PS5 Update: Will a Summer State of Play Event Be Announced Soon?

The Thursday letters section expresses concern over the potential failure of the new Marvel games, with one contributor lamenting the gradual demise of traditional gaming formats.

To participate in the discussions, you can send an email directly.
[email protected]

Summer schedule

I really hope that
Sony
is
planning to create more exclusive titles for their platform
But I sense that we can’t return to our former state. Too much time has passed and numerous changes have occurred, such as Sony continuing to sell vast numbers of PlayStation 5 consoles despite lacking significant exclusive titles.
Xbox
going multiformat.

I think it’s reasonable to hope they will do more though. We can’t stop them making any more live service games but they do seem to at least be slowing down a bit. The problem is that slowing up doesn’t mean they’ll speed up with single-player games instead. They could just end up making less overall, like they have over the last few years.

This year we have “Ghost Of Yōtei,” and I’m not particularly enthusiastic about it (by the midway point of the previous one, I was already tired of it). However, I am quite eager to see
Returnal follow-up Saros
Next year, so let’s hope things are gradually improving.

I’d like to stay hopeful, but there’s no indication that Sony will have their usual not-E3 State of Play event this summer. They’ve typically held it towards the end of May over the last couple of years, and since we’re well past when announcements usually start coming out, things aren’t looking promising. I really hope I’m mistaken, perhaps it might happen sometime in late June, but everything points otherwise.

RaeBonn

Your tale is another fortress

It looks like the leak for the sequel to the Super Mario Bros. movie suggests it will be called “Super Mario World.” I doubt most people would catch that reference, though. Would they really adapt the storyline from the game itself? Come to think of it, does this game even have much of a plot? I’ve completed it two times, and frankly, I barely recall anything specific about the narrative.

Looking at Wikipedia, apparently it was all in the manual and basically Bowser kidnapped Peach and some dinosaur eggs. There’s so little to work with I really have no idea what direction any of these films could do to justify themselves as anything other than a cash-in. The Paper Mario games are the only ones with an actual plot, but even then that’s not what’s good about them.

Austin

Risky business

I have a nagging sense of unease regarding this situation.
upcoming Marvel games
I suppose Wolverine will manage just fine, but that Iron Man game might end up being nearly twenty years too delayed when it finally releases. It’s hard to fathom why anyone would get excited about a collaboration between Captain America and Black Panther during World War II.

Usually, I’d dismiss it with a casual shrug, writing it off as another impending failure. But now, that mindset implies the entire studio might be at risk. And considering the hundreds of employees working on those two games, what then?

I’m not overstating this. Look at what occurred with Firaxis following the disappointing performance of the (outstanding) Midnight Suns. The key developers departed, causing the studio to become fragmented (it seems more than coincidental that Civilization 7 turned out to be one of their few misses). As a result, fans will likely never see an XCOM 3.

I’m not familiar with the developers behind Iron Man and the other project, but I am aware that many jobs are currently at risk simply because EA was slow to join the trend.

Cerates

Email your comments to:
[email protected]

Reliable reputation

Glad to hear

GC recovered the Power Stone.

I appreciate the amount of work Capcom has invested in this collection and find the pricing quite fair. Although I’ve never been much of a fan of fighting games, it does improve my perception of Capcom. This makes me more inclined to consider their future releases that might catch my interest.

I hope some other publishers had similar ideas, particularly since Capcom is currently thriving financially. However, sadly, companies like EA and Activision, along with Ubisoft to an extent, generally stick to their major franchises and do not produce many alternative offerings.

Sony serves as another case study of success in this regard, since their standing with exclusive titles was not particularly impressive before the arrival of the PlayStation 4. Over time, they managed to establish themselves as dependable creators. It seems peculiar now that they would risk squandering such an achievement.

Griefer

Money issue

I’ve been contemplating this idea for some time: Sony has the power to eliminate Xbox from the console market with a single statement. They could offer Game Pass on PlayStation. This move would render Xbox obsolete, and we’re aware that Phil supports bringing it to their platform.

I’ll never understand why Sony doesn’t take this step; it would be beneficial for everyone involved. Perhaps one day, Sony will change their stance, and Xbox could end up like Sega did, but hopefully with substantially more resources dedicated solely to game development.

David

GC:

They won’t do it because they earn more from selling games on their platform. Even though they might reconsider eventually, as they’re starting to generate greater revenue from microtransactions compared to selling full-fledged games.

And another thing

You know, I have been witnessing quite a bit of clamour over the last few days. More or less a lot of complaining and quite a stir of negativity. I’ve seen GTA 6 fall surprisingly prey to this. Either people have issues with the inevitably violent content, the sex or the aged fable of controversy. My take is my bond and I say that I gladly welcome the gratuitous violence, the sex, and the glory glitz of Leonida.

Since I’ve been waiting for more than 12 years for this evolution, nothing short of bewilderment will make me deviate from obtaining the collector’s edition at the earliest opportunity. Should such a package come with extras like a statue or early access, I would be thoroughly pleased.

My second point is the Nintendo Switch 2. I’ve already mentioned that I secured the Mario Kart World bundle from Amazon and I acknowledge the bricking controversy. But modding isn’t my cup of tea, so Nintendo has nothing to worry about. I’d rather emulate PlayStation 2 games anyway.

Thirdly, concerning the PlayStation 6, it makes no difference whether we consider its cost, memory capacity, exclusive games, or technical specifications. Regardless of these factors, I plan to purchase this console just like I did with the PlayStation 5 on release day. The earlier it comes out in 2027, the better it would be for me. I am really looking forward to taking significant strides in enjoying new releases such as Horizon Zero Dawn 3 along with numerous other upcoming titles.

Shahzaib Sadiq

Mum’s the word

I’m curious about when we can expect some solid insights into the launch titles for the Switch 2?

Is there a restriction on when reviews for Switch 2 games can be published? Or maybe there’s a gag order on discussing any such restrictions—nothing from Nintendo would shock me at this point.

Mark

GC:

There’s typically a restriction on discussing embargoes until a certain time, but this becomes even more pronounced when dealing with Nintendo.

Facing defeat

I know the war was lost long ago (shops stopping second-hand games was the end, as far as I see it) but it is so tragic to see
What tiny fraction do physical game copies represent?
Now, none of my friends or family members purchase physical copies anymore, and honestly, what’s the point? After all, the content isn’t even saved onto the disc.

It might have been bound to happen because although the original game may be present on the disc, it undergoes alterations and expansions through updates as soon as you insert it into a console. The real issue is that there isn’t really any advantage to going digital. Sure, people mention convenience, but what kind of convenience are we talking about here? It’s not like avoiding disc changes makes much sense or requires less effort.

It requires time just to purchase a physical copy. By the time I go to the store and return, I could have downloaded a contemporary game instead. Of course, I generally avoid impulsively spending $80 on a new game at a moment’s notice when the urge strikes me.

The cost of gaming has skyrocketed since selling used games became harder, particularly due to eBay’s updated payment policies. It seems like no one is bothered by this though. Perhaps everybody suddenly turned into millionaires without me getting the update, but the decline of physical media is simply giving publishers greater leverage and siphoning more money from regular folks’ pockets.

Rufus

Inbox also-rans

I just saw the Borderlands film on Amazon. While it doesn’t measure up to Fallout or The Last of Us, it wasn’t terrible either. I really enjoyed Jack Black’s portrayal of the irritating android Claptrap. There should be a Brütal Legend movie; it’d feature an awesome soundtrack. Next, I think I’ll watch the Like A Dragon movie.

Johnny Alpha SD

Right now I’m playing: Doom Eternal and Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6

Thank you for letting me know about Very; I was able to order my package complete with a camera, and I’m really excited now. When I double-checked, it showed as being available, but it seemed odd since nobody else appears to have any inventory at all.

Boysie

Email your comments to:
[email protected]

The small print

Each weekday morning brings new Inbox updates, along with special Hot Topic Inboxes over the weekends. Reader correspondence is utilized based on merit and might undergo edits for length and substance.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time through email or our website.
Submit Stuff page
, which if utilized will appear in the following available weekend time frame.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to
follow us on Twitter
.

Subscribe to Apkini’s GameCentral newsletter for exclusive insights, new game launches, and additional community material.