Tag: PlayStation 5

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Sony has sold just shy of 20 million PlayStation 5 consoles

Sony has sold 19.3 million PlayStation 5 consoles to date, the company has revealed in its Q4 2021 earnings release.

This is a marked drop from the 3.3 million PS5 units that were sold in the previous quarter, and the 22.4 million PS4s that had been sold at the same point in its lifecycle.

That said, this is in line with what Sony had forecasted last quarter; at the time, the tech giant said it was expecting slower sales in Q4 due to the ongoing chip shortages resulting in constrained supply. On the flip side, Sony says it’s expecting to produce more PS5s going forward as the global chip stock improves.

And while overall PS5 sales were down, Sony is still reporting increased gaming hardware revenue overall, with revenue jumping 9.5 percent year-over-year to reach ¥840 billion ($8.3 billion CAD). What’s more, the company says game sales revenue hit ¥2.7 trillion ($20.7 billion CAD) — a 3.1 percent year-over-year increase.

Looking ahead, Sony says it’s expecting “significant increases” in its Game and Network Services segment for the 2022 fiscal year due to “an expected increase in sales of non-first-party titles.” Conversely, it’s expecting operating income to drop for this segment due to “an expected increase in costs, mainly for game software development at existing studios” and its roughly $4.7 billion CAD acquisition of Destiny maker Bungie.

It’s worth noting, though, that PlayStation hasn’t officially said much regarding what it has planned for the rest of the year. Services-wise, the company is set to launch its expanded PlayStation Plus next month, while God of War: Ragnarok — which Sony recently said is “just not ready to be shown” — is confirmed to release sometime later this year. Otherwise, PlayStation’s first-party slate for this year remains largely unknown, now that the likes of Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 are out.

We may learn more about PlayStation’s plans in the coming weeks. While the Electronics Entertainment Expo has been cancelled this year, Canadian producer Geoff Keighley is putting on a ‘Summer Game Fest’ event on June 9th in its stead to feature reveals from a variety of publishers. It remains to be seen whether PlayStation will be featured in this, although it has a history of making reveals at Keighley’s shows.

Source: Sony

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Here are the games hitting PlayStation Now in May 2022

PlayStation has revealed the new batch of games coming to its PlayStation Now streaming service in May.

This month, three titles are joining the catalogue: the fighting games Soul Calibur VI and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 and action-platformer Blasphemous.

All three games are hitting PS Now on May 3rd. Find out what came to PS Now in April here.

It’s important to note that PS Now is getting folded into an expanded PlayStation Plus in June. A full breakdown of the pricing of this service, which will simply be called PlayStation Plus, can be found here. Just note that converting to the service through existing PS Now/Plus memberships is… complicated.

Source: PlayStation

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Chip shortage may persist until 2024, according to Intel CEO

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has touched on his outlook on the global chip shortage heavily affecting the tech and semiconductor industry. Gelsinger now expects the shortage to last until 2024

During an interview with CNBC’s TechCheck, Gelsinger states that due to the constrained availability of critical manufacturing tools, the chip shortage could last well beyond this year. The ability to meet ongoing demand proves to be an ongoing obstacle.

“That’s part of the reason that we believe the overall semiconductor shortage will now drift into 2024, from our earlier estimates in 2023, just because the shortages have now hit equipment and some of those factory ramps will be more challenged,” Gelsinger said in the interview.

The global chip shortage first began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chip manufacturing factories continue to face numerous disruptions and closures. Demand continues to rise as the need for semiconductors for consumer tech products is never-ending.

Gelsinger is still relatively new to Intel’s CEO role. He took over in February 2021 and invests heavily in diversifying chip manufacturing around the globe. Intel invests significantly in establishing semiconductor facilities in the U.S and Europe. Though, Asia is home to most factories.

“We’ve really invested in those equipment relationships, but that will be tempering the build-out of capacity for us and everybody else, but we believe we’re positioned better than the rest of the industry,” Gelsinger said.

The shortage of chips heavily affects the ability to readily purchase Intel chips and Apple products like the Mac. Sony also continues to struggle with demand for its PlayStation 5 as well. If Gelsinger’s analysis is correct, these trends could continue to escalate into 2024 at the very least.

Image credit: Intel

Source: CNBC

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New PlayStation Plus’ classic games are starting to leak

The release of Sony’s new PlayStation Plus on June 22nd is fast approaching.

While we finally know how much the service will cost in Canada, it remains unclear what retro titles will make their way to the higher tiers of the subscription service. However, thanks to Reddit user ‘the_andshrew‘ uncovering a PSN leak that even includes game thumbnails, we have an idea of what titles are coming to the new PlayStation Plus’ various subscription tiers.

Most of the titles that have appeared so far come from publisher Bandai Namco, including Tekken 2 and Mr. Driller for the PS2 and Ridge Racer for the PSP. PSOne titles Worms Armageddon and Worms World Party also leaked recently.

PlayStation Plus’ $21.99/month ‘Premium’ tier includes access to roughly 340 additional titles across the PSOne, PS2, PS3 and PSP, while the $17.99/month ‘Extra’ tier only offers access to a library of roughly 400 PS4 and PS5 titles.

It’s unclear when Sony plans to reveal the official list of titles included in the refreshed PlayStation Plus that aims to better compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass, but an announcement will likely appear in the next few weeks.

Source: Reddit (the_andshrew) Via: Eurogamer, Gematsu

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Sony is building a game preservation team for PlayStation

Sony is reportedly building a game preservation team. The division likely comes off the heels of the new upcoming PlayStation Plus platform, though exact details on the team are sparse.

Garrett Fredley, a former build engineer for mobile developer Kabam, is joining Sony for its game preservation team. In a Twitter post first spotted by Video Games Chronicle, Fredley announced the role.

“Today is my first day as a Senior Build Engineer at @PlayStation,” the engineer wrote. He goes on to explain that he is one of the “initial hires for the newly created Preservation team.”

Fredley later followed up with a video from GDC 2019 in which he discusses game preservation and the work he did with EA. He also states that his “work is similar, although larger in scope.”

As expected, Fredley didn’t reveal exactly what this new team is working on. However, as the division’s title suggests, it likely ties back to preservation. Sony hasn’t always been a pioneer for game preservation in the past. While classic PlayStation games are available through PlayStation Now, more support is always welcomed.

In the near future, Sony’s revamped PlayStation Plus subscription service will offer new tiers. These include perks such as access to classic PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP titles. While many supported games (which are largely unannounced) will be downloadable, PS3 games are only available to stream.

Last summer, Sony shuttered the PSP storefront and initially aimed to close the PS3 and Vita marketplace. However, due to the reception of the community, those plans were put on ice.

The narrative surrounding Sony and game presentation has slowly shifted over the past few years. Back in 2017, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan made a comment regarding older Gran Turismo titles on previous PlayStation consoles. “The PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?” Ryan has since clarified that the quote was in respect to making contemporary games feel modern. However, the messaging turned the heads of those hoping Sony would take game preservation more seriously.

The extent of game preservation greatly differs between different console manufacturers. For example, Microsoft offers extensive backwards compatibility across all generations, including the original Xbox, and game preservation has been a focal point for the company for many years. Nintendo, on the other hand, only offers select titles from NES, SNES, and N64 as a part of the Nintendo Switch Online service.

Image credit: PlayStation

Via: Engadget 

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Here are the free games hitting PlayStation Plus in May 2022

Every month, Sony offers a few PlayStation games at no additional cost to those subscribed to its PlayStation Plus service.

Now, the company has unveiled the three games hitting PS Plus in May.

Notably, this month’s lineup is led by EA Vancouver’s latest soccer sim, FIFA 22. The PS4 version is also free with PS Plus. Also free on both PS4 and PS5 is Montreal-based Norsfell’s Tribes of Midgard, a survival action-RPG that can be played solo or online, and Passtech’s single-player PS4 roguelike Curse of the Dead Gods.

These games will be available through PS Plus from May 3rd to June 6th. April’s free PS Plus games, meanwhile, can be claimed until May 2nd.

A PlayStation Plus subscription costs $11.99/month, $29.99/three months or $69.99/year. Those are the current membership options, though; Sony’s expanded PlayStation Plus service launches in Canada on June 13th. Two additional, more expensive tiers will be added then to offer more games and other perks — read more on those here.

Image credit: EA

Source: PlayStation

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PlayStation 5 firmware update is now available, doesn’t include VRR support

Sony has released a new firmware update for the PlayStation 5.

‘Update 22.01-05.02’ is now available to install and provides minor system updates and improvements. Though, unfortunately, long-awaited variable refresh rate (VRR) support for PlayStation 5 is still unavailable.

Taking a look at the patch notes, Sony states right off the top that firmware update 22.01-05.02 “improves system performance.” If you were waiting with bated breath for anything more, you’ll unfortunately, be disappointed.

Update 22.01-05.02 is sadly far less substantial than the previous firmware update. Sony previously overhauled a surprising number of aspects of the PlayStation 5. Trophy cards are now easier to read and look better visually. Voice chats are now referred to as parties and players can set open and closed parties. The PlayStation 5 even includes several new accessibility options. The screen reader now supports six additional languages like Dutch, Polish, and Korean.

The current elephant in the room is VRR support on PlayStation 5. Many players anticipate Sony to add it soon. The company even confirmed that it’s due to arrive shortly. Though, as far as when that will be is anyone’s guess at this point.

VRR support feature many players are calling for on PlayStation 5. It allows for a smoother gameplay experience when playing on an HDMI 2.1-compatible TV or monitor. It can theoretically help negate screen tearing as well as provide better frame rates. Depending on how developers utilize it, VRR can also reduce input lag and improve graphics. As more players adopt HDMI 2.1 displays, support for the feature is increasingly important.

With April now off the table, we’ll have to wait and see if Sony plans to support VRR in May or later on in the summer months. With Sony games like Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 now available, VRR would provide a reason to go back to some of this year’s breakout hits.

Source: Sony Via: Gamespot

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Sony’s PSVR 2 delayed to 2023, says analyst

Despite revealing an official launch date for the PlayStation VR 2 (PSVR 2,) Sony may have delayed the launch of the headset to 2023.

Sony has been slowly pulling back the curtain on its follow-up to the PSVR headset. Aptly dubbed the PSVR 2, the new headset brings 4K HDR support, enhanced features and wraps it in a new design. Though, unfortunately, it appears players may be waiting a bit longer to get their hands on PSVR 2.

Industry analyst Ross Young reports that Vvirtual reality (VR) display shipments are rising by 50 percent in 2022. In total, shipments are to increase to 15 million in the year. However, Young also states that both Sony and Apple are experiencing delays with their respective VR devices. He concludes that the adjusted target is now 2023.

It’s worth noting that Sony has not officially disclosed a release window for the PSVR2. The company recently unveiled the official design of both the headset and its PSVR 2 Sense controllers. Amongst the technical improvements, Sony says that the headset will deliver true 4K visuals with support of up to 120FPS. The display consists of two 2000 x 2040 pixel resolution OLED panels. It will also support eye-tracking and inside-out tracking thanks to four fixed cameras on the headset.

Haptics will also play a large role in the PSVR 2. The headset itself has a single built-in motor to feed subtle vibrations for further immersion. The Sense controllers also support haptics as well as the now-standard DualSense features such as adaptive triggers.

Sony has also revealed the first big tentpole title for PSVR 2. Horizon: Call of the Mountain is exclusive to PSVR 2 and is in development by Guerrilla and Firesprite Games.

Leading up to this month, it seemed more and more likely that Sony may have been slowly building towards a full-scale reveal with pricing and release info. During GDC, Sony showed off PSVR 2 to developers, allowing hands-on time with the device. However, it now seems as though that goalpost may have been moved.

Given that PlayStation 5 consoles are still difficult to come by thanks to supply chain issues, there’s no reason to rush the launch of PSVR 2. If Sony aims to launch PSV R2 in 2023, it’ll enable more people to purchase a PlayStation 5 prior to that point.

Image credit: Sony

Source: Ross Young Via: GamesRadar

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Razer’s Kaira Pro headphones finally got me to go wireless

After testing Razer’s new Kaira Pro wireless headset for the past few weeks, I think I’ve finally found a pair of wireless headphones I really, really like.

I’ve almost exclusively used wired headphones with my PC for as long as I’ve had it. Mostly that was for gaming, although I did occasionally use wireless headphones when listening to music while working.

That choice typically came down to latency and sound quality — Bluetooth was fine for listening to music, but I always found the quality collapsed when gaming. Moreover, in my tests using Bluetooth headsets while gaming, it always seemed like the audio was ever so slightly off. It was hard to put a finger on exactly what was going on, but wired headsets didn’t have the same problem.

I have now tried several wireless Razer headphones, including the wireless Opus X headphones. Most Razer headphones I’ve tried offer sufficient wireless connections over Bluetooth, or even better, wireless connections to a USB dongle.

What they didn’t offer? Comfort.

Comfort has now taken priority for me, and it’s one of the most important things I look for in headphones, especially if I plan to wear them while working or gaming. Razer’s Blackshark V2 X wired headphones were the king in that regard, and have been my go-to since I tested them about a year ago. No other headphones I’ve tried have come close to matching that comfort. At least, until the Kaira Pro.

Wireless comfort

The biggest difference between the Blackshark V2 X and Kaira Pro headphones, at least in terms of comfort, is weight. Naturally, the wired Blackshark headphones are lighter, since there’s no need for a built-in battery.

Beyond that, the Kaira Pro headphones come dangerously close to surpassing the comfort of the Blackshark’s thanks to excellent, plush earcups (which also happen to be the perfect size for my ears), a comfortable headband, and a snug but not-too-tight fit.

Moreover, the Kaira Pro headphones offer a removable microphone, one of my few issues with the Blackshark V2 X headphones. It’s now much easier to get the mic out of my way when I don’t need it since I can just remove it from the Kaira Pro.

Although comfort is integral — and the Kaira Pro headphones excel there — it’s one of just a few standout features of the headset. The Kaira Pro supports wireless connectivity over Bluetooth and through a USB-C dongle. I prefer using the dongle with my desktop (in part because Windows 11 still struggles with Bluetooth), but having both makes it easy to swap between my desktop and a Bluetooth connection with my smartphone by pressing a button.

Sound so good, you can feel it

The Kaira Pro headphones also sound excellent. I’d rank the quality on par with, or maybe even slightly better than, the Blackshark V2 X headphones. Are these the best sounding headphones ever? No, but unless you’re a dedicated audiophile who pores over every bit of sound coming from your headphones, you’ll probably like the Kaira Pro just fine.

That said, I found Razer’s ‘HyperSense’ feature interesting. In short, it’s a haptic system that vibrates the earcups based on real-time sound processing. Razer says HyperSense works across devices and content, including games, music, and movies.

Kaira Pro users can enable HyperSense by pressing a button on the headphones and cycle through low, medium, or high intensity. In my testing, I could only feel the HyperSense haptics on high intensity when listening to music (I have to test this while gaming, as I think I only ran it on medium).

When listening to music, the HyperSense added a satisfying rumble to go along with the rolling bass of whatever I was listening to. While nice, I wouldn’t consider this a must-have feature.

Another sound feature offered on the Kaira Pro headphones is a relay that plays your voice through the headset. Dubbed ‘Sidetone,’ users can spin a dial on the right earcup to adjust how loud their voice sounds in their ears. I really didn’t enjoy this feature and ultimately found it distracting. You can turn it off, but annoyingly the headphones don’t seem to remember if you turn it off and constantly turn the feature back on.

Light ’em up!

There are a few other Kaira Pro features that are worth mentioning, but honestly don’t mean much to me. First, the headphones support Razer Chroma to customize the colour of the RGB-lit Razer logos on each earcup.

The glowing earcups look cool, but I can’t see them when I’m wearing the headphones and I turn off the Kaira Pro when I’m not using it, so I hardly ever see the RGB lighting. Coupled with the hit to battery life, I’d probably just turn off the lightning, although annoyingly, you need to download Razer’s software to do it. (As an aside, I used the headphones throughout the entire review without downloading Razer’s software and they worked fine, except for a small number of things like this that require the software).

Moreover, Razer notes the battery lasts up to 11 hours with HyperSense and lighting enabled, or up to 50 with both disabled. Heavy users may want to disable HyperSense and the lighting to really extend the life of these headphones.

No noise cancellation, if that matters to you

While we’ve covered several Kaira Pro features, there is one big missing item: noise cancellation. As someone who doesn’t typically use headphones with noise cancellation, I didn’t feel the Kaira Pro was lacking in this regard. Besides, my home office (where I use the headphones) is usually quite quiet anyway. However, anyone who cares about noise cancellation may want to avoid these headphones.

That just about sums up everything there is to say about the Kaira Pro headphones. The ones I tested were designed to work both with Sony’s PlayStation 4 and 5 consoles as well as PC and mobile. Razer offers a different version of the Kaira Pro headset specifically for Xbox consoles, which are $50 cheaper. You can read more about it here.

I didn’t test the Kaira Pro with any PlayStation consoles — the only PlayStation I have is a PS2 — but they were fantastic with PC and I imagine they’d be as good with a PS4 or PS5.

The Kaira Pro headphones cost $249.99 in Canada and are available on Razer’s website.

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Elgato’s new capture card works with variable refresh rates

The HD60 X, Elgato’s latest video game capture card features an updated design with rear-facing HDMI/USB ports, but more importantly, compatibility with variable refresh rates (VRR).

This includes 1440p 60fps SDR, 1080p 60fps HDR, and pass through for up to 4K 60fps HDR, 1440p 120fps SDR and 1080p 240fps SDR. It’s also possible to capture 120fps in 1080p if you scale down 1080p 240fps footage.

The Xbox Series X supports VRR and Sony is working on bringing the feature to the PlayStation 5.

As someone who just purchased an Elgato HD60 S+ a few weeks ago, I’m not exactly pleased by the reveal of the HD60 X. However, I don’t own a monitor or TV that supports VRR, so I’m not missing out on much, though the rear-facing HDMI/USB ports would be great for cable organization.

The HD60 X costs $259.99 in Canada and is available to order now.

Image credit: Elgato 

Source: Elgato