Pat PilcherSony has announced timing and details of the new PlayStation 5 console and its raft of games and accessories.
The announcement that gamers have been waiting an eternity to hear has finally happened: the PlayStation 5 will launch in NZ on November 19.
Where previous consoles launched with a limited lineup, the PS5 will hit retail shelves with a pile of games. These include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Demon’s Souls.
Gamers won’t have to mortgage their first-born or part with a kidney to get their trembling, sweaty paws on a PlayStation 5. Sony says that the PS5 Digital Edition (which lacks an optical drive) will have a recommended retail price (RRP) of $649.95. The PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive will sell for $819.95. Pre-orders are starting today at retailers throughout New Zealand.
So far, the design details of the PS reveal a curvy, futuristic white on black with illuminated accents. Both consoles look very sci-fi indeed. Under the hood, both models make use of the same custom CPU with an integrated GPU for 4K graphics.
Speaking of graphics, if the recently released demo (see the YouTube clip below) is anything to go by, gamers are in for a visual feast.
It isn’t just eye candy though, there’s also an SSD which will remedy the age-old bugbear of long game load times. Beyond the console, DualSense wireless controllers have been upgraded too. They come with tactile force feedback and haptic goodness baked in. Gamers can also enjoy 3D audio (which when playing an FPS can literally be a lifesaver).
If the PS5 bonfires of want were not already burning hard-out, Sony also set gamers’ hearts aflutter by announcing a pile of big game titles to be available when the PS5 launches. These include Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, Final Fantasy XVI, Five Nights At Freddy’s Security Breach, Hogwarts Legacy and a new God Of War title.
Sony has also smartly chosen to keep PS4 users warmed for the new console. This is being done by cleverly launching PS4 titles that can seamlessly transition to the PS5 once gamers have upgraded to a shiny new PS5 console. PS4 versions of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy A Big Adventure and Horizon Forbidden West have all been designed to take full advantage of the PS5’s next-gen features, but will work with PS4 consoles. The PS4 versions of these games come with a free upgrade to PS5 versions.
Launching alongside the PS5 will be a raft of accessories. These include: the DualSense Wireless Controller which ($124.95), the PULSE 3D wireless gaming headset which has 3D audio support and dual noise-cancelling mics (expected to sell for $179.95), the PS Eye HD Camera which comes with dual 1080p lenses ($109.99), the Sony PS5 Media Remote ($54.95) and the DualSense Charging Station ($54.95).
