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When the Sony PlayStation 5 released in Nov. 2020, it came with only one free game that was pre-installed. That game was Astro’s Playroom, a short demo that showed new PS5 owners the power of the new console and the PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller. And but now, Sony just dropped the sequel.
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Simply titled Astro Bot, the new game for PS5 is available for purchase starting on Friday (Sept. 6) for $59.99 at Target and other retailers.
And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can order now and get Astro Bot delivered straight to your home in two days (with orders over $35).
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Not a member? Sign up for a free membership to take advantage of all that Target Circle has to offer, including access to “deal of the day” products, instant savings on select items, three months of Apple TV+ to watch hit originals, access to exclusive shopping events — such as Target’s Deal Days and early Black Friday deals — and other perks.
If you want to take it a step further, you can sign up for the Target Circle Card (with no annual fee), which offers an extra 5% discount on all purchases, two-day free shipping with no order minimums and more. Learn more about the Target Circle Card here.
In addition, Astro Bot is ready to buy at Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon.
Sony
‘Astro Bot’
As for the new sequel, Astro Bot is a platform adventure game with 80 new levels spread over six galaxies and 50 planets. You play as Astro Bot, Sony’s lead gaming mascot, and your mission is to save 300 other robots from the evil Space Bully Nebulax throughout the PlayStation universe.
Meanwhile, to celebrate the new game, Sony also released a new limited-edition Astro Bot-themed PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller. It retails for $79.99 and buyable at Best Buy.
Priced at $59.99 and available for purchase at Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon, Astro Bot for PS5 is out now. In the meantime, watch the announcement trailer for the game, below:
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Source: PlayStation / Firewalk Studios / Concord
This news shouldn’t surprise anyone, but it’s also still shocking. Concord is going offline… for now.
In a stunning move, Sony announced Firewalk Studios’ hero shooter Concord is no longer available for purchase following a disastrous launch on PS5 and PC on August 23.
Ryan Ellis, game director at Firewalk Studio, announced the decision in a post on the PlayStation Blog. In it, he tells players that “aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended.”
“Concord fans — we’ve been listening closely to your feedback since the launch of Concord on PlayStation 5 and PC and want to thank everyone who has joined the journey aboard the Northstar,” Ellis wrote in the post. “Your support and the passionate community that has grown around the game has meant the world to us.”
“However, while many qualities of the experience resonated with players, we also recognize that other aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended. Therefore, at this time, we have decided to take the game offline beginning September 6, 2024, and explore options, including those that will better reach our players.”
The writing was on the wall for Concord due to its shockingly low player count at launch and poor reception. Per Polygon, less than 700 people were playing the game during launch weekend.
According to SteamDB, the number of concurrent players only went down, and as of Tuesday, only 30 people were playing the game.
Concord Players Are Getting A Rare Refund From PlayStation
The game is no longer available for purchase today, and PS5 and PC will be issued a full refund.
“If you purchased the game for PlayStation 5 from the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Direct, a refund will be issued back to your original payment method,” Ellis said in the post.
Refund instructions:
Steam Store – Steam Store will refund players who bought the game over the coming days. Steam will send confirmation of the refund once it has been processed.
Epic Games Store – Epic Games Store will refund players who bought the game over the coming days and will contact each customer directly to confirm that the refund has been processed.
Other retailer refunds – For customers who have purchased a physical copy at a retailer location outside of PlayStation directly, please refer to the refund process of the retailer you purchased it from to obtain your refund.
Per IGN, Concord sold around 25,000 copies, according to estimates.
PlayStation notes that players can no longer access the game once getting a refund.
As you can imagine, video game X is reacting to the news. Reactions range from shock to not being surprised to compassion for the team at Firewalk Studios.
Damn.
We hope Firewalk Studios can get the game in playing shape and turn this colossal mess into a success story.
Until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty /PS5 Pro
The PS5 Pro is PlayStaion’s worst-kept secret, and now an alleged leak is giving gamers their first look at the powerful console.
It’s been four years since the PS5 hit store shelves. At the time, it was one of the most sought-after devices in the world and ridiculously hard to get due to supply chain issues and annoying resellers.
With those issues now behind us and plenty of stock for everyone, word on the video game streets is that Sony was cooking up a PS5 Pro model, following the same console lifecycle as the PS4. Now, a new alleged leak is providing specs and a look at it.
Per an article on Deallabs, reliable leaker billbil-kun reports the name of the forthcoming console will be the PlayStation 5 Pro and shuts down any rumors of a PlayStation Showcase coming to announce the console formally.
According to the report, the PS5 Pro will arrive sometime at the end of 2024, with billbil-kun getting eyes on the packaging and design for the console.
While not sharing the leaked material due to copyright issues, a sketch of the console was shared. The PS5 Pro will keep the PS5 Slim design but feature three black stripes on the shell to help differentiate it from the core PS5 Slim model.
Other rumored leaked information includes:
Reveal is expected on the 6th of September 2024
Disc and Digital variants – Disc $699.99 – Digital $599.99 –
Detachable disc drive
1 TB Storage
IGN shared details on the PS5 Pro’s CPU performance:
In March, alleged PS5 Pro specs leaked online, specs IGN understood to be legit. The headline improvements are to the CPU, which is said to be identical to the standard PS5’s CPU but with a ‘High CPU Frequency Mode. That reportedly amounts to a 10% increase to 3.85GHz. The GPU, meanwhile, is said to enable faster rendering and higher quality ray tracing powered by 33.5 teraflops. The standard PS5 offers 10.28 teraflops. However, a direct PS5 to PS5 Pro comparison would work out at around 10.28 vs 16 to 17 teraflops.
Of particular interest, the PS5 Pro is said to have an upscaling/antialiasing solution called PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution Upscaling), custom machine learning architecture, and an AI accelerator.
IGN also reports that Sony hopes the PS5 Pro’s arrival will boost interest in the PS5 before the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, adding that a lot is riding on the highly anticipated game, which will arrive sometime in 2025.
Gaming X is reacting to the leaks and that eyebrow-raising price. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
10. More rumored specs
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Source: Sony / Sony
Though Sony hasn’t released a live-action Spider-Man film in forever and have no plans to anytime soon, they’re still not giving up on their own Spider-Verse, which features some of his classic villains and allies.
Following the atomic bombs that were Morbius and more recently Madame Web (just tuuuurible), Sony is hoping that their next Spidey spinoff, Kraven, can help rejuvenate comic book fans’ appetite for their struggling comic book universe. Good luck with that.
Still, they’ve just dropped off a new trailer for the origin story of one of Spider-Man’s deadliest foes and truth be told, it looks pretty entertaining. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular character, the new trailer to Kraven shows just how merciless and blood thirsty Sergei Nikolaievich Kravinoff (Kraven) can get when he has a mission to complete. Stabbing men, using bear traps to almost decapitate other men and dismembering whoever’s in his way, Kraven seems like he can be the evil John Wick of Sony’s Spider-Verse.
In the previous trailer we learned that he got his superhuman strength from a lion who took a few chomps out of him but didn’t finish the job (sort of similar to Catwoman in 1992’s Batman Returns). So now that he’s learned how to utilize his newfound abilities, Kraven’s out to prove he’s the world’s deadliest hunter while dealing with some daddy issues (Russell Crowe) that we’re sure will come to a head by the end of the film.
Check out the new trailer to Kraven below, and let us know if you’ll be checking for this when it hits theaters Dec. 13.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
First announced in March 2023, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a follow up to Dragon Ball FighterZ, which was released for the PS4 and Xbox One in 2018.
Ready for pre-order for $69.99 with release on Friday, Oct. 11, at Amazon, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero for the Sony PlayStation 5 is a new fighting game and the latest entry in the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series. It’s based on the very popular and long-running anime series of the same name, which started in 1989.
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In addition, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is playable for Xbox Series X.
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And if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order now and get Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivered to your home in less than two days thanks to Prime Delivery.
Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video and Prime Gaming; fast free shipping in less than two days; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day coming July 16-17 — and more.
Meanwhile, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is also available for pre-order at Target and Walmart.
Bandai Namco
Pre-Order
‘Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’
Releases on Oct. 11
As for the game itself, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a high-speed 3D fighting game that features attacks and combat with dazzling and frenetic visuals that rival the anime series. You can play as one of a whopping 164 fan-favorite characters (the most of any game in the series), such as Android 18, Burter, Cell, Dr. Gero, Goku, Yajirobe, Broly, Jiren, Kefla, Ribrianne and many others.
Available for pre-order at Amazon, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero for PS5 and Xbox is priced at $69.99 and drops on Friday, Oct. 11. The game is available from Target and Walmart. The ultimate edition of the game — which features early access, more characters and unlocked locations — is ready for pre-order too, and retails for $109.99.
Watch the game’s character trailer below:
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Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Although it was released for the Sony PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest in Dec. 2023, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 gets a non-virtual reality version release for the PlayStation 5.
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Priced at $39.99, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is available to purchase at Target.
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And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can order now and get Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 delivered straight to your home in two days (with orders over $35).
Not a member? Sign up for a free membership to take advantage of all that Target Circle has to offer, including access to “deal of the day” products, instant savings on select items, three months of Apple TV+ to watch hit originals, access to exclusive shopping events — like Target’s Deal Days and early Black Friday deals — and other perks.
If you want to take it a step further, you can sign up for the Target Circle Card (with no annual fee), which offers an extra 5% discount on all purchases, two-day free shipping with no order minimums and more. Learn more about the Target Circle Card here.
Below, you’ll find all the different retailers, including Walmart, Amazon and others, to buy Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 for PS5.
Steel Wool Games/Scott Cawthon
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2’
In addition, even though it’s made for the PS5, the game is also compatible with PSVR2, as well.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is a survival horror game that follows a new employee at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a Chuck E. Cheese-like family entertainment center with pizza, games and prizes. You navigate 40 minigames to survive the night from killer animatronic characters.
Available at Target, Walmart, Amazon Best Buy, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is priced at $39.99.
In the meantime, watch the game’s trailer, below:
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Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: PATRICK T. FALLON / Getty / Alamo Drafthouse
Well, this came out of nowhere. Sony is now the owner of the popular movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse.
The two companies announced the stunning news on Wednesday, revealing that Sony will oversee the theater experience under its new Sony Pictures Experiences division.
In a press release, Sony promises it “will preserve Alamo Drafthouse’s distinctive movie-dining experience.” At the same time, Alamo will continue operating “all 35 of its cinemas across 25 metro areas under the Alamo Drafthouse brand.”
Alamo’s current CEO, Michael Kustermann, will remain in his role. If you’re worried about the Fantastic Fest film festival, Alamo will still be in charge of that as well.
Sony is purchasing the movie theater chain from Altamont Capital Partners, Fortress Investment Group, and Alamo founder Tim League.
That same group took ownership of Alamo after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021.
Sony purchased Alamo Drafthouse largely due to the 2020 termination of the Paramount Consent Decrees. According to The Verge, the 1948 Supreme Court decision required movie companies to sell the theaters they owned to increase competition and allow customer choice.
Now that movie fans have so many options for viewing films, the Department of Justice decided to reverse the decree.
While the news may shock many, Sony is not the first movie company to take advantage of the decree’s reverse.
Netflix also owns movie cinemas in New York and Los Angeles.
The reactions to the news are similar, with fans of the theater chain warning Sony not to mess this up.
“Not sure what this means but it’s an Alamo down the street from me and I love that place. Don’t ruin the vibes, Sony,” one person on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
This writer agrees, and the price of my Alamo Season Pass better not rise either.
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With the popularity of VR headsets for gaming, like the Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro, Sony has their own next-generation headset and it’s on sale for its all-time lowest price ever.
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On sale for $449 (reg. $550) at Walmart, the Sony PlayStation VR2 is a virtual reality headset that works with the PS5 to deliver immersive gaming experiences. You use your head, eyes and hands to interact with a virtual world with 110-degree field of view that makes you feel like you’re inside of a game.
Please note: You need a PS5 to use the Sony PSVR2 headset.
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And since its from Walmart, you’ll get the PSVR2 shipped to your home for free as soon as it’s available if you’re a Walmart+ member.
If you’re not a member, then you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of everything the retailer’s rewards program has to offer with perks, such as free and fast delivery; fuel discounts; streaming access to Paramount+; additional savings with early access to exclusive deals and much more. Learn more about Walmart+ here.
Meanwhile, Sony’s VR headset is on sale at Target and Amazon, as well.
Sony
Sony PlayStation VR2 Headset
$449
$549.99
18% off
Buy Now Walmart
Buy Now at Target
Inside of the headset, you’ll find a dual-screen design that provides 4K Ultra HD visuals and eye tracking for each of your eyes. It also comes with a pair of Sony’s “Sense” controllers next-level haptic feedback, so you can control and feel all of the action in game.
The PSVR2 is ideal for VR2 compatible games and experiences, such as Horizon Call of the Mountain, No Man’s Sky, Resident Evil Village and more — all sold separately. Check out a list of games available at Walmart here.
Aside from the PSVR2, the Sony PS5 Slim is on sale for $449, or $51 off, at Walmart, while the hard-to-find PS Portal handheld remote player is in stock at the retailer too. Both pieces of hardware are compatible with the Pulse Explorer Wireless Earbuds and the PS Access Controller.
The Sony PlayStation VR2 Headset is on sale for $449, or $100.99 off its list price, at Walmart, Target and Amazon. Until then, watch an overview trailer for the VR headset below:
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Source: PlayStation / State of Play
Everyone owes Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grub an apology. He was absolutely correct — no surprise — that Sony is holding an event this month ahead of Summer Game Fest and the Xbox Games Showcase, but it will be the smaller State of Play.
On Wednesday, Sony confirmed it will have a State of Play presentation on Thursday, May 30.
Immediately, the company tempered expectations, announcing it would be a 30+ minute presentation that would provide “live updates on PS5 and PS VR2 titles, plus a look at PlayStation Studios games arriving later this year.”
Let The Speculation Begin
No one knows precisely what games PlayStation will show or what the company’s announcements will be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate.
The announcement of this upcoming State of Play follows news that a new Astro Bot game is on the way, with sites like IGN speculating that the game could be part of the presentation.
We could also get our first peek at the PS5 Pro console and announcements about God of War: Ragnarok coming to PC, continuing Sony’s campaign to strengthen its presence outside the PS5/PS4 ecosystem.
There is also a tiny chance (we hope) to see more of Insomniac Games’ highly-anticipated Wolverine game, a possible look at the leaked Venom game, or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 DLC.
Oh, the possibilities.
We will still head into this State of Play with the lowest expectations: Sony usually holds onto the more significant announcements for its PlayStation Showcase events.
Still, gamers and PlayStation fans are hoping we will get some significant announcements, even though Sony already told us not to expect any significant releases for the remainder of 2024.
Again, we have to wait and see; until then, you can see reactions to tomorrow’s State of Play in the gallery below.
1. Jeff Grubb was right
2. Immediately
3. Consider us all hyped
Sony Music warned tech companies not to mine its recordings, compositions, lyrics and more “for any purposes, including in relation to training, developing, or commercializing any [artificial intelligence] system,” in a declaration published on the company’s website on Thursday (May 16).
In addition, according to a letter obtained by Billboard, Sony Music is in the process of reaching out to hundreds of companies developing generative AI tech, as well as streaming services, to drive home this message directly.
The pointed letter notes that “unauthorized use of SMG Content in the training, development or commercialization of AI systems deprives SMG Companies and SMG Talent of control over and appropriate compensation for the uses of SMG Content, conflicts with the normal exploitation of those works, unreasonably prejudices our legitimate interests, and infringes our intellectual property and other rights.”
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GenAI models require “training” — “a computational process of deconstructing existing works for the purpose of modeling mathematically how [they] work,” as Google explained last year in comments to the U.S. Copyright Office in October. “By taking existing works apart, the algorithm develops a capacity to infer how new ones should be put together.” Through inference, these models eventually can generate credible-sounding hip-hop beats, for example.
Whether a company needs permission before undertaking the training process on copyrighted works is already the subject of a fierce debate, leading to lawsuits in several industries. In October, Universal Music Group (UMG) was among the music companies that sued AI startup Anthropic, alleging that “in the process of building and operating AI models, [the company] unlawfully copies and disseminates vast amounts of copyrighted works.”
Although these cases will likely set precedent for AI training practices in the U.S., the courts typically move at a glacial pace. In the meantime, some technology companies seem set on training their genAI tools on large troves of recordings without permission.
“Based on recent Copyright Office filings it is clear that the technology industry and speculative financial investors would like governments to believe in a very distorted view of copyright,” Dennis Kooker, Sony Music’s president of global digital business, said during the Artificial Intelligence Insight Forum in Washington, D.C. in November. “One in which music is considered fair use for training purposes and in which certain companies are permitted to appropriate the entire value produced by the creative sector without permission, and to build huge businesses based on it without paying anything to the creators concerned.”
While Kooker was adamant during his testimony that training for genAI music tools “cannot be without consent, credit and compensation to the artists and rightsholders,” he also pointed out that Sony has “roughly 200 active conversations taking place with start-ups and established players about building new products and developing new tools.”
“These discussions range from tools for creative or marketing assistance, to tools that potentially give us the ability to better protect artist content or find it when used in an unauthorized fashion, to brand new products that have never been launched before,” he continued.
Sony’s letter to genAI companies this week ended on a similar note: “We invite you to engage with us and the music industry stakeholders we represent to explore how your AI Act copyright policy may be developed in a manner that ensures our and SMG Talent’s rights are respected.”