Last night, another chapter was added to the history books of modern gaming. At Sony’s pre-recorded Future of Gaming presentation event, we were finally treated to a glimpse of the long-anticipated PS5 console as well as seeing trailers for many of its first games. Read on for a breakdown of what you need to know about this powerful upcoming console!
THE CONSOLE AT A GLANCE
While perhaps the all-important price tag has not yet been revealed, last night allowed us to get up close and personal with the beautiful new console. The PS5 will be available in two models at launch. One with a backwards-compatible Blu-ray drive which Sony exec Mark Cerny states will play “the overwhelming” majority of PlayStation 4 titles. The other console will ditch disc drive, making it entirely digital. Savvy gamers will opt for the complete package with the optical drive, allowing them to save a small fortune over the lifetime of the console by buying and selling games at CeX.
The smooth black and white design, dominated by two distinctive “wings”, is a thing of beauty. Sleek and modern, the upright console is going to look stunning sat beside your TV.
The smooth black and white design, dominated by two distinctive “wings”, is a thing of beauty. Sleek and modern, the upright console is going to look stunning sat beside your TV.
THE CONTROLLER
Earlier this year, Sony revealed their new DualSense PS5 pad, which includes a whole mess of features like haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and an inbuilt microphone. Visually, this space-age design and blindingly white colour scheme makes it a perfect companion for the gorgeous looking console itself.
THE GAMES
This is where last night’s event truly blew me away. Expecting just a couple of must-own titles, Sony didn’t let up as they unveiled a great number that included highly anticipated sequels, nostalgic remakes and exciting original titles. Here are our picks for the top five titles to look forward to.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
This follow-up to 2018’s critically-acclaimed Spider-Man game from Insomniac puts players into the shoes of beloved character Miles Morales. Travelling across a dense New York will be a breeze thanks to the console’s powerful SSD, and if combat is anything like the first game, this one is going to be a super treat.
Gran Turismo 7
It wouldn’t be PlayStation without Gran Turismo, and this visually-stunning entry into the popular driving franchise should please fans new and old. With the trailer offering in-game gameplay unlike the majority of the cinematic-based teases of the night, this one gave us a truly glimpse of the console’s power and boy, it looks pretty incredible.
Hitman III
In a series renowned for its large, dynamic settings full of life, Hitman III is going to be a blood-soaked delight. With the potential for smarter AI, more options for the perfect hit and densely populated levels, Hitman III could just be the series’ finest hour to date when it launches in early 2021.
Horizon II: Forbidden West
This sequel to Sony’s acclaimed PS4 title will certainly be a must-own on the PS5. After the stunning first game pushed the PS4 to its limit, I am excited to see just how beautifully immersive this sequel is going to be. I expect it’ll be the finest looking game on the console. Welcome back, Aloy. We’ve missed you!
Resident Evil VIII: Village
From new werewolf-like monsters to the return of series hero Chris Redfield, the next first-person entry in the RE franchise looks like a truly harrowing journey into darkness. The PS5’s 3D audio will surely make this one of the most terrifying entries into the saga so far – just don’t expect to sleep ever again…
THE SPECS
- CPU: AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)
- GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)
- GPU architecture: Custom RDNA 2
- Memory interface: 16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit
- Memory bandwidth: 448GB/s
- Internal storage: Custom 825GB SSD
- IO throughput: 5.5GB/s (raw), typical 8-9GB/s (compressed)
- Expandable storage: NVMe SSD slot
- External storage: USB HDD support (PS4 games only)
- Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray drive
So, what does it all mean? Well, put briefly, these specs are going to make an absolute beast of a console. The console’s 825GB SSD is going to be key to making the PS5 standout, offering unprecedented gameplay thanks to the increased bandwidth and power of the SSD unit. Expect the console to load faster than its competitors and offer bigger and more beautiful worlds to explore, with data-processing speeds approximately 100 times faster than those on the PS4.
Last night’s stream also unveiled 3D audio support thanks to the new Tempest Engine. An incredibly powerful system, the example given to display the power was that of in-game rainfall. Up to now, rainfall has been delivered on the soundscape as a single audio track, but the PS5 would theoretically be able to layer individual raindrops onto into the soundtrack. That is how detailed the soundscape of the PS5 will be.
Another win for the PS5 is a 4K UDH Blu-ray drive, something that is new to Sony’s consoles after the Xbox One S did it back in ’16. With home entertainment becoming increasingly aimed at 4K, it is only right that the leading consoles should all support it.
THE RELEASE
While an exact date has not yet been unveiled, Sony has alluded to the fact that the console will be with us towards the end of 2020 – and, at the time of the presentation, has not suffered any delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pricing remains a mystery, too, but for the ability to play games like Hitman III and Horizon II: Forbidden West, I’ll pay anything…
What excited you most about the PS5 reveal?
