Tag Archives: game consoles

Sony’s mixed reality headset for ‘spatial content creation’ arrives later this year

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Sony's CES 2024 presentation didn't have much news for the first 25 minutes, but then the company revealed a new XR head-mounted display and controllers with... no name so far, aimed at "spatial content creation." With a matte gray finish, the headset looks like a stripped-down PSVR2, and there appear to be two cameras facing out from the front. There is also a controller-wand and a smaller peripheral similar in size to a ring. The new hardware is apparently aimed at creators and artists who manipulate and craft products in virtual spaces. It will be available later in 2024, though pricing will be announced at a later date.

Although Sony didn't go into great detail onstage, a press release dropped after the show wrapped with some key specs. The headset is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, which was announced just as CES began. This means it's a self-contained device that doesn't require a computer to run. That chip is driving dual 4K OLED microdisplays, and provides "user and space tracking" for mixed reality experiences. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said it would offer a "crisp viewing experience" and "intuitive interaction for 3D design", teasing a device aimed at professionals, similar to its professional-level cameras and devices.

The device has "video see-through" functionality and a total of six cameras and sensors. A pair of controllers were shown off, one described as a "ring controller" for manipulating objects and another as a "pointing controller" for... pointing. Sony envisions creators being able to craft 3D models in realtime using the controllers and traditional input devices like keyboards in tandem:

"By holding the pointing controller in the dominant hand and attaching the ring controller to the fingers of the other hand, creators can model 3D objects using both controllers and a keyboard, while wearing the head-mounted display."

Sony is also talking up the headset's balance, saying it has fine-tuned "the balance of the device's center of gravity." The display portion of the headset also flips up and out of the wearer's field of vision, allowing them to dip in and out of their work without needing to remove the headset entirely.

Sony at CES 2024
Sony

From the work shown on stage, it seems positioned less as a Vision Pro rival and more as a creative take on Microsoft's HoloLens. Hopefully, we'll hear and see more at Sony's booth later this week. The company showed mock-ups of a user tinkering with a bipedal robot while wearing the new headset, manipulating the robot's arm, while two monitors nearby showed things in extra detail. Sony says you'll be able to, through third-party creative apps, review and collaborate on work remotely. 

Update, January 8, 10:30PM ET: Added details from Sony's post-show PR.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-spatial-content-creation-headset-at-ces-2024-013936595.html?src=rss

What Sony announced at its CES 2024 press conference

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The annual Consumer Technology Association (CES) trade show is nearly upon us, having already turned Las Vegas into a high-tech wonderland. Sony’s holding a press conference the day before CES 2024 exhibitions open, on January 8 at 8PM EST. You can stream it live via Sony Square or on the company’s YouTube channel.

What we expect

Sony is being particularly cagey about what it has in store, saying it will “showcase various technologies and initiatives that support creators.” An official company press release also says Sony’s purpose here is to “fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.”

There was a holding image on Sony’s website that seemed to indicate that the presser would focus on technology involving movie production, professional sound and VR. Those three together could certainly, uh, fill the world with emotion. The original teaser image showed the Ghostbusters logo, a man singing into a microphone and a film crew. However, Sony replaced this image with a simple visual showing a bunch of nondescript circles.

While we don’t know what Sony will focus on, we have some ideas of what the company is likely to avoid. Last year, Sony didn’t mention TVs at all, saving that for an event in March. It’s possible we’ll get something PlayStation related, but with the recent launch of the PS5 Slim and the befuddling PlayStation Portal, don’t hold your breath.

We could, however, get some game announcements for the PSVR2. Sony revealed a VR Gran Turismo 7 update at last year’s press conference. It’s also possible that Sony will announce some home theater products to go along with that whole “creativity and technology” thing.

Sony likes to use CES to reveal experimental tech that may or may ever see an actual release. Last year we got the Afeela EV concept vehicle, a partnership with Honda, so who knows what wacky tech will take center stage this year. Sony also revealed a truly innovative kit for PS5 controllers to help players with disabilities during 2023’s event.

What Sony announced

According to our own reporters on the ground, Sony's CES 2024 news conference didn't have much actual news for the first 25 minutes, at which point things took an interesting turn. The company unveiled a new mixed reality headset for 'spatial content creation,' which Sony's partner in the venture, Siemens, later said will power "whatever the industrial metaverse is." Also, for good measure, someone drove Sony's Afeela EV onto the stage. If you missed it all live, we have a sub-six-minute recap live on our site and YouTube page ready for you to watch.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-sonys-ces-2024-press-conference-220051103.html?src=rss

You can now buy the Xbox Series S toaster for $40

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Waking up in the mornings is especially hard in these cold, dark winter months. Now there's a fun incentive to do so, thanks to the release of the Xbox Series S Toaster. For $40 you can get it from Walmart and have the Xbox sphere logo toasted onto your bread every day — a dream fulfilled that you never knew you had? The Xbox Series S toaster was first spotted in France back in March 2023, with gaming deals poster Wario64 sharing the news of its US arrival on X (formerly Twitter).  

The toaster is more than a fun gimmick: It fits two slices of bread, has six browning levels available, an LED countdown and a removable crumb tray. It also offers bagel and defrost settings.

The toaster isn't Xbox's first foray into kitchen appliances. The Xbox Series X "Mini Fridge" started as a meme in 2021 and became a six-foot, 400-pound reality. Now, its third iteration is on sale for $199, down from $250. The Xbox Series X Compact Fridge is actually mini at just over two-feet tall, with a matte black exterior and Xbox green light glowing inside it. The freezer compartment reads: "Power your dreams" — for that extra motivation you need when grabbing a drink mid-gaming. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-buy-the-xbox-series-s-toaster-for-40-104548270.html?src=rss

Nintendo starts shutting down online play for Wii U and 3DS, months ahead of schedule

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If you’ve been planning on spending the tail-end of your holiday break revisiting the original Splatoon for Wii U or Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, you could be out of luck. It looks like Nintendo has already begun to restrict the Wii U and 3DS’s ability to play online, according to multiple users and media outlets like Nintendo Life. This started just before Christmas Eve, which is a real Bowser move.

We knew this was coming, but Nintendo originally said the shutdown wouldn’t happen until early April. This may not impact every player just yet, so head online with your console to give it a shot. Jonathan Barrow of Pretendo, an “open-source Nintendo Network replacement," wrote that this is part of a “slow rollout” of Nintendo’s April plans. Pretendo hopes to eventually bring the two consoles back online.

To be fair, Nintendo never actually said that the April end-date was set in stone, as the company suggested that it could discontinue online services “earlier than planned.” It could’ve warned folks, however, so they could get one last round of multiplayer Kid Icarus: Uprising in.

This news follows Nintendo closing its 3DS and Wii U eShops back in March. So, now, you can’t buy new games or go online with your old games. The company’s silly-yet-engaging Miiverse social network, which operated on both consoles, was shut down in 2017, though there’s a post archive.

This is sad, but it happens. Out with the old and in with the new, and all of that. Being a gamer is weird that way. Entire generations of games simply disappear, like Goomba tears in the rain. On the plus side, maybe we’ll be able to shell out full-price for some more remakes, with a Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon refresh coming to the Switch next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-starts-shutting-down-online-play-for-wii-u-and-3ds-months-ahead-of-schedule-191720412.html?src=rss

Nintendo starts shutting down online play for Wii U and 3DS, months ahead of schedule

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If you’ve been planning on spending the tail-end of your holiday break revisiting the original Splatoon for Wii U or Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, you could be out of luck. It looks like Nintendo has already begun to restrict the Wii U and 3DS’s ability to play online, according to multiple users and media outlets like Nintendo Life. This started just before Christmas Eve, which is a real Bowser move.

We knew this was coming, but Nintendo originally said the shutdown wouldn’t happen until early April. This may not impact every player just yet, so head online with your console to give it a shot. Jonathan Barrow of Pretendo, an “open-source Nintendo Network replacement," wrote that this is part of a “slow rollout” of Nintendo’s April plans. Pretendo hopes to eventually bring the two consoles back online.

To be fair, Nintendo never actually said that the April end-date was set in stone, as the company suggested that it could discontinue online services “earlier than planned.” It could’ve warned folks, however, so they could get one last round of multiplayer Kid Icarus: Uprising in.

This news follows Nintendo closing its 3DS and Wii U eShops back in March. So, now, you can’t buy new games or go online with your old games. The company’s silly-yet-engaging Miiverse social network, which operated on both consoles, was shut down in 2017, though there’s a post archive.

This is sad, but it happens. Out with the old and in with the new, and all of that. Being a gamer is weird that way. Entire generations of games simply disappear, like Goomba tears in the rain. On the plus side, maybe we’ll be able to shell out full-price for some more remakes, with a Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon refresh coming to the Switch next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-starts-shutting-down-online-play-for-wii-u-and-3ds-months-ahead-of-schedule-191720412.html?src=rss

Sony has sold 50 million PS5 consoles over three years

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The PlayStation 5 has officially hit the 50 million sales milestone, Sony confirmed in a blog post. That's an impressive figure, considering the litany of supply chain issues that kept PS5s in limited supply after its November 2020 launch. And notably, the PS5 manage to reach 50 million sales just a week longer than it took the PlayStation 4, which wasn't bogged down by as many supply chain issues or a worldwide pandemic. 

Sony has also outsold the Xbox Series X and S by almost three to one this year, the Financial Times reports, based on data from Ampere Analysis. While Microsoft doesn't release official Xbox sales numbers (you can take a wild guess as to why), Ampere estimated that Microsoft sold 7.6 million next-gen systems this year (a 15 percent drop from 2022), while Sony's sales exploded by 65 percent to reach 22.5 million units sold. 

It's not hard to see why the PS5 is in more demand: Sony has pumped out far more must-have games this generation (including the recent Spider-Man 2, as well as anticipated sequels like God of War Ragnarok), while Microsoft has stumbled with its more high profile releases, like Halo Infinite and Redfall. But it could just be that Microsoft has a different goal. It's far more focused on pushing subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass, which also allows players to stream titles over the cloud and play on PC with its ultimate tier.   

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-has-sold-50-million-ps5-consoles-over-three-years-145835145.html?src=rss

Xbox Cloud Gaming lands on Meta Quest headsets

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Meta has been promising as much for a while, and now Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro owners can now stream hundreds of games through Xbox Cloud Gaming. You'll need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, compatible controller, solid internet connection and the most recent Quest software update. Then, you'll be able to snag the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app and hop into games such as Starfield, Cocoon and Halo Infinite on a large virtual screen.

Meta says you'll be able to choose from four virtual display sizes. You can opt to play games in an Xbox-themed virtual space or make it appear as though the display is floating in mid-air thanks to the Quest 3 and Pro's full-color passthrough features. As for supported controllers, Meta says Xbox gamepads, PlayStation 4 peripherals and the Nintendo Switch Pro all work. Support for the PlayStation 5's DualSense will be available at a later date.

This is the second major cross-platform collaboration that has arrived on Quest in the last couple of weeks. It's now possible to wirelessly play PC VR games on the headsets thanks to Steam Link support. While some folks were already able to access Xbox Cloud Gaming on Quest headsets via workarounds, the arrival of the app will make it much easier for anyone to dive in and play something when, say, they're traveling or someone else is occupying the TV.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-cloud-gaming-lands-on-meta-quest-headsets-204929253.html?src=rss

PlayStation’s 2023 Wrap-Up recaps your year in gaming

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Sony’s 2023 Wrap-Up is now available. The recap, similar to those from music streaming services, reflects on your PS5 or PS4 gaming habits from the past year. The new version will sum up your most-played games, tally your total hours and assign an algorithmically generated “gaming style.” Since, from a business standpoint, these year-end rewinds also serve as crowdsourced social media marketing, Sony created easily shareable digital cards outlining your 2023 habits.

You can view your PlayStation 2023 Wrap-Up by visiting Sony’s web portal and logging in with your account. It generates cards summarizing your top games, trophies earned, monthly gaming stats and your personalized style. (Mine was “Thrill Seeker.”) A button at the bottom of the UI will pop up the cards to share with friends or followers. Sony will also, uh, “helpfully” recommend games you haven’t yet bought that fit your personalized style.

The company says the recap is only available if you’ve played games on a PS5 or PS4 for at least 10 hours from January 1 to December 31. In addition, if you didn’t consent to “Full Data” collection from PS5 settings or “Additional Data” from PS4 systems in certain regions (Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australasia, India and Russia), you won’t be able to use the promotional feature. Sony is also throwing in a bonus “unique avatar” and a PlayStation Stars digital collectible of a Spider-Bot from the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise as rewards.

Since annual digital recaps have transformed into a popular online tradition in recent years, you can likely expect similar rewinds from Xbox and Nintendo before long.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstations-2023-wrap-up-recaps-your-year-in-gaming-190838612.html?src=rss

Feast your eyes on this PS1-themed PlayStation 5

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Remember the 20th anniversary limited edition PlayStation 4? No, I didn't get one, either. But what if Sony were to port that same sweet retro look from the PS1 to the PS5? Look no further than the farewell gift which SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment) President and CEO Jim Ryan — who is retiring in March 2024 — received yesterday.

In a photo posted by Yuichi Haga, the Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Lead at SIE, the "one of a kind" PS5 console — not the slim model — was customized with the PS1's retro gray finish, along with the classic quad-color "PS" logo. Even the DualSense controller was given a DualShock 1 makeover, complete with a cable and a cute plug cover that goes over the PS5's front USB-C port. Ryan's team went the extra mile to make a special packaging design — one that pays homage to the PS1's box art.

At yesterday's thank-you party, the outgoing PlayStation boss was honored by many industry legends, including the "father of PlayStation" Ken Kutaragi, Gran Turismo's Kazunori Yamauchi, Team Asobi's Nicolas Doucet and, of course, Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida. PlayStation's BAFTA-winning indies lead, Shuhei Yoshida, was notably absent as he had to attend The Game Awards (while nabbing the "Games for Impact" award on behalf of Awaceb, the developer behind indie title, Tchia).

It's unclear as to whether us mere mortals will get to own a version of this special edition PS5, but considering that it'll be PlayStation's 30th anniversary next year, perhaps Sony will consider making one for the PS5 Slim then?

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/feast-your-eyes-on-this-ps1-themed-playstation-5-080926381.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday deal brings the Xbox Series X down to a record low of $400 on Amazon

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There are tons of great gaming deals floating around this Cyber Monday but few are better than one we've spotted for the Xbox Series X. After you apply a $49 coupon at Amazon, Microsoft's most powerful gaming console is available for $400. That's a record low price for the system — you could even put the savings toward a few months of Game Pass access. You'll probably need to act quickly if you're interested, though. There's no telling when this deal will vanish.

Along with the PlayStation 5 (which has its own Cyber Monday Deals), the Xbox Series X is your top choice for a current game console. There are a few factors to consider when buying a gaming system. If you need something more portable, a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck is the way to go. If you prefer Sony's formula of polished single-player adventures like The Last of Us or Spider-Man, the PlayStation 5 is likely your best option. Still, it's hard to beat the combination of power, 4K gaming, game library and price that the Xbox Series X offers.

The value of an Xbox Series X gets even better if you have an Xbox Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Xbox Game Pass ($11 per month) grants you access to a vast library of games on your console, including third-party titles. You'll be able to play every first-party game at no extra cost on its release day too. Game Pass Ultimate ($17 per month) adds online multiplayer and access to the PC Game Pass library, Xbox Cloud Gaming and EA Play (i.e. an extra batch of games from that publisher).

Xbox Game Pass includes hundreds of titles from major first-party games like the Halo series, Starfield, Minecraft, Doom Eternal and Forza Horizon 5 to stellar indies such as Hollow Knight, Jusant, Celeste and Cocoon. There are plenty of big-time third-party games available through the subscription too, including Assassin’s Creed Origins, Mortal Kombat 11, Madden NFL 23 and Grand Theft Auto V.

Best of all, you won't need to wait for those to download to your Xbox Series X if you have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. You can check many of them out via cloud streaming to decide whether it's worth downloading them.

Your Cyber Monday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Cyber Monday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Cyber Monday tech deals. Learn about Cyber Monday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Cyber Monday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Cyber Monday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday-deal-brings-the-xbox-series-x-down-to-a-record-low-of-400-on-amazon-185303684.html?src=rss