Games Inbox: The cheapest the PS5 will be, Bungie in peril, and the price of Marvel 1943
The Thursday letters page thinks there should be an even more powerful version of the PS5 Pro, as a reader admires Stardew Valley's success.
To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Free consoles
It's kind of amazing that the PS5 Slim is already less than 400 in the Amazon sales, and even that's only 20 less than the standard at the moment. Further proof that the PS5 Pro is coming this year, I suppose, but also about that point in the generation when companies realise they've reached all the core gamers and they try to make the hardware as cheap as possible to appeal to everyone else.
I just can't believe we've reached this point already. It seems like only yesterday that the PlayStation 5 came out, and was out of stock for basically two years, and now here we are slashing its price.
This generation should've lasted longer than usual but it's clearly not going to. Heck, there's rumours that Xbox is going to kick things off in 2026! It's happening because sales have started slowing and that's the usual sign for companies to get started in the next gen, but I believe Sony and Microsoft should sell their consoles at a loss, even a big one, just to expand the audience.
If you're upset the audience for consoles isn't growing then literally give them away. We all know they make their money on games, not software. And I don't think you really need too many Ultimate Team packs from EA Sports FC before you start clawing back that money and more.
They won't do that, I'm sure, but they should definitely make the PS5 cheaper. It's 400 now but how low will it go? Imagine how many you'd sell at 300 or 200. It seems a much better thing to try out then completely giving up single-player games, in favour of live service.
Lantern
One extreme to the other
I have to say, I will be half surprised if Bungie is even still going by the end of this year, let along when Marathon is out next year. Everything seems to be against them, in terms of Sony's attitude towards them and the decline of Destiny 2. I can't see The Final Shape changing things much either. Maybe it'll give the game a temporary boost and then that will get them to Marathon, which could be a surprise hit. That's the best case scenario.
The worst case scenario is that The Final Shape does nothing and Sony just pulls the plug, takes over the company, shuts down Destiny 2, and spreads the developers over their other studios in order to help out with live service games. Sounds bad but I really think there's a serious chance of it happening.
Kelso
Royal Rainbow
Wow, Katamari Damacy is 20! That's scary. I still have a physical copy in the loft.
Anyway, for anyone who would like a Katamari Damacy hit, the remaster Katamari Damacy REROLL is currently in the Steam spring sale for the meagre sum of 3.99.
System spec wise it doesn't need a lot of power, although it probably won't run on even modern integrated graphics, so does need at least a basic dedicated GPU.
Might pick it up myself haven't played it for years!
Have fun gaming y'all!
The Dude Abides
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Off the shelf
I'm not bothered about the PS5 Pro existing. I had a PS4 Pro but I'm not in a rush to get a PS5 Pro.
However, the days of consoles being uniquely engineered pieces of custom tech are long gone. Now we have consoles that are budget PCs in custom cases, with a custom OS. Therefore, as long as all games run acceptably on the base hardware what's wrong with a superior edition for those with cash to spare, who want a higher frame rate and more ray-tracing?
Maybe even have a hyper PlayStation 5 at the same time as a third option, for 1,000, that performs even better for the wealthy and obsessed.
in other words, like the PCs that they are.
Anon
GC: We think most people just feel Sony has higher priorities at the moment, than yet another piece of expensive new hardware.
Not again
RE: PS5 Pro. I must admit to not being impressed by this announcement. It took so long to actually obtain a PlayStation 5 that I'm still playing catch up with the current games. To be honest, I don't care about a possible 8K option to supposedly sweeten the deal. I can't afford an 8K TV, and how many games will actually legitimately support this option anyway?
With all said and done, this just seems like another attempt to try and fleece the loyal consumers who, for some reason, still keep backing these companies – and don't even get me started on the digital content deletions!
Mini rant over!
David Wright
GC: Not that there's any disagreement over the leaked details, but it hasn't been officially announced yet.
Digital support
RE: Problems with digital libraries. Thank you for taking notice on this issue.
Since the beginning of February I have had this problem with PSN. All my digital games prior to February, that I purchased through PS Plus or bought with my money are locked. I had a PS Plus sub since 2018 but I lost all the games. Also, I don't have access to cloud storage and can't play online games.
PlayStation support is doing nothing, although I send them emails. I have PS Plus Premium until December but it keeps telling me that I don't. Also, I bought Elden Ring in December of 2023, played 92 hours, but now the game is locked. And, strangely, when I try to buy the game again I receive a message that I already own it.
This is a widely known problem; I am in Croatia.
Dragan Juric
GC: That's awful. We are still trying to get an answer out of Sony about the situation, but they claim to still be looking into it. We'll chase them up about it again today.
Long wait
Capcom has been so weird about Dragon's Dogma right from the start. I remember it was the best-selling new IP of the generation, or something like that, when it first came and then we got Dark Arisen and absolutely nothing until now, over a decade later. And yet all that wait just gives us something that seems more like a remake than a sequel.
It was obvious from the start that they weren't changing much, and I don't really get why. I'll get it anyway, because I love the original, but I can't pretend it doesn't seem a bit disappointing that it seems to have so few new ideas, only refinements of old ones.
Evern if they do make another sequel more quickly it's still going to be four or five years and that's kind of a shame. I'm hoping we'll get some DLC first though, that can maybe shake things up a bit more and point towards what a more evolutionary sequel could be.
Ishi
Extra Ultimate
I like the idea of there being a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe for the Switch 2. I really don't see how Ultimate could ever be topped, but you could certainly give it a remaster and maybe add in a few more modes and characters – not that it needs them but just to have some new content.
Improve the graphics a bit, especially in some of the backdrops, and you've got another game that will sell 30+ million and make a lot of people happy. You don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater and start everything from scratch with this game, just add a few extras and carry on playing.
Scoob
AI assistance
That Marvel 1943 game looks incredible and exactly the sort of thing that I can't see them ever making their money back on. Basically, every Marvel game except Spider-Man has been an embarrassing flop and I really don't see Captain America and Black Panther changing that, no matter how good the graphics are.
I'd love to be proven wrong. I'd love it if games that looked that good, with not the most popular characters, could make a profit but I don't see it. Big budget games aren't going to go away completely but I think in the future it's only going to be the 100% guaranteed, firmly established games that get that sort of treatment.
I hate to say it, but I wonder if the way to avoid this is if we use AI. I don't want to do anyone out of a job but if you can make games that look like this on a smaller budget, and with the same number of people, while using AI, wouldn't that be a good thing?
It's predictable that that first thing companies try to do with AI is get rid of staff but if you add it on top of what you've already got surely that would be better? If Spider-Man 2 cost $315 million I can only assume Marvel 1943 must be very similar and that's crazy.
I'd love if games like this were commonplace and if AI can do it without causing even more layoffs then I say it's worth trying.
Cyndar
Inbox also-rans
I had no idea Stardew Valley was that successful. 30 million sales is insane for a little indie game, even if it is very good. I bet the makers of Harvest Moon are gutted they don't come anywhere close to that.
Stimpson
I didn't realise Vampire Survivors won Best Game over Elden Ring at the Baftas. Then I found out the developers were British. That explains that, those awards are a joke.
LessEden
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