Tag: PS5

  • PS5 goes portable: Sony introduces PlayStation Portal for on-the-go gaming

    PS5 goes portable: Sony introduces PlayStation Portal for on-the-go gaming

    Sony is set to introduce a new addition to its gaming lineup later this year with the official launch of the portable PlayStation device, the PlayStation Portal remote player.

    This handheld gadget is designed to enable seamless streaming of PS5 games over Wi-Fi, boasting an impressive eight-inch LCD screen that supports a crystal-clear 1080p resolution at a smooth 60 frames per second. For eager gamers, the PlayStation Portal is anticipated to hit the market later this year, accompanied by a price tag of $199.99.

    Hideaki Nishino, the senior vice president of platform experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment, elaborated on the innovative features of the PlayStation Portal. He emphasised that the device will facilitate a remote connection to the PS5 through Wi-Fi, granting players the convenience of swiftly transitioning between gaming on their PS5 and the PlayStation Portal.

    With compatibility to play supported games installed on the PS5 console and the utilisation of the DualSense controller, the PlayStation Portal promises an immersive gaming experience beyond traditional boundaries.

    Drawing design inspiration from Sony’s acclaimed PS5 DualSense controllers, the PlayStation Portal showcases prominent controllers on both sides. These controllers boast adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, ensuring that the gameplay experience mirrors the sensation of using a dedicated DualSense controller.

    Beyond gaming, the PlayStation Portal extends its capabilities to media playback, offering a dedicated section on the homescreen that mirrors content from the PS5. However, it’s important to note that local execution of applications is not supported, making a Wi-Fi connection a prerequisite for usage.

    Regrettably, the PlayStation Portal lacks Bluetooth functionality, which means that wireless headphones and Sony’s Pulse 3D headset cannot be paired with it. Instead, Sony has introduced the proprietary PlayStation Link wireless technology, designed to provide low-latency, lossless audio transmission. In response to this, Sony is also launching a range of wireless headsets and earbuds that are compatible with PlayStation Link technology.

    Although these can be used with a PS5 through a USB adapter, there are indications that future PS5 models, potentially including a rumoured “Slim” version, could seamlessly integrate the PlayStation Link standard. Notably, third-party manufacturers will also have the opportunity to incorporate the PlayStation Link standard into their products. As a nod to versatility, the PlayStation Portal features a 3.5mm headphone jack to accommodate wired audio preferences.

    Intriguingly, details regarding the battery size of the PlayStation Portal remain unconfirmed. This leaves us eagerly anticipating the announcement of its battery life, which is projected to be in the ballpark of the DualSense controller’s runtime—approximately seven to nine hours, according to sources.

    The PlayStation Portal, previously codenamed Project Q, was unveiled under its official name in May. Although a specific release date remains undisclosed, the device is rumoured to make its market debut in November. As the anticipation builds, the PlayStation community can look forward to the upcoming launch of the PlayStation Portal, available at a competitive price of $199.99.

  • PUBG earns $307.1 million in Q1 2022 despite going free-to-play

    PUBG earns $307.1 million in Q1 2022 despite going free-to-play

    The South Korean company behind PUBG, Krafton revealed that the PC and console version of the battle royale shooter franchise is making a lot of money despite going free-to-play in January 2022.

    According to Krafton, the game earned $307.1 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2022, up 5 per cent year over year (YoY), after being downloaded more than one billion times as of March 2021.

    Sales on PC were boosted 61 per cent YoY to $82.3 million. The surge in console sales was even higher, up 124 per cent from the previous quarter and 274 per cent on a YoY basis, though Krafton did not disclose a cash amount for the period.

    From Q4 2021 to Q4 2022, PUBG’s average monthly active users nearly tripled.

    When PUBG: Battlegrounds first arrived in early access on Steam in 2017, it was a premium title, but free-to-play battle royale games like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends established that the free model can be highly profitable.

    In fact, converting PUBG: Battlegrounds to free-to-play turned out highly beneficial for Krafton. The widely played PUBG: Mobile is already free to download on iOS and Android devices.

    Electronic Arts (EA) also announced that Apex Legends, which has been out for a little over three years, crossed $2 billion in lifetime net bookings in just two weeks, While Epic raised $144 million for Ukraine aid.

  • Sony faces lawsuit over alleged PS5 controller defect

    Sony faces lawsuit over alleged PS5 controller defect

    Sony’s PlayStation 5 has been very popular since its launch last fall, but not all customers who managed to buy one are satisfied.

    Recently, one such customer, namely Turner, filed a lawsuit accusing Sony of violating the warranty agreement after experiencing defects in the PS5 DualSense wireless controllers.

    The filing comes soon after a law firm, Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith, set up a web page soliciting reports of issues with the controller.

    The class action suit alleges that the DualSense controllers released in November along with the new PS5 console suffer from a defect known as “drift”. It means that the game characters or other elements on screen move without the user actually operating the joystick.

    “This defect significantly interferes with gameplay and thus compromises the DualSense controller’s core functionality,” the complainant says.

    While Sony has not yet commented on the lawsuit, the complainant claims that he has been experiencing drift issue since the day he purchased PS5 in early February.

    Turner says he contacted customer service and followed their troubleshooting instructions.

    Given that his experience with contacting Sony did not satisfactorily addressed the issue, Turner opted to purchase another DualSense controller for $69.99.

    “If I had been aware of the defect prior to purchasing PS5, I would not have purchased it, or would have paid substantially less for it.”

    The suit also alleges that Sony has been aware of the drift issue because of “online consumer complaints, complaints made by consumers directly to it, and through its own pre-release testing”.

    One user reported the issue 10 days after receiving the PS5 console, stating that they tried every possible fix, like power-cycling the console, turning Bluetooth on and off, resetting the controller, and charging it fully overnight, but nothing worked.

    The suit alleges that customers seeking help with their devices have run into a backlog on Sony’s dedicated portal for issues with PS5 hardware, and face long wait times to speak with customer service agents.

    It claims that when consumers return the controllers for in-warranty repairs related to drift, they “have to pay for shipping the controller to a Sony repair center, and Sony does not reimburse customers for these shipping costs.”

    “Recent software and firmware updates did not ameliorate or address the defect in any way,” says the complaint.

    The lawsuit seeks to make Sony implement a recall or free replacement programme to address the issue for all class members, in addition to other relief such as damage payments to compensate consumers for out of pocket expenses to fix the alleged defect.

    Sony said earlier this month that it sold 4.5 million units of PS5 hardware between its launch and December 31.

  • Sony PlayStation 5 is now available for sale

    Sony PlayStation 5 is now available for sale

    Seven years after a successful run of PlayStation (PS) 4 – the only console with over 112 million units sold worldwide – the new PS5 is now officially available in markets for sale.

    The news comes days after Microsoft released its next-generation console, the Xbox Series X.

    PlayStation 5 comes in two different models, one with disc compatibility which will cost $499, while the the other is a digital version that will let users buy games online and will cost $399. The digital version is slimmer in comparison to the disc compatible version.

    In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, the PS5 will not be available for in-store sales and can only be purchased through online stores in western countries.

    Sony is expecting a boost in sales soon as holiday season is right around the corner and also because the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for home entertainment. The Japanese conglomerate expects to sell 7.6 million PS5 units by March next year.

    Analysts predict that Sony will sell 17.9 million consoles by the end of 2021 and will hit the 67 million mark by 2024.

    Those in the UK wanting to get the console will have a slightly longer and frustrating wait as it launches on November 19 in UK markets.

    “In a completely ideal world, we would like to launch everywhere in the world on the same day,” said Jim Ryan, the PlayStation boss. “We just needed an extra few days to get everything in order to be able to have a proper, professional, seamless PlayStation-style launch.”