PS.. is it 5? I think we're on 5 now. PS5

can't believe the new ps5 controller has a 'honk' button! incredible! pic.twitter.com/3LEUX6jxwl

— Crows Crows Crows (@crowsx3) April 8, 2020

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/ps5/

this is the new controller
http://i.imgur.com/AEfMwvE.png
― let me be your friend on the other end! (Karl Malone), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:08 PM

The DualSense iterates on its predecessors by introducing a new haptic feedback system, adaptive triggers for the L2 and R2 buttons, a built-in microphone array, and a new ‘Create’ button in place of the ‘Share’ button from the DualShock 4. Details on what exactly this ‘Create’ feature actually entails is still to come.
“In all, we went through several concepts and hundreds of mockups over the last few years before we settled on this final design,” Nishino wrote. “DualSense has been tested by a wide range of gamers with a variety of hand sizes, in order for us to achieve the comfort level we wanted, with great ergonomics. Our goal with DualSense is to give gamers the feeling of being transported into the game world as soon as they open the box. We want gamers to feel like the controller is an extension of themselves when they’re playing – so much so that they forget that it’s even in their hands!”
― let me be your friend on the other end! (Karl Malone), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:09 PM

a little more xbox-ish, but not too much
looks pretty
― mh, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:10 PM

dont like how that looks nearly as much as the ds4
― ciderpress, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:11 PM

i presume you can turn off the microphone. what a nightmare to have voice chat on EVERY GAME
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:12 PM

every time any of the console makers change their controller i have to worry that they've made something that's not comfortable for my giant hands. the current gen ones are all ideal
― ciderpress, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:14 PM

"This will be the first controller that is already it's own Overwatch variant"
― Andrew Farrell, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:23 PM

the new controller looks like it’s wearing a little black spaghetti-strap dress
― force ghost bg (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:25 PM

The current controllers are great, except they keep breaking down for me. My original one has phantom R2 inputs and generally unresponsive, and on the newer one the down button only works about 1/10th of the time. This makes for a fun challenge in Dark Souls 3, where I never know if I'll be able to change consumable items or not.
Admittedly, this is probably related to the fact that I now mostly play while I'm on the stationary bike, with sweaty hands. :/
― change display name (Jordan), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:29 PM

xp lol
― change display name (Jordan), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:30 PM

Maybe that's not a speaker, maybe that's a fan that blows in your face to make you feel like you are outside.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:34 PM

The DS4 already has a speaker!
― Triceratops Vowell (Leee), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:36 PM

oh yeah one of my 2 DS4s has a bad stick. but at least it doesn't cramp my hands up
― ciderpress, Wednesday, April 8, 2020 3:58 PM

Karl Malone's milk post: thanks mate, you really cheered me up!
― doorstep jetski (dog latin), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 6:57 PM

:D hey man, i'm just giving you a glimpse of the future. glad to see the synergy with the thinking behind the new PS5 controller!
"Our goal with DualSense is to give gamers the feeling of being transported into the game world as soon as they open the box. We want gamers to feel like the controller is an extension of themselves when they’re playing – so much so that they forget that it’s even in their hands!"
*hundreds of journalists hands go up*
"WILL WE BE ABLE TO PUSH MILK WITH OUR "HANDS" USING THE PS5 CONTROLLER???"
― let me be your friend on the other end! (Karl Malone), Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:10 PM

i cannot state strongly enough how much the new controller looks like it’s wearing a little black dress and it’s freaking me out

phew i’m glad i now say that twice itt

next generation baby

i agree that the new controller is wearing a dress and the analog sticks are its honkers

the internet agrees
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-04-09-of-course-people-are-drawing-the-ps5-controller-as-an-anime-girl

the controller is also wearing pauldrons

Sources tell Bloomberg that this year, Sony will be producing a lower number of PlayStation 5 consoles. The cause, reportedly, isn’t due to the novel coronavirus covid-19 pandemic, but rather, the hardware’s high price at launch.

The console’s technical specs are expected to be reflected in the pricing, Bloomberg added, and there has been speculation that the PS5 will be priced between $499 and $549. Certain components are scarce and expensive, which could cut into the company’s profits on each machine.

Kotaku reached out to Sony but did not receive a reply prior to publication.

Production might be impacted by the pandemic. Sony employees are working from home, and Sony might ditch in-person press events for the console. Earlier this year, the company held a virtual briefing to announce the console’s specs.

The PS5’s assembly is expected to begin in June. While Sony has revealed the console’s controller, only a small handful of insiders have apparently seen what the actual console looks like, for fear of leaks.

Sony was quoted as telling its partners that it will make 5 to 6 million PS5s during the financial year ending on March 31, 2021. In comparison, Sony sold 7.5 million PS3s during that console’s first two quarters. The goal is still for a simultaneous worldwide launch, but the pandemic is impacting game production across the industry, which could impact the debut titles.

At launch, the PlayStation 3 was hard to get, so expect the PlayStation 5 to be even more so.

is anyone here thinking of trying to be an early adopter?

I am going to buy this console. i missed out on the ps4/xbox one generation

when is there a game worth playing for it is the question

i haven't been an early adopter since i somehow managed to convince my dad to buy me a psx right when it came out (crazy knowing that it was like $600+ with memory card + a game, even back then!)

i know it's a bad idea, but honestly if there's some sort of must have launch title (super mario 64 or BOTW-esque) i can see myself doing it

xp

ulysses otm

has playstation ever had a must-have launch title? like one that's a top-ten recommendation for the console, even at the end of the lifecycle?

i don't see a reason to early adopt if you have a 4

the launch titles will be the last of us 2 with better loading times and ghost of tsushima with better loading times

and knack 3

I was kinda tempted to early adopt on both this gen... but who knows. There probably won't be a great system exclusive for at least a year or two anyway

yeah i don't really see anything in the pipe or rumored pipe i care about that isn't going to get a ps4 version, would have to be some left field surprise

plus - with these supply constraints I'm betting they'll rush out the first hardware revision even sooner than usual

and if these launch at $500... hmm.. i dunno

what's the point? wait a couple years and see if sony actually continues to deliver decent exclusives. current gen console quality has never been an indicator of next gen console quality. i've come to expect the inverse lately.

i mean, wow?
https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/a-first-look-at-unreal-engine-5

Knack 3 will be phenomenal

wow!

i got bored after 10 minutes but it does look nice

UE4 demo for comparison

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD9CPqSKjTU

I don't have a PS4 but I guess it took a bit for PS4 games to get as good as the demo?

never believe the demo is a good rule of thumb, but that UE4 looks worse than god of war honestly.

never believe the demo is a good rule of thumb, but that UE4 looks worse than god of war honestly.

I can't tell if this is a put-down or not (honestly!). Because I just (barely) started God of War a couple of weeks ago, and not only thought it looked great, but thought that PS5 Unreal 5 demo was maybe technically better quality, down to the little programmer details, but not to my maybe weak eyes radically better, good as it looked.

i got bored after 10 minutes but it does look nice

Um, isn't the video 9 minutes long? No wonder you got bored.

the demo should be reasonably representative for what constrained area/camera games like god of war or whatever will look like, open world games have more technical hurdles obviously

Looks fantastic

https://kotaku.com/playstation-5-game-showcase-happening-next-thursday-1843754372

https://blog.playstation.com/2020/06/08/updated-time-this-thursday-see-the-future-of-gaming-on-ps5/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

will be watching.

give us a fuckin price sony

Not buying until gta6 comes out

well duh

(been my rule for the past two ps machines)

I have a PS4 Slim and I've been very happy with it, so much so that I'm not sure what a PS5 would give me that I don't already have or want in a machine. Besides exclusives, I guess, but that stuff is totally under wraps, given that hyped heavy hitters Last of Us 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Ghost of Tsushima are coming out for PS4.

there is no point in buying a new console until there are games worth playing on it, idk why people even humor the thought of buying near launch

clout

fanboys + people who didnt have the previous box

I have Gamespot gift cards and GS is near death and my PS4 optical drive is dead. First time I’ll be buying a new system ASAP.

GTA though? Man, that’s been downhill from 4 on.

It would be be Spider-Man 2 for me. But I don't know, something about the general anxiety of this year might lead to just get this and maybe the MS one too

So just caught the Demon's Souls remake, what else have I missed/

HZD sequel so you better play the first one sooner than later!

Eh, I've got a couple of years before I even consider PS5.

FUGLY

better have good cooling because that's going in a drawer

that is seriously rank

looks like a router

Just had a good run on Returnal, randomly had my armor boosted up, randomly had a good weapon, was making my way back to that first boss, was feeling good ... and then made a wrong turn into a new locked room full of really tough enemies. Roguelikes keep it fresh, but boy can they be frustrating.

it's called Returnal because once you play it you return all your other games to the store

I gave up on Returnal while trying to get through the second biome, which is excruciatingly long.

Oh, no. That's where I set it down!

I shall return to Returnal, though. I ended up upgrading my PC graphics so I'm going to be crunching through games on that for a while.

Astro Bot and Ratchet and Clank are the only two exclusives you need. Especially the former, which is as close to "perfect" a game can be in 2024

I've installed Alan Wake 2, which was the first time I turned my PS5 on in months. Can't wait to play (and probably turn the scariness down to baby mode)!

I loved the first one and "Control," and have this one waiting for me when I need a break from "Returnal" (which I'm starting to think I'm ultimately never going to be able to beat).

if you can beat the first level of Returnal you can beat the game. feel like that first initial hump is the biggest struggle. what biome are you stuck on?

will say that it's not always advisable to skip biomes entirely when you get the ability to do so. you'll find yourself underpowered.

luv Returnal, great game, beat it twice.

I'm stuck on biome 2. I haven't even gotten the grappling hook thing.

I made it past the first chapter or two of Alan Wake 2 and quit when I kept getting killed by a wolf. This is not a major boss, just a random wolf. I will return to it eventually

and get killed by a wolf

xxpost I'm stuck in the first biome, lol. It's just so goddam unforgiving! I was having the best run ever, had my health boosted up by 50%, had a great weapon, maybe +4, with bonus damage, was looking forward to Phrike ... and then the game randomly locked me in a fucking room with three mini bosses, two of the green guys and one red guy. As if it knew I was doing well and just wanted to sweep my legs out from under me. That's the downside of roguelikes vs, say, From games. The nature of git gud is constantly shifting under your feet. Speaking of which, my death by gravity count has got to be impressive. Maybe I need to make everything less, well, dark.

Hardest game ever... so brutal

LOL booted up for the first time since updating the system software and THAT was a trip of nostalgia.

The main thing Returnal taught me was to learn the architecture and the ways different enemies move. A game where I have to be attentive but calm, and whether it’s three nasty enemies or one simple one, it’s just another room.

Much easier said than done

Its good but I could barely get to the last boss and he was nails

AW2 first boss done but I actually got turned around and totally lost and had to restart from a checkpoint, and the old "do I need to shine a light on the baddy?" art direction problem from the first game hasn't been fixed.

"Returnal" might be the hardest game ever because it combines the traits of so many other hardest games ever (roguelike, metroidvania, bullet hell, platforms, crazy From-level bosses and enemies, even rhythm games like Thumper, kinda). However, I did just watch a tutorial that conveyed some good advice that, while not immediately helpful, I think will pretty quickly lend me a hand. We shall see.

idk I played Battletoads on the NES and I’ve made it further in Returnal than I ever did in that. At least, I think I have

I swapped back to Star Wars Outlaws and I’m having fun messing with all the crime syndicates

I know it's my problem, but if I don't make some sort of breakthrough in "Returnal" I'm not sure the point of playing it, as brilliant as it is. It's not just that it's always changing, it's that it punishes anything less than no-hit runs. Which is to say, the minimum baseline of success of this game seems to be the high standard set by game streamer stunts like "beat boss with fists" or "Dark Souls no-hit run," and so on. Pretty annoying. I'm happy to work to get better, to a degree, but it's particularly challenging when the game itself is actively pushing back to prevent progress. For every apparent step forward, it loves to drag you back two steps.

Oof, saw reported that Sony just cancelled a live service "God of War" game by way of Bluepoint, and some other live service game from Bend. This follows the cancellation of a live service "Last of Us" game from Naughty Dog, and after Sony's live service aims ended up gutting Rocksteady after that "Suicide Squad" game flopped, not to mention all the people that lost their jobs after the DOA "Concord." I'm glad to see a pivot away from live service, but that's a lot of wasted time and resources. Bend specifically hasn't released anything since "Days Gone" in 2000, Bluepoint not since its ace 2020 "Demon's Souls" remake.

yep they bet the whole PS5 generation on this stuff and now realized the degree to which no one wants it after Concord

kind of? I think that niche is still very active, it’s just that they’re both expensive to keep running in the long term, and the market only seems to be able to sustain a couple of them at a time. In Sony’s corner, Helldivers 2 seems to have fallen off a bit in the last couple months but I think people still jump in for new events/content.

Outside of Sony, the Overwatch-style gameplay seems to have shifted to Marvel Rivals. No idea if it’ll be a long-term success.

I enjoy Marvel Rivals but it doesn't seem quite evil enough to last long in the service game. But who things can always get worse

Most of the games I play now have some kind of "log in everyday for crap" live service trap and I hate it, and I hate that it generally works on me

Man, I was just watching a Skill Up video, where they talk about how Activision revealed (or it was leaked?) the cost to make (not even market) the last three Call of Duty games, and the one that came out in 2020 (iirc Cold War? I don't know anything about these games) alone cost $750 million to make. Jeez, that can't be sustainable. And indeed may not be, given how desperate these companies seem to be for anything that generates extra revenue. What's wild is that the Call of Duty games seem (again, afaict) pretty much bog-standard military guys running around shooting things, vs. Helldivers 2, which at least seems, you know, fun and silly and inventive. That one supposedly cost maybe $100 million to make, which is still a hell of a lot of money, but seems cheap compared to $750 million. Or god knows what GTA VI's budget is. Or the Naughty Dog game.

Which is to say, from this armchair perspective, these companies should really figure out how to do more with less (more new ideas, more creative ideas) or at least market better. It's downright insulting that they throw money hand over fist at shit that looks as disposable and generic as "Concord" did, yet that most recent "Prince of Persia" (that everyone loved) gets overlooked and is considered a failure and has lead to layoffs or iirc that subsidiary company's sale. That should have been free money! Something's got to change, right? (Probably at the top, these companies appear to be run by morons, what a surprise.)

aiui the cost and complexity of scaling and moderating multiplayer is absolutely mind boggling and only a very small handful of companies know how to do it

I have no interest in live anything

Me neither. I've never even bothered with PS+, or whatever the internet subscription is called. No "Helldivers" or Dark Souls summons/invasions for me.

Fortnight and Minecraft still going strong, I assume. Are those games free? I don't even know what Roblox is, is that a live service game that kids like, too?

Roblox is kind of a “create your own game” engine although a lot of it is just kids playing goofy little games that others have made. Some people have tried to use it as a platform to make more professional games because they do have a monetization mechanism.
My friends’ kids were pretty into it for a while, but I think Super Mario Maker is what they were more recently playing that’s kind of in that niche.

Fortnight is kind of the everything game but the core is a battle royale thing

I don't even know what Roblox is

Josh

LOL well everyone's misspelling Fortnite in this thread too so there's plenty of RMDE to go around.

lol I swear to god I don't know! I mean, I could google it, I could google anything, but that doesn't mean I know it.

OK, I just googled it and I swear I have no idea what this thing (these things?) are!!! I know Minecraft, and I know Fortnite, but I do not know Roblox.

to be fair i have never encountered roblox being discussed in the wild i only know about it via reading gaming news

i don't have kids tho

If you have kids under 15 and you don’t know what Roblox is, I implore you to let them out of the basement

Good thing I don't, otherwise I would be a bad parent!

keeping them in the basement, then

I’m such a woolly parent when it comes to gaming and will generally let them play anything, but Roblox is the one title I won’t allow in the house. It’s so fkn exploitative and the core market is under tens. Pretty much every game in there is pay to win, like “oh you and 30 other kids all need to race to complete this absurdly hard platforming level but if you spend some robux (ie real life money) you can get this cool power up which will give you an advantage over everyone else”.

And that’s before you even get into their “hey you can make your own game and if it becomes a hit you’ll get rich” lies. People Make Games have a couple of great videos about that.

aiui the cost and complexity of scaling and moderating multiplayer is absolutely mind boggling and only a very small handful of companies know how to do it

One of those is Bungie, which is the whole reason Sony bought them, but it looks like that hasn’t helped at all.

It's been 2.5 years and the majority of the projects that've come from Sony publishing were in the works long before that. I think the litmus test will be whether that massive multiplayer Marathon project, which doesn't seem to have much to do with the original Marathon series at all, flops

seems like a misallocation of resources to push a bunch of their 1P game studios like Bend into making service games when theyve also got bungie making them. but i'm not a business expert

not surprised the only one so far that's successfully launched is the one that's a sequel and not a pivot

they were probably in different genres, though?

I kind of get why Sony, which we've discussed has been historically bad at monetizing their game properties outside of the games themselves but are attempting to do so now, would think that online versions of their main properties would be a good idea.
Instead of the boom/bust cycle of people playing through a game and setting it down, maybe a little bit of a bump with some DLC downloads, you have something that's constantly in the public eye. Which drives more merchandising, lets you incrementally add content over years (with a smaller dev team, since you're not developing a full game) to either bring people back in or as an entry point for newcomers, and gives people a reason to pay for a PS+ tier.

As a video game player, idk if I give a shit but I get what they're trying

As I understand it, Sony and other studios don't have a problem getting people to buy additional content, like DLC, and Sony doesn't really have a problem getting people online/on PS+, do they? The issue of games as a live service, I think, is that it's more about money than gameplay. Not coincidentally have some of the biggest live service game flops out there, like Concord or Suicide Squad, say, reportedly been first and foremost Bad Games, or at least nothing compelling. Clearly Sony doesn't want to gamble on it, but what if they *had* put out a live service Last of Us, a game/series that already has an avid existing fan base? What if Last of Us somehow had teams or invasions, like Dark Souls? I imagine it would have been at least a little enticing. (Didn't the OG Last of Us have a beloved online component?) What if they aimed for games, again like Dark Souls, that could be played for free all on their own, or played a totally different way with (paid) internet access? Like I said, I have no interest in PS+, but I can see why the online component of Dark Souls (or Helldivers 2) could be interesting, or fun. Many of the live service flops don't seem like either of those things, they just seem thirsty. And yeah, the kid-driven FOMO ones that keep demanding real money seem gross and exploitative, though I don't know if they're any more so than Pokemon or Magic or whatever (I've never played these card games) that aiui require more and more purchases, too.

Josh

What'd I do?

posting about what you're not playing, not buying, and not sure about, mostly. same as any other week

Ah! Gotcha. Well, right now I am playing "Astro Bot" and not buying "Nine Sols" until it goes on sale. But I did buy "Thank Goodness You're Here," because it was on sale. And "Neva," because one of you recommended it (and it was on sale).