PlayStation 5 - Have you been able to score one yet?

[BLUEVOODU]

I finally got one... has anyone else been able to score one?  They are getting easier to find... still a bit difficult though.   Crazy thing is... I felt a bit excited to get one.... 1 year after launch.   That shouldn't be a thing.   They should be common to buy a year later.

[Grindspine]

GameStop in Brownsburg, Indiana has a few on hand, but they are all $800 bundle systems.  That is of today (12/19/21).  I cannot afford $800 for one though.

[CreepinDeth]

The more time I get to think about a PS5, the less I want one at the moment. Maybe later on in a couple of years once all of the cross-generation stuff is sorted and we're just dealing with PS5 only titles. I don't like the way Sony went about the PS4->PS5 upgrade path.

It's the reason I pulled the trigger on an Xbox Series X. They seem to respect backwards compatibility much better and I'd rather support that right now.

[Grindspine]

So what good games does PS5 have?  I only get responses of, "Yeah, there are some solid games." But, with exception of Ratchet and Clank's new title, I have yet to hear of any killer apps or system exclusive games that are going to seal the deal.

I mean, the system looks cool, it has PS4 backwards compatibility, can play 4k streaming or blu ray movies (depending on digital or disc version of the console), but what GAMES make it worth buying?

[BLUEVOODU]

@CreepinDeth  - what did you not like about the backward compatibility?  So far, it has worked very well for my.

My biggest complaint is that you cannot PS5 games off external storage.   You have to transfer the game to the internal hard drive before playing.

There really isn't a killer app yet... other than you get to play the newer updated games on the PlayStation 5.  I updated my PS4 to a PS5 because it (so far) plays all my old PS4 games... even from the external drive. It was super easy to move all PS4 games over to the PS5 with my 4TB external drive.  They were also immediately playable.

I still have my PlayStation 3 for PS1, 2, and 3 games. That comes in super handy as we are still finishing some PS3 games such as Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.

I will say... it is a beast of a system. It's large.  It's pretty quiet too. But it is large.  You really have to have the real estate for it.

The other negative for me is the cash outlay to get into this system. After 4 controllers and the bundle... it was not cheap. I didn't feel super excited that it took a solid year to acquire one that was not scalped.   I too bought a bundle, but it was all very usable items... no headsets... etc... but there was a GameStop gift card, a 1 year ps plus subscription (at full price.....) and the rest were games. 

[Grindspine]

Monster system.. I get it... PS4 compatible.. I get it..

It really sounds like, at this point, it is a pretty big upgrade from a PS4.  As someone who does not have a PS4, it really is not ticking a lot of boxes for me to try really hard to get one.  Maybe next year if prices stabilize.  I cannot even see having four controllers for it.  It was rare that Renee or I ever use more than two controllers on the PS3.  Even with Tekken Tag Tournament 2, having four people willing to play at a time was rare.

[retro junkie]

I have not heard much about the PS5. I really haven't expressed the interest in checking out any information related to the console. The PS3 is as far as I have reached into the SONY camp. So, not having a PS4, and never was tempted, I am not sure what the PS5 is all about at this point. Other than it is hard to get one. So I guess it is up to the hype to convince me why I absolutely need one. Until then my money stays into retro gaming.  And I am not a fan of loading my game into internal or external storage. It sounds like the technology has exceeded the capacity of disk drives. Do we need to go back to having carts the size of Neo Geo AES carts?

Don't get me wrong. I have always enjoyed every SONY console that I own. Money becomes an issue on all this new stuff. When nobody wants the old hardware and it sets used, if there are games that catch my interest, and it is cheap to get into, I buy.

[BLUEVOODU]

@Grindspine - that make sense.  If it wasn't for my son... we probably could get away with 2.  Even back when I was able to game more (thinking when we played Tekken Tag Tournament 2)... I probably could've got away with 2 controllers.  If you can get a standard bundle, the prices aren't HORRIBLE... but they're not going down either.   I will be shocked if prices go back down after Corps were able to get them the last couple years - guitars, games, electronics, cars, houses...etc.  We might see some fluctuations... but I Think it would take a major crash for that to happen. crap... even some guitars I was looking at are now $1000 more due to wood prices... which technically HAVE come back down a bit.  Did those guitar prices? no.  People still bought.

@retro junkie - I think it would be costly to put the size of games today on a cart.  I know the Switch gets away with it.  Maybe I am wrong.  I wish the Ps5 was able to (like the ps3) play ps1-ps3 games.  So far, it's been a good console.  It's quieter for sure... but it's massive.   This is the largest system I have ever owned.  The capabilities are cool... and it's pretty fast.  I also opted for the version where I can play Physical Blu-Rays...etc. 

[CreepinDeth]

@retro junkieI wish the Ps5 was able to (like the ps3) play ps1-ps3 games.

That's what I was referring to when I wrote about BC. Microsoft put together a team that made as many Xbox and Xbox 360 games compatible. And most not just run but they come with FPS boosts and higher resolutions. Sometimes both!

I get that the PS3 was a pain but they should at least try to get some of those running on the PS5. There are too many games trapped in old gen consoles that would benefit from the stronger hardware. Not to mention, I paid for those games already. Those old consoles won't last forever.

[BLUEVOODU]

@CreepinDeth That's pretty cool Microsoft did that... especially in a time when game companies are really trying to capitalize on re-releases and re-masters.  Did they make the games compatible via disc as well so you could just pop in your old game and play it on your new console?

I haven't been watching that closely, but I'm not exactly sure what would make a PS3 game more difficult to get running on a PS5.  Was it due to the programming on the PS3 "special processor" or something like that?

[BLUEVOODU]

Bumping this topic... I think supply has been stabilizing. However, when I go to bestbuy.com, amazon.com, and others... I do not see anything in stock.

Both Amazon links are reservation only:
https://amzn.to/3UoIXb0
https://amzn.to/3Ao3HI3

This is unheard of though... 2 years out, already.  Hard to believe it's been 2 years btw.  Has anyone had success buying a PS5 (those who still want one)?

[targetrasp]

Now that I think about it I can't recall seeing one in a store. I see xbox s a lot, but the other current gen systems are still mia

[CreepinDeth]

Did they make the games compatible via disc as well so you could just pop in your old game and play it on your new console?

Yes! You can pop in a disc that is backwards compatible and it will automatically download the digital version. You can only play with the disc inserted.

[BLUEVOODU]

I have to admit, that's pretty cool... and is a welcomed feature.  Good stuff.

So hard to believe.  2 years... still hard to find a PS5.   @targetrasp --> that's because no one wants the Xbox S Digital... but they want the Xbox Series X    I think that one is still hard to find if I'm correct.

[targetrasp]

I wonder if the S gets considered a failure and if that'll stop this silly digital push!

Leave the digital to Steam, Epic, GOG etc. I want xbox, Sony, Nintendo etc. to stay physical.

[CreepinDeth]

I want xbox, Sony, Nintendo etc. to stay physical.

Unfortunately, that's a losing battle. Already saw reports on how digital sales made up 72% of the sales this year across all platforms. I'll see if I can find the article.  Here's an aricle - Over 70% of all game sales in 2022 were digital downloads

When it comes specifically to console gaming, around 72% of all game sales were digital downloads, with only the remained 28% accounting for physical releases. This continues a trend we have witnessed for many years now, with each consecutive year seeing more and more customers opting for digital game purchases over boxed copies. Again, this figure does not include Nintendo Switch software, which represents perhaps the last real bastion of high-street retail gaming purchases.

Either way, Nintendo is already going more digital. The fact that they sell physical boxes with no carts in them is telling. Microsoft is the most to go digital with how they handle backwards compatibility, Game Pass Ultimate and with the Series S having no disc drive. Sony making a revised, single SKU PS5 that is digital only unless you buy the Blu-ray drive attachment and pushing their own PS+ subscriptions to compete with Game Pass Ultimate means the writing is on the wall for them as well.

Buy all the physical copies that you can because it's not going to last.

Oh and the Series S is not a failure at all. It has sold a lot because it's a cheap entry point to the Xbox ecosystem and when you couple that with Game Pass Ultimate, there's no need for a drive. Microsoft has made it very easy to forget about discs. Both the S and X are fairly easy to find these days but the S being cheaper means it's in more households. It also makes having another Xbox in another room trivial. I plan on getting one for that reason myself. The X in my living room and the S in my office.

[targetrasp]

@CreepinDeth the dream basher!

somehow I figured as much, really just hoping for different!

maybe I'll age out by the time this stuff goes completely digital, although no real sign of growing up yet, and that should have happened 20 years ago!

[Grindspine]

I don't know if I have ever seen one in person. Was yours behind that air purifier tower next to your TV?

[CreepinDeth]

@CreepinDeth the dream basher!

somehow I figured as much, really just hoping for different!

maybe I'll age out by the time this stuff goes completely digital, although no real sign of growing up yet, and that should have happened 20 years ago!

Bashing dreams is what I do best, lol. 

As a collector, I'm saddened by the inevitable digital marketplace as I love collecting physical copies and consoles. But also, knowing that there will be an actual end to physical collecting is kind of cathartic. I don't know if I'll have the money and the time to acquire physical copies of all the games I want to have in my collection, especially any new games. Emulation has also been more of a way I play retro games these days. It's easier to buy a large hard drive to fill with games than shelf space. As I've gotten older, I just want to play rather than admire the box.

[retro junkie]

@CreepinDeth the dream basher!

somehow I figured as much, really just hoping for different!

maybe I'll age out by the time this stuff goes completely digital, although no real sign of growing up yet, and that should have happened 20 years ago!

Look at me (68 years this coming Feb) I haven't grown up yet. Still 13 inside and playing retro like it was today. 

It is very sad that everything is going digital, but we knew it was one day coming. Sort of the same sadness I had when the N64 was that last home console to have cartridge gaming. And now look at Nintendo, they found a way of getting back into that home console with cartridge based gaming.    Only to be hit with the turning of the tide again.

How has the scarcity of the PS5 effected the success of the console? 

[BLUEVOODU]

@retro junkie  -- so far... I don't think scarcity has affected sales.  Why? They're all selling out. Those that REALLY want a Playstation 5 have got one through one of many sources.... OR overpaid. Same thing goes for the Xbox Series X.   It is very interesting that you still don't see either on a shelf.  I've never seen that before... 2 years after a launch.  I still don't see OLED Switches in Best Buys... but last time I checked, everything was sold out after the Holidays.

[retro junkie]

@BLUEVOODU so essentially you have to be in the niche group of people looking for the upgrade in order to get one. No casual gamer can walk off the street and pick one off the shelf due to the demand. And they are already talking about a Playstation 6 around the corner, maybe a couple of years out still.

[CreepinDeth]

It is very interesting that you still don't see either on a shelf.  I've never seen that before... 2 years after a launch.  I still don't see OLED Switches in Best Buys... but last time I checked, everything was sold out after the Holidays.

I saw both a Series X and S at my local Target this past weekend. I was surprised. No PS5s though.

Best Buy seems to have the consoles behind the registers these days. I see a bunch of OLED Switches back there almost all the time at the one I go to. Speaking of Best Buy, I can buy a PS5 right now from them through their website. If I want the God of War bundle, I can get it right now at my local BB. If I just want the console, then I can pay in advance and they give me a date on when to pick up or I can get it delivered.

Nature is healing.

[BLUEVOODU]

@CreepinDeth — I thought the consoles behind the registers were all pre-buys waiting for people to pick them up?  They weren't available to buy. At least they were. 

So those are technically available now?

[BLUEVOODU]

I'll be... I do see availability locally - by Feb 2nd. You can buy online now as well. That's crazy and just changed recently. 

Looks like it's still by invite on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/3kRuCXt

[CreepinDeth]

@CreepinDeth — I thought the consoles behind the registers were all pre-buys waiting for people to pick them up?  They weren't available to buy. At least they were. 

So those are technically available now?

My Best Buy has them in the cages. Those should be for sale. The others tend to have a red sticker on them for pickup. I'm pretty certain the ones in the cages are up for grabs but I could be wrong.

[CreepinDeth]

Had the day off and decided to walk into my local Target to see if they had any copies of Metroid Prime Remastered. They did not. 

BUT...

They had 3 God of War Ragnarok PS5 Bundles!

Guessed who walked out with one?!

I'm now a member of the PS5 owner's club. Suck it, Scalpers!! 

[BLUEVOODU]

WOOT WOOOOTTTT  That's awesome lol.   Congratulations, @CreepinDeth   How are you liking it so far?

I completely forgot about Metroid Prime Remastered.  Crap... did they launch a steel book?    I couldn't find anything physical release wise for Metroid Prime Remastered... IE any in stock. 

[CreepinDeth]

I completely forgot about Metroid Prime Remastered.  Crap... did they launch a steel book?    I couldn't find anything physical release wise for Metroid Prime Remastered... IE any in stock. 

This physical release has been a big sore spot with gamers since last week. Nintendo either intentionally limited the release (to force people to buy digital) or underestimated the demand as there are currently no news on whether they will ship more. The prices on Ebay are starting to rise as they are going for nearly double the price right now.

WOOT WOOOOTTTT  That's awesome lol.  Congratulations, @CreepinDeth  How are you liking it so far?

It's pretty cool! Although, I mostly just installed PS4 games, lol. I let my wife take it over and play Horizon: Zero Dawn since I'm currently going through Resident Evil Remakes 1, 2 & 3 in preparation for 4 next month.

I did set up her Steam Deck to stream the PS5 with Chiaki while I played on the TV with the Series X. The local streaming is so good. The input lag is so minuscule it's practically indistinguishable.

[targetrasp]

I saw one in the local Walmart yesterday, not the Ragnarok bundle, but a PS5 none-the-less.