Skip to main content

Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

PlayStation 5 Showcase live report

Final Fantasy 16! Harry Potter! £449 - or £359 for the digital edition. Everything as it happened.

It's finally starting to feel like the next generation is happening! With Microsoft having announced price and release details for its Series S and Series X consoles, here's hoping Sony follows suit tonight as part of its PlayStation 5 showcase. Join us live from 9pm BST for all the action.

Watch on YouTube

Our live coverage of this event has finished.

Jeez what are you lot doing here already?

Martin Robinson

Haven't you got anywhere better to be on a Wednesday night? Because I certainly haven't.

Martin Robinson

Kami: Oh good, I'm awake from my blackout in time for this. Evening all!

Hullo Kami. Grand to see you as always!

Martin Robinson

And hello all of you. I'm quite excited for this one.

Martin Robinson

Because we're at the business end of things right now - no more target gameplay nonsense. No more vagueness.

Martin Robinson

A release date, a price, and some games running on next gen hardware. That's what it should be about tonight.

Martin Robinson

(cut to me getting increasingly angry in my shed in about an hour's time as we see another pointless CG trailer cut to a forlorn cover of an 80s classic)

Martin Robinson

Ah well, let's just enjoy each other's company if it ends up going that way. Ill-advisedly I have already cracked open a beer and am getting HYPED.

Martin Robinson

IanHigton: Oh hello!

don't remember inviting you here

Martin Robinson

(hello Ian!)

Martin Robinson

I'm almost embarrassed to say as it exposes me for the hipster that I am.

Martin Robinson

But it's a Doozy from Villages, my local brewery in Deptford. It's one of those trendy IPAs that all the kids love these days.

Martin Robinson

(I'll move onto some Gadds porter - something more appropriate to someone my age - soon after)

Martin Robinson

So, predictions.

Martin Robinson

Well, in an ideal world it'd kick off with a brand new Ridge Racer that came bundled with a raytracing enhanced, 120fps and 4K remake of the original.

Martin Robinson

I do like the idea of getting an early glimpse of what Ueda-san's up to - credit to DrDollarPHD for that.

Martin Robinson

Something that serene would segue nicely into the next section, a playthrough of the first level of Gradius 6 - with Gradius 5 designer Hiroshi Iuchi at the helm alongside his colleagues at M2.

Martin Robinson

Oh yeah, and then finish on that. Obv.

Martin Robinson

Rumour round-up, for what it's worth - Final Fantasy 16 will make an appearance with the shocking news that it's a PlayStation exclusive.

Martin Robinson

A new Silent Hill is about to be unveiled.

Martin Robinson

And there might be a different colour PS5 other than the white one we've seen already.

Martin Robinson

I reckon we might just get two of those three, but let's see.

Martin Robinson

XrodOne: Listening to cricket?? And I thought watching it was bad enough

Oooh I nearly got the banhammer out then. No-one disses Test Match Special in these parts!

Martin Robinson

peterfll: Martin, do you EVER get a break or do they leave it to you to write EVERYTHING on EG these days? Not that I’m complaining, but I’m concerned about your work/life balance?

THIS IS HOW I RELAX.

Martin Robinson

Also I'm having a beer and hanging out with some nice people here on the internet while we wait to see some lovely new video games - like I'd want to be doing anything else right now.

Martin Robinson

Preach!

Martin Robinson

I'm about to head to the fridge and get another beer. Anyone want anything?

Martin Robinson

[STARS]TyranT: Hopeful for WipEout anyone? Just me then :(

Well, Pacer is out tomorrow...

Martin Robinson

slowdog1976: mini pork pies please martin

I ate them all last night *sadface*

Martin Robinson

theguy: If they start with GTA again I'm getting an Ouya

I sort of hope they open with GTA6 now, condemning you to a life with an Ouya.

Martin Robinson

I'm back!

Martin Robinson

And now I'm curious - do they do bigger bags of Scampi Fries?

Martin Robinson

I adore them - the only downside is the bags are too small, and I'm too greedy.

Martin Robinson

Worried I'd just open all 24 packs, pour them into a big bowl and then binge on them one night while watching random YouTube videos in my shed.

Martin Robinson

Actually that sounds like a banging night. Ordered.

Martin Robinson

Are they even biscuits though? Clue's in the name (we are all still about Jaffa Cakes here).

Martin Robinson

Just under five minutes to go.

Martin Robinson

WHY AM I SO EXCITED.

Martin Robinson

I should probably load up the stream somewhere.

Martin Robinson

Ah here we go.

Martin Robinson

Where do they find this music.

Martin Robinson

Indeed. It's becoming increasingly strange to see games being sold on their high fidelity visuals making their very public debuts at such low quality.

Martin Robinson

Thank you for clearing that up.

Martin Robinson

Sorry, got sidetracked there. Did it start?

Martin Robinson

(Yes it bloody well did, with a quick montage of everything we saw last time out at the PS5 reveal).

Martin Robinson

And straight away it's a PC build rather than a look at next gen hardware in action.

Martin Robinson

Still, here we go.

Martin Robinson

And they're opening with the biggie -Final Fantasy 16.

Martin Robinson

It looks a lot like classic Final Fantasy/FF14.

Martin Robinson

And I for one could not be any happier.

Martin Robinson

And it's from Creative Business Unit 3 - so it's Naoki Yoshida's team, even if he's not helming it himself.

Martin Robinson

What more could you want?

Martin Robinson

Oh, that Amano artwork.

Martin Robinson

And there it is - it's a console exclusive on PlayStation (that's also coming to PC).

Martin Robinson

Well, what an opener.

Martin Robinson

And everything we see from here on out will be captured from a PS5.

Martin Robinson

Starting with Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Martin Robinson

I think after the slightly confusing debut of this Sony's going to be keen to show the PS5 difference with this demo.

Martin Robinson

(Though again watching at 1080p in a window on my PC, it's not particularly easy to see that difference).

Martin Robinson

I GOT THAT REFERENCE!

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Tell us the price for gawds sake.

That'll be the closer, surely.

Martin Robinson

Nemesis: FIRST NIPPLES

Good spot! Great nipples, too.

Martin Robinson

I don't know much about Spider-Man so don't really know what I'm watching. It's nice and shiny though.

Martin Robinson

It still looks like Spider-Man to me, but I gave up on the first game after *that* thing happened in the story and it all got quite hard.

Martin Robinson

Indeed - on a proper screen I'm sure it's quite the next gen showcase.

Martin Robinson

Don't do this to me.

Martin Robinson

MrSomeone: Do you think this is the gen where we'll finally see completely destructible scenery?* *We're not, are we?

It might be more the design challenge than the technical one that's holding that back.

Martin Robinson

There we go - Holiday 2020 is all it says, but of course the PS5 launch date is coming later.

Martin Robinson

I hope.

Martin Robinson

Next! It's Warner Bros./Avalanche with...

Martin Robinson

That little wizard boy I guess?

Martin Robinson

Tiel: So--which launch titles of the past have blown you away. I start with Mario 64

This and always this.

Martin Robinson

This one has been awaiting reveal for quite some time, for reasons which are probably obvious.

Martin Robinson

And while it's hard to see how the game will shake out, the bits that look like gameplay sure do look nice.

Martin Robinson

Nemesis: Good luck on the character creation screen !

...

Martin Robinson

It's coming in 2021, and I do think that's the most next-gen thing I've seen to date.

Martin Robinson

Raven Software next - so it's Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War.

Martin Robinson

And we'll get a playthrough of a single player level. I *might* turn my speakers down for this, because it's probably going to get loud.

Martin Robinson

Also this.

Martin Robinson

Yup, it's a Call of Duty campaign - though this one does offer more open-ended levels that seem almost Metal Gear Solid 5-esque in nature in this.

Martin Robinson

Maybe that's just because it's raining, he's got a gravelly voice and there are binoculars tho.

Martin Robinson

This looks like what the Fast & Furious game should have been.

Martin Robinson

But obviously with real cars and not a remote control one.

Martin Robinson

Actually would be well up for Fast 9 being all about them using nothing but tiny Tamiya remote control cars though.

Martin Robinson

Anyway, that was CoD.

Martin Robinson

There'll be a multiplayer alpha coming this weekend on PS4.

Martin Robinson

Next!

Martin Robinson

It's Resident Evil 8.

Martin Robinson

Which I *don't* think we've got a really good look at yet, beyond its reveal trailer.

Martin Robinson

It's a very gothic take on the series, complete with a beautiful animated fairytale.

Martin Robinson

Yes!

Martin Robinson

Sadly no real gameplay - at least not yet.

Martin Robinson

Nor a release date beyond a vague 2021.

Martin Robinson

Ah well, here's Arkane's Deathloop.

Martin Robinson

And yes, this looks like a very, very good time - I'm much more convinced by this than I was the last showing.

Martin Robinson

In fact, I'm positively pumped.

Martin Robinson

Exactly!

Martin Robinson

Oh man, The Club.

Martin Robinson

I'm seeing so much more Arkane now in the ingenuity of the systems.

Martin Robinson

I will play this game. A lot.

Martin Robinson

Q2 2021 - it's a PlayStation console exclusive. And it honestly looks like it could be game of the year material.

Martin Robinson

Yes please, basically.

Martin Robinson

Now, what's this?

Martin Robinson

Ah, it's Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition - a next gen glow up I'd imagine with some extra content.

Martin Robinson

Nemesis: Nope

Yup.

Martin Robinson

(I loved Devil May Cry 5 - it felt like a classic PS2 game, which meant it was a bit hoary in places but also played like a dream).

Martin Robinson

And it's going to be there at launch on PS5.

Martin Robinson

NEXT!

Martin Robinson

Oddworld!

Martin Robinson

(as you might be able to tell from my silence, I've never played an Oddworld game before).

Martin Robinson

Looks fun though!

Martin Robinson

Right, next - I think it's going to be GhostWire: Tokyo.

Martin Robinson

No I'm an idiot, it's Five Nights at Freddys.

Martin Robinson

Your kids will love it.

Martin Robinson

Now then...

Martin Robinson

Demon's Souls.

Martin Robinson

This looks like the Demon's Souls I love.

Martin Robinson

Oh yes it really does, but in the most beautiful way.

Martin Robinson

I thought it all looked a bit too colourful last time around, but I'm more than reassured by this look of it in action.

Martin Robinson

Don't it just.

Martin Robinson

It looks great and it plays... Well, we know how it plays, and it's sodding excellent.

Martin Robinson

Miyamotosan: Two minutes to give us a price and a release date...

It'll be the boss we encounter at the end of this demo.

Martin Robinson

Hahaha *cries*

Martin Robinson

Did they screw up the font of the 'You Died' screen though? LIVID!

Martin Robinson

(I'm buying a PS5 to play that).

Martin Robinson

Right then, one minute to go.

Martin Robinson

And we're getting a sodding Fortnite trailer.

Martin Robinson

And this - the PlayStation Plus Collection, perhaps Sony's answer to Game Pass.

Martin Robinson

It looks that way.

Martin Robinson

Indeed it is.

Martin Robinson

Come on then.

Martin Robinson

Release date.

Martin Robinson

Price.

Martin Robinson

Let's do it.

Martin Robinson

It looks like someone's artexed the inside of that PS5.

Martin Robinson

Nasty.

Martin Robinson

Anyway, November 12th release date - or the 19th here in the UK (how could you betray us like that Jim).

Martin Robinson

And a £449 price point.

Martin Robinson

For the primo edition that is - £360 for the digital edition.

Martin Robinson

And here's a God of War tease to see us out.

Martin Robinson

God of War Ragnarok - a 2021 release, but we're not yet treated to gameplay.

Martin Robinson

And that is a wrap.

Martin Robinson

A good show, no?

Martin Robinson

And that price point for the digital edition will have Microsoft worried.

Martin Robinson

Well I'm getting them all because I bloody love video games, me.

Martin Robinson

But there's enough in that to make the PS5 a tasty proposition for those on the fence.

Martin Robinson

Also I really, really want to play Deathloop.

Martin Robinson

That was the Silent Hill reboot. Sorry.

Martin Robinson

Now that all that is out the way, we can get to the fun stuff in the next few weeks (oh my god it is just weeks) until launch. I can't wait.

Martin Robinson

Thanks as ever for joining me. I'm now going to sit by the front door and wait for that delivery of Scampi Fries to arrive.

Martin Robinson