Tag: Sony - Page 7
News Astro Bot PS5 Fans Wonder Where All the Square Enix Characters Are
Not a single Square Enix face appears
One of the biggest highlights of Astro Bot is discovering all the VIP Bots in the game, based on other memorable video game franchises and individual titles. There are more than 150 of them in the PS5 game, which has allowed Team Asobi to make some seriously deep cuts with the characters it includes. However,...
News Astro Bot PS5 Credits Indicate DLC Cameo Bots Could Be Inbound
Stellar Blade, Assassin's Creed, Rise of the Ronin
If you've spent all weekend long blissfully jumping about in Astro Bot on PS5, then you'll be glad to know it looks like more cameo bots could be coming to the game sooner or later. Analysed by VGC, several franchises not included in the base game are credited during the closing sequence, which...
News Sony: It's Massively Important PS Studios Develops Games in Various Genres
The spice of life
There’s been much ado about PlayStation first-party lately, especially when you contrast the critically acclaimed release of Astro Bot against Concord’s premature closure. Speaking as part of an interview published on the PlayStation Podcast and
News Days Gone Director Roasts 'Small Game' Astro Bot PS5 for Deacon St John Cameo
"My character has been reduced to a cartoon shill"
In a rare instance of unity, gamers seem to unanimously agree that Astro Bot is extraordinary – but Days Gone director John Garvin disagrees. The outspoken ex-Bend Studio veteran has taken to X (or Twitter) to share his dissatisfaction with Deacon St John’s cameo in the PS5 exclusive platformer,...
Soapbox Astro's Playroom PS5 Did Live Service and You Didn't Even Notice
Sorry, it's true
Live service has become a curse word among enthusiast gamers. While ostensibly a business model, many associate the phrase with multiplayer and microtransactions. It’s true that free-to-play games like Fortnite are live service, with regular iterations introducing seasonal gameplay mechanics, systems, and themes. Right now...
Poll Are You Playing Astro Bot?
Sit your bot down
Well, the time has finally arrived. Astro Bot is out now on PS5, following months of hype and, just this week, a tidal wave of ridiculously high-scoring reviews. As of writing this article, the PlayStation Studios exclusive is the highest rated game of 2024 so far, sitting incredibly pretty at a jaw-dropping 94 on Metacritic. It's...
Gallery Astro Bot Has the Best PS5 Controller Design Yet
Stare into those steely blues
Astro Bot is out in the wild, earning full marks from us in our 10/10 Astro Bot PS5 review! To celebrate launch day, Sony sent us the limited edition Astro Bot DualSense, and this thing is a beaut. <related ids="170413,167762"> Sporting the eye-catching Astro white and blue combo, this DualSense stands out...
Committed Concordians
At approximately 9AM PT on 3rd September, Firewalk Studios and PlayStation announced that Concord would be removed from sale immediately and the servers would be shut down just three days later on 6th September. This sent all Trophy hunters who were chasing the game’s Platinum and some fans of the game into a state of panic...
News PS5, PC Disaster Concord Is Now Officially Offline Indefinitely
Gone and likely forgotten
And just like that, two weeks after it launched, Concord is officially offline indefinitely. A 1.3GB patch has been deployed confirming that Sony has pulled the plug on the first-person shooter, and you can no longer connect. The release – arguably the biggest flop in PlayStation first-party history – sold an estimated...
News PlayStation Studios Celebrate Astro Bot's PS5 Arrival with Awesome Artwork
Play together
As is now a long-standing tradition, Sony's PlayStation Studios have gathered around on social media in order to celebrate the launch of a new first-party title. We are, of course, talking about Astro Bot, which has arrived on PS5 after months of anticipation. All of the usual suspects have taken to posting congratulatory messages in...
News Where to Buy Astro Bot and Limited Edition PS5 DualSense Controller
Get 15% off in the UK!
Astro Bot is out now on PS5, and we awarded it a 10/10 in our Astro Bot PS5 review. If you're looking for the best deals and cheapest pre-order prices for the game, or if you're wanting to get your hands on the glorious limited edition Astro Bot DualSense controller, you're in the right place. Remember, if you do grab a copy,...
News Astro Bot PS5's Live Action Trailer Is a Whole Vibe
Play will find a way
Sony has released a glitzy, high budget live action Astro Bot trailer, which will likely run in movie theatres and on television through the remainder of the year. The spot, while only 30 seconds in length, is excellently executed. It shows people in mundane everyday scenarios, like at a school or in an office. When the...
News Concord Will Remain in Prime Video's Secret Level Anthology Series
Might as well get your money's worth
Given Concord's shocking reversal in fortune in recent days, you might wonder what this all means for its expanded universe of transmedia, which was seemingly so central to Sony's strategy here. Well, the show must go on, as they say, and a source close to the production has indeed confirmed that Concord will...
News Astro's Playroom Is Having a Party Inside Your PS5 Right Now
Prince would be proud
You may recall that Astro’s Playroom has been counting down to the release of Astro Bot, which is out now in some countries around the world. But while you presumably busy yourself with the new game, you may be wondering what’s going on in the old one. Fortunately, this video posted to X (or Twitter) showcases the party...
Going through changes
PlayStation, more than any other platform holder, has endured the test of time through its unique ability to reinvent itself. Where its rivals have historically relied on tried-and-trusted intellectual property, like Mario and Halo, Sony has rarely ever stood still, overhauling its image with each respective generation. It’s...
News PS5 Pro Seemingly Teased in New 30th Anniversary Artwork
Zoom in and enhance
Eagle-eyed PlayStation fans have spotted what appears to be a tease of the heavily rumoured PS5 Pro model in today's new 30th anniversary artwork. Captured in the lead image, if you zoom in in between the PlayStation logo and the "30th" graphic, you'll spot a console that looks very familiar to the mockup leaker Billbil-Kun...
News Astro Bot PS5 Is the Best Game of the Year So Far
Opens with an insane 94 on Metacritic
In our Astro Bot PS5 review, we said the release is “among the best” in the new-gen system’s library. And other critics agree: Team ASOBI’s platformer – out tomorrow, on 6th September – is officially the highest rated game of the year. With a 94 rating on Metacritic, it’s only beaten by Elden Ring...
News PlayStation to Mark 30th Anniversary with New Gran Turismo Demo, Merch, Soundtracks
An "early glimpse" at the celebrations
Sony has today shared a brief look behind the curtain at its plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary of PlayStation. The PS1 released in Japan on 3rd December 1994, and 30 years later, the brand is still trucking along — and Sony wants to commemorate the occasion. Part of its plans include a new Gran Turismo...
Review Astro Bot (PS5) - One of the Greatest PlayStation Platformers of All Time
Ace-tro Bot
PS5 pack-in Astro's Playroom was a taster dish, teasing players with a short but sweet experience; Astro Bot, then, is the full three-course meal. Developer Team Asobi has been delivering brilliant 3D platformers since PSVR's Astro Bot Rescue Mission, so it should come as little surprise that this latest entry in the young series is...
News Helldivers 2 Illuminate Faction Sighted, Arrowhead CEO Calls Reports 'Fake News'
Nothing to see here, folks
Helldivers 2 players have been clamouring to face the Illuminate since the game launched earlier this year, with the technologically advanced civilization posing a serious threat to Super Earth in the original Helldivers. Briefly, scanners picked up the presence of an unidentified force on the Galactic War map, but...
News Concord PS5, PC Scalpers Attempt to Cash In on 'Rare Collector's Item'
Mercenary life
With time running out and Concord servers set to switch off tomorrow, September 6th, scalpers seem to be attempting to make some quick money off of PlayStation's soon-to-be-unplayable multiplayer shooter. Spotted by IGN, while physical copies of Concord were quickly swept off retail shelves and the digital version is no longer...
News Players Take the Easy Way Out in Pursuit of Concord's Coveted Platinum PS5 Trophy
We're here if you need to talk
Fresh off the news of the game's unprecedented flop and subsequent removal from sale, Concord's remaining player base appears to be taking the easy way out; in pursuit of the game's Platinum Trophy and easy XP gains, Concord players are now committing suicide en masse, resulting in darkly humorous scenes. On
News Internal Sony Fairgame$ PS5, PC Chatter Is Reportedly Quite Positive
Haven's turn in the spotlight
With all the Concord doom and gloom going around today, why don't we try a different tact? With Firewalk Studios seemingly in a precarious position, the spotlight now shifts to Sony's other PS5, PC shooter punt, the unfortunately titled Fairgame$, from the Jade Raymond-led first-party studio, Haven. While it's
Reaction PlayStation Needs to Take a Long, Hard Look at Itself
Disasterclass
In an unprecedented move, Sony will axe Concord on 6th September, just two weeks after the high-budget first-person shooter released. This multi-million dollar blunder goes beyond disaster – it’s an absolute embarrassment, and will forever be a stain on the format holder’s record. PlayStation’s always had first-party flops, but...
News Sony Flop Concord Axed Two Weeks After PS5, PC Release
Dead practically on arrival
Setting what has to be a new record for a game of its size and budget, Concord is officially being taken offline just two weeks after its launch on PS5 and PC. This is a frankly unprecedented move, but one that doesn't come as a massive shock, which speaks volumes about the game's utterly disastrous levels of appeal...
PSA Astro Bot PS5 Copies Leak, Gameplay Spoilers Are Everywhere
So bot right now
Update: We're still days away from the release of Astro Bot on PS5, but if you go looking for it, you can quite easily find a wealth of gameplay footage online. As noted in our original coverage (which you can still read below), people have been streaming Astro Bot on sites like Twitch and Kick, having managed to get their hands on...
News Layoffs Hit Ballistic Moon Ahead of Until Dawn PS5's October Release
Not the usual sequence of events
The developer behind the upcoming remake of Supermassive's Until Dawn has laid off an unspecified number of employees ahead of the game's October launch. British developer Ballistic Moon has since made a statement after reports began to emerge on LinkedIn and were shared on ResetEra. It reads, in part: "It is with...
News Concord Devs Maintain Radio Silence, Which Isn't Helping Matters
No news is good news, right?
Concord has only been out for just over a week, but it feels like aeons, especially for those brave few who are actually playing and enjoying Sony's latest foray into the competitive multiplayer space. Amidst the headlines decrying shrinking player numbers and abysmal sales figures, players have certainly taken not
News How Long Does It Take to Find a Match in Concord on PS5, PC?
A little while
How long does it take to find a match in Concord right now? The problem Sony’s new first-person shooter is facing is that it’s an online-only experience, designed to be played in games of up to ten players. This is all well and good when a title has a huge community, but with Steam figures totalling in the hundreds and speculation...
News PS5's Astro Bot Marketing Onslaught Starting in Busy Shopping Mall
Brilliant bot
Sony is sometimes accused of poor marketing, but when a game matters to the company, it always goes all out. It’s looking like a bulk of its spend this holiday will be concentrated on Astro Bot, as it readies promotional displays around the world. In Taiwan specifically, you’ll find an enormous replica of the eponymous android...
News Your Astro's Playroom Progress Will Transfer to Astro Bot on PS5
Make sure you collect your Special Bots
Have you found all four Special Bots in Astro’s Playroom yet? They’re all available now, and if you’re stuck, we reveal all Special Bots locations in our guide. There’s not just Trophies and some fun gameplay up for grabs here either: y
News Failing Manufacturers Are Pushing the Narrative That Consoles Are Dying, Says Ex-Xbox Exec
"They'll never die in my opinion"
There’s a strong sentiment among gaming enthusiasts and the industry at large that consoles are a failing product and nearing their death knells. This opinion has been pushed broadly on social media and across specialist websites, despite it never really aligning with reality. It’s true that profit margins have...
News Concord PS5, PC Sales Estimates Are Somehow Even Worse Than We Thought
An unbelievable 25,000 copies
It doesn't take a genius to realise that Concord has bombed. Sony's PS5 and PC hero shooter has, by all accounts, seriously struggled to attract players. At this point, it's common knowledge that the title almost immediately crashed and burned on Steam, where its frankly dismal user numbers are publicly available. It...
News Let the Astro Bot PS5 Launch Trailer Tide You Over Until Release
Plus a behind-the-scenes gameplay deep dive
To mark next week's launch, Sony has today published the launch trailer for PS5 exclusive Astro Bot alongside a behind-the-scenes look at the platforming gameplay featured in the experience. Here's the launch trailer: And this is the behind-the-scenes deep dive, featuring commentary from studio director...
News Astro Bot's Free DLC Will Add Speed Run Stages By the End of 2024 on PS5
Hit those leaderboards
Developer Team Asobi has already confirmed its upcoming platformer Astro Bot will receive free post-launch DLC, and now we know a little more about what some of it will entail. Apparently, the game will be updated with speed run stages, much like the ones featured in Astro's Playroom. The news comes via Famitsu magazine...
News Astro Bot 2 Hinted at in PS5 Platinum Trophy Description
"See you in Astro's next adventure!"
Ahead of its PS5 release next week, the Trophy list for Astro Bot has been posted to Exophase, and what is noteworthy is the Platinum Trophy description: "Earned all Trophies. Well done and see you in Astro's next adventure!" So, will Astro Bot 2 be out before the end of the PS5 generation? That's a question to...
Rumour PS5 Pro Design Seemingly Leaked
Reveal in the first half of September
Former PS Plus leaker turned general insider Billbil-kun has today shared a sketch of what they believe Sony's rumoured PS5 Pro console will look like, having seen "a visual of the front of the final packaging box". They state the upgraded box is indeed called the PS5 Pro, and the official reveal is expected to...
News Players Complain of Lengthy PS5 Matchmaking Times As Concord Numbers Dwindle
Vicious cycle
In another worrying sign of Concord's ongoing viability, complaints of lengthy matchmaking times have begun to emerge as the already small player base seemingly contracts. After the game's launch weekend, one PS5 player reported waiting up to eight minutes to find a match outside of peak hours, which is obviously not ideal for a...
News Do You Want Astro Bot on PC? Creative Director Wants to Know
Well, do you?
Sony is bringing most of its first-party games to PC, and there’s a chance Astro Bot could be next in line. While the game is intrinsically linked to the PS5 hardware experience – the eponymous hero’s spacecraft is even shaped like a DualSense controller – creative director Nicholas Douchet hinted as part of a MinnMaxx...
News Mark Cerny's Feedback on PS5's Astro Bot: 'Now This Is a Game'
No notes
PS5's upcoming platformer Astro Bot is less than two weeks away, and ever since its announcement back in May, it's looked utterly delightful. After having played a portion of it at Summer Game Fest, we can confidently say it is exactly that. Still, it's one thing hearing it from us, and quite another to get feedback from one of the most...
News The Last of Us 2's Dina Cited as Inspiration By Alien: Romulus Director
Romulus star will return in Season 2 of HBO's adaptation
As our world continues to get smaller, it probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise to learn that Alien: Romulus director Fede Álvarez took inspiration from a particularly dark and gritty video game released in recent years, namely The Last of Us: Part II. Brief, targeted spoilers for...
Talking Point Can PS5, PC Shooter Concord Be Saved?
Respawn
Concord is not a bad game, but if we’re being generous, it’s also not looking like a particularly successful one. Early indications suggest the title has flopped catastrophically on PC storefront Steam, and while it’s likely doing a lot better on PS5, it’s not going to be breaking records any time soon. Sony, of course, will have...
News A New Day, a New Bloodborne PS5 Rumour
Rumours all over the shop
A new Bloodborne game is in the works. Apparently. That's right, there's another Bloodborne rumour doing the rounds, and yet again, some people are losing their minds over the whispers of a so-called insider. This time, it's known leaker DanielRPK who's stirring the pot, stating (on his paywalled Patreon): "I hear there's...
News DualSense Edge Fully Customisable on PC with New App
PlayStation Accessories app available now
Sony has published a new PlayStation Accessories app for PC that allows DualSense Edge owners to access the entire suite of features the high-end controller has to offer. Available to download now, it's a redesigned application that used to work as a firmware updater for PS5 controllers on PC. The DualSense...
News Japan Hit with Yet Another PS5 Price Increase
PS5 accessories also going up in cost
Sony has confirmed the cost of both PS5 console models will increase once again in Japan, effective from Monday, 2nd September 2024. The standard PS5 with a disc drive will be priced at ¥79,980 (~$550) while the digital version is going up to ¥72,980 (~$500). This represents a ¥13,000 (~$90) price increase...
News Sony Itself May Have Leaked LEGO Horizon Adventures' Release Date on PS5
On the horizon?
LEGO Horizon Adventures, though rumoured beforehand, was an unexpected announcement from Sony earlier in the year. Combining the popular PlayStation action RPG series with the casual, colourful fun of LEGO, this is an action platformer from Studio Gobo and Guerrilla Games. It's been pencilled in for late 2024 since its unveiling, but...
Rumour PS5 Pro Still Planned to Release in 2024, State of Play Coming in September
Sony gearing up?
There've been a lot of rumours flying around for what feels like a long time concerning some unconfirmed-but-likely Sony stuff, and Jeff Grubb has just provided the latest word. Discussing PS5 Pro on his Game Mess Mornings show, the reliable Giant Bomb cohort has said the upgraded console is still heading our way before the year is...
News Spare a Thought for Secret Level's Concord Episode
Hindsight is everything
Secret Level, a new Amazon Prime anthology show inspired by the universes of 15 different games, will debut on 10th December – but spare a thought for the episode dedicated to Firewalk Studios’ first-person shooter Concord, which producers must have thought would be a bigger deal. There’ll be an entire episode dedicated...
News Things Are Getting Worse for Floundering PS5, PC FPS Concord
Update: Steam audience gradually evaporating
Update: The weekend has not brought any signs of improvement to Concord’s performance on PC, where it’s now officially floundering on Steam. While the title peaked at a pitiful 697 concurrent players upon launch, it’s not passed that number since, and its daily highs have been getting lower...
Rumour Sony Paying Close Attention to Handheld Market After PS Portal's Shock Success
"So you're saying there's a chance?"
Sony is allegedly keeping a close eye on the handheld market, following the surprise success of the PS Portal. Despite being panned pre-release in public opinion polls on sites like Push Square, the Remote Play accessory has gone on to become a bit of a sensation,
