The trailer drops May 2nd at 8am PST
PlayStation 4 beats Sales Numbers for 2017
Sony is dominating the current Console War against the Microsoft and Nintendo. The PlayStation 4 has shipped 79 million units worldwide. Sony’s sales improved by 17.8% based on their video game department and network. Its a significant jump by 2 million USD from 2016. The PS4 sold 19 million units in 2017 which is one million less than last year. This may indicate that the PS4 has reached its peak and sales would steadily decline. While this may seem ominous, the original PlayStation 4 is almost 5 years old. The PlayStation 3 was 7 years old before the launch of the PS4.
Rumors have begun to spread that the PlayStation 5 is in development; however, Sony hasn’t announced a new console. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has announced that they are manufacturing massive amounts of chips using 7nm process technology which could be used for the PS5. Although the PlayStation 4 Pro was released in 2016, it is losing to the Xbox One X in its specs and capabilities which was released in 2017.
Sony predicts the PS4 to sell 16 million next year. If they reach those sales numbers, they will outpace the Nintendo Wii as the top 5 selling video game consoles.
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Video Game Loot Boxes deemed as gambling in Belgium
This year, governments and countries around the world have been evaluating loot boxes in video games. Discouraged by Gamers, it has become an infamous growth in revenue for video games. Many mobile games and online video games have added loot boxes as a system. Some governments are considering loot boxes as a form of gambling because users rely on chance to earn good in-game items. Recently, the Belgian Gaming Commision has declared randomized loot boxes as a “game of chance” in 3 games: Overwatch, CS: GO, and FIFA.
Repercussions
The Belgian Gaming Commission stated the “games don’t disclose the odds of receiving specific in-game items.” The three games must remove their loot boxes or be in criminal violation of the country’s gaming legislation. The fine is €800,000 and five years in prison for the operators. Clarification on who would face the consequences in the company remains to be determined. If the loot boxes affect minors, the punishment is doubled.
What happens next?
Minister of Justice Koen Geens wants to work with the gaming companies, developers, operators and the Belgian Gaming Commission to determine who should be punished for loot boxes. Belgium is one of the first countries that took a stance against loot boxes in games during the Star Wars: Battlefront 2 controversy. Hawaii, Washington D.C. and several countries are trying to create laws to limit the purchase of loot boxes in games.
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Dark Souls Remastered for PC 50% off
If you own Dark Souls: Prepare to Die edition on Steam, you can grab the Remastered game for 50% when it releases. The normal cost of the game will be $39.99 so the Steam release will be $20. The games will be two separate versions on Steam and Bandai Namco will eventually discontinue the Prepare to Die Edition. Dark Souls: Remastered will launch on May 25th.
The other versions of Dark Souls: Remastered will not be discounted as they are not available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or the Nintendo Switch. The Switch version is delayed until “Summer 2018.”
The Gaming News Corner 