Xbox Series X/S & Playstation 5 (PS5) Thread. Next-Gen 2020

[fog]

Fair enough, didn't realise they'd made so much progress on it.

I'm a bit miffed about this new focus on emulation-based BC from the major players. I know stuff gets fully recompiled on the Xbox side to be able to be closer to the target hardware but you're still using overpowered hardware pulling immensely greater amounts of power to run games that didn't need so much power when first released. It runs completely in contrast to the manner in which every other industry is trying to decrease power consumed. It does beg the question as to whether they're opening themselves up for being pulled for going against energy targets.

I know the PS5 runs BC PS4 mode by effectively 'switching off' a chunk of the hardware, but I don't know how much of a difference that makes power consumption wise.

You are right to highlight it. I seem to recall power consumption being something the manufacturers made a big thing of last time around and yet I've never seen it mentioned by anyone this time. I think we can draw our own conclusions from that.

[Cloudane]

I assume this "backward compatibility" involves buying the same game again.

[Misfit]

I assume this "backward compatibility" involves buying the same game again.

No. It’s talking about playing your existing ps4/xbox1 games.

[fog]

I assume this "backward compatibility" involves buying the same game again.

No. It’s talking about playing your existing ps4/xbox1 games.

The only exceptions I can think of are for people who have bought their games on disc and then buy an XSS or PS5DE with no disc drive.

[Cloudane]

Oh good that's something

Can definitely see it being the case with the digital one of course

[Rhythm]

There's quite a bit of publisher nonsense on the Sony side, where certain people are saying you need the disc version (rather than the digital version) in order to be able to be eligible for the PS5 upgrade. It's only certain games though, so hopefully just a bit of a minor grumble

[fog]

Early reports on the new Dualsense controller for the PS5, with its adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, are overwhelmingly positive. I hope it doesn't become another forgotten gimmick as it sounds like it adds a lot to the experience.

It's also great that Astro Bot is free as those games need a bigger audience. The VR game was one of my games of the generation and I'm not really a platform game fan. Brilliant.

[merman]

So ALL the backwards-compatible Original Xbox and Xbox 360 games you can currently play on Xbox One run properly on Xbox Series S|X, many with improved graphical performance and frame rate.

They really are making it possible to play four generations of games on one console.

[Rhythm]

Early reports on the new Dualsense controller for the PS5, with its adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, are overwhelmingly positive. I hope it doesn't become another forgotten gimmick as it sounds like it adds a lot to the experience.

I'm hoping beyond hope that Sony have got good middleware tools to enable devs to use this, on the PS5 and off. It sounds absolutely fantastic and further cements the idea that Sony are trying to achieve something different this gen.

The stoppers will be:

- multi-platform games - there are pitifully small numbers of games that ever use platform-specific features
- cross-platform multiplayer - why would a dev give players on one platform an advantage/disadvantage?

[fog]

I'm hoping beyond hope that Sony have got good middleware tools to enable devs to use this, on the PS5 and off

According to reports developers say the PS5 is very easy to develop for. (It was one of the things Mark Cerny highlighted as a priority at the PS5 launch presentation.)

The haptic feedback uses voice coils (think small speakers) to create the 'rumble' instead of the electric motors used for traditional rumble. If devs can't be bothered don't have time to create specific haptics themselves, then they can supposedly send an audio file to the haptic controller and it will create the feedback for you, matching the volume and varying frequency of the audio file. eg. an explosion sound file could create the sound and matching haptic feedback.

The stoppers will be:

- multi-platform games - there are pitifully small numbers of games that ever use platform-specific features
- cross-platform multiplayer - why would a dev give players on one platform an advantage/disadvantage?

I assume devs will just disable adaptive triggers for cross-platform multiplayer. Shouldn't be an issue.

As far as third party support for the Dualsense features is concerned, all of the early games appear to support it (scroll down).

We will just wave to wait and see if support continues, but early signs from both devs and users are very promising.

[TFO]

Went into the local Game shop today (in light of the impending second lockdown) as I preordered a PS5
Guy in there said that It will now be sent to me through the post rather than pickup.

He also said they took delivery just this morning of all the preordered X/S machines - which will now likely have to all go back to the warehouse early next week.

Guy seemed totally dejected with everything

[Misfit]

PS4 sold, Xbox S has offers on it, so should be gone soon.

PS4 Pro will be relegated to the second playroom PS4 (2 consoles so the kids can play each other) at Xmas as the PS5 is a gift for the boy.

Xbox One X will move to the playroom next week as I prefer the Xbox in the sitting room.

Broached the subject of the Series X not fitting in the TV cabinet with my wife. That didn't go very well...

(but it did detract from the conversation on what are you doing spending £450 on a console you'll barely use )

[Foozwah]

Broached the subject of the Series X not fitting in the TV cabinet with my wife. That didn't go very well...

That's a part of the reason I won't be getting a PS5 until theres some kind of "slim" version. The upcoming model is about 5mm too tall (in horizontal position) to fit ours.

(But then, I've waited for the cheaper "slim" option for every gen of PlayStation from PS2 onward anyway, as I like to hoover up all the cheap last-gen games I missed, once people start trading/dumping them for near-nothing, and that usually keeps me in "new" games for a good two years...)

[MattyP]

(But then, I've waited for the cheaper "slim" option for every gen of PlayStation from PS2 onward anyway, as I like to hoover up all the cheap last-gen games I missed, once people start trading/dumping them for near-nothing, and that usually keeps me in "new" games for a good two years...)

Looked at my Steam library and my Xbox library on the PC last month and decided I don't need a new console. Want is a different matter though always want new techie toys. Just know that if I got either new console after the initial gushing over it for a couple of days it would be sat getting dusty. So being sensible for a change. I was going to upgrade my PC and get a new GPU etc - but that has gone out of the window too due to internet bots etc and general shortage of the new cards. Saved me some money though I guess!

I do like the look of the Series S though... small quiet and compact and it will run my backlog of Xbox games.

First "new gen" of consoles I haven't really been chomping at the bit to get ahold off. Probably because of the mid-gen updates. Saying all that a slim diskless series X - mini Mac style would be very nice though.

[Deckard]

I forgot as a Waitrose partner I get 20% off with JL Now to decide which ? TBH I will wait for a few reviews and probably get one after xmas.