Sacred Symbols, Episode 299 | None of These Things Happen For Free

Various leaks (and our own sources) have long-indicated the arrival of a so-called PlayStation 5 Pro console this calendar year, and now new reports have given us a great idea of what this yet-unannounced machine can do. Similar to 2016's PlayStation 4 Pro, PS5's Pro model largely keeps its CPU functionality in place, instead focusing on GPU-centric graphical boosts that promise to please the discerning eye. Combined with mysterious proprietary upscaling technologies and AI-related features, it sounds like PlayStation 5 Pro will be a beastly machine when it comes to aesthetics. But what about the all-important framerate? The news may be less stellar. And the price? Well, that remains to be seen. We discuss. Other news this week includes continuing and seemingly never-ending drama at Sony's great unforced acquisition error Bungie, stalled sales numbers for Sony's struggling PSVR2 hardware, exceptional performance for Helldivers 2 on the US market, the beginning of the end (or maybe more like the end of the end) of Kotaku, and more. Then: Listener inquiries! Between multiple cancellations on one end and Helldivers 2 on the other, what is our current assessment of PlayStation's embryonic games-as-a-service initiative? Does Resident Evil 5's setting and antagonists make the game truly un-remakable? Has 2024's schedule of strong releases unabashedly picked up right where 2023 left off? Has our show successfully infiltrated Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, corrupting its personnel?

Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Intro

0:18:17 - Sacred Symbols Military Base

0:20:27 - Use Sacred to make people think you're busy

0:27:44 - Boars Heads superiority

0:36:25 - Chris Chan catch-up

0:42:06 - concerning notification?

0:51:22 - Connie Booth goes to EA

0:59:09 - New Helldivers developments

1:03:09 - Palworld looking to release on PlayStation

1:09:07 - Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

1:18:18 - Halo co-creator's thoughts on EA

1:24:50 - Callisto Protocol spin-off

1:29:01 - Tales series character artist has pass away

1:30:22 - What We've Been Playing

1:41:50 - PS5 Pro leaks

2:14:17 - PSVR2 stops production

2:43:33 - Trouble at Bungie

3:06:32 - Monthly sales data

3:07:56 - Kotaku EIC resigns

3:15:17 - Community Managers

3:23:37 - What's the best handheld console?

3:36:28 - Should Resident Evil 5 be re-written?

3:47:28 - 2024 best year ever for games?

3:53:25 - Gut check on Sony live service games

4:01:21 - What games need to go?