Gaming belongs to everyone: this is the message that Sony wanted to send using the setting of CES 2023 in Las Vegas, challenging the barriers of the real world with Project Leonardo, an accessibility window on the PS5 experience. There were also announcements regarding the awaited PSVR2 – also with a Gran Turismo theme – and encouraging news for those who are still waiting to get their hands on the current gen jewel of the Japanese giant. Here’s what awaits us in the next exciting year of gaming and entertainment at PlayStation.
PlayStation 5: something is moving
Those who expected a new generation of OLEDs will have been disappointed, but Sony’s intention at the beginning of 2023 was absolutely clear: it will in fact engage in the console market, VR and accessibility.
The show began with excellent news on the sales of the Japanese company’s flagship platform. We go from 25 to 30 million units distributed in the space of just a quarter with December 2022 being the best month ever for PS5, an unequivocal sign of a clear increase on the production and availability fronts. As far as the physical stores are concerned, there has been numerous positive feedbacks, including from the Italian community and it is hoped that in 2023 we can put an end to a shortage that lasted too long.
The driving force of the last month of sales was certainly God of War Ragnarok, with bundles that are now found at regular intervals online but also in the best-known electronics chains in our country.
From Beat Saber to GT7: PSVR2 warms up the engines
The spotlight at Jim Ryan and company’s conference was all on PSVR2, with second generation virtual reality preparing for an explosive debut to say the least.
Like any self-respecting terminal, the cornerstone of rhythm games in VR, Beat Saber, will also be present in the catalog, although it is not yet clear whether this title will actually enrich the launch lineup. Confirmed the presence of another icon of the same genre, Pistol Whip, as well as No Man’s Sky, Resident Evil: Village and the highly anticipated Horizon Call of the Mountain, as well as Gran Turismo 7, which will land in virtual reality in the form free upgrade for those who already own the traditional version.
Still on the subject of Gran Turismo, the teaser trailer of the feature film directed by Neil Blomkamp has also arrived as a tribute to the series produced by Polyphony Digital and arriving in theaters in August this year. The film will focus on the GT Academy, the beautiful project that has served as a springboard for the careers of many fans in the world of real racing.
Without moving away from engines, the reveal of Afeela has finally arrived, the first EV project of the new electric mobility giant Sony Honda Mobility, which aims to bring comfort, entertainment and autonomous driving to the road following the mantra of the three A’s, namely Autonomy, Augmentation and Affinity.
The car will have 45 sensors, but also entertainment and communication technologies developed in collaboration with Qualcomm and Epic Games.
Unfortunately, 2023 will only be the year of presentations: the production of the Sony and Honda electric vehicle will only start in 2024, while pre-orders should begin in 2025.
Project Leonardo: the video game belongs to everyone
In the final part of the conference, Sony announced one of the most important innovations of the near future, which aims to expand the accessibility of its gaming ecosystem to offer itself to a wider audience, also taking the hand of enthusiasts with motor difficulties. We are talking about Project Leonardo, a controller under development in collaboration with AbleGamers which will be fully customizable and usable individually, in a double configuration or connected to a DualSense controller for maximum versatility.
It consists of a main dome with keys arranged in a crown (interchangeable and replaceable with others of various sizes), flanked by a lateral joystick for movement. This is the culmination of a long and demanding journey for Sony, which over the years has never hidden its interest in accessibility, implementing effective systems of interaction and control even in its exclusives, starting with the fresh star of the TGAs, God of War Ragnarok. Nothing is known yet about the marketing timing of this interesting project, but we will certainly know more in the coming months. In the meantime, let us know in the comments what was the highlight of Sony’s Vegas night for you!
