Everything New From The PlayStation 5 Showcase
Yesterday Sony held their biggest showcase for the PlayStation 5 yet. Not in terms of the amount of content, but the legacy behind some of the titles revealed has shaken the foundation of the gaming world. Last week Microsoft finally gave up the game of chicken the two digital retailers were playing in regards to the release date and price point of the next generation of consoles. Many people were quite surprised and pleased with Microsoft’s price and the date and so Sony answered back in kind. Here is a full list of all the new games and information we got with the Sony PlayStation 5 Showcase reveal.
Price Point and Release Date
We’ll get this right out of the way, even though Sony left this announcement for the end of the showcase. Sony wasn’t about to let Microsoft have the edge in the pricing of their consoles, so the PlayStation 5 will be the same as the Xbox Series X and sits at $499. The disc-less drive version is $399, which is $100 more than the Xbox Series S. This does make the Series S a bit more attractive to anyone looking to budget out their purchases this holiday season. Sony, however, is banking on the weight of their exclusive games to put a bit more power in their corner. And the exclusives are definitely worth the extra $100 on the budget consoles.
As for the release date, pre-orders are out and sold out already but the consoles will be hitting the shelves on November 12th. That’s two days after the Xbox Series X and S.
Final Fantasy XVI
The first thing the showcase revealed was a rugged warrior with a tattoo across his face. Long time fans of the Final Fantasy series immediately had their spidey senses tingling. Seconds into the trailer one of the names long used by the franchise for the blue-skinned, ice-wielding summon was used: Shiva. Final Fantasy XIV was absolutely the best way to start this showcase. With Final Fantasy VII Remake’s success earlier this year, interest and confidence in Square Enix fans have never been higher. Even among the disenfranchised, this look at the next Final Fantasy seems to be a return to the darker, higher fantasy storytelling of the franchise’s past.
Many were blown away by the inclusion of a full trailer based on the fact that Final Fantasy VII Remake only just came out and has several iterations to go before it’s complete. There have been no large, reliably rumors or leaks that Final Fantasy XVI was so far along to warrant an announcement. But reactions across the board have been very positive. Though the fact that the franchise seems to be sticking to an all human cast has some long-time fans still kicking the dirt. After the all-male cast of Final Fantasy XVI, it’d also be nice to see some woman take the front and center again. Plus, it’s PlayStation exclusive.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
This one isn’t new per se, but what was new about the showing was game-play footage. First thing to remember is that the entire showcase was captured on a PC to emulate the PS5, which means it looks damn good, but not be entirely indicative of what you might see on your own console, especially if you pick up the PS4 version. That’s right! You don’t actually need a PlayStation 5 to enjoy this gem.
What they showcased was a mission from some point in the game where an attack happens on a bridge. Miles tries to stop the violence before it begins but the antagonist is set on completing some kind of heist. What follows is a mixture of combat that features Spider-Man’s trademark acrobatics but seems different from what we got with Peter Parker in the Spider-Man PS4 game. It helps to set Miles apart as his own Spidey. It also features his signature Venom Blast ability. Besides the combat, we get several cinematic and quick-time events of Miles saving several innocent bystanders. Overall, the game looks gorgeous and is probably the strongest launch title despite also being available on the PlayStation 4.
Hogwarts Legacy
It’s actually very surprising it’s taken this long to get a proper Harry Potter related game done with triple-A polish. There were rumors about the game’s development a few years back, but this is the first official look we’ve gotten of the game. In the game, players will get to make their own character instead of playing as Harry Potter himself. A smart choice that allows the players to enroll in Hogwarts and be their own wizard as opposed to being constrained by the confines of the movies or books.
While likely a big-ticket item for many younger gamers, parents won’t have to worry about shelling out money for the PlayStation 5 in order to get it. It will be available on all major platforms; PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X, and S and PC.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War
The game that needs two subtitles is another one we’ve known about for quite a while and even seen quite a bit of. But this time we got a look at some in-game mission footage. As one of our guys in the office said, “It looks like a Jason Bourne movie,” and it’s hard to disagree. It featured all the action you’d expect from a Call of Duty game and some neat non-shooting action, like blowing up a plane with a remote-controlled car, weaving, and dodging real vehicles in its mission to blow itself up.
God of War 5
Though only a small tease, we were also given confirmation that God of War 5 will be coming. It was a short tease pointing to more Norse mythology with “Ragnarok is Coming”. It’ll be here sometime in 2021, which seems like a very quick turnaround for a brand new full-length game. It’s possible it could be an expansion or even a spin-off featuring The Boy instead of Kratos himself. With the release being so close, it probably won’t be long before we start to get more information.
— Santa Monica Studio – God of War Ragnarök (@SonySantaMonica) September 16, 2020
The PlayStation 5 showcase featured other trailers included gameplay for the next iteration of the Resident Evil series, Village. An extended gameplay trailer for Death Loop which looks absolutely stunning. Devil May Cry 5 is getting a special edition specifically for the PlayStation 5. And finally, Demon’s Souls remastered looks incredible and someone in the office said, “actually playable!” If you want to watch the PlayStation 5 showcase in its entirety, it’ll sure get you more excited for the next generation than ever before.
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