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#30: Sony raises the PS5 price. But at what cost?
It's hard to believe we're nearly two years into this new console generation. A bold new era of SSDs! And ray-traced reflections! It's been a bit of a bumpy road, but thankfully the PS5 and Xbox are finally becoming easier to get hold of and all the major consoles have enjoyed big sales since their respective launches. So how has Sony chosen to celebrate this success? With a price drop!
No wait. A price rise!
Yep, as you’re no doubt aware, Sony bosses have decided to increase the cost of the PS5 by £30/€50 in the UK and Europe. At a time when many people face the frankly terrifying scenario of having to choose between heating their homes and eating.
Sure, costs have risen universally and PlayStation as a business is affected just like all the rest - and why should video games be exempt when everything else is going up? But this move in particular seems especially short-sighted. And the timing simply couldn’t be worse.
Indeed, it's not actually the price rise itself that stings the most. In the grand scheme of things, £30 isn't all that much, and £390/£480 for the Digital/Disc editions still represents good value for what you get. But it's the perceived penny-pinching from a company with cash reserves in the billions that leaves such a sour taste in the mouth when so many are struggling.
It doesn't help that this isn't the first time recently that Sony has brought back unflattering memories of the early PS3 days, back when then-boss Ken Kutaragi suggested that if consumers couldn't afford a PS3 they should "work more hours to buy one".
Sony were quick to introduce a new £70 price-tag on its first-party PS5 games at a time when Microsoft were launching them day-one on Game Pass. And the bizarrely convoluted new PlayStation Plus service was hardly well received when it launched recently, despite offering an increasingly impressive library of older games.
Sony’s suits have made the decision to squeeze just a little bit more cash out of us. But at what cost? It'll be interesting to see how quickly consumers forget about the their attempt to maintain record profits at a time when the world feels like it's collapsing around our feet. And whether the short-term gain to Sony’s bank balance is worth the potential long-term damage to its already fragile image.
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I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Is Sony well within its rights to increase prices in line with everything else? Or is it a step too far for a company taking its success for granted? To share your thoughts simply reply to this email directly, or catch me over on Twitter.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the newsletter!
Take care
Jeff
NEWS
Sony has revealed the latest batch of games to hit its PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra and Premium tiers in September. It's a big list, headlined by PS5's Deathloop.
Xbox's September Games with Gold line-up has been announced. Microsoft previously confirmed that Xbox 360 games will no longer be included with Gold, meaning this month's (wonderful) Portal 2 will be the final 360 game to feature.
Some hilarious Spider-Man Remastered PC mods have surfaced to let you play as Kermit the Frog, Saul Goodman, Kratos, and more. See them in action here.
New details have emerged about God of War Ragnarök, thanks to a developer interview with Game Informer.
Halo Infinite's Forge mode gets a November release date, but sadly, split-screen co-op has been cancelled.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority will undertake an in-depth investigation of the Microsoft-Activision deal amid competition concerns.
Call of Duty will join Xbox Game Pass, but still launch on PlayStation the same day, Microsoft has confirmed.
Tom Hanks has released a mobile trivia game called Hanx101.
New Half-Life 2: Episode Three concept art reveals what could have been.
Shovel Knight Dig gets a September release date and a new trailer.
The next Mafia game is in development, developer Hanger 13 has announced.
Ubisoft has confirmed that Assassin's Creed Mirage is real.
Twilight Princess and Wind Waker Switch ports are reportedly set for a reveal in September.
The PlayStation VR2 will be easier for developers to port games to, Sony has said.
Jet Set Radio spiritual successor Bomb Rush Cyberfunk has been delayed to 2023.
Xbox will have its own presentation at Tokyo Game Show that will be "curated for players in Japan and Asia”.
Sony and Tencent have increased their shareholding in Elden Ring and SoulsBorne developer FromSoftware.
Ubisoft's guitar learning subscription service Rocksmith+ will finally release next week on PC.
Sony has been quick to reassure fans of its commitment to traditional single-player games after the launch of a new mobile game division.
The all-women Games Done Quick speedrunning event has raised over $135k for Malala Fund.
The Resident Evil series has been cancelled by Netflix after just one season.
DEALS
PlayStation's Extended Play Sale has launched, with up to 60% off games and DLC. There's also a Games Under £15 Sale, and Sifu at 30% off is the Deal of the Week.
Sony are still offering 7-day free trials for their new Extra and Premium PlayStation Plus tiers, if you're not already a subscriber.
Xbox are running an Open World Sale with up to 70% off, well, open world games, an Optimised for Next-Gen Sale, an ongoing Summer Spotlight promotion, and a Paradox Publisher Sale, with up to 75% off Paradox games such as Cities Skylines and Surviving Mars.
There's no specific promotion running on Nintendo’s eShop at the moment, but there are still hundreds of games on sale anyway.
You can currently save up to £150 on HTC Vive VR hardware until 11th September.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and Submerged: Hidden Depths are free on the Epic Games Store this week.
As always, there are plenty of games on general sale on the Epic Games Store and Steam deal pages.
More!
The Video Game Storytelling Summit
On September 8th four influential game writers will be hosting an online event to discuss storytelling, game and character narrative, gameplay, and more at the Video Game Storytelling Summit.
This is a free one-day online event, and it's open to the first 200 people that sign up. Find out more and book your spot here.
Ninty Fresh Issue 07
If you missed out on the latest issue Ninty Fresh magazine during its Kickstarter campaign, it's now available to buy online. Issue 07 celebrates 30 years of the Kirby franchise, alongside plenty of modern and retro Nintendo goodness.
NEW RELEASES:
This week sees the highly anticipated and controversial Last of Us remake hit PS5. Digital Foundry has called it "as complete a remake as you could hope for".
Sam Barlow's Immortality also launched this week to universal acclaim. If you're a fan of its predecessors Her Story and Telling Lies, it looks like you're in for another treat.
As for next week... Splatoon 3!
(PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC) – August 30
(Xbox, PC, iOS, Android) – August 30
(PS4, PS5) – August 30
(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – August 30
(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – August 30
(Xbox, Switch, PC) – September 1
(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – September 2
(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – September 2
(PS4, PS5, Switch, PC) – September 2
(PS5) – September 2
UPCOMING RELEASES:
(PS5, Xbox Series X/S) – September 6
(PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) – September 6
(PS4, PS5) – September 6
(PC) – September 8
(PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – September 8
(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – September 9
(Switch) – September 9
GAME OF THE WEEK
A randomly selected game each week! Any and all games are eligible for selection regardless of age, platform, popularity, or otherwise.
This week, the honour goes to…
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
Originally set for release on Apple’s Mac platform, Microsoft instead courted Bungie across to Xbox with the hopes of securing a high quality exclusive for its debut console.
The plan worked magnificently, with the game's remarkable gunplay and peerless enemy AI resulting in one of the best, most enjoyable, and most important launch titles in history.
RECOMMENDED READS
By Keith Stuart - The Guardian
The bestselling computer made home gaming accessible for millions as it launched the industry toward the mainstream.
By Christian Donlan - Eurogamer
A fond look back at the beautiful purity of the Game Boy.
By Chris Scullion - VGC
VGC celebrates the 30th anniversary of Mario Kart with a look at every game and spin-off.
By Various Staff - Mafia Official Site
A look back at 20 years of the Mafia series with developers who have worked on the games since the very start.
By Tom Regan - The Guardian
This summer, Street Fighter 6 was revealed with a striking new look. Its developers explain how they’re trying to make a beat ‘em up that everyone can play.
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CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS
Nara: Facing Fire
Glowing Glade Studio - Campaign ends September 2nd
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Old School Gamer Magazine
Ryan Burger - Campaign ends September 14th
The next generation of retro gaming magazine - Adding more content, more History - more Style and more Subscribers!
Filmmakers Without Cameras: The Trilogy
Eryk Sawicki - Campaign ends September 14th
A journal filled with gorgeous art and thoughtful writing on film, video games, and roleplaying games.
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