Big Changes Happening at PlayStation, PS5 Details Announced

PS Now, Cross-Play and more shake things up for Sony as we learn more about the next console

Oct 09, 2019

As we near the end of this console generation, PlayStation has prepared to hit the ground running next year. With a more friendly approach to cross-play with other systems, an easier to get into price for PS Now complete with some new great games available to play, and the end of an era that makes the mystery of next-gen even more exciting. We finally have some concrete facts about the PlayStation 5, and things are looking good.

Cross-Play

Seemingly overnight, PlayStation has completely reversed its previously stubborn stance on cross-platform play for online games. The ability to play with gamers on other consoles like Xbox and Switch could always be done, but Sony didn't want their fans to interact with anyone but other PlayStation players. That has changed, and now any developer can enable this ability for their games, making an even bigger and more united gaming community than ever before. We saw this happen first with Fortnite, but it is now only a matter of time before more games follow its lead.

The more people that can enjoy games together, the better

PS Now

PlayStation Now was a tough sell from the beginning. Unlike Xbox's GamePass service, PS Now is all about streaming a vast library of games to your system over the internet. While this might seem like a cool idea in concept, since with PS Now you don't even need a PS4 to play unless you have a great internet connection it is a bit too laggy to fully enjoy.

Action heavy games like Uncharted were difficult to play with the latency caused by streaming the game with a less than perfect connection. However, with a new focus on game streaming with Google Stadia and Microsoft's Project xCloud, PS Now could end up being a great alternative for people looking to enjoy a wide selection of games at a low price as we move into the next generation and the technology and connection speeds improve.

The service is now only $9.99 a month, a much more affordable price to jump in and play the increasingly large list of titles now including some of the best games available on PlayStation. God of War, inFamous: Second Son, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Grand Theft Auto V have already been added to the library, with more games being promised to hit every month so there's always something new to enjoy.

With so many streaming services popping up, how many is too many?

Shawn Layden Leaves PlayStation

After over 30 years, Shawn Layden is retiring from PlayStation. Layden has helped with the creation of numerous great games like the recent Horizon: Zero Dawn, Spider-Man, and God of War.

Shawn Layden has been a part of tons of PlayStation's best announcements and releases

PlayStation 5 Release Window and Ray-Tracing

It is now confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will be called, the PlayStation 5 and that it will be coming out next year during the holiday season. The new console has some exciting new features, starting with the focus on Ray-Tracing. Ray-Tracing is a new method for lights and reflections to be created in the game world, making for even more detailed and beautiful game environments. You can see reflections in puddles, and lights/shadows will realistically bounce off objects. It is quite impressive to see, but right now you have to have quite a powerful PC to make it work. Having this feature included right out of the gate with both the PS5 and Xbox Scarlett will be awesome no doubt.

Ray-Tracing makes Minecraft look like a different game

The DualShock 5

The consoles new controller, the DualShock 5 is getting some upgrades as well with some new tech that helps to make you feel even more immersed in games. With haptic feedback, think a more advanced version of controller rumble, controlling games and feeling the effects of your actions will feel even more realistic. Exploring a dense forest in Horizon will feel much different than web-swinging through New York City in Spider-Man for example. The triggers also get an overhaul that will allow developers to control how the actions controlled by them feel. When you pull back Aloy’s bow in Horizon, you get a certain resistance already, but it will be even more noticeable with the new controller. It is a bit hard to say without hands-on time just yet how these new features will enhance gaming, but they are certainly trying to give players the best and most immersive experience possible. Wired got to play a PS5 version of the racing game Gran Turismo Sport and reported that:

“Driving on the border between the track and the dirt, I could feel both surfaces. Doing the same thing on the same track using a DualShock 4 on a PS4, that sensation disappeared entirely.” -wired.com

The DualShock controller design is iconic

Loading Times and Customizable Installation

Have you ever been playing a game, and you get to a loading screen that just takes forever? That might soon be a thing of the past. The PS5 will use solid-state drive technology, which allows for super-quick loading. Developers have had to use creative ways to get around loading for years, but if that is removed, who knows what could be possible. Playing what you want will be easier as well. Do you mainly just play multiplayer? You can choose which part of a game to install and delete easily to keep what will no doubt be huge file sizes for the next-gen games under control.