As a long-time gaming enthusiast with over three decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the evolution of video games has been nothing short of astounding. However, none have left me more impressed than the PlayStation 5 (PS5), which seems to have taken the world by storm since its launch.
On June 11th, when Sony officially revealed the PlayStation 5, they showcased a variety of new games. The iconic duo Ratchet and Clank made their comeback in “Rift Apart”; Miles Morales got his own “Spider-Man” game. Polyphony Digital finally released a fresh installment in the mainline “Gran Turismo”. Housemarque took a unique approach with “Returnal”, Astro the platforming mascot moved beyond VR in “Astro’s Playroom”, and “Destruction AllStars” was, quite simply, featured.
It seems that two standout points were:
Initially, what drew most attention was the unveiling of the console. The reaction, you could say, was rather unique. Some found it reminiscent of a large-scale router, questioning its design contrast from past consoles and expressing concerns about cleaning dust. Meanwhile, others were fascinated by the digital-only version, devoid of a disc drive. Although Sony didn’t disclose the pricing details yet, there was still a buzz of excitement and anticipation surrounding it.
In September, the company demonstrated several highly anticipated games such as Final Fantasy 16 (initially exclusive to the console), Deathloop, Resident Evil Village, and the long-awaited follow-up to the 2018 reboot. We also learned about the release date and prices for the PS5 – it’s set to launch on November 12th, with the standard version priced at $499.99 and the digital version available for $399.99.
Unexpectedly, the sudden launch of pre-orders caused chaos globally, with retailers scrambling to accommodate the overwhelming demand. This happened earlier than many anticipated, leaving them unprepared and resulting in various issues. It was ironic since Sony had earlier announced a pre-registration program for pre-orders and assured it wouldn’t happen “on a moment’s notice.” After acknowledging the confusion, Sony promised to release additional consoles for pre-order and vowed to provide more throughout the remainder of the year.
Regardless of initial concerns, it was clear that the PS5 was destined for greatness. Its advanced hardware, featuring a custom AMD Zen 2 CPU, an RDNA-based GPU, and 16 GB GDDR6 RAM, represented a significant step up from the PS4. An additional 512 MB DDR4 RAM was incorporated within the controller as a cache for the cutting-edge SSD, boasting quick load times. The drawback being that it offered only 825 GB of storage, with about 667 GB available for game and media installations. However, in tandem with the Xbox Series X, it emerged as a symbol of 4K and 60 FPS gaming, as well as ray tracing on consoles.
The era of “premium gaming” was finally upon us…though some titles would eventually have to opt for separate Quality and Performance modes to emphasize native 4K resolution or smooth performance. Then there was the DualSense, which offered brand-new features like adaptive triggers, haptic feedback and a built-in microphone. It promised never-before-seen immersion for titles that supported it, and – annoying drift issues aside – it succeeded.
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) had a highly profitable phase, selling over 106 million units by December 2019. Sony aimed to surpass this with the PS5, but the global pandemic led to worldwide chip shortages, limiting stock availability. Despite this, 4.5 million PS5s were shipped during the fiscal quarter ending December 31st, 2020. This momentum carried over into the new year, resulting in ten million consoles being sold by July 18th, 2021, making it the fastest-selling console to date.
Initially, the selection of launch exclusives wasn’t extremely impressive, considering games like Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales were also playable on the PS4. However, the remake of Demon’s Souls was already being praised as a strong contender for Game of the Year. Astro’s Playroom, a free bonus, was well-received, demonstrating the capabilities of the PS5 and DualSense while providing an enjoyable platforming experience. Sony faced criticism for making Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered exclusive to the PS5 as an added benefit for those buying Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition.
After the debut of Destruction AllStars in February 2021, the pace of updates picked up (regrettably, it didn’t generate much excitement, not even when it was provided free on PlayStation Plus). In the same month, Nioh 1 and 2 were remastered and released. Then came Returnal in April. This game received rave reviews for its narrative, gameplay, and efficient use of the PS5’s hardware for quick load times.
Following the release of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, additional content was introduced such as the DLC titled INTERmission which centers around Yuffie, along with numerous enhancements to the game’s environmental textures that were particularly noticeable on PS4. To top it all off, in June we also saw the launch of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, offering an outstanding 3D platforming experience.
As a dedicated gamer, I found myself grappling with Sony’s strategy yet again when it came to the release of the Director’s Cut for Ghost of Tsushima. As an original owner, I was required to shell out additional cash for features like DualSense compatibility, flawless lip-syncing for Japanese dialogue (something the base game was previously criticized for lacking), dynamic 4K resolution, and more. However, Sony’s unquestionable reign continued with a staggering 13.4 million PS5 consoles sold by September 30th, 2021. The year ended strong with games like Deathloop, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Death Stranding Director’s Cut, and Solar Ash. The subsequent years promised a star-studded lineup of highly anticipated titles and exclusives.
2022 marked the release of several highly anticipated video games such as “Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection,” “Horizon Forbidden West,” “Gran Turismo 7,” “GhostWire: Tokyo” (initially exclusive for a year along with “Deathloop”), and “Ragnarok.” Among these, “Ragnarok” achieved immense success by selling an impressive 5.1 million copies in its debut week. As of April 2023, “Horizon Forbidden West” has sold over 8.4 million copies. Even titles like “The Last of Us Part 1,” which were initially seen as questionable due to a remastered version already being available, managed to perform well and benefited from the HBO TV series’ premiere in January 2023.
2021 saw a significant transformation in PlayStation Plus, as Sony restructured the service into three levels: Essential, Extra, and Premium. In response to Game Pass, the Extra and Premium tiers would grant users access to a vast library of games, known as the Game Catalog, which is continually expanding with new titles each month. The Premium tier allows for streaming of classic PS One, PS2, PS3, and PlayStation Portable games, offering features such as up-rendering, quick save, video filters, and quick save options for select titles. Despite not yet matching Game Pass in terms of day one first-party releases, it has become a viable alternative.
2023 brought some of the most significant PS5 games yet, although it began unevenly following the disappointing debut of Luminous Productions’ Forspoken. However, things picked up with Final Fantasy 16 in June and Baldur’s Gate 3 in September, though the Xbox version of the latter faced delays due to troubleshooting local split-screen problems on the Series S. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was unveiled in October 2023 and shattered previous sales records for first-party titles by selling 2.5 million units within its first day. Fans of Ragnarok were also treated to Valhalla, a free expansion and rogue-lite mode featuring a new narrative.
2021 saw the PS5 achieve 50 million sales and introduced two new models – one with an expanded SSD and larger capacity, as well as a Digital Edition devoid of a Blu-ray disc drive (available separately). Interestingly, Sony also unveiled a surprising change in strategy. Traditionally recognized for its single-player games, the PS5 now plans to roll out 12 live service games by April 2026.
Indeed, among those, titles such as Naughty Dog’s multiplayer game derived from “The Last of Us“, were likely to be scrapped. Sony, however, remained dedicated to the live service model, presenting games like “Concord” and “Fairgame$” for 2024. Yet, with no fresh titles in significant franchises until April 2025, a sense of apprehension was palpable due to the lack of new announcements.
2024 also witnessed a flurry of original games hitting the market. Among these were “Rise of the Ronin,” which had strong sales but lacked critical praise from critics; “Helldivers 2”; the charming “Astro Bot”; and the remastered version of “Horizon Zero Dawn.” Unfortunately, “Concord” didn’t fare well and was closed down just two weeks after its release. This unfortunate event followed other layoffs announced by Sony earlier in the year, including the shuttering of Sony London.
The PS5 boasted an exceptional selection of third-party games, such as Stellar Blade, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Black Myth: Wukong, and the Silent Hill 2 remake. Moreover, it gained an advantage due to Microsoft’s strategy change for their titles, resulting in games like Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves being playable on PlayStation as well.
In a less bustling year, the PS5 remains an essential console to own, particularly for its exclusive games. The PS5 Pro sparked quite a bit of controversy with its $699.99 price tag but has proven to be a solid option for enhanced visuals and performance after its launch. While PlayStation VR2 hasn’t impressed, the PlayStation Portal has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Sony announced that the PS5 Slim would receive a holiday discount, selling for $379.99 until December 24th. However, they later withdrew the ad and deleted any references to this deal.
As a devoted fan, I’m absolutely thrilled about the radiant future that lies ahead for the brand! Next year, we’ll be graced with “Ghost of Yotei,” Sucker Punch’s enthralling sequel to “Ghost of Tsushima,” which seems to signal an annual influx of captivating single-player titles from Sony. The anticipation doesn’t stop there; we also have “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach” on the horizon, and I can hardly wait to see what ingenious ideas Bend Studio has up their sleeves! With a staggering 65.5 million units shipped worldwide, it’s clear that the PS5 is merely warming up, ready to deliver even more extraordinary gaming experiences.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
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2024-11-16 20:13