Sony has pivoted quite a bit going into this generation, including going backwards compatible, more PC jumps for exclusives, and changes made to the ecosystem as a whole. Part of that change going forward includes the removal of movie and TV purchases and rentals from the PlayStation Store.
Vanessa Lee, head of video business at Sony Interactive Entertainment, took to the PlayStation Blog to provide the latest update on what's new. In an effort to "strive to provide the best entertainment experience for PlayStation fans," the team has decided that the continued evolution of the PlayStation Store has outgrown both film and television experiences. With so many subscription options available now, including the much-talked about Disney Plus service, the consumer need for movies and TV just isn't there like it has been in the past on PlayStation.
The post continues by saying that the store has seen immense growth through the years thanks to subscriptions and ad-based entertainment services but that Sony wants to focus its efforts on what players want the most: games. Because of this, movie and TV purchases, as well as the ability to rent, will be going away on August 31, 2021.
For those that have purchased shows and movies in the past, or before that August deadline, don't worry; PlayStation users will still be able to access any content previously bought through the store for on-demand playback across both the PlayStation 5 and PlayStaton 4, as well as mobile devices.
Sony has always pushed to serve players high-quality first-party exclusives, and that's not going to be changing any time soon, but that doesn't mean that what the company has to offer isn't going to go through a metamophorisis to "stay with the times." With Microsoft pioneering accessibility efforts, streaming services, and ease-of-access to its own ecosystem, Sony is looking to adopt new ways to do the same, especially regarding its PlayStation Now services and ongoing tweaks made to PlayStation Plus, which means less of a pull on resources for aspects that the core player base no longer cares about. In this case, that's movies and TV.
What do you think about the current state of PlayStation and the decision to remove movies and TV from the PS Store? What other changes would you like to see Sony implement next? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below!
[Source: PlayStation]
With the recent confirmation from Sony Interactive Entertainment head Jim Ryan stating that more PlayStation games will be making the jump to PC, starting with Days Gone this Spring, it got us thinking: what other PlayStation adventures would we want to see make the leap onto the mod-friendly platform? While we could easily just say Bloodborne across the board (which we are very tempted to, mind you), here is an actual list of 10 PlayStation games we'd like to see on PC.
While there is always the PlayStation Now service, it's not quite the same as an actual PC port. Modding Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding when both games made their way to PC was so much fun, and to have that freedom with more titles in addition to an excuse for another playthrough would be amazing.
Let's get started with our first pick: Bloodborne.
You can't have any PlayStation to PC list without Bloodborne, let's be real. Dark Souls making its way over into the land of keyboard and RGBfied mice was a huge hit, and masochistic gamers like me are always down for some pain and murder. That's why Bloodborne would be the perfect fit! There's already a cozy spot right next to the Dark Souls games there and I will never, ever pass up the opportunity to have the Hunter go up against Thomas the Tank Engine with mod support.
This action roleplaying game has a massive fan following, and for good reason. It blends creepiness with satisfying combat, and the challenges overcome throughout the story can feel so incredibly satisfying as a player. Seeing this game make the jump to PC would be amazing not only just to have it more available on a different platform, but it would also be an awesome way to make it a little more accessible for those players who might prefer to have a more customized setup. Like how the Xbox adaptive controller helps players get into the games they love the most, gaming on PC has a wider market of peripherals that could help all kinds of gamers jump into the mix.
But mostly I just really want Thomas the Tank Engine to crush my soul.
With God of War: Ragnarok on the horizon, this year would be the perfect time to bring in the PlayStation 4 iteration of Kratos' story. Seeing such a fearsome god in the role of a father with Atreus was a treat, and the title handled absolutely beautifully on PS4. That being said, the exploration and combat mechanics would mesh well with PC controls and the ability to play this adventure on the highest possible setting? Yes, please!
While obviously two totally different games, what made me truly want this to be the next PC port was the ability to play Horizon Zero Dawn with a mouse and keyboard. Though they have two unique styles of mechanics, many of the environmental areas felt similar. Horizon had a plethora of tech issues when it first launched on PC, but the team eventually got the game where it needed to be and it was truly a stunning experience to take on. Give me that but with God of War and I think I might just be the happiest gamer on the planet, and I'm sure I'm far from alone on that.
Picture this: Pedro Pascal. With the Mandalorian actor slated to play Joel in the upcoming TV series based off of the first game in the Last of Us franchise, imagine being able to mod the actor's face into the game itself to make that casting choice a little easier to envision. While I personally love Pascal for the role, I've seen a lot of people say that they are having a hard time seeing him as Joel. While I don't personally understand that, I know how quickly modders work. If Naughty Dog announced a PC port tomorrow (not through PlayStation Now), I can promise you that someone somewhere would have a Pascal mod ready to roll out by the end of the week.
The Last of Us was a monumental title for PlayStaiton. While the second game was met with more of a mixed reception, both storylines were intricate beyond compare. To see the first game make its way onto PC platforms would give so many a chance to experience this harrowing world of survival for themselves, especially for households that are limited to only one platform of choice.
Valkyrie Profile is an incredible role-playing series from Square Enix and tri-Ace that brings Norse mythology to life in a beautiful way. Since the franchise's birth, it has been on many different PlayStation systems (including PlayStation Portable) in addition to the Nintendo DS and mobile platforms.
This JRPG staple is aesthetically inventive, mechanically distinguished, and narratively rich in a way that PC gamers can appreciate. Even better? By opening up the player base even more, this could just be the nudge Square Enix needs to put some resources behind a revitalized future for the series. Plus, the iOS port for the original game was terrible and a PC version might just be the thing needed to wash that memory clean away.
Ghost of Tsushima was visually stunning and had a story that made me completely rethink how I saw the samurai genre. With its open-world beauty and incredible multiplayer post-launch add-ons, this game feels like it was built with PC in mind.
I've run through the story of Tsushima twice now on PlayStation and adored everything about it both times. The way it focuses on stealth and how reactive the combat is, the PC format, to me, would feel incredibly natural. This is also one of those games, like Horizon Zero Dawn, where modding would be a real treat. Not even just joke mods, but mods to tinker with the settings, play around with the characters, and also tweak some of the armor in-game to be even more epic than what the vanilla game has to offer.
Taking on a raid with friends in Ghost of Tsushima on PC would honestly be a dream Friday night. The potential to also have a few cool crossovers like how the Death Stranding PC version had would be amazing as well. Replace the foxes with headcrabs? That will be a resounding horrified "yes" from me, dawg.
I know I keep talking about mods (that's because I'm obsessed with them and write about them a lot here at Game Informer) but what game is more perfect for that part of the PC conversation than a game that's literally about creating something from nothing?
Dreams is a creationary-based adventure that gives players complete control over crafting a world that pushes the boundaries of what we thought was possible. We've seen people recreate Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Half-Life, and so many other games within this world; to take that onto PC with even more creative freedom would be beyond incredible.
Infamous Second Son was the darling of PlayStation 4 at the start of the last generation. This action-adventure game was a treasure from the team at Sucker Punch and it gave players the badass feeling of being able to go anywhere and do anything they'd like. Plus, the protagonist — Delsin Rowe — was a stylish punk that was just a genuine joy to play as. Being able to manipulate various elements such as smoke, concrete, and even neon was inventive in a way that allowed gamers to take to this world the way they wanted to. The combat was also highly stylized and it felt like a modern-day Assassin's Creed regarding the parkour elements.
When I described this game to a friend, I said "Think Assassin's Creed meets The Clash" and I still stand by that statement. Give this adventure to PC players and there will be an entirely new wave of appreciation for the detailed care that went into the world of Infamous Second Son.
The Persona games in general are known for expert stylization, crazily weird dialogue, and quirky characters that stick with you long after the end credits roll. With several other Persona adventures available already on PC, it's high-time to bring Persona 5 to the mix, especially with all of the raving reviews that surrounded this title at launch.
The turn-based combat would also make this a super easy port, mechanically speaking, to visualize. Persona 5 is definitely one of those high-impact games that suck you in and don't release you until you've beat it and it's this type of game that thrives on PC. With it being a highly beloved entry into the series, it's time for Sony to consider bringing this particular adventure to a new market.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is hands down my favorite in the series. Nathan Drake and Sully together again in a story that was as filled with action as it was with heartwarming moments. There was so much more humanization given to these characters that we've grown to love through the years and the narrative that has continued on is something truly special.
Few games grip you right at the start, but this one certainly did. The immersive world was breathtaking and the storytelling was exceptional. With no more Nathan Drake tales on the horizon, now would be a good time to bring a PC port into the equation so that this legacy can continue on and new players can strap in for the ride of their lives.
A Legend of Dragoon remaster (or remake!) has been the talk of the PlayStation community for a long time, but what about a PC port? This role-playing game dominated the tail-end of the 90s, and for good reason. Taking on the role of Dark in an effort to stop the world from being obliterated in a sea of destruction brought unparalleled joy.
The cutscenes, for its time, were impeccable and the story was something that was genuinely amazing despite the mixed reviews when it first launched due to Final Fantasy comparisons. The legacy of Dragoon even continued on with novels and manga, so going beyond the PlayStation scope wouldn't be unheard of.
Plus, texture mods? Can you imagine?
Basically, what I'm saying is this: Sony, you've said you're open to more PC ports (finally), so let's talk because this list is gold and there is no good reason for these not to make the jump. Even more so for the older titles.
Please and thank you.
The PlayStation 5 is an impressive machine, but a big issue has plagued its players across the board: the inability to upgrade its internal storage. The PS5’s SSD only has 667GB of available storage (a lot less than Xbox Series X's 885GB SSD), and with triple-A games typically sizing up at around 50GB to 70GB minimum, managing new game downloads – plus updates – has been a bit of a nightmare for PS5 owners. Thankfully, a new report by Bloomberg indicates that Sony is working on a firmware update that will finally allow PS5 owners to upgrade its internal storage.
According to Bloomberg’s anonymous sources, Sony's upcoming update will enable the PS5's expansion bay, allowing players to install a second M.2 SSD to the console. If you remove the detachable “fins” covering the PS5, you’ll notice the internal slot meant to house an additional drive. The slot has been disabled since launch, with Sony promising last November that external storage support would come in a future update.
To that end, the update will also unlock faster cooling fan speeds to prevent the system from overheating. The sources point to this summer as to when Sony will announce the update. While that all sounds great, the company has yet to provide a list of compatible drives approved for PS5.
Even still, this is welcome news given that PS5 owners currently have scant options when it comes to adding storage space. PS5 titles can only be installed internally, limiting the usefulness of external USB drives; those can only be used on PS5 to run less-demanding PS4 games. Games are only getting bigger, and as we’ve seen with nightmare scenarios like the recent Call of Duty games growing too big for the 500GB PS4, the issue of storage is one that needs to be addressed sooner than later.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is coming to the PlayStation 5 with upgraded visuals, faster load times, and new features such as a photo mode, developer-publisher Square Enix announced today during Sony's latest State of Play livestream. The game is expected to be re-released on June 10 under the new name Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.
While the port comes with the standard upgrades people have come to expect, such as updated textures, fog, and lighting effects, a few quality of life improvements to note are the inclusion of faster load times, the option to choose between a graphics mode (which displays at 4K resolution) or a performance mode (running at 60 frames-per-second), and a new Normal (Classic) difficulty mode, which allows the player to automatically attack and defend. Previously, this playstyle was only available for the game's Easy difficulty. Lastly, Square Enix unveiled that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will feature a photo mode, though it's unclear if this is exclusive to the PlayStation 5 version of the game.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will be available as a free upgrade on PlayStation 5 for anyone that already bought the game on PlayStation 4.
That wasn't the only Final Fantasy VII news Square had to reveal during today's State of Play. The company announced a new single-player DLC starring Yuffie, which will also be available on June 10. Check out all the details you need to know about the new Yuffie DLC here in our news story.
For more on Final Fantasy VII Remake, check out our review, where we said the game "finds an impressive equilibrium between its past and its present, crafting a distinctive world and exciting combat system that feel modern." If that's not enough praise, you can also read why the game was one of our favorite games of 2020, making the number 9 spot on our Top 10 list. While you're at it, why not read why we think video game remakes are better than film remakes.
The critically acclaimed Subnautica tasked players with exploring an oceanic planet in hopes of surviving, exploring, and uncovering myriad mysteries housed thereon. Subnautica: Below Zero has been in Early Access for more than two years, with updates arriving at a steady clip, but developer and publisher Unknown Worlds Entertainment today revealed that the full version is coming to consoles and PC on May 14.
Subnautica: Below Zero presents players with a similar situation, only this time, you're exploring the dangerous waters below the icy surface of the alien planet. The sequel offers an all-new story with a huge open world to explore with new technology at your disposal as you work to discover even more secrets beneath the surface.
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"Subnautica: Below Zero has grown and evolved based on community feedback in Early Access and we're excited to finally launch the full-blown sequel to Subnautica," president of Unknown Worlds Entertainment Ted Gill said in a press release. "After two years of implementing player feedback and adding new features and content, we're excited to welcome players back to the depths of Planet 4546B to find an all new experience on PC and console."
In addition to the launch of Subnautica: Below Zero on May 14, the original game will also launch on Switch for the first time. Switch players can pick up a physical bundle with both Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero for $59.99.
Subnautica: Below Zero arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC/Mac (via Steam and Epic Games Store) on May 14 and costs $29.99.