Latest news with #PlayStation
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
I'm a tech writer and this is the best PS5 deal I've seen this year
If you've been holding off on upgrading to the PS5 Pro or you're just looking to bolster your games library with some bargains, you're in luck. PlayStation has just rolled out some tempting discounts in its annual Days of Play sale. The two-week event runs from 28 May until 11 June at PlayStation Direct, the official online storefront for everything from consoles and accessories to games and more. PlayStation Direct is also where you'll find Flex, a leasing option which gets you a console for as little as £10.99 per month. The headline act in this year's Days of Play sale is a hefty £90 saving on the PlayStation 5 console itself, but we're also seeing price drops of up to 60 per cent across some of the PS5's best games, including remastered classics like The Last of Us and the unmissable platformer Astro Bot. The PSVR2 gets some love in this year's sale too, with a surprise discount of £45 bringing the price of the virtual reality headset (plus the hardware's best game, Horizon: Call of the Mountain) down to £354.99. The new PS5 Pro doesn't miss out on the action either, getting a rare £45 discount for the duration of the two-week sale. You can check out all of the deals over at PlayStation Direct, but in the meantime I've rounded up some of the best offers below: In my PS5 review, I called the PlayStation 'this generation's must-have home console' thanks to its stellar library of exclusive games. If that didn't convince you, maybe this £90 saving will – the time-limited discount applies to both the digital and disc editions of the console. I've highlighted the disc edition here, which is essential if you've got a collection of physical PS4 and PS5 games (or Blu-ray movies) hanging around at home. You'll find the same £90 discount applied to the cheaper, all-digital version of the PlayStation 5. As the name suggests, this model doesn't come with a disc drive but plays games downloaded from PlayStation Direct. Perfect if you've done away with dusty old physical media. Not sure which edition to get? Handily the digital-edition PS5 can be upgraded with a disc drive later if you ever change your mind. That £90 discount on the PS5 also applies to the official DualSense console bundle, which packs an extra wireless controller in the box and is essential if you plan on multiplayer gaming at home. The DualSense controller is an impressive piece of technology in its own right, and uses dynamic vibrations and actuators in the shoulder buttons to simulate everything from weapon recoil to throttle response in racing games. The upgraded version of the original PS5 launched in 2024 and gave Sony's console a massive spec bump, including double the internal storage and more rendering power. 'Featuring 8K graphics, more internal memory, improved ray tracing and upscaling, the PS5 Pro is the best console out right now, blowing the Xbox Series X out of the water,' said tech writer, Alex, in their PS5 Pro review. The definitive edition of the PS5, the PlayStation 5 Pro gets a £45 discount at PlayStation Direct. That's the cheapest we've seen it. The PSVR2 has to be experienced to be believed, teleporting your easily duped brain into spookily convincing virtual reality worlds. My PSVR2 review called it 'one of the best and easiest-to-use VR headsets you can buy today', adding that 'if you own a PS5 and want to tap into the wide and growing library of fascinating VR experiences that already exist, there's no simpler way to do it.' The hardware's standout title is easily Horizon: Call of the Mountain, a stunningly immersive white-knuckle adventure that blends climbing and archery combat. Right now there's £55 off at PlayStation Direct. Still reeling from the second season of The Last of Us? There's no better time to jump back into the games that inspired the show. Both parts of Naughty Dog's celebrated third-person zombie shooter – including the remastered second game – are discounted in the Days of Play sale. Here's a small saving on one of the best games of this generation. Astro Bot is PlayStation at its most Nintendo, a colourful and bouncy 3D platformer that's endlessly delightful and makes clever use of the DualSense controller's new features. Right now there's £8 off at PlayStation Direct.
Forbes
13 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Sony's Big PS5 Sales Are Live After Microsoft's Xbox Price Increases
PS5 Sony is sort of a brutal opponent for Microsoft at this point, already having won the console war but taking the opportunity to rub it in at every turn. The latest development here is that for its Days of Play sale, Sony has cut the prices of several pieces of hardware and bundles, including the following: Hardware like controllers and headsets have price cuts as well. All of this is directly opposed to large-scale Xbox price hikes that occurred over 'economic conditions,' namely Trump's global tariffs, but at least for now, Sony is happy to run in the opposite direction for PlayStation. In contrast, here are the Xbox price hikes: Xbox Prices Here was the statement Xbox gave at the time: So now we are in a bizarre situation where at least during this sale, an Xbox Series S costs $30 more than a digital PS5 that comes with Black Ops 6. And a PS5 Pro costs $90 less than the high-storage Xbox Series X. This is also a scenario where Xbox has made it clear loads of its big first-party releases will come to PlayStation. In fact, Xbox is now one of the largest publishers on PlayStation. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder It's just a wild scenario that we haven't seen before. It doesn't seem possible for Xbox to just scale back its prices now if people have started paying these prices. It is also not clear if it is sustainable for Sony to keep these prices for long or avoid hiking its own prices down the road. Tariffs are now lower than when Xbox did its hikes, but US trade policy has been changing by the day. This past week Trump demanded Apple start making iPhones in the US or face a 50% tariff. It's hard to know what to expect day to day. But if you don't have a PlayStation yet, it is a little hard to imagine there is going to be a better time to pick one up in the near future. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Scottish Sun
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Surprise batch of SIX freebies handed out to millions of PlayStation gamers in promotion – exact days to claim each
One of the games is a forgotten classic GAME DAY! Surprise batch of SIX freebies handed out to millions of PlayStation gamers in promotion – exact days to claim each Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MILLIONS of PlayStation gamers are set for an early summer treat. This is a bonus on top of Sony's monthly games drop for console users around the world. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 These games are available to Playstation Plus users Credit: Getty 8 The games are bonuses in Sony's Days of Play promotion Credit: Getty A selection of bonus PlayStation (PS) Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium games will be available to users over the coming weeks. These are part of Sony's Days of Play promotion. PS Plus is the popular membership scheme for PlayStation consoles that lets you enjoy online multiplayer. Plus has two tiers of benefits: Extra and Premium. Both allow users access to a rolling library of free titles to enjoy. In Extra, these include a catalogue of PS5 and PS4 games. But with Premium, this is extended to include games from PS1, PS2, PS3 and even PSP. The Days of Play promotion means PS Plus users will get these bonus games on top of a usual monthly offering of games included in their subscription. This means there will still be a normal drop of PS Plus games for June 2025 introduced later next month. The Bonus games dropping for both subscription tiers are listed below, along with their release dates. Get an inside look at the new PS5 30th anniversary edition PS Plus Extra: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Another Crab's Treasure (PS5, PS4) — Available 29th May Skull and Bones (PS5) — Available 2nd June Destinty 2: Legacy Collection (PS5, PS4) — Available 4th June Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS5, PS4) — Available 10th June PS Plus Premium: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Myst (PS1) — Available 5th June Riven (PS1) — Available 5th June Sadly, this comes as six games will be disappearing from the PS Plus library in June, in line with the subscription's monthly game rotation system. The games being removed are listed below: After Us Avicii Invector Inscryption Kayak VR: Mirage Monster Hunter Rise Rogue Legacy 2 These six games are classified as "Last Chance to Play" titles, and will disappear on June 17, 2025. They are PS Plus library games – and not free downloads. This means they are only available to play when on PS Plus. Once they're out of the PS Plus library, users are locked out from playing them, even if they've been downloaded. These games can only be owned permanently if they're bought at retail cost. PS PLUS PRICES – HOW MUCH IS IT? Here's how much you'll pay, and the perks you'll get with each tier... PlayStation Plus Essential Monthly: £6.99 / $9.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play PlayStation Plus Extra Monthly: £10.99 / $14.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play Game catalogue Ubisoft+ Classics PlayStation Plus Premium Monthly: £13.49 / $17.99 Monthly games Online multiplayer Exclusive discounts Exclusive content Cloud storage Share Play Game catalogue Ubisoft+ Classics Classics Catalogue Game trials PS5 Cloud Streaming Sony Pictures Catalogue Picture Credit: Sony PlayStation Fans on Reddit were quick to react to the news of the removals. One wrote: "Highly recommend people dig into Inscryption if they haven't yet. "Very addictive and great fun. Don't read up about it before playing." Another said: "Inscryption is 10/10. Not really into roguelikes or card games, but damn this game is sick. "Vibes, loop, puzzles, endgame?! Whole game changes and evolves - don't miss out." 8 Impatient for GTA VI? Take a trip back to GTA III included in the bonus games Credit: PlayStation 8 Riven PS1 is a retro comeback Credit: PlayStation 8 Family favourite Another Crab's Treasure will be available to play Credit: PlayStation 8 Myst came out on the PS1 32 years ago Credit: PlayStation 8 Skull and Bones will be a bonus game available from June 2nd Credit: PlayStation
The Sun
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Surprise batch of SIX freebies handed out to millions of PlayStation gamers in promotion – exact days to claim each
MILLIONS of PlayStation gamers are set for an early summer treat. This is a bonus on top of Sony's monthly games drop for console users around the world. 8 8 A selection of bonus PlayStation (PS) Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium games will be available to users over the coming weeks. These are part of Sony's Days of Play promotion. PS Plus is the popular membership scheme for PlayStation consoles that lets you enjoy online multiplayer. Plus has two tiers of benefits: Extra and Premium. Both allow users access to a rolling library of free titles to enjoy. In Extra, these include a catalogue of PS5 and PS4 games. But with Premium, this is extended to include games from PS1, PS2, PS3 and even PSP. The Days of Play promotion means PS Plus users will get these bonus games on top of a usual monthly offering of games included in their subscription. This means there will still be a normal drop of PS Plus games for June 2025 introduced later next month. The Bonus games dropping for both subscription tiers are listed below, along with their release dates. Get an inside look at the new PS5 30th anniversary edition PS Plus Extra: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Another Crab's Treasure (PS5, PS4) — Available 29th May Skull and Bones (PS5) — Available 2nd June Destinty 2: Legacy Collection (PS5, PS4) — Available 4th June Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS5, PS4) — Available 10th June PS Plus Premium: Bonus Games for May / June 2025 Myst (PS1) — Available 5th June Riven (PS1) — Available 5th June Sadly, this comes as six games will be disappearing from the PS Plus library in June, in line with the subscription's monthly game rotation system. The games being removed are listed below: After Us Avicii Invector Inscryption Kayak VR: Mirage Monster Hunter Rise Rogue Legacy 2 These six games are classified as " Last Chance to Play" titles, and will disappear on June 17, 2025. They are PS Plus library games – and not free downloads. This means they are only available to play when on PS Plus. Once they're out of the PS Plus library, users are locked out from playing them, even if they've been downloaded. These games can only be owned permanently if they're bought at retail cost. Fans on Reddit were quick to react to the news of the removals. One wrote: "Highly recommend people dig into Inscryption if they haven't yet. "Very addictive and great fun. Don't read up about it before playing." Another said: "Inscryption is 10/10. Not really into roguelikes or card games, but damn this game is sick. "Vibes, loop, puzzles, endgame?! Whole game changes and evolves - don't miss out." 8 8 8 8 8 8
The Verge
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Sony's ringing in the Switch 2 launch with PS5 deals
Contrary to widespread concern that Sony was about to increase the cost of the PlayStation 5 in the US, the company is — for now, at least — cutting gamers a break with costs through June 11th. Select PS5 bundles, including the PS5 Pro, PlayStation VR 2 headset, and other hardware are discounted for no apparent reason. Nope, nothing's coming up on the game console release calendar that might have caused Sony to…wait. The $449.99 Switch 2 comes out June 5th, yet for $50 less, you can get a PS5 bundled with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 from Sony directly or Walmart. Presumably, consoles still come with Astro's Playroom pre-installed, so that's two free games with purchase. I'm feeling good at the moment about the console's staying power after seeing that the latest Grand Theft Auto VI trailer was apparently running on a base PS5. If it looks that good on 2020 hardware, I'd love to see it running on a PS5 Pro. Speaking of which, the PS5 Pro is getting its first-ever discount. It's a small drop at $50, but we'll certainly take that versus a $50 price increase. At $649.99 from Walmart, Amazon, or Best Buy, you're getting Sony's most powerful PS5 that has a larger GPU, more storage, and the ability to use Sony's own PSSR AI upscaling technology to make games look and run better than they might otherwise. The PS5 Pro's improved power is more obvious when you're directly comparing your screen to one showing original PS5 footage; there currently aren't any games that benefit from the hardware to the extent that it's easy to recommend the pricey console, which is normally $699.99. Perhaps, Grand Theft Auto VI will prove to be that game when it launches 2026, unless late 2025's Ghost of Yotei, or another title, blows our socks off before then. Read our review of the PS5 Pro. PlayStation 5 Pro $6997% off $649 The 'pro' version of Sony's PlayStation 5 has a bigger GPU, new PSSR AI-based upscaling, advanced ray tracing, and 2TB SSD (with expandable storage). The new features allow for better graphics at higher frame rates, allowing for the blending of 'fidelity' and 'performance' modes in some games. Other great Days of Play deals The PlayStation VR 2 headset is $50 off at Walmart, Best Buy, and through Amazon, costing $349.99 for either the headset and pair of Sense wireless controllers, or the unit that comes the aforementioned gadgets, plus Horizon Call of the Mountain, a first-person showcase for Sony's VR tech. The customizable, slightly modular DualSense Edge controller is $30 off at Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon, costing $169.99. Compared to the standard DualSense, this one features back paddles and the ability to swap between control scheme profiles. If its analog sticks ever malfunction, you can swap them out with a different module. Let's hope that never happens because they cost $19.99 each. The standard DualSense controller is $20 off at Best Buy and Amazon, and will cost $59.99 or $54.99 for the duration of the sale period, depending on the color scheme you want to buy. The PlayStation Access accessibility controller is also $20 off at Amazon and Best Buy, dropping the price to $69.99.
