the PS4 Pro isn’t as powerful as … Read More
Call of Duty? More Like Call of Destiny: The Future of FPS
First person shooters, abbreviated as FPS, is a genre that has taken over gaming. The biggest franchises are all presented through the eyes of the protagonist. Whether it’s fighting a future war, or waging and old one, this genre represents billions of dollars for the industry each and every year. That being said, it’s clear that gamers are starting to get fatigued. The latest Call of Duty trailer has the most dislikes of any trailer ever, while the Battlefield 1 trailer has the most. What does this mean? What’s the future of FPS games? Time to find out! The State of the Union These days, if you walk into a video game store, you’re going to find more varieties of first person shooters then flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Several of them have annual releases, and others spend several years incubating before they are released. Among all of these shooters, competitive online multiplayer represents one of the biggest motivations for gamers to pick up a copy. Personally I play for story, not for keeps, but to each their own. I can’t deny the popularity of multiplayer in today’s FPS games. Take Blizzard’s new IP Overwatch. This game is a team-based competitive shooter. No campaign, no storyline (except for one told through videos outside the game). All of this, and people eat it up like it’s made of gold. There’s no denying the popularity of it. Some games have taken this to the next level. Destiny, for example, is a hybrid MMO-shooter that is always online and always getting new updates, events, and expansions. The publisher, Activision, wants the game to last ten years and plans to keep it updated all the while. While not first person, Ubisoft’s The Division is another game that has blurred the line between a massively multiplayer game and a shooter. While these are in the minority now, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that more shooters will take this hybrid approach and keep people online with their friends throughout the experience. The FPS genre is in a state of experimentation right now. It’s unsure of where to go next, so it’s dipping toes into all kinds of new ventures. Some work better than others, but it’s clear that innovation is in order. I could be something as simple as a setting change (looking at you Battlefield 1, WWI certainly is a change of pace). Or, it could be a move towards more integrated, massively multiplayer experiences. Throw in the rise of virtual reality, and you have the recipe for change. New mechanics and cool settings aside, where is all of this going? It’s time to look at the paths that the first person shooter genre could take. Where Do We Go From Here? 3 Ways FPS Games Could Change Forever I’m no time traveler, but I see a few ways this can all go down. When it comes time for the PS5, what will the average FPS look like? How will it … Read More
The Destiny of VR vs TV’s Battle: Only One Survives
Virtual reality lived and died over twenty years ago. Simply put, thing like the Virtual Boy didn’t cut it. Now, after Oculus Rift was swiftly Purchased by Facebook for $2 billion dollars, suddenly virtual reality is making a comeback. Everyone and their grandmother is bringing out a VR headset, which begs the question: “Will virtual reality replace television?” The answer, as you can imagine, is complicated. Should VR succeed, it was most certainly take over. Then again, there’s always the chance it will flop. Let’s take a look at both sides of the coin and decide which device will rule your living room. Goodbye 60-inch, Hello VR Headset! There’s most certainly a crowd that believes televisions will become a relic. Among them is the founder (and recently made very rich) owner of Oculus Rift: Palmer Luckey. While the price of his headset is astoundingly high, the fact that it has Facebook backing it up means it will have massive mainstream exposure. Then you have Sony who is going all in on PlayStation VR which is a similar headset for the PS4. On top of that, Microsoft is slowly but surely perfecting their HoloLens augmented reality headset. Sprinkle in the HTC Vive which is being sponsored by Steam/Valve, and you have yourself a growing market of devices ready to do battle with one another. Palmer Luckey, in an interview with Maximum PC said some interesting things on the subject: “Why in the world would you buy a 60-inch TV that, even if it were dirt cheap for that, it’s still going to cost a lot to ship it and make it from raw materials. A VR headset is going to be much better and much cheaper and you can take it anywhere.” Luckey has some points, but his claims are clearly based on his infatuation with VR seeing as how he started a company about it. Like many other radical claims, the quote was met with plenty of scorn and a few attacks at Luckey himself. People tend to react drastically to major changes like this. Palmer Luckey isn’t the first person to make a bold claim about his industry is going take over, and he won’t be the last. For someone who is just entering the industry, a major win like Facebook purchasing you is bound to go to your head, and it also adds a huge amount of pressure to convince the people you interact with that your product is the one and only option for the future. Realistically, the future Palmer Luckey envisions won’t be here anytime soon. Nothing in the gaming/electronics industry is drastic. Sure, you have plenty of upgrades and iterations, but its very rare that a technology is swept under the rug overnight. It’s a gradual change, with HD-DVDs being the exception (sorry, but does anyone actually remember those?). The issue that people have is they are comparing the Oculus Rift launch model with, say, a 4K TV that just hit the market. To put … Read More
AMD Planning to Bring 5X Performance on PS5
A large part of the console war is the struggle for power. We love to argue about which system is going to be more powerful. Take the arguments for this current generation for example. The debate over Xbox games being 900p and the PS5 games being 1080p threw tons of fuel onto an already raging fire. It doesn’t matter if you’re a PC gamer or a console gamer. Either way, you’re going to want the most power possible. Deep down we’re all lovers of great graphics and gameplay. So, if someone is promising more power than we’ve ever seen in a console, it turns some heads. Power is the name of the game, and from the looks of it, we’re in for quite the treat when the PS5 releases. AMD, the manufacturers of the current consoles APU chipsets, has come out with some bold claims about when the new consoles will be here, and what kind of power they’ll be sporting. How does Five Times the Power Sound? No one manufacturer has been chosen to supply chipsets for the next generation of consoles, but AMD is pretty confident they will be the ones to do so, seeing as how they’ve been the go-to company for some time now. AMD is developing a new type of architecture called GCN that they believe will be able to put out five times the performance and watts of the current generation. The idea is to make massively more powerful chipsets that still use the same amount of power. As if that wasn’t shocking enough, they also believe they’ll be providing these chips to console makers by 2018, which puts the PS5’s release somewhere in that time frame. The PS4 is currently enjoying massive sales and sports the most powerful graphics hardware currently in a console. This new technology that AMD is working on opens up the possibility for a more powerful PS4, a PS4.5 so to speak. The PS4’s X86 architecture makes it much easier to offer an upgrade than the PS3 which was entirely different with its cell processor architecture. Don’t get too excited though. AMD doesn’t have plans to start making new APU’s until 2018 so it’s not likely that we’ll see a more powerful PS4, but the possibility of one with more energy efficiency and less heat output (i.e a “slim” PS4) is definitely on the table. AMD Predicts a VR-Focused Future AMD has also said that they’ll be shifting a good portion of their focus to VR or virtual reality. This lines up perfectly with the development of PlayStation VR (previously Project Morpheus). Of course, the current generation of consoles aren’t powerful enough to power virtual reality with the level of graphics we expect. Sony is working wonders with their PlayStation VR tech demos, but we won’t be seeing The Order: 1886 on VR this generation. An example is that the PS4 would need to be three times as powerful to run an Oculus Rift with 2160 x 1200 resolution … Read More