Tag: playstation 5

Beyond the PlayStation Portal Buzz: Exploring the Fascinating New Headsets

The PlayStation Pulse Elite may be the most advanced headset ever released by Sony, and without realizing it, it can change the way we game.

Yesterday, Sony introduced their new console, the PlayStation Portal, which caught us off guard due to its challenging fit in a gaming market with genuinely portable consoles, unlike the screen-equipped controller that the Japanese company has released.

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And alongside it, Sony introduced their upcoming wireless headsets, the PlayStation Pulse Explore and Pulse Elite, designed to work with PS5 and the PlayStation Portal. And this is what truly catches our interest.

Announced with prices of 199 euros for the over-ear headphones and 149€ for the earbuds, gamers were taken aback. On paper, they seem expensive, especially the headphones.

Headphones that could be something never seen in the industry

But upon reading the announcement, sound experts have discovered that they might be the true surprise from Sony.

In fact, they have the potential to be a steal due to an easily overlooked aspect: the audio driver technology they house inside.

According to the PlayStation blog, both devices will use planar magnetic transducers, a high-end choice.

Looking back, it’s common for PlayStation to discreetly incorporate highly advanced technology, such as when the PS Vita carried an OLED panel at a time when TVs with such displays didn’t even exist.

Planar magnetic transducers are quite different from the drivers in most headphones. Instead of a cone made of material with a center magnet that moves back and forth at a distance, planar magnetic systems use an ultra-thin membrane suspended in a magnetic field.

The advantage lies in precision and dynamic control. Traditional cone drivers have an inherent momentum in their movement, which needs to be overcome to achieve a sharp change in sound and can affect their precision.

Certainly, audio companies have become adept at overcoming this hurdle, but it’s still always a consideration. However, the ultra-thin membrane of planar magnetic transducers doesn’t face this issue.

It’s extremely agile and easily maneuverable within magnetic fields, which means it can offer incredibly precise sound details and switch instantly from resounding to delicate.

The ability to provide accurate details is likely why PlayStation has opted for planar magnetic transducers over standard dynamic drivers.

It’s particularly useful for creating convincing spatial audio effects, making it ideal for the 3D audio that Sony is pushing for its headphones. And in terms of price, if we look at the competition, it’s 50% cheaper than its rivals.

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PlayStation 5 Takes a Hit: EVO Event Raises Concerns About Physical Durability

During EVO 2023, some PlayStation 5 consoles saw their USB ports literally melt, causing problems for gamers.

There is no greater enemy of modern technology than heat. Microchips and high temperatures are a bad combination, and if miniaturization isn’t progressing as expected, it’s partly due to limitations in battery size and the increasing need for efficient cooling. While elegant and intelligent design can often address these issues, it’s not always sufficient or properly implemented. Sony learned this the hard way over the past weekend.

The Evo 2023 event took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, this past weekend, marking the largest fighting game event in the US, and perhaps the world. This gathering brought together a massive number of people with a vast array of consoles in an enclosed space, which, even if well-cooled (and we assume Las Vegas is), ended up stress-testing the machines. So much so that many PlayStation 5 consoles revealed their limits.

Several professional players who made it to the third day of the tournaments have complained on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the PlayStation 5 consoles they were playing on were heating up to the point of damaging their USB adapters. This is a dramatic issue because, in fact, all professional fighting game players use wired USB controllers due to the lower reaction time compared to wireless connections. This means that, at best, they had an unusable cable for the remainder of the matches, and at worst, their means of continuing in the tournament had been completely destroyed.

While Sony has not officially addressed this matter, it’s a significant problem because the primary promoter of Evo is the Japanese company, which acquired the organizing company in 2021. In other words, only PlayStation 5 consoles are used for the tournament. Considering that the console only has one USB port on the front, if the heat damages the port – even if the connector remains intact – it renders the console unusable for the rest of the tournament until it’s fixed.

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If this turns out to be more than an isolated issue, Sony should make a statement addressing the matter and explaining how they plan to resolve it. The integrity of Evo 2024 could be at risk due to this, but also the integrity of any other tournament and, of course, that of any PlayStation 5 out there. Because if heat affects it in this way, considering how climate change is only intensifying, Sony can’t exactly claim to have a minor problem on their hands.

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PlayStation Plus Delights: Get Ready for the Hottest Games in August’s Lineup

The PS Plus games for August are not yet confirmed, but we have drawn the cards and we offer you our best predictions

As every month, we are getting ready for the games that PlayStation will bring us with its basic PS Plus subscription. Like every month at this time, we still don’t know what those games will be. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate and make some guesses. After all, even though Sony’s plans, like the Lord’s, are inscrutable, it doesn’t stop us from making bets and trying to figure out what might be up their sleeves. And perhaps, even hit the mark.

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On this occasion, we have chosen some games that will soon have sequels or will be receiving some form of reissue. These are games that are bound to create excitement, and it would be normal for Sony to want to be in the middle of all that buzz. However, as always, the games won’t be announced until next Wednesday, and until then, we cannot confirm anything. In the meantime, here are our speculations!

Marvel’s Spider-Man (PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4)

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is on the horizon, and Sony is well aware of it. They also know that the game has consistently received high praise and that it’s not a game you can finish in just a couple of afternoons; people will likely want to play it before diving into its sequel. Therefore, few games make more sense to headline the list of titled games on PS Plus right now than Marvel’s Spider-Man.

FIFA 23 (PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4)

Considering that EA Sports FC 24 has a very close release date with significant changes, it doesn’t leave much room for Sony to include FIFA 23 in PS Plus. It has become almost an annual tradition for the previous installment of the franchise to be featured in the service. Given that we already had the excellent NBA 2K23 last June, it wouldn’t be surprising if Sony continues this trend of offering sports games that are close to getting a new installment, providing us, with our subscription, the one that is about to become the “older” one.

Neon White (PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4)

This is our wild speculation of the month, but it has some foundation. The physical edition of the game is set to release in September, courtesy of Meridiam Games, and currently, you can find it on sale at a 30% discount until August 3rd. Since the Plus games will be added on Tuesday, August 1st, it might be daring to think that this isn’t just a particularly crazy guess. Neon White is an excellent platformer with shooter elements that will surely delight fans of speedruns. Guaranteed.

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Hold Off on Buying a PS5: Incredible New Features Are on the Horizon

A PS5 Slim version with a removable disc drive? That seems according to the information that has been taken today from Microsoft’s trial with the FTC.

In summer, it’s common for there to be no news. We say common, not the norm, because the trial between Microsoft and the FTC is proving to be a wonderful source of information. As we have seen before.

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Sony will release a hardware revision of the PlayStation 5 Slim later this year, according to court documents from the trial between Microsoft and the FTC, which have revealed a lot of other information.

According to the document, which can be fully accessed here, it is expected that Sony will launch a Slim hardware revision of its current-generation console by the end of this year at the current price of the Digital Edition: $399.99.

In the next paragraph of the document, it also highlights how a Pro model is expected to be released in the future.

The information revealed in the document about a PlayStation 5 Slim hardware revision is not surprising, considering that Sony has always released slim revisions of its consoles since the days of the original PlayStation.

Since the new model is supposedly set to be released this year, it is likely that the Japanese company won’t take long to unveil its design and any features that differentiate it from the currently available models.

A cheap PS5 Slim… but without Blu-Ray player

According to the rumors, the standout feature of this supposed PlayStation 5 Slim model will be compatibility with a removable disc drive, which unfortunately won’t be compatible with the current models.

Microsoft’s prediction also includes a footnote stating that “Sony is also planning to release a portable version of PlayStation 5 later this year for under $300,” which is not entirely accurate, but here’s all the information available.

If Microsoft’s knowledge of Sony’s planned PlayStation hardware is accurate, it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen secrets revealed in the FTC case against Microsoft. Last week, a confidential document from Sony was not properly redacted, leading to the disclosure of details about the development cost of some of their games.

Regardless of what is currently being prepared, the upcoming months will be quite interesting in terms of new hardware, as Sony is also working on a new portable console focused on Remote Play, Project Q, which is also expected to be released before the end of the year.

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The Perfect Blend: Unleash Your Inner Assassin in a Game That Combines the Best of Assassin’s Creed, Ghost of Tsushima, and Dark Souls

The Snitch has leaked more information about an important exclusive game for PlayStation 5 consoles with influences from big games

Although 2023 is not yet over, a year that has given us an enormous amount of games of incredible quality, that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about 2024. We already have some releases scheduled for next year, and some insiders have already begun leaking some details about those games that companies don’t want to reveal yet, especially given how packed the schedule is until November in the gaming world. This hasn’t stopped one of the most famous internet leakers, The Snitch, from commenting on new details about one of the most interesting games coming exclusively to PlayStation 5 consoles: Rise of the Ronin.

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Developed by Team Ninja, the people behind the Nioh series and more recently the outstanding Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the game first appeared in Sony’s State of Play event held in late 2022, showing us nothing more than a bit of gameplay, its setting based on 19th century Japan, and the promise of a release sometime in 2024. Now, thanks to The Snitch, we can add more details.

As hinted in the trailer, the game will be a mix of Assassin’s Creed, Ghost of Tsushima, and Dark Souls. This means it will be an open-world game where exploration and collecting collectibles will be of great importance, but the combat will be more similar to the studio’s previous titles, with a faster and more arcade-like style reminiscent of the Souls series. Of course, the influence of From Software doesn’t end there. It will also borrow from them highly detailed item descriptions with many references to the lore, providing glimpses of the surrounding world beyond what is told through the story. Similarly, from Assassin’s Creed, we can expect side missions with a sensibility closer to what we usually see in Ubisoft games, creating a very intriguing blend that could work wonderfully if they manage to make all the pieces fit naturally together.

On the other hand, The Snitch has also provided some other, perhaps minor, but equally interesting details. The game will have difficulty options, skill and ability trees, romance options, and we will be able to choose between quality and performance modes in the game. These additions may be less flashy, but they demonstrate the vast range they aim to achieve with Rise of the Ronin.

Furthermore, the grand finale is that The Snitch dares to provide a more specific release date than what Sony has given us. Rise of the Ronin will be published in the first quarter of 2024, between January 1st and March 31st. This means that if The Snitch is correct—and The Snitch has rarely been wrong—we could soon enjoy a game that seems destined to become the new obsession of many people.

Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.

The Free Games Coming to PS Plus in July 2023

Like every end of the month, Sony offers us a series of free games for all those who subscribe to PS Plus: these are those games.

The list of games that will appear in PS Plus has finally arrived. July is historically a very quiet month for the world of video games, this year comes tasty, probably due to the influence of an August loaded with great releases. That’s why Sony has decided to bet big in order not to be left behind.

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It is worth remembering that PS Plus games are always announced on the last Wednesday of the month and are available on the first Tuesday of the month. That is, although there is not much left for us to enjoy them on our consoles, we will still have to wait a little longer to start playing them. In the meantime, here are the games that will be added to PS Plus in July!

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (PS5 and PS4)

Neither the Second World War nor the present or the future. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War offered us an adventure in the 80s, with a very interesting campaign, where we faced against historical figures of the USSR, on the US side, in one of the most careful stories in the history of Call of Duty. With a multiplayer as fine as ever and with some very interesting additions, this will undoubtedly be the main course of the Plus games for many, many players.

Alan Wake Remastered (PS5 and PS4)

Alan Wake 2 has a release date of October 17 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox X Series and Xbox Series S, so it’s only natural that Sony has decided to warm up the atmosphere with the remastering of the first installment of the game. Originally released on May 10, 2010, this incredible cinematic survival horror puts us in the shoes of a writer in search of inspiration, only to find himself immersed in a nightmare that seems to come out of one of his books. A cult game that will be back soon and that you don’t want to miss if you like adventure games.

Endling – Extinction is Forever (PS5 and PS4)

Herobeat Studios are an independent studio from Barcelona that with Endling – Extinction is Forever wanted to do something very difficult: to make us aware of the need to preserve the environment through the story of a mother fox who must protect her small litter of newborns. Having to explore a new and hostile environment, feed our cubs and also ourselves, is the perfect mix of adventure and survival in a game with a great narrative, an impressive artistic design and a final stretch capable of bringing tears to even the coldest heart.

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Final Fantasy XVI’s Epic Journey Takes Players to… a weird place

Final Fantasy XVI finds its place in the armory of the Tower of London in the most peculiar way possible: with a replica of its protagonist’s sword.

Among the disciplines that may be lost in the future is the art of blacksmithing. While there are still specialists and certain things that cannot be replicated through industrial techniques, it is undeniable that the appreciation for artisanal craftsmanship is diminishing. That’s why it’s worth celebrating that Square Enix has decided, to promote the release of Final Fantasy XVI, to create a replica of the game’s protagonist Clive Rosfield’s sword and display it in the armory of the Tower of London.

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According to Emma Mawdsley, Keeper of the Armouries at the Tower of London, “we are always looking for ways to capture the attention of new audiences with our collections across the three sites of the museum, so we are very excited to welcome fans of the franchise and gamers to the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London.” She added, “It’s thrilling to see how a historical art form like sword forging continues to thrive in the realm of video games.”

The blacksmith responsible for forging this version of Invictus, the sword of Final Fantasy XVI’s protagonist Clive Rosfield, was Tod Todeschini. An expert in creating replicas of historical forged objects, he stated, “From the beginning, I knew it wasn’t going to be an ordinary sword, and it was going to be a challenge on all levels. But I am very pleased with the resulting sword and proud that it is available for fans to see alongside the collection of the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London.”

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While a trip to the Tower of London may not be feasible for everyone, playing Final Fantasy XVI is as simple as purchasing it for PlayStation 5, as its release is scheduled for June 22nd. With a demo already available and the announcement of a day-one patch to address some of the issues present in the demo, there is no doubt that Square Enix is going all out to ensure its launch is a resounding success.

Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.

Get Ready: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Launch Date Revealed, and It’s Closer Than Anticipated!

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has a release date, announced today during Summer Game Fest completely off the cuff.

Although we didn’t expect to see it here, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 made an appearance at the Summer Game Fest. And it did so to give us a release date. That date is October 20th, exclusively for PlayStation 5.

Featuring the adventures of Miles Morales and Peter Parker, players will be able to alternate between both characters in an open-world simulation of Manhattan. While it’s expected to arrive on PC in the future, there are currently no plans for it. Until then, only fortunate owners of a PlayStation 5 will be able to play one of the most anticipated games of the year.

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Sony breaks exclusivity barrier: Blockbuster PlayStation 5 game now available on PC

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart comes to PC, with a very close date and with the promise of putting our computers to the limit.

Sony has discovered that its main franchises perform well on PC. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise us that they are gradually making their way to PC, spacing out releases and taking advantage of their extensive catalog to deliver all the pending titles. The latest example of this is their recent announcement that the formerly exclusive Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be released on PC on July 26th.

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Originally released on June 11, 2021, for PlayStation 5, this game from Insomniac Games puts players in the shoes of one of Sony’s most iconic duos. Winning numerous industry awards, selling over a million copies in less than a month, and achieving a score of 88 on Metacritic, it is an outstanding game that showcased the technical capabilities of the PlayStation 5 while taking the gameplay of the franchise, a blend of 3D platforming and third-person shooter, to a new dimension. It’s worth noting that Sony itself claimed it was a PlayStation 5 exclusive due to the game’s reliance on an SSD, making it seemingly impossible to run without one.

This PC release will delight not only fans of the franchise but also anyone eager for a solid, visually stunning AAA game that dares to innovate with its mechanics and the technical possibilities of the new generation. While this console generation has yet to fully take off, and the potential of the new graphics cards along with it, we are confident that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, available on Steam and the Epic Games Store, will push your computer’s components to their limits.

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Get ready for April’s PlayStation Plus games: Here’s the one you can’t miss!

With the arrival of new games with which to destroy the controller with the flick of a thumb, the eternal question arises: which one to hit first?

April’s PlayStation Plus games are about to be released: on Tuesday, April 4, ‘Meet your maker’, ‘Sackboy: A big adventure’ and ‘Tails of iron’ will finally be available. And with the arrival of new games with which to destroy the controller at the stroke of a thumb, comes the eternal question: Which one to hit first?

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Plataforming, adventure or raideo?

It depends a lot on your personal tastes, but here the first one we’ll try will be ‘Sackboy’. What can we do, we have such a nice memory of ‘Little Big Planet’ that we can’t resist to see what its protagonist does on PS5, with a classic platformer that drinks, and a lot, from the Mario saga (and specifically from Super Mario 3D World) without taking away a bit of charm. Admit it: no matter how much of a Sony fan you are, you’ve ever wished Miyamoto would release a couple of games on your PlayStation.

Sackboy’ is made with love and affection for the genre, but also for a character somewhat mistreated by time. If only for the good old days, it’s worth going back to a mythical saga. But of course, if we go to the good old (modernized) times, we don’t want to lose sight of ‘Tails of Iron’: a 2D ‘Dark Souls’ a little shorter than usual (at a certain age, believe us, it’s a good thing) and that goes to the point, with a spectacular and different narrative. Okay, it’s not ‘Hollow knight’, but it’s worth a look.

For once, the third in discord is not that we can’t recommend it, it’s that it’s an absolute novelty! And the first reviews leave it as a mixture of ‘Minecraft’, ‘Super Mario Maker’ and… ‘Doom’. How you stay. With a first-person gameplay, ‘Meet your maker’ consists of setting up the best possible defensive barrier in your base with enemies, traps and mazes so that your rivals can’t enter and rob you… while you go to do the same in their bases. Simple and fun.

To choose just one of the three games, we would need a whiteboard and several lists of pros and cons. Fortunately, in April, PlayStation Plus games were able to keep fans happy, so let’s hope the good times continue in May!