It’s been a rough couple of years for almost everyone on the planet and it’s only now that we’re hobbling back to normal. Bands were touring again, people were going to theatres and eating out and CES is finally back, baby! The largest and most prestigious consumer tech event out there, CES is a place where new and well-established companies show off their wares along with prototypes and concept products. It’s an exciting event where a ton of news breaks and where we’re given a sneak peek into what could be coming in the future.
This year was no different as there was a bit of gaming news to get people excited as well. Sony made a bunch of announcements, while a ton of new gaming equipment was shown off and there was even a hint of the cloud gaming future in the Razer Edge. Join us as w break down all the most exciting gaming news out of CES 2023.
Sony announced a brand-new type of controller at CES 2023 called Project Leonardo. Project Leonardo is essentially a first-party controller built specifically for disabled people with the help of accessibility experts, game developers and the disabled community. Sony said that Project Leonardo controllers are customised in a way that will help disabled people play games more comfortably and for a long period. The controller is compatible with the PS5 only.
Disabled people can now also be a part of the expanding gaming world now with the help of Project Leonard, which not just gives players access to playing every trendy game on the PS5 but also can be customised according to users to help them easily operate the controller.
Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Entertainment stated that “Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally, starting from this point forward,”. The company also announced that the PlayStation has sold at least 30 million consoles, which represents an increase of 5 million since November.
The PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020, and it wasn’t until August 2022 that customers started finding it slightly easier to get their hands on the console. The shortage had made it difficult for people to buy the console, and many had to wait for a price drop or be willing to pay high MRPs at chain stores. India has seen steady adoption of the console and every time there’s been a restock, the PS5 is sold out in minutes, making it rather difficult for gamers to get their hands on the console.
One of the bigger busts in the gaming industry in the past few years has been the idea that could gaming was going to change the industry. What happened was that the barrier of entry was too high, in terms of connectivity and a stable gameplay experience. But, it looks that some of that is about to change with the launch of the Razer Edge handled console. Billed as the ultimate handled system, the Edge comes with support for 5G. Giving it a leg up against the competition. The Razer Edge comes with a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen and a detachable controller. From what we can see, the Edge does seem to have a lot going for it. It runs Android 12L and comes with a Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 processor.
As we stated before, the system also comes with support for 5G which, theoretically, should allow for a smoother streaming experience whether it’s games or content. The only downside to something like this is the hefty price tag. The Razer Edge is priced at $399 and that’s nothing to scoff at. Maybe if the price was lowered in the future, we could see a larger adoption rate but as it stands, the Razer Edge is just a glorified gaming smartphone.
Want to play a game when you're on the move? Well, a few car manufacturers have actually announced that their in-car entertainment systems will have some kind of game integration. So much so that even companies like Volkswagen, Sony Honda and Hyundai are exploring similar options. Could we actually see the PS% integrated into the new Sony Honda electric vehicle? No one really knows, but we can see a number of problems when it comes to driver attention and potential distraction. Automakers have reassured the public that these gaming systems could be shut down if the onboard software detected there was some kind of danger. Even then, how efficient will a system like that really be in deterring people from playing games in their cars.
Although it seems and sounds like a novel idea, at this time, we don't really know how adding games to your car’s entertainment system is a good idea.