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Sony releases first trailer for filmed-in-Ontario Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

Sony and Constantin Films have released the first trailer for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.

Unrelated to the six Milla Jovovich Resident Evil films, Welcome to Raccoon City is instead based more heavily on Capcom’s first two Resident Evil survival horror games.

Written and directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down), Welcome to Raccoon City follows classic Resident Evil heroes Jill Valentine, Claire and Chris Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy as they investigate a zombie threat brought on by the sinister Umbrella Corporation.

On the one hand, the characters’ designs are definitely faithful to the games, as are some of the locations, particularly the iconic Spencer Mansion and Raccoon City Police Department (RCPD). IGN also has an exclusive breakdown of the trailer’s video game-inspired easter eggs with Roberts. However, the CGI on some of the zombies looks quite questionable, while the trailer itself is bafflingly (hilariously?) scored to 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up,” perhaps better known to the internet as the “He-Man meme song.”

It’s also worth noting that the film has significant Canadian connections. On top of being shot in Sudbury, Ontario amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the film stars Toronto’s Robbie Amell (Upload) as Chris, Vancouver’s Avan Jogia (Zombieland: Double Tap) as Leon and Ottawa’s Donal Logue (Gotham) as RCPD Chief Brian Irons.

Other stars include Kaya Scodelario (Skins) as Claire Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Jill Valentine and Tom Hopper (The Umbrella Academy) as Albert Wesker.

Resident Evil: Raccoon City is set to release exclusively in theatres on November 24th.

Image credit: Constantin Films/Sony Pictures Releasing

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Hotel Transylvania: Transformania heading straight to Amazon Prime Video Canada in January 2022

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will release exclusively on Amazon Prime Video worldwide on January 14th, 2022.

The animated family film was originally slated to hit theatres this month, but Sony scrapped those plans out of concerns for the rising cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

Instead, the company sold the distribution rights to Amazon for $100 million (around $125 million CAD) in August, with the Prime Video release date only now being confirmed. This is Sony Pictures Animation’s second theatrical film to be sold to a streamer amid the pandemic, following April’s critically acclaimed The Mitchells vs. The Machines.

Transformania is the fourth and film in the popular Hotel Transylvania franchise, which has grossed more than $1.3 billion USD (about $1.6 billion CAD) to date.

The film finds Drac and his monster friends transformed into humans, leading them to race to find a cure.

Image credit: Sony Pictures Animation 

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What every first-party PlayStation studio is working on

It’s acquisition season in the gaming world.

Over the past couple of years, Xbox and PlayStation have been going head-to-head, sparring over who has the biggest and best when it comes to their first-party portfolio.

While Microsoft has landed some body blows as of late, picking up names like Double Fine and Bethesda, Sony continues to bolster its stable of studios with a continuous output of high quality, well-made games.

On the immediate horizon, PlayStation’s prestige exclusive machine rolls on with the likes of Horizon Forbidden West, Gran Turismo 7, and God of War Ragnarok, all slated for 2022, but what comes next? What does Naughty Dog have up its sleeve? Is an Uncharted sequel in the works somewhere? And will Bluepoint finally tackle Metal Gear?

Below I look to answer all those questions and more with a list of what every PlayStation first-party studio is/could be working on right now:

Bend Studio

Days Gone zombie horde

Days Gone

Location: Bend, Oregon
Last Game: Days Gone

Bend is in an interesting spot right now amongst the Sony stable of studios. While Days Gone sold fairly well, critically it may not have met the lofty expectations of the PlayStation brass.

Not a lot is known about what is next for Bend, but having been more than two years since its last project, it’s surely well at work on something. The Oregon-based studio did have a pitch for Days Gone 2 turned down, and was at one point set to work on a new game in the Uncharted series, but those plans seem to have changed.

In an interview back in June, PlayStation Studios head Herman Hulst said the team is now working on a new IP that will build “on the deep open-world systems that they developed with Days Gone.” So it surely will take notes from Days Gone, without being another adventure in that post-apocalyptic world.

Bluepoint Games

Demon's Souls PS5 spider

Location: Austin, Texas
Last Game: Demon Souls (2020)

Bluepoint Games, Sony’s latest acquisition, has become known in recent years as the king of the PlayStation remake. Cutting its teeth on games like the Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection and Shadow of the Collosus (2018), the team really showed what it could do with the PS5 launch title Demon Souls.

Upon being bought by Sony, Bluepoint president Marco Thrush told IGN that the team is “working on original content right now. [The studio] can’t talk about what that is, but that’s the next step in the evolution for [Bluepoint].”

Long have the whispers of a Bluepoint remake of Metal Gear Solid or Bloodborne permeated internet message boards, but it looks as though the remake king is taking everything it has learned in rebuilding old games to create something wholly its own. It’s worth noting, though, that Bluepoint never said it was working on an “original property,” merely “original content” — that is, not a remaster or remake. Therefore, this leaves the door open for the studio’s next project to be a new entry in an existing franchise.

Firesprite

Wipeout Omega Collection

Location: Liverpool, England
Last Game: The Persistence (PSVR)

Another of PlayStation’s recent purchases, Firesprite has mostly focused on virtual reality (VR) since its inception. The team of former Studio Liverpool vets now boasts just over 265 employees, making it one of Sony’s larger development teams.

As for what the Firesprite crew has up its sleeves is anyone’s guess. One rumour points to a long-standing PlayStation franchise in Wipeout. The studio’s founders spent much of their time with Sony the first time working on the pulse-pounding jet-powered racing titles, so if Hermen Hulst and co. wanted to bring the classic series back, no studio would be a better fit for such a project than Firesprite.

Guerrilla Games

Horizon Forbidden West

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Last Game: Horizon Zero Dawn

Along with Naughty Dog and Insomniac, Guerrilla has become one of the crown jewels of PlayStation’s first-party portfolio. After (assumingly) moving on from the long-standing first-person shooter Killzone, the Dutch studio reinvented itself by pivoting to an RPG with Horizon Zero Dawn. The open-world post-apocalyptic adventure has quickly garnered quite the following and cemented itself as one of Sony’s biggest names going forward.

Guerilla’s next game, Horizon Forbidden West, is close on the horizon, launching February 18th, 2022. In this title, protagonist Aloy will travel west to the far future coast of California, uncovering secrets of a past civilization and doing battle with giant robotic dinosaurs. For many, Forbidden West is the next massive exclusive coming to PlayStation consoles.

While a great deal is known about Guerilla’s next project, there are tidbits about what is coming after that for the studio. Recent job postings suggest the team could be working on an MMO or something in that vein after Forbidden West. Two opportunities are for candidates who “possess extensive knowledge of stories and narrative design in open-world RPG games, online games, and MMORPGs.” and can work on in-game “social systems and player engagements.”

It’s unknown whether this multiplayer project has anything to do with the Horizon franchise or is something new entirely, but it looks yet again as though Guerilla could be about to reinvent itself.

Housemarque

Returnal PS5

Location: Helsinki, Finland
Last Game: Returnal

The future of Housemarque is interesting. After putting out stellar arcade hits like Resogun and Super Stardust, the team “gave up” the arcade ghost in an infamous blog post titled “ARCADE IS DEAD.” Then, after fiddling around with a few projects including a battle royale, the team seemingly returned to its roots with Returnal. The roguelike shooter is one of the best-reviewed titles of 2021 and, to some, was the AAA arcade project Housemarque was destined to make.

Now months after Returnal’s release, not a much can be gleaned on what the Finnish studio is working on next. Back in June, Sony made it official that it would be buying Housemarque, so whatever the team has up its sleeves, it will be its first project as a first-party PlayStation studio.

Housemarque CEO and co-founder Ilari Kuittinen has hinted at his team’s next game, saying that it will “go beyond” its latest release and that being purchased by Sony allows it to expand and take on even more ambitious projects.

So whatever the Dead Nation studio takes on next, gamers can be sure that it will tie the studio’s arcade roots into something even bigger than what they have worked on before.

Insomniac Games

Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Location: Burbank, California
Last Game: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Of all the PlayStation first-party studios, we probably know the most about what is coming down the pipeline from Insomniac. Even though the team has put out two games in the last twelve months in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, its next two projects have already been announced.

Yes, we not only know the Insomniac team is working on a follow-up to 2018’s Spider-Man, but also Wolverine. Spider-Man 2 is set to be a “darker” adventure for the webhead and looks to launch sometime in 2023, while a release window for Wolverine has yet to be shared.

London Studio

PS VR Blood and Truth

Location: London, England
Last Game: Blood & Truth (PSVR)

London Studio has been in the PlayStation fold for nearly twenty years, gaining quite the reputation for working with Sony’s various peripherals over the years. Whether it was Singstar on the PS2, supporting the EyeToy, or, most recently, PS VR, London has always had a knack for bringing out the best of PlayStation’s various plug-and-play add-ons.

The team’s last project, Blood & Truth, is probably the closest indication of what it’s working on next. Back in March, studio head Tara Saunders said London Studio’s next title has “huge potential,” but gave no indication as to whether it will continue the developer’s streak of peripheral-based projects.

London Studio has made a bit of a name for themselves with quality VR games and demos, so surely with the next PlayStation VR on the way, Sony will leverage that and continue to get the UK studio behind its virtual reality tech. It could even be a ‘PS VR 2’ launch title at this point.

Media Molecule

Dreams PS4

Location: Guilford, England
Last Game: Dreams

Media Molecule is in a precarious spot amongst its PlayStation brethren. The England-based studio spent so long developing Dreams for the PS4, and while receiving a largely positive critical response, the game-making/sharing platform more than likely did not recoup its development costs.

There still could be some hope, though. When it comes to looking at what is next for the MM team, it’s honestly probably more Dreams. The title launched towards the end of the PS4’s lifecycle, Media Molecule seems rather hesitant to go back to games they have worked on before like LittleBigPlanet or Tearaway, and the PS5 feels like it could be the perfect place for its latest endeavour to thrive.

While MM has teased it will make a new game after Dreams, I don’t think it’s done with Dreams just yet. Do not be surprised if a PlayStation 5 port of the title surfaces sometime in the not-too-distant future.

Naughty Dog

Location: Santa Monica, California
Last Game: The Last of Us Part II

Naughty Dog is one of the most prestigious studios in the PlayStation stable. The Last of Us developer is currently working on a couple of projects. Remastered versions of Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy are being bundled together in a package titled Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection for PC and PS5, coming early 2022.

The team has also teased a Last of Us multiplayer project. What was initially touted as a sequel to the ‘Factions’ portion of The Last of Us has seemingly become something much bigger and more “ambitious.” Though the project has been percolating for a while, the team is still actively hiring so it could still be a ways off.

As for its next big single-player title, there are a few routes the Dogs could go down. Bloomberg reported back in April that a small team at Naughty Dog had taken over the development of a PS5 remake of The Last of Us from Bend Studio, so that could be what some of the staff is working on.

Other than that, co-president of the studio Neil Druckmann has said that he and TLOU2 co-writer Halley Gross have hashed out what a third The Last of Us would look like, but in the same interview said they are not actively working on a threequel.

If not TLOU3, then what? Rumours suggest that Naughty Dog is working on a brand-new steampunk IP tentatively titled Stray’s Cross. However, if this is real, with all the other things the studio is working on, it will likely be a long time before fans see anything from it.

Nixxes Software

Marvel's Avengers Iron Man

Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Last Game: Marvel’s Avengers (PC)

After being acquired this past summer, Nixxes Software is very likely set to be Sony’s new port house. The Dutch team has become renowned over the past 25 years or so for its port work, most recently on the Windows version of Marvel’s Avengers.

With PlayStation’s push of late to take its best console exclusives to PC, it would make sense that they bring in someone to handle the heavy lifting instead of having each individual studio handle it themselves.

Sony’s purchase of Nixxes is a good indication that the console manufacturer is nowhere near done with its efforts of bringing the best of PlayStation to PC.

Pixelopus

Location: San Mateo, California
Last Game: Concrete Genie

Pixelopus is one of the youngest at PlayStation Studios. Having only released two projects up to this point (Entwined and Concrete Genie), the San Mateo-based dev house has proven it can produce whimsical, smaller-scale titles for Sony.

Looking to the future, Pixelopus has already begun work on its next project. According to job postings from back in June, the Concrete Genie is working on a game in Unreal Engine 5 in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation.

This team that focuses so closely on innovation and creativity amongst player is seemingly going to continue that trend with its next title and make things look better than ever by working so closely with Sony’s in-house animation team.

Polyphony Digital

Gran Turismo 7 customization

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Last Game: Gran Turismo Sport

Polyphony is one of the easier studios to predict at PlayStation. Besides a small motorbike-sized detour on PS2 and its first game, Omega Boost, the team has only ever put out Gran Turismo games. It’s been almost four years since GT Sport, and gamers will finally be able to get behind the wheel of Gran Turismo 7 in March 2022.

Once GT7 launches, the title will surely continue to occupy the time and energy of Polyphony for years to come. Maybe down the line, an ultimate edition of its latest racer (à la GT Sport Spec II) will see the light of day but until then, it will be all Gran Turismo 7 for the Tokyo-based team.

San Diego Studio

MLB The Show 21

Location: San Diego, California
Last Game: MLB The Show 21

San Diego Studio has a bit of an interesting future. The studio most known for MLB The Show will surely continue to put out the uber-popular baseball simulator year after year, but it could be working on something alongside its annual trip to the ballpark.

Apparently, a new team San Diego is hard at work on something that will expand on “existing franchises.” What does this mean? Who knows for sure!

Former studio head and senior director of Sony’s Visual Arts team, Michael Mumbauer, joined San Diego Studio back in January and made mention on his LinkedIn of a “brand new, all-star, AAA Action/Adventure” using “proprietary engine technology.” If a new Uncharted was being worked on somewhere other than at Naughty Dog, this would be the place.

Santa Monica Studio

Location: Los Angeles, California
Last Game: God of War (2018)

Santa Monica Studio’s next project, God of War: Ragnarok, is well on its way. Initially slated to come out in 2021, the GOW (2018) sequel has been pushed to some time in 2022. Ragnarok will continue the story of Kratos and Atreus and feature a new director, Eric Williams.

Now, it’s important to focus on that directing change when staring into the crystal ball: looking at Sony Santa Monica’s project after GOW2. Cory Barlog, the director behind 2018’s God of War, is still at the studio and, as evidenced by a bevy of recent job postings, is working on something. Back in 2015, the studio shuttered an original sci-fi project with Battlestar Galactica writer Michael Angeli, so perhaps this mystery game is a revival of that.

Barlog has mentioned that he wants to helm something new for the studio, and a sci-fi title that was in the works for nearly four years before being canceled would not fit that criterion. However, this new title could be built on the bones of that scrapped project but tweaked by Barlog and co.

Sucker Punch

Ghost of Tsushima bridge

Location: Bellevue, Washington
Last Game: Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Similar to Guerilla Games, Sucker Punch Productions has found itself at the beginning of what is likely going to be a staple PlayStation franchise for years to come. Having just re-released its 2020 samurai adventure Ghost of Tsushima on PS5, the Washington-based studio is almost certainly going to continue Jin Sakai’s journey.

You do not have to be an expert on the subject to predict Sucker Punch’s next title. A Ghost of Tsushima 2 is, without question, what comes next. Other than that, the team has been hiring for a “spectacular multiplayer game,” so a standalone Ghost of Tsushima Legends sequel or spin-off could also be on the table.

Team Asobi

Astro's Playroom

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Last Game: Astro’s Playroom

Once a part of Sony’s Studio Japan, Team Asobi has been its own entity now for only a few months. The team was spun off officially after Sony shuttered its Japan Studio back in April.

The minds behind Astro’s Playroom and Astro Bot Rescue Mission has been fairly quiet since late 2020. In June of this year, it did announce it was staffing up, experimenting with the DualSense, and working on a new game.

The Japanese studio seems to have found some magic in its work with Sony’s little Astro Bot character, so saying that its next project could again star the little android is not too far out there. Astro’s Playroom was one of the best PS5 launch titles, and it was merely a tech demo that came bundled in with your new console. So, is a more fully-featured Astro platformer, celebrating Sony’s history on the way from Asobi? That could be the case.

Image credit: PlayStation

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PlayStation confirms acquisition of Demon’s Souls remake developer Bluepoint

PlayStation has confirmed that it has acquired the Austin, Texas-based studio Bluepoint Games.

Notably, the Japanese gaming giant leaked this news last year in a since-deleted tweet from its official PlayStation Japan Twitter account and is only now formally talking about it.

Specific terms of the acquisition, such as financial details, were not disclosed. However, Bluepoint is a natural fit for the PlayStation Studios family, given their long-running partnership. In fact, nearly every game that Bluepoint has made has been exclusive to PlayStation platforms, including 2009’s God of War Collection, 2011’s The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, 2015’s The Nathan Drake Collection, 2018’s Shadow of the Colossus remake and, most recently, last year’s Demon’s Souls remake.

The throughline between all of these games is that Bluepoint was either remastering or remaking existing titles. However, Bluepoint teased in an interview with IGN that its next game would be an “original” title. No further details were revealed. That said, it’s important to note that an original game simply means it won’t be a remaster or remake; it doesn’t rule out Bluepoint working on a new game based on an existing property.

PlayStation has been on a bit of a buying spree as of late. Over the past year, the company has purchased Helsinki, Finland-based Housemarque (Returnal), Liverpool, England-based Firesprite (The Playroom) and Utrecht, Netherlands-based technical support studio Nixxes.

Image credit: PlayStation

Source: PlayStation

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Sony partners with Snapchat on exclusive ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ lens

Sony has teamed up with Snapchat on an exclusive new lens based on its upcoming Marvel film Venom: Let There Be Carnage. 

With the lens, you can call forth either Venom himself or Carnage, the film’s red-and-black symbiote villain, in augmented reality. Snapchat is for free available on Android and iOS.

The lens is dropping now to promote Let There Be Carnage‘s October 1st theatrical release date.

Directed by Andy Serkis, Venom: Let There Be Carnage follows Eddie Brock/Venom (Tom Hardy) as they face off against the deadly Carnage (Woody Harrelson).

Image credit: Sony Pictures

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Don’t miss your chance to save big on your dream TV

You may not feel it yet, but winter is coming. Soon we’ll be huddling under blankets, drinking hot cocoa, and watching Studio Ghibli movies to add some warmth back into our lives. But you need to ask yourself: is my home theatre ready?

While you could get away with your first-generation 4K TV, the newest TVs feature mini-LED displays, faster refresh rates, and the latest HDR technology. If you intend to spend the coming months indoors like I do, your waistline might not be too happy, but your eyes can be.

Find your dream TV and save big with Best Buy’s Ultimate Home Theatre Sale. The sale ends this Friday,

Samsung 65-inch 4K HDR QN90A

Buy at Best Buy for $2799.99 (save $1000)

This is the ultimate TV for gaming. The display features FreeSync Premium Pro and Low Framerate Compensation to ensure low-input lag and jutter free gameplay. And thanks to the USB 2.1 HDMI ports, you’ll be enjoying high-frame rates with its 120Hz refresh rate.

If you’re not into gaming, this is still an incredible TV for watching 4K content. The QN90A is known for its deep colours and sharp images. You’ll see the difference when you watch your first HDR content.

For this week only, the Samsung QN90A is on sale for $2799.99 (save $1000) at Best Buy Canada.

Samsung 50-inch QLED The Frame

Buy at Best Buy for $1399.99 (save $200)

This is the ultimate wall art. Whether you’re a minimalist that hates cables, an art lover that can’t decide on just one painting to hang on your walls, or someone that loves a beautiful display, you’ll love The Frame TV.

Designed to blend in with its surroundings, the Frame TV is Samsung’s secret weapon. The TV had a lot of buzz around it when it launched a few years ago, but the 2021 model is the best iteration of the display yet thanks to its sharp visuals, clean presentation, and solid gaming performance. The 4K visuals are crisp, the 120Hz performance is quick, and the matte artwork is uniquely yours.

Get The Frame TV for just $1399.99 (save $200) at Best Buy Canada, this week only.

LG NanoCell 55-inch 4K TV

Buy at Best Buy for $1099.99 (save $300)

This is the ultimate mid-range TV. The 80 series from LG features visuals that go well beyond its price tag, offering 4K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and two 2.1 USB ports.

If you’re in the market for a television that will support the latest features of the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, the LG NanoCell 85APA might be just what you’re looking for. And it even supports variable refresh rates in case you wanted to hook your PC up to it for some immersive gaming.

Pick up the LG NanoCell 55-inch 4K TV for $1099.99 (save $300) at Best Buy Canada.

Sony 75-inch 4K X85J TV

Buy at Best Buy for $1999.99 (save $500)

This is the ultimate TV for immersion. If you’re going to upgrade your TV, you might as well go big. And I mean really big.

The X85J is a 4K TV from Sony that delivers stunning detail on a display that will fill your wall. It supports both Dolby and HDR3 for rich colours and deep shadows. And thanks to the TV’s built-in processor, your HD content can be upscaled to 4K with impressive results.

For this week only, the Sony 75-inch X85J TV is on sale for $1999.99 (save $500) at Best Buy Canada.

These are only a few of the top deals. Check out Best Buy’s Ultimate Home Theatre Sale for more great savings.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships and publishes sponsored posts. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

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Here are the best PS5 accessories

We’re nearing the one-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 hitting store shelves worldwide. With close to a year under its belt, Sony and third-party partners have been steadily supplying players with accessories and peripherals that enhance the next-gen experience.

There are numerous devices that PlayStation 5 owners can invest in, but some are more useful than others. Let’s take a look at the best PS5 accessories that are currently on the market.

Midnight Black DualSense controller

Midnight black dualsense controller

Having a second controller makes sense. Whether you’re someone who plays a lot of local co-op games like Overcooked!, or you simply want a backup when you’re in the middle of an intense session of Deathloop, a second DualSense controller can come in handy.

While PS5 players continue to wait for the announcement of an official black console—or at the very least replacement plates—players can purchase the Midnight Black DualSense controller. It’s a sharp contrast to the standard white DualSense controller, and it may fit your aesthetic better than the Cosmic Red model.

PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller – Midnight Black – Midnight Black Controller Edition – $89 CAD

DualSense Charging Station

Dualsense charging station

While we’re on the topic of DualSense controllers, Sony’s official DualSense Charging Station is an easy-to-use accessory for charging multiple DualSense controllers when they’re not in use. The charging station can charge two controllers at once, which frees up the USB ports of the console if you run out of juice on both controllers.

The station is compact and fits with the PS5’s white design. It also has a simple click-in design where you feel a tactile response when correctly inserting the DualSense on the charging station.

DualSense Charging Station – DualSense Charging Station Edition – $39

Pulse 3D Wireless Headset

Playstation Pulse wireless headset

Sony and third-party developers are supporting 3D audio on the PS5. To take advantage of this feature and other essential additions, Sony’s Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is a worthy investment.

The headset supports voice chat through a hidden noise-cancelling microphone and has on-ear controls for volume and muting. It also promises up to 12 hours of battery life. Based on personal experience, the ear cushions are pretty comfortable, even with glasses. Additionally, Sony recently announced a Midnight Black edition is releasing on October 22.

PULSE 3D Wireless Headset – White Edition – $129

PlayStation HD Camera

Playstation HD camera

If you’re someone who prefers to stream or create content straight from your console, the PlayStation HD Camera is an essential purchase. It’s able to capture 1080p video thanks to the camera’s dual wide-angle lens setup. The PlayStation HD Camera also includes a built-in adjustable stand and can be placed above or below a TV.

When using the camera, players can begin broadcasting or recording themselves as they play through their favourite game. Thanks to the camera’s software, you can even add yourself to your gameplay video with a picture-in-picture mode and crop the background.

HD Camera – PlayStation 5 – HD Camera Edition – $79

PS5 Media Remote

Playstation 5 Media Remote

If you’re scrolling through the latest releases on Netflix or looking for a video to watch on YouTube, a remote can be easier to use than the DualSense. The navigation tools of the PS5 Media Remote certainly deliver on that front. Its design is simple, focusing on the essential playback controls for watching media.

The PS5 Media Remote offers four quick-access buttons to Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, so you can quickly launch them without any hassle.

Media Remote – PlayStation 5 – Remote Edition – $39

WD Black SN850 SSD

Western Digital Black SN850 SSD

Recently, Sony enabled all PlayStation 5 owners to expand the storage of their console. Sony held a beta period for those enrolled, and many took the opportunity to test various M.2 SSD devices. There are a few requirements when it comes to compatible SSDs, though the WD Black SN850 has quickly become a favourite of the community.

Although there are many options, WD Black’s SN850 is leading as a PCIe Gen4 SSD for its memory options and fast read speeds. Additionally, since Sony requires a compatible M.2 SSD to be installed with a heatsink, the WB Black SN850 makes for a great option as each model can be purchased with a heatsink.

Western Digital 1TB WD_Black SN850 NVMe Internal Gaming SSD – Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7000 MB/s — $249

SteelSeries Arctis 7P

SteelSeries Arctis 7P headset

The SteelSeries Arctis 7P is touted as a leading headset for PlayStation 5 owners. It’s a higher-end option for those who want a few more features than Sony’s first-party offering. The wireless headset features lossless 2.4 GHz audio, equating to low latency while playing.

SteelSeries claims the battery life can last up to 24-hours on a single charge. The bidirectional noise-cancelling microphone retracts into the headset when not in use, which makes for a clean design. You’ll also find on-ear controls, and it’s even compatible with mobile devices.

SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless – Lossless 2.4 GHz Wireless Gaming Headset – For PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 – White – $189

Insignia PS5 DualSense Controller Phone Mount Controller Clip

Insignia Dualsense controller phone mount

Like the PlayStation 4, the PS5 offers a remote-play function to take your favourite games from the console and play them on smartphones and other devices. If you’re looking to play on your iOS or Android device with a DualSense, Insignia offers a phone mount to make things easier.

It’s built specifically for the DualSense controller and is compatible with standard-sized smartphones. The clip features an adjustable mount for shifting the smartphone’s display. You’ll also find a locking mechanism to hold the smartphone in place while you play.

Insignia PS5 DualSense Controller Phone Mount Controller Clip – Black – $19

In only a handful of months, the PlayStation 5 has amassed quite a few useful accessories to make your gaming sessions better. Let us know what you’re playing on PS5 this week—assuming you’ve been able to find one.

Check out SyrupArcade for PlayStation 5 stock updates to get your hands on the console.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships and publishes sponsored posts. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

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These Sony wireless noise-cancelling headphones are 52% off for today only

If you’re in the market for wireless noise-cancelling headphones, you have a bevy of great options to choose from these days. And the good news is that, while some are engineered for different types of music, most models perform adequately when it comes to their noise-cancelling technology.

But what you don’t often see is a higher-end Bluetooth model from a leading brand in the sub-$150 price range in Canada. And until tomorrow, that’s the case for Sony’s WH-CH710N Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones at Best Buy.

Their name might be clunky, but their minimal weight and cushy ear pads make them one of the most comfortable sets of ANC headphones to wear for long stretches of working, watching, or ambient-chatter avoiding.

While their fit is stellar, their standout feature is the built-in AI-based noise-cancelling, which constantly scans your environment. Like most noise-cancelling cans, the Sonys do a fine job of eliminating persistent white noise, but the AI means they also cancel random spikes of volume, an area where most NC headphones fall short.

The Sony WH-CH710Ns don’t come packaged with many frills beyond the cans themselves, but at just $129.99, you won’t find a better deal on a great pair of headphones.

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PlayStation 5 SSD support rolls out to everyone on September 15

September’s major PS5 firmware update will bring support for M.2 SSD storage expansion to all users.

This feature has only been available to PlayStation beta testers since late July.

Launching September 15th, the software update will allow PS5 owners to use a compatible SSD to increase their console’s storage capacity. However, keep in mind that the process is rather convoluted and, therefore, you’ll need to do a bit of research to find out which ones will actually work with the PS5.

PlayStation has also put together this video to show you how to install an SSD:

While M.2 SSD support is the highlight of the new PS5 system update, it does include several other notable features.

In particular, the update introduces 3D Audio support for built-in TV speakers. The feature, which produces more immersive spatial sounds, was previously only available via supported headphones like PlayStation’s Pulse Headset. To enable the setting, you’ll first have to measure the acoustics of your room using the DualSense controller’s microphone.

Additionally, the September update introduces several new UX enhancements:

  • Control Center customization — specific controls can be hidden or unhidden at the bottom of the screen
  • Enhanced Game Base — view and write messages to friends and Parties directly from Game Base in the Control Center
  • Game Library and Home Screen updates — PS4 and PS5 versions of the same game will be clearly indicated and separated on the Home screen and in the ‘Installed’ tab of the Game Library
  • Screen Reader controls — Pause or resume Screen Reader (Press ‘PS + Triangle buttons’) and have it repeat anything it reads (Press ‘PS  + R1 buttons’)

Other miscellaneous changes to the general PS5 experience include a resolution selector (between 720p and 1080p) and connection test tool for PlayStation Now, automatic recording of “personal best” videos (setting a new record in certain in-game challenges), and a Trophy Tracker to quickly access up to five trophies per game from the Control Center.

This is the PlayStation 5’s second major firmware update following one in April that added external USB support, cross-gen Share Play and more.

Outside of the PS5 system update, the PS Remote Play app on Android and iOS is also getting a couple of new features. Now, users can stream and play PS4 and PS5 games over mobile data as well as Wi-Fi, with PlayStation recommending a connection of 15Mbps for “the best experience.”

Additionally, a September 23rd app update will roll out the ability to view friends’ Share Screen broadcasts together. PlayStation says the Android version of this update is “a phased release and may take one week” to appear on your mobile device.

Source: PlayStation

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PlayStation Store ‘Weekend Offer’ discounts Mortal Kombat 11 and more

Sony’s PlayStation is currently having a very small weekend sale.

The sale is actually only available for three games alongside some add-on packs.

Here are the games below:

There are tons more PlayStation sales available, but this offer is only available until September 14th.

Source: PlayStation