Sony unveils latest gaming creation PlayStation 5

HONOLULU (KHON2) — After roughly four years in development, Sony revealed its latest gaming console — PlayStation 5 (PS5).

Its release date? ‘Holiday 2020,’ the company says. It’ll be in direct competition with the Xbox Series X, which will also come out around the same time as Sony’s latest creation.

As for how much it will cost, the company has not yet released pricing but will do so sometime before launch.

…and here it is. Thanks for watching! #PS5 pic.twitter.com/pOzHc31X3G
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 11, 2020

What’s new with the PlayStation 5?

(Courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The newest console features a futuristic two-toned design, straying off its usual sleek black look. The company’s previous consoles, except for the original PlayStation and the PSOne, all shared a similar rectangular black shell.

This time around, players will have the option to choose from two models: a standard PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive, and a digital model without a disc drive.

But the new console isn’t limited to PS5 games only. The new console will have backwards compatible ability — meaning that most of the PS4 games will be playable on the PS5.

“We’re expecting backward compatible titles will run at a boosted frequency on PS5 so that they can benefit from higher or more stable frame rates and potentially higher resolutions. We’re currently evaluating games on a title-by-title basis to spot any issues that need adjustment from the original software developers,” wrote the company in a blog post.

But don’t expect most of the 4,000+ PS4 games to be playable at launch. The company says that it looked at the top 100 PS4 titles as ranked by play time, and that those will most likely be the ones to be playable at launch on the PS5. Over time, Sony will continue to test the games and expand the backwards compatibility game list.

Aside from new features, the company says it worked to make the new console faster and even more immersive by adding features such as 3D audio.

Here’s a breakdown of specs:

Introducing DualSense, Sony’s newest controller

New look, new name. Sony’s calling its newest controller ‘DualSense.’

For years, the company added very little change to the shape and overall appearance of its DualShock controllers.

But Sony seems to be working in a direction to evolve gameplay immersion extending even to what’s felt in the player’s hands.

“This provided us with an exciting challenge to design a new controller that builds off of the current generation, while taking into account the new features we were adding,” said Hideaki Nishino, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Platform Planning and Management in a PlayStation blog post.

The DualSense adopts haptic feedback, which will supposedly add a variety of ‘powerful sensations’ that players will be able to feel during gameplay.

“Such as the slow grittiness of driving a car through mud,” wrote Nishino. “We also incorporated adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons of DualSense so you can truly feel the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.”

The ‘Share’ button has also been done away with, but not completely. Nishino said that there will be a new ‘Create’ button feature, but did not disclose what it would entail. More details will be revealed as the company gets closer to launch, he said.

A new built-in microphone is also among its latest features, allowing players to easily chat with friends without the need for a headset.

It’s mainly ideal for jumping into a quick conversation, Nishino adds.

But with the new microphone addition, does that mean there will be no jack to plug in a headset? No, says PlayStation Product Manager Toshimasa Aoki in a Twitter post. Aoki revealed that the controller will still have an audio jack for players to plug a headset in.

Still have an audio jack so you can plug in your own headsets like DS4
— Toshimasa Aoki (@toshimasa_aoki) April 8, 2020

Aside from its latest features, designers worked to ensure that the controller didn’t give off a bulky feeling and they worked to lessen its weight.

What else to expect

“With PlayStation 5, we are making a significant leap to deliver a truly new generation of transformative play experiences that will redefine expectations for what games can be,” said Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan. “Worlds will be richer and more beautiful, they’ll captivate your senses in ways you didn’t think possible, and you’ll be able to experience them much more seamlessly, with lightning-fast loading.”

SIE also announced a slate of new PS5 accessories to enhance the gaming experience, including:

PULSE 3D™ wireless headset – offering 3D audio support and dual noise-cancelling microphones;
HD Camera – featuring dual 1080p lenses for gamers to broadcast themselves along with their epic gameplay moments;
Media Remote – a remote control with built-in microphone to navigate movies and streaming services with ease; and
DualSense™ Charging Station – for convenient charging of two DualSense™ Wireless Controllers.

Let’s talk gaming titles

SIE Worldwide Studios and the industry’s top publishers and developers revealed a lineup of PS5 games.

Some of the first-party PlayStation Studios exclusives included: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games), Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital), and Horizon Forbidden West (Guerrilla Games).

Here are all the announced games that will be released to play:

PS5 Games from Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Worldwide Studios and second-party partners