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Sony's PlayStation 5 now lets players see the name of whoever is talking during a party voice chat, via a new Display Who's Speaking option in the Voice Chat card. Users can toggle Display Names on or off and reposition the indicator to avoid blocking game elements like a mini-map or health bar, and can adjust individual players' volume from the same menu.
A public jailbreak called Relapse enables PlayStation 5 consoles on firmware up to version 13.60 to play PS2 discs, but applying it blocks future firmware updates and there is no way to downgrade. Sony has reportedly begun blocking PlayStation Network sign-ins for consoles running firmware older than 14.10, meaning jailbroken PS5s lose access to online multiplayer, the PlayStation Store and new games requiring newer firmware.
Gaming hardware has gotten notably pricier, with the PlayStation 5 Pro's price climbing from $700 at its 2024 launch to $900 today, and resellers like GameStop listing it above $1,400. Despite these increases, budget-friendly new consoles remain on the market for players willing to accept lower graphical performance or less conventional designs, though niche devices like the Playdate or Analogue 3D and generic Android gaming handhelds are excluded from consideration.
A report explains that PlayStation 5 consoles can display a working picture even when plugged into an HDMI port that doesn't support the console's full HDMI 2.1 capabilities, such as 4K at 120Hz. The guidance notes that TVs often have multiple HDMI ports with different specs, poorly labeled, and recommends checking a TV's exact model specifications and using an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable plugged directly into the display.
Sony is selling refurbished PS5 consoles at $100 off, with digital and disc editions priced at $499 and $549 respectively, each carrying a one-year warranty. Buyers can add a refurbished DualSense controller for $40 off its normal price, bringing a white controller's added cost to $18 and pricier colors like sterling silver to $23. The refurbished consoles also come with a 1TB SSD, more storage than the 825GB built into new digital edition consoles sold at retail.
Sony Japan has marked its UBP-X700/K player as "Discontinued," removing the company's last standalone Blu-ray player from sale, according to FlatpanelsHD. Sony had already stopped shipping the units in February, selling only remaining stock since then. The PlayStation 5 remains the sole Sony device that plays Blu-ray discs, though Sony has said it will halt physical game disc production by January 2028.
Amazon is selling physical copies of Star Wars Zero Company, the XCOM-style tactical strategy game, for $47.99 on PlayStation 5 and $49.99 on Xbox Series S/X, down from the regular $59.99 price. A tech journalist reviewing the deal praised the game's branching story missions, character customization options, and inclusion of familiar Star Wars alien races.
A developer known as Gezine posted a video showing access to the PS5's hidden Debug Settings menus, which normally require kernel-level access, on firmware version 14.10.00. That firmware update, released in October, reportedly closed an earlier jailbreak method and is said to be required to run Grand Theft Auto VI. Gezine has not published the exploit method and indicated they may first seek disclosure through a bug bounty program.
Fortune reports that Microsoft's internal projections put the price of its 2028 holiday-season Project Helix console between $1,200 and $1,800, with a separate next-gen handheld planned by the end of next year. Fortune also reports internal disputes at Microsoft over whether the handheld should run a trimmed version of Windows or a custom operating system built by the Xbox team, with one executive reportedly threatening to cancel the device if forced to use Windows.
Sensor Tower estimates Rockstar had pre-sold about 6.45 million copies of Grand Theft Auto VI as of October 20, generating roughly $630 million in revenue. PlayStation 5 accounts for about 74% of pre-orders (4.8 million units) versus 1.66 million on Xbox Series X|S, ahead of the game's November 19 release.
A new guide clarifies that the orange light on a PlayStation 5 is a normal indicator rather than a warning sign, while outlining other symptoms that suggest the console needs repair. It identifies overheating and GPU failure as the most common PS5 problems, detailing symptoms like unexpected shutdowns, loud fans, and screen flickering or static.
Rockstar Games published the launch trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 on Thursday, featuring a new track from Justice with Tame Impala, SZA and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. The trailer introduces protagonists Jason, a former soldier with a troubled past, and Lucia, whose phone call sets the story in motion. The game is set to launch Nov. 19 on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.