Following a few false starts, the hype train for the next generation of consoles has just hit full steam.
Microsoft twice attempted to take the lead with a pair of Xbox Series X presentations that barely showed any actual gameplay footage of its new titles. And Sony misread the room completely when it packaged up a boring tech talk as it's first official PS5 announcement back in March. But the Thursday, June 11 showcase has put the Japanese console maker out in front.
The PlayStation 5 event was a breathless, rapid-fire hit of games from studios around the world. Kicking off with an announcement from Rockstar Games – the most successful developer on the planet – was a statement of intent. Sure, it was to announce that GTAV, a seven-year-old game that’s graced the PS3 and PS4, would arrive on Sony’s new machine with an “enhanced” version, but it was big moment.
One of the biggest criticisms of both Sony and Microsoft before this show was the lack of real in-game action. And this showreel duly delivered. Instead of target footage, which shows what the games might look like, 99 per cent of the games shown had at least a few seconds of genuine gameplay.
In total, 25 games were squeezed into the PlayStation 5 presentation. It was a generous mix of titles from smaller indie game studios and world-renowned developers. What was most surprising, and satisfying, was that this was the first time most people – gamers and specialist press alike – had even heard that these games were in development. Usually we’re drip-fed information from studios, and you can probably guess what’s coming up, but most of this line-up genuinely caught gamers off-guard.
There were triple-A franchise surprises such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Resident Evil 8 and family-favourite Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. And curious oddities such as Stray, where you play as a cat in a world where humans are extinct. There was even a glimpse of the upcoming Hitman 3, which was introduced with a level set in Dubai.
As each title rattled by it became more obvious that Sony did its homework on how the world was feeling towards the next-gen. This was a meticulously planned, fan-pleasing affair that was built to capitalise on the well-intentioned, yet disappointing Xbox Series X presentation from Microsoft on May 7. This isn’t a new ploy either. Sony is well versed in the fight for gamer’s hearts… and cash.
Back in 2013, when PS4 and Xbox One were about to launch, Sony jumped on a fumble from Microsoft and has been running with the ball ever since. Xbox One was the first machine to need an “always on” internet connection to play games. When fans voiced their concerns about not having reliable internet, former Xbox head, Don Mattrick responded, “Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity: it's called Xbox 360." He alienated a fanbase with one comment by suggesting they stick to the previous generation console. And while that soundbite will likely haunt Xbox forever, Sony built a whole campaign around it. It poked fun at the quote with every press conference and coined its “For The Gamers” tagline for PS4, which – with sledgehammer subtlety – reminded people that the console it had made was for everyone. At the last count PS4 had sold 106 million consoles worldwide compared to Xbox One’s 46 million.
While it’s still early days in the battle for supremacy in the next-gen console wars, the PlayStation 5 presentation will be a hard act to follow. The slickness of the show was well measured, and the mix of games demonstrated that there’s something for the whole family. And the hardware reveal right at the end was the icing on the cake. Two different versions – one with a disc tray and one completely digital – were shown in their eye-catching ice white colour. It really was a superb show, and one that’s likely got even the most ardent Xbox fans tempted to jump ship.
So, what now? Well, Microsoft has already shown its hand with its games and the early reveal of what the Xbox Series X looks like. It’s going to need some showstopping games or tech to be revealed if it’s going to win the next round. Whatever happens, Microsoft cannot afford to wait around. Especially considering it’s already playing catch-up with the current generation of machines.
Time will tell who comes out on top, but in the early stages of the next-gen console war between PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Sony has just commandeered the hype train. Your move, Microsoft.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The%20Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Movie
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Aaron%20Horvath%20and%20Michael%20Jelenic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Pratt%2C%20Anya%20Taylor-Joy%2C%20Charlie%20Day%2C%20Jack%20Black%2C%20Seth%20Rogen%20and%20Keegan-Michael%20Key%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
10pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Company%C2%A0profile
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LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
The%20specs
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Company%C2%A0profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke
Two stars
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (rated 72-87) Dh 165,000 1,600m.
Winner: Syncopation, George Buckell, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Big Brown Bear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,200m.
Winner: Stunned, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap (85-105) Dh 210,000 2,000m.
Winner: New Trails, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
9.25pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,600m.
Winner: Pillar Of Society, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SE%20(second%20generation)
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Company%20profile
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The studios taking part (so far)
- Punch
- Vogue Fitness
- Sweat
- Bodytree Studio
- The Hot House
- The Room
- Inspire Sports (Ladies Only)
- Cryo
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
