https://www.scmp.com/rss/501760/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on PlayStation. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sony Group Corp is preparing to introduce a new video game subscription service for the PlayStation as early as next week, said people familiar with the plans. The service, which has been in development under the code name Spartacus, is Sony’s answer to Microsoft Corp’s Xbox Game Pass, a sort of Netflix for video games that has amassed more than 25 million subscribers. Sony’s will debut with a splashy line-up of hit games from recent years, said the people, who requested anonymity because the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3171950/sony-unveil-playstation-subscription-soon-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3171950/sony-unveil-playstation-subscription-soon-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Mar 2022 04:00:14 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS While most gamers watched Sony’s PlayStation 5 unveiling in the afternoon or evening, in China the event was broadcast at 4am. But that didn’t stop the country’s gamers. Chinese social media is flooded with opinions and memes about Sony’s latest home console. The PlayStation 5’s most eye-catching feature is undoubtedly the look of the console itself, and gamers in China are divided on whether it looks good or not. Those who like it say it looks... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3088847/gamers-china-think-playstation-5-looks-weird-theyll-buy-it-anyway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3088847/gamers-china-think-playstation-5-looks-weird-theyll-buy-it-anyway?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:45:06 +0000 While most gamers watched Sony’s PlayStation 5 unveiling in the afternoon or evening, in China the event was broadcast at 4am. But that didn’t stop the country’s gamers. Chinese social media is flooded with opinions and memes about Sony’s latest home console. The PlayStation 5’s most eye-catching feature is undoubtedly the look of the console itself, and gamers in China are divided on whether it looks good or not. Those who like it say it looks high-tech and futuristic, while others shared memes... https://www.scmp.com/games/gamers-china-think-playstation-5-looks-weird-theyll-buy-it-anyway/article/3088710?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/gamers-china-think-playstation-5-looks-weird-theyll-buy-it-anyway/article/3088710?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:45:03 +0000 This story originally appeared as an opinion piece on Abacus The PlayStation 5 is almost here. Sony will show off their new console in a pre-recorded video on Thursday. Gamers around the world will be tuning in for their first glimpse at the latest PlayStation… even in China, where it’ll be 4am. “Staying up late!” said one poster on Weibo. Another said “I’ll just buy it the moment it launches!” The PlayStation 5 will arrive right as China’s massive gaming industry is investing more in console... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3088621/can-sony-finally-crack-china-playstation-5?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3088621/can-sony-finally-crack-china-playstation-5?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jun 2020 08:34:04 +0000 The PlayStation 5 is almost here. Sony will show off their new console in a pre-recorded video on Thursday. Gamers around the world will be tuning in for their first glimpse at the latest PlayStation… even in China, where it’ll be 4am. “Staying up late!” said one poster on Weibo. Another said “I’ll just buy it the moment it launches!” The PlayStation 5 will arrive right as China’s massive gaming industry is investing more in console games than ever before. But that doesn’t mean the PS5’s success... https://www.scmp.com/games/can-sony-finally-crack-china-playstation-5/article/3088475?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/can-sony-finally-crack-china-playstation-5/article/3088475?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jun 2020 08:34:02 +0000 Japanese tech giant Sony has disabled a back door in the mainland Chinese version of its PlayStation 4 gaming console which allowed gamers to bypass China’s strict content controls to log onto foreign servers and download games from overseas versions of the PlayStation Store. In the latest system update this week, the back door – which could be exploited by holding down specific buttons while resetting the machine – appears to have been disabled, although some social media users noted that... https://www.scmp.com/games/sony-closes-loophole-allowing-chinas-playstation-4-gamers-play-overseas-titles/article/3086754?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/sony-closes-loophole-allowing-chinas-playstation-4-gamers-play-overseas-titles/article/3086754?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2020 21:00:14 +0000 Sony has suspended its PlayStation Store in mainland China saying it wanted to improve the online store’s security, in a move that will temporarily prevent it from selling games in the world’s largest video game market. PlayStation China announced the closure in a statement on its Weibo account on Sunday, saying it was for a “system security upgrade” without providing further details. It also did not specify a reopening date. The closure, however, comes on the heels of reports on social media... https://www.scmp.com/games/playstation-store-china-suspended-after-gamers-reportedly-evade-restrictions/article/3083794?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/playstation-store-china-suspended-after-gamers-reportedly-evade-restrictions/article/3083794?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2020 07:48:29 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Ari Fleischer isn’t exactly known for his friendly stance toward China, having recently called it a “terrible place” and a “huge problem.” On Sunday, he found yet another reason to slam the country: A knockoff PlayStation 4 controller. Fleischer, who served as the chief White House spokesman under President George W. Bush, wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “Another reason to distrust China: we bought my kids a PS4 and then got a 2nd controller from Amazon.... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3080714/former-us-press-secretary-angry-china-after-buying-wrong-ps4?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3080714/former-us-press-secretary-angry-china-after-buying-wrong-ps4?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 09:00:18 +0000 Ari Fleischer isn’t exactly known for his friendly stance toward China, having recently called it a “terrible place” and a “huge problem.” On Sunday, he found yet another reason to slam the country: A knockoff PlayStation 4 controller. Fleischer, who served as the chief White House spokesman under President George W. Bush, wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “Another reason to distrust China: we bought my kids a PS4 and then got a 2nd controller from Amazon. The controller was made in China of course... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/former-us-press-secretary-angry-china-after-buying-wrong-ps4-controller/article/3080687?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/former-us-press-secretary-angry-china-after-buying-wrong-ps4-controller/article/3080687?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 09:00:14 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS At midnight on Friday, excited fans in China turned on their PlayStation 4 consoles to return to the city of Midgar. Owing to the time zone difference, Asian players are among the first in the world to get a taste of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, a game that fans have been anticipating for years. “Hey, old friend... Long time no see! Can you sit down with me and tell me your story again?” one player wrote on Weibo early this morning, along with a... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3079438/final-fantasy-vii-remake-homecoming-chinas-middle-aged-gamers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3079438/final-fantasy-vii-remake-homecoming-chinas-middle-aged-gamers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2020 12:05:11 +0000 At midnight on Friday, excited fans in China turned on their PlayStation 4 consoles to return to the city of Midgar. Owing to the time zone difference, Asian players are among the first in the world to get a taste of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, a game that fans have been anticipating for years. “Hey, old friend... Long time no see! Can you sit down with me and tell me your story again?” one player wrote on Weibo early this morning, along with a picture of a TV screen showing the new game and... https://www.scmp.com/games/final-fantasy-vii-remake-homecoming-chinas-middle-aged-gamers/article/3079376?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/final-fantasy-vii-remake-homecoming-chinas-middle-aged-gamers/article/3079376?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2020 12:05:09 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS One of Sony's China Hero Project games is coming to the West. Boundary, a first-person shooter set in space (like the Sandra Bullock film Gravity... but with guns) from Shenzhen-based studio Surgical Scalpels is coming to PlayStation 4 in the US this year. Boundary is one of a number of Chinese games developed with assistance from Sony. It's part of the China Hero Project, an initiative to boost the number of Chinese-made games on PlayStation. Due to... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3078373/space-shooter-boundary-comes-playstation-4-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3078373/space-shooter-boundary-comes-playstation-4-year?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:28:42 +0000 One of Sony's China Hero Project games is coming to the West. Boundary, a first-person shooter set in space (like the Sandra Bullock film Gravity... but with guns) from Shenzhen-based studio Surgical Scalpels is coming to PlayStation 4 in the US this year. Boundary is one of a number of Chinese games developed with assistance from Sony. It's part of the China Hero Project, an initiative to boost the number of Chinese-made games on PlayStation. Due to the country's long-lasting ban on consoles,... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/space-shooter-boundary-comes-playstation-4-year/article/3078252?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/space-shooter-boundary-comes-playstation-4-year/article/3078252?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:28:39 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS More people are finally getting a look at the Chinese game Genshin Impact, and the response has been surprisingly favorable. The game once widely criticized for looking too much like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now being praised for beautiful graphics and an element-based combat system. Some players are getting an early look at the game from developer miHoYo in its second closed beta before it’s eventually released for PC, PlayStation 4,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3076809/gamers-say-genshin-impact-isnt-zelda-clone-it-appeared-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3076809/gamers-say-genshin-impact-isnt-zelda-clone-it-appeared-be?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2020 21:00:18 +0000 More people are finally getting a look at the Chinese game Genshin Impact, and the response has been surprisingly favorable. The game once widely criticized for looking too much like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now being praised for beautiful graphics and an element-based combat system. Some players are getting an early look at the game from developer miHoYo in its second closed beta before it’s eventually released for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and mobile. Ever since its... https://www.scmp.com/games/gamers-say-genshin-impact-isnt-zelda-clone-it-appeared-be/article/3076765?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/gamers-say-genshin-impact-isnt-zelda-clone-it-appeared-be/article/3076765?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2020 21:00:17 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When China ended its 15-year ban on gaming consoles in 2015, Microsoft was the first to enter the market with the Xbox One. Yet Sony and Nintendo both went on to trounce the American tech giant in the country. But it looks like Microsoft’s fortunes could change with the next generation of consoles. After Microsoft and Sony unveiled the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 respectively, Chinese gamers seem most interested in Microsoft’s offering. Based on... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3076247/xbox-series-x-excites-chinese-gamers-more-playstation-5-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3076247/xbox-series-x-excites-chinese-gamers-more-playstation-5-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2020 21:00:19 +0000 When China ended its 15-year ban on gaming consoles in 2015, Microsoft was the first to enter the market with the Xbox One. Yet Sony and Nintendo both went on to trounce the American tech giant in the country.   But it looks like Microsoft’s fortunes could change with the next generation of consoles. After Microsoft and Sony unveiled the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 respectively, Chinese gamers seem most interested in Microsoft’s offering. Based on reactions online, people in the world’s... https://www.scmp.com/games/xbox-series-x-excites-chinese-gamers-more-playstation-5-so-far/article/3076108?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/xbox-series-x-excites-chinese-gamers-more-playstation-5-so-far/article/3076108?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2020 21:00:17 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Nearly every gadget in the world has some manufacturing done in China. Now the new coronavirus that’s killed more than 900 people and infected tens of thousands has resulted in one of the largest disruptions to production in the country. As workers stay away from factories, supply chains for companies big and small are being disrupted. It’s already starting to impact the availability of smartphones, gaming consoles and other tech products. Here are five... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3049909/five-gadgets-affected-coronavirus-airpods-nintendo-switch-and-even?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3049909/five-gadgets-affected-coronavirus-airpods-nintendo-switch-and-even?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2020 14:53:24 +0000 Nearly every gadget in the world has some manufacturing done in China. Now the new coronavirus that’s killed more than 900 people and infected tens of thousands has resulted in one of the largest disruptions to production in the country. As workers stay away from factories, supply chains for companies big and small are being disrupted. It’s already starting to impact the availability of smartphones, gaming consoles and other tech products. Here are five gadgets already feeling the pinch of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/five-gadgets-affected-coronavirus-airpods-nintendo-switch-and-even-tesla/article/3049802?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/five-gadgets-affected-coronavirus-airpods-nintendo-switch-and-even-tesla/article/3049802?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2020 14:53:23 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Genshin Impact, the controversial The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild lookalike, is headed to the Nintendo Switch, but industry watchers say that it has a better chance of success on mobile. After finding success with mobile game Honkai Impact 3rd, rising Chinese game developer miHoYo is finally getting ready to launch Genshin Impact. The Shanghai-based company has now said it plans to release the title on PlayStation 4, PC and mobile. And with a... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3047245/zelda-lookalike-genshin-impact-heading-nintendo-switch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/games/article/3047245/zelda-lookalike-genshin-impact-heading-nintendo-switch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jan 2020 14:05:47 +0000 Genshin Impact, the controversial The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild lookalike, is headed to the Nintendo Switch, but industry watchers say that it has a better chance of success on mobile. After finding success with mobile game Honkai Impact 3rd, rising Chinese game developer miHoYo is finally getting ready to launch Genshin Impact. The Shanghai-based company has now said it plans to release the title on PlayStation 4, PC and mobile. And with a bit of irony, the game is also headed to the... https://www.scmp.com/games/zelda-lookalike-genshin-impact-heading-nintendo-switch/article/3047120?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/zelda-lookalike-genshin-impact-heading-nintendo-switch/article/3047120?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jan 2020 14:05:46 +0000 In the world of gaming, Sony is more than just the manufacturer of the popular PlayStation console. It also has more than a dozen premium game developers under its wing. Some of these companies have brought us iconic games like Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Last of Us and God of War. Now the Japanese gaming giant wants to expand. Sony executive Shuhei Yoshida said the company is interested in acquiring Asian developers and creating games for the Asian market. Of all the gaming studios that Sony owns,... https://www.scmp.com/games/5-chinese-game-companies-sony-should-buy/article/3029684?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/games/5-chinese-game-companies-sony-should-buy/article/3029684?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Sep 2019 15:34:45 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Gaming could be on the verge of a huge transformation, triggered by streaming. Just as streaming services like Netflix meant people stopped stockpiling DVDs, cloud gaming -- aka game streaming -- like Google Stadia and Microsoft’s xCloud could soon liberate people from consoles and PCs. The promise of cloud gaming is that people can browse a huge game library online, select a game and start playing immediately without needing to download the whole game.... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3028278/cloud-gamings-promise-why-microsoft-google-and-tencent-are-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/who-what/what/article/3028278/cloud-gamings-promise-why-microsoft-google-and-tencent-are-all?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:55:28 +0000 Live streaming companies are promising a bright future in gaming: One second you’re watching your favorite streamers, and with a click, you’re playing with your idols -- without having to download the game. Cloud gaming (or game streaming) will herald a huge change in the way the industry works, with games running not on your device, but in a server in the cloud. And some of the biggest names in Chinese live streaming are getting ready for this future by jumping into game publishing. The... https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/chinas-twitch-platform-huya-publishing-remedys-control/article/3024669?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/big-guns/chinas-twitch-platform-huya-publishing-remedys-control/article/3024669?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Aug 2019 15:59:30 +0000 What is it like to shoot guns while drifting in zero gravity? Boundary takes deathmatches to outer space. Developed by Shenzhen-based Surgical Scalpels and published by live-streaming giant Huya, Boundary is a space-based, tactical online shooter scheduled to be released on PlayStation 4 and PC in the first quarter of 2020. The game is part of Sony’s China Hero Project, an incubator program that supports Chinese developers, and it recently got two new demos. So I gave the demos a try to get a... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/boundary-film-gravity-guns/article/3024459?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/boundary-film-gravity-guns/article/3024459?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2019 14:01:51 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Imagine Old Man Logan but with a rabbit. Instead of lacerating gunmen with adamantium claws, a grizzled bunny faces off against an army of robots by wielding a mechanical fist almost twice the size of its small frame. That is what the upcoming Chinese Metroidvania game F.I.S.T. is about. The game, developed by Shanghai-based TiGames, is a title backed by Sony’s China Hero Project, an incubator in China for game developers. TiGames recently showed an... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029535/fist-could-be-gritty-3d-metroidvania-game-you-didnt-know-you-wanted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029535/fist-could-be-gritty-3d-metroidvania-game-you-didnt-know-you-wanted?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Aug 2019 15:41:51 +0000 Imagine Old Man Logan but with a rabbit. Instead of lacerating gunmen with adamantium claws, a grizzled bunny faces off against an army of robots by wielding a mechanical fist almost twice the size of its small frame. That is what the upcoming Chinese Metroidvania game F.I.S.T. is about. The game, developed by Shanghai-based TiGames, is a title backed by Sony’s China Hero Project, an incubator in China for game developers. TiGames recently showed an almost 20-minute gameplay demo at ChinaJoy,... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/fist-could-be-gritty-3d-metroidvania-game-you-didnt-know-you-wanted/article/3022597?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/fist-could-be-gritty-3d-metroidvania-game-you-didnt-know-you-wanted/article/3022597?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Aug 2019 15:41:51 +0000 Sony’s booth at China’s largest gaming convention this year is leaning heavily on Chinese games. The several games that have emerged from the second round of the China Hero Project are on display, but the game Sony chose to highlight isn’t one it helped fund. Instead, the game headlining Sony’s booth is a Chinese game that’s been widely criticized as a blatant knockoff of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is also being featured at the convention. At ChinaJoy, considered China’s... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3021521/sony-backing-plenty-playstation-4-games-are-made-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3021521/sony-backing-plenty-playstation-4-games-are-made-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:30:12 +0000 Sony’s booth at China’s largest gaming convention this year is leaning heavily on Chinese games. The several games that have emerged from the second round of the China Hero Project are on display, but the game Sony chose to highlight isn’t one it helped fund. Instead, the game headlining Sony’s booth is a Chinese game that’s been widely criticized as a blatant knockoff of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is also being featured at the convention. At ChinaJoy, considered China’s... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sony-backing-plenty-playstation-4-games-are-made-china/article/3021116?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sony-backing-plenty-playstation-4-games-are-made-china/article/3021116?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2019 15:36:06 +0000 Monkey King: Hero is Back is supposed to be Sony’s marquee video game for the PlayStation 4 in China this year. But based on what the company is showing off at ACGHK 2019, it’s not enticing. The game’s release is just three months away, so presumably Sony has a mostly finished game somewhere that it could be showing off. Unfortunately, the world saw a better demo of the game in Shanghai a year ago. This latest demo has few interactive elements in the environment and odd design choices. For... https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sonys-monkey-king-hero-back-doesnt-look-its-ready-conquer-china/article/3020180?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/digital-life/sonys-monkey-king-hero-back-doesnt-look-its-ready-conquer-china/article/3020180?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2019 16:10:38 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Monkey King: Hero is Back is supposed to be Sony’s marquee video game for the PlayStation 4 in China this year. But based on what the company is showing off at ACGHK 2019, it’s not enticing. The game’s release is just three months away, so presumably Sony has a mostly finished game somewhere that it could be showing off. Unfortunately, the world saw a better demo of the game in Shanghai a year ago. This latest demo has few interactive elements in the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029504/sonys-monkey-king-hero-back-doesnt-look-its-ready-conquer-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3029504/sonys-monkey-king-hero-back-doesnt-look-its-ready-conquer-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2019 16:10:38 +0000