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Everything that went down at Sony’s PlayStation 5 Showcase

Let the games begin.

Playstation 5 prices in various countries
Image: Sony

So that’s it. Sony has finally followed Microsoft’s lead and blown their metaphorical load to reveal a launch date and price. The PlayStation 5 Showcase on Twitch and YouTube gave us plenty of new details, so we finally know what to expect this winter and beyond.

There were some outstanding game trailers, some titles we already knew about, and a few sneaky little additions that hadn’t been mentioned, but ones that eagle-eyed viewers would have spotted. It was a great way to build anticipation for Sony’s new console, and it definitely made the launch of the new generation much more interesting. After Microsoft’s recent announcements, things feel a hell of a lot more even.

First up was a great montage clip with tons of different titles shown. It showed the effort going into new games, and practically shouted “look at all the games we’ve got. What does Xbox have?” Bigger, AAA titles including Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Horizon: Forbidden West were spotted. Smaller titles were given time to shine too, as Rocket League and the awesome looking cat simulator, Stray, popped up.

Throwing down the gauntlet

Stray on playstation 5

I mentioned Stray just so I could use this gorgeous image. (Image: Sony)

But this was all business as usual. We needed something to wow the crowd. Which is where Final Fantasy XVI comes in. Not only did it show off some incredible visuals and rousing music, but it was also announced as a timed console exclusive to PS5. Final Fantasy has a rich history with PlayStation going back as far as the PS1. So to see the series coming home to roost was a fantastic way to make consumers forget Xbox exists, at least for the time being.

The whole PlayStation 5 Showcase was masterfully put together. Gameplay for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales gave us a glimpse at the incredible effects we can expect to see when it launches over the Holiday 2020 period. Hogwarts Legacy from Avalanche was finally announced for a 2021 release and is sure to have excited anyone who’s ever dreamed of being sorted into their favorite house.

All this showed that Sony is obviously giving a focus to single-player games leading into the next generation. Introverts have plenty to be happy about. But what about the social types? Well, that’s where Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War comes in. Not only will the new CoD launch in November, but the multiplayer alpha is available exclusively for PS4 players from September 18-20 and can be pre-loaded now.

Greatness Arrived

As a vehicle for PS5 hype, I felt Sony was doing a great job. Left, right, and center, it seemed to be doing all the right things. The spread of genres showed there’s a little something for everyone, with nods to the past as well as looks to the future.

Take Resident Evil Village for example. It’s the eight entry in another series that has a rich history with PlayStation. PS1 may not have been so successful without the original Resident Evil and its terrible, hokey voice acting. Which is why it’s so fitting that we got a new look at this 2021 release.

Lots more information was thrown at us from all directions from here on in. We were given a new look at Arkane’s PlayStation 5 exclusive, Deathloop (scheduled for Q2 2021 release). Capcom returned with a trailer for Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition, which will be available digitally from launch day. Another PlayStation exclusive, Oddworld: Soulstorm, was given some attention, with a story-based trailer, some gameplay, and the Oddworld brand of humor in spades.

Are you ready for some Fazbear pizza?

This all led into something a little different. Something very creepy. A teaser for Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach. It looks like the cult horror series is making its way to the next-gen, complete with jump scares and a new shopping mall setting. Honestly, the voiceover in this teaser got to me more than Resident Evil Village’s trailer. It obviously took cues from System Shock’s Shodan and Portal’s GLaDOS. Looking forward to seeing what they do with this.

Console exclusives seem to be Sony’s focus at the moment with the PlayStation 5. They were placed perfectly throughout the whole Showcase and let us see exactly what we’ll be buying into when November rolls around. So giving us a look at the Demon’s Souls remake was a fantastic move on their part. Another series with history on PlayStation, it looked to retain the merciless difficulty of the PS3 original. Time to ‘git gud’ again on launch day.

A trailer for Fortnite showed off the same game we’ve already been enjoying since 2017, but it looks so much better now. It runs smoother, the colors pop even more, and it’ll be ready for the PS5 launch. Mentioning Fortnite is also much more interesting than it seems. With the amount of cash it generates, we knew it was making the jump to next-gen, but a release date hasn’t been formally announced for Xbox Series X/S yet. Could this be a timed exclusive for PS5?

Microsoft’s Game Pass offering has been running roughshod over PS Now for the last couple of years, so Sony really needed something to pull it back. Enter the PlayStation Plus Collection. It’s a new benefit included in the price of PS+ which will allow you to download and play PS4 games on PS5. Games shown included God of War, Detroit: Become Human, Ratchet and Clank, Days Gone, and The Last of Us Remastered. It wasn’t just exclusives either – Battlefield 1, Resident Evil 7, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Fallout 4 were all announced as part of this new addition to the service.

So, how much will the PlayStation 5 set you back?

Playstation 5 prices

Image: Sony

Finally, after a second montage trailer (which managed to sneak in the Pokémon-inspired Temtem) we were treated to the all-important information. The PlayStation 5 will release November 12 in the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea. It will launch across all other regions on November 19. It will cost $499.99/£449.99, while the Digital Edition will be $399.99/£349.99. Preorders are open now with select retailers.

Wait, did I say finally? After the price reveal, the screen went black. A deep, gravelly voice was heard, and a very familiar painted logo began to appear, along with a series of runes etched into it. In 2021, Ragnarök is coming. In an outstanding mic drop moment, Sony formally announced the new God of War to close out the Showcase. What a way to end.

What do you think? Excited for the launch of the PlayStation 5? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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A gamer since I've been able to hold a controller, I can usually be found with a PlayStation, Xbox or Switch controller in my hand.

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