Thursday, June 11th 2020
Sony Showcases Two PlayStation 5 Console Versions, Platform-Exclusive Next Generation Games
Sony today via a livestream finally showcased their hardware design for the next generation of consoles, and let's get one thing right out of the way: the company will be launching two console versions. This is a relatively unexpected twist - unexpected, because if anything, we were expecting two new consoles from Microsoft (remember the Lockhart rumors?), not from Sony. However, the PS5 will be eventually launching in two versions - a mainline console, and an all-digital spinoff.
For now, details are all but absent - the only thing we know for sure is that the digital version of the PS5 won't be carrying a 4K BluRay player. That will undoubtedly reduce the final pricing of the digital version compared to the mainline console. It's unclear whether this console has some sort of streaming integration with a service such as PS Now, offloading games processing to the cloud. If it doesn't, though, and if the only hardware difference between the two versions is the presence of the 4K BluRay player, we're likely talking about a $100/€100 difference - tops. Remember that the Xbox One S, which currently retails for around $250, too possesses a 4K Blu Ray player, so there's only so much that can be recouped from cutting that particular hardware piece. As you might've guessed by now, pricing is still being manifested as if it were a unicorn.
The overall PS5 design is a sleek combination of whites and blues - something that was already teased with the Dual Sense controller reveal. The design is like that of a sleek spacecraft, with organic curves, blue lighting and an Alienware-esque outlook, and is nothing like some expected the console to be in terms of size. It remains to be seen how Sony has managed to dissipate the heat being output by the admittedly powerful hardware inside the console - one would expect not to see a repeat of the roaring jet engine present in the PS4 Pro.
The look also raises the question of whether the console can lay on its side. The relatively thin design likely means the console is taller than the Xbox Series X, which could make it difficult to fit in some entertainment cabinets - whether vertically or horizontally. However, the existence of that black stand and the console's own curved design seem to put a horizontal orientation out of consideration; this could be a very, very relevant detail for some users. Take a peek at the PS5 hardware reveal trailer below.
When it comes to games, Sony showcased some known quantities from their first-party studios. Horizon: Forbidden West promises to expand on the world, gameplay and concepts seen in the original, amazing Horizon: Zero Dawn (which is hitting the PC scene soon enough, mind you). A new Ratchet and Clank game, under the subtitle Rift Apart, was also showcased. There was some Pixar-quality level of detail there, with the newfound power of the new SSD architecture showcasing nanosecond-level environment transitions, and raytracing being very well-represented in real-time reflections.
Gran Turismo 7 was also showcased, with unprecedented, jaw-dropping levels of detail seen on car models, real-time environment reflections being showcased on the cars' sides and hoods, and beautiful lighting. A new, PS5-exclusive Square Enix game in the form of Project Athia is being developed by Luminous Productions, the same developers of Final Fantasy XV, though not much was shown regarding that one. That's just some of the games, and below, are some of the trailers. Check a complete list of the revealed games after the videos, by order of reveal in the livestream.
Games announced on the PlayStation livestream:
For now, details are all but absent - the only thing we know for sure is that the digital version of the PS5 won't be carrying a 4K BluRay player. That will undoubtedly reduce the final pricing of the digital version compared to the mainline console. It's unclear whether this console has some sort of streaming integration with a service such as PS Now, offloading games processing to the cloud. If it doesn't, though, and if the only hardware difference between the two versions is the presence of the 4K BluRay player, we're likely talking about a $100/€100 difference - tops. Remember that the Xbox One S, which currently retails for around $250, too possesses a 4K Blu Ray player, so there's only so much that can be recouped from cutting that particular hardware piece. As you might've guessed by now, pricing is still being manifested as if it were a unicorn.
The overall PS5 design is a sleek combination of whites and blues - something that was already teased with the Dual Sense controller reveal. The design is like that of a sleek spacecraft, with organic curves, blue lighting and an Alienware-esque outlook, and is nothing like some expected the console to be in terms of size. It remains to be seen how Sony has managed to dissipate the heat being output by the admittedly powerful hardware inside the console - one would expect not to see a repeat of the roaring jet engine present in the PS4 Pro.
The look also raises the question of whether the console can lay on its side. The relatively thin design likely means the console is taller than the Xbox Series X, which could make it difficult to fit in some entertainment cabinets - whether vertically or horizontally. However, the existence of that black stand and the console's own curved design seem to put a horizontal orientation out of consideration; this could be a very, very relevant detail for some users. Take a peek at the PS5 hardware reveal trailer below.
When it comes to games, Sony showcased some known quantities from their first-party studios. Horizon: Forbidden West promises to expand on the world, gameplay and concepts seen in the original, amazing Horizon: Zero Dawn (which is hitting the PC scene soon enough, mind you). A new Ratchet and Clank game, under the subtitle Rift Apart, was also showcased. There was some Pixar-quality level of detail there, with the newfound power of the new SSD architecture showcasing nanosecond-level environment transitions, and raytracing being very well-represented in real-time reflections.
Gran Turismo 7 was also showcased, with unprecedented, jaw-dropping levels of detail seen on car models, real-time environment reflections being showcased on the cars' sides and hoods, and beautiful lighting. A new, PS5-exclusive Square Enix game in the form of Project Athia is being developed by Luminous Productions, the same developers of Final Fantasy XV, though not much was shown regarding that one. That's just some of the games, and below, are some of the trailers. Check a complete list of the revealed games after the videos, by order of reveal in the livestream.
Games announced on the PlayStation livestream:
- Grand Theft Auto 5 ("expanded and enhanced" - Rockstar Games/2K) - 2021
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games) - Holiday 2020
- Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital) - TBA
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games) - TBA
- Project Athia (Luminous Productions/Square Enix) - TBA
- Stray (Bluetwelve/Annapurna Interactive) - 2021
- Returnal (Housemarque/SIE Worldwide Studios) - TBA
- Sackboy: A Big Adventure (Sumo Digital) - TBA
- Destruction Allstars (Lucid) - TBA
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab) - TBA
- Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP Mode) - 2021
- Oddworld: Soulstorm (Oddworld Inhabitants) - TBA
- Ghostwire: Tokyo (Tango Gameworks) - 2021
- Jett: The Far Shore (Superbrothers & Pine Scented) - Holiday 2020
- Godfall (Counterplay Games/Gearbox) - Holiday 2020
- Solar Ash (Heart Machine) - 2021
- Hitman 3 (IO Interactive) - January 2021
- Astro's Playroom (Japan Studio/Team Asobi) - TBA
- Little Devil Inside (Neostream) - TBA
- NBA 2K21 (2K) - Fall 2020
- BugSnax (Young Horses) - Holiday 2020
- Demon's Souls Remake (BluePoint Games/Japan Studio) - TBA
- Deathloop (Arkane Lyon/Bethesda Softworks) - TBA
- Resident Evil 8: Village (Capcom) - 2021
- Pragmata (Capcom) - 2022
- Horizon: Forbidden West (Guerrilla Games) - TBA
113 Comments on Sony Showcases Two PlayStation 5 Console Versions, Platform-Exclusive Next Generation Games
edit: And no RGB?! :laugh:
A Red/Black mod with green eyes would be both great and hilarious.
The disk version :fear:. Good god, that looks like PS5 just got tumor or something.
I prefer design on the older consoles to be hornestly.
The system looks OK. I don't care too much for it of course but I never found the PS4 that appealing either. More appealing than this though. But oh well. The games don't much appeal to me either besides as someone else here said - Resident Evil 8 and the Square Enix title. We will see.
maybe when we see the product in hand, might be different
I think XSX won this round, from hardware and certainly form factor. Yeah I said it, it was UGLY.
As for this console design .... eugh. I get what they are going for, but when what they are going for is "15-year-old's idea of a cool sci-fi-looking gadget", that doesn't add up to me. Most gamers are adults. The vast majority of game hardware buyers are adults. This obnoxious monstrosity would never reach my living room, no way, and I would imagine most people above the age of 15 would say the same. I will be getting both new consoles down the line (need them for work if nothing else), but they'll be living in my office. The XSX will likely be brought out to game on the TV regularly, but this thing? It will stay safely tucked away where I don't have to look at it more than I absolutely have to.
Edit: I believe I found the origin of this design (courtesy of Eurogamer commentators). The colour scheme might be reversed, but there sure is a strong family resemblance.
Not a fan of the design tho, Now the new Xbox looks much better.
But yeah, the amount needed to download to fix a game at launch is ridiculous. That though boils down to poor development and developers.
Cartridges could indeed be good, but that would be really expensive - let's say they go with a base x2 NVMe controller, and use HMB to make it DRAMless, that's still a significant cost compared to a $60 sales price even for 64GB of flash, let alone the 128GB or more that many games would need. Remember, they couldn't use the bargain-basement flash found in USB drives and low-end SD cards, it simply isn't fast enough.Who made that comparison? It's pretty well done, and important - without context, I never would have imagined it to be that damn huge.
As for digi vs physical. I prefer physical copies and will grab that version once it's available. There are folks that have no preference and will buy what's cheapest, which will be digital. Once again, it's a matter of choice. I doubt that digital will sell well in Japan though, since they love their physical copies so much.
My approach to console gaming is a little different however. I don't expect to keep the games forever. I gave my PS2 away with all of the games. I sold my PS3 and most of the games. And I'll probably end up giving away my PS4 as well.
And PC works pretty much the same way, the majority is digital these days and if a digital store goes puff it might just take your games with it.