State Champ Radio PlayStation 5
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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / PS5
It’s a new year, and Sony is declaring if you want a PS5, you should now be able to get one.
Sunday clips of a new PlayStation television ad shown on Australian television hit folk’s Twitter timelines showing Spider-Man giving gamers hope some information about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was coming.
It turns out that clip is a part of Sony’s new “Live From PS5” ad campaign celebrating community and welcoming more players to get in on the PlayStation 5 action.
Monday, PlayStation dropped the ad in North America while also sharing the news it would be increasing its PS5 supply.
Per The PlayStation Blog:
To all our fans: thank you for your patience as we navigated unprecedented demand for the PS5 console amid global challenges. If you’re looking to purchase a PS5 console, you should now have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally.
For players in the U.S., U.K, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, be sure to check direct.playstation.com to purchase a PS5 console, games, and accessories directly from PlayStation. PS5 products are also available at participating retailers globally.
This news comes after Sony boss Jim Ryan happily announced the PS5 jig is up during the company’s CES presentation.
“Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally, starting from this point forward,” Ryan told CES attendees.
2023 Looks Like It Will Be Another Good Year For The PS5
As for the ad, it’s an excellent one-minute spot showcasing upcoming PS5 titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy XVI, plus already released exclusive hits Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Gran Turismo 7, God of War Ragnarok, Destiny 2, Horizon Forbidden West, Returnal, Ghosts of Tsushima, possibly Uncharted and more.
It sounds like PlayStation is gearing up for another stellar year. Xbox already gave its gaming base a taste of what’s to come with its recent Developer Direct presentation, where we got a shock drop with Hi-Fi Rush, which is already getting game of the year nods from players.
In a recent interview, Xbox boss Phil Spencer did not acknowledge the company did not do right by gamers and was “too light on games,” but it looks like Xbox could also have a stellar 2023 to make up for its shortcomings in 2022.
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Photo: SOPA Images / Getty
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Source: Sony / PlayStation
PlayStation Plus was first launched in 2010 and granted its users a variety of options that made the service a vital part of the gaming experience on the platform. PS Plus, as it is also known, went under a massive revamp in 2022 while introducing three tiers, and we’re putting a focus on the PlayStation Plus Premium level.
For starters, let’s talk about what PlayStation Plus is and break down its three tiers.
Source: Sony / PlayStation
Tier 1 is known as PS Plus Essential, which is the same as the former PS Plus. Nothing has changed in the offerings, which include two monthly free games that can be downloaded to your PlayStation 5 console. Essential subscribers also get periodic discounts, cloud storage for game files, and online multiplayer capabilities. The Essential tier costs $9.99 per month or $59.99 for the year.
Tier 2 is known as PS Plus Extra and it offers everything from the Essential tier along with 400-plus PS4 and PS5 games in a wide variety of offerings from platformers, fighting games, first-person shooters, and more. The Extra tier will run you $14.99 per month and $99.99 for the year.
Tier 3 is known as PS Plus Premium and gives its subscribers all of the offerings in the Essential and Extra tiers. In addition, 340-plus PS3 titles can be streamed and playable, along with classic PS1, PS2, and PSP titles among the overall number. The cloud streaming option replaces the former PS Now streaming service. This tier also gives subscribers time-limited game trials to some of the top games in the PlayStation ecosystem. This will cost you $17.99 per month and $119.00 for the year.
I’ve been using the service since the summer and I am not what someone would consider a power gamer. However, I suffer heavily from FOMO and the Premium tier is perfect for someone like me. I’ve learned the hard way which games I enjoy the most (single-player, story-driven, action-adventure) and which ones I don’t (MOBA, RTS). The tier has a number of high-quality games to play, including two favorites of mine, Returnal, and Deathloop.
Housemarque, a developer under the PlayStation Studios umbrella, released Returnal in 2021 to heavy fanfare and adoration from critics. The game is a “roguelike,” which is an offshoot of role-playing games with characters entering randomly generated levels and, most notably, a permanent end to the player’s life cycle. The game is difficult at times and each time the player perishes, it reveals a bit more of the story. It is the game I feel that made purchasing the Premium tier worth it due to the dazzling gunplay, boss fights, and story development.
Having gotten my roguelike sea legs under me, I decided to try out Deathloop next, developed by Arkane Lyon, and also released in 2021. I won’t try to explain the concept but the game’s title is accurate as the main character, the wisecracking assassin Colt, traipses through a variety of environments that have a funky art deco style. I don’t normally do well with first-person shooters (FPS) but I did enjoy how fun Deathloop is along with the hilarious voice acting and the general sense of stealth and discovery.
This isn’t to say there aren’t other great games to play. The service has interesting titles like the excellent Stray, Grand That Auto: Vice City, and several titles from the Assasin’s Creed series. It does appear that games will cycle in and out from the game catalog but anything obtained from the two monthly free game downloads will remain in your library for as long as you maintain a subscription.
Another game I have to mention, especially for fans of The Lord Of The Rings, is Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. When I’m not dying awful deaths in Returnal or frustrating myself with the amazing God of War, I’m enjoying my time taking out Uruks as Talian, a ranger from the land of Gondor. I don’t want to spoil the story but this game employs something known as the Nemesis system, which means if an Uruk captain takes you out, they’ll remember you. Also, any Uruk (basically a beefed-up Orc) you rubbed the wrong way will seek vengeance. For a game made in 2014, it still holds up.
I would offer that if you’re not someone who plays video games often, the Extra tier would be more than enough for some. If you’re someone who enjoys playing games with friends or online buddies and loves the monthly freebies, you’ll need to get the Essential tier. However, the Premium tier is definitely for those who are true gamers. Having access to literally hundreds of games should balance out the cost of that particular tier. The one true ding on PlayStation Plus is that, unlike Xbox’s Game Pass, subscribers won’t be able to have day one access to games on the date of their release.
For now, I can comfortably recommend, at the very least, fans signing up for the Extra tier of PS Plus. Get the Premium if you’re someone who breezes through games or just enjoys a high level of variety. Also, it gives access to a classic array of games you might’ve missed over the years.
Learn more about PlayStation Plus by following this link.
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Photo: Sony/Playstation
Source: Future Publishing / Getty / Video GamesWelcome to 2023, and it promises to be another significant year for gamers. 2022 is in the books, and it closed on an extremely high note thanks to God of War: Ragnarok blowing gamers away once again and cementing Kratos as one of the greatest video game characters ever, sorry Mario.Oh, and we can’t forget Horizon Forbidden West, another fantastic entry into Guerilla’s epic franchise adding to PlayStation’s stellar year of exclusives.But that was then. This is now. 2023 looks promising, thanks mainly to games that were supposed to drop in 2022 having their wigs pushed back.Hip Hop Wired decided to narrow that list down to 15 games WE are most excited to pick up the sticks for in 2023. Now, if we miss one, that’s okay; remember, this is our list, but we don’t mind you throwing your suggestion our way.Below are 15 titles we can’t wait to play on our Xbox Series X, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.
1. Dead Space
Resident Evil and Silent Hill had the survival horror genre on lock-in grounded locales. 2008’s Dead Space took the fear from those games and perfected it in outer space.
Fast Foward to 2023, the good folks at EA decided it was time to revive the franchise and bring the necromorph terror to next-gen consoles.
The original team that made 2008’s Dead Space has since moved on and dropped The Callisto Protocol, a similar game but at the same time quite different.
Motive Studios has taken over the franchise and promises the remake will stay true to the original but, at the same time, vastly improve on the game.
Based on what he has seen so far, that looks like that will be the case. Dead Space arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC on January 27.
2. Resident Evil 4
Capcom shook the Resident Evil franchise up when it dropped Resident Evil 4 on the Nintendo Switch in 2005. Ditching slow gameplay mechanics, the tank controls fans came to love in the original games for a new over-the-shoulder camera view and fast-paced action, and a new inventory system turned out to be a successful gamble for the video game company.
Resident Evil 4 would become one of the essential titles in video game history, so it makes sense that Capcom would also give it the same remake treatment that Resident Evil 2 and RE 3: Nemesis have received.
Resident Evil 4 remake sees the return of Leon S. Kennedy, arguably one of the most popular characters in the RE franchise. It looks to build off the momentum started by his introductory adventure in Resident Evil 2.
The game arrives on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S | X, and PC on March 24.
3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Sony is looking to have another strong year for the PS5, which could be easily attainable thanks to Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
We still don’t know much about this game except that both Spider-Man and Miles Morales will be playable and will be taking on Venom.
Insomniac assured fans that the game will arrive in 2023 but has yet to share a solid release date, we expect that information to come soon.
4. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
It took a long five years for Final Fantasy VII: Remake to hit consoles, and thankfully so because that game was a masterpiece.
Fortunately, we won’t have to wait long for the next installment, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. The game will pick up where the first chapter ended, with Cloud and the crew trying to stop Sephiroth from enacting his plan, and that’s all we know.
The game is set to arrive “next winter,” so that could mean 2023 or the beginning of 2024, we’re hoping for this year because we are thirsty for more.
Like the previous title, this game is exclusive to the PlayStation 5.
5. Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI, the next installment in the Final Fantasy saga, is taking it back to the times of knights, kings, queens, wizards, and palace intrigue, and it looks L I T.
This one will be a timed exclusive coming to PlayStation 5 consoles first on June 22, and eventually on Windows PC.
6. Assassin’s Creed Mirage
With the changing year, you can always expect a new game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. For Mirage, Ubisoft’s next installment is returning to the original formula that made the game a hit with fans.
This game will ditch the Action/RPG format returning to its stealth roots and will be set in Baghdad in the 9th century, and will follow the assassin Basim Ibn Ishaq, a character you met in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.
Get ready to assassinate and get your parkour on when Assassin’s Creed Mirage drops on PlayStation, Xbox, Windows PC, and Amazon Luna sometime later this year.
7. Forspoken
The developers behind Final Fantasy 15 took a break from the iconic franchise to bring to the gaming world Forspoken, a new IP from Square Enix.
The game follows Frey, played by the beautiful Ella Ballinska, who is magically transported to a fantasy world where she will be guided by a talking bracelet and armed with magical spells to help her find her way back home to New York City.
Forspoken is PlayStation 5 console exclusive and will also arrive on Windows PC on January 24.
8. RoboCop: Rogue City
Teyon Games made a first-person shooter featuring our favorite cyborg cop, and it looks pretty damn good. RoboCop: Rogue City will have players taking on the role of Alex Murphy as he dishes out his brand of justice across Old and New Detroit while trying to stop a massive crime wave.
RoboCop: Rogue City arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on June 2023.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
It’s been almost 6 years since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild, which many consider being a game changer.
While we still wait for a new Nintendo Switch, we won’t have to wait too long for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the highly-anticipated follow-up to Breath of The Wild. We still don’t know much about the game’s plot except that Link will have some new abilities, and a lot of the adventure will possibly take place in the skies above Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom supposedly launches on the Nintendo Switch & Switch OLED on May 12.
10. Street Fighter 6
Capcom is looking to have a much better launch with Street Fighter 6 than it did with Street Fighter V. When the next installment in the iconic fighting game franchise arrives, it will do so with three modes.
Players can look forward to the classic mode Fight Ground that delivers old-school Street Fighter action, the new World Tour mode where players have to fight their way to the top, and a Battle Hub for multiplayer hands, feet, and dragon punches can be exchanged.
Street Fighter 6 launches on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PC on June 2.
11. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Rocksteady Games gives Batman a break and gives players control of Task Force X in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
Technically, Batman is still around, but this time he’s on the wrong side of justice. In the game, players will control a team comprised of villains Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark. Their mission will be to take down the Justice League, including “alpha target” Superman, The Flash, Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman.
The supes are all under the control of Brainiac, one of Superman’s many enemies.
Task Force X will look to do the impossible in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League when the game arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 26.
12. Dead Island 2
Dead Island 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2011 game, has had its wig pushed back NUMEROUS times, so could this be the year the sequel finally comes out?
We hope so.
In Dead Island 2, the action RPG shifts from an island resort to sunny Los Angeles, where players can pick up whatever they want and use it as a weapon to eradicate the undead.
Dead Island 2 arrives on PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One on April 28, we hope.
13. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Team Ninja, the studio behind the action RPG series Nioh is looking to shake up 2023 with Wo-Long: Fallen Dynasty, a Soulslike game described as a “dark fantasy action game set in the Chinese Three Kingdoms period.”
We played the extensive demo and enjoyed our time with the game. We can’t way to play more when the game drops on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC on March 3. It will also be a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass.
14. Hogwarts Legacy
This might be the Harry Potter-themed game fans of the books and movies have longed for. Hogwarts Legacy will see players taking on the role of a student attending the fictional wizarding school during the 1800s, well before Harry Potter and his friends were born.
It’s an open-world adventure full of all the fantastic lore from the Harry Potter books and films. Whether fans will be able to look past the transphobic nonsense the series creator J.K. Rowling has been spewing and pick up the game is another story.
Hogwarts Legacy arrives on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X on February 10.
15. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Cal Kestis’ adventure continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and he’s no longer the green Jedi on the run we first met. Equipped with new skills, some better lightsabers, loyal droid BD-1, and a new ally and friend, Kestis is trying to survive as Darth Vader and The Empire continue the mission to wipe the Jedi from the universe.
Unlike the first game, Survivor, which takes place five years after the events of Fallen Order, will be much darker in tone.
This sounds like the sequel we were hoping for. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor arrives on Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC on March 17.
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Source: Future Publishing / Getty / PlayStation 5
The days of selling your kidneys and doing strange things for a PlayStation 5 are finally over. Allegedly.
Wednesday, Jan.4, during the company’s CES presentation, Sony boss Jim Ryan declared the PlayStation 5 jig is finally over.
“Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally, starting from this point forward,” Ryan told CES attendees.
Ryan also said that Sony sold over 30 million PlayStation 5 consoles. That’s 5 million more than what was initially reported in November.
Are those consoles sitting in gamers’ entertainment systems is another question entirely.
Acquiring a PlayStation 5 deserves a platinum trophy, as many gamers found out when the next-gen console launched in November 2020. Not until August 2022 was it a tad bit easier to find a PS5, reportedly.
Still, finding a PS5 at retail price requires patience and a bit of luck, of course. The best way to get a PS5 console without dealing with scalpers is to buy the $550 disc drive edition that either comes with Horizon Forbidden West or God of War: Ragnarok.
That’s a steep asking price if you’re budget is set on copping the $399 digital edition of the PS5 console.
Ryan thanked PlayStation fans for their “managed unprecedented demand amid global challenges over the past two years.”
What’s PS5 Stock Looking Like?
We decided to do some investigating, and we checked Best Buy. It seems bundles are in high demand and requires a Best Buy account to purchase one.
Checking Gamestop says there are limited quantities of the Horizon Forbidden West digital, physical bundle, and digital edition console.
If you want to purchase a God of War: Ragnarok bundle, you have to be a pro-member, but it does seem that it is becoming “easier” to find one.
The real test will be if you can actually walk into a Best Buy or Gamestop location and walk out with a PS5 console.
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Photo: Future Publishing / Getty
