The Astro A50 headset was the first high-end (more than $300) headset that I owned many moons ago, and for the longest time, it was the go-to option for any gamer wanting the best, but many have been waiting for the next iteration in the A50 series, and it has arrived in the A50 X.

This is the most exciting headset drop since the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, and for many including myself, will solve a number of issues that have been brought with the next-generation consoles. The first is that I simply don’t have enough HDMI ports, which is only an issue since HDMI 2.1 became a thing, and the second is that with both Sony and Xbox locking down their audio even more with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, this is really the first headset to be fully compatible with both consoles for game/chat audio.

Whether you need it or not, Logitech is to be commended for what it has with the Astro A50 X. The dock with doubles as a charging station essentially has a HDMI 2.1 switcher built-in and whilst it could have gone all kinds of wrong, it works flawlessly. The setup involves plugging in your HDMI cords from your PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as well as a USB cord from both for chat audio. If you’re wanting to connect your PC and are lucky enough to have it in the same spot, there’s a third USB-C port which also doubles as the charging port as well.

The setup will take a bit of time, but as long as you sort it out properly, it doesn’t get too messy in my opinion. It’s worth mentioning that you only get one USB-C cord in the box (for either console) and no HDMI cord which is a little bit odd given the price tag of the headset

@shannongrixti

The new $750 Logitech Astro A50 X wireless headset is also a HDMI 2.1 switcher providing seamless audio from your PS5, Xbox Series X and PC #Logitech #AstroA50X #AstroA50 #LogitechG #Astrogaming #Headset #Gaming #Tech #Astroheadset

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

I’d also really have loved a third HDMI port for either your PC or Nintendo Switch as well to really complete the setup. I was hoping to connect a mini PC to my TV, and whilst I’d be easily able to get audio from it with the A50 X, I wouldn’t be able to get signal as I’d be back at square one with my HDMI ports in my TV filled up. It’s absolutely solved the issue of connecting both my Xbox Series X|S and PS5 at all time though.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $574WITH FREE DELIVERY

Switching between your consoles is as simple as pressing the Playsync button on the headset which switches between your consoles/PC including both video and audio. I was expecting this to be glitchy but it was absolutely flawless, once I turned off HDMI CEC. My only minor gripe was the fact that even without a PC connected, it still switches to it even though there’s no input.

With this method, you’re able to fully take advantage of audio from both consoles through to the A50 X including game/chat audio balance using the traditional buttons on the right cup. To my knowledge, this is the only headset on the market that can do both game audio as well as game/chat balance from both consoles seamlessly.

The headset can take advantage of Dolby Atmos on Xbox Series X|S, but not on PS5 and this is a little bit painful as it means that you have to deselect Dolby Atmos as an option, and for me with a full Sonos 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos setup, this means that I can’t utilise Dolby Atmos when using my TV sound, or having to swap back and forth, but I won’t blame Logitech for this.

The headset also connects with Bluetooth via the dock to your phone, and you can use this method to connect to your Nintendo Switch as well. It allows for simultaneous connection between your console/PC and your phone, and once you’ve set it up the first time, it was absolutely flawless connecting instantly to my mobile as soon as I put the headset on and disconnecting when it went back into the dock. Because it does connect through the dock, you can’t use the headset out and about. There’s also a phone app that can change between inputs, control your EQ settings and other basic settings such as sidetone.

The A50s have always been prided on how they sound and the A50 X is no different with its Pro-G graphene drivers not too dissimilar to the ones that I tested in the Pro X 2 Lightspeed headset. The audio feels extremely full with a good amount of bass to hear the minor details in the likes of Forza Horizon 5 and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It adds a whole other dimension to games and you absolutely won’t be disappointed in this regard.

Similarly, the microphone is fantastic, with my friends saying that I sounded super crisp online. It’s not detachable, which might be annoying to some, but it does mute on flip-up.

In terms of battery life, you get a 24 hour battery life, but honestly, I’d be shocked if anybody ever used it all, with the dock allowing you to simply place the headset onto it to keep it charged, which works as well as it ever has.

The Astro A50 X is absolutely pricey, but HDMI 2.1 switching functionality isn’t cheap, and if you’re somebody who has a PS5/Xbox Series X|S in the same place, it’s a small price to pay for the convenience of having one headset to rule them all. If you’ve also got your PC in the same spot, even better.

The post Logitech G Astro A50 X Wireless Headset Review – One Headset To Rule Them All appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox Australia has announced that it has partnered with a bunch of Aussie streamers to give away over $25,000 in prizes including PC Game Pass vouchers and PC peripherals.

You can tune into the below creators at the below times for your chance to win:

• Crayator: Monday, December 9 at 1pm AEDT
• Fasffy: Monday, December 9 at 8pm AEDT
• Pestily: Tuesday, December 10 at 6.30am AEDT
• Aus Flight Simmer: Wednesday, December 11 at 8pm AEDT
• Oasis on Overwatch: Thursday, December 12 at 7pm AEDT
• Berticuss: Tuesday, December 17 at 10pm AEDT
• Kiittwy: Wednesday, December 18 at 6pm AEDT
• LoserFruit: Thursday, December 19 at 8pm AEDT
• Walkrman: Friday, December 20 at 10pm AEDT
• Nalopia: Saturday, December 21 at 9pm AEDT
• Kahls: Sunday, December 22 at 8pm AEDT

PC Game Pass is also $1 for 14 days at the moment so you can jump into the likes of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Stalker 2 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 24.

If that wasn’t enough, Xbox is also giving away a Lenovo Legion Tower 5i and 12 months of Game Pass worth $3,744 and you can enter on the Xbox Instagram HERE. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shannon Grixti (@shannongrixti)

The post Xbox Is Giving Away Over $25,000 In PC Game Pass Prizes To Aussies appeared first on Press Start.

We’re partnering with SteelSeries to celebrate the holidays with an epic 12 Days of Christmas giveaway.

For the next 12 days (weekdays only), you’ll be able to get a chance to win an epic prize pack containing a bunch of SteelSeries and KontrolFreek goodies as well as a bunch of other epic prizes (we’ve seen the list and there’s some epic prizes on the way).

STEELSERIES 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS – DAY 5 PRIZE:

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P
• KontrolFreek Lotus Thumbsticks
• Lego Horizon Adventures for PS5
• LEGO Horizon Tallneck Set

SteelSeries ANZ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway 2024 ?

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. A NEW PRIZE WILL BE AVAILABLE EACH DAY SO BE SURE TO COME BACK.

You can shop the full SteelSeries range on Amazon HERE. 

The post WIN: LEGO Horizon Adventures, LEGO Tallneck Set + SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P Headset appeared first on Press Start.

The DreamHack team has announced that DreamHack Melbourne will not return in 2025, and there are currently no plans for it to return in Australia in the foreseeable future.

The event had been held at Melbourne Park this year, and in previous years and was fairly popular in attendance, but the announcement was made on the Twitter page of the company that it would not be returning.

“A message from the DreamHack Melbourne team: It is with a heavy heart that we share with you the news that DreamHack Melbourne will not be returning in 2025, and that there are currently no plans to hold further DreamHack events in Australia in the foreseeable future.” said a post on Twitter.

“Creating DreamHack Melbourne was an absolute joy and an honour. We are immensely proud of what we accomplished together with you, our incredible community, and we will be forever grateful for the support that you provided. The memories we made together will always hold a special place in our hearts. Thank you for bringing your enthusiasm, creativity, and energy—you are what made DreamHack Melbourne truly unforgettable. Until we meet again—stay awesome and keep gaming. ” continued the statement

A message from the DreamHack Melbourne team:

It is with a heavy heart that we share with you the news that DreamHack Melbourne will not be returning in 2025, and that there are currently no plans to hold further DreamHack events in Australia in the foreseeable future.

Creating… pic.twitter.com/sSFWaNhYYs

— DreamHack Melbourne (@DreamHackAU) December 6, 2024

Events are obviously one of the only times that our community can come together, so this is definitely sad news today. It’s unclear if any further local jobs are impacted by this news.

The post DreamHack Melbourne Won’t Return Next Year And The Event Is On Hold Indefinitely appeared first on Press Start.

We’re partnering with SteelSeries to celebrate the holidays with an epic 12 Days of Christmas giveaway.

For the next 12 days (weekdays only), you’ll be able to get a chance to win an epic prize pack containing a bunch of SteelSeries and KontrolFreek goodies as well as a bunch of other epic prizes (we’ve seen the list and there’s some epic prizes on the way).

STEELSERIES 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS – DAY FOUR PRIZE:

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5
• KontrolFreek Thumbsticks
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom

SteelSeries ANZ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway 2024 ?

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. A NEW PRIZE WILL BE AVAILABLE EACH DAY SO BE SURE TO COME BACK.

You can shop the full SteelSeries range on Amazon HERE. 

The post WIN: Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom And A SteelSeries Arctos Nova 5 Wireless Headset appeared first on Press Start.

It was announced earlier this year, but PlayStation has now confirmed that in celebration of its 30th anniversary, it is launching My First Gran Turismo, a free-to-play version of Gran Turismo 7 on Friday.

The game will have full PlayStation VR2 support, 18 unique cars each with their own personality, and some iconic tracks including Kyoto Driving Park, Deep Forest Raceway and Trial Mountain Circuit.

It will include a range of challenges with three race events, three time trials, three Music Rally Stages as well as a full suite of License Tests, so it should provide the perfect intro to Gran Turismo without being too overwhelming.

The experience has been designed to be intuitive, meaning that anyone can jump in and get a taste for what Gran Turismo is all about without being overhwelming.

The post My First Gran Turismo Is Releasing This Week For Free appeared first on Press Start.

Xbox has once again launched its year in review for 2024, and it comes with an entirely new look, a bunch more stats and will tell you all about your year on gaming across PC, Console and Cloud.

The round-up will show you how much time you spent gaming, your most-played games, how high-up the list you were for your gaming stats and also a bunch of relevant stats for the games played as well.

Here’s what is new this year:

• A customized look based on your most-played game.
• A personalized gamer profile just for you, based on the games you love to play! If you’re into epic quests with a sprinkle of magic, you’re a “Knight Owl.” More of a sports champ? You’re a “Real MVP,” always leading the pack.
• Multiplayer fans can see the friends they played with most.
• Dedicated recap sections for Game Pass and Rewards.

How to access your 2024 Xbox Year In Review

You can access the website HERE and then just login with your account details, and then you can choose to either share them online or keep them to yourself.

The post The 2024 Xbox Year In Review Has Arrived To Show You How Many Hours You Spent Gaming appeared first on Press Start.

We’re partnering with SteelSeries to celebrate the holidays with an epic 12 Days of Christmas giveaway.

For the next 12 days (weekdays only), you’ll be able to get a chance to win an epic prize pack containing a bunch of SteelSeries and KontrolFreek goodies as well as a bunch of other epic prizes (we’ve seen the list and there’s some epic prizes on the way).

STEELSERIES 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS – DAY THREE PRIZE:

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P
• KontrolFreek Thumbsticks
• An Epic Devolver Digital prize pack including: The Plucky Squire, Crush House, Neva, Pepper Grinder, Talos 2, Sumerian Six, Anger Foot, Cult of the Lamb DLC, Children Of The Sun, Astroneer

SteelSeries ANZ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway 2024 ?

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. A NEW PRIZE WILL BE AVAILABLE EACH DAY SO BE SURE TO COME BACK.

You can shop the full SteelSeries range on Amazon HERE. 

The post WIN: An Epic Devolver Digital PC Game Pack + SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P appeared first on Press Start.

Ubisoft has today announced that it will discontinue development on XDefiant, it’s free-to-play first person shooter title that launched earlier this year.

Starting today, the game will no longer be downloadable. For those still playing, Season 3 will be released in the near future and the servers will remain active until June 03, 2025. Despite the game having over 15 million people login to play and it being the fastest Ubisoft game to surpass 5 million users, unfortunately that wasn’t enough to sustain it long-term.

Unfortunately as a result of this, almost 300 people will lose their jobs with some of these coming from the Sydney studio (134 from Osaka/Sydney). This is obviously a massive loss to our local industry, which has already faced a tough time over the last 12 months. Whilst the Osaka and San Francisco studios are being totally closed, it’s said that the Sydney studio will be “ramped down”.

“Today, Ubisoft announced that it will discontinue development on XDefiant, its free-to-play first-person shooter title. As a result, half of the XDefiant team worldwide will be transitioning to other roles within Ubisoft. This decision also leads to the closing of our San Francisco and Osaka production studios and to the ramp down of our Sydney production site, with 143 people departing in San Francisco and 134 people likely to depart in Osaka and Sydney.” said Ubisoft in a statement. 

You can read the full blog post over on the Ubisoft website HERE.

The post XDefiant Is Being Taken Offline With Local Aussie Jobs Sadly Being Cut In The Process appeared first on Press Start.

Nintendo has dropped yet another Donkey Kong game onto Nintendo Switch Online.

Following Donkey Kong Land and Donkey Kong Land 2 dropping in subsequent weeks, Nintendo has now dropped Donkey Kong Land 3.

Just like the previous two games, this is inspired by Donkey Kong Country 3 and is a lo-fi version of the game with levels inspired by the classic game.

Join Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong on an adventure to try to find the Lost World!

Donkey Kong Land III is now available to play for #NintendoSwitchOnline members! #GameBoy pic.twitter.com/nHIQeUqFkh

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 4, 2024

The post Donkey Kong Land 3 Has Stealth Dropped On Nintendo Switch Online appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been rumoured for sometime that Lenovo was working on a cheaper Lenovo Legion Go with non-removable controllers and the first photos have leaked courtesy of Windows Central.

It seems to be called the Lenovo Legion GO S and according to Videocardz, it will use the new Ryzen Z2 platform, which is expected to be less powerful than the Z1 Extreme but fairly comparable. It will drop the removable controllers, the kickstand and it will also come in white. The larger trackpad that featured on the Legion GO has also been replaced with a smaller little one on the Go S.

It’s expected to be quite a lot cheaper than the standard Legion Go at roughly $499 USD (~$750 AUD), and we’d expect it to be announced at CES at the start of January alongside a bunch of other Windows handhelds likely using the next chipset from AMD.

It’s very clear that these notebook companies are having a lot of success with these Windows Handhelds, as we already know that MSI is set to release its larger MSI Claw 8 AI+ early next year as well, and we’ll keep you posted on all of the announcements as they come out.

In my Lenovo Legion Go review, I really liked the device saying: “The Lenovo Legion Go is a great handheld that tries to do things differently and goes a long way in succeeding. It offers a huge amount of control options and has a fantastic display, and could be unstoppable with some minor software improvements.”

The post The First Lenovo Legion Go S Photos Have Leaked appeared first on Press Start.

We’re partnering with SteelSeries to celebrate the holidays with an epic 12 Days of Christmas giveaway.

For the next 12 days (weekdays only), you’ll be able to get a chance to win an epic prize pack containing a bunch of SteelSeries and KontrolFreek goodies as well as a bunch of other epic prizes (we’ve seen the list and there’s some epic prizes on the way).

STEELSERIES 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS – DAY ONE PRIZE:

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5
• KontrolFreek Joy-Con Splash Thumbsticks
• Mario & Luigi: Brothership for the Nintendo Switch

SteelSeries ANZ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway 2024 ?

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. A NEW PRIZE WILL BE AVAILABLE EACH DAY SO BE SURE TO COME BACK.

You can shop the full SteelSeries range on Amazon HERE. 

The post WIN: Mario & Luigi Brothership, SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 & KontrolFreek Joy-Con Splash Thumbsticks appeared first on Press Start.

Activision has today announced that yet another Crash Bandicoot game will be making its way to Xbox Game Pass. This time it’s Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled which will be hitting Xbox Game Pass on December 5th.

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe this is one of the last Activision games to makes its way across to Xbox Game Pass joniing the likes of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy.

Start your engines and get ready to race in 3…2…1…

CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED IS COMING TO @XboxGamePass DECEMBER 4! ?? ? pic.twitter.com/IdrFeWHabF

— Xbox (@Xbox) December 2, 2024

We gave the game an 8/10 in our original review and said: “This is the definitive Crash Team Racing experience. Nitro-Fueled is everything I hoped it would be, a faithful recreation of the classic game with added flair and personality. A lack of custom race settings and some superficial gripes are not enough to dissuade me that this is among the best kart racers available. Crash is absolutely back, baby!”

The post Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled Is Coming To Xbox Game Pass appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation has kicked off the official week of PlayStation’s proper 30th anniversary with a huge console update that brings some iconic goodies to the PS5 for a limited time only.

Once you restart your PS5, you’ll be greeted with the iconic PlayStation 1 boot screen in glorious 4K. You’ll then be taken through a little tutorial that tells you that you can change themes based on all four classic PlayStation consoles and a special 30th anniversary theme.

Each of the console generations have their own unique backgrounds with nods to that console as well as the original sounds that the console had, which is a super nice touch.

The bad news is that these things will only be available for a limited time, so definitely get to your PS5 and enjoy them before they disappear, as it’s a super cool touch.

@shannongrixti

The original PS1 boot screen has arrived on the PS5 #PS1 #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #PlayStation30thAnniversary #Tech #Gaming #PlayStation1

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

If that wasn’t enough, PlayStation has also dropped a 30th Anniversary montage with some iconic moments throughout PlayStation’s history and I highly recommend watching that below.

The post The PS5 Just Got The PS1 Boot Screen And Classic Console Themes For A Limited Time appeared first on Press Start.

I’ve been happily using a Sonos Arc and Sonos Sub for 3-4 years and wondered how Sonos would better on this combo, and it has done just that with the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sonos Sub 4. For those that already own the older counterparts, it won’t be a world-changing difference, but what Sonos manages to get out of both of these devices make it more than worth it for those jumping into the high-end for the first time.

As far as the design goes, there’s some subtle differences that make a fairly big difference. For the Arc Ultra, it’s now slightly longer, but Sonos has made the height and depth smaller so it will fit under more TVs. It’s also lighter which won’t really affect too many people once it’s on your unit. There’s a new back lip that houses all the controls including a new touch sensitive volume scroller like we’ve seen on all the more recently released Sonos devices.

It’s also got a new matte design which matches that of the Sonos Sub 4 which is hugely improved in my opinion. Whilst I really liked the piano black nature of the Sonos Sub 3, it attracted dust and it also did stand out, so the newer matte finish is much appreciated and much more premium.

Just like with any other Sonos speaker that has released in the last 12-24 months, the Arc Ultra has Bluetooth support, which is great for connecting vinyl players and other devices that can’t plug into your home network.

Probably the most disappointing thing when it comes to the Arc Ultra design is that it still only has the one HDMI port which is used to plug into your TV. I understand this probably won’t affect a lot of people, but given the soundbar takes up a HDMI port, I’d really love at least one (if not true) pass through HDMI ports given this is an $1,800 soundbar.

Really, the biggest difference in the Arc Ultra comes in the internals. Compared to the 11 drivers in the original Arc that results in a 5.0.2 setup, the Arc Ultra has 14 speaker drivers which results in a 9.1.4 channel configuration, with the biggest difference coming in the way of the new woofer which Sonos refers to as Sound Motion technology.

I don’t want to get too technical but this technology that Sonos acquired uses four smaller motors in opposing corners of the channel as opposed to one larger heavy motor which enhances bass and makes it much clearer without needing the actual speaker to be larger.

This results in a sound that obviously isn’t as good as using a soundbar with the Sonos Sub, but it’s really damn close and for the first time, I’d go as far as saying that unless you’re somebody that watches movies 24/7 and really into a deep bass, you’ll be more than fine with the Arc Ultra. I had a real hard time noticing the difference with and without which is a great compliment to the Arc Ultra.

This is the case both for music and movies where there’s a great amount of bass even without the soundbar, and music sounds absolutely fantastic using the Sonos Arc Ultra, with a great amount of balance and clarity in the voice, yet a good amount of oomph behind the beats as well.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $1,799 AUD WITH FREE SHIPPING

Another big improvement comes in the way of an improved centre channel that helps with dialogue crispness. We’ve all been there when it comes to watching a movie and not being able to hear the dialogue, but then turning it up results in action noises being too loud, and that’s why this is such a big improvement. If it’s still not clear enough for you, there’s now two levels of Speech Enhancement within the Sonos app as well.

There’s also been improvements to Dolby Atmos given the improvements in channels, and I think this is probably going to be most noticeable to those who don’t have rears (or Sonos Era 300s) at the very least. It just speaks to how good this soundbar is on its own once again.

When it comes to TruePlay, Sonos’ software that allows you to get the most out of your speaker based on your room, there’s two ways to calibrate on the Arc Ultra. There’s an advanced option which lets you use your Android/iOS device to walk around the room and calibrate, of a quick tuning option that will automatically use the microphones to automatically adjust itself.

When it comes to the Sonos Sub 4, you’re not going to need to upgrade from the Sub 3, unless you’re absolutely desperate for the matte finish (which I’d actually understand) and want a lighter sub. I’d still probably recommend it if you’re investing in the Sonos Arc Ultra, but if you’ve already got one, I’d stick with that.

Sonos has had a bit of a rocky year with its new app, which is mostly fixed now and gave me zero troubles over the last month or so testing out the Sonos Arc Ultra, and it feels like it’s absolutely back with the Sonos Arc Ultra, which will blow people away, especially if they’ve not had a Sonos Arc before.

The post Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar & Sub 4 Review – Bigger And Clearer Sound appeared first on Press Start.

Ahead of launch later this week, five new heroes have been revealed for Marvel Rivals. This includes Wolverine, Black Widow, Cloak & Dagger, Iron Fist and Squirrel Girl who will be fully detailed through the week in the lead-up to launch.

A new map in Klyntar: Symbiotic Surface was also announced which is based around the Symbiote and heavily features Venom. You can watch the new heroes and the new map over on the launch trailer below.

MARVEL RIVALS AUSTRALIAN LAUNCH TIMES

Marvels Rivals is set to launch at 11:00am AEDT on Friday, December 6th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam/Epic Games Store). It’s totally free-to-play and includes cross-play across all platforms as well.

The post 5 New Marvel Rivals Heroes Have Been Announced Ahead Of Launch This Week appeared first on Press Start.

Nintendo had previously announced that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp would wrap up on November 28th, but it has now confirmed that the game will live on as a paid version of that game that comes with everyone that was available as paid add-ons as well as some new features.

The game is out now (a full day early) is available for $9.99 AUD which will go up to $19.99 on January 31st. You can download it at the below links:

• App Store
• Google Play

If you’ve already played the free version of the game, you will be able to transfer your save across, but the below features will no longer go over to the paid version of the game:

• Leaf Tickets
• Pocket Camp Club
• Existing Online Play with friends

There will be a bunch of new features in the Complete versions such as the below:

• Camper Cards to share with your friends
• A new location called Whistle Pass where you can view your friends
• Complete Item Catalogue
• Leaf Tokens
• Merry Memories Plan
• Happy Helper Plan
• Furniture and Fashion Plan
• New events and items

For those who are concerned about losing data or want to know more about the new version of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp you can head to the FAQ website HERE, but basically you’ve got until June 2nd, 2025 to transfer your data across.

The post Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete Has Dropped A Day Early With A Cheaper Launch Price appeared first on Press Start.

Telstra has today announced that it has acquired one of the most popular Telco brands, Boost Mobile.

Boost Mobile has grown in popularity over the years for its fantastic value for money plans that benefit from already being on the Telstra network, and Telstra has gone on the record to say it doesn’t plan to change these (in the near future at least). If you’re a current Boost customers, you don’t need to do anything as it’s likely nothing will change for the moment.

“We know Boost branded products are a fantastic option for those seeking more affordable mobile connectivity and we are committed to providing that choice in the market” said Brad Whitcomb, Telstra consumer Group Executive.

“Telstra has been an incredible partner to the Boost mobile family and, more importantly, to our customers – for more than 13 years. This acquisition of Boost is the natural evolution of the brand, and I am excited to see how the brand will continue to grow under Telstra’s ownership. The team at Boost are the best in the business and I wish them all well on the next part of Boost Mobile’s journey” said Boost Founder/Chairman Peter Adderton.

There’s some different reports out in market for costs of acquisition with the price of 100-200m being quoted.

Whist this is a big deal, and not likely the last acquisition Telstra will make in the space, Telstra was already responsible for the operational side of Boost, whilst Boost was responsible for the branding and marketing, so hopefully we don’t see too much of a change there as Boost has been positioned out in market very differently to Telstra, mostly targeting the youth of Australia.

The post Telstra Has Acquired Boost Mobile appeared first on Press Start.

8BitDo has announced the latest mechanical keyboard in its classics range following the release of the Famicon and Genesis models, and this time, the OG Xbox gets the keyboard/mouse treatment.

Both the keyboard and mouse have that translucent green goodness, and for the first time, they have RGB backlighting to shine through the clear keys. Just like the other models, it also comes with two super buttons (no software needed) which allow you to set hotkeys easily.

There’s also a dedicated integrated Xbox button that not only lights up, but allows you to quickly activate Windows Game Bar and coloured arrow buttons to match the original Xbox controller.

As far as the mouse goes, it has a charging dock so that you can keep it charged at all times, customiseable side buttons which are inspired by the original Xbox controller, compatibility for left/right hand and three connection modes (wired, bluetooth, dongle).

Both of these products will launch at the start of January for $119.99 USD (~$184 AUD) for the keyboard and $59.99 USD (~$94 AUD) for the mouse. We’ll keep you posted on Australian information once we have it.

The post 8BitDo’s OG Xbox Inspired Keyboard And Mouse Are Absolutely Stunning appeared first on Press Start.

We’re partnering with SteelSeries to celebrate the holidays with an epic 12 Days of Christmas giveaway.

For the next 12 days (weekdays only), you’ll be able to get a chance to win an epic prize pack containing a bunch of SteelSeries and KontrolFreek goodies as well as a bunch of other epic prizes (we’ve seen the list and there’s some epic prizes on the way).

STEELSERIES 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS – DAY ONE PRIZE:

• 1 x SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
• 1 x KontrolFreek Galaxy Thumbsticks
• 1 x Astrobot PS5 Physical Copy

SteelSeries ANZ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway 2024 ?

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. A NEW PRIZE WILL BE AVAILABLE EACH DAY SO BE SURE TO COME BACK.

You can shop the full SteelSeries range on Amazon HERE. 

The post WIN: SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds, KontrolFreek Galaxy Thumbsticks & Astro Bot appeared first on Press Start.

The official PlayStation 30th anniversary is this week and PlayStation has announced a PlayStation Store sale with a bunch of games to help celebrate three decades of PlayStation.

The sale has just kicked off and will last until December 21st. Because it’s just gone live, we don’t have a list of prices yet, but if you go to the PlayStation Store and visit for the listing for any of the below games, you’ll see the new prices.

Looking at the list, the sale doesn’t exactly scream 30th Anniversary with not a lot of retro games/PlayStation classics included. The original Ape Escape is down to $10.46 though, which is 30% off, so I highly recommend playing that if you haven’t already. 

There’s obviously a lot of newer PlaySTation games such as God of War, Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 on the list. Gran Turismo is 58% off along with The Last Of Us Part 1 and Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy is 60% off.

PLAYSTATION STORE 30TH ANNIVERSARY GAME DEALS

• #BLUD
• A Hat in Time
• A Little to the Left
• A Plague Tale Bundle
• A Way Out
• ABZÛ
• ACE COMBAT7: SKIES UNKNOWN – TOP GUN: Maverick Edition
• Alaskan Road Truckers: Highway Edition
• Alien: Isolation
• Among The Sleep – Enhanced Edition
• Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey
• ANIMAL WELL
• Anno 1800 Console Edition – Deluxe
• Anthem: Legion of Dawn Edition
• Ape Escape
• Arcade Paradise VR
• Assassin’s Creed III: Remastered
• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Deluxe
• Assassin’s Creed® Freedom Cry
• Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag
• Assassin’s Creed® Mirage Deluxe Edition
• Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey
• Assassin’s Creed® Origins Deluxe Edition
• Assassin’s Creed® Syndicate – Season Pass
• Assassin’s Creed® Unity
• Assetto Corsa
• Assetto Corsa Competizione – 2024 Pack
• Asterix & Obelix XXL3: The Crystal Menhir
• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Atelier Dusk Trilogy Deluxe Pack
• Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack
• ATOM RPG
• Attack on Titan
• Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Gold Edition
• Back 4 Blood: Deluxe Edition
• Batman: The Enemy Within – Season Pass
• Batman: The Telltale Series – Season Pass
• Battlefield 4
• Battlefield 1 Revolution
• Battlefield Hardline Standard Edition
• Bayonetta
• Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions
• BioShock 2 Remastered
• BioShock Remastered
• Black Desert: Traveler Edition
• Blair Witch Deluxe Edition
• Blair Witch VR Deluxe Edition
• Blasphemous 2
• Bloodborne: Game of the Year Edition
• Bloons TD 5
• BLUE REFLECTION
• B?: Path of the Teal Lotus
• Borderlands Legendary Collection
• Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition
• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
• Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged
• Broken Sword 5 – the Serpent’s Curse
• Bugsnax
• Builder Simulator
• Bulletstorm VR
• Bum Simulator
• Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop
• C-Smash VRS New Dimension
• Call of Cthulhu®
• Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4
• Call of Duty®: Black Ops Cold War – Cross-Gen Bundle
• Call of Duty®: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition
• Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II – Cross-Gen Bundle
• Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III – Cross-Gen Bundle
• Call of the Wild: The Angler
• Car Mechanic Simulator
• Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
• Carnival Games®
• Cars 3: Driven to Win
• Cartel Tycoon
• Castlevania Anniversary Collection
• Castlevania Requiem: Symphony of the Night & Rondo of Blood
• Cat Quest
• Chained Climb Together
• Chained Echoes
• Chants of Sennaar
• Cities: Skylines – Mayor’s Edition
• ClusterTruck
• Commandos 3 – HD Remaster
• Company of Heroes 3
• Control: Ultimate Edition
• Crash Bandicoot Bundle – N. Sane Trilogy + CTR Nitro-Fueled
• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
• Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition
• Crown Wars: The Black Prince
• Crysis Remastered Trilogy
• Cult of the Lamb: Cultist Edition
• Dark Light
• Darkest Dungeon®
• Darksiders Genesis
• Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition
• Darksiders III
• Darksiders Warmastered Edition
• Darksiders: Fury’s Collection – War and Death
• Darkwood – Special Edition
• Days Gone
• Dead Cells
• Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition
• DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Last Round
• Dead Space Digital Deluxe Edition
• DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT
• Death’s Gambit: Afterlife
• Deathbound
• Demon’s Souls Digital Deluxe Edition
• Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed: Single Player
• Detroit: Become Human Digital Deluxe Edition
• Diablo III: Eternal Collection
• Diablo® Prime Evil Collection
• DIRT 5
• DISSIDIA® FINAL FANTASY® NT Digital Deluxe Edition
• DMC4SE Demon Hunter Bundle
• Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
• DOOM
• DOOM + DOOM II
• DOOM 64
• DRAGON BALL FighterZ – FighterZ Edition
• DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 Special Edition
• DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Deluxe Edition
• DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
• Dragon’s Crown Pro
• Dreams
• DREDGE
• DRIFTCE
• Drums Rock
• Dying Light
• EA SPORTS FC 25 Ultimate Edition
• EA SPORTS College Football 25 – Deluxe Edition
• EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition
• EA SPORTS PGA TOUR Deluxe Edition
• ELEX
• Elite Dangerous
• Enotria: The Last Song Standard Edition
• Espresso Tycoon
• Expeditions: A MudRunner Game – Year 1 Edition ()
• F1® 24 Champions Edition
• F1® Manager 2024
• Far Cry® 4 Gold Edition
• Far Cry® 6 Deluxe Edition
• Far Cry® Primal
• Farmer’s Dynasty
• FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES Remastered Edition
• FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD
• FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered
• FINAL FANTASY® IX Digital Edition
• FINAL FANTASY® VII
• Firefighting Simulator – The Squad
• Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach
• Flintlock – Deluxe Edition
• FOR HONOR – Gold Edition
• Freddi Fish Collection
• Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator
• Frontier hunter – Deluxe Edition
• Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune
• Funko Fusion + Bob Ross Bundle
• Fusion Bundle
• Gangs of Sherwood – Lionheart Edition
• Garten of Banban 4
• Gauntlet: Slayer Edition
• Generation Zero®
• Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT
• Ghostrunner 2 Deluxe Edition
• Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection
• GOD EATER 2: Rage Burst
• God of War
• Gone Home: Console Edition
• Gotham Knights: Deluxe
• Gran Turismo® 7
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Graveyard Keeper
• Gravity Rush 2
• Grow: Song of the Evertree
• Hairdresser Simulator
• Handball 21
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker
• Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
• Heavy Rain
• Hello Neighbor
• Hello Neighbor 2
• HITMAN World of Assassination
• Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition
• Homefront®: The Revolution ‘Freedom Fighter’ Bundle
• Horizon Call of the Mountain
• Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition
• HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED
• House Flipper
• House Flipper 2
• House of Golf 2
• Humongous Classic Collection
• Hunt: Showdown 1896
• Hunting Simulator 2
• IMMORTALS FENYX RISING
• INDIGO PROPHECY
• inFAMOUS First Light
• Injustice 2 – Legendary Edition
• Jak and Daxter Bundle
• Judgment
• Jurassic World Evolution
• Jurassic World Evolution 2: Deluxe Edition
• Just Cause 3: XXL Edition
• Just Cause 4 – Gold Edition
• Just Die Already
• Kao the Kangaroo
• Kayak VR: Mirage
• Kayak VR: Mirage + So?a Valley
• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
• Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition
• Kill It With Fire
• Killing Floor 2
• Killing Floor: Double Feature
• KILLZONE: SHADOW FALL
• King Arthur: Knight’s Tale
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance Royal Edition
• KINGDOM HEARTS III
• Kingdom Two Crowns
• Knack 2
• Lawn Mowing Simulator
• Legendary Tales
• LEGO® Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Deluxe Edition
• LEGO® DC Super-Villains Deluxe Edition
• LEGO® Harry Potter Collection
• LEGO® Marvel Collection
• LEGO® Marvel’s Avengers
• LEGO® Star Wars:The Skywalker Saga Deluxe Edition
• LEGO® Worlds
• Liftoff: Drone Racing
• Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth Ultimate Edition
• Like a Dragon: Ishin!
• Little Goody Two Shoes
• Little Nightmares Complete Edition
• Little Nightmares I & II Bundle
• LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW RePOP
• Lords of the Fallen
• Lovecraftian Bundle
• Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
• Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite – Standard Edition
• Marvel’s Midnight Suns Digital+ Edition
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Game of the Year Edition
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Mass Effect: Andromeda – Standard Recruit Edition
• Max Mustard
• METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN
• Metro 2033 Redux
• Metro: Last Light Redux
• Miasma Chronicles
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War
• Monopoly Family Fun Pack
• Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak Deluxe
• Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition Digital Deluxe
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate + Injustice 2 Leg. Edition Bundle
• Mortal Kombat XL
• MotoGP22
• MudRunner
• MX vs ATV Legends
• MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE 2
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja® STORM 4 ROAD TO BORUTO
• NARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS
• NBA 2K Playgrounds 2
• Need for Speed
• Need for Speed Heat Deluxe Edition
• Need for Speed Payback – Deluxe Edition
• Need for Speed Rivals
• Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition
• NEO: The World Ends with You
• Nexomon + Nexomon: Extinction – Complete Collection
• Nexomon: Extinction
• NHL® 25 Deluxe Edition
• Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix
• Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition
• Octodad: Dadliest Catch
• Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee (PS1 Emulation)
• Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD
• Offroad Mechanic Simulator
• Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game
• ONE PIECE BURNING BLOOD – Gold Edition
• One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
• ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 4 Ultimate Edition
• ONE PIECE: Unlimited World Red Deluxe Edition
• ONE PUNCH MAN: A HERO NOBODY KNOWS Deluxe Edition
• Onimusha: Warlords
• Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission VR
• Outlast Whistleblower
• Outlast: Bundle of Terror
• Outlast: Trinity
• Overcooked! + Overcooked! 2
• Overpass
• Overpass 2 – Deluxe Edition
• Paint the Town Red
• Paint the Town Red VR
• PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION
• Payday 3: Chapter 1 – Syntax Error
• PAYDAY 3: Chapter 3 – Houston Breakout
• PBA Pro Bowling 2023
• Penny’s Big Breakaway
• Persona 4 Golden
• Persona 5
• Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection
• Persona®5 Strikers
• PGA TOUR 2K23 Deluxe Edition
• Planet Coaster: Premium Edition
• Planet Zoo
• Police Simulator: Patrol Officers
• Power Rangers: Battle For The Grid
• Prey: Digital Deluxe Edition
• Prison Simulator
• QUANTUM ERROR
• Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Digital Deluxe Edition
• Red Dead Redemption & Red Dead Redemption 2 Bundle
• Red Dead Redemption 2: Ultimate Edition
• Returnal
• RIDE 3
• Riders Republic 360 Edition
• Road 96
• Rust Console Edition – Ultimate
• Sackboy: A Big Adventure
• Saints Row Gold Edition
• Saints Row IV Re-Elected
• Sakura Wars Digital Deluxe Edition
• Salt and Sanctuary
• SAMURAI WARRIORS 4
• SAMURAI WARRIORS 4 Empires
• SAND LAND
• SCHiM
• Secret Neighbor
• Secret of Mana
• Session: Skate Sim Year One Complete Edition
• Shadow Man Remastered
• SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS
• Sherlock Holmes Essential Bundle
• Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments
• Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
• Ship of Fools
• Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI Platinum Edition
• Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition
• SMITE Deluxe Legacy Pass
• Sniper Elite 4
• Sniper Elite 5 Complete Edition
• Sniper Elite V2 Remastered
• Sniper Elite VR
• SnowRunner – 1-Year Anniversary Edition
• Sonic Colors: Ultimate – Digital Deluxe
• Sonic Origins
• South Park: The Video Game Collection
• South Park: The Fractured but Whole
• Space Engineers
• SpeedRunners
• Spelunky 2
• Spike Volleyball
• Spiritfarer®: Farewell Edition
• Star Ocean®: The Last Hope – 4K and Full HD Remaster
• Star Trek: Resurgence
• STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor Deluxe Edition
• STAR WARS Jedi Cross-Gen Bundle Edition
• Steelrising – Bastille Edition
• Stellaris: Console Edition – Deluxe Edition
• Still Wakes the Deep
• Stilt
• Stranded: Alien Dawn
• SUCCUBUS
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – Digital Deluxe Edition
• Supermarket Simulation Grocery Empire 3D
• SWORD ART ONLINE: FATAL BULLET
• Tales from the Borderlands
• Tales of Arise
• Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator
• TCG Empire: Card Shop Simulator
• TEKKEN 7 – Originals Edition
• TEKKEN 8 Deluxe Edition
• Terraria
• The Chant
• The Crew Motorfest Deluxe Edition
• The Dark Pictures Anthology : Season One
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan
• The Disney Afternoon Collection
• The Escapists
• The Escapists + The Escapists: The Walking Dead Collection
• The Escapists 2
• The Evil Within
• The Game of Life 2
• The Inquisitor
• The Jackbox Party Pack 10
• The Jackbox Party Pack Trilogy
• The Jackbox Party Quintpack
• The Jackbox Quintpack 2.0
• THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION
• THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH
• THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII GLOBAL MATCH
• THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV Deluxe Edition
• The Last of Us Part II
• The Last of Us Part I
• The Last Of Us Remastered
• The Legend of Dragoon
• The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame
• The Outer Worlds: Board-Approved Bundle
• The Persona Collection
• The Quarry – Deluxe Edition
• The Settlers: New Allies Deluxe Edition
• The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
• The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
• The Ultimate Sonic Bundle
• The Walking Dead Onslaught
• The Walking Dead: The Final Season – Season Pass
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• theHunter: Call of the Wild
• Thief
• Thief Simulator
• Thief Simulator VR: Greenview Street
• Thymesia
• Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure
• Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands: Next-Level Edition
• Titan Quest
• Titanfall® 2: Ultimate Edition
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Breakpoint
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Wildlands Standard Edition
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege Deluxe Edition
• Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
• Tomb Raider: Legend
• Tombi! Special Edition
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 – Cross-Gen Deluxe Bundle
• Tour de France 2024
• Train Sim World® 5: Special Edition
• Trepang2 – Digital Deluxe Edition
• Tropico 6 El Prez Edition
• Truck Driver
• TT Isle Of Man: Ride on the Edge 3
• TUNIC
• Twisted Metal: Black
• Two Point Hospital: JUMBO Edition
• UFC® 5 Deluxe Edition
• Ultrawings 2
• UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves Collection
• UNCHARTED The Nathan Drake Collection
• Undisputed WBC Edition
• Unicorn Overlord
• Unravel
• Unravel Two
• V Rising
• V-Rally 4
• Valiant Hearts: Coming Home
• Valiant Hearts: The Collection
• Vampyr
• Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
• Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr | Imperium edition
• Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – Gold Edition
• Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2
• WARRIORS OROCHI 3 Ultimate
• Wasteland 3 Colorado Collection
• Watch Dogs 2
• Way of the Hunter
• Wild Bastards
• WILD HEARTS Standard Edition
• WipEout Omega Collection
• Wired VR Bundle
• WitchSpring R
• Wizard of Legend
• Wizard with a Gun
• Wobbledogs Console Edition
• Wolfenstein: Alt History Collection
• Wolfenstein: The New Order
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood
• World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing 24
• WRC 10 – Deluxe Edition
• WRC Generations – Fully Loaded Edition
• Wreckfest – Complete Edition
• WW2 Rebuilder
• WWE 2K Battlegrounds
• WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition
• XCOM® 2 Collection
• Yakuza 3 Remastered
• Yakuza 4 Remastered
• Yakuza 5 Remastered
• Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
• Yakuza Kiwami
• Yakuza Kiwami 2
• Yakuza Zero
• Yooka-Laylee
• Zombie Army Trilogy

The post The PlayStation Store’s 30th Anniversary Sale Has Just Kicked Off With A Heap Of Game Deals appeared first on Press Start.

We’ve partnered with Bethesda Australia to give away 25 double passes to attend an extremely special Indiana Jones and The Great Circle launch event in Sydney.

The event will be taking place on Tuesday, December 10th from 6pm AEDT in Chippendale, Sydney to celebrate the launch of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

WIN: Tickets To Bethesda Launch Event

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON DECEMBER 2ND AT 11:59PM AEDT. TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE. 

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is launching on Xbox Series X|S and PC on December 6th and will also be available on Xbox Game Pass.

The post WIN: Tickets To The Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Launch Event In Sydney appeared first on Press Start.

The MSI Claw is going for an extremely cheap price at Centrecom at the moment making it one of the cheapest Windows 11 PC handhelds that we’ve seen so far (even cheaper than the ASUS ROG Ally deal).

Using code BFCLAW50 you can get it for the below prices:

• MSI Claw Ultra 5 512GB – $549 delivered
• MSI Claw Ultra 7 512GB – $609 delivered 
• MSI Claw Ultra 7 1TB – $649 delivered 

This is well below 50% off for all three models, which makes it a fantastic deal for anything from playing AAA games to emulation. You’ll struggle to find a better value for money product on the market.

The MSI Claw features a 7-inch 1080p 120hz touchscreen display, and it has a 53Whr battery which is said to delivery a two hour battery life with a full workload. It will also incorporate MSI Cooler Boost technology with dual fans and heat pipes to dissipate heat.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shannon Grixti (@shannongrixti)

The device will comes with MSI Center M UI which has quick settings, a game launcher and instant platform access and will support the MSI App player to play both Windows and Android games.

The biggest difference between the MSI Claw and the ASUS ROG Ally is the ergonomics which is fitting given the name of the MSI Claw. It has a lot more curvier grips which should make it easier to hold.

Thanks, OzBargain.

The post The MSI Claw Is Going For An Absolutely Crazy Cheap Price appeared first on Press Start.

Black Friday has officially kicked off today (even though it’s been going for a few weeks), and some new deals have arrived for the likes of the PlayStation Portal and it’s very fantastic charging dock.

The PlayStation Portal is down to $299 which is $30 off and just got an update that makes the connection with your PS5 a lot stronger.

• PlayStation Portal – $299 ($30 off)

I also highly recommend the PlayStation Portal Venom Charging Dock which is down to $31 ($29 off). This connects to your PS5 (or any other USB-C charger) and keeps the Portal charged at all times.

• PlayStation Potral Venom Charging Dock – $31 

@shannongrixti

The PlayStation Portal finally has a decent charging dock #PlayStationPortal #PS5 #PlayStation #PlayStation5 #PSPortal #RemotePlay #Tech #Gaming

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

OTHER AMAZON DEALS

• 5% off Xbox Gift Cards
• Spend $200 and get $10 back using code GCBFS10

HARDWARE

• PlayStation Portal – $299
• PlayStation VR2 with Horizon Call of the Mountain – $579
• PlayStation VR2 – $549
• PlayStation Pulse Explore Earbuds – $258 
• Asus Rog Ally – $722 
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $479 
• Anker 737 Power Bank – $149 
• PS5 Slim – $629
• PS5 Slim Digital – $529
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless – $182
• Meta Quest 3 512GB with free Batman Arkham Shadow – $799
• Meta Quest 3S 128GB with free Batman Arkham Shadow – $499
• WD Black 2TB PS5 SSD – $242
• WD Black 1TB Xbox Series X SSD – $208

GAMES

• FC25 – $49
• Nintendo Switch Sports – $54
• Zelda Echoes of WIsdom – $64
• Spider-Man Miles Morales – $38 
• Super Mario Wonder – $59 
• Stellar Blade – $79
• Hogwarts Legacy – $48
• Horizon Forbidden West – $49
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard – $69 
• Star WArs Jedi Survivor – $39
• NBA 2k25 – $44
• Sonic Superstars – $38
• Star WArs Outlaws – $59
• Elden Ring – $57 
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage – $27 
• Metaphor Refantazio – $69 

CONTROLLERS

DualSense Controllers

• DualSense Edge – $288 
• Volcanic Red – 84
• Chroma Indigo – $84 
• Cosmic Red – $84 
• Camo Grey – $84 
• Chroma Pearl – $84 
• Sterling Silver – $84 

Xbox Controllers

• Robot White – $59 
• Astral Purple – $68 
• Carbon Black – $64
• Deep Pink – $68 
• Electric Volt – $68
• Pulse Red – $68
• Shock Blue – $68
• Velocity Green – $68

Nintendo Switch Controllers

• Pastel Pink/Pastel Yellow Joy-Con – $99
• Neon Green/Neon Pink – $99
• Neon Purple/Neon Orange – $95
• Neon Red/Neon Blue – $95
• Pastel Purple/Pastel Green – $99
• Nintendo Switch Pro Controller – $79

The post The PlayStation Portal And This Incredible Charging Dock Are Both Discounted On Amazon appeared first on Press Start.

Amazon’s Black Friday sale has now kicked off in full force and there’s a bunch of great games on hardware and accessories well below what we’ve seen before.

You can shop all the best deals HERE we’ve rounded up the best deals below as well:

• 5% off Xbox Gift Cards
• Spend $200 and get $10 back using code GCBFS10

HARDWARE

• PlayStation Portal – $299
• PlayStation VR2 with Horizon Call of the Mountain – $579
• PlayStation VR2 – $549
• PlayStation Pulse Explore Earbuds – $258 
• Asus Rog Ally – $722 
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $479 
• Anker 737 Power Bank – $149 
• PS5 Slim – $629
• PS5 Slim Digital – $529
• PowerA DualSense Charging Station – $29
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless – $182
• Meta Quest 3 512GB with free Batman Arkham Shadow – $799
• Meta Quest 3S 128GB with free Batman Arkham Shadow – $499
• WD Black 2TB PS5 SSD – $242
• WD Black 1TB Xbox Series X SSD – $208

GAMES

• FC25 – $49
• Nintendo Switch Sports – $54
• Zelda Echoes of WIsdom – $64
• Spider-Man Miles Morales – $38 
• Super Mario Wonder – $59 
• Stellar Blade – $79
• Hogwarts Legacy – $48
• Horizon Forbidden West – $49
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard – $69 
• Star WArs Jedi Survivor – $39
• NBA 2k25 – $44
• Sonic Superstars – $38
• Star WArs Outlaws – $59
• Elden Ring – $57 
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage – $27 
• Metaphor Refantazio – $69 

CONTROLLERS

DualSense Controllers

• DualSense Edge – $288 
• Volcanic Red – 84
• Chroma Indigo – $84 
• Cosmic Red – $84 
• Camo Grey – $84 
• Chroma Pearl – $84 
• Sterling Silver – $84 

Xbox Controllers

• Robot White – $59 
• Astral Purple – $68 
• Carbon Black – $64
• Deep Pink – $68 
• Electric Volt – $68
• Pulse Red – $68
• Shock Blue – $68
• Velocity Green – $68
• PowerA Wired Xbox COntroller – $44

Nintendo Switch Controllers

• Pastel Pink/Pastel Yellow Joy-Con – $99
• Neon Green/Neon Pink – $99
• Neon Purple/Neon Orange – $95
• Neon Red/Neon Blue – $95
• Pastel Purple/Pastel Green – $99
• Nintendo Switch Pro Controller – $79
• PowerA Wireless Controller – $70
• PowerA Fortnite Peely Wireless Controller – $58
• PowerA Wired Pikachu Controller – $45

The post Amazon’s Black Friday Sale Is Now Live And Here’s The Best Gaming Deals appeared first on Press Start.

We can reveal eBay’s next wave of Black Friday deals and just like last week’s extremely cheap PS5 deal, this time they’re bringing the heat with an extremely cheap Nintendo Switch deal, a great deal on the new Mac Mini and a bunch of other great deals too.

These will all be live at 10:00am on Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th and you’ll be able to access them at the eBay hub HERE. 

The highlight is without doubt the Nintendo Switch OLED + Super Mario Wonder bundle which will be down to $360 for 400 lucky people on Friday morning at 10am. You’ll be able to grab it HERE.

If you need a 30 day free trial to eBay Plus to access these deals, you can grab one right HERE.

FRIDAY 29TH OF NOVEMBER AT 10:00AM

• Nintendo Switch OLED Model White with Super Mario Bros. Wonder – $360 (34% off) – 400 available
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 GPS + Cellular 49mm Titanium Case with Blue Alpine Loop – $1,099 (21% off) – 50 available
• Dyson Airwrap Long Edition styler and dryer (Blue/Copper) – $449 (47% off) – 150 available 
• Kids Electric Inspired Ride-On sports car – 30% off 
• Puma Smash SD Puma Black-Puma White Sneakers – 30% off 
• Sennheiser Momentum Sport Wireless In-ear Headphones – 30% off 
• Razer Cobra Pro-Wireless Gaming Mouse-White Edition – 30% off 
• New Balance Men’s Fresh Foam X 1440 Running Sport Lifestyle Shoes – 30% off 

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post A Reminder That eBay’s Super Cheap Nintendo Switch OLED Deal Is Happening Today appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been a fun year of PlayStation 30th Anniversary announcements and releases, but PlayStation continues to say that we should “stay tuned for more 30th anniversary celebrations” and people seem to think that there will be a major stream on the actual 30th anniversary next week.

In a recent PS5 trailer, there was a train departure board that had the date/time on it that equated to “03/12/2024” which is the original release date for the PlayStation 1 and the actual 30th anniversary, prompting people to believe that there could be an event happening.

Couple this with the fact that serial PlayStation leaker (who is always right) keeps saying that a bunch of new accessories including a black DualSense Edge, Pulse Explore/Elite headphones, a Helldivers 2 DualSense among other accessories are due to be announced imminently.

? UPCOMING RELEASE ?

Before the 'alleged' release of a new portable console, PlayStation Portal will get a brand new color similar to the accessory set we mentioned earlier,

But that's not all…#PSPortal https://t.co/pLeNbUd6oF

— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) November 27, 2024

There’s also been a long-standing rumour that the original God of War trilogy is being remastered/remade, with Christopher Judge (voice of Kratos) hinting that announcements were coming soon – this would be the perfect announcement for a 30th anniversary stream.

BREAKING: #Bloodborne servers are undergoing maintenance on 12/03/2024.

The SAME DATE that was hidden in a recent PlayStation trailer.

Is a remaster/remake announcement FINALLY happening?! pic.twitter.com/XpI65kqulu

— FromSoft News (@FromSoftUpdates) November 27, 2024

If that wasn’t enough and you’re looking for a reason to get on the hype train and believe, it was announced that Bloodborne would be down for maintenance on this same day, and whilst this does seem like a stretch, if PlayStation is going to have an event to celebrate 30 years of games, it does seem like it’d be amiss to not do something with Bloodborne.

It does feel like it’s been a long, long time since we’ve heard from PlayStation in a major way, and there’d be no better time than now to celebrate all-things PlayStation with an event.

The post People Think That A Big 30th Anniversary PlayStation Stream Is Happening Next Week appeared first on Press Start.

Target has launched a one day only sale for Call Of Duty: Blacks Ops 6. It’s available for $69 which is a great deal. This is available online and in-stores for TODAY only.

You can grab it at the below links:

• COD: Black Ops 6 PS5 – $69 
• COD: Black Ops 6 PS4 – $69 
• COD: Black Ops 6 Xbox – $69

We gave Call Of Duty Black Ops 6 a 9/10 and said: “Call of Duty Black Ops 6’s multiplayer suite is excellent, complimented by the great (and often hilarious) omnimovement system and the return of classic prestige. This is the best Call of Duty has been in a long time.”

PLAYSTATION BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON AMAZON

• DualSense Edge Controller – $288
• Pulse Explore Earbuds – $258
• Chroma Indigo DualSense – $84
• Chroma Pearl DualSense – $99
• Camo DualSense – $84
• PS5 Slim (Disc) – $645
• PS5 Slim (Digital) – $549
• Pulse Elite Headset – $195
• Astro Bot – $75
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor – $40
• Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd – $69
• FC 25 – $49
• Elden Ring – $35
• The Last Of Us Part 1 – $54
• Returnal – $49
• Helldivers 2 – $47
• Rise of the Ronin – $69
• Stellar Blade – $89
• Gran Turismo 7 – $54
• The Last Of Us Part II – $54
• God Of War Ragnarok – $64
• Avatar – $42
• Horizon Forbidden West – $46
• SPider-Man Miles Morales – $38

The post Target Has Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 For An Extremely Nice Price For One Day Only appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation has revealed December’s free PlayStation Plus Essential games and it’s an interesting trio comprising of It Takes Two (a fantastic game that everyone should play), Aliens: Dark Descent and Temtem.

DECEMBER 2024 PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

• It Takes Two (PS5/PS4)
• Aliens: Dark Descent (PS5/PS4)
• TemTem (PS5)

These will be available to download for all PlayStation Plus Essential members on December 3rd.

PlayStation also revealed three games coming to PlayStation Plus Deluxe later in the month in celebration of PlayStation’s 30th Anniversary. This includes:

• Sly 2: Band Of Thieves
• Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
• Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

You’ve still got a few days to download the below games from November’s line-up:

The post December’s Free PlayStation Plus Essential Games Have Been Revealed Alongside The First Classics appeared first on Press Start.

Dealabs is now reporting that in addition to a black DualSense Edge and Pulse Elite/Explore variations, a black PlayStation Portal will also release in the near future.

It will come in at the same price as the white version ($329.95 AUD) and will apparently be in short supply to begin with.

Dealabs has also reported that a Helldivers II DualSense controller as well as other hardware and accessories are in the works due to be announced and released very soon, so it’ll be interesting to see what that’s all about.

It’s rumoured that PlayStation will make some announcements to celebrate 30 years of PlayStation in the next week or so, so we might see all of this come to light.

The post A Black PlayStation Portal Is Also Apparently On The Way Alongside Other New Accessories appeared first on Press Start.

In some pretty massive news, it’s been announced that PlayStation legend (and current head of Indies) Shuhei Yoshida will leave Sony on January, 15th 2025 after 31 years with the company.

Speaking on the PlayStation podcast, Yoshida said: “I’m leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15, 2025… it’s like announcing the launch date of a new game, [something] I haven’t done for a long time [laughs].”

Yoshida has been with PlayStation since the very beginning, overseeing the creation of many of PlayStation’s most iconic gaming franchises as Head of PlayStation Studios originally. He has overseen the development of many iconic PlayStation franchises including Crash, Spyro, Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, God of War, Ape Escape, Parappa the Rappa and many, many more titles.

In response to a Tweet, Yoshida said that he’d like to remain in the industry, so hopefully we’ll still seem him sticking around.

No, I'd like to stay in the industry

— Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp) November 27, 2024

I highly recommend reading the interview on the PlayStation Blog and listening to the podcast right HERE as well.

The post PlayStation Legend Shuhei Yoshida Is Leaving Sony appeared first on Press Start.

Just a few days after the original Donkey Kong Land arrived on Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo has now stealth dropped Donkey Long Land 2 onto the platform.

This is a portable (and non colour) GameBoy version of the game that carries across both Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong as playable characters and has many of the same levels as the Super Nintendo classic, although much more lo-fi with much less going on on the screen.

If you’re a Donkey Kong fan (or a platforming fan in general), it’s well worth jumping in to play through.

The post Donkey Kong Land 2 Has Arrived On Nintendo Switch Online appeared first on Press Start.

The man is everywhere and in something that won’t come as a surprsie to most, it’s been confirmed that Troy Baker will star in Naughty Dog’s next game that will be directed by Neil Druckmann.

Speaking to GQ, Druckkman confirmed that he would start in the next game that he is directing: “In a heartbeat I would always work with Troy,” said Druckmann whilst also confirming that Baker would return for his next project.

We don’t know what the game is, whether it’ll be another The Last Of Us Game (which Baker plays Joel) or if it’s something totally different. We do know that Troy Baker is also set to start in upcoming big hitters such as Judas and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

The piece is a great read and goes into the work of Baker by a number of other creators that he has worked with. “Troy’s trying to stretch the limits of what this thing is, .. and often he succeeds at making it better than it was in my imagination.” said Druckmann about Baker.

It’s unclear how long we’ll have to wait before we see what the game is. It’s been over four years since The Last Of Us Part 2, so realistically, it could come at any moment.

The post Naughty Dog’s Next Game Will Once Again Feature Troy Baker appeared first on Press Start.

Serial leaker Bilbilkun is reporting that PlayStation is set to release three high-end PlayStation accessories in a new black colourway.

This includes the DualSense Edge controller, PlayStation Pulse Elite headset and PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds which will all apparently come in black.

These are all set to be released in the very near future and will cost the same as their current white counterparts, and we’ll keep you posted as soon as they’re announced.

There’s been rumors swirling for some time that PlayStation will either have an event on the 3rd of December, or make its next wave of announcements to celebrate the proper 30th anniversary of the PS1, with it teasing it in the latest PS5 trailer.

Regardless of whether an event happens or not, it seems as though it’s going to be an exciiting few weeks for PlayStation fans.

The post Black DualSense Edge And PlayStation Pulse Explore/Elite Versions Are Apparently On The Way appeared first on Press Start.

AYANEO hasn’t missed with the many Windows handhelds its released over the last 12-18 months, but it’s now turned its eye to the retro side of the handheld market, going for the high-end, more premium end of the scale, and with the AYANEO Pocket Micro, it absolutely delivers.

Design-wise, this is one of the most beautiful handhelds that I’ve ever used. It weighs just 233 grams and is roughly the same size as the original NES controller. It has a high-end all-metal frame that oozes quality and feels light to hold, yet still feels really hefty in the hands. The edges are rounded so even though it has quite a sleek and harsh look, it feels good in the hands.

It has a totally bezel-less display with a 3.5-inch 950×640 IPS screen that is super vibrant and has incredible colour reproduction. This is a a 3:2 display meaning that it’s perfect for playing GBA games with a perfect 4x scale without any stretching or distortion. Equally, the speakers for such a small handheld are absolutely fantastic.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $299.95 FROM THE GAMESMEN

As far as buttons go, if you’ve used an AYANEO handheld, it’s what you expect with a solid d-pad, four face buttons, two analogue sticks, four shoulder buttons, star/select, two buttons for quickly pulling up AYASPACE or getting to the home screen, and two customisable buttons on the right hand side.

When it comes to inputs, you’ve got Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, a USB-C port for charging, and a MicroSD card slot which is super helpful for getting files on and off the device. There is no 3.5mm jack, which I know will annoy a lot of gamers, but you can connect Bluetooth for audio. You also get a power button that has a fingerprint sensor, which might be overkill given the device’s intention, but given you are likely using your Google Account to login, it’s appreciated.

This is an Android device with a Helio G99 processor. Just like AYANEO’s Windows PC handhelds, as this runs Android, anything that you can do or install on an Android phone, you can get installed on the Pocket Micro.

Pretty much any Android game that I tested ran well, with the ability to map touch-screen controls to buttons for games that don’t have controller support, but I suspect most people will be picking one of these up for emulation. This means that games such as Stardew Valley and Zenless Zone Zero will run flawlessly.

It’s fairly easy to get going given it’s an Android device, and the performance is fairly remarkable for anything up to the PS2/GameCube. Obviously because of the smaller screen size, you won’t want to play anything too graphically intensive, with it being perfect for GameBoy Advance games with its screen size, and also PSP Games too.

As I mentioned earlier, it perfectly scales GBA games at 4x, and makes them look absolutely gorgeous. It’s hard to explain but playing games from my childhood such as Legacy Of Goku, it felt like they were made for a handheld in 2024, with the graphics being so crisp, yet still having that retro, nostalgic vibe. It’s hard to put into words, but it really felt lke the best of both worlds.

If you’re really wanting to push the handheld, it can play PS2 and GameCube games at 1x, which is fine given the screen size. There will be some minor frame skips playing these consoles, but considering the size, it’s more than acceptable, and anything lower than those consoles will play like a dream.

Because you’ve got two analogue sticks, as well as a fairly great feeling D-Pad, you can really play anything on this and expect a fairly great experience. Obviously the screen size means you might end up with black bars for some platforms, but given the screen has no bezels, and the top is black, it really blends into the console as well.

The AYAHOME app can launch all of your games and plugs into other frontends such as Emulation-Station. It’s probably not as good as that in terms of sorting and management, but it has hugely improved and is a good basic way to access all of your games.

Once again, it’s AYASPACE that really elevates this whole experience, with a fantastic overlay that you can pull up with one touch of the button. It lets you control the likes of brightness, which performance mode you’re using, show you the current framerate and more.

When it comes to battery life, you can expect to get about 2-3 hours on max performance mode whilst playing PS2 games and roughly 4-6 hours playing a GBA game whilst in battery saver mode and again for the size and battery, this feels like more than enough.

All-in-all, this is another big win for AYANEO in terms of blending accessibility with high-end design, and it’s a stunning piece of hardware that those wanting to go back in time won’t regret grabbing.

The post AYANEO Pocket Micro Review – Premium Retro Goodness appeared first on Press Start.

I’ve been a long-time AirPods user, but I was eager to check-out the latest Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and I was extremely impressed with how they stack up both in design, but also in feature-set and audio quality.

They’ve copped a lot of flack for looking similar to the AirPods Pro, and it is the case, but there’s a few key changes that I absolutely love. Firstly, they’re a dark silver which looks absolutely incredible and much more premium than the white AirPods, and also won’t show dirt anywhere near as easily.

There’s also two light strips on each of the stems which you only really see when you’re taking them out of the case, so they don’t show when they’re in your ear, but it’s still a really cool touch nonetheless. The last part of the design that I really like is the case, which is also a really luxe silver, but also has a translucent top that lets you see the buds through the case, which again, is minor, but just adds a design element that I really appreciate.

Controlling the Buds3 Pro is super seamless as well, with a simple swipe on either blade adjusting the volume, and a quick pinch on either bud to play/pause your audio and holding to go between noise cancelling and transparency mode. There’s nothing worse than earbud controls that don’t respond and this couldn’t be further from the truth with the Galaxy Buds3 Pro.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $269 FROM AMAZON WITH FREE DELIVERY

As far as audio quality goes in the Buds3 Pro it’s first class with a good amount of bass and clarity whether you’re using one bud or both. it’s about on par with the best wireless buds that I’ve used both when listening to music or taking a call.

Galaxy AI features in the Buds too when using them with Android devices, so your buds are constantly adapting both the EQ but also the ANC to eliminate the sounds you don’t want to hear (such as traffic), but let in people talking you directly and also alarms and sirens.

The noise cancelling is fairly fantastic, but probably a touch below that of the AirPods Pro Gen 2 which is best-in-class. It’s absolutely fine and still blocks out a good amount of external noise, it just doesn’t absolutely drown them out in the same way the AirPods do.

Similarly, the buds are always listening os that you don’t even need to use a wake command to perform functions such as answering a call or turning the volume up, and they pair nicely with the Galaxy phones for translation purposes so that you can get what you’re listening to translated in real time.

As far as battery life goes, you can expect 6 hours with ANC on (26 hours total including case recharging) or 7 hours with ANC off (30 hours with case recharging). You can also also take advantage of wireless charging for the case as well, which is a nice touch if you’re trying to ditch the cords.

Samsung has been hitting it out of the park with its wearables this year. I absolutely loved the Galaxy Ring, and the Galaxy Buds3 Pro finally feel like the high-end, premium solution that Samsung users deserve, and they more than deliver.

The post Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro Review – A Super Solid Experience appeared first on Press Start.

Bloomberg is reporting that PlayStation is in the early stages of developing a portable console that can play PS5 games on the move.

The product is aimed at expanding Sony’s reach and contending with Nintendo for the portable market. This device is likely years away from launch which means that Sony could also avoid bringing it to market.

The Bloomberg report says that the idea builds on the PlayStation Portal, which was initially intended to function as a standalone device like the Steam Deck, which the report also delves into.

“Sony Group Corp. is in the early stages of developing a portable console that would play its PlayStation 5 games on the move. The product is aimed at expanding Sony’s reach and contending with Nintendo Co. for the portable gaming market, according to people familiar with its development. It would also counter any potential mobile hardware from Xbox maker Microsoft Corp., which is working on prototypes in the category as well. Sony’s portable device is likely years away from launch and the company could still decide against bringing it to market, the people said, asking not to be named discussing private plans” says the report. 

The report is paywalled, but you can find it HERE. 

The post A New PlayStation Portable That Can Play PS5 Games Is Apparently In The Works appeared first on Press Start.

If you’re a Press Start reader of old, you’ll know that Ape Escape is without doubt my favourite gaming franchise of all time (and pretty much my whole personality), so when an original Ape Escape soundtrack vinyl set was announced, I was extremely excited.

The game is 25 years old and was the first to be released alongside PlayStation’s iconic DualSense controller, and this 4 vinyl set has all the original tracks from the original game with one bonus song that hadn’t been released along with a hardcover slipcase box, new 3D artwork and translucent red, clear, blue and yellow vinyls.

In Australia, it’s up for pre-order at Pixelcrib. It’ll set you back $169.99 and it will ship from March 28th, 2025. You can pre-order it HERE.

Ape Escape Originape Soundtrack – $169.99 AUD

APE ESCAPE VINYL SET FEATURES:

• 4xLP Hardcover slipcase box
• Liner notes written by composer Soichi Terada
• Remastered for vinyl by Justin Perkins (Mystery Room Mastering)
• New 3D artwork by Gobo3D
• Color: translucent red, clear, blue, and yellow vinyl
• Designed and manufactured by Cartridge Thunder
• Officially licensed ©Sony Computer Entertainment, by Far East Recording

The post A 4x Vinyl Ape Escape Soundtrack Set Has Been Revealed And Here’s Where Aussies Can Get It appeared first on Press Start.

The last few months have been interesting for PlayStation fans and collectors alike with the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection selling out instantly, but most people don’t realise that even if somebody got everything in the collection, there’s actually almost no chance that anyone can have a complete collection due to the posters included with the consoles.

An interesting twist this time around was the fact that both the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim came with a poster which was randomised with 30 different ones to collect. It feels like PlayStation did this to go the extra mile in making collector’s stress a little bit less if they missed out on something in particular knowing they could truly never get all of them.

The 30 limited edition posters that come with anniversary editions…
byu/milancosens inPS5

The 30 different posters have started being collated in a Reddit thread and there’s some absolutely stunning ones ranging from the iconic PlayStation boot screen, loads of different shots from the PS1 and PS5 collection, heaps of 30th Anniversary product shots, a really cool look at different PS1 logo concepts, some x-ray shots at all the different PlayStation consoles and a really cool montage with all the white consoles from the different generations.

I highly recommend checking out the whole Reddit thread HERE. 

With my two consoles, I got the PS1/PS5 combo which I absolutely love and also a close-up of the 30th Anniversary DualSense which is equally cool.

The post People Are Sharing All The Different PlayStation 30th Anniversary Posters And There’s Some Beautiful Ones appeared first on Press Start.

Samsung has launched its Black Friday sale and it has a bunch of one day deals, and longer term deals on monitors and more. The super fantastic Samsung Odyssey 32-inch OLED G8 is on sale as well. It’s $500 off bringing it down to $1,500 and you can find it HERE.

@shannongrixti

The Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED gaming monitor offers fantastic brightness, an anti-reflective coating and has streaming apps + Xbox Cloud Gaming built-in #SamsungG8OLED #SamsungG8 #SamsungOdysseyG8OLED #SamsungOdysseyG8 #SamsungOdyssey #OLED #GamingMonitor #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

You can find all of the deals HERE and we’ve listed the best ones below:

ONE DAY DEALS (END TODAY)

• Galaxy Z Flip6 – $1,399 
• Galaxy Z Fold6 – $1,924
• Galaxy Tab S9 FE – $824 
• Galaxy Watch 7 – $360

MONITOR DEALS (ENDS DECEMBER 4TH)

• Odyssey G8 32-Inch OLED – $1,499 (save $500)
• Odyssey Neo G95C 57-Inch QLED – $2,399 (save $800)
• Odyssey G93SD 43-Inch OLED – $1,699 (save $600)
• Odyssey G8 34-Inch OLED Curved – $1,199 (save $600)
• Odyssey G6 27-Inch OLED – $999 (save $500)
• Odyssey OLED G6 27-Inch OLED – $899 (save $300)

TV DEALS (ENDS DECEMBER 4TH)

• S90D OLED 55-Inch – $2,199 (save $1,100)
• S90D OLED 65-Inch – $2,999 (save $1,300)
• S90D OLED 77-Inch – $4,499 (save $1,500)
• S90D OLED 83-Inch – $5,883 (save $2,000)

The post Samsung’s Black Friday Sale Includes A Bunch Of Great Monitor And TV Deals appeared first on Press Start.

The Black Friday PlayStation Plus deal has arrived, and unfortunately, it’s not as simple as it used to be without physical PlayStation Plus cards, but there’s seemingly a decent deal to be had still.

It seems as though if you’re a PlayStation Plus Deluxe member, you can subscribe for another 12 months at 30% off, which is probably the best case scenario. This brings it down to $137 for the next 12 months.

If you’re a PlayStation Extra member, you can upgrade to Deluxe at 30% off for the rest of your subscription, and if you’re PlayStation Plus Essential, you can upgrade to Extra for 25% off the remainder of your membership (or 30% to Deluxe).

If you’re a new member, you can subscribe to a 12 month membership for 25/30% off depending on which tier you go for.

It’s a little confusing, but basically, we recommend heading to this link online (or on the PlayStation Store on your PS5), and you’ll be presented with a pre-order offer like below.

PLAYSTATION BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON AMAZON

• DualSense Edge Controller – $288
• Pulse Explore Earbuds – $258
• Chroma Indigo DualSense – $84
• Chroma Pearl DualSense – $99
• Camo DualSense – $84
• PS5 Slim (Disc) – $645
• PS5 Slim (Digital) – $549
• Pulse Elite Headset – $195
• Astro Bot – $75
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor – $40
• Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd – $69
• FC 25 – $49
• Elden Ring – $35
• The Last Of Us Part 1 – $54
• Returnal – $49
• Helldivers 2 – $47
• Rise of the Ronin – $69
• Stellar Blade – $89
• Gran Turismo 7 – $54
• The Last Of Us Part II – $54
• God Of War Ragnarok – $64
• Avatar – $42
• Horizon Forbidden West – $46
• SPider-Man Miles Morales – $38

The post The Black Friday PlayStation Plus Deal Has Arrived appeared first on Press Start.

The Black Friday sales are in full swing now with all of the PlayStation deals going live this morning, bringing the best prices yet on many accessories, games and consoles with the likes of the DualSense Edge and Pulse Explore Earbuds going to well below their cheapest price ever.

All of these will run until December 2nd or until they’re out of stock, and you can find the whole sale HERE.

PLAYSTATION BLACK FRIDAY DEALS ON AMAZON

• DualSense Edge Controller – $288
• Pulse Explore Earbuds – $258
• Chroma Indigo DualSense – $84
• Chroma Pearl DualSense – $99
• Camo DualSense – $84
• PS5 Slim (Disc) – $645
• PS5 Slim (Digital) – $549
• Pulse Elite Headset – $195
• Astro Bot – $75
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor – $40
• Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd – $69
• FC 25 – $49
• Elden Ring – $35
• The Last Of Us Part 1 – $54
• Returnal – $49
• Helldivers 2 – $47
• Rise of the Ronin – $69
• Stellar Blade – $89
• Gran Turismo 7 – $54
• The Last Of Us Part II – $54
• God Of War Ragnarok – $64
• Avatar – $42
• Horizon Forbidden West – $46
• SPider-Man Miles Morales – $38

The post Amazon Has Some Banger PlayStation Deals appeared first on Press Start.

eBay is back with its fantastic Black Friday promotion, and leading it is a PS5 Slim deal that is absolutely incredible.

For 300 lucky people, you’ll be able to get a PS5 Slim (Disc) for $500. This is worth it for the disc drive alone. This will go live at 10:00am AEDT.

• PS5 Slim (Disc) – $500 (eBay Plus members only)

You’ll be able to find this on the eBay Plus hub where you’ll also be able to get a 30 day free trial of eBay Plus if you haven’t already subscribed. 

eBay Plus Exclusive 30% off Deals

Live at 10am AEDT on respective dates.

22nd November

• Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus
• Mercedes-Benz Licensed Kids Ride On Car
• Google Pixel Watch 2 LTE Matte Black with Obsidian Active Band

26th November

• HP Chromebook N200 8GB 128GB SSD 14″ Touch
• Sennheiser AMBEO Subwoofer
• HP OMEN RTX4080 Gaming Laptop

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post eBay’s Black Friday Deals Include The Cheapest PS5 Slim Deal Yet appeared first on Press Start.

I’m often too busy writing (or making videos) about games, that I don’t often to think about the important part that they’ve played in my entire life, whether it be playing the NES as a young age of 3-4, to countless school holidays spent playing Goldeneye and Mario Kart 64 on the Nintendo 64, but no console played a more important part in my life than the PlayStation 1.

As the youngest sibling of three, it was my first gaming console that was mine, and it took my love of gaming to a whole new level. One that was less about casually playing with older family members and more about it being an escape for myself, playing through my favourite platformers such as Ape Escape and Crash Bandicoot, and I didn’t really think about about how much that actually impacted the rest of my life up until this point quite as much as it had.

When Sony said that they’d be sending me the 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro, obviously I was excited, but I didn’t expect it to be the full circle moment that it was, making me really reflect on the impact that gaming has had on my life both personally and professionally, and it was this console that originally started it all.

It was bittersweet making this content knowing that so many had missed out, but I took it as my duty to show every aspect of this console as a celebration of PlayStation that we could enjoy in together.

@shannongrixti

The PlayStation 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro is the perfect celebration of PlayStation’s iconic history #Gifted #PS5Pro #PlayStation30thAnniverary #PS5 #PlayStation5Pro #PS5Pro30thAnniversary #PlayStation #PlayStation5

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The outer box of the console features all five PlayStation consoles debossed on each side, starting with the PS5 Pro on the front, the PS3 and PS2 on the sides and the PS4 on the back, leading up to the PS1 on the top of the console, which you need to open to pull the outer sleeve off.

That reveals a more modern PlayStation with the 30th Anniversary logo on top with the PlayStation 30th symbols all over the box, with this one then lifting off to reveal the PS5 Pro in all of its glory, complete with the signature light grey colourway, the OG retro PlayStation logo and the 30th Anniversary on both the bottom of the faceplate, and etched onto the wings (no number for this one).

That’s just the beginning though as behind this is a massive box that has illustrations of all five consoles on it, that houses all the goodies that come with the console. I won’t go into all of the details as the photos and videos speak for themselves, but each item is a celebration of the original PlayStation.

The first item is a poster which I believe there’s 30 different variations of – I quite like mine as it’s got the original PS1 and the PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary.

Both the DualSense and DualSense Edge are the iconic light grey with darker grey accents and the coloured PlayStation logo, with the DualSense Edge also having a matching case and there’s a DualSense charging station (exclusive to this bundle) that matches these perfectly.

You also get a grey vertical stand and for those wanting to get a disc drive to turn your PS5 Pro into a physical console, there’s a disc faceplate in the box as well. Even the manuals and cords are in their own little branded box with little logos on it.

If all of that wasn’t enough, there’s a PlayStation goodies box which has some absolutely incredible items in it. The first is a PS1 inspired USB-C cable clamp that matches with the light grey USB-C PS 30th cable and really completes the console look (I hope this sees a wider release) as well as a PlayStation bubble sticker, paper clip and a set of four PlayStation symbol cable ties.

All of the items in the PlayStation 30th Anniversary range are incredible, celebrate PlayStation’s history perfectly and full of little details, so I hope a bunch of you managed to get something, just to feel the nostalgic gaming magic, if noting else.

The 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro was provided by PlayStation.

The post The PlayStation 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro Is The Perfect Celebration Of PlayStation’s History appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation has revealed its Black Friday sale for 2024. It’s kicking off tonight (midnight) and will last until December 2nd bringing a range of deals on consoles, games, accessories and PlayStation Plus. You can find all of the deals on the PlayStation Blog.

We’ve got a good idea what a lot of the prices will be based on JB Hi-FI’s catalogue but here’s what will be on sale at all retailers later tonight including Amazon.

PLAYSTATION BLACK FRIDAY 2024 SALE

• DualSense controllers – up to 25% off
• PlayStation VR2 – up to 40% off
• DualSense Elite discount
• Big savings on PS5 Slim Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle
• PlayStation Plus – Up to 30% off for new members, 25% off for Essential subscribers going to Extra and 30% off for Extra subscribers going to Deluxe
• PlayStation Pulse Elite/Pulse Explore Discounted
• Hundreds of games on offer on PlayStation Store/Physical Stores

JB HI-FI PLAYSTATION BLACK FRIDAY SALE

Here’s all the prices for JB Hi-Fi’s PlayStation sale, but we might see cheaper at the likes of Amazon.

• PS5 Slim Disc – $639
• PS5 Slim Digital – $549
• PlayStation VR2 – $549
• DualSense Edge – $289
• DualSense controllers – $89 (incldes Chroma collection)
• Pulse Elite Headset – $199
• Spider-Man 2 – $64
• Astro Bot – $79
• GT 7 – $54
• Space Marine 2 – $64
• FC25 – $49
• NBA 2K25 – $44
• Star Wars Outlaws – $59
• Hogwarts Legacy – $49
• Alan Wake 2 – $64

It’s very likely we will see a lot of competitions on all of these items, so we’ll do our best to update you from tonight onwards.

The post PlayStation’s Black Friday Sale Has Been Officially Revealed And Here’s What’s On Sale appeared first on Press Start.

Giftcards.com.au currently has 10% off Amazon gift cards for today only lasting until 5pm. You can grab them HERE.

You can get up to $2,500 in gift cards which would give you $250 off, which is obviously perfect if you’re making a bit ticket purchase.

• 10% off Amazon gift cards (up to $2,500 in value) – available until 5pm AEDT.

These will be sent within four hours of purchasing, and can be instantly added to your Amazon account to get any deals including the below:

For me, the highlight would be the ASUS ROG ALLY Z1 Extreme which would bring it down a further $72 and down to $656 which is an absolute STEAL.

BEST AMAZON BLACK FRIDAY GAMING DEALS

All of these are before the 10% off that you’d get from loading in a gift card using the above link.

• 5% off Xbox Gift Cards 
• ASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme – $729
• Logitech Astro A50 X Wireless Headset – $527 (30% off)
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $455 (38% off)
• Corsair MP600 Pro 2TB SSD – $234 
• Anker 737 Power Bank – $149 
• Star Wars Outlaws – $65 
• Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 – $66 
• SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard – $279 
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor – $40 
• Tekken 8 Day 1 Edition – $63 
• Silent Hil 2 – $84 
• Metaphor Refantazio – $74 
• Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy – $24 
• DualSense Volcanic Red – $98 
• Super Mario RPG – $58 
• Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – $50 
• Sony Inzone Buds – $248 
• Avatar Frontiers of Pandora – $42 
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – $28 
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – $59 (50% off)
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K – $49 (51% off)
• Final Fantasy 16 – $39 (47% off)
• FC25 – $59 (46% off)
• Unknown 9: Awakening – $44 (50% off)
• Cult of the Lamb Switch – $42 (24% off)
• Sonic x Shadow Generations – $59 (26% off)
• DualSense Controller (Silver) – $98 (22% off)
• 2TB Lexar NM790 2TB SSD – $211 
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $535 (27% off)
• WD_Black 1TB Xbox Series X|S SSD – $207 (31% off)
• Prince of Persia The Lost Crown – $28
• Super Mario Bros Wonder – $58 (37% off)
• 8BitDo Pro 2 – $69.95 (16% off)
• Xbox Series X|S Controller – $69 (22% off)
• LEGO Bowser – $289 (28% off)
• LEGO Super Mario World – $170 (15% off)

The post You Can Get 10% Off Amazon Gift Cards For Today Only appeared first on Press Start.

EB Games has announced that it is giving Level 5 members 1 month free of EB World Plus as a special gift for Christmas.

This will start on Thursday, November 21st and last until December 21st and will automatically be added to the account of those that are a Level 5 member.

For those that are a Level 5 member that are already EB World Plus members, you’ll get an extra month for free on top of your current subscription.

FULL EB WORLD PLUS BENEFITS:

• FREE GIFT: With 12 month sign-up
• BUY 10 GET 1 FREE BOOSTERS: Get a FREE Booster valued up to $15 after every 10th individual Booster purchase!
• BUY 10 GET 1 FREE POP! VINYLS: Get a FREE Pop! Vinyl valued up to $35 after every 10th Pop! Vinyl purchase!
• BUY 10 GET 1 FREE CLOTHING: Get a FREE Clothing item valued up to $70 after every 10th Clothing purchase!
• BUY 10 GET 1 FREE SOCKS: Get a FREE pair of Socks valued up to $10 after every 10th pair of Socks purchase!
• 5% OFF DIGITAL CURRENCIES: Excludes EB Games and Zing Pop Culture Gift Cards.
• 5% EXTRA TRADE VALUE: Stacks with your EB World Trade Bonus.
• DOUBLE CARROTS: On every purchase. Stacks with all promotional

The post EB Games Is Giving Level 5 Members One Month Of EB World Plus For Free appeared first on Press Start.

After the Nintendo Live Sydney in-person merch shop proved to be insanely popular, Nintendo promised it would allow attendees to shop the items at an online store, and it has now delivered on that promise.

If you attended Nintendo Live Sydney, you should have received an email in the last 24 hours with an exclusive link that allows you to access a hidden area of the My Nintendo shop to purchase items that were previously only available at the in-person event.

The email that was sent out reads:

“Following our previous email about the My Nintendo Store experiencing unexpectedly high demand during the event, we would like to inform you as an attendee of Nintendo Live 2024 SYDNEY that every item that was available at the My Nintendo Store, including Nintendo Live 2024 SYDNEY event-themed items, is now available for purchase or pre-purchase online* via the below link:

Please note, this link is only being shared with you as an attendee of Nintendo Live 2024 SYDNEY and will expire at 11:59AM AEDT on 10th December 2024. The Nintendo Live 2024 SYDNEY category on My Nintendo Store is not accessible without this link.”

You’ve got until December 10th at 11:59pm AEDT to shop the items and it’s one of each item per person. Do not share this link with someone else unless you absolutely don’t intend to buy as it can only be used to buy of each item.

All the goods at the My Nintendo Store at #NintendoLive Sydney pic.twitter.com/693FhHrrJ7

— Vooks (@vooksdotnet) August 31, 2024

It’s unclear if Nintendo will open these items up to the general population once that December 10th period is over, but it does seem likely, so here’s hoping as there’s some extremely amazing items that are available for purchase.

The post Nintendo Live Sydney Attendees Can Now Buy The Products Online So Check Your Emails appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been a feature that’s been requested ever since the PlayStation Portal was announced and PlayStation has confirmed that it’s coming today.

In a new update that is launching today, the PlayStation Portal will be able to stream over 120 PS5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog directly from PlayStation servers rather than remote play from your console.

This will be available to PlayStation Plus Premium members and available in the below countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.

This is launching in beta and will only be available with PS5 games including the below to begin with:  Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

You’ll be able to stream games at 1080p/60FPS and take advantages of all of the same control options of the DualSense controller whilst cloud streaming.

The update will also bring the ability to make the speaker volume even lower than previously available as well as the ability to adjust settings for your PlayStation Link devices such as volume and sidetone volume.

You can read more about the new update over on the PlayStation Blog.

The post The PlayStation Portal Is Getting Cloud Game Streaming Today (But Not In Australia) appeared first on Press Start.

I’ve dabbled with the Steam Deck over the years and whilst it was mighty tempting to import one, I always wanted to wait until it was officially available in Australia to properly spend time with one to review it, and that day has finally arrived with the console launching in Australia this week.

I’ve had a multitude of experience with PC handhelds, reviewing a bunch of AYANEO handhelds, the ROG Ally and Ally X, the Lenovo Legion Go and spent a significant time with the MSI Claw, and they’ve come a long, long way over the last 12-18 months, but I was very curious to see how the Steam Deck OLED experience would compare, and it’s absolutely an entirely different experience.

In short, the biggest compliment that I can give the Steam Deck in comparison to the dozens of Windows handhelds that I’ve tested is that it just works. It’s the Nintendo Switch of PC handhelds in the sense that anyone can turn it on and get going within seconds, with a user experience that feels like it was built for to the console, rather than Windows.

From the second you turn on the Steam Deck OLED, you can literally be downloading games within a minute or two. If you’ve got the app on your phone, you can scan a QR code and be straight in, which couldn’t be more opposite of an experience from other handhelds.

Similarly, scrolling through your Steam library is as seamless as it is as using Steam on your PC, with the operating system feeling like it’s at once with the handheld. For those that want the basics such as changing your brightness, or seeing how much battery is left, it’s su[er easy to navigate, and for those that want to tinker and mess with things such as TDP, or lock down frame rates, you can easily do that too, but it’s almost never needed.

Steam does a great job at telling you which games have been verified for Steam Deck use, which basically means that you can boot in without having to worry as it’s been verified to run perfectly. Most games don’t have this certification, but this doesn’t mean that it won’t run, it just means that it might be a less than perfect situation, require some tinkering of settings, or not run at all.

Whilst Steam can run Windows, it severely dampens the experience and isn’t easy to get running, so whilst the Steam Deck offers a much better experience than Windows handhelds, you obviously lose the ability to easily run games from other launchers, with the biggest loss coming in the loss of Xbox Game Pass games, which I’ve really enjoyed on other handhelds. If you’ve got a massive Steam library, this won’t be an issue, but if you’re primarily a console gamer that doesn’t want to buy all your games again, know that you can’t just boot into Xbox Game Pass as you can on the likes of the ASUS ROG Ally.

When it comes to performance, for 80-90% of the games that I tested, it was totally fine running at 60 FPS at 800p, without touching anything, but for newer games, you definitely will see a bit of a performance dip compared to running the ASUS ROG Ally X at 30w, which is expected, and the battery life and experience would still mean that I’d recommend this to most people over other options.

Playing games such as God Of War Ragnarok, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart or Even Cyberpunk 2077 ran totally fine on the Steam Deck, and the few games that did stutter a bit, I was able to just lock the frame rate to 30 FPS and get it to run nicely.

The display on the Steam Deck OLED is absolutely phenomenal. It’s a 7.4-inch 90HZ OLED display that has absolutely stunning vibrancy and brightness. If you opt for the 1TB mode you’ll get an anti-glare display, which I think is always the way to go for a handheld.

The battery life was equally impressive, blowing all other handhelds (except maybe the Ally X) out of the park, with 2.5-3.5 hours minimum playing AAA games and well beyond that playing indie games. I never felt like I needed to be within reach of a charger like I did with almost every other Windows handheld that I did.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $649 AUD FOR 256GB LCD / $899 FOR OLED

Similarly, the value that you’re getting at $649 for the LCD model or $899 for the OLED model is phenomenal compared to other handhelds, although probably a little less so than it was 1-2 years ago, for reasons that I’ve mentioned.

Whilst the Steam Deck OLED looks chonky, it’s extremely comfortable to hold, with the ergonomics being second to none, and the weight also feeling well distributed to the point that it’s never an issue. The build quality also oozes quality and feels extremely premium in its design. ugh v

As far as control options to go, the Steam Deck is still unmatched with all of the expected buttons and triggers, four back buttons, super seamless gyro support and two trackpads that have haptic feedback and a great for games that rely on a mouse or don’t have controller support.

Whilst the Steam Deck is releasing in Australia quite late in the game, it’s still a fantastic value for money way for gamers to play their Steam Library on the go, with Steam’s Cloud Sync being absolutely fantastic. If you want the best performance on the market, want to utilise Xbox Game Pass (or other launchers), or maybe don’t have a huge Steam library, there’s probably other options I’d recommend looking at.

The post Steam Deck OLED Review – A Super Seamless Experience appeared first on Press Start.

The day has finally arrived. Today is the day that Australia finally gets the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED years after it launched in most other parts of the world.

The day has finally arrived. Today is the day that Australia finally gets the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED years after it launched in most other parts of the world. It will go on sale at 10am AEDT at the below links:

• 256GB LCD: $649 AUD
• 512GB OLED: $899 AUD
• 1TB OLED: $1,049 AUD
• 1TB OLED (White): $1,099 AUD

If Valve finally bringing the Steam Deck to Australia wasn’t enough for you, it’s now revealed a Limited Edition White Steam Deck OLED and it’ll be launching on the same day that the Steam Deck does into Australia.

The White Steam Deck OLED will come with white/grey accents, a matching white carrying case and also a white cleaning cloth, to complete the entire look. It’s fairly stunning if I do say so myself.

Just like the translucent black model that released alongside the OLED and sold out extremely quickly, this will only be available as one limited drop.

It’s available in the 1TB OLED model and it will be $50 more than the standard at $1,099 AUD. It will be available to order with the Steam Deck goes on sale in Australia (alongside every other market that the Steam Deck is available) at 10:00am AEDT on November 19th (today).

FULL AUSTRALIAN STEAM DECK RANGE

• 256GB LCD: $649 AUD
• 512GB OLED: $899 AUD
• 1TB OLED: $1,049 AUD
• 1TB OLED (White): $1,099 AUD

Just in case you’re not as familiar with the two models, The Steam Deck OLED has a larger 7.4-inch HDR OLED display with 1000 nits of peak brightness. The refresh rate has been updated to 90hz and the latency of the touch screen has also been improved.

The device has a larger 50whr battery (up from 40 whr) and combined with a more efficient APU, you can expect a 30-50% better battery life which Valve says is good for 3-12 hours of gaming depending on what you’re playing. Despite the device having a larger screen and a larger battery, the total weight has been reduced by 30 grams or 5% which should make a big difference in comfort.

@shannongrixti

The Steam Deck is finally coming to Australia and here’s a quick look at the gorgeous 1TB OLED model #SteamDeck #SteamDeckAustralia #SteamDeckOLED #Tech #Steam #Valve

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post The Steam Deck Finally Goes On Sale In Australia Today Including That Sexy White LE Version appeared first on Press Start.

The Game Wards 2024 Nominees have been revealed and for the most part, it’s gone fairly as expected with Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 leading the count with 7 nominations each.

It’s the Game of the Year category that’s causing the most debate (as it does every year) with the expected games such as Astro Bot, Black Myth, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Metaphor ReFantazio being there, along Balatro with as well as Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree also featuring despite being an expansion for a game that was already nominated (and won) in 2022.

Naturally this has kicked off discussions about whether an expansion or DLC should be eligible to win GOTY, which people feel really passionate about one way or another, and it’s not something that we’ve seen happen before.

It’s worth mentioning that Press Start voted in this year’s awards (as we do every year) as one of the only Australian outlets invited to nominate. The Game Awards are set to take place on Friday, December 13th at 11:30 AM.

THE GAME AWARDS 2024 FULL NOMINEES

Game of the Year

• Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio

Best Game Direction

• Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio

Best Ongoing Game

• Destiny 2
• Diablo 4
• Final Fantasy 14
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2

Best Performance

• Briana White: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Hannah Telle: Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Humberly Gonzalez: Star Wars Outlaws
• Luke Roberts: Silent Hill 2
• Melina Juergens: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Best Mobile Game

• AFK Journey
• Balatro
• Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket
• Wuthering Waves
• Zenless Zone Zero

Best Art Direction

• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Neva

Best Score and Music

• Astro Bot
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Silent Hill 2
• Stellar Blade

Best Audio Design

• Astro Bot
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
• Silent Hill 2

Best Adaptation

• Arcane
• Fallout
• Knuckles
• Like a Dragon: Yakuza
• Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft

Best Narrative

• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
• Silent Hill 2

Games for Impact

• Closer the Distance
• Indika
• Neva
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Senua’s Saga: Hellbalde 2
• Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Best Community Support

• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Final Fantasy 14
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• No Man’s Sky

Best Multiplayer

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Helldivers 2
• Super Mario Party Jamboree
• Tekken 8
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Best Independent Game

• Animal Well
• Balatro
• Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
• Neva
• UFO 50

Best Debut Indie Game

• Animal Well
• Balatro
• Manor Lords
• Pacific Drive
• The Plucky Squire

Best VR/AR Game

• Arizona Sunshine Remake
• Asgard’s Wrath 2
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Metal: Hellsinger VR
• Metro: Awakening

Content Creator of the Year

• Caseoh
• Illojuan
• Techno Gamerz
• Typical Gamers
• Usada Pekora

Most Anticipated

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yotei
• Grand Theft Auto 6
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
• Monster Hunter Wilds

Best Action/Adventure Game

• Astro Bot
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
• Silent Hill 2
• Star Wars Outlaws
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Best Role-Playing Game

• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio

Best Fighting Game

• Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero
• GranBlue Fantasy Versus: Rising
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection Arcade Classics
• MultiVersus
• Tekken 8

Best Action Game

• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Helldivers 2
• Stellar Blade
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Innovation in Accessibility

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Diablo 4
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
• Star Wars Outlaws

Best Family Game

• Astro Bot
• Princess Peach: Showtime
• Super Mario Party Jamboree
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• The Plucky Squire

Best Sim/Strategy Game

• Age of Mythology: Retold
• Frostpunk 2
• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
• Manor Lords
• Unicorn Overlord

Best Sports/Racing Game

• F1 24
• EA Sports FC 25
• NBA 2K25
• Top Spin 2K25
• WWE 2K24

Best Esports Game

• Counter-Strike 2
• Dota 2
• League of Legends
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
• Valorant

Best Esports Athlete

• 33 – Neta Shapira
• Aleksib – Aleksi Virolainen
• Chovy – Jeong Ji-hoon
• Faker – Lee Sang-hyeok
• ZyWoO – Mathieu Herbaut
• ZmjjKk – Zheng Yongkang

Best Esports Team

• Bilibili Gaming
• Gen.G
• Navi
• T1
• Team Liquid

The post The Game Awards 2024 Nominees Have Been Revealed And GOTY Is Causing Some Heated Debate appeared first on Press Start.

Amazon’s Black Friday sale has kicked off and will be running all the way until December 2nd at 11:59pm AEDT. Whilst there’s already lots of deals live, we believe that a lot of deals (including PlayStation hardware) is set to go live later this week, so we definitely think there will be a lot of updates and deals added over the next two weeks.

You can find all of the deals on the Black Friday page HERE and we will continue to update the below.

BEST AMAZON BLACK FRIDAY GAMING DEALS

• 5% off Xbox Gift Cards 
• ASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme – $729
• Logitech Astro A50 X Wireless Headset – $527 (30% off)
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $455 (38% off)
• Corsair MP600 Pro 2TB SSD – $234 
• Anker 737 Power Bank – $149 
• Star Wars Outlaws – $65 
• Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 – $66 
• SteelSeries Apex Pro Keyboard – $279 
• Star Wars Jedi Survivor – $40 
• Tekken 8 Day 1 Edition – $63 
• Silent Hil 2 – $84 
• Metaphor Refantazio – $74 
• Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy – $24 
• DualSense Volcanic Red – $98 
• Super Mario RPG – $58 
• Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – $50 
• Sony Inzone Buds – $248 
• Avatar Frontiers of Pandora – $42 
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – $28 
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – $59 (50% off)
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K – $49 (51% off)
• Final Fantasy 16 – $39 (47% off)
• FC25 – $59 (46% off)
• Unknown 9: Awakening – $44 (50% off)
• Cult of the Lamb Switch – $42 (24% off)
• Sonic x Shadow Generations – $59 (26% off)
• DualSense Controller (Silver) – $98 (22% off)
• 2TB Lexar NM790 2TB SSD – $211 
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $535 (27% off)
• WD_Black 1TB Xbox Series X|S SSD – $207 (31% off)
• Prince of Persia The Lost Crown – $28
• Super Mario Bros Wonder – $58 (37% off)
• 8BitDo Pro 2 – $69.95 (16% off)
• Xbox Series X|S Controller – $69 (22% off)
• LEGO Bowser – $289 (28% off)
• LEGO Super Mario World – $170 (15% off)

We’ll keep you posted as more info about the deals come out and obviously let you know once they’re live. You should also follow our Twitter page for deals as soon as they happen. 

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post Amazon’s Black Friday Sale Is Live And Here’s The Best Gaming Deals appeared first on Press Start.

Aldi is going against the grain and having a Black Wednesday sale instead of a Black Friday sale.

This will be taking place on Wednesday November 27th, which is still before Black Friday, but feels later than everyone else’s sale which is starting as early as tonight.

You’ll be able to get your classic Special Buys including a massive 70-inch 4K TV for $589, a smaller 43-inch 1080p TV for $249, a Lenovo Tab M11 for $199, a gaming chair for $149 and a bunch of other goodies which you can find below.

ALDI BLACK FRIDAY (BLACK WEDNESDAY) SALE

For Tech Heads 

• 70″ 4K Ultra HD Smart TV with webOS $589
• 43″ Full HD Smart TV with webOS $249
• Lenovo Tab M11 Tablet Bundle $199
• Philips TAM3205 Micro Music System $149
• Philips True Wireless Earbuds with ANC $49.99
• 15.6″ Portable Monitor $119
• 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger $29.99
• 80’s Bluetooth Boombox (Large) Silver, $229
• Gaming Chair, $149

Kitchen and Home

• De’Longhi Dedica Espresso Machine – White or Black $169
• De’Longhi Argento Kettle $69.99
• De’Longhi Toaster Argento $89.99
• BRITA Flow Cask 8.2L Soft Blue $64.99
• Kenwood MultiPro Compact All in 1 $89.99
• Scanpan Spectrum 5pc Soft Touch Knife Set $24.99
• Tefal Day by Day Spouted Frypan 3pc Set $59.99
• Tefal Garment Steamer $49.99

Beauty

• L’oreal Age Perfect Duo Packs, $36.99
• Olay Gift Packs 2pc, $49.99
• Colgate Pulse Series 1 Whitening Electric Toothbrush $29.99
• Braun All-in-One Style Kit Series 3 or Beard Trimmer Series 3 $44.99

The post Aldi’s ‘Black Wednesday’ Black Friday Sale Will Bring Some Decent Special Buys appeared first on Press Start.

After it was teased in a BTS video for LEGO Horizon Adventures last week, we now have our first look at the next Horizon set which will be branded under LEGO Horizon Adventures thanks to Amazon Mexico.

It’s set to be a 768 piece set and will include an all-new Aloy minifigure with a new boy and hairpiece, a Varl minifigure, a massive Shell-Walker with the ability to take parts off as well as a Sawtooth as well.

We’re expecting this to be announced in the coming months and release early next year. Given this is the first set to be released under the LEGO Horizon Adventures branding, it’ll be interesting to see if we see any more.

The post Our First Look At The New LEGO Horizon Adventures LEGO Set Has Arrived appeared first on Press Start.

Amazon’s Black Friday sale starts tonight (at midnight) running all the way until December 2nd at 11:59pm AEDT and there’s already some early deals live.

The sale page is already live so you can find early deals HERE with loads more to hit at Midnight tonight. 

AMAZON BLACK FRIDAY EARLY DEALS

• ASUS ROG Ally Z1 Extreme – $729
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max – $59 (50% off)
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K – $49 (51% off)
• Final Fantasy 16 – $39 (47% off)
• FC25 – $68 (38% off)
• Unknown 9: Awakening – $44 (50% off)
• Cult of the Lamb Switch – $42 (24% off)
• Sonic x Shadow Generations – $59 (26% off)
• DualSense Controller (Silver) – $98 (22% off)
• 2TB Lexar NM790 2TB SSD – $211 
• SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless – $535 (27% off)
• WD_Black 1TB Xbox Series X|S SSD – $207 (31% off)
• Prince of Persia The Lost Crown – $28
• Super Mario Bros Wonder – $58 (37% off)
• 8BitDo Pro 2 – $69.95 (16% off)
• Xbox Series X|S Controller – $69 (22% off)
• LEGO Bowser – $289 (28% off)
• LEGO Super Mario World – $170 (15% off)

AMAZON BLACK FRIDAY SALE AUSTRALIAN DATES

The sale will be starting on November 19th at 00:01 AEDT and running until December 2nd at 11:59pm AEDT. This without doubt marks the longest sale that Amazon has ever had in Australia, so hopefully we’ll see a bunch of deals throughout the two weeks.

Amazon has been fairly tight lipped about what will be on sale, only saying that there will be “hundreds of thousands of discounted products across electronics, toys, beauty, homewares and everyday essentials”.

The sale page is already live, so you should definitely go and bookmark it. It’s right HERE. Generally, some deals go live in the lead-up to the sale, but with it being a 14 day event this year, we might not see that happy.

Hopefully we see some deals on the likes of the Meta Quest 3, PS5 controllers, games and accessories and a bunch of other items that we like to stock up on coming into the Christmas season.

We’ll keep you posted as more info about the deals come out and obviously let you know once they’re live. You should also follow our Twitter page for deals as soon as they happen. 

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post Amazon’s Black Friday Sale Starts Tonight And There’s Already Great Deals Live appeared first on Press Start.

Serial leaker Deallabs has posted some of PlayStation’s upcoming Black Friday deals early. So far, these are confirmed for the US and Europe, but we’d be shocked if they didn’t make their way down under as well. The deals are set to run from November 22nd until December 12th.

It’s said that the sale will bring significant discounts for the PS5 Slim (both versions) as well as PlayStation VR2 and the Horizon Call of the Mountain pack with the price set to be almost halved.

It’s also expected that a bunch of games will be on sale, both digitally and physically as well, but we’ll let you know once we have confirmation for Australia.

With Black Friday sales set to kick off extremely early in Australia (literally later tonight), we’ll be following all the best deals at retailers. You can find information on Amazon’s sale HERE.

The post PlayStation’s Black Friday Sale Will Apparently Have Big Savings On The PS5 Slim And PlayStation VR2 appeared first on Press Start.

The final season for Rainbow Six Siege Year 9 was revealed  and we got an early glimpse of what’s coming in December’s update including the long awaited Shield nerfs. Here’s the notable updates coming in Operation Collision Point:

Crossplay between consoles and PC

A big notable change in this update is the crossplay compatibility between the consoles and PC opening up the matchmaking pool even further. Players can now party up with their friends on other platforms, including PC, which wasn’t possible before. Players also have the option to limit their playlist pool if they don’t want cross play on.

With crossplay, Ubisoft has also stated there will be relevant ant-cheat parameters involved with the update such as detecting PC players attempting to switch from the PC to the console only platform pool.

The long awaited Shield nerf

Shields have impacted the meta all year, and Ubisoft has vowed to put an end to that with this update. Shields will be receiving a nerf across the board making them less viable as an offensive weapon. Shield melee attack won’t do any damage anymore making that smoke melee push with Blitz utterly useless. Opponents will still go down however but instakills have been taken off the board.

Defenders have a stronger chance of taking a shield operator head on now with melee attacks and increased suppression. The more you melee a shield operator, the more exposed and unstable they get, allowing you to easily take them out now.

With this nerf, the shields will be more utilised as a support tool rather than a full offensive one. So don’t expect anymore Blitz smoke rushes or Montaigne frustratingly holding the only path into site.

The Blackbeard Rework

With the shield nerf coming into play, Blackbeard gets a rework giving him a more viable choice for attackers.

Blackbeard is given a new shield rather than the small anti-headshot one he had since year one allowing him to be protected even more than before. The shield has a glass panel that goes down and allows you to fire while being in cover – basically a wall panel with a gun out the front. The shield also allows you to penetrate soft walls meaning pushing into site and creating rotates will be easy.

The new rework allows Blackbeard to serve a bigger role in entry fragging with the new shield and ability to create breaches in soft walls.

It’s quite an interesting move adding the rework for Blackbeard now considering the shield nerfs but I’m keen to see how the combination of the two switches up the gameplay. There’s plenty more updates coming to Rainbow Six Siege with Operation Collision Point, check out the reveal livestream below:

The post Rainbow Six Siege: Operation Collision Point Will Bring Crossplay, An Improved Blackbeard And More appeared first on Press Start.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Valve got the original Half-Life 2 development team back together to bring some much-needed updates to the game, with the game now being free for the weekend in addition to a bunch of BTS content that has been released.

Half-Life 2 now includes the Episode One and Episode Two expansions within the base game with them being accessible from the main menu. You can grab it for free HERE.

• Half-Life 2 – Free until November 19th at 05:00am AEDT.

I’d highly recommend checking out the 20th anniversary website for the game HERE which has a bunch of looks at scrapped footage from other Half-Life projects as well.

NEW HALF-LIFE 2 UPDATES

UPDATED GAME CONTENT

• Fixed pops, holes in the world, fading-out and disappearing objects across the game.
• Rebalanced the lighting across Half-Life 2 to account for playing with HDR on or off, using the original release as reference.
• Cleaner, smoother horizon lines thanks to new radial fog!
• Added higher-resolution lightmaps across the game!
• Removed green glow from the G-Man model’s eyes in the opening of the game, and restored the reflective glint as seen in the original release.
• Fixed missing grass sprites and blacked-out models throughout the game!

UPDATED GRAPHICS SETTINGS 

• Choose either the original launch day blood and fire effects, or those created for the episodes, when playing the Half-Life 2 base game!
• Play with only the highest detail models in High Quality mode!
• Get smoother lightmap shadows at Very High shader detail, thanks to new bicubic lightmap filtering!

GAMEPAD/STEAM DECK UPDATES

• Gamepad controls have been updated to match the Half-Life 1 anniversary update.
• Aim Assistance has gotten an overhaul making it feel better to use, and there are more configuration options available. Aim Assistance can be enabled separately for gamepad or mouse/keyboard input. The amount of assistance can be tuned up and down, and it’s no longer tied to a skill setting. Want to play on Hard with high aim assist, or Easy with it off? Knock yourself out.
• The Steam Deck main menu has been updated with all of today’s additions including the Episodes, Workshop, and new input configuration. The Steam Deck version of the main menu will also appear when you play Half-Life 2 on a PC running

The post Half-Life 2 Just Got Massive Updates And Is Now Free to Download appeared first on Press Start.

I’ve been banging on about how good Xbox’s ecosystem is for the last few years now, with the fact that not only saves go across both Xbox and PC seamlessly, but also the fact that you can play Xbox games on the likes of Samsung TVs/Monitors and Amazon Fire Sticks with nothing but a controller is fantastic.

Clearly Xbox agrees, because it has just launched a new marketing campaign really highlighting all the platforms that can be considered an Xbox now, outside of the obvious Xbox Series XS|. This includes the likes of mobile phones, laptops, the ASUS ROG Ally, the Fire TV Stick and Samsung TVs.

The campaign does get a little bit naff as it goes on to compare other boxes like a Kitty Litter and a Bento Box by saying these things aren’t an Xbox, but I am happy to see Xbox really singing the praises of the ecosystem it has built out over the last few years, as I think it works really well and opens up gaming to more people.

The post Xbox Is Rightfully Making A Big Deal Of All The Places You Can Play Xbox Games appeared first on Press Start.

Years after the LEGO Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck set released, it looks like a second set is on the way.

As spotted by TheBrickReporter, the set was teased in a BTS LEGO Horizon video and will apparently release in March 2025 for $45 USD (~$70 AUD) and it will be a 768 piece set including a new Aloy figure along with Varl, a Shell-Walker and Sawtooth which are two of my favourite machines from the game.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David (@thebrickreporter)

Whilst many were hoping that we’d see a major Thunderjaw set, this will have to do for now, and it’s still pretty exciting given it’s been more than two years since the last set that is now retired.

We gave LEGO Horizon Adventures a 6.5/10 and said: “In many regards, LEGO Horizon Adventures accomplishes what it set out to do: it effectively summarises the story of Horizon Zero Dawn into an approachable all-ages adventure. However, in simplifying the mechanics of Horizon Zero Dawn, they have omitted what makes Horizon and LEGO games special. The Horizon world has been lovingly reimagined in LEGO but overly basic combat and a lack of interactivity hold it back. LEGO Horizon Adventures is salvaged somewhat by a gorgeous art style, a fun retelling of the story and well-executed cooperative features, but the pieces don’t quite all click into place.”

The post A Second LEGO Horizon Set Looks To Be On The Way appeared first on Press Start.

Not really a gaming deal, but an insanely good one nonetheless. All new and existing Amazon Prime members can currently get TWO years of DoorDash DashPass for free.

This means that you can get $0 delivery on eligible orders on DoorDash for two years for free if you’re an Amazon Prime member.

• Two years of Free DoorDash DashPass for Amazon Prime members 

It’s super easy to link your two accounts using the above link, with it taking just a few seconds to do it myself. It’s unclear if this offer has an expiry date. Other DashPass bonuses include member’s only discounts, 5% back in credit when you pickup orders and more.

It’s worth mentioning that this will automatically renew after two years, so if you’re no longer using it make sure you set a reminder to cancel.

Amazon’s Black Friday Sale Dates Have Been Revealed And It’s A Massive Two Week Event

WE LOVE BRINGING YOU THE BEST GAMING BARGAINS. WE MAY GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE SALE THROUGH AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS.

The post Prime Members Can Currently Get Two Years Of DoorDash DashPass For Free appeared first on Press Start.

PlayStation has this morning revealed November’s PlayStation Plus Extra/Deluxe games that will be coming to the service. This includes Grand Theft Auto V (again), Dying Light 2: Stay Human, Like A Dragon: Ishin as well as Synapse and a few of the Blood Omen games in the classics department.

NOVEMBER 2024 PLAYSTATION PLUS EXTRA GAMES

• Grand Theft Auto V (PS5/PS4)
• Dying Light 2 (PS5/PS4)
• Like A Dragon: Ishin (PS5/PS4)
• MotoGP 24 (PS5/PS4)
• The Sims 4 Island Living Add-On (PS4)
• Digimon Survive (PS4)
• Overcooked! All You Can Eat (PS5/PS4)
• Stick Fight: The Game (PS4)
• Clash: Artifacts Of Chaos (PS5/PS4)
• Killer Frequency (PS5/PS4)
• Hungry Shark World (PS4)
• Chivalry 2 (PS5/PS4)

NOVEMBER 2024 PLAYSTATION PLUS DELUXE GAMES

• Synapse (PlayStation VR2)
• Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (PS5/PS4)
• Blood Omen 2 (PS5/PS4)

These will be available to download on November 19th, so not too long to wait. For those in territories that have PlayStation Plus Premium, you’ll be able to get Resistance 1 + 2 (not in Australia unfortunately).

Just as a reminder, you can now get the PlayStation Plus Essential games for November below as well:

NOVEMBER 2024 PLAYSTATION PLUS ESSENTIAL GAMES

• Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged (PS5/PS4)
• Ghostwire Tokyo (PS5)
• Death Note Killer Within (PS5/PS4)

The post November’s PlayStation Plus Extra/Deluxe Games Have Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

Performance on Nintendo Switch in 2024 has been a mixed bag, and if there’s one game I didn’t expect to run well it’s LEGO Horizon Adventures, which is a stunning and fairly complex looking game to the point that it has two graphics modes on PS5, so my expectations on Nintendo Switch were low. Booting into the game you’re greeted with the iconic PlayStation intro (which is weird to see on the Switch), but for the most part, it’s largely the same game that is on PS5, which is good news.

I’ve played through a good chunk of the game over the last few days and I’m happy to report that you’re getting a very decent visual experience on the Nintendo Switch. It’s running at 30FPS obviously, and when playing on TV, it runs at a noticeably lower resolution than it does on the PS5, but for the most part, all of the density in the world, the fantastic lighting and the vibrancy all come across to the Nintendo Switch version.

The other part that really surprised me was the load times, which can also be a massive problem on Switch, but they’re fairly instant here, obviously not quite as rapid as the PS5, but still fairly snappy for a game which is important for a game that has you going between levels fairly quick.y

Just like on the PS5, the game has local co-op and online co-op as well, so it really is the full experience that you’re getting, which we were hoping for given it’s $89 (on Amazon) but you can never be too sure with what you’re getting on the Switch these days.

As far as the game goes, you can read Ewan’s review of the game here, but it does feel more at home on Switch, given it does feel to be aimed at younger audiences. I can really see this resonating with Switch gamers more than those loading it into their PS5.

In his review, Ewan gave it a 6.5/10 and said: “In many regards, LEGO Horizon Adventures accomplishes what it set out to do: it effectively summarises the story of Horizon Zero Dawn into an approachable all-ages adventure. However, in simplifying the mechanics of Horizon Zero Dawn, they have omitted what makes Horizon and LEGO games special. The Horizon world has been lovingly reimagined in LEGO but overly basic combat and a lack of interactivity hold it back. LEGO Horizon Adventures is salvaged somewhat by a gorgeous art style, a fun retelling of the story and well-executed cooperative features, but the pieces don’t quite all click into place.”

The post LEGO Horizon Adventures On Nintendo Switch Runs Pretty Damn Well appeared first on Press Start.

Thanks to Five Star Games we have five physical copies of LEGO Horizon Adventures to give away on Nintendo Switch. The game blends the best part of Horizon Zero Dawn and classic LEGO games re-telling the story of the first game. It’s out on November 14th and you can grab it on Amazon for for $89 HERE.

WIN: LEGO Horizon Adventures

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON DECEMBER 1ST AT 11:59PM AEDT.

LEGO Horizon Adventures is out on November 14th and you can grab it on Amazon for for $89 HERE.

@shannongrixti

LEGO Horizon Adventures is the perfect blend of classic LEGO games and Horizon Zero Dawn #LEGOHorizonAdventures #LEGO #HorizonZeroDawn #HorizonForbiddenWest #PlayStation #PS5 #PlayStation5 #NintendoSwitch

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post WIN: LEGO Horizon Adventures appeared first on Press Start.

Machine Games has dropped a 15 minutes gameplay deep dive for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

This is our greatest look at the game yet, and covers many aspects of what we went hands-on with last month including a bunch of puzzle solving, melee combat, the infamous whip in use, and some absolutely gorgeous locations.

The game is absolutely stunning and throughout all of the locations shown in the footage, whether it be day, night, dark or bright there’s an impressive amount of detail that I can’t wait to expore.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circles launches on December 9th for Xbox Series X|S and PC with the game being on Xbox Game Pass. It will launch net year on PS5.

The post Here’s 15 Minutes Of Gorgeous New Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Gameplay Footage appeared first on Press Start.

When the PS5 launched four years ago, it was missing a port that was used for the PS4 PlayStation Camera among other accessories, so Sony launched a free offer for those that owned the original PlayStation VR to get a dongle that would allow them to still connect it.

In the next few weeks, Sony has announced that it will end this offer, so those that would like an adaptor to use their original PlayStation Camera with the original PlayStation VR on PS5 have until November 26th (or until stock runs out) over at this link HERE. 

In order to be eligible, you need to have the serial number for your PlayStation VR (original) serial number which can be found on the processor unit.

“As of November 26th 2024, or until supplies last, the PlayStation Camera adaptor will no longer be available.” says an updated FAQ on the PlayStation Camera Adaptor support website.

Whilst we’d imagine the amount of people that need this adaptor to be small, it’s worth pointing out that there’s still many, many original PlayStation VR games that can only be played using the original headset on PS5 as PlayStation VR2 games aren’t backwards compatible. This includes Astro Bot Rescue Mission which is one of the best VR games to date and still stuck on the original PlayStation VR.

The post PlayStation’s Free PlayStation Camera PS5 Adaptor Upgrade Offer Is Ending appeared first on Press Start.

Grand Theft Auto Trilogy: The Definitive Edition had a weird and rocky release schedule coming out quite underdone on consoles and PC, before releasing for mobile last year on Netflix with that release having better lighting and other gameplay improvements that the console versions didn’t get.

Rockstar has now dropped an update for the game on consoles that significantly improves visuals as well as a bunch of other fixes. This includes a new Classic Lighting Mode that can be toggled on, but there’s also a heap of other improvements that haven’t yet been detailed officially, that fans are noticing.

GTA SA Defintive Edition after the New Patch
Left old Right New pic.twitter.com/kxBij35K4z

— Besk (@BeskInfinity) November 12, 2024

Visual effects for rain, fire and fog have all been improved, and animations for the game including when you’re running with a gun has also been totally fixed, and there’s a bunch of other little fixes including the ability to view your position on the world map.

Rockstar hasn’t detailed these changes yet, but the below image/videos show off how different the classic lighting mode is, totally capturing the look of the original game, rather than what was presented originally.

I can't believe I'm saying this but with the new Classic Lightning and the GTA Trilogy DE Patch

I'm on Vice City and it looks absolutely gorgeous. pic.twitter.com/EjI4YRqE07

— Besk (@BeskInfinity) November 12, 2024

GTA DE New Patch has FINALLY fixed the aiming running animations across all guns in GTA 3 and VC DE which used to be extremely broken. This is by far the best fix for me.

Left Old Right New pic.twitter.com/PnG6LJX7m8

— Besk (@BeskInfinity) November 12, 2024

I highly recommend heading to the Beskinfinity Twitter page who has highlighted a bunch of other minor changes that most people probably won’t notice but still can be appreciated regardless.

The post Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Just Got A Massive Update That Fixes The Graphics appeared first on Press Start.

Blizzard has announced that Overwatch: Classic will bring many of the original elements of the original game back in a series of events.

The first event will take place on November 12th until December 2nd taking it all the way back to the original 1.0 release from May 2016, including many abilities that haven’t been seen in years.

This will bring the original 12 Overwatch maps back to modes such as Assault, Escort, Hybrid and Control. The full update that can be read on the Blizzard website says that the heroes will be grouped in their original four classes but you will not be required to only play as attackers when on attack or defendeers when defending, instead being able to pick the best hero that works for you.

For the first few days there will be no limits on picking heroes, so there will be able to be the same six heroes on the one team, but this will be turned off a little bit into the event.

Overwatch: Classic will appear as a mode within Overwatch 2, and I highly recommend checking out the the FAQ on the Blizzard website for more information.

The post Overwatch: Classic Will Bring The Original Heroes And Maps Back To The Game appeared first on Press Start.

Following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Xbox has announced that another huge property is coming to Xbox Game Pass.

This times it Spyro The Dragon, with the Spyro Reignited Trilogy making its way to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming tomorrow.

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy includes Spyro The Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage as well as Spyro: Year of the Dragon which have all been remade with some stunning improvements.

We gave the game a 9/10 and said: “Taking off the nostalgia goggles for a moment, Toys For Bob have done a brilliant job in revamping a classic trilogy of games. In updating the visuals and tweaking the controls, they’ve stayed true to the source material and crafted an experience so involving that you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a brand new game. Initial viewings had me concerned that they might not be able to live up to the hype; but on playing the game, for the briefest moment I was eight years old again – and I enjoyed every minute of it.”

The post Spyro Reignited Trilogy Is Coming To Xbox Game Pass appeared first on Press Start.

If Valve finally bringing the Steam Deck to Australia wasn’t enough for you, it’s now revealed a Limited Edition White Steam Deck OLED and it’ll be launching on the same day that the Steam Deck does into Australia.

The White Steam Deck OLED will come with white/grey accents, a matching white carrying case and also a white cleaning cloth, to complete the entire look. It’s fairly stunning if I do say so myself.

Just like the translucent black model that released alongside the OLED and sold out extremely quickly, this will only be available as one limited drop.

It’s available in the 1TB OLED model and it will be $50 more than the standard at $1,099 AUD. It will be available to order with the Steam Deck goes on sale in Australia (alongside every other market that the Steam Deck is available) at 10:00am AEDT on November 19th.

FULL AUSTRALIAN STEAM DECK RANGE

• 256GB LCD: $649 AUD
• 512GB OLED: $899 AUD
• 1TB OLED: $1,049 AUD
• 1TB OLED (White): $1,099 AUD

Just in case you’re not as familiar with the two models, The Steam Deck OLED has a larger 7.4-inch HDR OLED display with 1000 nits of peak brightness. The refresh rate has been updated to 90hz and the latency of the touch screen has also been improved.

The device has a larger 50whr battery (up from 40 whr) and combined with a more efficient APU, you can expect a 30-50% better battery life which Valve says is good for 3-12 hours of gaming depending on what you’re playing. Despite the device having a larger screen and a larger battery, the total weight has been reduced by 30 grams or 5% which should make a big difference in comfort.

The post A Limited Edition White Steam Deck OLED Has Been Revealed And Australia Gets It Day One appeared first on Press Start.

Nintendo has finally given us a deep dive into the next world joining Nintendo World Japan and it’s none-other than Donkey Kong Country. It’s finally opening at Universal Japan on December 11th before beginning to come to other locations starting next year.

As someone who has recently been to Nintendo World (in LA), Donkey Kong World looks incredibly detailed and totally different from Super Mario World.

Just like in the games, you’ll be able to summon Rambi by banging on the congas and you’ll be able to find the KONG letters and scan them with a brand new power-up band.

As far as food goes, there’s a new DK Crush Sundae as well as a DK Wild Hot Dog both with super cute retro art that comes with the food which you can get from the Jungle Beat Shakes. Obviously you’ll be able to meet the Kong himself as well and he looks larger than life.

Funky’s Fly N Buy features with a bunch of Donkey Kong merchandise with the iconic plane being there in full force just like it is in the game.

Upon entering the Golden Temple, you’ll find the Mine Cart Madness ride and when you think of rides that could match the Donkey Kong games this rollercoaster fits perfectly. We only got a sneak peak of the ride including quick looks at Cranky Kong and Dixie Kong, but it’s very clear that the coaster will jump from track to track and complete darkness.

The post Nintendo World’s Donkey Kong Country Looks Absolutely Incredible And It Opens Next Month appeared first on Press Start.

UPDATE: We can now confirm that December 12th is the Aussie release date for Black Myth: Wukong. You can pre-order it on Amazon with free shipping HERE.

ORIGINAL STORY: Yesterday we reported that a Black Myth: Wukong physical release announcement was imminent, and surprisingly, that still hasn’t come yet, but Australian retailers seem to be the first one with it listed.

Amazon, JB HI-FI and EB Games have just listed Black Myth: Wukong at $109 and $119 respectively. A release date outside of 2024 hasn’t yet been set, but we do know it’ll include everything that was in the digital deluxe edition including:

• Weapon: Bronzecloud Staff.
• Equipment: Folk Opera Mask, Folk Opera Almsgiving Armor, Folk Opera Leather Bracers, Folk Opera Buskins.
• Curio: Wind Chimes
• Selected Digital Soundtrack

BLACK MYTH WUKONG AUSTRALIAN PRE-ORDER

• $109 at Amazon
• $109 at JB Hi-Fi
• $119 at EB Games

EB Games has also confirmed that it will be the game on a disc, which seemed to be an area of concern for a lot of people in the comments yesterday.

At the time of writing, the listing isn’t live on Amazon, but we will let you know if that changes, as well as the release date once we have it.

We gave Black Myth Wukong a 7/10 and said: “Black Myth: Wukong is a game stuck between wanting to be a Souls-like and a casual action game. It’s a mostly enjoyable time hindered by some frustrating elements, but the love and appreciation for the source material is what shines through the most.”

The post The Aussie Physical Black Myth: Wukong Release Date Has Been Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

To celebrate the release of TY The Tasmanian Tiger HD: Bush Rescue Bundle Deluxe Edition on Nintendo Switch we’ve got five copies to give away.
WIN: Ty The Tasmanian Tiger HD: Bush Rescue Bundle Deluxe Edition

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON NOVEMBER 25TH AT 11:59PM AEDT

The Ty The Tasmanian Tiger HD: Bush Rescue Bundle Deluxe Edition is $99.95 from EB Games and includes:

• All three remastered platformers on one multi-cart:
  • TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue HD
  • TY the Tasmanian Tiger 4: Bush Rescue Returns
  • TY the Tasmanian Tiger HD
• 2 CDs with a curated selection of tracks from the franchise
• A stunning 200+ page artbook

The post WIN: TY The Tasmanian Tiger HD: Bush Rescue Bundle Deluxe Edition appeared first on Press Start.

Just a few years ago Xbox dropped its Wireless headset that was one of the best value for money wireless headsets on the market, and in the last few weeks its released an updated version, which is priced just at tiny bit higher but offers some solid improvements.

As far as the design of the headset goes, it’s pretty much the exact same thing as what released some years ago, but the green accents have now been also swapped out for black finishes which I much prefer as it takes the premium feel of the headset to the next level. The band feels durable, the earcups are an extremely comfortable faux leather that can also be taken off and replaced and the fit feels exceptional, without pressing down too much on my glasses.

In terms of build quality and fit, I’d put this ahead of the Pulse 3D Headset, which is the same price. You’re not getting any kind of noise-cancelling with this headset, which is to be expected for the price, but it does a good job of blocking out external sounds.

My absolute favourite thing about the headset is still how accessible the buttons (or lack of them) are. I really dislike how many buttons there are on the Pulse 3D headset and the fact that they’re all on one side but on the Xbox Wireless Headset, the entire earcups act as volume controls, so your right cup controls the main volume whilst the left earcup does your game/chat balance.

You’ve also got an easy to access mute button on the microphone as well as a button to turn the headset on and off (complete with a matching startup tone to what you’d be used to with your Xbox Series X). As far as buttons go, that’s literally it and compared to other units on the market, that’s a godsend. Xbox has kept it simple and that’s exactly what you want with a headset. Even on day one, I was never second-guessing where to find one of the buttons or how to turn my chat volume up. It’s perfectly designed.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $159.95 WITH FREE SHIPPING

The headset is incredibly easy to pair to either your Xbox Series X/S or PC and all it takes is just holding down the power button to set it into pairing mode. Your Xbox or PC will then recognise the headset and connect each and every time it powers on. You can also connect the headset to multiple devices at once, meaning that you can connect to your mobile via Bluetooth whilst playing on your Xbox, and hear both devices at once, which is really helpful. You can also connect the headset to an Xbox wireless adaptor, which I highly recommend if you’re using a PC as it’s just going to be more stable than Bluetooth. This is still one of the best parts of the headsets as I feel that a lot of headsets at this price range don’t provide simultaneous connectivity.

As far as battery life goes, these have now been improved with a 20 hour battery life (up from 15 hours in the original version). It’s now the best in class in the market by any stretch these days, but it’s still perfectly fine, and you’re getting a quick enough charge from USB-C that it’s never an issue.

One of the original negatives on the original wireless headset was the microphone, and this has been improved quite significantly on the new headset. It does a fairly decent job at muting out background noises and also auto mutes when you’re not speaking. Again, it doesn’t rival the likes of the Arctis Nova Wireless but for sub $200 it’s perfectly fine for casual online gaming.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this headset sounds for $150. Whilst it doesn’t experience the deep bass that I got with the SteelSeries Arctis 7X or similarly priced headsets  , those headsets are more than double the price. What I did get though, was an exceptionally crisp sound even when at the loudest volume. The difference between these and something like the Arctis 7X is probably closer than it should be given the price difference.

The headset now comes with a Dolby Atmos license out of the box which is a big improvement compared to other headsets in this price range. Whether you’ll be able to tell the difference is obviously down to your ears and how much you care about that kind of audial fidelity, but it’s great that it’s included.

@shannongrixti

The new Xbox Wireless Headset has a longer battery life, an all-black design, Dolby Atmos support included in the box and a better auto-muting microphone #XboxWirelessHeadset #NewXboxHeadset #XboxSeriesX #Xbox #XboxSeriesS #XboxHeadset #Xbox

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Xbox Wireless Headset (2024) Review – Even Better Value For Money appeared first on Press Start.

Congrats to the three winners:

• Christina Lungo
• Richard Mcgee
• Cory Rann

Thanks to Devolver Digital, we’ve got three money can’t buy The Plucky Squire merch packs as well as a digital copy of the game on the platform of your choice to give away.

Each pack includes a digital copy of the game, a mug, a pop-up card, stickers, a notepad and pen and a t-shirt.

WIN: The Plucky Squire Merch Pack + Copy Of The Game

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON OCTOBER 20TH AT 11:59PM AEDT.

The Plucky Squire is out now on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

We gave the game a 9/10 saying: “The Plucky Squire is absolute magic, and a page-turner, from beginning to end. From its first, boisterously narrated word, the game packages so much heart and character within a rather novel, wildly creative notion. It takes what Pixar did for toys and applies it to storybooks.”

The post The Winners Of Our The Plucky Squire Competition appeared first on Press Start.

Thank you to everyone who entered. The winners are below:

• Major: Joseph Casserly
• Minor: Fiona o’Sullivan / Troy Lynden

Thanks to Five Star Games, we’ve got another epic money can’t buy (in Australia) collector’s edition to give away, this time for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutants Unleashed and a PS5 copy of the game, as well as two more PS5 copies of the game to give away too.

WIN TMNT MUTANTS UNLEASHED COLLECTOR’S EDITION

WIN: TMNT Mutants Unleashed Collector’s Edition + Copies Of The Game

CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON NOVEMBER 3RD AT 11:59PM AEDT. 

The collector’s edition includes:

• Pizza Van
• Art Book
• Stickers
• LED sign
• Poster
• Mouse Mat
• Metal Pins
• Notebook & Pen
• Patches
• Collector’s Box

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is available now on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The cheapest copy is $64 with free shipping on Amazon or $49 from Target HERE.

The post The Winner Of Our TMNT: Mutants Unleashed Collector’s Edition Competition appeared first on Press Start.

Thanks to all who entered. The winner is Jessica Taurins.

To celebrate the release of Arcane Season 1 on Blu-Ray and Ultra HD, we’ve got a stunning Collector’s Edition to give away valued at $249.95.

You can learn more about the standard and collector’s editions over on the Sugoi website HERE. Arcane is set in the world of League of Legends and was praised as being one of the best video game adaptions of all time.

WIN: Arcane Season 1 Collector’s Edition


CLICK HERE TO ENTER IF THE FORM DOESN’T LOAD. THIS COMPETITION WILL END ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH AT 11:59PM AEDT. 

The collector’s edition includes:

• Episodes 1 – 9 in 4K UHD and Blu-ray Formats
• 3+ Hours of Bonus Features
• Original Artwork
• Exclusive “Hexcore” Oversized Metal d20
• 7 “Hex Crystal” Liquid Core Resin Dice
• Velvet Dice Pouch
• Double Sided Progress Day Poster with Original Jinx Graffiti
• 6 Art Cards Featuring Powder’s Drawings
• Caitlyn’s Piltover Map (Fabric)

The post The Winner Of Our Arcane Season 1 Collector’s Edition Competition appeared first on Press Start.

Amazon has today announced its Black Friday sale dates, and not only will it be starting a lot earlier this year, but it’ll be also running for a massive two weeks.

AMAZON BLACK FRIDAY SALE AUSTRALIAN DATES

The sale will be starting on November 19th at 00:01 AEDT and running until December 2nd at 11:59pm AEDT. This without doubt marks the longest sale that Amazon has ever had in Australia, so hopefully we’ll see a bunch of deals throughout the two weeks.

Amazon has been fairly tight lipped about what will be on sale, only saying that there will be “hundreds of thousands of discounted products across electronics, toys, beauty, homewares and everyday essentials”.

The sale page is already live, so you should definitely go and bookmark it. It’s right HERE. Generally, some deals go live in the lead-up to the sale, but with it being a 14 day event this year, we might not see that happy.

Hopefully we see some deals on the likes of the Meta Quest 3, PS5 controllers, games and accessories and a bunch of other items that we like to stock up on coming into the Christmas season.

We’ll keep you posted as more info about the deals come out and obviously let you know once they’re live. You should also follow our Twitter page for deals as soon as they happen. 

The post Amazon’s Black Friday Sale Dates Have Been Revealed And It’s A Massive Two Week Event appeared first on Press Start.

AYANEO has today revealed the AYANEO 3 which is its next flagship device with a bunch of huge improvements.

It follows a similar formfactor of the AYANEO 2 but it comes with 7-inch OLED/LCD options with a high refresh rate.

As far as the new processors go, gamers will be able to choose between the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, which should allow for performance increases but also better efficiency.

Other changes include new back buttons which look to sit comfortable on either side of the back of the device, and a new trigger lock feature that lets you lock the triggers in place.

The joy-stick and button layout which was always fantastic on AYANEO devices looks fairly unchanged which is good news.

The other major improvement comes in the way of new speakers that are front facing and are set to deliver much better clarity and bass than what’s been featured in the past.

AYANEO 3 FEATURES:

– Dual Processor Options: AMD AI 9 HX 370 or Ryzen 7 8840U.

@shannongrixti

God Of War Ragnarok (AKA the game of the generation) is the latest PlayStation game to arrive on PC #GodOfWar #GodOfWarRagnarok #GodOfWarRagnarokPC #PC #AYANEO #AYANEOFLIP #AYANEOFLIPDS #Handheld #WindowsHandheld

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post The AYANEO 3 Has Been Revealed With An OLED Display And A Bunch Of Other New Features appeared first on Press Start.

UPDATE (08/11/24): We now have more information on the Online Safety Act that will prevent Australians that are under 16 from accessing online platforms, and as we expected, it seems as though it will apply to the likes of YouTube, Roblox and by definition even extend as far as the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.

The definition of a social media service as per the Online Safety Act according to the ABC can be found below:

1. The sole or primary purpose of the service is to enable online social interaction between two or more end users;
2. The service allows end users to link to, or interact with, some or all of the other end users;
3. The service allows end users to post material on the service.

By definition, any online gaming network such as Fortnite, Roblox or the PlayStation Network/Xbox Live would meet this criteria as they exist to enable online social interaction between two or more end users, allow people to interact and in most cases also allow material to be posted on the service.

This is expected to be a good time away from being implemented (12+ months according to the ABC), and it’s obviously going to be a hard one to police, but if it does extend as far as we think it will, it’s going to totally change the structure of these online platforms for massive companies in Australia.

We highly recommend heading to the ABC website to read more about the proposed social media ban.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Albanese government is reportedly looking to enforce stricter rules for teenagers online ahead of the next federal election according to a new report from The Guardian. The prime minister will allegedly announce the bill some time today though exact details of the legislation remain unclear outside of a loosely defined restriction around the use of social media and “other relevant digital platforms” by persons under 18 years old.

While the exact age limit of the legislation has yet to be announced, the news follows Albanese’s previous endorsement of banning social media for anyone under the age of 16. Equally unknown is exactly how far reaching this legislation will seek to enforce itself and on which gaming platforms. 

While major live service and multiplayer titles like Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft immediately come to mind, it’s unclear how this love from the Australian government would coexist with pre-existing terms of service and minimum age requirements for the use of transactions and other social media platforms. 

The news comes ahead of Australia’s next federal election, slated to take place sometime before September of 2025. The Prime Minster has spoken out on this issue before, stating that “We know that technology moves fast, No government is going to be able to protect every child from every threat – but we have to do all we can. Parents are worried sick about this. We know they’re working without a map – no generation has faced this challenge before.”

The post Online Gaming Platforms And YouTube Will Also Seemingly Be Banned For Aussies Under 16 appeared first on Press Start.

The Mac Mini has always been one of my favourite Mac devices, with it being one of the first mini PCs that I can remember hitting the market, and whilst it’s always been a staple amongst creatives, the new M4 Mac Mini absolutely reinvents the device putting it in a league of its own, making it an easy recommendation for anybody looking for their next computer.

Whilst the M2 Mac Mini wasn’t large by any stretch, the re-designed M4 Mac Mini has less than half the physical footprint, so whilst it is a bit taller, it takes up a lot less space on the desk and it’s also a lot easier to throw in a bag, put in your entertainment unit, or pop behind your monitor (I put it behind my Studio Display for most of this week), and you’ll quickly forget it’s even there.

I’ll speak about performance in a little bit but the thermal system at play here is absolutely world-class and the smaller size would mean nothing if it meant having a noisier mini PC that ran louder, but no matter what I threw at the M4 Mac Mini, it stayed absolutely silent and I would constantly check to see if a noticeable amount of heat was emitting from the unit, and absolutely nothing, barely any noticeable difference from when it was turned off.

@shannongrixti

The new Mac Mini is insanely powerful for its size and is fantastic value for money #MacMini #AppleMacMini #M4MacMini #MacMiniM4 #Mac #Apple #PC #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The size isn’t the only difference about the new Mac Mini with a total new array of ports. The front features ports for the first time with two USB ports on the front as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack and on the back there’s three Thunderbolt 4 ports (Thunderbolt 5 on the M4 Pro), HDMI 2.1, an ethernet port as well a power port (with the power supply inside the Mac Mini despite its smaller size).

It’s fairly hard to complain with 5 USB-C ports on the Mac Mini. We were never going to get it, but I’d have loved a singular USB-A port just because there are still a fair amount of accessories that use USB-A, but I recognise that the need for one is getting less and less, and with 5 USB-C ports it’s super easy to attach a dongle.

The other major design change is the new location for the power button which is now on the bottom of the Mac Mini. I don’t think it’s a massive issue especially because if its stationary on your desk, I don’t think you’ll ever be turning it off, but if you’re someone that cares about everything being straight and proper on your desk and your cable management being perfect, I do recognise that having to lift the device to turn it on isn’t the most ideal of situations.

The M4 Mac Mini has been improved with Wi-Fi 6E which is a must-have in any 2024 device (I’ve got EERO Wi-Fi 6E mesh routers all around my house) as well as Bluetooth 5.3, so you’re sorted from a wireless connectivity point of view.

The hero here continues to be Apple Silicon with the M4 Chip clearly allowing for the size reduction, but also a considerable bump in performance. I moved my entire workflow to the Mac Mini for the last week, and that included editing 4K video, having dozens of tabs open at once, a number of Photoshop tasks and my regular day to day activities and thanks to the M4 chip and minimum 16GB of ram that is now included across the board, it got through everything with absolute ease, even though I was doing all of those tasks at once for majority of the week.

Only once or twice did it slow down for ever a second, when exporting a 4K video, whilst then doing another graphics intensive task, but I recognise that my workflows are probably a bit more intensive than most people buying the base model which at under $1,000 is honestly a steal for the performance that you’re getting here. It’s incredible value for money.

Whilst AAA gaming is only starting to hit its straps on Macs, there’s starting to be a solid little library there with big hitters such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows still on the way. I played quite a bit of Stray and Death Stranding utilising the M4 chip and both ran well using Apple’s MetalFX upscaling. I say it in every Apple review, but Apple Arcade is also fantastic and has some genuine banger games like Balatro+ on it, among many, many other well-known franchises and all of those titles run well here.

The other part of the Mac Mini experience that I’ve been using is the Studio Display, and I don’t want to spend too much talking about it, but I do highly recommend it as it pairs perfectly with the Mac Mini. Not only does does it match the aesthetics perfectly, it also has a beautiful 27-inch 5K retina display that can connect through the Thunderbolt 4 Port. It also has a fantastic six-speaker system, microphones built into the monitor and a 12MP Ultra Wide centre stage webcam, in addition to giving you another three USB-C ports to work with as well. It’s absolutely on the pricier side, but it does pair perfectly with the Mac Mini and makes it an even more magical, seamless experience.

Despite my life revolving around tech, I’ve been a bit skeptical in AI improving my day to day life, but trust Apple to turn that around as my first taste of Apple Intelligence came with these M4 Macs over the last week, and I’m a massive fan.

The biggest one has been summaries which helps summaries bulk notifications among all of your apps but primarily Apple Messages, Mail and Facebook Messenger and as someone who receives dozens of notifications every minute across a number of group chats, email inboxes and Facebook groups, this is absolutely going to increase my mental wellbeing and productivity. It wasn’t always perfect, but I recognise that it’s still in beta and 98% of the time did an absolutely fantastic job at summarising notifications to either give me key information such as dates and times of events, or just give me the general gist to know whether a notification was worth opening.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $999 FOR 16GB/256GB VERSION

Similarly, Mail will now bring emails that it thinks might be more important based on timeliness or relevance to the top of your inbox, but it was a few other areas that really improved my day to day. Photos is hugely improved through with search now letting you give it much more specific queries and there’s a new clean-up feature similar to Google’s Magic Eraser that lets you very seamlessly edit out unwanted parts of photos.

I’m a big Focus mode user when I’m in meetings or really need to get something done and I spent multiple days this week using a new Apple Intelligence Focus mode called Reduce Interruptions and it was an absolute game-changer. This uses Apple Intelligence to only delivery you the most important notifications again based on timelines or from a loved one that might need need a direct response or something that is deemed to be an emergency. Again, it wasn’t perfect, but it more often than not only let through notifications that were those that actually needed a response and can only get better with time.

Another big one that I think a lot of people will get use out of is Writing Tools which can be used within any app to re-write chunks of text in a more professional or casual tone, or summaries chunks of text into lists. I’m not somebody that has used AI tools in this way (even though there’s a bunch available), and I recongise that a lot of people get use out of these, and it’s great that they’re so accessible here.

Another improvement is Siri, and I wasn’t able to make use of the new ChatGPT integration yet, but I was able to use the new experience that is re-designed but also makes the conversation flow a lot more naturally, and it’s a big improvement, and I’m excited to see where Apple take it.

The other big change that has just launched is MacOS Sequoia that I hadn’t used on my existing Macs, and there’s a lot of new features to love there too. iPhone Mirroring was a big one that I had used a lot during this week, with it allowing me to post to TikTok and Instagram without having to pickup my phone and a quick drop and drag from my desktop to photos app on my virtual phone allowing me to easily bring content across.

Something that has also finally hit the Mac is Windows Tiling, which allows you to quickly snap windows to parts of your screen, which is something I’ve relied on other apps for in the past, but to have that built right into MacOS now is a huge improvement.

All-in-all, you absolutely cannot go wrong with the new Mac Mini. Whether you’re somebody that just wants a smaller PC that is aesthetically pleasing on your desk, or someone that wants an absolute workhorse that can not only handle the day to day, but creativity tasks as well as AAA gaming, the Mac Mini does it all, at a fantastic low price, all whilst being really damn small.

The post Apple Mac Mini (2024) Review – Smaller Design With Much More Power appeared first on Press Start.

I’ve been using a MacBook Pro for as long as I can remember, and it’s no secret that Apple Silicon has been an absolute gamechanger both in terms of portability and performance, but just when you thought the MacBook Pro was already perfect, Apple went and made a few small changes that absolutely improve the device once again.

For the most part, this is very much the same device as the M3 MacBook Pro, but there are a few key differences that not only elevate the MacBook Pro, but change the way it’s going to be used. The display on the MacBook Pro has always been the best display in a laptop, and now it’s even better.

The screen still has the Liquid Retina XDR display that can reach up to 1600 nits of peak brightness in HDR, but now it can also reach 1000 nits of sustained brightness when viewing SDR content which does go a long way. It’s the new Nano-texture display that blew me away the second I pulled it out of the box.

I’ve used the Nano-texture display on my Apple Studio Display for the last year or so in a fairly bright study, but my MacBook Pro is always with me, and I prefer to work on the sunshine, which was often at times impossible due to glare on the MacBook Pro display.

The new Nano-texture option hugely reduces reflections and glare, but still somehow maintains the fantastic contrast and vibrancy that we’ve come to love this screen for. It’s hugely affected how I use this laptop over the last week, where previously I’d sit away from windows or be less hesitant to take it to work outside, but now, it’s completely viewable no matter the situation.

@shannongrixti

The M4 MacBook Pro has a new nano-texture display option which is a game-changer #M4MacBookPro #MacBookPro #MacBookProM4 #Apple #AppleMacBook #MacBook #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

I also shoot my MacBook screen quite a bit for content, and it was often hard as I required good lighting for the video, which would result in glare, but now it’s not the case at all, and whilst I do recognise that this is quite a unique use case, I think that creatives are going to love this new display as it is designed to be used out and about, even on planes I can see it making a huge difference. It’s a $230 additional fee but if you’re someone that has ever noticed glare on your laptop screen, I’d highly recommend it.

The other big improvement comes in the way of a new 12MP webcam. It’s probably the only thing that has let the MacBook Pro down over the last few years, but its’s hugely improved offering a much clearer picture and you can now also utilise Center Stage which keeps you in frame at all times. If you’re someone that needs to show your desk off on calls, there’s also the Desk View option which uses same kind of wizardry to show your desk whilst also keeping you in frame.

As far as other design differences, the base M4 MacBook Pro (the one tested for this review) now comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, where in previous years it had only come with three so that’s much appreciated. It’s also available in Space Black now which is still absolutely gorgeous. If you’re going for the M4 Pro or M4 Max, you get Thunderbolt 5 ports which offer transfer speeds of up to 120Gb/s. The rest of the port offering is still the same including a HDMI port, MagSafe as well as an SD card reader.

I had an M3 Max in my MacBook Pro last year, and whilst I loved the performance, I did notice a drop in battery life coming from base M2, but with the M4 chip it truly felt like the best of both worlds, without much of a drop at all in performance even when comparing rendering speeds for videos or gaming, the battery life is phenomenal at up to 24 hours on the base M4 model, and I felt like I got every bit of it literally going days without having to charge the laptop.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $2,499 AUD FROM APPLE

You also get a minimum of 16GB of memory, just like the rest of the M4 line which is important for Apple Intelligence and goes a long way when multitasking.

Whilst AAA gaming is only starting to hit its straps on Macs, there’s starting to be a solid little library there with big hitters such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows still on the way. I played quite a bit of Stray and Death Stranding utilising the M4 chip and both ran well using Apple’s MetalFX upscaling. I say it in every Apple review, but Apple Arcade is also fantastic and has some genuine banger games like Balatro+ on it, among many, many other well-known franchises and all of those titles run well here.

Despite my life revolving around tech, I’ve been a bit skeptical in AI improving my day to day life, but trust Apple to turn that around as my first taste of Apple Intelligence came with these M4 Macs over the last week, and I’m a massive fan.

The biggest one has been summaries which helps summaries bulk notifications among all of your apps but primarily Apple Messages, Mail and Facebook Messenger and as someone who receives dozens of notifications every minute across a number of group chats, email inboxes and Facebook groups, this is absolutely going to increase my mental wellbeing and productivity. It wasn’t always perfect, but I recognise that it’s still in beta and 98% of the time did an absolutely fantastic job at summarising notifications to either give me key information such as dates and times of events, or just give me the general gist to know whether a notification was worth opening.

Similarly, Mail will now bring emails that it thinks might be more important based on timeliness or relevance to the top of your inbox, but it was a few other areas that really improved my day to day. Photos is hugely improved through with search now letting you give it much more specific queries and there’s a new clean-up feature similar to Google’s Magic Eraser that lets you very seamlessly edit out unwanted parts of photos.

I’m a big Focus mode user when I’m in meetings or really need to get something done and I spent multiple days this week using a new Apple Intelligence Focus mode called Reduce Interruptions and it was an absolute game-changer. This uses Apple Intelligence to only delivery you the most important notifications again based on timelines or from a loved one that might need need a direct response or something that is deemed to be an emergency. Again, it wasn’t perfect, but it more often than not only let through notifications that were those that actually needed a response and can only get better with time.

Another big one that I think a lot of people will get use out of is Writing Tools which can be used within any app to re-write chunks of text in a more professional or casual tone, or summaries chunks of text into lists. I’m not somebody that has used AI tools in this way (even though there’s a bunch available), and I recongise that a lot of people get use out of these, and it’s great that they’re so accessible here.

Another improvement is Siri, and I wasn’t able to make use of the new ChatGPT integration yet, but I was able to use the new experience that is re-designed but also makes the conversation flow a lot more naturally, and it’s a big improvement, and I’m excited to see where Apple take it.

The other big change that has just launched is MacOS Sequoia that I hadn’t used on my existing Macs, and there’s a lot of new features to love there too. iPhone Mirroring was a big one that I had used a lot during this week, with it allowing me to post to TikTok and Instagram without having to pickup my phone and a quick drop and drag from my desktop to photos app on my virtual phone allowing me to easily bring content across.

Something that has also finally hit the Mac is Windows Tiling, which allows you to quickly snap windows to parts of your screen, which is something I’ve relied on other apps for in the past, but to have that built right into MacOS now is a huge improvement.

I really didn’t know how Apple would improve on the MacBook Pro this year, but they’ve somehow done it, with a number of minor changes coming together to once again breathe new life into this iconic laptop.

The post Apple MacBook Pro M4 Review – Keeps Getting Better appeared first on Press Start.

Well, this was unexpected. Hideo Kojima and 505 Games has just announced that Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is launching on Xbox Series X|S and Windows today. This is to celebrate the 5th birthday of the game.

If that wasn’t enough for you, it’s also been revealed that it’ll be 50% off on Xbox and PC for a limited time only. This is already live on the Xbox store for $27.47 and you can grab it HERE. 

• Death Stranding Director’s Cut – $27.47 

The post Death Stranding Just Stealth Dropped On Xbox Series X And Is 50% Off appeared first on Press Start.

Take-Two had its quarterly financial results meeting this morning and the biggest talking point was without doubt Grand Theft Auto 6, which it confirmed was still on track to make its launch window in Fall (our Spring) next year.

This means, that unless something drastic happens in the next 6 months, Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch between September and November next year, and we should start to hear more about it in the very near future.

Previously when CEO Zelnick had been announced how confident he was that the game would hit this window Zelnick said that “We do feel highly confident that we’ll deliver Grand Theft Auto VI in fall of 2025”, so hopefully we can rule out any delays.

Take-Two also revealed as part of its financial results that it has sold Private Division, its Indie label that is focusing on no Rest For The Wicked after it closed Intercept Games (Kerbal Space Program 2) and Roll7 (OlliOlli World) earlier this year.

The post Grand Theft Auto 6 Is Still On Track To Hit Its Release Window appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been a super cool week of discovering how games utilise Sony’s new PSSR technology on the PS5 Pro, but one of the most fascinating was how Hello Games have utilised the technology for No Man’s Sky.

As confirmed by the team, the game now runs at 4K/60FPS and if you have an 8K display, you can also run the game at 8K/30FPS. To my knowledge this makes it the second game that can utilise 8K on the PS5 (first being F1 2024).

That’s not all that’s been improved though with improved lighting, ultra quality reflections, higher quality ambient occlusion across the board, and these updates come across to PlayStation VR2.

We just published our PS5 Pro Review as well. Within it we said: “The PS5 Pro provides meaningful visual improvements across the board. In most cases that means a 4K resolution with a buttery smooth 60 FPS, but thanks to PSSR this feels like only the beginning of what’s possible. Whilst it won’t be for everyone at this price point, those that do indulge won’t be disappointed”

MORE PS5 PRO COVERAGE:

• Our PS5 Pro Review
• The PS5 Pro Comes With 1.9TB Of Usable Storage
• The PS5 Pro Has An Exclusive Background
• No Man’s Sky Now Runs At 8K On The PS5 Pro
• Star Wars Outlaws Has One Single PS5 Pro Graphics Mode That Is The Best Of Both Worlds
• The PS5 Slim Faceplates Don’t Fit The PS5 Pro But It Seems To Be For Good Reason
• The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro delivers on the next-gen promise with higher resolutions and more consistent frame rates across the board #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Tech #PS5ProUnboxing #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post No Man’s Sky Now Runs At 8K On The PS5 Pro appeared first on Press Start.

Our PS5 Pro review just dropped and within it I detail a bunch of ways in how developers are using the PS5 Pro and PlayStation’s new PSSR AI upscaling to get the best out of their games and one of the best examples was Star Wars Outlaws.

The game had three modes on the base PS5, but on PS5 Pro, it’s one singular mode that offers the game’s Quality Mode at 60 FPS delivering on PlayStation’s promise of the PS5 Pro bringing together a high resolution with a buttery smooth FPS.

Here ar the exact features of the PS5 Pro version of Star Wars Outlaws:

• Quality Mode at 60 FPS – The Base PS5 offers 30 FPS Quality mode or 60 FPS Performance mode.
• Increased Internal Resolution – The increased hardware performance allows the game to reach both higher FPS and higher rendering resolution, resulting in increased resolution in certain scenarios.
• PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) – Integration of the new machine learning-based temporal upscaler PSSR, which uses the new ML-hardware of the PS5 Pro, bringing better quality and performance

We just published our PS5 Pro Review as well. Within it we said: “The PS5 Pro provides meaningful visual improvements across the board. In most cases that means a 4K resolution with a buttery smooth 60 FPS, but thanks to PSSR this feels like only the beginning of what’s possible. Whilst it won’t be for everyone at this price point, those that do indulge won’t be disappointed”

MORE PS5 PRO COVERAGE:

• Our PS5 Pro Review
• The PS5 Pro Comes With 1.9TB Of Usable Storage
• The PS5 Pro Has An Exclusive Background
• No Man’s Sky Now Runs At 8K On The PS5 Pro
• Star Wars Outlaws Has One Single PS5 Pro Graphics Mode That Is The Best Of Both Worlds
• The PS5 Slim Faceplates Don’t Fit The PS5 Pro But It Seems To Be For Good Reason
• The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro delivers on the next-gen promise with higher resolutions and more consistent frame rates across the board #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Tech #PS5ProUnboxing #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Star Wars Outlaws Has One Single PS5 Pro Graphics Mode That Is The Best Of Both Worlds appeared first on Press Start.

Whilst the PS5 Pro doesn’t have any kind of special intro or appear to be any different from an UI point of view outside of a few settings, I did notice almost instantly that in the new Welcome Hub there is a new PS5 Pro background that seems like it’ll be exclusive to the console.

The new background pulls in a heap of colours just like the first trailer for the PS5 Pro did, and it seems to feature what I’m assuming is the custom chip that is featured in the PS5 Pro, which is a really cool touch as it’s obviously going to be a big part of PlayStation’s DNA going forward with PlayStation PSSR.

You can watch it in action below:

We just published our PS5 Pro Review as well. Within it we said: “The PS5 Pro provides meaningful visual improvements across the board. In most cases that means a 4K resolution with a buttery smooth 60 FPS, but thanks to PSSR this feels like only the beginning of what’s possible. Whilst it won’t be for everyone at this price point, those that do indulge won’t be disappointed”

MORE PS5 PRO COVERAGE:

• Our PS5 Pro Review
• The PS5 Pro Comes With 1.9TB Of Usable Storage
• The PS5 Pro Has An Exclusive Background
• No Man’s Sky Now Runs At 8K On The PS5 Pro
• Star Wars Outlaws Has One Single PS5 Pro Graphics Mode That Is The Best Of Both Worlds
• The PS5 Slim Faceplates Don’t Fit The PS5 Pro But It Seems To Be For Good Reason
• The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro delivers on the next-gen promise with higher resolutions and more consistent frame rates across the board #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Tech #PS5ProUnboxing #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post The PS5 Pro Has An Exclusive Background appeared first on Press Start.

We’re finally allowed to talk about the PS5 Pro and how it improves the experience, and something that a lot of people will get use out of is the improved 2TB SSD.

Considering the PS5 originally only came with 825GB this is a huge improvement at 2.5x the amount of storage, and then you’ve still got the empty SSD slot in your PS5 to buy a 1-2GB drive and bump that up even further, which is probably necessary given the size of games these days.

When it all shakes down, you get about 1.89TB to use, which is a very decent amount and literally almost 3x the amount of what was usable on the original PS5 Pro.

We just published our PS5 Pro Review as well. Within it we said: “The PS5 Pro provides meaningful visual improvements across the board. In most cases that means a 4K resolution with a buttery smooth 60 FPS, but thanks to PSSR this feels like only the beginning of what’s possible. Whilst it won’t be for everyone at this price point, those that do indulge won’t be disappointed”

MORE PS5 PRO COVERAGE:

• Our PS5 Pro Review
• The PS5 Pro Comes With 1.9TB Of Usable Storage
• The PS5 Pro Has An Exclusive Background
• No Man’s Sky Now Runs At 8K On The PS5 Pro
• Star Wars Outlaws Has One Single PS5 Pro Graphics Mode That Is The Best Of Both Worlds
• The PS5 Slim Faceplates Don’t Fit The PS5 Pro But It Seems To Be For Good Reason
• The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro delivers on the next-gen promise with higher resolutions and more consistent frame rates across the board #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Tech #PS5ProUnboxing #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post The PS5 Pro Comes With 1.9TB Of Usable Storage appeared first on Press Start.

When we all picked up our shiny next-gen console at the end of 2020, we were assuming that we’d be closer to the 4K/60 FPS dream, but with every major AAA release, it became fairly obvious that we were going to be forced to choose between a 4K image and buttery smooth 60 FPS goodness, constantly left wondering what we were missing with the other mode. With the PS5 Pro, that next-gen promise finally feels delivered on, and then some in a number of different ways.

When it comes to the design of the PS5 Pro, it pulls in heavy inspiration from both the original PS5 as well as the PS5 Slim with it being the same height of the original PS5, but the same thickness as the PS5 Slim, and pulling over that same four plate design that the Slim introduced. I really like the racing stripes that break up the faceplates, and whilst it is a tad annoying that the top ones are differently sized to the Slim (it looks so good in black), there’s clearly a different vent design that means this probably wasn’t going to be possible.

There has been a lot of chatter around the PS5 Pro not coming with a disc drive and I’m not going to get into whether this is a good thing, but the disc drive mechanic is super nifty and very easy to put on (if you can get you hands on one). You simply take the faceplate off, and it’s a small connector that the disc drive slips into and then it’s the exact same process to pull it off. Same goes for the empty SSD slot, which is very easy to access and place an SSD into, if the additional 2TB SSD isn’t enough for you.

THE CHEAPEST PRICE: $1,199 FROM AMAZON WITH FREE DELIVERY

Similarly, there was a bit of controversy about the console not coming with a vertical stand. The console does stand fine on its own without the stand, and it does come with a much improved horizontal stand in the box in the form of two plastic little legs that clip into the racing strips between each faceplates. This is a huge improvement on the stand that came with PS5 and whilst it looks flimsy, I can assure you, it’s super secure and a great solution.

The only other hardware changes of note are Wi-Fi 7 which is great for future proofing (I’m always going to want to be hardwired), and like the Slim there’s 2 USB-C ports on the front and 2 USB-A ports on the back. The great news when it comes to noise and heat is that the PS5 Pro is practically silent. I have had it on for most of the last week testing a variety of games, and I never heard it ramp up even once, and similarly, waving my hand around the console resulted in a normal amount of heat, which is impressive given the performance.

Just like it was with the PS4 Pro during the review period, performance is hard to talk about with the PS5 Pro, as PlayStation has clearly put some stipulations in place in order for a developer to say that a game is ‘PS5 Pro enhanced’ but as far as how they incorporate that into their game, whether that be a new singular graphic mode, additional graphic modes, or replacement graphic modes, it’s totally up to the developer, and it varies greatly between games even with PlayStation’s first-party studio.

Whilst it’s not always immediately obvious how a game is better, it’s very clear after playing through 15-20 games over the last week that the improvements are going to be massive for games in terms of delivering on that next-gen promise.

The biggest new technology in the PS5 Pro is PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) which is similar to NVIDIA’s DLSS which I’ve spoken about time and time again in regards to how much it helps PC performance through the use of AI upscaling. Whilst I’m not Digital Foundry, it’s pretty clear that what PlayStation has done here is pretty fantastic as some of the improvements that I witnessed across games were night and day, and this is only at the beginning of the console.

MORE PS5 PRO COVERAGE:

• Our PS5 Pro Review
• The PS5 Pro Comes With 1.9TB Of Usable Storage
• The PS5 Pro Has An Exclusive Background
• No Man’s Sky Now Runs At 8K On The PS5 Pro
• Star Wars Outlaws Has One Single PS5 Pro Graphics Mode That Is The Best Of Both Worlds
• The PS5 Slim Faceplates Don’t Fit The PS5 Pro But It Seems To Be For Good Reason
• The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design

For instance Star Wars Outlaws now has just one mode on the PS5 Pro, which is 4K/60 FPS. On the original PS5 it was either 30 FPS in Quality mode or 60 FPS in Performance mode and neither felt great with the Quality mode lacking a smooth framerate and the 60 FPS mode looking quite blurry, but now, you don’t have to choose as it’s the best of both worlds in one mode.

Similarly, Alan Wake 2 has kept its two modes, but performance mode now runs at 60FPS with base PS5 quality level graphics, and there’s a new ray-tracing Quality mode that sticks to 30 FPS, but looks absolutely incredible and in-line with what you’d get out of a very high-end GPU on PC.

Insomniac Games has done much the same with both Spider-Man 2 and Ratchet & Clank where the new Performance Pro modes now run at 60FPS with quality-like visuals and it’s upped the ray-tracing on Quality modes but kept them at 30 FPS. Realistically, I suspect that going with the 60 FPS mode will be a lot easier decision for most now, with there being next to no visual downgrade.

I really liked the way Naughty Dog took advantage of the PS5 Pro, with a new third mode simply called ‘PS5 Pro’ that utilises PSSR to bring 4K/60 FPS to both The Last Of Us Part 1 and Part 2. These games already looked stunning, but to now be able to play them in 60 FPS without feeling like you’re seeing a downgrade on the visuals just makes all the difference.

Probably the biggest difference was Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth which has a new Versatility graphics mode. This is a game that was heavily critiqued for how blurry it was in performance mode, and this game is one that kept all of its original modes, but this new Versatility mode is both super crisp, looking indistinguishable from the original Quality mode and runs at a smooth 60 FPS.

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro delivers on the next-gen promise with higher resolutions and more consistent frame rates across the board #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Tech #PS5ProUnboxing #Gaming #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

Just because of some of lack of information about PS5 Pro upgrades and how different developers were handling the new technology, I reached out to a few developers from the likes of Bioware and Hello Games and it was very clear that these teams were excited in the new world of possibilities that the console unlocks. It was always a little bit of a running joke that the original PS5 had an 8K logo on the box, but now that is starting to become a reality.

Whilst F1 has a super stunning ray-tracing mode at 4K/60 FPS, it also has an 8K option for those that have the compatible TV. No Man’s Sky also has a new 8K option for those that want to jump in. I do suspect that this will still be quite a rarity, and I suspect that most people don’t own an 8K TV and have no intention to upgrade, but if anything, it is a good example of how much more headroom developers have to play with when using PSSR.

It’s not only the PS5 Pro enhanced games that see an improvement. There’s Game Boost that basically acts to lift the frame rates or resolution of any game that has uncapped framerates or dynamic resolution. A great example of this is Elden Ring and the Monster Hunter Wilds beta that both perform better on PS5 Pro and also Resident Evil 2’s uncapped ray-tracing mode that ran at 60 FPS on the PS5 Pro and 45ish FPS on the original PS5.

There’s also an ‘Enhanced Image Quality’ option in the system settings that uses AI upscaling to make PS4 games look clearer. I didn’t spend a heap of time with this, but I did try Bloodborne and a few other games, and it wasn’t a night and day difference, but I did notice things like text being a lot less blurry on the PS5 Pro.

Whilst I’ve been pretty positive on the PS5 Pro, I want to be really careful not to oversell it, because you won’t be blown away going from the PS5 to PS5 Pro, at least with what’s on offer so far. It’s more of a consistent, across the board improvement that feels more what I was expecting coming into this generation. This is the closest that console gaming has felt to playing on a PC in terms of playing a game with a fantastic, crisp resolution at 60 FPS.

If you’re somebody that constantly finds yourself flicking between graphics modes or have thought that something doesn’t run at solid enough frames or look like its running at full resolution, this is the console for you, but if you’re not somebody who cares about that then I’d probably wait until something like Grand Theft Auto 6 or the next big PlayStation first-party game comes along.

What’s on offer here from PlayStation is fairly remarkable from a technological standpoint, and yes the PS5 Pro is expensive, but it does offer a fairly high-end experience in line with a PC that would be far more expensive to put together, and AI upscaling systems only improve over time, so this feels like it’s only the beginning in how far the PS5 Pro will be pushed.

The post PS5 Pro Review – Delivering On The Next-Gen Promise appeared first on Press Start.

It was the first thing that people asked when the PS5 Pro was first revealed with the design seemingly mimicking that of the PS5 Slim due to full compatibility of face plates, but Sony recently confirmed that the full faceplates of the PS5 Slim aren’t compatible with the PS5 Pro.

Regardless of this, with a PS5 Pro in-hand and my black PS5 Slim faceplates that I absolutely love, I had to give it a go. As expected, the top two didn’t fit, but there was a lot of chatter online that this was purely because Sony moved the connectors and whilst it is true that the connectors are different, the size of that top section is entirely different with the PS5 Pro being slightly taller.

What sits under those faceplates is also different with the PS5 Pro having an air vent more in-line with the original PS5, presumably to push heat away from the console, which is missing on the Slim.

Obviously the bottom plates do fit just fine, which would have been the priority for Sony as the same disc drive needs to be used, and it absolutely would have been nice for all four plates to fit, purely because there’s already a selection available (and none for Pro), but at least we can rest easily with the dimensions of the consoles being totally different.

https://www.tiktok.com/@shannongrixti/video/7433747827630624018?lang=en

The post The PS5 Slim Faceplates Don’t Fit The PS5 Pro But It Seems To Be For Good Reason appeared first on Press Start.

The PS5 Pro is just over one week away and whilst we had previously reported on the trade deal for the original PS5 Disc model, we’ve now got our hands on the prices for all of the four PS5 models released so far including the Slim.

EB GAMES PS5 PRO TRADE DEAL

ORIGINAL PS5 DISC:

• No EB World – $699 when trading a PS5 Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 1 EB World (with EB Plus) – $674 when trading a PS5 Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 2 EB World – $649 when trading a PS5 Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 3 EB World – $624 when trading a PS5 Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 4 EB World – $599 when trading a PS5 Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 5 EB World – $574 when trading a PS5 Disc Console and 4 games

PS5 SLIM DISC:

• No EB World – $649 when trading a PS5 Slim Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 1 EB World (with EB Plus) – $622 when trading a PS5 Slim Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 2 EB World – $594 when trading a PS5 Slim Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 3 EB World – $567 when trading a PS5 Slim Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 4 EB World – $539 when trading a PS5 Slim Disc Console and 4 games
• Level 5 EB World – $512 when trading a PS5 Slim Disc Console and 4 games

ORIGINAL PS5 DIGITAL:

• No EB World – $869 when trading a PS5 Digital Console
• Level 1 EB World (with EB Plus) – $852 when trading a PS5 Digital Console
• Level 2 EB World – $835 when trading a PS5 Digital Console
• Level 3 EB World – $819 when trading a PS5 Digital Console
• Level 4 EB World – $802 when trading a PS5 Digital Console
• Level 5 EB World – $786 when trading a PS5 Digital Console

PS5 SLIM DIGITAL:

• No EB World – $849 when trading a PS5 Slim Digital Console
• Level 1 EB World (with EB Plus) – $831 when trading a PS5 Slim Digital Console
• Level 2 EB World – $813 when trading a PS5 Slim Digital Console
• Level 3 EB World – $796 when trading a PS5 Slim Digital Console
• Level 4 EB World – $778 when trading a PS5 Slim Digital Console
• Level 5 EB World – $761 when trading a PS5 Slim Digital Console

I’m fairly sure you can add an extra 5% trade value if you’re an EB World Plus member to each of these prices, which will bring it down even further. Again, check with your local store to be sure.

The post Here’s The EB Games PS5 Pro Trade Deals For All The Different Models appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been long expected (although can you ever really know with Nintendo), but the company has officially confirmed that Nintendo Switch games will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. It also confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the Nintendo Switch 2 as well.

This statement was posted on Twitter, by president Furukawa:

“This is Furukawa. At today’s Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, will be announced at a later date.”

This is Furukawa. At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about…

— ?????????????IR? (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024

It went into more detail in its presentation to investors:

On Nintendo Switch Online: 

“Until Nintendo Switch, there was no easy way to have consumers’ purchase and gameplay histories carry over across platform generations.
As a result, our relationship with the consumers was interrupted when a new system was purchased. The introduction of Nintendo Account made it possible to tie consumers’ history to their personal account, enabling Nintendo to maintain a continuous relationship with the consumers across platform generations. We have communicated that we plan on making an announcement regarding the successor to Nintendo Switch during this fiscal year. We believe that it is important for Nintendo’s future to make use of Nintendo Account and carry over the good relationship that we have built with the over 100 million annual playing users on Nintendo Switch to its successor. Thus, we will make Nintendo Switch Online, a service based on Nintendo Account, available on the successor to Nintendo Switch.”

On backwards compatibility: 

“Furthermore, Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. In addition to being able to play Nintendo Switch software they currently own, consumers will be able to choose their next purchase from a broad selection of titles released for Nintendo Switch. Further information about the successor to Nintendo Switch, including its compatibility with Nintendo Switch I explained today, will be announced at a later date.”

Nintendo also detailed franchises such as Pikmin, Kirby, Metroid and Xenoblade Chronicles that have grown hugely on the Nintendo Switch compared to sales on the 3DS and Wii U.

Nintendo is set to reveal the Nintendo Switch successor before March 31st, 2025, so not too long to go now. It’s rumored that the game will use AI upscaling (similar to that of the PS5 Pro) to upscale games to 4K, so it’ll be interesting to see how that works with original Nintendo Switch games.

The post Nintendo Switch Games Will Officially Work On The Nintendo Switch 2 appeared first on Press Start.

UPDATE: Valve has now confirmed with us that the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED will officially launch in Australia on November 19th at 10:00am AEDT. You’ll be able to place orders at htis time and that’s when units will start shipping as well. You’ll be able to order at this link and the Aussie prices are below:

• 256GB LCD: $649 AUD
• 512GB OLED: $899 AUD
• 1TB OLED: $1,049 AUD

ORIGINAL STORY: Valve has taken to the PAX Australia show floor this morning to announce that the Steam Deck is officially coming to Australia.

After being available for sometime through unofficial channels here in Australia, Valve has confirmed that both the LCD Steam Deck and the Steam Deck OLED will be sold and shipped through Steam directly here in Australia.

STEAM DECK OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN RELEASE DATE AND PRICES

The Steam Deck LCD and Steam Deck OLED available to wishlist now and will be available to order in November with units shipping out immediately at the below prices:

• 256GB LCD: $649 AUD
• 512GB OLED: $899 AUD
• 1TB OLED: $1,049 AUD

You can wishlist it over on Steam HERE before it ships in November.

@shannongrixti

The Steam Deck is finally coming to Australia and here’s a quick look at the gorgeous 1TB OLED model #SteamDeck #SteamDeckAustralia #SteamDeckOLED #Tech #Steam #Valve

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

This marks the first time that Valve has sold hardware directly in Australia, after partnering with the likes of EB Games for the Valve Index, and we had the chance to talk to them earlier this week where they confirmed that this was the start of them committing to bringing hardware to Australia in a much more timely fashion now that the groundwork has been done to sell and ship hardware directly.

I’ve got my hands on the 1 TB OLED version, so now that we’re officially getting it in Australia, I’m looking forwards to reviewing it and seeing how it compares to some of the other handhelds that I’ve used over the past few years. We also got the chance to speak to Valve ahead of the announcement and you can read that HERE.

Just in case you’re not as familiar with the two models, The Steam Deck OLED has a larger 7.4-inch HDR OLED display with 1000 nits of peak brightness. The refresh rate has been updated to 90hz and the latency of the touch screen has also been improved.

The device has a larger 50whr battery (up from 40 whr) and combined with a more efficient APU, you can expect a 30-50% better battery life which Valve says is good for 3-12 hours of gaming depending on what you’re playing. Despite the device having a larger screen and a larger battery, the total weight has been reduced by 30 grams or 5% which should make a big difference in comfort.

The 1TB and 512GB OLED versions also have a few differences with the 1TB OLED version coming with an anti-glare display, and also an extra removable liner in the case as well a a special exclusive startup movie and keyboard theme.

The post The Australian Steam Deck Release Date Has Been Officially Revealed appeared first on Press Start.

Nintendo revealed its latest earnings yesterday which prompted President Shuntaro Furukawa to once again reiterate that the Nintendo Switch successor will be announced before the end of the fiscal year which ends on March 31st, 2025.

As Nintendo Switch sales fall short of expectations leading to a share price decline, Analyst Hideki Yasuda has said in an interview with Reuters that Nintendo looks unlikely to announce the Nintendo Switch before the Holiday season as it looks to boost Switch sales in-line with expectations.

“Making an announcement this year has gotten quite difficult… You would not want to divert attention to an upcoming console in the middle of the critical year-end shopping season” Yasuda said.

Almost perfectly timed with me writing this article, Nintendo Australia announced that it is releasing a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch OLED bundle on November 29th, just in-time for the busy shopping period. This comes following the news that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold another two million copies in the last sales period, which is just insane, and no doubt this will do well as it’s the first time Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been bundled with the OLED model.

This #NintendoSwitch bundle, including #MarioKart 8 Deluxe and 12 months of #NintendoSwitchOnline, launches on 29th November!

Look for this bundle on My Nintendo Store and at select retailers in Australia & New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/3mqJYUSAnD

— Nintendo AU NZ (@NintendoAUNZ) November 6, 2024

Even if there’s no announcement before the end of the year, it still feels like we’re closer than ever to a Nintendo Switch 2 reveal, with it being only a few months away at the latest.

The post A Nintendo Switch 2 Announcement Seems Unlikely For This Year But Here’s A New Mario Kart 8 OLED Bundle Instead appeared first on Press Start.

Warner Bros has today provided an update on Hogwarts Legacy 2. Whilst in the past, the company had confirmed that the game was a priority as it has now sold over 30 million copies, this has been reiterated and further information provided by the President.

In an interview with Variety, President David Haddad said that the game is “a very big priority” and that the game will share some big picture storytelling elements with the upcoming Harry Potter reboot which is set to hit HBO in 2026.

Interestingly enough, the HBO series is set to re-tell the story of the movies, which means that the next Hogwarts Legacy game could feature some more well-known characters, or maybe it ties into in other ways.

It’s probably a year or two before we hear about the next Hogwarts Legacy game, but we do suspect that we’ll be hearing about the Hogwarts Legacy: Director’s Cut in the very near future. 

The post Hogwarts Legacy 2 Is Now In Active Development And Will Tie Into The New HBO Series appeared first on Press Start.

The PS5 Pro launched is just a few days away, and PlayStation has today published a list of 50+ games that will be PS5 Pro enhanced on launch day.

Whilst the list that we’ve been counting is pushing 90, the below games are those that PlayStation has confirmed will be enhanced on launch. This includes either advanced ray-tracing, the use of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and boosted frame-rates of 60/120FPS.

There’s a few new inclusions such as Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Diablo 4 that I hadn’t seen confirmed before, so it’ll be interesting to see what updates they bring.

OFFICIAL PS5 PRO DAY ONE LIST OF GAMES

• Alan Wake 2
• Albatroz
• Apex Legends
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage
• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• EA Sports College Football 25
• Dead Island 2
• Demon’s Souls
• Diablo IV
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• Dying Light 2 Reloaded Edition
• EA Sports FC 25
• Enlisted
• F1 24
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Fortnite
• God of War Ragnarök
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
• Kayak VR: Mirage
• Lies of P
• Lords of the Fallen (2023)
• Madden NFL 25
• Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• NBA 2K25
• No Man’s Sky
• Palworld
• Paladin’s Passage
• Planet Coaster 2
• Professional Spirits Baseball 2024-2025
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil 4
• Resident Evil Village
• Rise of the Ronin
• Rogue Flight
• Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
• Star Wars: Outlaws
• Stellar Blade
• Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
• The Callisto Protocol
• The Crew Motorfest
• The Finals
• The First Descendant
• The Last of Us Part I
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered
• Until Dawn
• War Thunder
• Warframe
• World of Warships: Legends

We published our first look at the PS5 Pro yesterday, you can see the hardware HERE. 

The PS5 Pro launches on November 7th. You can grab it from Amazon for $1,199.95 HERE. 

The post PlayStation Has Published An Official List Of Day One PS5 Pro Enhanced Titles appeared first on Press Start.

Whilst what we can tell you about the PS5 Pro is still super limited, I can talk about the actual hardware now, and after a handful of days with the PS5 Pro on my entertainment unit, I’m a massive fan of the design with the hardware blending the best parts of both consoles.

Love it or hate it, the original PS5 and all of the accessories that have released for it have such a strong design style that PlayStation has really pulled over the PS5 Pro in a more futuristic and premium way. The console has the same height of the original PS5 console but pulls over the four plate design (as well as the thinness) of the PS5 Slim with an even more distinct middle section that resembles racing strips, of the triple tier that the PS4 Pro incorporated.

A major difference when it comes to the faceplates is that they’re all matte on the Pro whilst the Slim had a mix of two glossy and two matte, and this is much appreciated on the Pro.

I actually really prefer this design and I think it looks less awkward than the single strip between the PS5 Slim. Overall, whilst not as small as the Slim, it still feels a lot less of a behemoth, and comparing it to the original PS5, which I’ve been picking up a lot over the last week, it’s a lot lighter, and feels a lot less thicker, which is impressive given the output.

Just like on the PS5 Slim, on one side under two of the faceplates, there’s not a lot to look at, but on the other side, you have a PS5 disc drive slot which has a very simple single connector that allows the disc drive to slot in super easily, and on the top plate on that same side you have the empty SSD slot that accompanies the larger internal 2TB SSD.

As part as ports go it’s an identical array to what was on the Slim with two USB-C ports on the front (no more USB-A like the original PS5 on the front), two USB-A ports on the back, an ethernet port, HDMI and power, with the relevant cables as well as an original DualSense controller in the box.

Exactly with the PS5 Slim, there’s two horizontal plastic legs that plug into the console which I much prefer to the original PSs5 stand that would slip and slide with the console in horizontal mode. If you’re wanting to put your PS5 on the vertical position, there’s a $50 stand that you can buy, that isn’t necessary in order for the PS5 to stand up, but it does look fantastic if you’re someone who has your PS5 on display.

Outside of this, there isn’t a heap to talk about when it comes to the actual physical design of the PS5 Pro. It’s an extremely nice looking console and carries on the very clear design aesthetic that has been strong throughout this whole generation, so stay tuned to see how the inside of the console builds on the foundation that PlayStation has laid so far.

The PS5 Pro launches on November 7th. You can grab it from Amazon for $1,199.95 HERE.  

The post The PS5 Pro Blends The Best Parts Of The OG PS5 And The PS5 Slim Design appeared first on Press Start.

It’s PS5 Pro release week and whilst the console doesn’t come without a disc drive, Sony released a disc drive that works with both the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim almost at year ago, but unfortunately, since the announcement of the PS5 Pro, it’s been mostly out of stock in Australia.

We do know that more stock is landing in Australian stores this week with the PS5 Pro, and whilst it’s going to be hard to get one based on the limited stock available, I’ve put together the below guide on where you’re most likely to have success and also will keep it updated over the coming months and weeks.

WHERE TO BUY A PS5 PRO DISC DRIVE IN AUSTRALIA

• JB Hi-Fi: JB Hi-Fi stores are getting stock in very small quantities and we have seen quite a few success stories of people getting them over the last 2-3 days.
• Amazon: If any online retailer is likely to have stock this week, It’s Amazon as it’s been a long time since they’ve had stock and we know that stock is coming into the country. You can find the listing for it HERE.
• EB Games: It’s very unlikely that EB Games stores will have stock this week as they took pre-orders alongside PS5 Pro pre-orders that are all hitting stores this week. For those that are desperate, you can buy a PS5 Slim Disc edition, remove the disc drive and trade that into EB Games as a PS5 Slim Digital losing only $5 off the trade fee for the missing faceplate toward your PS5 Pro (figures here)
• Big W: Unlikely as they had a small stock drop online but the listing is still live and you can find it HERE. 

The PS5 Pro is due to release on November 7th. You can find the listing on Amazon for $1,199 HERE. Our review will be up later this week.

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro has arrived! Stay tuned for my unboxing, full review and PS5 Pro enhanced game impressions in the lead-up to launch #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Gaming #Tech #PlayStationPro

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Where To Buy A PS5 Pro Disc Drive In Australia appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been revealed that the Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remaster is coming in December and to celebrate the announcement, a collector’s edition for the game has been revealed alongside a physical edition and a cute Gobbo plush.

These will be available to order until December 10th with the Collector’s Edition costing $130 USD (~$200 AUD) and including a copy of the game, an 8-inch Croc statue, a full colour manual and a bunch of other goodies which you can find below:

It can be ordered on PS5 and Nintendo Switch over on the Rockitgames website HERE. 

CROC REMASTER COLLECTOR’S EDITION

• A copy of the Croc: Legend of the Gobbos game with full color manual
• Eight-inch resin Croc statue with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity
• Four-disc CD soundtrack consisting of over 100 tracks
• PVC Croc keychain
• Ultra3DFX sticker sheet
• 18 inches by 24 inches artwork poster
• Premium box

The game will come to consoles and PC later this year with the first trailer for the remaster being shown off this morning as well. It includes high-definition graphics, updated modern control mechanics as well as the addition of the Crocipedia which is a digital museum containing long-lost development assets for the game.

The post The Croc: Legend Of The Gobbos Remaster Collector’s Edition Is Absolutely Adorable appeared first on Press Start.

You probably don’t know this about me, but alongside Ape Escape, my other favourite thing in life is Scream, so when it was announced that Ghostface was coming to Mortal Kombat 1, I was extremely excited and after seeing the first gameplay drop below, I’m even more excited by how well they’ve captured the iconic character.

In the brief gameplay tease, we get a look at Ghostface fighting Johnny Cage, complete with his iconic voice. It’ll be interesting to see if Ghostface is a character from within the MK franchise or otherwise, with the iconic horror character being a different person within each of the Scream films.

Ghostface!
Ghostface!

Here is a peek at Ghostface coming #MortalKombat1 early access on Nov 19! pic.twitter.com/7DBZgA7xgC

— Ed Boon (@noobde) October 31, 2024

Ghostface will launch in early access on November 19th with the full release coming on November 26th. After Ghostface, we still have Terminator 2’s T-1000 and Conan the Barbarian.

The post The First Mortal Kombat 1 Ghostface Gameplay Footage Is Absolutely Brutal appeared first on Press Start.

The PS5 Pro launches in exactly one week and our review unit has officially arrived. We can’t show you too much or talk about any of the specifics just yet, but we can tell you that it has arrived and show you the box.

You can expect impressions and our full review with a bunch of game impressions in the lead-up to launch, but for now, I’ve taken a bunch of photos of the box and compared it to the OG PS5 box and PS5 Slim Disc Edition as well. Just like the PS5 Slim, it’s a lot smaller than the OG PS5 box, only just a tad bigger than the Slim.

In case you don’t know a heap about the PS5 Pro, it’s out on November 7th for $1,199 AUD (without a disc drive) and has the below features:

• Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
• Advanced Ray Tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
• AI-Driven Upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

@shannongrixti

The PS5 Pro has arrived! Stay tuned for my unboxing, full review and PS5 Pro enhanced game impressions in the lead-up to launch #PS5Pro #PlayStation5Pro #PS5 #PlayStation5 #PlayStation #Gaming #Tech #PlayStationPro

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Our PS5 Pro Has Arrived appeared first on Press Start.

It’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard release day, and for those looking to get into the game and enjoy what is a massive return to form for Bioware (our 10/10 review here), Target dropped a fantastic day one deal, with Big W also following suit.

Both retailers have the game for $75 for a very limited time, which is a decent amount off the RRP. You can find the Target listing HERE and the Big W listing HERE to save $35 off the RRP.

• Dragon Age: The Veilguard – $75 at Big W
• Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd – $75 at Target with free shipping 

We gave Dragon Age: The Veilguard a 10/10 in our review and said: “Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a triumph for BioWare in practically every way. It brings together the best bits of all the games that have come before it, pairing an intricately woven narrative ripe with genuine choice and consequences with a fast, frenetic and endlessly satisfying combat system. The Veilguard is, without a doubt, Dragon Age at it’s best.”

The post Target And Big W Have Dropped A Great Dragon Age: The Veilguard Deal appeared first on Press Start.

Apple has been getting much more into the gaming space since it launched its own chipset, but the ultimate test if coming with CD Projekt Red announcing that Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to Macs.

The announcement comes following Apple’s week of Mac announcements including new M4 MacBook Pros, iMacs and Mac Minis. 

It will launch on Apple Silicon Macs early next year with path tracing, frame generation and built-in spatial audio. It will be the Ultimate Edition meaning it’ll be the base game as well as Phantom Liberty.

The game will launch on the Mac App Store, GOG, Steam and the Epic Games Store.

More details for the release are set to come early next year, and you best believe we’ll be there to test it out when it does land.

@shannongrixti

Resident Evil 4 runs super impressively on the iPhone 15 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro #ResidentEvil4 #ResidentEvil4iPhone #iPhone15Pro #m3maxmacbookpro #Apple #IPhone #MacBook #ResidentEvil

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post Cyberpunk 2077 Is Coming To Apple Macs With Path Tracing And Frame Generation appeared first on Press Start.

Apple finished off its week Mac announcements by announcing the new M4 MacBook Pros as well as an update to the M4 MacBook air range.

The MacBook Pro now comes with an M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, with each of the devices now coming with a minimum 16GB of memory which Apple says is required for Apple Intelligence.

As far as other hardware improvements go, there’s a new 12MP Center Stage camera, a longer 24 hour battery life and you can now get a new nano-texture display option (like in the iMac and Apple Studio display) which is said to help with glare. The display also just got brighter with the ability to show SDR content at 1000 nits.

Just like the Mac Mini, you can now get Thunderbolt 5 as well, and whilst it’s probably overkill at the moment it’s great for future proofing.

Apple has also announced that the MacBook Air will now come with a minimum 16GB of ram at the same starting price of $1,599 AUD, which is obviously a big deal.

M4 MACBOOK PRO AUSTRALIAN PRICE AND RELEASE DATE

The M4 MacBook Pro will release on November 8th and is available pre-order now. It comes in space black and silver at the below prices:

• M4/16GB/512GB – $2,499 AUD
• M4 Pro/24GB/512GB – $3,299 AUD
• M4 Max/36GB/1TB – $4,999 AUD

The post The New M4 MacBook Pros Have Been Revealed As The MacBook Air Gets Double The Base Memory appeared first on Press Start.

UPDATE: The second (and final) round of Nintendo Alarmo ballot emails are going out. Those that have been selected will have between 5pm today and 10:59am at 5th of November to make their purchase before shipment takes place on November 13th. It’s $159.95 with free shipping or you can pick it up from Scoresby if you so wish to do so.

ORIGINAL STORY: As promised, Nintendo has sent out those emails for those who were succesful in the Alarmo ballot. If you were succesful, you’d have gotten an email with the subject line ‘My Nintendo Store Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo | Your Registration Has Been Selected’.

You’ve then got until October 22nd at 10:59am AEDT to get your purchase locked in, before shipment takes place on November 13th. It’s $159.95 with free shipping or you can pick it up from Scoresby if you so wish to do so.

If you missed out on this round, there will be a second registration period (presumably from those who don’t purchase Alarmo) at the below time:

• Round 2: Register by 10:59AM AEDT Monday 28^th October 2024 and notified by Thursday October 31st

You’ll be able to register for the second wave HERE.

If you miss out on the second ballot, Nintendo will stock these on the My Nintendo store in 2025. These have proven to be more popular than they thought with Japan locking their allocation beyond a ballot as well.

The Nintendo Alarmo features interactive motion sensor technology that respond to movements, allowing you to snooze your alarm with motion alone. It has 35 scenes inspired by five Nintendo titles including Super Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 3, Pikmin 4 and Ring Fit Adventure.

@shannongrixti

Nintendo Alarmo is a $160 immersive clock that uses motion sensors to detect when you’re in and out of bed #NintendoAlarmo #Nintendo #Alarmo #NintendoClock #NintendoSwitch #Tech

? original sound – Shannon Grixti | Gaming & Tech

The post More Aussie Nintendo Alarmo Ballot Emails Have Gone Out So Get Checking appeared first on Press Start.

It’s been long suspected but in Sony has confirmed to IGN that PS5 Slim faceplates officially will not work on the PS5 Pro.

“PS5 console covers are not compatible with PS5 Pro. However, players will be able to swap out different console covers for PS5 Pro when they become available in the future,” a PlayStation representative said to IGN.

This comes after somebody somehow got access to a PS5 Pro early on Reddit, confirming that the top PS5 Slim faceplates don’t fit the PS5 Pro, with the placement of the forks that connect to the Pro being totally different.

PlayStation 5 Pro does not work with the slim plates.
byu/Zrorro inplaystation

This is obviously not the worst news, as most people upgrading to a PS5 Pro probably aren’t upgrading from a PS5 Slim, but it is a little bit frustrating given at the time of writing, there are no PS5 Pro faceplates available, and it will create confusion amongst SKUs with effectively 3-4 different sets of covers in existence.

Our PS5 Pro review unit has officially arrived, so we’ll be bringing you a bunch of impressions and other little tidbits in the very near future.

The post PS5 Slim Faceplates Officially Don’t Work With The PS5 Pro appeared first on Press Start.

The cheapest Australian copy of Dragon Age: The Veilguard starting with local retailers and finishing off with digital-only prices. We will update with new & special prices as they come in up until launch day on October 31st.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is headed to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on the very spooky date of October 31st.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard CHEAPEST AUSTRALIAN COPY

Target has the cheapest launch day price at $75

Physical:

• Amazon – $89 Standard | $134 Deluxe
• Target: $75
• Big W: $75
• JB Hi-Fi – $89 Standard | $134 Deluxe | $229 Collectors
• EB Games – $109.95 Standard | $139.95 Deluxe | $229.95 Collectors
• MightyApe – $79 Standard | $144 Deluxe
• Gamesmen – $99.95 Standard | $139.95 Deluxe

Digital:

• PlayStation Store – $109.95 Standard | $139.95 Deluxe
• Xbox Store – $109.95 Standard | $139.95 Deluxe
• Steam – Standard – $89.95 | Deluxe – $119.95
• Epic Games Store – Standard – $89.95 | Deluxe – $119.95

DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD PRE-ORDER BONUSES AND TRADE DEALS

• EB Games is giving the game out for $39 when trading in 2 selected PS5, Xbox Series X or Switch games. JB Hi-Fi is offering the game free with 2 selected PS5, Xbox Series X or Switch games – you can find the full list of included titles here.

WHAT’S IN EACH DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD EDITION?

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Standard Edition

• Dragon Age: The Veilguard full game

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Deluxe Edition

• Dragon Age: The Veilguard full game
• 6 Weapon Cosmetics For Rook
• 1 Warrior Armor Set For Rook
• 1 Mage Armor Set For Rook
• 1 Rogue Armor Set For Rook
• 7 Weapon For Companions
• 7 Armor Set For Companions

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Collector’s Edition

• Dragon Age: The Veilguard full game
• Exclusive SteelBook® Case
• ICONART Metal Print and magnet wall mount
• Notebook
• Collector’s Rigid Outerbox
• 6 Weapon Cosmetics For Rook
• 1 Warrior Armor Set For Rook
• 1 Mage Armor Set For Rook
• 1 Rogue Armor Set For Rook
• 7 Weapon For Companions
• 7 Armor Set For Companions

The post Dragon Age: The Veilguard – The Cheapest Australian Day One Bargains appeared first on Press Start.