PlayStation 5 – 11 Announcements Sony Needs to Make

Sony opted to skip E3 this year, leaving fans to speculate about any upcoming PlayStation news. The steady tick of the roller coaster’s chain lift is unremitting and an anxious excitement boils in our stomach. We’ll reach the peak, have a quick breath, then plummet down at 155 miles per hour. The busiest week of video games is almost upon us and the announcements will come pouring in like the successive rounds of a machine gun. However, Sony decided to skip the annual gaming convention, which leaves their announcements up in the air. Following Sony is like ticking up that same roller coaster except the peak is concealed by fog. We never know when we’ll reach the top and take that death-defying nosedive. As we wait in this precarious position, there’s nothing to do but make some logical and/or hail mary predictions. The following predictions are not garnered from inside information and are solely things we want or might see going forward. 11. Metal Gear Solid PS5 RemakeThe Metal Gear remake appears every few months to animate cautious fans before retreating into the shadows. The rumors started with a Konami initiative to outsource several of their properties such as Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid. It wasn’t long before the words “Metal Gear Solid remake” started shuffling around the internet. When such a rumor persists, it’s no surprise that Bluepoint Games, the master of remakes, is dragged into the hearsay.Several other cogs have plugged into the rumor mill including the hazy confirmation from, Metal Gear Solid voice actor, David Hayter. The abundance of such rumors implies a potential reveal by Sony and Bluepoint. Though the reveal would be extraordinary, the likely dissociation with creator Hideo Kojima may raise some red flags. With that in mind, consider that Bluepoint Games is well known for modernizing classics while staying true to their original identity. Kojima’s baby would be in good hands. 10. Abandoned Gameplay Trailer/Release DateSpeaking of Hideo Kojima, when Abandoned was first announced many speculated that the iconic creator was attached to the mysterious survival game. The theory wasn’t too far-fetched since Abandoned resembled the horrific walking simulation of PT. The developer, Blue Box Games, also emerged out of nowhere causing several to think it was a front for Kojima Productions. Thanks to reports that Kojima is working with Microsoft, this theory lost some validity, but it doesn’t decrease the game’s inherent value. Abandoned is a first-person survival shooter set in a hyper-realistic open world. Unlike many first-person shooters, Abandoned takes a slow and tactical approach to shooting. The development team promised a Q4 2021 release window and expressed excitement about a potential gameplay demo. It’s about time for Blue Point Games to make true to its words and show us some gameplay for the upcoming PS5 exclusive. 10. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Sometimes it’s necessary to plop a game title on the screen to garner excitement for the future. When God of War Ragnorak was revealed during the PS5 showcase, it encouraged many to pick up the next-generation console. It’s not beyond Sony to do the same thing with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The finished product is far off, but a title and release window will keep fans interested during the long wait. As for the game itself, we’re curious about Peter Parker’s gameplay since Miles Morales’ electricity powers outshine it in every way. Suffice to say, it’ll be difficult to keep the original Spider-Man interesting from a gameplay perspective. One solution could be the inclusion of the black, venom suit, which will grant Peter new and unique powers. Venom is already a teased entity so a promise of him would be enticing, to say the least. Consider seeing Spider-Man 2 plastered on the screen, when suddenly the symbiote oozes over it, turning bright red letters to black. 8. The Last of Us Factions Factions is the slow-paced multiplayer component of The Last of Us. It expedited anxiety-induced gameplay sessions thanks to stealth mechanics and minimal bullet inventory. The Last of Us Part 2 was supposed to launch with this multiplayer component but it subsequently got delayed. Even though several Naughty Dog announcements and rumors are flowing from the studio like a waterfall, there is no indication of Faction’s progress.Ideally, Factions will be a free-standalone game that capitalizes on new campaign mechanics such as going prone and companion dogs. The best-case scenario would be a long 60 FPS demo followed by a surprise shadow drop. Such an announcement would be a somewhat satisfactory conclusion to this long drought of information and communication. 7. The Return of Resistance & InfamousResistance and Infamous are iconic games of the PS3 era both solidifying themselves as PlayStation classics. Resistance was a first-person shooter centered on defending earth from the Chimera invasion. The current technology and first-person shooter mechanics would do wonders for the series plus it could strengthen Sony’s first-party multiplayer offerings. Infamous, on the other hand, followed super-powered individuals called conduits. When Infamous Second Son released on the PS4 many hoped Sucker Punch would continue with the series, but they pulled a switcheroo and released Ghost of Tsushima instead. If Infamous does live on, we could see an MCU universe where characters cross between games and storylines intersect. 6. IP From New & Established StudiosSony has been building up an extensive list of intellectual properties with 25 PS5 games in development. We know of three developers, at least, that are gearing up for a potential game reveal. After the disappointing news that Sony Bend is leaving Days Gone behind, all eyes are pointed at their new gaming venture.  Secondly, Firewalk Studios is creating a Triple-A multiplayer experience for PlayStation players. The folks at Firewalk worked on Destiny, making them the perfect people to create the next big multiplayer adventure. The most interesting of the three is Haven Studios, newly founded by Jade Raymond of Assassin’s Creed fame. It looks as though Haven is home to passionate and well-taken care of developers, spelling out a promising future. 5. PlayStation Plus Video Pass DetailsSometimes gamers forget that Sony is a wider entity than just PlayStation, the newly announced PlayStation Video Pass being evidence of such. It’s not implausible that Sony’s movie sector wants to monetize PlayStation’s huge consumer base. Video Pass is a streaming service that’s bundled with PlayStation Plus, at least that’s what we assume.A screenshot showcased movies such as Venom, Zombieland Double Tap, and Bloodshot, revealing that the service may be exclusive to Sony-owned movies. This is disappointing, but at the same time, anything that adds value to PlayStation Plus is welcome. For service so empty of details, Sony needs to shed some light on this, potentially successful, project. 4. PC PortsPlayStation games are steadily making their way over to PC. The once exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn, Death Stranding, and Days Gone found a new audience on PC, opening the floodgates for more to come. Some nonsensical fans are concerned that this development is tarnishing PlayStation’s biggest selling point – their exclusive games.This is far from the case and actually pulls more gamers into the PlayStation family. Besides, it’s working well for Sony who isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. The next likely game in question is Uncharted: A Thief’s End thanks to Sony’s Investors Relations Day presentation, which revealed a slurry of information about the company’s plans. Uncharted is all well and good, but we’re looking forward to games like Dreams and Bloodborne making their way to PC. Dreams’ creative functionality would be greatly enhanced and Bloodborne could finally benefit from a decent frame rate. 3. Discord IntegrationMicrosoft and Sony have been fighting over Discord for a while but Sony finally came out on top. This was a much-needed win since PlayStation’s social network is underwhelming, to say the least. Right before the PS5 launched, Sony combined the party and message functionalities to create a unified social experience. This clear attempt to mimic Discord backfired on Sony, for the integration process wasn’t as smooth as promised.Instead of a poor replica, Sony can go straight to the source. Discord has excelled with online chat functionalities, which the PlayStation Network could greatly benefit from. On top of a smoother messaging experience, this could integrate PlayStation and PC players like never before. As long as Discord remains an accessible application for everyone, not just PlayStation users, then this partnership seems like an ideal situation for both parties. 2. AcquisitionsWhen Xbox dropped the Bethesda acquisition bombshell, PlayStation fans were clamoring for some sort of retaliation. Even though Sony already garnered a strong lineup of first-party studios, PlayStation was expected to throw some counter punches. Studios like From Software and Konami were thrown out as possible PlayStation acquisitions, but Sony has stayed quiet on the matter.A huge, Bethesda level acquisition is a little too far-fetched, but Sony has kept close partnerships with a few studios – studios we’re surprised Sony hasn’t snagged yet. Bluepoint Games, the minds behind the Demon’s Soul’s and Shadow of the Colossus remakes, seem like a no-brainer as well as Housemarque who impressed with the PS5 exclusive, Returnal. It only seems like a matter of time until these studios are under Sony’s wing.1. A Game Pass Competitor We’re all too familiar with this point so we won’t belabor it any longer. To put it simply, PlayStation desperately needs a Game Pass equivalent. The service should be bundled with PlayStation Plus, adding to the already stellar PlayStation Plus collection. As the summer trudges on, PlayStation could make surprise announcements at any time. Maybe some of these long-awaited rumors will finally come true, or maybe PlayStation will throw us for a loop.What are some announcements you want to see from Sony? Sound off in the comments and stay tuned at Gaming Instincts via Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook for more gaming news.