Consoles Hub

A new leak points towards the DualShock 5 only being a minor revision of the DualShock 4. Sony has already confirmed that it will incorporate new triggers in the controller that it will release alongside its next console. However, the patent offers an insight into the other features that the DualShock 5 will also include, along with the ones that it will likely remove.

In a recent interview, Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg stated that the company is building the “world’s most powerful console”. The Xbox chief himself, Phil Spencer, has also talked about Xbox Project Scarlett’s power and how it will be carefully priced to be competitive. It seems Microsoft is ready to start stealing some limelight from Sony and the PS5.

A huge Call of Duty: Modern Warfare leak has detailed plans for a battle royale mode for the smash-hit title. The leaked information includes an image of a map and its zones as well as thorough details of the perks, loot, missions, and game options. Modern Warfare was released on October 25 of this year and raked in US$600 million in sales in just three days.

The first user reviews for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield have started being posted on Metacritic and it’s not looking good for the latest installments in the beloved franchise. At the time of writing, the user score stood at 3.5 for Sword and 3.4 for Shield. Discontent has already been visible on Twitter thanks to the trending hashtag #GameFreakLied.

Ten of the mainline Final Fantasy games are coming to Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Every main Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy VII, save for the two MMORPGs (Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV), will be released for Xbox Game Pass throughout 2020.

MediaMarkt Saturn, a European retail conglomerate, released a video showing off renders of what it thinks the retail version of the PlayStation 5 will look like. Conjectures include wireless charging, controllers with full touchscreens, and complete backwards compatibility with all PlayStation consoles. Of course, these renders are just based on rumors and are unlikely to be reflective of the final product.

The first reviews for Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield have started coming in, and it appears the latest Pokémon titles are not a disaster. After being subject to numerous massive leaks and the controversial “Dexit” storm, the 8th Gen games have been praised for being streamlined and enjoyable, but they have not been met with universal acclaim.

Google's Stadia app is now available for iOS. However, this version of the app will not be able to play games when the service launches next week; rather, it is designed to manage a user's Stadia library. Surprisingly, the app already has a 4.6-star rating despite not being able to do anything yet.

There is a growing belief that Sony may be planning on offering expandable storage in the form of SSD cartridges for the PlayStation 5. A patent drawing originally thought to be a game cartridge is now being reconsidered as a possible straightforward external solution for supporting the PS5’s internal custom SSD when it is reaching its storage limits.

Back in July, a Blizzard employee unveiled most of the details presented at BlizzCon, but the Reddit post was dismissed as pure speculation. Nevertheless, the details are spot on for the most part, and there is some info on aspects that haven't been touched in the BlizzCon presentations, like the full class roster, planned classes, next gen console support and closed beta planned date.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent application with Brazil’s Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI) that features a drawing of what looks like a game cartridge. Could the upcoming PlayStation 5 console include a game cartridge slot or has SIE got another console in the works, such as a PS Vita 2?

The latest apparent Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield leak has detailed which Pokémon will be exclusive to each game. Ever since Pokémon Red and Blue were released in 1996, gamers have had to carefully choose which game to buy or just purchase both titles. In the meantime, Nintendo has been wielding its legal sword as some social media sources have been suspended.

In a revealing interview, the current president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Jim Ryan, has been discussing PlayStation 5 business. The executive feels globalization is a vital concept behind future PlayStation success and has been proudly sharing feedback from developers about the ease of coding on the PS5. Ryan also stated that encouraging gamers to move from the PS4 to the PS5 is a key goal for the company.

The recent Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield leak has been quite astonishing in its enormity and impact. The games themselves are scheduled for release on November 15 but it now seems the entire Pokédex has been revealed, with 400 Pokémon taking part. However, there are claims that the person behind the leak has been discovered by Nintendo.

The imminent trade agreement between the U.S. and China should reset all trade tariffs and allow for reduced prices on many electronic goods including computer parts, smartphones, displays etc. The agreement will most likely benefit Huawei, which will see all the bans lifted.

Although the launch date of the next Dragon Age game is not set in stone yet, BioWare has recently published a teaser on Twitter that labels December 4 as "Dragon 4ge Day" so at least some kind of Dragon Age 4-related official announcement is definitely in the pipeline. Sadly, this highly-anticipated title might launch in 2022.

Microsoft has posted something for consumers to think about prior to their Black Friday shopping this year. It includes some details on its Surface deals for that period, including up to US$230 off the new Pro 7. There is also a link to the even earlier "X019" event, in which seasonal Xbox hardware promotions may be unveiled.

The recent supposed Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield leaks have intensified into a deluge as a generously sized portion of the Pokédex now appears to be online. If the leaked characters turn out to be genuine, then this will be a considerable blow to both developer Game Freak and publisher Nintendo who wanted gamers to find the new Pokémon while playing the games.

Riot Games has announced that League of Legends is finally getting a version for phones and tablets. This new form of the title is to be called Wild Rift, and is billed as completely optimized and refreshed for its new platform. It will start rolling out in 2020, with Android phones getting first whack at its installation.

Many pages from the Diablo 4 artwork book have been posted online, giving fans an idea of what they can expect from the game when it finally gets released. Vile-looking characters such as the Goatman Abomination and Drowned Raider feature alongside a terrifying battleground, a gory sacrifice, and the possible reveal of a new Prime Evil.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are scheduled to be released on November 15 for the Nintendo Switch; however, many of the characters and their various evolutions have already been leaked online. Gigantamax forms for a number of Pokémon have been revealed and there is a potentially new evolved look for Meowth.

There’s been a new speculative guess at the PlayStation 5 release date thanks to the appearance of an Easter egg in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. It’s arguably one of the most tenuous so far, but these kinds of hints have been accurate in the past. Ubisoft has revealed it is working on five cross-generational titles.

Seven years since the release of Diablo III, Blizzard has officially announced Diablo IV at BlizzCon. Unfortunately, however, Blizzard hasn’t announced an official release date with the title still anywhere from 12 to 24 months away although the first game play trailer has been released to whet gamers' appetites.

Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Hiroki Totoki, has been revealing tidbits of information about the company’s PlayStation 5 console. The executive mentioned that software development by Sony’s partners was “progressing smoothly” and that the PS5’s scheduled release will “strengthen the platform”. Two more titles have joined the list of rumored games connected to the next-generation console.

In addition to the iconic Kamov Ka-50 single-seat attack helicopter — surnamed "Black Shark" — War Thunder 1.93 comes with the first three Swedish planes, a new Abrams tank, the first Italian helicopter, a new location, the first rank V ship in the game, as well as the usual pack of minor tweaks and fixes.

Nintendo released two classic Disney games for the Switch yesterday. The 16-bit versions of Aladdin and The Lion King can be downloaded in a Disney Classic Games bundle. The bundle also includes alternate versions of the games (e.g., the Game Gear and Game Boy ports) as well as a ton of bonus content. The bundle is available from the Nintendo eShop for $30.

Sony's PlayStation 4 catapulted past the original PlayStation and Nintendo Wii in sales this quarter. To date, the console has sold 102.8 million units, making it the second best-selling home console in history. Sony's PlayStation 2 still holds the crown at 155 million units.

A noteworthy piece of detective work may have resulted in the discovery of AMD’s “Big Navi” GPUs. This has led to wide speculation that there is a possibility this could be the much-talked about custom chip that will eventually be found in the next-generation PlayStation 5 and Xbox Project Scarlett consoles. Could the “Nvidia Killer” finally be coming?

A tech blog claims to have dug up a number of Japanese-language patents, awarded to Sharp, that show this OEM's plans for its oneday line of foldable electronics. Some show rather slim-line devices that are most likely clam-shell phones, whereas others appear to be collapsible, mobile gaming machines. One may also be designed to process credit-card transactions.

The two leading foundries unexpectedly dropped any patent infringement claims and struck an agreement that allows both parties to license each other’s existing patents. Additionally, the agreement would also cover any other patents that would be filed by any side in the next 10 years.

Microsoft has reintroduced its Xbox All Access program for customers in Australia, the UK, and the US. The regular subscription scheme includes the opportunity to upgrade to Project Scarlett in Holiday 2020, and there is also a limited time deal for UK/US Xbox One X buyers to sign up to get their hands on the next-generation console.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has been busy registering some important terms with the Japan Patent Office. The trademarks are related to future PlayStation releases beyond the forthcoming PlayStation 5 console. The company has been securing all iterations up to number 10, which following past release schedules for PlayStations, could see the light of day by 2050.

A screenshot of some of Walmart’s alleged console offers for the upcoming Black Friday event will have gamers giddy with anticipation if it ends up being the real deal. Those holding out on buying a Nintendo Switch could find themselves saving US$100 on either a neon blue or gray model. There are also impressive discounts on consoles from both Sony and Microsoft.

With the PlayStation 5 being just over a year away, several websites have been polling their readers about the upcoming console. The results reveal not only what people would pay for the console but also how much they would like it to cost.

A group of new Sony PlayStation 5 concept renders have been produced by LetsGoDigital based on the recently leaked devkit photo. The images show off the busy front panel and also include the “prototype” label and the huge ventilation grilles. It may not thrill expectant future PS5 owners, but it is quite stylized for a developer kit.

Another retailer has decided to start listing the PlayStation 5 on its site, this time with references to both a specific price and release date. Although it’s clear that the information on the page is speculative, it does give some idea of how much the next-gen console will cost upon its Holiday 2020 release.

A real-life photo of an alleged Sony PlayStation 5 development kit (devkit) has been posted online as part of a YouTube video uploaded by ZONEofTECH. The console in the picture looks eerily similar to recent concept renders of the device, thanks to the now familiar V-shaped design language and chunky side vents.

Sony recently filed a patent for what appears to be a cloud-connected controller, similar to Google's Stadia Controller. This could be a controller designed for Sony's PlayStation Now game streaming service. Considering Google's heavy push into game streaming, it makes sense that Sony would be working hard on improving its own game streaming services.

At launch, Google's Stadia Controller will not be usable with a PC or compatible mobile device without the use of a USB connection. While the controller will work wirelessly when playing through a Chromecast Ultra, PCs and mobile devices will require a USB HID connection for the Stadia Controller to work properly. This is odd, as the Stadia Controller connects directly to Google's servers over WiFi and sends inputs to the cloud rather than a local device.

New artistic renders of the PlayStation 5 have been published that are believed to be the most accurate renditions yet. Based on leaked information, the latest images see the console with a surprisingly sharp silver coat but with basically the same design language as previously released renders. A European retailer has started taking preorders for the next-gen console with just a €50 down payment.

Sony has officially confirmed its next-gen console — it will be called the PlayStation 5 and is slated to launch in holiday 2020. Sony also opened up on a few aspects of the console including support for hardware-level ray tracing, a new UI, and the DualShock 5 controller.

TCL's 2019 8-series of TVs are based on QLED technology and integrate the Roku streaming platform. They are 4K HDR panels that support Dolby Vision and 100% of the DCI-P3 color space. The new TCL 8-series will become available through Best Buy in the US.

New research has shown that the market for semiconductors is estimated to grow to US$573 billion in 5 years. This may be driven by a demand for these materials in wireless communications, vehicles and online connectivity. However, the common-or-garden integrated circuit will continue to influence the market into the next decade.

Rob Wyatt, the lead architect behind the Atari VCS console, officially resigned from the project on Friday, October 4th. Citing non-payment from Atari for six months, Wyatt's company Tin Giant, which was contracted to help design the console, has left the project. Additionally, sources familiar with the Atari VCS have claimed the console is little more than a generic Linux PC, which does not jive with Atari's marketing.

Scheduled to arrive globally this week, the PlayStation 4 system update labeled 7.0 is expected to bring Remote Play to smartphones and tablets running Android 5.0 Lollipop or later, 16-player parties, chat transcription, enhanced audio, an improved backend that should take care of most connectivity issues, system-level HDR tuning, and more.

Google has announced that Red Dead Redemption 2 will come to its Stadia platform on it November 2019 launch. The wildly popular Rockstar game will thus be available for streaming via the new service from its very first day. At present, it is not clear if this title will allow saving across platforms.

Atari and Antstream Arcade for an exclusive app that will deliver over 2,000 officially licensed retro video game titles to the forthcoming console. The Antstream Arcade app for the Atari VCS will also include 50 original Atari titles in original or enhanced versions.

The Nintendo Switch Lite may be new, but it appears that it too may suffer from the controller drift issue that has plagued some users of the original Switch design. Despite seemingly having a different controller mechanism, some users have reported seeing the in app camera moving despite the controllers remaining untouched.

Following the reveal of the release date of the much-awaited PS4 exclusive, the Last of Us 2, new information has surfaced about the game itself, and not all fans will be pleased.