At last, the next-gen competition is heating up again. Xbox dropped massive announcements this week about their next-gen console. Microsoft revealed the Xbox Series S, a downgraded yet powerful new console. Not only that, but they announced the price and release date for both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Xbox Series X, the more powerful console, would be $499, while the Xbox Series S will be $299. Both will be available on November 10th with preorders starting on September 22nd. Bold moves were coming from the team of Xbox and Microsoft. However, the question to ask is: “Where is Sony’s response to all this?” It seems like Sony has gone silent this week after Xbox’s big announcement transpired. Well, silence is no more. Sony has a big showcase coming soon on Wednesday, September 16th, for the PS5.
There is much speculation about what they will be revealing and showcasing. We have a few ideas for what could be announced during this showcase from specific games and hardware, which could include a counter to Xbox’s latest trending news. We know players, fanboys, journalists, and everyone that loves Sony is anticipating this moment. So, here is some of our predictions for the latest PS5 showcase.
PS5 Price and Release Date Announced
Players are begging for this announcement to come soon. So they can finally find out what date they will get their hands on the Playstation 5. Not only the release date but the price as well. How much will we have to work overtime, break our piggy banks, and go through drastic measures to secure our PS5 system? One thing is sure that preorders maybe harder to come by. This is backed up with the preorder registration a few weeks ago. Within this preorder, you can register your PSN name and receive an email from Sony about the latest updates on preorder. However, not everyone received this email. I know I sure didn’t! *Currently sobbing in sorrows* Perhaps there is early access for preorder for those that did? Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it would be nice to confirm the price and release date.
Xbox has already revealed the price and release date for both Xbox Series X and S. So Sony, the ball is in your court. Sony may have pressure on them, but I digress by stating that there is no pressure at all. They already have the info they need from Microsoft, so there should be no hesitation on their part. Also, numerous polls from different outlets show that PS5 is highly favored amongst the newer consoles. So, yes, no worries at all, Sony, but seriously hurry up already. I predict the prices will be $399 for the digital version and $499 for the standard version. Also, I predict it will be releasing on November 10th to compete against the Xbox Series X and Series S launch.
God of War 5
God of War 5, or I think it would be 2? I guess, depending on who you ask. God of War was only two years ago as we followed the epic journey with Kratos and boy! I mean Atreus, of course. The game received high praise for its immersive combat, stellar graphics, and gripping narrative. We will miss smashing Baldur with our fists, and we hope to get our hands on some more gods within the Norse Mythos. Now, we probably won’t see gameplay, but we could see a teaser trailer. That should be enough to satisfy the fanbase for now. Maybe we will see a much older Atreus, as he transforms from boy to…a teenage boy? One thing is sure that Cory Barlog and the team at Santa Monica Studios will be hard at work on a new sequel with or without a trailer.
New Playstation VR Headset
Are you a fan of virtual reality? Well, Sony might be bringing out a new and improved Playstation VR peripheral for the PS5. While VR is still a niche market, Sony is all in the VR game. The Playstation VR was first introduced on PS4 for around $399. It came with a headset, camera, and two Playstation Move motion controllers, upon release. There is confirmation that the current Playstation VR model will be compatible with PS5. However, like all things in technology and Apple products: everything needs to be upgraded. Just ask how your new 2080Ti friends are doing lately? We expect a newer version of the Playstation VR headset with updated graphics with more accurate and fluid controls. It makes sense for Sony to upgrade to match up against the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales Gameplay
Back in June, with Sony’s PS5 two-hour showcase, one game stood out amongst the crowd. We are talking about Grand Theft Auto V re-remaster edition, of course. Kidding. It was Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the standalone game after the smash-hit Marvel’s Spider-Man. There has not been much buzz from the game lately since the reveal of the box art. Morales Morales would be Marvel’s second big game release to come out this year. For now, all the eyes are on Crystal Dynamics’ Marvel’s Avengers game.
Now that you think about it, this is reminiscent to the 2018’s Avenger’s Infinity War release before Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a few months after. We have seen gameplay footage from the first trailer, but it would be great to see more hands-on footage. Perhaps, show more of the open world, enemies will be facing, and powers we will be utilizing? Spidey is always a huge selling point no matter who dawns the skin-tight suit.
The PS5 User Interface
We caught a glimpse of what the user interface will look like from Sony’s live stream event. At least the opening screen. We expect Sony will showcase the user interface with brand new functionality and improved design for seamless navigation. Xbox showcased its user interface, so would expect Sony to follow suit. We could predict that the user interface would work in tandem with the DualSense controller. Which could sync with the built-in mic functionality of the controller for voice recognition? It would be great to process voice commands from the Dualsense to watch a movie or return to a game. Hopefully, the user interface allows the same customization features of the current PS4, where you can change colors while allowing for themes and appearance changes.
What do you think Sony will announce this upcoming event? Leave your comments below. If you are skeptical of the Xbox, check out the newly announced Xbox Series X and S price, release date, and confirmed specs or curious about where consoles will be in the future. For everything else, check out Culture of Gaming for news, opinions, and reviews.
