Video Game Chat

I tend to focus primarily on one title but also casually dip into others at the same time - I play Forza Horizon 4 almost every night but just now my main focus is on completing Control.

A brand-new Tomb Raider game is in development, and it sounds like it'll be closer to the original PlayStation games than the more recent - and divisive - reboot trilogy. Square Enix plans to mark Lara Croft's 25th anniversary celebrations all year long, with retrospectives, "nostalgic content", and other fun surprises. While all of this is going on, developer Crystal Dynamics will be beavering away on the next big Tomb Raider adventure, though we're unlikely to hear much about it for a while yet. For now, we have a slight idea of what to expect thanks to franchise game director Will Kerslake. He teased that upcoming project will blend the original games with the reboots, which were of course an origin story of sorts for the raider of tombs. "We envision the future of Tomb Raider unfolding after [the rebooted trilogy], telling stories that build upon both the breadth of Core Design and Crystal Dynamics' games, looking to unify these timelines," he explained in a 25th anniversary video (Push Square). "With Tomb Raider's extensive history, this is not an easy task, and we ask for patience as we go through the process." No big announcements in 2021 then, but old-school fans of the franchise will no doubt be glad to hear the Tomb Raider is at least partially returning to its roots. This blending of the old and new is unlikely to mean a return to the finnicky controls of the original games. It's likely more indictive of where we find Lara in her life and who she is a person, which will no doubt be interesting to see after three games of a much younger and more inexperienced adventurer.

Microsoft has provided a list of games coming exclusively to Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S this year. A handy list of the games coming exclusively to Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One has been posted, and it gives you a quick look at just some of what’s heading to the consoles. As Microsoft notes though, you can expect more than that what you will find on the list. Below is just what has been announced so far. Adios – 2021 The Artful Escape – 2021 The Ascent – 2021 The Big Con – 2021 CrossfireX – 2021 Dead Static Drive – 2021 Echo Generation – 2021 ExoMecha – 2021 Exo One – 2021 The Gunk – 2021 Halo Infinite – 2021 The Last Stop – 2021 Lake – 2021 Little Witch in the Woods – 2021 The Medium – January 28 Microsoft Flight Simulator – Summer 2021 Psychonauts 2 – 2021 – technically not a console exclusive, but it’s launching into Xbox Game Pass RPG Time – 2021 Sable – 2021 Scorn – 2021 She Dreams Elsewhere – 2021 Shredders – 2021 Song of Iron – 2021 Tunic – 2021 Twelve Minutes – 2021 Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy – 2021 Warhammer 40K: Darktide – 2021 Way to the Woods – 2021 The Wild at Heart – 2021 Just consider the list a quick reference guide on what’s coming.

Steam’s next big sale has had its date leaked. 2021’s first Steam sale is going to be the Lunar New Year Sale. That’s according to Steam Database, which also revealed that the upcoming sale kicks off February 11, and goes on for just five days until February 15. As you might have guessed, this sale celebrates the Chinese New Year, which begins on February 12. As is always the case with these leaks, the dates come from a Steam developer, whom Valve shared the information with. Valve never announces sale dates to the public ahead of time, but the company communicates them to Steam developers to help them arrange sales for their games. The Lunar Sale is not among Steam’s biggest, so don’t expect anything massive. That said, Valve typically highlights games made by Chinese and other Asian developers during it, so you may get a good deal on a curious-looking Chinese game you’ve been eyeing.

Microsoft has reassured Final Fantasy fans that more games in the franchise are coming to Xbox Game Pass. Speaking with TrueAchievements, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that missing Final Fantasy titles announced at X019 are still heading to the Xbox Game Pass service. “As we announced at X019, we are excited to bring the Final Fantasy franchise to gamers with Xbox Game Pass,” the spokesperson told TrueAchievements. “We have done so throughout 2020 and will continue to do so in 2021 and beyond. We look forward to announcing specific launch dates for more Final Fantasy titles in the future.” X019 took place back in November 2019, and Microsoft said at the time 10 Final Fantasy titles were coming to the service. At present, only five of the titles have graced Xbox Game Pass: Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 8 Remastered, Final Fantasy 9, and Final Fantasy 15, plus Final Fantasy 15 Multiplayer: Comrades. That leaves Final Fantasy 10: HD Remastered, Final Fantasy 10-2: HD Remastered, Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age, Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy 13-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 to be added. It’s good news to hear that these are still planned, although why they missed 2020 remains a mystery. The original graphic, released during the trade show, clearly states that the planned time period was 2020 for all the announced Final Fantasy titles. Microsoft’s statement including “and beyond” could even mean that some miss 2021.

This thread is for the general discussion of the Xbox News Customize Your Xbox Series X, Series S. Please add to the discussion here.

Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have specific release dates but are confirmed to release sometime in 2021. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official release dates and windows become available. Game Platforms 12 Minutes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Apex Legends Switch Aragami 2 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Axiom Verge 2 Switch Braid: Anniversary Edition PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Chivalry 2 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Chorus PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Clockwork Aquario PS4, Switch Control: Ultimate Edition PS5, Xbox Series X|S Cris Tales PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia CrossfireX Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Cyberpunk 2077 PS5, Xbox Series X|S The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes PS5, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Digimon Survive PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Dirt 5 Stadia Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny Switch Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Elden Ring PS4, Xbox One, PC Evil Dead: The Game PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Evil Genius 2: World Domination PC Far Cry 6 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach PS5, PS4, PC Ghostrunner PS5, Xbox Series X|S Ghostwire: Tokyo PS5, Xbox Series X|S New God of War Sequel PS5 Gotham Knights PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Goodbye Volcano High PS5, PS4, PC The Good Life PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Grand Theft Auto V PS5, Xbox Series X|S Gran Turismo 7 PS5 Griftlands PC, Switch The Gunk Xbox Series X|S, PC Halo Infinite Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Hogwarts Legacy PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Horizon Forbidden West PS5, PS4 Jett: The Far Shore PS5, PS4, PC Kena: Bridge of Spirits PS5, PS4, PC Little Nightmares 2 PS5, Xbox Series X|S The Lord of the Rings: Gollum PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC Marvel's Avengers PS5, Xbox Series X|S Mass Effect: Legendary Edition PS4, Xbox One, PC MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One Metro Exodus PS5, Xbox Series X|S Microsoft Flight Simulator Xbox Series X|S Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Switch NEO: The World Ends with You PS4, Switch No More Heroes III Switch Oddworld: Soulstorm PS5, PS4, PC Overwatch 2 PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Psychonauts 2 PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 PC Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PS5 Resident Evil Village PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Ruined King: A League of Legends Story PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Sable Xbox Series X|S, PC SaGa Frontier Remastered PS4, Switch, PC Sam & Max: This Time It's Virtual PC Serious Sam 4 PS4, Xbox One Scarlet Nexus PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Shadow Man Remastered PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Shadow Warrior 3 PC Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster PS4, Switch Shin Megami Tensei V Switch Skatebird Xbox One, Switch, PC Solar Ash PS5 Spelunky Switch Spelunky 2 Switch S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Xbox Series X|S, PC Stray PS5, PC Temtem PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Quarantine PS4, Xbox One, PC Unknown 9: Awakening PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Xbox Series X|S, PC The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition PS5, Xbox Series X|S Windjammers 2 Switch, PC, Stadia Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World PS4, Switch, PC

Xbox Game Pass already got a big upgrade this year with EA Play being added to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions on top of all the games that are routinely added, and if a new rumour plays out as people hope it will, there might be another subscription to look forward to next year. The new rumour about Xbox Game Pass plans for 2021 suggests that the Ubisoft+ service that offers people instant access to over 100 Ubisoft games for a flat rate will also be added to Xbox Game Pass, likely through the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions as EA Play was. Rumors about Xbox Game Pass getting Ubisoft+ subscriptions rolled into the package circulated online this week with many crediting the Xbox Worlds site as the source. Though the rumour may have been entertained in forums and other discussions, Xbox Worlds included it in a list of the biggest supposed Xbox rumours going around right now. That alone isn’t much to bolster the rumor since theories like these float around discussion boards and forums frequently, but others have weighed in to make the rumor now seem more probable. Windows Central’s Jez Corden who has a good track record with Windows and Xbox-focused news said he believes there’s a “strong chance” of the rumors being accurate based on what he’s heard. The point about Ubisoft+ possibly adding a smaller selection of games to Xbox Game Pass as opposed to its entire vault is one that’s been suggested online alongside the initial rumour. Considering how many games Ubisoft offers through the service and how it gets new Ubisoft releases at launch just as Xbox Game Pass does with first-party games, that would make a lot of Xbox owners far less inclined to purchase new Ubisoft releases on day one. EA Play functions similarly to both services though and was included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions with no caveats, so there’s always the chance that the same could happen with Ubisoft+ next year.

With how integral Game Pass has become to the Xbox experience, the question of family sharing was bound to follow. Xbox Game Pass is one of the best values for any subscription service in games, but what if it could offer an even better deal for families? That’s what one Xbox owner asked the company, and the answer was surprisingly open. The ever-responsive head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, was asked on Twitter if Microsoft considered offering a solution for households with multiple Xbox consoles, if they wanted to share a single Xbox Game Pass subscription. Other subscription services, such as Spotify and Apple’s various services, offer a family option that unlocks all benefits for multiple users (usually five) in the same family, for a little bit more money. According to Spencer, offering a family tier of Xbox Game Pass is something Microsoft actually wants to do. “It’s something we’d like to do,” Spencer replied on Twitter. “There is Home Console feature for one console household but for multiple family members with consoles a family plan would help. Really appreciate the feedback.” Obviously, this isn’t confirmation that a family plan is coming to Xbox Game Pass, but it’s great to that see Microsoft isn’t opposed to the idea. Considering the value the company keeps adding to Game Pass, with things like game streaming, and the addition of EA Play, it’s very possible a family option will arrive down the line.

For all those PC gamers out there, the Epic Games Store has finally begun its winter sale, with discounts across the entire site and a selection of free games, one every day for the next few days. The first big game to go free is acclaimed metropolis manager City: Skylines, with more to come along the way. There’s also some serious discounts across the whole platform, the best of which we’ve hunted down and collated for you below – or check out the whole list here! Immortals Fenyx Rising – £33.49 Bugsnax – £15.29 Watch Dogs Legion – £33.49 Death Stranding – £27.49 Disco Elysium – £20.99 Ghostrunner – £18.74 Raji: An Ancient Epic – £14.99 Not only that, but Epic is giving away unlimited $10/£10 coupons! You get one for simply logging in with your account, but from that point on, spending a certain amount in the store will get you a coupon back as part of the purchase. So if you spend $15, you’ll get the games and a $10 coupon at the end of it. Perhaps the biggest offering this year comes in the form of a limitless $10/£10 voucher you can use again and again in the storefront. If you want to redeem the coupon, you simply need to head to your Epic Games account and click the “GET MY EPIC COUPON” button here. Nice and subtle for you. You’ll receive your first coupon automatically if you make an eligible purchase or claim a free game during the promotion period, and you can earn another $10/£10 Epic Coupon for every purchase you make on qualifying titles priced $14.99/£14.99 and above. This works in your regional equivalent, too, of course.

The Xbox Countdown Winter Sale 2020 is here! This year's sale features discounts on over 800 games, bundles and add-ons, available from Friday, December 18th through Sunday, January 3rd. Here are some of the biggest games included in the sale and links to both the UK and US stores for full listings. Game Store Link GB Price US Price Assassin's Creed Valhalla Link £41.99 $44.99 Batman Arkham Collection Link £16.49 $11.99 BioShock: The Collection Link £7.99 $9.99 Borderlands 3 Link £19.79 $19.79 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Cross-Gen Bundle Link £51.99 $55.99 Control Ultimate Edition Link £17.49 $19.99 Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Link £29.99 $29.99 Crysis Remastered Link £14.99 $17.99 Dirt 5 Link £38.49 $41.99 DOOM Eternal Link £18.14 $19.79 F1 2020 Link £27.49 $29.99 Fallout 4 Link £5.99 $8.99 FIFA 21 Beckham Edition Link £29.99 $29.99 Forza Horizon 4 Link £27.49 $29.99 Fuser Link £38.99 $38.99 Ghostrunner Link £18.74 $22.49 Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition Link £12.49 $14.99 Halo: The Master Chief Collection Link £17.99 $23.99 Hitman 2 Gold Edition Link £15.99 $14.99 Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Link £20.99 $23.99 Immortals Fenyx Rising Link £35.99 $40.19 Mafia Definitive Edition Link £26.24 $29.99 Mafia: Trilogy Link £37.49 $44.99 Marvel's Avengers Link £29.99 $29.99 Mortal Kombat 11 Link £15.99 $14.99 Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Link £34.99 $41.99 Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered Link £17.49 $19.99 Ori and the Will of the Wisps Link £12.49 $14.99 Overcooked! All You Can Eat Link £29.99 $37.49 Red Dead Redemption 2 Link £24.74 $26.99 Resident Evil 3 Link £16.49 $19.79 Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Link £4.99 $5.99 Saints Row The Third Remastered Link £16.49 $19.99 Skate 3 Link £3.74 $4.99 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Link £20.99 $23.99 Star Wars: Squadrons Link £20.99 $23.99 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Link £7.49 $11.99 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 Link £29.99 $29.99 Watch Dogs: Legion Link £35.99 $29.99 Yakuza: Like a Dragon Link £41.24 $44.99 All 700+ Games, Bundles & Add-Ons In The Xbox Countdown Winter Sale 2020 (UK) All 700+ Games, Bundles & Add-Ons In The Xbox Countdown Winter Sale 2020 (US)

I love buying games day one that I'm hyped for. I love following games development, finding out info, speculating and generally getting excited to see what it's like. If I really like the sound of a game, I want to play it as soon as possible. Sometimes I'll get burned but sometimes it will be great and all my time spent looking forward to it pays off. Yeah, these days games get so much better after a few months of patches and i should wait to get the proper experience but for some games i just can't wait. I look forward to a game, I want to play it ASAP.

After Cyberpunk 2077’s extremely buggy launch, especially so on previous-gen consoles, Sony appears to be making a rare exception and allowing refunds for the game on their consoles. The much-anticipated release from CD Projekt RED, despite all its ambition, has been marred by bugs. PC players experience them too, but nothing on the scale of console players, especially those on the now 7-year-old PS4. From unplayable frame rates, 720p resolution, and bizarre graphical errors, it seems that either the old consoles are simply not up to spec to run the game, or it’s just poorly optimized. As a result, Sony are making an exception to allow refunds to be processed for the game, even after the usual grace period, according to players on Reddit who have made requests. “PSA: Sony is issuing refunds even passed the 2 hour play time for digital games, if you file a refund claim and talk to a rep,” a post on the Cyberpunk subreddit states. It wasn’t a straightforward process for this individual, who says they “had to file a support claim online and sit on hold for over an hour to speak with someone.” But, after doing so, Sony “were quick to issue the refund and then delete the game off my library.” While others also managed to get a refund, after a long wait time on the phone, some have been denied instead. One successful player said: “Spent an hour on the phone after being denied by Chatbot and I got my refund! Shout out to u/SirPanic12 for the advice on mentioning the game crashing and not being able to progress further. That’s pretty much all I had to say.” It seemed to be a mixed bag though, of some players getting refunds and others not, in the Reddit thread. As noted by PushSquare, the PlayStation Store doesn’t really have a refund policy, but “exceptional circumstances” will often give rise to refunds being processed. There are no guarantees that you’ll be able to get a refund, but if you’re really feeling shortchanged, then it’s always an option to try. Either that, or simply wait until the game is inevitably fixed and patched into a more playable state on consoles.

Playstation 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim PS4 £33.49 Apex Legends — Bloodhound Edition PS4 £11.69 Apex Legends — Lifeline Edition PS4 £11.69 Apex Legends — Octane Edition PS4 £11.69 Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ultimate PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £79.99 Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ultimate PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £79.99 Batman: Arkham Knight Premium Edition PS4 £13.49 Batman: Arkham Knight PS4 £10.39 Borderlands 3 PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £16.79 Destiny 2: Beyond Light Deluxe Edition PS5, PS4 £50.99 Destiny 2: Beyond Light + Season PS5, PS4 £32.24 Devil May Cry 5 PS4 £15.99 Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods — Part One (Standalone) PS4 £12.79 Doom Eternal Deluxe Edition PS4 £26.39 Doom Eternal Standard Edition PS4 £18.14 Dungeon Of The Endless PS4 £8.99 Eternum Ex PS4 £8.99 Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout PS4 £12.79 FIFA 21 Beckham Edition PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £31.19 FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £44.99 Grand Theft Auto V Premium Online Edition PS4 £12.59 Mafia: Definitive Edition PS4 £26.24 Marvel's Avengers: Deluxe Edition PS4 £37.49 Marvel's Avengers: Exclusive Digital Edition PS4 £32.49 Marvel's Avengers PS4 £29.99 Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite — Deluxe Edition PS4 £14.99 Mega Man 11 PS4 £12.49 Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition Digital Deluxe PS4 £31.49 Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition PS4 £26.24 NBA 2K21 PS4 £25.19 Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered PS4 £20.99 NHL 21 PS4 £28.79 NHL 21 Deluxe Edition PS4 £30.79 NHL 21 Great Eight Edition PS4 £39.99 No Man's Sky PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £19.99 Persona 5 Royal PS4 £24.99 Persona 5 Royal Ultimate Edition PS4 £42.49 Raccoon City Edition PS4 £25.99 Raji: An Ancient Epic PS4 £13.99 Resident Evil 2 PS4 £13.99 Resident Evil 3 PS4 £16.49 Star Wars: Squadrons PS4 £20.99 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order PS4 £21.59 Street Fighter V: Champion Edition PS4 £16.24 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £7.49 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £17.99 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £27.99 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 PS4 £29.99 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 — Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 £34.99 UFC 4 PS4 £35.99 Watch Dogs: Legion PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £38.99 Watch Dogs: Legion — Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 PS5, PS4 £63.74 Watch Dogs: Legion — Ultimate Edition PS5, PS4 £74.99 Yakuza: Like A Dragon Hero Edition PS4 £48.74 Yakuza: Like A Dragon Legendary Hero Edition PS4 £52.49 Yakuza: Like A Dragon PS4 £43.99

Microsoft commits to constantly updating its new consoles. A new update for Microsoft’s Xbox consoles allows users to install Game Pass titles before they are out. In a post on Xbox Wire, the firm said that you’ll be able to download games that haven’t been released yet via the Game Pass app on. You just need to head to the ‘Coming soon’ section to find upcoming titles. Not all releases in this section can be pre-installed, but you can queue the ones that can’t be downloaded ahead of launch to be installed on release. That’s not everything that this new update includes. You can now personalise your Xbox Series X or Series S with dynamic backgrounds, while new badges show which games are using Auto HDR and which releases are optimised for Microsoft’s new consoles. Players can also check their achievements from the Game Activity menu tab and add family member accounts when you set up your Xbox console for the first time. "This month marked the start of the next generation of console gaming on Xbox with the release of Xbox Series X|S, and Team Xbox is excited to continue bringing new ways to make your experience on Xbox even better," Xbox Experiences principal program manager Jonathan Hildebrandt wrote. "Just like we’ve done on Xbox One, we will continue to periodically release software updates designed to improve your Xbox gaming experience based on your feedback, including both delivering you new features and fixing bugs."

Black Friday has arrived at the Nintendo Official UK Store! Whether you're looking for the perfect gift or treating yourself to something special, explore all offers now at the Nintendo Official UK Store! Hurry though, all offers are subject to availability. Check out our highlights below. Free 64GB SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch with all Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite purchases. Save up to 20% off selected Nintendo Switch games Save 15% off LEGO Super Mario… plus spend over £65 and receive a free LEGO Super Mario Super Mushroom Surprise Expansion Set Explore all offers at the Nintendo Official UK Store here!

Crossfire X, the Xbox-exclusive shooter, was always intended for release this year. It never really had a solid date, of course, so you may not be surprised to learn that it has been pushed back to 2021. The game’s official Twitter account broke the news today, citing challenges of developing the game amidst a global pandemic. “After much deliberation, and in consideration of the challenges faced by the Smilegate development team due to COVID-19, we have made the difficult decision to delay the release of Crossfire X to 2021. “Moving our release will allow us to deliver the Crossfire experience on console our team set out to create. We’ll have more to share in the future,” reads the statement posted on Twitter. The game being referred to here is both the single-player campaign, developed by Remedy, as well as the multiplayer mode. Both are exclusive to Xbox, for now at least, but players only managed to get their hands on the multiplayer portion thanks to a beta held in the summer.

It looks like Sony may have an answer for Game Pass after all. Since its introduction, Xbox Game Pass has unquestionably become one of the biggest advantages of owning an Xbox console. Over time, the subscription service’s offering and value became harder and harder to ignore, but Sony never offered a similar option for PlayStation owners. Well, this might change soon, as suggested by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan. Ryan spoke to Russian outlet TASS about the PS5’s prospects in the country, and the unusual challenges the team ran into when building the PS5 in a global pandemic. Ryan was asked about PlayStation’s competition with Microsoft, and what he believes are Sony’s points of differentiation. “[Console wars] is not a term I ever use or actually like,” Ryan told the Russian agency. “For me, it’s great that there’s competition. I think it makes us work harder. It avoids us getting complacent. It’s great that the consumer has a choice. I think that’s wonderful.” Asked directly about Xbox Game Pass, and whether Sony has answer to the popular service, Ryan actually made an interesting reveal. “There is actually news to come, but just not today,” Ryan said. “We have PlayStation Now which is our subscription service, and that is available in a number of markets.” It’s not clear what he may be referring to here, but it’s unlikely to be the recently announced PlayStation Plus Collection, as that is only really a bonus on top of PlayStation Plus. If Sony is indeed working on its own version of Game Pass, don’t expect it to also include its first-party exclusives on day one like Xbox. Sony has repeatedly shot down that idea, deeming the practice “unsustainable” at one point, and calling its first-party releases too “clean and pure” to exist on a subscription service at another.