Julian Huijbregts, Online Community Specialist at Nixxes Software states: "Hey everyone, the intergalactic adventurers Ratchet & Clank are making their debut on PC this summer! At Nixxes Software, we are all very excited to announce our next project in collaboration with Insomniac Games. The Ratchet & Clank franchise recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. We are thrilled and honored to bring this iconic franchise to a new audience. If you haven't played a game from this series before, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is an excellent one to start with.

The game is a visual spectacle that is perfectly suitable for newcomers thanks to a standalone storyline and the introduction of two brand new characters: Rivet & Kit. We can't wait for you to meet these intergalactic heroes and start your multidimensional adventure when the game launches on July 26. Today I can share the first details on the PC features for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart that our team has been working on and tell you more about the pre-purchase bonuses."

Insider Gamer's past predictions about a Remote Play-enabled PlayStation handheld rang true last week when Sony announced Project Q - teaser material points to this fancy accessory integrating into the PS5 ecosystem. Technical details were not explored in any depth during last week's Sony showcase, but it is clear that the controller and 8-inch screen combo will be capable of streaming content via WiFi from a host PS5 console.

Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson has gathered more details from his inside sources, and released leaked information about the remote play device's operation time on a single charge (late last week): "Prepare yourselves, because Insider Gaming understands that the Project Q battery life will be around 3-4 hours. Yup, you read that right. At least Project Q is on brand with the DualSense having a short battery life, I guess. If the retail version of Project Q does indeed have a 3-4 hour battery life, then the handheld might be a hard sell for Sony. Already people are skeptical of its success, with the handheld only being used with Remote Play." Henderson has been informed that the accessory is slated for a November launch, but he opines that Sony should carefully consider their pricing strategy in the interim: "Ultimately though, I think the success of Project Q will depend on its price. A $200 or less price tag could see the accessory sell in strong numbers, but PlayStation has been notorious for having high price tags on its products."

Today we showed Bungie fans worldwide a glimpse of our future at the PlayStation Showcase, in the forms of two major game announcements. First up, we officially announced Marathon to the world! This is the first completely new project from Bungie in more than a decade. Marathon is a sci-fi PvP extraction shooter where players will embody cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners. Exploring a lost colony on the mysterious planet of Tau Ceti IV, Runners - working solo or as part of three-person crews - will fight for survival, for riches, and for fame.

We're incredibly excited to announce the game and to share our vision for the future. We know that you are curious to know more, and we will have much to say in the future. For now, know that Marathon is currently in development on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, featuring cross save and cross play. Check out the Marathon site to learn more about the game and follow Marathon on social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) to stay up to date. Below, don't miss a Q&A with Marathon General Manager Scott Taylor and Game Director Christopher Barrett, where they discuss debuting Marathon to the world.

Sony revealed in a presentation now posted online that PlayStation VR2 excelled in sales in its first six weeks, outselling the original PlayStation VR in the same six week period after launch. The figure that Sony posted was just under 600,000 units, a far cry from an analyst estimate at the end of March that they would only ship 270,000 units by that point. By contrast the original PS VR sold close to 500,000 units in its launch period. PlayStation VR2 has received generally positive reviews for its visual fidelity, accurate tracking, and excellent controllers. The $550 USD price has been a point of contention, with a price drop initially expected after the negative third party sales reports. However it is now expected that the price will remain unchanged after what Sony has described as a, "strong PlayStation VR2 launch."

With a launch lineup of only 42 games, Sony and partnering studios have been hard at work adding more games to the VR library with the list expanding to 112 as of announcements at the most recent PlayStation Showcase. Many older PS VR games are still not ported to PS VR2 though various developers have stated intentions to do so, and new titles yet to be fully announced are still in the works suggesting strong support for the new generation headset.

Sony has showed off some new accessories for the Playstation 5 during the PlayStation Showcase event and the most interesting one goes under the internal development name of Project Q. The device is pretty much a dual sense wireless controller that has been split in half and each half has been strapped to either side of an 8-inch HD display. Sony didn't go into much in terms of technical details, beyond that Project Q will have built in WiFi for streaming games from the PS5. The display will support 1920 x 1080 resolution at 60 Hz, which is most likely not what most potential buyers were hoping for.

Sony also showed off a pair of new PS5 branded earbuds, which the company says will be compatible not only with the PS5, but also PCs and other mobile devices, courtesy of Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint support. Sony is also promising some new type of wireless technology here which the company claims will deliver lossless audio that is said to deliver outstanding sound quality and low latency audio. Sony didn't reveal when either device will be available, but promised to release more details "soon".

[Editor's note: Updated with a snippet from the official press release below]

Sony Group Corporation is reported to be considering a partial spinoff and listing of its financial services division, in order to raise capital for further investments in its entertainment arm and next generation image sensor technologies. Reuters has published details from a corporate strategy meeting that took place last week (on May 18) - executives at the Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation are contemplating the future of Sony Financial Group. This arm of the business is comprised of several subdivisions including a bank and an insurance firm. Sony Corporation managed to gain full control of these finance organizations three years ago, according to Reuters.

Sony is seeking to retain a stake of just below 20%, and posits that its financial businesses will gain the ability (following the suggested partial spinoff and listing) to raise cash independently for sustainable growth. The company hopes to provide extra funds for its entertainment and semiconductor operations that "need an unprecedented amount of investment." The PlayStation group is aiming to ramp up production of its PS5 console - supply chain problems have caused delays and unit shortages in the past, and Sony is keen to build on the gaming platform's success, without restrictions going forward. The company is keen to advance its camera parts division - in order to meet increasing market demand for smartphone and vehicle sensor components. Hiroki Totoki (President of Sony Group Corp) emphasized that greater investments in these sectors will allow the company to stay competitive large global rivals.

Jim Ryan, the current President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, has once again confirmed his company's committal to staggering the launch of PlayStation ports onto the PC platform. Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu published an interview last week, and western news outlets have spent time over the past weekend translating and analyzing this article. The contents/discussion focuses mostly on Sony Corporation's strategies for its PlayStation 5 console in their native market. Ryan addresses the interviewer's question about the growing popularity of gaming on PCs in Japan (the nation has historically favored home console platforms): "I think that's a very good thing. When considering the multifaceted development of game IP, PCs are indispensable for allowing more people to enjoy games in a variety of ways. I think (that) more is better."

Ryan was asked about the possibility of simultaneous first-party game launches on PS5 and PC platforms in the future - his answer points to the company not deviating from its normal operating strategy: "We also fully understand the importance of PS5 exclusive titles. As I mentioned earlier, PlayStation Studios' main responsibility is to make games for the latest PlayStation hardware that players will enjoy. We are increasing the number of PS5 exclusive games, and staggering the release of the PC versions." Ryan claims to have received positive feedback from gamers about this matter: "I often have the opportunity to ask game fans for their opinions, and when I ask them how they feel about the time lag, they often say they feel the release of a PC version two or three years after the release of the PlayStation version is acceptable. It's a community that we should cherish the most. We will continue to listen to the voices of game fans and develop various titles in a multifaceted manner."

As remote work and learning continue to transform daily lives, the demand for high-quality webcams has never been greater. Recognizing the need for versatile and high-resolution video capabilities among creative professionals, BenQ is proud to introduce the BenQ ideaCam, a specialized multi-mode desktop webcam designed specifically for creators and makers.

The BenQ ideaCam revolutionizes the creative possibilities with its four shooting modes: Portrait, Desk View, Handheld, and Macro. While the Portrait mode provides a familiar webcam experience, Desk View enables effortless display of objects or documents on the desktop. The intelligent auto-flip feature seamlessly transitions between Portrait and Desk View modes, automatically rotating and focusing the image. Handheld mode offers unique camera angles and immersive close-ups, while the magnetic Macro lens provides detailed magnification of 15 times.

Guerrilla Games is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a AAA games developer, and has marked the occasion by releasing a very thorough story on the official PlayStation blog as well as an accompanying video (see below). The introduction states: "From our early days with Killzone to the growth of our studio with Horizon, we're grateful you've been on this journey with us so far. Thank you for an incredible 20 years." The first-party Sony PlayStation development studio has risen from humble origins prior to 2003 - as a producer of third-party Nintendo Game Boy titles under the guise of a smaller outfit called the "Lost Boys." The Dutch team had to step up their game in order to embrace the power offered by current-gen consoles at the time: "The year we formed Guerrilla, 2003, was an interesting time for gaming. The PlayStation 2 had launched three years earlier to critical acclaim. People were losing their minds over the technological feats being achieved with all the power it offered (six whole GFLOPS!)."

After working on the very successful Killzone first-person shooter franchise for over a decade, Guerrilla Games decided to move onto the creation of a new I.P - Horizon - and plenty of successful milestones, both critical and financial, have been reached since "Zero Dawn" debuted on the PlayStation 4 back in the Spring of 2017: "As of April 16, 2023, the Horizon franchise has sold through more than 32.7 million units worldwide, of which Horizon Forbidden West has sold through over 8.4 million units. Millions more around the world have discovered Horizon thanks to PlayStation's subscription services and initiatives, including PlayStation Plus, and Play at Home. All told, it's a milestone we never imagined possible twenty years ago when we first started making games."

A couple of TPU readers will be happy to learn of more rumors relating to Sony's "in the works" PlayStation 5 Pro model - following on from last week's news about about a possible interim modular model - and curious commenters asking for additional information. Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson has been a notorious source of PS5-related leaks for a while - the aforementioned modular console variant has been leading topic for the guy and today he provides a small update on the matter: "You're probably already sick of hearing about the new PlayStation 5 with a detachable disc drive that should release later this year. Although reports have dubbed the new PlayStation 5 as the PS5 Slim, Insider Gaming understands that the console will be almost identical to the PlayStation 5 but feature a detachable disc drive. In fact, it's understood that the new PlayStation 5 will completely phase out the old design within a year."

His newly reformed and theorized PlayStation future timeline also contains an update about the PlayStation 5's "Pro" refresh - Sony is rumored to preparing this more powerful hardware variant for a Q4 2024 launch and Henderson insists that his past findings have been consistent and on point: "Our report in March was dismissed as being inaccurate by many when it was first reported and although the PlayStation 5 Pro could be canceled at any given time, Insider Gaming can report with a 100% degree of certainty that the PlayStation 5 Pro is currently in development." He claims that his industry sources have provided him with fresh batches of evidence: "Whilst we cannot report on any more specifics at this time, we understand that the first dev kit prototypes will be going to 1st party developers within the next couple of months, with 3rd party developers receiving them by the end of the year." Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are normally very guarded about development and prototype hardware, so very few developers (with access to these bits of kit) have been brave enough to break signed NDAs. Sony has once again chosen to be extremely secretive - no official information has been released about upcoming refreshed PS5 consoles or related accessories.

Sony PlayStation and Square Enix are engaged in the process of hyping up blockbuster action role-player Final Fantasy XVI, set for a worldwide release on June 22, and have recently announced some visually striking accessories and interesting hardware bundles - as part of the promotional cycle and eventual release of the sixteenth (mainline) Final Fantasy game installment. Their Japanese marketing teams are collaborating on a custom design PlayStation 5 DualSense controller and console faceplate/cover bearing Final Fantasy XVI-based artwork. The controller's Midnight Black + gold accenting combo creates a very macho aesthetic, which stands in sharp contrast to some of the recent special edition Xbox controllers in terms of color and finish.

The special edition controller and console plate will be sold separately and are scheduled to launch alongside the game and related console bundles on June 22. These Final Fantasy XVI-themed accessories could be exclusive to the Japanese domestic market - Sony and Square Enix have issued information related to pricing in Yen (¥8980 & ¥7980 respectively), and their North American and European sites only make mention of the standard white PS5 console FFXVI bundle being available on the game's launch day.

Sony has had a very good year when it comes to PlayStation 5 sales, as the company sold no less than 19.1 million units in FY22, which exceeded the forecasted volume of 18 million units by a fair margin. Sony's financial year runs from April to March, so the first three months of 2023 was the last three months of its FY22, during which the company sold no less than 6.1 million consoles. That's up from a mere two million units in the last quarter of FY21, which is no small increase and shows the popularity of the PS5. Sony also mentioned that they've caught up with demand and are able to deliver PS5s to customers without the need to pre-order or having to wait for their orders to arrive, in almost all locations globally. As for FY23, Sony is hoping to sell even more consoles, with a target of 25 million units. To date, Sony has sold around 38.4 million PlayStation 5 consoles.

That said, it's not all good news, as game sales were down from US$70.5 million to US$68 million a year ago quarter to quarter and dropped from 303.2 million to 264.2 million FY21 vs FY22. Sony also lost some four million users of its PlayStation Network service, but the company saw a slight increase in its PS Plus subscription base. Sony saw a boost in revenue in its Gaming and Networking Services business unit from US$4.9 billion in FY21 to US$7.9 billion in FY22. As a whole, Sony had sales of some US$29 billion, or 3.9 trillion Yen if you prefer, despite struggling with a weak Yen vs. the US Dollar.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent that is now viewable to the public - as spotted by SegmentNext today - and the newly registered device could be designed to function as part of an updated variant of the PlayStation 5 home video game console. The 2020-era patent document showcases a type of detachable optical disc drive, and industry experts reckon that this mountable media reading device is destined, following past rumors, to feature in an upcoming PlayStation 5 hardware revision.

No reference is made to Sony's popular gaming console within the patent filing, but it is highly likely that the new optical drive will factor into the refreshed console's modular makeup - its overall shape shares design aesthetics with the PS5. Sony currently offers customers two variants of the PlayStation 5 - the more advanced model is fitted with an internal 4K Blu-Ray compatible disc drive, while the other one functions as a purely digital download device. The modular revamp is expected to arrive later this year, in a more compact form factor that industry insiders have called "D chassis" - it is not known whether this variant will outright replace the older models. A more powerful PlayStation 5 "Pro" model is expected to arrive after the modular redesign, with tipsters pointing to a launch window in mid-to-late 2024.

A very plain reading statement was released by the management team at Guerrilla Games Studio this morning, and within the weeds of pivotal reorganization talk an intriguing tidbit has been found. This information points to the Amsterdam powerhouse video game developer working on a new entry in its Horizon series: "We have full confidence in our new leadership as they steer Guerrilla towards a bright future, expanding the world of Horizon with Aloy's next adventure and our exciting online project. Michiel van der Leeuw (Technical Director) will be focusing on the future technology and strategy for the Decima engine." It is presently unclear whether there is any crossover between the next Horizon game and hinted interweb-based multiplayer project.

This is not a major surprise given that the Dutch studio has done well for itself with previous Horizon games - both in terms of financial success and critical perception, although older PlayStation fans have been clamoring for a new entry in the Killzone series. The Burning Shores expansion campaign for Horizon Forbidden West was released last week, and the development is seemingly set for something new (beyond converting the title to a PC platform). The Sony-owned development studio is undergoing a change in management, and today's company statement details a shift around at the executive level.

Hi everyone! We're very happy to announce that our team is releasing Patch 1.21 for Horizon Forbidden West today. Patch 1.21 sets up the game for the release of Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores. It also brings additional Accessibility Features. Patch 1.21 is exclusive to PlayStation 5 users. Do note that Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores content will be playable from April 19th onwards.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores launches April 19 on PS5! This expansion sees Aloy pursue a sinister threat in the untamed wilds of Los Angeles, now a treacherous volcanic archipelago. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores takes Aloy to the ruins of Los Angeles. The past millennia has seen the metropolis wracked by tectonic and volcanic activity. The result: a dangerous archipelago populated by deadly machines. Among these islands, a large settlement of Quen fight to survive.

The PC port of The Last of Us Part I has gained a lot of attention for its shoddy technical performance at launch, with a flurry of patches issued by developer Naughty Dog to calm down matters following barbed community feedback. An unofficial modification project has been ticking along behind the scenes, with team members and contributors content to tinker with the game, rather than engage in arguments about poor optimization and crashes to desktop. The Voyagers Revenge project has this week revealed footage of a first person perspective mode implemented into the Windows version of The Last of Us Part I.

The mod is still a work in progress, so demonstrations have been captured in the form of gameplay footage and uploaded to YouTube - actual playable code is not available to the public. The modders have implemented a feature that Naughty Dog had previously abandoned, with vice president Neil Druckmann confirming that the development team had experimented with a first person perspective mode in the early days of production, but they ultimately decided to drop it in favor of sticking to an over-the-shoulder viewpoint.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores launches April 19 on PS5! This expansion sees Aloy pursue a sinister threat in the untamed wilds of Los Angeles, now a treacherous volcanic archipelago. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores takes Aloy to the ruins of Los Angeles. The past millennia has seen the metropolis wracked by tectonic and volcanic activity. The result: a dangerous archipelago populated by deadly machines. Among these islands, a large settlement of Quen fight to survive.

Aloy's journey continues in Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores - an expansion which sees the fierce Nora hunter pursue a sinister threat in the untamed wilds of a far-future, volcanic Los Angeles which has been wracked by violent tectonic activity. Pre-orders for Burning Shores, which launches on the PlayStation 5 console on April 19, 2023, are available as of today.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation ("SSS") and Raspberry Pi Ltd. ("RPL") today announced the agreement by SSS to make a strategic investment in RPL. The minority investment cements the relationship between the two companies, to provide a development platform for SSS's edge AI devices to the worldwide community of Raspberry Pi users.

"Our goal is to provide new value to a variety of industries and support them in solving issues using our innovative edge AI sensing technology built around image sensors," said Terushi Shimizu, President and CEO of Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation. "We are very pleased to be partnering with Raspberry Pi Ltd. to bring our AITRIOS platform -- which supports the development of unique and diverse solutions utilizing our edge AI devices -- to the Raspberry Pi user and developer community, and provide a unique development experience."

Sony is not happy about the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recent provisional approval of Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and has highlighted the apparent removal of a Microsoft-owned game from being developed on the PlayStation 5. According to legal documents submitted to the UK government, Sony has taken issue with the watchdog's sudden change in opinion - the CMA's position was highly critical at the start of the year - and suspects that Microsoft's expensive PR campaign and submitting of "new evidence" to international competition regulators have influenced a change in direction of rulings. Sony's statement bears down on the unfair nature of the bid's approval: "The CMA's reversal of its position on its consoles theory of harm is surprising, unprecedented, and irrational."

Japan's Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) was the latest anti-trust governing body to give the takeover a thumbs-up, almost two weeks ago - a dramatic turn of events given that it happened on Sony's home turf. The embattled electronics corporation has taken notice of fresh developments in the press, and proceeded to mention controversy surrounding the Redfall platform war. Harvey Smith, the game's creative director, let slip too many details during a promotion tour and seemingly admitted that the higher-ups at Microsoft's Xbox division had decided to can the PlayStation 5 version of Redfall in favor of keeping it exclusive to Xbox, Game Pass and PC. Arkane Studios, as part of the ZeniMax Media Group, was acquired by Microsoft in 2021 - and certain games, already in development, were later released on the PlayStation 5 as timed exclusives, Deathloop being a prime example of this.

Rumors have circulated about a secret development at Sony's PlayStation division - a handheld games console is apparently in the works, but it was previously thought to be a cloud gaming device (similar in function to the Logitech G Cloud). This week, Insider Gaming has published an article that outlines insider information about a Sony project that is identified by the codename "Q Lite". Insider Gaming understands that this handheld will only offer Remote Play, and it will be entirely dependent on the PlayStation 5 games console as a host system. Sony has been touting this remote play feature via plenty of advertising in recent times - it is encouraging its PS4 and PS5 userbase to utilize the PS Remote Play app on compatible platforms including PC, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

The Q Lite is speculated to offer an adaptive streaming system with resolutions going up to 1080p and a maximum of 60 frames per second. This new gaming handheld requires an uninterrupted connection to the internet in order to function via remote play with the PlayStation 5. The inside source claims that the Q Lite prototype unit shares aesthetic elements with the official PlayStation 5 controller, although it will be larger in size - in order to accommodate a generous 8-inch touchscreen LCD system, placed in a central position. The insider mentioned that adaptive triggers and internal haptic feedback motors are notable features, as well as traditional fitting being multiple loudspeakers, volume controls and an audio input jack.

The host and producer, Geoff Keighley, has confirmed that Opening Night Live will be returning this August. Opening Night Live is the pre-show presentation or an opening show for Gamescom, held in Cologne, Germany.

The announcement comes as a welcomed news after E3 2023 cancellation and it appears that Gamescom 2023 will carry on the torch, as the last year show was the first in-person event since 2019. Opening Night Live last year was a big event, going for over two hours and featured more than 35 games. Geoff Keighley briefly tweeted that the show returns live on Tuesday, August 22nd and that he is "excited to be back in Cologne with the fans and industry, streaming video game news directly to you".

Sony Electronics is adding a new model to its Spatial Reality Display portfolio with the addition of the ELF-SR2. At 27 inches, the larger 4K option provides highly realistic, three-dimensional content without the use of special glasses or VR headsets. Highlights of the new offering include an upgraded high-speed vision sensor, image quality enhancing technologies and installation flexibility. Additionally, the ELF-SR2 enables more robust functionality through its support of applications and development. It is optimized for industrial design, surgical planning, architecture, engineering, construction, signage, retail, software/application development, game developers and entertainment applications.

"Our original Spatial Reality Display continues to captivate customers by bringing 3D content to life with an astonishing authenticity and sophistication that demands to be experienced hands-on," said Rich Ventura, Vice President of Professional Display Solutions, Sony Electronics. "While our users love the technology, we keep hearing the same question from professionals; 'does this display come in a larger size?' As we expand into more B2B verticals and environments, I'm happy to say that in addition to a bigger screen, we've added some powerful and commonly requested features to enhance content production. These include a wider color gamut, a newly developed engine, more advanced high-speed sensors and rich support for applications and their development - all for an extremely competitive price."

Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the addition of the WF-C700N truly wireless earbuds, WF-C700N, which are small and lightweight for all day comfort, perfect for those looking for their first pair of truly wireless noise canceling earbuds. In addition, Sony is also announcing the WH-1000XM5 in Midnight Blue, with all of the great noise canceling features of the critically acclaimed WH-1000XM5 in a stylish blue color.

A comfortable fit for on the go
The WF-C700N have been designed with comfort and stability in mind, for an inclusive fit. Sony has designed the WF-C700N by looking at extensive ear shape data collated since it introduced world's first in-ear headphones in 1982, as well as evaluation of the sensitivity of various types of ears. The WF-C700N earbuds combine a shape to perfectly match the human ear with an ergonomic surface design for a more stable fit, so users can wear them longer without needing a break.

Industry analysts have been busy with reviews of the PlayStation VR2 headset's launch sales figures, and have concluded that the numbers are a big disappointment according to findings published in a Bloomberg article. The research firm IDC is predicting that the PS VR2 is unlikely to break above 270,000 unit sales - timed from its launch this year on February 22 to the end of March. This is a substantial shortfall when lined up against the expected sales figures - Sony was reported to have an estimate of 2 million units sold going into the next financial year, but it was cutback to 1.5 million in the recent past. Francisco Jeronimo, IDC's Vice President of data and analytics cites a number of factors for the sluggish start: "Consumers around the world are facing rising costs of living, rising interest rates and rising layoffs - VR headsets are not top of mind for most consumers under the current economic climate."

Gamers were surprised by the higher than expected pricing for the PlayStation VR2 headset - at an MSRP of $550 it exceeds the asking price of the PlayStation 5 - and the home console is a necessary component in hosting the VR2's functionality. The virtual reality device has been a critical darling, although reviewers have been quick to question the price tag. It has been praised for an impressive specification and feature set, which includes dual 2,000 x 2,040 OLED displays, class leading eye-tracking tech and innovative Move wand controllers. The analysts share similar views about the high MSRP - Jeronimo predicts that Sony will need to take drastic action in order to right its sales ship: "I suspect a price cut on the PS VR2 will be needed to avoid a complete disaster of their new product." A price cut would perhaps appeal to a more mainstream buyer, coupled with the PlayStation VR2 being part of an ultra familiar gaming brand, but VR headset manufacturers as a whole are experiencing a slowdown in sales. Gamers were slow to adopt the first iteration of Sony's virtual headset, and that pattern appears to be repeating for the new model.

Microsoft has been quick to respond to a backlash from gamers who have been angered by reports of the company's prevention of a PlayStation 5 version of Redfall being developed by an internal studio - Arkane. The game's creative director, Harvey Smith, has been busy with press duties this week and might have slipped up by revealing too much about the Xbox Division's directives. In an interview with IGN France, Harvey stated that Microsoft held a policy of "no PlayStation 5" in the times following an acquisition of ZeniMax (parent group of Bethesda Softworks) in 2021. He elaborated on the regime change: "They came in and they said 'we're focusing on Xbox, PC and the Game Pass." Smith indicated that he embraced the decision since it was: "one less platform to worry about, one less complexity."

A Microsoft spokesperson provided a statement to Eurogamer: "We haven't pulled any games from PlayStation. In fact, we've expanded our footprint of games that we've shipped on Sony's PlayStation since our acquisition of ZeniMax, and the first two games we shipped after closing were PlayStation 5 exclusives. We did the same thing since our closing of Minecraft as we extended the reach of that franchise. All of the games that were available on PlayStation when we acquired ZeniMax in March 2021 are still available on PlayStation, and we have continued to do content updates on PlayStation and PC. We have always said that future decisions on whether to distribute ZeniMax games for other consoles will be made on a case-by-case basis."