Game News 2.0

Potential-Monke · 10-09-2024 4:18pm

Still getting it... just... I was ready for €700 without a disc drive... and it is removing the need to select fidelity/performance... I also assume like the PS5 it'll stand without the stand so people like me who don't have pets/children won't need it.

I don't think there'll be an issue with stock anyway!!

SomeSayKos · 10-09-2024 4:19pm

I really think they needed to show something brand new that we haven't seen before to get people excited. Instead we got a sizzle reel of a load of games which have been out for a while which already looked good and ran well on the existing PS5.

I don't get it tbh, but then again I haven't really understood Sony's strategy at all this generation. It's an easy one to pass on this time.

Andrew76 · 10-09-2024 4:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601604#Comment_122601604

Nope. I was late to the PS5 party so mine runs nice and quiet. Ah it's a great way to play games on a big screen versus a monitor imo. Anyway, I know it's not a worthwhile purchase for yourself.

Still surprised at that price, assumed it was going to be 600 quid or thereabouts. Looking on Smyths, the PS5 Digital Slim is €450 - almost half the price of a pro. Other than Digital Foundry and some YouTubers, I can't see many folks upgrading.

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 4:24pm

Looking at the tech specs I'm really not convinced it's a massive upgrade. The GPU is really impressive, 3 times the TF of the original and twice the cores.

The big issue is there's barely any upgrade to the CPU and RAM. CPU limited games will still be CPU limited so will be hard to drive them to 60fps and the VRAM means higher resolutions will be hard to drive despite the impressive GPU. I get the feeling the AI upscaling is going to be doing the heavy lifting here, especially in CPU limited games, which seems to be quite a few games this gen.

SomeSayKos · 10-09-2024 4:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601625#Comment_122601625

I mean, we're nearly 4 years into this gen, so you'd have to imagine PS6 is probably going to be out in around 2 years or so? Why would I spend 800 euro now, when I can just wait and get the PS6 in 2026 for 1,700 euro?

johnny_ultimate · 10-09-2024 4:27pm

As I said earlier, I think the base consoles are actually pretty good machines and reasonable value.

But to anyone considering parting with the best part of 1000 quid for a Pro with a disc drive? For the love of god: just get a f***ing PC instead.

McDermotX · 10-09-2024 4:28pm

Wee bit more

https://blog.playstation.com/2024/09/10/welcome-playstation-5-pro-the-most-visually-impressive-way-to-play-games-on-playstation/

The main benefit of the PS5 Pro is it will allow for Fidelity level graphics at Performance level frame rates. It does this with three key features, as laid out by PlayStation:

Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67 percent more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28 percent faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45 percent faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.

Advanced Ray Tracing: We've added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.

AI-Driven Upscaling: We're also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

Additionally, the console has PS5 Pro Game Boost, which PlayStation says will apply to "more than 8,500 backward compatible PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro".

Says PlayStation: "This feature may stabilise or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games is also available to improve the resolution on select PS4 games. PS5 Pro will also launch with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in territories supporting this standard. VRR and 8K gaming are also supported."

Some games you can look forward to include blockbuster hits from PlayStation Studios and our third-party partners, such as Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Crew Motorfest, The First Descendant, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and more.

We kept the look of the PS5 Pro consistent with the overall PS5 family of products. You’ll notice the height is the same size as the original PS5, and the width is the same size as the current PS5 model to accommodate higher performance specs. Players can add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive, or swap out console covers when they become available.

PS5 Pro fits perfectly within the PS5 family of products and is compatible with the PS5 accessories currently available, including PlayStation VR2, PlayStation Portal, DualSense Edge, Access controller, Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore. The user interface and network services will also remain the same as PS5.

The PS5 Pro console will be available this holiday at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $699.99 USD, £699.99 GBP, €799.99 EUR, and ¥119,980 JPY (includes tax). It will include a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed in every PS5 Pro purchase. PS5 Pro is available as a disc-less console, with the option to purchase the currently available Disc Drive for PS5 separately.

PS5 Pro will launch on November 7, 2024 and will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation at direct.playstation.com. Preorders will begin on September 26, 2024.

sniper_samurai · 10-09-2024 4:31pm

When accounting for inflation it still costs more than a PS3 did at launch in Europe, plus an extra €100 to add a disc drive.

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 4:31pm

It will be interesting to see Sony's approach to AI upscaling, especially with AMD so far behind Nvidia and their tensor cores. Sony have some excellent engineers when it comes to innovative software solutions like these. Also their findings could get ported to RDNA3 AMD cards.

Potential-Monke · 10-09-2024 4:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601654#Comment_122601654

I have one. It cost over €1000 as is not as good as my PS5. So to build something to compete with the Pro specs would be... considerably more due to the price or GPUs these days?

Tis a shock. I'll be doing a lot of mental justifying, but this is what I work for, so while a lot higher than expected, I will still be getting it. For the amount of time I put into the PS5, it kinda makes sense. It's like spending €800 to upgrade your GPU...

McFly85 · 10-09-2024 4:38pm

Good lord that’s hefty! I’ll see you for the PS6 then Sony!

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 4:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601671#Comment_122601671

Very quick Google has a pre built PC with a 3060 that will wipe the floor with a PS5 and do upscaling to 4K with DLSS for less than a grand.

https://www.pcspecialist.ie/next-day-computers/1624/gshop/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw3P-2BhAEEiwA3yPhwCSrSR6OZbbA2x0myl-01DsftQYrATn02F7UTk4-sflgTd5THj2AQRoCKHEQAvD_BwE

Penn · 10-09-2024 4:39pm

Just caught up. I was definitely getting it until I saw the price. 800 though, with no disk drive... that's 133 quid extra per "big three" over the PS5 digital.

I still might, but if they're making a dickhead like me question whether to get it or not, they've really missed the mark.

There definitely won't be struggles getting one for Xmas anyway...

McDermotX · 10-09-2024 4:44pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu0NA6CnkjY&ab_channel=CNET

.,..

Sony aren't thick. What better way to butter up media than allowing them to swap between 60 and 30 FPS presentation at the drop of a controller - to say that skews perception is putting it lightly 😂

McFly85 · 10-09-2024 4:48pm

Have to imagine the pricing is due in part to the fact that they have no competition in the premium console space this generation. If MS had a similar upgrade they’d unlikely to be so bold with it. Maybe a look into how bleak the console space would be with one dominant brand.

It certainly seems overpriced for the updates you’ll get.

J. Marston · 10-09-2024 4:54pm

Maybe my old mid-30s eyes don't pick up the FIDELITY™ as much but are the graphics really that much better? Like he showed and mentioned in Rift Apart, the background parade NPCs a mile in the distance are a tiny bit more rendered and a building in the far distance in TLOU2 looks ever so slightly crisper.

Do people actually give a toss about that?

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 4:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601768#Comment_122601768

It will definitely look sharper at native or upscaled 4K but anything above 4K will be diminishing returns and I very much doubt people own a 8K TV at the price they go for.

60 fps will be the bigger jump.

johnny_ultimate · 10-09-2024 4:59pm

No doubt there’s an improvement there, but absolutely not worthy of the price.

The problem is they also focused largely on first party games - almost of all of which run tremendously well as is. It would have been much more useful to see the upgrades to games like Final Fantasy 16 / 7 Rebirth or Dragon’s Dogma 2 which have big image quality and/or performance compromises.

Potential-Monke · 10-09-2024 5:01pm

Thinking about it, the standard PS5 Slim is €450, so 45% increase in power, coupled with a 2TB SSD... sounds about right at €850 now. Not sure what games are bottlenecked by the CPU?

I think that video above hits it right. For most people it may not make enough of a difference, but people like me who are gaming 4ft away from a 55" top end OLED, it makes more sense.

Most of this is convincing myself it's OK to spend that much! I'll use my digital library for a week or two to take the sting out of having to buy a disc drive…

sniper_samurai · 10-09-2024 5:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601796#Comment_122601796

Baldurs Gate 3 is cpu limited, hell it's severely bottlenecked on pc let alone consoles.

McFly85 · 10-09-2024 5:06pm

Have a top of the line OLED too I got specifically for gaming and would be interested in a PS5 upgrade but it’s an insane jump in price for what amounts to a resolution bump/RT on some games.

The PS5 is 4 years old, an upgrade that small should not be the most expensive mainstream console ever(by a distance).

If this is what’s going up be a normal price for consoles going forward I might have to start staying one generation behind.

sniper_samurai · 10-09-2024 5:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601815#Comment_122601815

I think the 3DO is still more expensive when adjusted for inflation. Absolutely mind boggling it's that price though.

Potential-Monke · 10-09-2024 5:20pm

Handy site for a quick overview of how expensive older consoles were. Atari 2600 cost more than the PS5 Pro... and SNK barely beats the 3DO.

https://www.inflationstation.net/

We've probably been underpaying for consoles for a long time now, but with MS dropping the ball, Sony are starting to think much of themselves and, well, here we are with a €800 mid gen refresh...

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 5:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601813#Comment_122601813

Dragons Dogma 2 as well. Hell even PC struggles with it. Space Marine 2 as well apparently.

GPU though is quite a jump. RDNA 3 is a new tech as well with new features. It's just you need RAM for increased resolution so I'm imagining AI upscaling will be used here to reach high resolutions. RT will see improvements.

Also the CPU will be a concern for higher framerates, you need CPU for those CPU bound games so I'd image stuff like balders gate and dragons Dogma 2 might not even see a framerates boost.

sniper_samurai · 10-09-2024 5:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601864#Comment_122601864

I think the prices have been fine. Economics of scale need to come into the pricing a bit with the really old consoles as the demand wasn't there to build in the numbers needed to significantly reduce production costs.

About the only outliers would be the 3DO and the PS3. I'll give the Neo Geo a pass as it's literally arcade hardware stuck into a console, hell the games cost more than a Mega Drive or SNES by themselves.

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 5:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601864#Comment_122601864

I think we can discount the Neo Geo and the 3DO. The Neo Geo was a premium product, basically an arcade at home. The 3DO couldn't be subsidized like a normal console as the producers needed to make a profit from hardware sales and paid a license to manufacturer whereas the current platform holders can sell at a loss and make money back on software licensing.

johnny_ultimate · 10-09-2024 5:27pm

To be fair to Cerny, he did a very good job explaining what the new console is in layman’s terms. Simple, accessible and (mostly) non-hyperbolic. PSSR in particular is a very welcome addition to console hardware.

Sadly, it didn’t really matter as soon as that price graphic popped up.

CastorTroy · 10-09-2024 5:32pm

I remember there was a time when the Euro price was the same as the dollar price withjust the sign changed and the sterling would be about 50 less.

So this would be something like $699.99 / £649.99 / €699.99 instead of $699.99 / £699.99 / €799.99

When did that conversion change? Like $700 is less than €650.

DeSelby83 · 10-09-2024 5:32pm

Guess we know (one reason)why MS aren't doing a pro. Can you imagine MS trying to convince people to spend that sorta money on a console.

I was hoping this would have been priced better so I'd be able to pick up a 2nd hand ps5. The wait goes on for another while

TitianGerm · 10-09-2024 5:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601896#Comment_122601896

$700 is without sales tax. £ and € will include sales tax.

Andrew76 · 10-09-2024 5:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601796#Comment_122601796

If you can afford it and will make use out of it, then go for it I say! Heck I've probably spent more on car washing gear over the last while, zero regrets. 😂

Do you think you'll trade in to CEX to offset some of the cost? For the amount of gaming time I get I'm happy out with the standard PS5 + OLED combo but am defo curious to hear what the Pro will be like when normal folks get their hands on them for real, and of course the DF verdict.

sniper_samurai · 10-09-2024 5:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601896#Comment_122601896

$700 plus EU average 20% VAT is about €760, the rest is just the usual rounding up to the next €50.

Jordan 199 · 10-09-2024 5:45pm

Seeing the price of the PS5 Pro might make me do something I don't want to do....

McFly85 · 10-09-2024 5:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601914#Comment_122601914

Sales tax in the US varies but is typically the higher end is 10% and $770 comes out at €698.

It’s just more expensive here.

Potential-Monke · 10-09-2024 5:53pm

Oh I will be getting it. And my arguments are more to convince myself that its worth it. Again, this is my Champions League, my Rose of Tralee, my Oscars, etc. I don't spend money on much else, I don't have a nagging wife or spawn to siphon my ~~fun~~ money... still stinga a bit though...

J. Marston · 10-09-2024 6:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601923#Comment_122601923

CEX are offering €300 cash for the regular PS5.

CatInABox · 10-09-2024 8:39pm

Honestly, I don't think that it's that bad. I mean, I was kinda expecting something along those lines anyway, what with the lack of price drops and actual price increases over the course of this generation so far, so a premium version of those consoles was always going to be a lot more.

I think that a lot of people don't really recognise the current state of the industry yet. Dollars to donuts that the price of games are going up over the course of the next couple of years.

super_furry · 10-09-2024 8:43pm

It's literally double the price the PS4 Pro was at launch. Without a disc drive. **** insane.

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 9:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122602618#Comment_122602618

Its inflation, but don't worry the price of commodities and oil barrels mean we can report lower inflation than the plebs are experience. And sure GDP is high.

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 9:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122601896#Comment_122601896

Nothing has changed. Europe was getting screwed back then as well. Even with sales tax it was 50 euro more expensive. I remember getting my PS3 in Boston as it saved me about 100 euro even with sales tax.

CastorTroy · 10-09-2024 10:37pm

I know it's boards but is it playing up for anyone else? Going to the latest post brings me to 2 pages after the last post.

In this thread it brings me to page 285 even though the last post is on page 283.

Grumpypants · 10-09-2024 10:43pm

I'm now entering the justify the price to myself phase. The Top tier steam deck is just under €700. So it's not unheard of to spend that kind of money on premium stuff. Plus I'll actually be able to play a PS5 when the kid has the OG PS5 hogged. And even get some co-op games with him because god knows couch co-op games are few and far between. Plus it's can be my birthday and Christmas present........

It's all sounding reasonable now ......

Exclamation Marc · 10-09-2024 10:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122603154#Comment_122603154

Yup!

Grumpypants · 10-09-2024 10:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122603154#Comment_122603154

Same.

Mr Crispy · 10-09-2024 10:53pm

Vanilla is ****.

xtal191 · 10-09-2024 11:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122602618#Comment_122602618

Add on the disc drive and stand and its almost double the price of the PS5 when that was released, its stupid money

Azza · 10-09-2024 11:17pm

€799.99 holy smokes, you'd have to be an idiot to pay that much money for a video game console.

Now excuse me while I go place a pre-order on an RTX 5090

Retr0gamer · 10-09-2024 11:24pm

Someone on Twitter made the point for how the older mid gen refresh was a smaller cheap and affordable version of the console. I'd prefer that.

Restored-Sony-PlayStation-Ps-One-PS1-Video-Game-Console-Refurbished_e488e6a3-3015-4557-ae56-b815e84a1545.a342c54f45e418540b85073f63aebd6a.jpeg

7be2695b-dc97-47d5-aecf-377aa25f0649-1_75667e43-1c3f-4a09-8916-df60301fb6e7.jpg

Necro · 11-09-2024 12:05am

Console pricing is for the birds these days. They can bugger off with their "Pro" versions and I'll take a look when the PS6 releases. As Retro points out above the refresh used to be slimline or budget versions to get more people into the product but nowadays it's fancy shmancy nonsense wrapped up with a "Pro" thrown on the end of it.

I'll save my money for the Switch 2!

johnny_ultimate · 11-09-2024 1:58am

Digital Foundry’s usually quite circumspect Richard Leadbetter on the PS5 Pro pricing: “Went down like a cup of cold sick” 😂

https://youtu.be/W2wOn8zS8dU

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