PS5: All the latest news for Sony's upcoming next-gen console

We’re finally going to receive a closer, more in-depth look at the PS5 and its launch games, as Sony has confirmed a video showcase will be streamed on Thurday, June 4th. That’s only a few days away, and we’re pretty excited to finally see the console in action. 

A number of new games (including major exclusives) are expected to be revealed, while it’s also hoped we’ll finally get a glimpse of the console’s design, features and Dualsense controller.

It’s also possible we’ll finally hear more about the insanely fast SSDs and ray tracing technology, which look to be two of the biggest advancements for the new console.  There’s plenty of questions we want answering, and we can’t help but find ourselves swept up in the hype.

Trusted Reviews has compiled everything you need to know about PlayStation 5 including all the latest news, games, specs, price and more. We’ll be updating this page with regular news, so be sure to keep it bookmarked.

PS5 reveal event – when will it take place?

Sony has confirmed that a major PS5 event will take place in the future which will showcase a number of major titles and exclusives for the upcoming platform. Originally set to take place on June 4th, it was delayed due to mass protests taking place across the United States. It was the right move to be made, since there are better things to worry about right now than the latest videogames.

The PS5 showcase was confirmed via PlayStation’s YouTube channel with the below video. Not much was given away, although we did at least get a closer look at the DualSense controller. With a new date yet to be announced, we’ll be sure to update you once we know more.

pic.twitter.com/ZAY8StN0EU

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 1, 2020

A report from GamesIndusty.biz offers more details for the event, suggesting it “will be the first in a series of updates, and that there will be more to share beyond next week’s presentation”.

The article also confirmed the PS5 showcase will be hosted on both YouTube and Twitch, although warned that a price will unlikely be revealed anytime soon.

Related: PlayStation 5 vs Xbox Series X – Which next-gen console is right for you?

PS5 at a glance

On balance, we predict the following to occur in the coming weeks, months and, well, year:

• The PS5 will launch in the later months of 2020
• Sony will reveal some PS5 games during an upcoming reveal event
• In terms of launch titles, we can expect a significant selection of third and first-party experiences
• Some of the confirmed features include improved loading times, 8K resolution and ray tracing
• Your entire physical and digital libraries will be available at launch if all goes to plan
• New dynamic lighting effects will help to create more realistic environments

Related: Nintendo Switch 2

PS5 release date – When is the PlayStation 5 coming out?

The PS5 will be launching in the latter months of 2020, Sony has confirmed. We imagine this will land in November, ensuring the console is comfortably in the homes of players ahead of the Christmas period. We’ll be sure to share more specific the second we hear more, as it remains unclear whether the Covid-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on the next-gen console launches.

PS5 backwards compatibility – Will it play all my old games?

The PS5 is confirmed to feature backwards compatibility, as Mark Cerny (PS5 system architect) said, “PS4 graphics engines will run just fine on PlayStation 5”. A Legacy Mode was revealed for the PS5, which would allow developers to create PS4 titles for the next-gen console without losing any functionality. Those PS4 games will supposedly run at boosted frequencies, which could potentially result in improved visuals and performance.

PlayStation did suggest only the “top 100 PS4 games” will be supported by the PS5 at launch though, with more expected to revive the required patches at a later point. It remains unknown whether PS5 will adopt a “Smart Delivery” system like Xbox Series X. This feature provides players with a free upgrade to next-gen versions of existing titles, saving them a bunch of money in the process.

Related: Final Fantasy 7 Remake 

PS5 Specs – How powerful will the PlayStation 5 be?

Mark Cerny confirmed the specs during a video presentation. The PS5’s GPU features 10.28 TFLOPs, 26 Compute Units and a 2.23GHz variable frequency. The CPU, meanwhile, uses Zen 2 architecture and has eight cores. PlayStation claims this processor sees a 3.5GHz variable frequency.

The PS5 will also see a custom 825GB SSD, although storage will be upgradable with M.2 SSDs from the open market since the console features an NVMe SSD Slot. You can see the rest of the specs below.

PlayStation 5	PlayStation 4
CPU	8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)	8x Jaguar Cores at 1.6GHz
GPU	10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)	1.84 TFLOPs, 18 CUs at 800MHz
GPU architecture	Custom RDNA 2	Custom GCN
Memory/Interface	16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit	8GB GDDR5 / 254-bit
Memory bandwidth	448 GB/s	176 GB/s
Internal Storage	Custom 825GB SSD	500GB HDD
IO Throughput	5.5GB/s (RAW), Typical 8-9 GB/s (Compressed)	Approx 50-100MB/s (dependent on data location on HDD)
Expandable Storage	NVMe SSD Slot	Replaceable internal HDD
External Storage	USB HDD Support	USB HDD Support
Optical Drive	4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive	Blu-Ray Drive

Related: Cyberpunk 2077 Preview

PS5 performance – How will games look?

So what do those specs actually result in? While we’re yet to see any real video games running on the PS5, we have seen an Unreal Engine 5 demo running on the console to help demonstrate what the next-gen hardware is capable of.

One of the most noticeable difference for visuals are the new dynamic global illumination effects, which helps to create more authentic lighting and shadows. The video below shows how beneficial such tricks can be on the overall visual quality.

The move to Unreal Engine 5 will apparently be pretty seamless, allowing developers to easily give games these next-gen visual upgrades. Fortnite will be one the very first Unreal Engine 5 titles to make the jump to next-generation consoles in 2021, and it’s likely plenty more games will follow.

It’s previously been emphasised that the new SSD speeds will also see dramatic upgrades to the PS5 performance, helping to ditch loading screens and allow developers to create more complex scenes without worries of the console baulking.

The PS5 is confirmed to be capable of 4K resolutions too, although it’s not clear whether games will be capable of a 60fps performance.

PS5 controller – Here’s our first look at the DualSense controller

The DualSense controller sure is an eye-catching bit of kit and the immediate reaction suggests it could be a Marmite of a device. Possibly the biggest news coming from this controller reveal is that it likely indicates a radical PlayStation redesign for the PS5, with consoles past tending to stick with an all-black look.

Related: Best PS5 Games

Aside from the overall design, there’s a lot to dig into when it comes to the little tweaks across the new DualSense (RIP DualShock 5). Take a closer look and the new face buttons may get your attention. The new design looks set to ditch the colours we’ve become so familiar with and go for a muted look as well as a transparent/translucent design for the buttons as a whole.

Elsewhere on the front of the device is the new Create and Options button. Options keeps its name but gets a new logo – replacing the text. While Share has become Create, represented by three fanned out lines. We don’t yet know what the change from Share to Create means but Sony has said it will allow for new ways to “create epic gameplay content to share with the world.”

On the black area of the face of the controller, we have the signature analog sticks and a new button added for DualSense. The analog sticks do look extremely similar to the DualShock 4 however there seems to be a slight differentiation in the pattern. Whether this difference means a new texture for the sticks, we don’t yet know. The new button in between the analog sticks is for muting the microphone inside the controller. Sony says you can use the DualSense’s mic array for chatting with friends – however, it still recommends headsets for prolonged gaming sessions.

Moving to the top of the controller (we are still yet to see the back), the first thing to note is the absence of the light bar. Instead, this has been moved to a more subtle lighting effect behind the touchpad – suggesting PS VR support could be out for the DualSense.

The most interesting part here is the redesigned shoulder buttons. Sony is touting new adaptive haptic feedback tech for these new DualSense buttons and they’ve got a bit of a new look too – particularly the bumpers. The PS5 controller also appears to be joining modern smartphones in ditching USB-A, opting for a standard that’s slowly becoming universal – USB-C.

PS5 Cloud gaming – Sony and Microsoft are teaming up to take on Google?

The ability to stream games from the Cloud is increasingly important, and Sony’s weaknesses in this area have been previously documented. Hence our interest in the news that Sony and Microsoft have formed an alliance to build cloud-based solutions on Microsoft’s Azure platform, the 2nd largest Cloud provider after Amazon.

“The two companies will explore the use of current Microsoft Azure datacenter-based solutions for Sony’s game and content-streaming services… These efforts will also include building better development platforms for the content creator community,” according to the companies.

This follows Microsoft setting up a cloud gaming division this time last year, again based on Azure, to explore how to host and stream games from the Azure platform, rather than by running games on the console itself. And let’s not forget about Google Stadia, Sony and Microsoft’s unexpected partnership might be a sign of them planning to take on the technology giant in the years to come.

Nvidia GeForce Now also shouldn’t be discounted. The platform will tie-in the player’s existing library across a variety of PC clients, making it an attractive proposition for those who don’t want to build a library from scratch, which is the case for Stadia right now, with a few key exceptions.

Sony recently lowered the monthly and annual pricing for PlayStation Now, which now costs a far more reasonable £8.99 with a free trial also available for new users. This is most definitely the start of several moves by the company in a more extensive cloud gaming strategy. It’s a small step, but a necessary one if it ever hopes to compete with Microsoft’s efforts.

PS5 VR – Will your headset and peripherals work at launch?

It has been confirmed that existing PlayStation VR headsets will work with PS5 at launch, meaning there is currently no plans for a new iteration of the hardware to be released alongside Sony’s console. This settles some worries while also raising a bunch of interesting questions. For example – will virtual reality experiences explicitly developed for PS5 also work on these headsets, and will everything we need carry over?

Related: Best PSVR Games

There’s also peripherals such as the PlayStation Camera and Move controllers, both of which are essential for the use of PSVR, so will presumably be operable on the new system without any significant effort from the player. If so, we’d be delighted. If not, Sony would be best to clear things up during the console’s eventual reveal.

PSVR has now sold an impressive total of 4 million headsets, cementing it as one of the most popular forms of virtual reality on the planet. The accessibility of only needing a console and a selection of games makes it a rather appealing proposition to your average gamer. Sony is aware of that and feels like the medium has a long road ahead of it.

“I think that the hardware experience will improve the VR experience. VR has a lot to learn even at companies that have been making games for a long time. I realized that as soon as I started VR. I had to learn a lot because I couldn’t do it with normal TV games,” said Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida (via WCCFTech).

“But we had to have many guidelines for danger, but with the developer’s ingenuity, we were able to see how to do it, and VR makes us think about what the human abilities are, and after three years such knowledge is growing.” Here’s hoping things will only continue to evolve with the arrival of PS5 in 2020.

PS5 Games – Have any titles been announced?

Sony’s next-generation console is drawing closer and closer, and this means it’s becoming far easier to predict what experiences will be arriving on the platform both at launch and during the weeks, months and years that will follow.

With Sony having recently purchased Insomniac Games, and the enormous success of the first instalment, a sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS5 is already guaranteed, with the first title having left its narrative on a juicy cliffhanger we’re eager to see resolved. There’s also the likes of Resistance, Ratchet and Clank and others we’d love to see the developer revisit.

Horizon Zero Dawn is another first-party blockbuster that most definitely has a sequel in the works right now, ready and waiting to pounce onto PS5 when the time comes. While I wasn’t the biggest fan, developer Guerrilla Games produced a vast, beautiful world with a compelling story and mechanics to match its visual ambition. Combine that with ray-tracing and more powerful hardware and our jaws will be firmly on the floor.

Related: Best PS4 Games

While Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding is out now on PS4, we wouldn’t be hugely surprised if an enhanced edition of sorts lands on PS5 once the console is in the homes of players. The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog’s harrowing narrative adventure receiving a similar treatment wouldn’t go amiss either, despite it coming to current gen consoles in June. The question is, will our existing PS4 library be automatically enhanced purely by being inserted into PS5? We imagine the reality is a little more complicated.

Oh, and let’s not forget Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The first episode of Square Enix’s epic venture is now available on PS4. However, it could be a cross-generational release or one exclusive to Sony’s new platform. Bluepoint Games, a developer renown for remaking countless classics, has confirmed it’s working on a big project for the next-generation console. Fingers crossed for a Demon’s Souls remake!

While existing franchises are all well and good, we’d love to see Sony once again venture into unknown waters with new IP. Sucker Punch is doing just that Ghosts of Tsushima, with the samurai adventure acting as a worthy swansong for PS4. Perhaps we’ll see FromSoftware, Naughty Dog or Japan Studio once again christen the coming generation with something new and exciting. It’s only a matter of time until we find out.

An industry insider recently claimed that Bloodborne will receive an enhanced port for PS5 and PC with improved visuals and technical features perfectly suited for the next-generation platform. It remains unclear exactly who will be working on this port, and if it will be arriving alongside the rumoured Demon’s Souls Remake. It’s a stone-could masterpiece, so we wouldn’t blame Sony from wanting to revive it as a potential launch exclusive to bring hardcore fans on board. We hope it comes with some new content too, though.

PS5 exclusives – Will it have its own unique games?

It will! While Microsoft has said Xbox Series X will be foregoing traditional exclusives in favour of embracing its full family of consoles, Sony will be doing the opposite if recent reports prove accurate.

Demon’s Souls Remake and Horizon Zero Dawn 2 are just a couple of rumoured titles doing the rounds right now, and will likely be major launch games for the upcoming platform. We’ll likely learn more about the PS5’s exclusive slate as we draw closer to launch, with Sony likely having more than a few tricks up its sleeve.

The post PS5: All the latest news for Sony's upcoming next-gen console appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

from Trusted Reviews https://ift.tt/2YpwlDs