The Sony news and discussion thread

[hazeredmist]

Also it seems that patches to update older games may not be free. Sony are leaving that to individual developers and publishers to decide.

The bigger players will most likely go for free updates, but smaller devs with less cash floating around would be perfectly right to expect to be paid for the work involved. An interesting one this.

Ha!

They - and this generation if this takes off - can fuck right off if they expect me to buy a new PS4 and money on top for updates to games I already own. Nobody works for free, I get that and agree, but it's not a model I'll be getting behind as a console owner. Sorry but it's got to be more than a regular patch to expect money from your existing customers - extra content, take the route of the likes of Retro City Rampage and offer a DX version with more to play for your cash. Not just upgraded specs.

it'll be a case of 'if you want it, here it is, if you don't, then don't get it'

Oh yes absolutely I don't think it'll be any other way than that, don't get me wrong, I'm just saying I will not be interested in the slightest in paying for better specs of games I already own.

[Jusifer]

It's getting decent sales figures in Japan, but the PS4 isn't the greatest comparison; the PS4 is currently sitting on around the same install base as the WiiU. A lot of folk have moved to mobile.

are there actually a considerable amount of people who were previosly playing games on console that have decided to move over to play games only on mobile?

[Alex79]

Sony have supported the Vita very well... in Japan. Where it has outsold the PS4.

Everywhere else, not so much.

I think bundling a Vita with the PS4 Pro would be an incredibly good idea if they want to get it back in to peoples minds.

[Flabyo]

It's getting decent sales figures in Japan, but the PS4 isn't the greatest comparison; the PS4 is currently sitting on around the same install base as the WiiU. A lot of folk have moved to mobile.

are there actually a considerable amount of people who were previosly playing games on console that have decided to move over to play games only on mobile?

It isn't as simple as that. There are less people in Japan playing console games now. And there are more people playing mobile games. But that doesn't mean that they left one to do the other.

[Jusifer]

It's getting decent sales figures in Japan, but the PS4 isn't the greatest comparison; the PS4 is currently sitting on around the same install base as the WiiU. A lot of folk have moved to mobile.

are there actually a considerable amount of people who were previosly playing games on console that have decided to move over to play games only on mobile?

It isn't as simple as that. There are less people in Japan playing console games now. And there are more people playing mobile games. But that doesn't mean that they left one to do the other.

That's what I thought

[Alex79]

Hmm disappointing you can't buy the Bioshock remakes separately. Same goes for Uncharted, thinking about it.

[Stanshall]

Regarding the Pro, I've gone from 'definitely' to 'when my PS4 breaks down'. I don't have a 4K or HDR telly and don't have a grand to spend on this kind of upgrade. The Scorpio sounds more like the technical upgrade I'd be willing to pay for, even without a 4K TV but obviously, I'll need to see how that actually pans out. I do think it's a bold statement from Microsoft and I'm a bit surprised that Sony haven't attempted to match their ambitions. Presumably the PS5 is three years off, at minimum, unless they plan to really piss off their new owners/upgraders.

[chase210]

Got one of dem slims yesterday. I like it so far, but I think I'll like the pro more.

[Alex79]

Argh there is a REALLY irritating bug in 4.0 FW for the PS4 which causes major hassle using remote play. You nearly always cannot wake the PS4 from sleep using remote play on the Vita any more. It looks like it's connecting, then you get a black screen and an error message saying the connection has been lost. You need to go (downstairs, in my case), manually turn the PS4 on, and then you can connect. In addition to this, even if you quickly press the button to turn the PS4 on and then try to connect you can't, you need to actually sign in using the DS4 pad before remote play will work.

It's incredibly frustrating, and worse still, the bug was apparently present in the beta version of 4.0 and hasn't been removed for general release.

>_<

Anyone else noticed these issues? I don't think it's happening for everyone because there isn't much online about it, but there are a few threads here and there with people having the same problem. FFS Sony...

[ratsoalbion]

I never use remote play, but this sounds like something that could easily be fixed in version 4.01 - fingers crossed!

[Stanshall]

Hardware reviews are in for PSVR and seem reasonably positive. Software reviews are pretty mediocre. The cinema mode seems to be no better than GearVR, meanwhile. Hmm.

[Joshihatsumitsu]

With the proper support, hopefully, VR gaming in general with evolve and get better over time. And it is realistically going to take time. So I guess the question becomes, is the support going to be there? Here's hoping that financially the PSVR will do well enough to encourage that growth, that publishers will actually want to get on board. Just have to wait and see.

[Sinclair Gregstrum]

Hardware reviews are in for PSVR and seem reasonably positive. Software reviews are pretty mediocre. The cinema mode seems to be no better than GearVR, meanwhile. Hmm.

It's been interesting reading for sure. The hardware is indeed being pretty highly praised for what it delivers at the price vs the competition. Games wise it's a bit early quite to gauge overall opinion as really only a fraction of the launch line-up has been evaluated so far I think.

There are only a few titles that a number of outlets have given full write-ups to - Batman, Until Dawn and VR Worlds. The consensus on the first two seems good to middling, the latter faring not so well.

Elsewhere there are reviews popping up for some other games but not enough to give them scores on the likes of Metacritc. IGN has given 9's to Super Hypercube (a Jared Petty review and I like that guy) and Thumper. Overall I've probably only seen reviews for a total of maybe 8-10 different games, and this list shows a total over 30 due by launch day so still a way to go!

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016- ... nch-lineup

I for one have pre-ordered the hardware (but no games yet!). I just can't resist! It's VirtualfuckingReality! It's been the stuff of science fiction and dreams for decades, and now I am actually going to have a headset in my house......

It might not pan out. Who knows. But this has the potential to be one of the biggest if not the single biggest development in the art form of video games since it's inception. I can't wait!

[Flabyo]

From what I know from people doing dev work on it, the headset is a lot easier to set up and more comfortable than any of the competition.

What lets it down is the fact the PS4 doesn't have enough grunt to really get VR as pretty as the PC based ones do, and that the camera and move controller setup for tracking is pretty poor compared to the hand controllers the other systems have.

It's an entry level setup, designed to pique peoples interest. But I still think that even though its cheaper than the PC based alternatives it's still VERY expensive. It's more so than even the Kinect, which had decent traction until people realised the games didn't really work.

I want to see this succeed, but I think as a developer you're taking a huge gamble if you back it wholeheartedly. It's why I think most of what we see for it from the big publishers is small 'experiences' at this stage. They're wary, and not committing fully yet.

[Craig]

I'm not so sure VR will take off. It's a lot of money and gubbins required but more than that, it requires you to completely shut out the outside world. It's getting a lot of hype right now from people who A) have already accumulated a lot of what is required and B) are really into games.

But for the average consumer? Sure they may have a PS4, but everything else is a pretty costly extra.

And while the idea of really diving into a game will appeal to many, I have doubts how many will want to do so at the expense of being a part of the real world. Those who have family commitments may be able to get away with the odd gaming session, but to put on a headset seems very isolating.

Maybe I'm wrong and being too gloom and doom. I think there'll certainly be a market for it, but I think it's going to be a lot more niche than many are predicting. And certainly not enough to sustain how many different units are coming out unless there's a bigger push for cross compatibility.

[hazeredmist]

Yeah, I'm very much in the camp of I'd like to give it a go for the experience, but for day to day gaming I have no interest in sticking a VR headset on and leaving the real world behind. Though I like the idea of having it to try, it's not exactly the same investment as picking up a Guitar Hero peripheral, this is serious cash. I think there are a lot more people with that attitude than the market thinks, and I think VR will be short-lived / never fully realised as a result.

[ratsoalbion]

Has there ever been a truly successful add-on to a console? An expensive one?

[Sinclair Gregstrum]

What lets it down is the fact the PS4 doesn't have enough grunt to really get VR as pretty as the PC based ones do, and that the camera and move controller setup for tracking is pretty poor compared to the hand controllers the other systems have.

It's an entry level setup, designed to pique peoples interest. But I still think that even though its cheaper than the PC based alternatives it's still VERY expensive. It's more so than even the Kinect, which had decent traction until people realised the games didn't really work.

I just don't think the comparison to the PC-based systems are valid though to be honest, as PSVR isn't just a bit cheaper - it's literally around £1,500 - £2,000+ cheaper all-in for the system to run it on plus the VR unit, controllers etc. Yes they're all VR set ups, but Dacias and Mercedes are both cars, yet you wouldn't talk down the former for not being as good as the latter. As long as PSVR is a good, functional piece of kit that acts as an entry point to VR as you say (and the consensus seems to be that it achieves this) then that's good enough for me at that price.

For my money I'm treating it as a new console purchase meaning I don't see £400 as too expensive, but that's a very subjective point of course. At the end of the day I'm getting a new piece of hardware and the ability to play a whole new set of games, with the added bonus that it happens to also be an entirely new way to play. In a way that's more than we got from the current gen consoles that we all spent around the same money on, and where we're essentially playing the same games as ten years ago but prettier. I get the Kinect comparison to a certain extent, but for me personally the two are poles apart in the potential they offer and even just the tech that goes into building the thing inevitably makes it a much pricier bit of kit.

I think it's going to be a lot more niche than many are predicting. And certainly not enough to sustain how many different units are coming out unless there's a bigger push for cross compatibility.

I think you're right. I don't expect this time next year for Sony to have shifted millions upon millions of these things. If it takes off, and that's a big 'if', it'll be a relatively slow burn for a couple of years I think. This first gen hardware needs to do just well enough to keep the dream alive and become a platform where developers and publishers can make a bit of money, and then hopefully as the tech gets cheaper to produce VR will start to come down to price where the mass market will start to get involved.

I'm fully aware this is not a sure thing and could all go wrong, but as a lover of games who is craving a new way to experience them (and who is lucky enough to have some disposable income) I don't see any reason not to get involved as long as I accept the inherent risk of it not taking off (Saturn and Dreamcast lover - doesn't bother me!). I completely understand why others might not feel that way or can't jump in because of finances, but if the medium as a whole is going to make genuine progress and get out of this 'same again but prettier' cycle, then developments like VR need to be supported.

[Sinclair Gregstrum]

Has there ever been a truly successful add-on to a console? An expensive one?

The Mega CD!

No wait....

The 32X!

Ummm, hold on....

The 64DD!

[ratsoalbion]

Exactly.

Arguably there was the Kinect, which I understand did well in terms of units sold - and for those who got into the Dance Central or Xbox Fitness stuff there was much to appreciate - but from a general gamer's point of view I thought it was a turd from the second it was first announced to the point that MS effectively pulled the plug forever with the Xbox One S removing its port.

The N64 RAM expansion became fairly ubiquitous, but that was around £30, and ultimately packed in with games.