Tag: Culture
Interesting timing
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, or any other DLC add-on, will be eligible to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards. An update to the FAQ on the event’s official website notes: “The Game Awards aims to recognise the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content’s release...
News Veteran Trophy Hunter Hakoom Quits PlayStation Over Alleged Account Suspension Storm
Drama
Well-known Trophy hunter Hakoom, at one point a Guinness World Record holder for his obscene number of PlayStation gongs, has quit Sony amid an alleged account suspension storm. While the specific details are unclear and we’ll try to get clarification, it appears Hakoom is claiming his account was hacked, leading to a suspension. After...
News PS5 Pro Pre-Orders Are Stronger Than PS4 Pro, But Scalpers Are Losing Money
All according to keikaku
While we all ranted and raved about the PS5’s unavailability at launch, tech enthusiasts tend to act like unless a product is completely sold out and being sold at a significant mark-up on reseller websites, it’s a failure. That of course is not the case, and if a manufacturer has produced the right amount of stock to...
Random Super Smash Bros Maker Masahiro Sakurai Says He Bought a PS5 Pro Today
Super spend bros
Industry icon Masahiro Sakurai – the eternally young creator of the Super Smash Bros franchise and founder of Sora Ltd – plunged deep into his wallet today to purchase a PS5 Pro console. “I bought it,” he wrote on social media, next to an image of the supercharged system’s box. While the new system has sparked global...
Random Killzone Superfans Want to License the IP from Sony
"We promise, we won't disappoint"
The creators of a Killzone fanzine have appealed to Sony to license the intellectual property to them, promising “we won’t disappoint”. Following comments made by Guerrilla’s art director Roy Postma, in which he implied the team was “done with” the first-person shooter franchise, the British-based...
News Ex-PlayStation Exec Shawn Layden Says There's Been a 'Collapse' in Gaming Creativity
Do you agree?
Shawn Layden, the ex-PlayStation executive who held a number of high-profile roles across Sony Interactive Entertainment, believes there’s been a “collapse” in creativity across the industry due to “studio consolidation and the high cost of production”. Speaking in Singapore at Gamescom Asia, as reported by...
Opinion The Price of Playing PS5 Games Day One Is Getting Higher and Higher
And no one's really talking about it
There was condemnation of the industry’s decision to transition to $70 new releases at the start of the PS5 generation. For many, this price point breaks a psychological barrier, with software simply too expensive to be justified. Some have argued that cartridge-based software in the 90s was more costly,...
News PS5 Fans Want to Protest Against New User Interface Advertising
Sony's got some thinking to do
PS5 owners are absolutely irate about changes made to the console’s user interface, and already some fans want to protest against the “feature”. While it’s not available to everyone on every game yet, the console is now pulling in news pertaining to select titles and displaying them when you hover over their...
News Elden Ring Poster Signed by Hidetaka Miyazaki Currently at Auction for $15,000
It's for a good cause
An Elden Ring poster signed by auteur FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki is currently being auctioned for charity, with the proceeds going towards the Immune Deficiency Foundation. If you've got a spare stack of cash and would like to invest in a unique piece of memorabilia while helping a worthy cause, bidding doesn't close...
Random We Regret to Inform You DOOM Has Been Ported to a Sex Toy
Did anyone ask for Dong DOOM?
For some unknown reason, the human drive to port 1993 classic DOOM to anything with a microchip remains strong, even three decades later. Famously running on calculators, freezers, and even Microsoft Notepad, we regret to inform you that someone got it working on an off-brand Fleshlight, modified so that it vibrates...
News Dr Disrespect Admits Messages to Minor 'Leaned Too Much in the Direction' of Impropriety
"I'm no f***ing predator or pedophile"
Streamer Guy "Dr Disrespect" Beahm has admitted that his 2020 Twitch ban was due to sending inappropriate messages to a minor on the now-defunct Twitch instant messaging service, Whispers. Multiple former Twitch employees have come forward to corroborate the allegations, allowing Beahm to share his side of the...
Random Euro 2024's Italy Manager Insists His Squad Isn't Banned from PS5
But must play responsibly
In a “controversy” that’s sure to please console maker Sony, the Italian national team appears to be embroiled in PlayStation-gate. Manager Luciano Spalletti has been critical of his players staying up too late on their PS5s in the past, and that prompted some speculation that he’d placed a blanket ban on the system...
News Video Game Leaking Culture Has Hit an Embarrassing New Low
Online drama explodes
The cult of clout that circles so-called video game insiders appears to be something a handful of terminally online social media users can’t live without, and it can lead to some strange conclusions. Consider the latest online drama, then, which is so bizarre it’s actually started trending overnight. Midori, an alleged SEGA...
News Ex-PS5 Exec Shawn Layden Isn't Holding Back His Feelings on Xbox
Former boss sticks the boot in Phil Spencer's comments
In the aftermath of its unfathomable $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the top brass at Microsoft has been eager to express its dislike of Sony’s marketing alliance with the Call of Duty franchise. Speaking with IGN, boss Phil Spencer insisted he wants to give players the choice...
News PS5 Fans Beg Sony for a More Fulfilling Livestream in the Aftermath of Xbox Show
It begins
Whatever your opinion of the content, today’s Xbox Showcase felt more like an E3 press conference of old. Ever since the pandemic, and the untimely demise of the Los Angeles convention, livestreams on that kind of scale have been few and far between. Last year, Sony hosted a PS Showcase, but it lacked the clout and confidence of an old...
News Bloodborne Inspired Kart Racing Game Is Free Now on Steam
Ride or die
The likeable Bloodborne-inspired arcade racing game Nightmare Kart, renamed due to legal intervention from Sony, is available to download and play for free right now on Steam. The game, which is not shy about its inspirations, includes a complete single player campaign, with 21 racers, 13 karts, 15 tracks, and split-screen multiplayer...
News The Latest State of Play Was Completely Leaked, and It's a Growing Problem with YouTube
Just a peek
You may not be aware, but PlayStation's latest State of Play broadcast — the one that happened just last week — was leaked in its entirety just hours before it was publicly shown. We saw the leak ourselves but decided not to report on it for two reasons: the first being that we didn't know for sure if it was real, and the second...
Random Hideo Kojima Finds His Ideal Live-Action Solid Snake
Prepare to be body scanned
Hideo Kojima, the auteur creator of Metal Gear Solid, appears to have the legendary video game series on his mind. He's also a massive fan of George Miller's Mad Max franchise, and one face amongst the cast of post-apocalyptic characters introduced in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga seems to have struck a chord with the developer...
News Review Bombers Were Even Attacking Other Games Made by Helldivers 2 Dev
Collateral damage
This weekend's review bombing of Helldivers 2 over Sony's mandated PSN requirement even affected other games before the Japanese giant walked it back. Sucker Punch at least got out in front of the situation, as Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut was confirmed to only require PSN for i
Random That Sure Looks Like Ellie from The Last of Us in Mobile Game Doomsday: Last Survivors
King of Fighters crossover is the real deal, though
Is that Ellie from The Last of Us we see in this trailer for mobile zombie shooter Doomsday: Last Survivors? No, on closer inspection, this is a character called Peggy – who’s basically Ellie. In fact, pretty much all of the game’s characters look agonisingly similar to someone more popular;...
News Sonic and Angry Birds Join Forces at Last in a Crossover No One Asked For
Five smartphone games see series collide
SEGA purchased Rovio a little while ago now, so it’s a surprise it’s taken this long for Sonic the Hedgehog and Angry Birds to meet. But as of right now, the two franchises have clashed in five smartphone games, through until 21st March. This includes Angry Birds 2,
Touching stuff
Manga icon Akira Toriyama’s untimely passing has led to an outpouring of emotion across the entire Internet, with tributes being paid all over social media. But one particularly poignant post that caught our attention is this clip of Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2, where fans all gathered in a lobby to pay their respects to the legendary...
News Dragon Ball Manga Icon Akira Toriyama Passes Aged 68
Created characters for Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, and more
Akira Toriyama, the artist behind iconic manga like Dragon Ball, has passed away aged 68. His death was confirmed by the official Dragon Ball website, which noted that he still had “several works in the middle of creation”. A statement added: “He has left many manga titles and works...
News Acclaimed Platformer Celeste Celebrates Sixth Anniversary with Free 3D Spin-Off
Celeste 64 the players
If you loved acclaimed side-scrolling indie Celeste, then you may be eager to celebrate its sixth anniversary with this free 3D spin-off. Inspired by the Nintendo 64 and PS1 collectathon platformers of old, Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain is a free, 30-minute romp you can download from itch.io right now. The team says...
Soapbox This Is Why Physical Games Are Still Important to Me
Material guy
I’ve got a confession to make: most of my PS5 and PS4 library is digital these days. I understand why the industry is increasingly transitioning away from physical media, and I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t address that right from the off. However, I still purchase plenty of cartridges and discs, and I believe boxed games still...
News Pornhub Reveals 2023's Most Popular Video Game Characters
From which fascinating data can be gleaned
As the year draws to a close, popular adult film archive Pornhub has continued its annual holiday tradition, releasing needlessly detailed (yet endlessly fascinating) data gleaned from users. Pertinent to our purview, there's a whole section dedicated to the most popular video games, character-related...
News Legendary Remedy Star James McCaffrey Has Passed, Aged 65
"No one could do what he did better than him"
James McCaffrey, an actor with a career spanning more than 35 years in television, film, and, of course, video games, has passed away following a battle with cancer, surrounded by friends and family. McCaffrey played Max Payne across all three games in the series and most recently voiced Alex Casey in...
News Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding Documentary Will Air Exclusively on Disney+
Connecting worlds
The fierce battle for streaming rights rages on, and it looks like Disney+ has conquered when it comes to acquiring exclusivity on Hideo Kojima’s hotly anticipated documentary. Announced a little while ago – and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this summer – Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds is scheduled to release...
News Geoff Keighley Agrees Winners Weren't Given Enough Stage Time at The Game Awards
Please Wrap It Up
The Game Awards has come and gone again, with 2023's show proving somewhat contentious, depending on who you ask. Something that became increasingly apparent as the show progressed was the pressure winners appeared to be under to wrap things up. Even Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke, who managed to snag Game of the Year with
News The Game Awards Is Getting Ripped for Urging Award Winners to Wrap It Up
"I'mma let you finish but..."
The Game Awards 2023 largely delivered on its promise of celebrating the games industry, with a veritable smorgasbord of game announcements and trailers. However, one thing that was obvious to anyone watching is that award winners were not given much time on the stage to speak, following Kratos voice actor Christopher...
News GTA Stage Invader Prompts The Game Awards to Shore Up Security
Busted
Both at The Game Awards last year and at Gamescom Opening Night Live earlier this year, there have been stage invaders interrupting the Geoff Keighley hosted events. While these can be eyebrow raising moments at the best of times, they genuinely raise legitimate questions about the safety of those people on stage. Obviously, it’s something...
News Does Busting Make You Feel Good? Playful PSVR2 Post Goes Mega Viral
We've never had the pleasure
Whoever's running the PlayStation UK X/Twitter account deserves a commemorative plaque or small trophy for creating another viral, debatably juvenile social media moment. Understanding the assignment perfectly, we've predictably taken the bait; PlayStation's UK mouthpiece asks (in the context of PSVR2): Does busting make...
News Sony Seemingly Forces Nintendo to Remove Rubbish The Last of Us Ripoff from Switch's Store
Was it all for nothing?
Nintendo Switch’s shameless – and abhorrently awful – The Last of Us knockoff has been removed from the eShop, as Sony has lodged copyright strikes against the game. The Last Hope attracted mainstream attention
Random The Barbie vs. Oppenheimer Feud Has Reached Final Fantasy 16 Voice Actors
"One ticket for Barbie... please"
The fun Barbie vs. Oppenheimer feud comes to a head on Friday as both movies hit the big screen on the same day, and now Final Fantasy XVI voice actors are getting in on the act. Ben Starr, who voices protagonist Clive in the game, began by showing his support for Barbie, asking for a ticket in a Twitter video...
Random PlayStation Pasta Proves It's Fine to Play with Your Food
U R Not Ravioli
If you’ve fallen out of love with lasagne and macaroni is making you miserable, then maybe this officially licensed PlayStation pasta can rekindle your enthusiasm for Italy’s signature dish. Available exclusively in the UK – and seemingly only from Ocado right now – these are spaghetti shapes for adults, with Sony’s...
News PlayStation and Other Gaming Titans Flock to Twitter Rival Threads
In a flap
Gaming titans like PlayStation are spreading their wings and flocking to Threads, the new Twitter rival launched by Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta. The new text-based social media platform is seeking to swoop in on Twitter’s turf, after a series of controversial changes by new owner Elon Musk have seen the popularity of the...
Random There's a Weird The Last of Us Knockoff on Nintendo Switch Now
And it looks dreadful
Notice anything fishy about new Nintendo Switch release The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival? It looks a lot like a certain popular PlayStation exclusive from Naughty Dog, doesn’t it? Obviously this isn’t the first time a developer has tried to mimic the style of Sony’s smash hit survival horror, but this may be the most...
News Hours of Unseen Video Game Footage Is Being Archived Online
Rescued before being sent to landfill
The video game industry is so focused on the future that it sometimes forgets about the past. Obviously, retro gaming is an increasingly important part of our pastime, but publishers and platform holders don’t always make it easy to archive the best releases of yesteryear. Recently, for example, Sony announced...
Random Battle Tapes' New Music Video Is Packed with PS1 Nostalgia
Blast from the past
Whether you've heard of electronic rock band Battle Tapes or not, you're bound to enjoy their latest music video if you're a PlayStation fan. 'Brand New', the band's latest single, is absolutely packed with PS1 nostalgia. The whole thing's been masterfully rendered and animated in a typical polygonal PS1 style by 3D artist...
News Not Even Sony's Been Able to Avoid the Enormous Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Hype
Have fun up there
There’s no real point beating around the figurative Hyrulian bush we suppose: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the biggest game on the planet, and it’ll probably remain that way until a little superhero sequel called Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 swings by later in the year. Sony, and the rest of the industry knows that,...
Random God of War Cameos in Tenacious D's Tribute to Video Games
"I don't play video games no more"
Jack Black, fresh from his turn as the Peach-obsessed Bowser, is back alongside his brother from another mother with a new Tenacious D track – and this one has references to God of War, among several other PlayStation favourites. “I don’t play video games no more, I never play video games,” he warbles...
Random PS5 Controller Now Being Used to Conceive Kids
Talk about a back-of-the-box quote
A "sperm-injecting robot" has successfully fertilised human eggs, with the operator using a PS5 controller to steer a small mechanised needle during in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures. Two healthy babies have thus far been born, making them the first human beings in history to have been born after...
News Miles Morales Shows Off Devil May Cry Bonafides in Epic Comic Variant Cover
1000% yes
Miles Morales is many things, a geek, a hero, and of course, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, even getting his own time in the spotlight in Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. He is also apparently a Devil May Cry fan and of the character Vergil, in particular. In a new variant cover for an upcoming issue of Miles Morales:...
Elden Lord
Hidetaka Miyazaki is the president of FromSoftware and one of the all-time great game directors, helming Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring (which has sold a surreal 20 million copies), to name a few. In recognition of this, the auteur creator has been named one of Time Magazi
News PS Plus May Have Finally Stopped Spamming You for Claiming Free Games
Thank you for your purchase
It’s a problem as old as time: we like to describe it as the Thank You for Your Purchase Heart Attack. We’ve all experienced it on at least one occassion in our lives: we’ve hurriedly downloaded the latest PS Plus games, checked our inbox an hour later, and felt the blood rush from our faces. “Thank You for Your...
News This PlayStation Patents Terminology Row Is the Stupidest Story in Games
Sony underfire for insinuating other systems are inferior
Sony is underfire for insinuating in patents that it makes superior products to its rivals. While it shouldn’t be particularly surprising for a giant corporation to back its own output, boilerplate terminology discovered in a slew of PlayStation applications has sent the Internet into a...
Random Fans Are Having Fun Imagining What a PS5 Remote Play Handheld Might Look Like
Dare to dream
The news that Sony reportedly has some kind of Remote Play-focused handheld in development has us all in something of a tizzy. Obviously, as die-hard PlayStation fans, we all want to see the PS Vita live again, but this 'Q Lite' does not appear to be designed to fill that gap. Regardless, some fans couldn't help but imagine what such a...
Random This YouTube Account Has Gone Viral for Unsealing Old PlayStation Games
Unwrapped
OpenGame, a new YouTube account which is blowing up at the moment, owes a lot of its success to the TheRelaxingEnd. The formula is very similar: a pair of gloved hands unseals old games with a fancy knife, but the account’s focus on entire franchises appears to be pleasing Google’s algorithm. Take, for example, this video on every...
Random The Last of Us Looks Kinda Awesome As an FPS
Time for a close up
The Last of Us is not a first-person shooter – but what if it was? We’re sure PC mods will give us a better idea one day in the not too distant future, but Twitter user Ceraphyte has used Photo Mode to sneak us an early glimpse. Basically, these screenshots show the survival horror game from the perspective of a traditional...
Random Pop Star Rina Sawayama Is a PlayStation Fangirl, and Wants a Final Fantasy 9 Remake
Big fan of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, too
Hold the Girl singer Rina Sawayama, who stars as Akira in John Wick: Chapter 4, has revealed in an interview with IGN that she’s a “PlayStation girl” through and through – and that she’s eager for Square Enix to remake Final Fantasy IX, which she thinks may be one of the more underrated games in the...
