Tag: Sony - Page 15
Taking the nuclear option
Sony has in the last few hours effectively doubled down on its decision to require PC players log into a PSN account to keep playing Helldivers 2 from 4th June 2024 by delisting the game entirely in countries where the service isn't officially available. SteamDB tracking has picked up a very, very long list of nations where...
Talking Point Have Sony's Third-Party PS5 Deals Made Up for Its Lack of First-Party Games?
Deal or no deal
We can probably all agree that this current console generation has been a bit weird. Going by the data, the PS5 has been an obvious commercial success so far, but there's plenty of conversation surrounding the console's supposed lack of first-party blockbusters — true PS5 exclusives that really knock your socks off. What's become...
News Helldivers 2 PC Is Getting Review Bombed Over PSN Requirement
"I just want to make great games"
Another week, another embarrassing gaming episode. Fresh from Stellar Blade’s overblown “censorship” controversy, players on Steam have taken to review bombing one of the year’s biggest breakout hits: Helldivers 2. As we’ve already reported, developer Arrowhead i
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Stellar Blade?
Beginning to bel-Eve
Stellar Blade has been out for a week now, and so we're wondering what you think of this latest PS5 exclusive. South Korean developer Shift Up's first attempt at a console release, the blade-based action game was met with many a positive review score — and it seems to have pleased a lot of players, too. "Stellar Blade is a...
News Hundreds of Huge PS5, PS4 Games Discounted for the Weekend
Friday, I'm in love
Looking for something new to play on your PS5 or PS4 this weekend? Well, you’re in luck! Sony has plunged the price of over 100 games through 7th May, with savings of up to 80 per cent on major titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 (£17.49/$14.99), Alan Wake 2 (£39.99), and Madden NFL 24 (£19.99/$13.99). It should be noted, you...
News Helldivers 2 PC Players Blindsided by Seemingly Sudden PSN Account Requirement
Spoiler: It isn't sudden
Everyone is loving Helldivers 2 right now, but if you remember, the game was a bit of mess when it launched. There were all sorts of problems as the game's servers were overflowing with eager Super Earth patriots looking to conquer the galaxy. Now, though, the co-op shooter is in a far more stable state, but something else...
News Sony Sings PS Portal's Praises with Accolades Trailer
"...Feels fantastic..."
PlayStation's plucky little PS5 remote option, the PS Portal, continues to be a pleasant surprise for everyone involved, Sony included. The initially iffy-sounding device has proven to be wildly popular, and PlayStation has released an accolades trailer to remind us of the fact, featuring glowing quotes from some of the most...
News Korea Announces Bold Plan to Buff Nation's Nascent Console Market
Lies of P, Stellar Blade kick off Korean console renaissance
Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has announced it intends to boldly grow the country's console market, with significant government investment through 2028, in a bid to revitalise the nation's burgeoning games industry. Shift Up's success with Stellar Blade is no doubt part...
News Sony and Apollo Reportedly Make $26 Billion All-Cash Paramount Bid
Prestige Worldwide
A few weeks back, a report from the New York Times suggested that Sony was currently in talks with a monied partner, Apollo Global Management, to buy the legendary picture house Paramount. Well, the twosome has now drawn up terms, reportedly making an all-cash offer of $26 billion, which, if accepted, could open up Paramount's...
News Ice Your Enemies with Helldivers 2's Latest Premium Warbond, Polar Patriots
Available 9th May
For all you democracy dealers out there, a brand new Warbond is soon to join Helldivers 2, giving you yet more rewards to earn. Launching on 9th May, Polar Patriots is its name, and this snowy-themed Warbond is frozen over with cool new stuff. It includes three new primary weapons — the AR-61 Tenderizer, SMG-72 Pummeler, and...
News Sony's Shuhei Yoshida, Greg Rice Will Deliver Opening Keynote at Brighton Dev Expo
Indie experts take the stage
PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida and Greg Rice will present the opening keynote at the Develop: Brighton gaming expo in July, it's been confirmed. A conference designed for game developers, the two indie experts will host the "Supporting Indies and Creativity in Game Development" keynote in Brighton, UK on 11th July 2024...
News Stellar Blade PS5 Dev Thanks Fans for 'Passion' Following Censorship Controversy
"Stay tuned for updates"
It sounds like Korean developer Shift Up may revert its controversial Stellar Blade outfit changes, as it’s told fans to “stay tuned for updates” and thanked players for their “passion and feedback”. For those out of the loop, a petition went viral this weekend after gamers noticed some alterations to a couple of...
News Helldivers 2 Is Already One of Sony's Best-Ever Sellers in the US
Democracy always wins
This author thought Helldivers 2 was going to be a colossal flop, so it just goes to show how unpredictable this industry can be. According to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently sits behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the...
News Arrowhead to Patch Eruptor as Helldivers 2 Community Reveals Ricochet Issue
When friendly fire isn't
The Helldivers 2 community isn't entirely impressed with developer Arrowhead's latest patch, 01.000.300, which, according to some, significantly nerfed players' fun. In the patch notes, a fix for the seemingly busted way shrapnel ricochets was alleged, but the community has since proved the problem still exists, although...
News Horizon: Call of the Mountain PSVR2 Director Made Redundant by Dev Firesprite
"Its been a tough time over the past few months"
After almost seven years at the studio, Alex Barnes, director of PSVR2 spinoff Horizon: Call of the Mountain, has been made redundant by Liverpoool-based developer Firesprite. In March, a report from Eurogamer alleged that a toxic work culture had been allowed to develop at the PlayStation f
News Upcoming PS5 Update Will Allow New Ways for Players to Connect
Save a spot for friends with a shareable link
Sony will add a new feature to PS5 later this year, allowing users to invite others to a multiplayer game by generating a shareable link on the console or via the PlayStation App. This link can then be shared on social media or via direct message, allowing AFK, offline, or even players you aren't friends...
News Ghost of Tsushima Freezing Fixed, No Update Required
Sneak attack
Update: Sucker Punch says it's put a stop to the freezing problem that's been plaguing Ghost of Tsushima since the release of its latest update. Patch 2.19 adds support for crossplay, but after installing it, players were quick to report a stuttering and hitching issue that occurred frequently during gameplay. For some, it was so bad...
News PS4 Classic Horizon Zero Dawn Set to Leave PS Plus Extra
Gone from 21st May
The PS Store listing for Horizon Zero Dawn has been updated to state it's leaving PS Plus Extra on 21st May 2024. As a first-party title published by Sony and internally developed at Guerrilla Games, the move comes as a surprise as it was thought all the titles Sony holds the rights to would remain on the service in perpetuity...
News Stellar Blade Dev Is Plotting Boss Rush Mode for PS5 Smash Hit
Run it back
Stellar Blade’s boss battles are among its most memorable moments, so it’s perhaps no surprise to learn that developer Shift Up is plotting a kind of boss rush mode for its PS5 debut. Teased by director Hyung-Tae Kim in an interview with Korean publication Nate, he revealed that some kind of arcade-style back-to-back boss challenge...
News Stellar Blade's PS5 User Score Keeps Getting Higher and Higher
Shifting up
Update: Since publishing this article earlier in the week, Stellar Blade's user score rating has increased another point, up to 9.3 from the Metacritic community. That makes it one of the highest rated PS5 games of all time. Original Article: Stellar Blade has proven a hit with critics, achieving a very respectable Metacritic score of...
News Terminids Bust Loose While Helldivers 2 Community Debates Alleged Fun Nerf
Just another day under Managed Democracy
Helldivers 2's latest patch, 01.000.300, dropped yesterday. It introduced sweeping balancing changes to the game and announced in-universe that the previously placid Terminids had broken free of their humane enclosures. While these once-captive sources of E-710 (which Socialists will suggest is just "oil"...
News Ghost of Tsushima Patch 2.19 Prepares the Game for Crossplay
Honing the blade
Well, it's been quite some time since we wrote about Ghost of Tsushima updates, but the open world action game has a new patch on PS5 and PS4. As outlined by developer Sucker Punch, update 2.19 tweaks the title for crossplay support, ahead of the PC version's release on the 16th May. PlayStation users will be able to team up with PC...
News Returnal Artbook and Graphic Novel Mark PS5 Game's Third Anniversary
88-page novel out on 22nd October
Housemarque is celebrating the third anniversary of PS5, PC title Returnal by revealing a new artbook and graphic novel called Fallen Asteria. 88 pages in length, the latter can be previewed above in an animated version of the first issue. The graphic novel goes on sale from 22nd October 2024 and will cost $19.99...
News Rise of the Ronin PS5 Sales Beating the Nioh Series
"High valuation by players"
Koei Tecmo has shared a brief sales update for recent PS5 exclusive Rise of the Ronin, revealing "sales are surpassing the Nioh series". Without posting any hard numbers, it goes on to say the game has a "high valuation" amongst players and the company is now looking at "mid to long-term growth" for the title. Released...
News Stellar Blade Wanted Its Collectible Cans to Be Based on Real Brands Like Pepsi
But couldn't get a collaboration
There are a lot of things to discover in Stellar Blade, but the primary type of collectible is cans. As you explore the PS5 console exclusive’s Naytiba-inhabited world, you’ll discover all sorts of tins, ranging from iced coffee to soda. All of these brands, however, are fictional – because Korean developer...
News Tomorrow's Returnal News Is Likely a Comic Book Announcement
"Tomorrow 👀"
If you were hoping the news Housemarque has to share tomorrow is a Returnal sequel announcement, you may want to rein your expectations in by quite a significant amount. The Twitter account for Dark Horse Comics has retweeted the developer's post and added a simple sentence: "Tomorrow. 👀" This heavily suggests the company is...
News Returnal Studio Housemarque Teases News for Tomorrow
Three years later
Returnal developer Housemarque has this morning posted a cryptic tweet teasing... something for tomorrow. The team out of Finland uploaded a black and white image seemingly featuring Returnal protagonist Selene's eyes reflected onto broken shards of glass, then teasing news "tomorrow" in a yellow font. You can view the tweet below...
News High-Quality Crossover Between PS5's Stellar Blade and NIKKE: Goddess of Victory Incoming
"Something to look forward to"
The worlds of PS5’s hot new console exclusive Stellar Blade and gacha mobile sensation NIKKE: Goddess of Victory will collide in the near future. Director Hyung-Tae Kim already teased the possibility of a collaboration in an interview with
News Stellar Blade PS5 Fans Irate Over Alleged Censorship
#FreeStellarBlade
Stellar Blade has launched to huge acclaim this weekend, but not every fan is delighted with Shift Up’s PS5 debut. Eagle-eyed players spotted some changes to a couple of costumes in the final product, prompting accusations of censorship from publisher Sony. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time the Japanese giant has...
Poll Are You Playing Stellar Blade?
Parry time
Stellar Blade, the latest PS5 exclusive, is out now on Sony's current-gen console. This is a big budget, out-and-out action game — something of a rarity these days — and it's been met with a slew of high scoring reviews. Needless to say, a lot of PlayStation fans have been waiting for this one. We called it a "stellar PS5 debut" for...
Random I Met My Favourite Korean Cheerleader Because of Eve and Stellar Blade
To Dahye for
As the only British baseball fan on Planet Earth, I had one simple mission when I first arrived in Taipei: to choose a local team to support. Taiwan is infatuated with America’s former favourite pastime, and it’s even dedicated a spot on its $1,000 note to a celebrating squad. After much deliberation, I settled on the Rakuten...
News Stellar Blade Half-Second Input Delay Due to 'Game's Style of Animation', Says Director
Parrying is the price that must be paid
Stellar Blade is out today, and fans can finally play the full game to see what all the fuss is about. If you didn't get a chance to try the demo or just wanted to go in fresh, it is worth knowing that the half-second input delay when parrying or dodging is a feature, not a bug, as the game's director recently...
News Story-Heavy Stellar Blade PS5 Launch Trailer Prepares You for Release
Spoiler warning
Sony and Shift Up have put out a new Stellar Blade trailer to mark the PS5 exclusive's launch, with the release date set for tomorrow, 26th April 2024. Like a lot of launch trailers, the two-minute slice of footage features a lot of cutscenes and stretches of gameplay we haven't seen before, so you might want to skip it given the...
News Stellar Blade Gets New Game+ Mode in Day One Update on PS5
Stellarer Blade
The PS5 exclusive action game Stellar Blade launches tomorrow, 26th April, and as with most game launches these days, a day one update will arrive alongside it. While the patch will no doubt fix some bugs and get the title in better shape for release day, this one also throws in a big new feature: New Game+ mode. New Game+ is a...
News Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.46 Adds New Exclusive Car to PS5, PS4 Racer
Plus extra vehicles, events, and menus
Gran Turismo 7 has been freshly updated to version number 1.46 on PS5 and PS4, with the update adding a new car to the game you won't find anywhere else: the Škoda Vision Gran Turismo. Designed entirely around the Polyphony Digital racer, it's Škoda's first appearance in the franchise and is seen as a...
Review Stellar Blade (PS5) - A Stellar PS5 Debut Destined to Become a Fan Favourite
Would you Adam and Eve it?
Debuts don’t get much stronger than Stellar Blade. Korean developer Shift Up – already financially flush from the success of its saucy smartphone gacha NIKKE: Goddess of Victory – has chosen the path of most resistance, turning its hand to AAA territory with this rambunctious action-adventure outing. Despite the...
News New PS5 Firmware Update Adds Community Game Help Feature, Here Are All the Patch Notes
What does version 24.03-09.20.00 do?
Sony has just released the latest PS5 system software update — always a glorious day on Planet PlayStation. Coming in at just over 1GB, it's available to download and install now. The question is, as always, what does the update do? As per the official patch notes, there are a few improvements, mostly...
News Over 1,500 PS5, PS4 Games Discounted in New PS Store Sale
May the force be with you
A wallet busting array of PS5 and PS4 games have been discounted in Sony’s latest PS Store sale, with over 1,500 titles up for grabs at up to 80 per cent off. Highlights include Monster Hunter Rise and Resident Evil 4 for record lows of just £8.24 and £15.05 respectively. The offers will run through 8th May. Other...
News Prepare for Stellar Blade PS5 Launch with Online Comic
Eve vs. Tachy
Sony and Shift Up have published an online comic book for Stellar Blade that appears to serve as a quick prequel to the events of the main game. Available to read through this link, it sees protagonist Eve and another character called Tachy sparring together, and then speaking of an upcoming mission to reclaim Earth. This is what you...
News EA Japan Exec Criticises Rating Board for Apparent Stellar Blade Special Treatment
"What’s going on CERO?"
Just yesterday, we brought you word that the upcoming PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade, would be released in all regions entirely uncensored, including Japan, which developer ShiftUp seemed especially pleased with. An executive at Electronic Arts Japan has called out what they see as a double standard with the Japanese Computer...
News Shift Up Reveals 'Secrets' of Stellar Blade's Physical PS5 Packaging
We're not complaining
It seems we aren't the only ones counting down the hours until the release of the PS5 exclusive Stellar Blade. Developer Shift Up has posted an impossibly drawn-out clip of the "secrets" contained within the game's PS5 physical box, which, as far as we can tell, amounts to a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for...
News Latest Sony Patent Wants to Take the Grind Out of Games by Playing Them For You
Auto-play, anyone?
Sony loves filing patents for gaming ideas that'll, more than likely, never come to fruition. It's done it again with a recent listing that focuses on the idea of "auto-playing portions of a video game". Essentially, an auto-play feature would mean a game takes over control and plays itself during segments that a player might...
News Fear Not, PS5 Exclusive Stellar Blade Remains Uncensored in All Regions
All of them
If you were concerned that the PS5-exclusive Stellar Blade, out 26th April on PS5, might run afoul of Sony's censors, fear not. Developer ShiftUp is advertising that the game will remain entirely uncensored in all regions, including Japan. We'll be honest: this wasn't something we'd even considered could be a problem (or a prospective...
News Sony Reportedly in Talks to Team Up for Paramount Bid
Sony Pictures Entertainment on the prowl
News has been quiet on the acquisition front in recent days, at least when it comes to video game IP. However, according to a new report, Sony is currently in talks with a monied ally to acquire storied picture-house Paramount and all the cross-media potential such an addition would bring. That's according...
News Super Earth Demands Helldivers 2 Players Slaughter 2 Billion Terminids
To replenish precious supplies of E-710
Helldivers 2 players have been issued a new directive as the Galactic War effort again devolves into a grinding stalemate. The Automatons have deployed increasing numbers of Factory Striders to break the impasse, but for now, the line holds. To amass the necessary fuel to fire a Super Earth counterattack,...
News Helldivers 2 Players Encountering Factory Striders in Unprecedented Numbers
Automatons back AT-AT again
Helldivers 2 players have recently managed to blunt the advance of the oncoming Automaton invasion fleet, with the conflict again devolving into a grinding stalemate. However, it seems the machines never rest on their laurels, as reports of the lumbering Factory Striders being deployed in unprecedented numbers begin to...
News Sony Reveals PlayStation Overlay for PC Ports, Supports Trophies, Friends List
Ghost of Tsushima the first to use it
Sony has today confirmed a new PlayStation overlay that will ship on its PC ports, with next month's Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut being the first to use it. You'll be able to access it from Windows PCs from either the in-game menu or by pressing "Shift + F1", which will pull up a new screen housing your PSN...
News Sony Takes Down PS5 Pro YouTube Leak, Suggesting It's All Legit
More fuel for the fire
As if there was much doubting it at this point, the copyright claim of a YouTube video, which has resulted in its removal, points towards all of the PS5 Pro leaks being accurate. The video in question was posted by the channel Moore's Law Is Dead, and it had a hand in kickstarting the leaks that have since surrounded Sony's...
News Fresh PS5 Pro Report Reiterates Sony Demands for Upgraded Games
An "ultra-boost mode" is detailed
Building on an article published overnight, The Verge has another post that largely reiterates past reporting from Insider Gaming covering what Sony has planned for its PS5 Pro and the upgrades it will bring to current games. Reported first at the star
News Stellar Blade Is a Better Game Than NieR: Automata, Yoko Taro Reckons
Praise from both game directors
Stellar Blade developer Shift Up quite clearly took a lot of inspiration from PS4 great NieR: Automata during the making of its soon-to-be-released PS5 exclusive, but in the case of Automata director Yoko Taro, he thinks that the student has already become the master. In an interview with IGN Japan (via Eurogamer),...
