Speculation surrounding a potential Bloodborne remake or sequel has surged following its prominent feature in PlayStation's 30th-anniversary video. Let's delve into the latest news and the recent PS5 update.
PlayStation's 30th Anniversary: A Fitting Finale
Bloodborne Takes Center Stage
The PlayStation 30th-anniversary trailer concluded with a captivating clip of the beloved PS4 exclusive, *Bloodborne*, accompanied by the phrase, "It's about persistence." While other iconic titles also appeared, the inclusion of *Bloodborne* ignited fervent speculation among fans regarding a potential remaster or even a highly anticipated sequel.Set to a unique rendition of The Cranberries' "Dreams," the trailer showcased PlayStation's most celebrated games, including Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and Helldivers 2, each paired with a thematic caption. For instance, Final Fantasy VII was captioned "It's about fantasy," and Resident Evil, "It's about fear." The final Bloodborne segment, however, with its "It's about persistence" tagline, sparked significant online buzz.
Despite the lack of concrete information before or after the trailer's release, fan speculation regarding a Bloodborne 2 or a 60fps remaster with enhanced graphics remains rampant. This isn't the first instance of such speculation; on August 17th, PlayStation Italia's Instagram post featuring iconic game locations fueled a similar wave of excitement, although no official announcement followed.
While the trailer's conclusion with Bloodborne might simply acknowledge the game's notorious difficulty and the persistence required to conquer it, the timing and placement have certainly fueled the hopes of many players.
PS5 Update: Customizable UI
To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Sony released a PS5 update featuring a limited-time PS1 boot-up sequence and customizable themes inspired by past consoles. This includes themes spanning the PS1 to PS4 eras, allowing players to revisit the nostalgic aesthetics of their PlayStation gaming history.
The update enables PS5 users to personalize their home screen's design and sound effects, mirroring previous consoles. After installing the update, navigating to PS5 Settings and selecting "PlayStation 30th Anniversary," then "Appearance and Sound," allows users to customize their background and sound effects.
While the update's reception has been largely positive, particularly the return of the PS4 UI, the limited-time availability has drawn criticism, with some expressing a willingness to pay for its permanence. Others speculate that this could be a test run for future, more comprehensive UI customization options on the PS5.
Sony's Potential Handheld Console
The wave of speculation extends beyond the PS5 update. On December 2nd, 2024, Digital Foundry corroborated Bloomberg's report regarding Sony's development of a new handheld console for PS5 games. Bloomberg's November 25th article initially revealed Sony's foray into the portable gaming market, currently dominated by the Nintendo Switch.
Digital Foundry's Senior Staff Writer, John Linneman, stated, "We actually heard about this handheld some months ago from a couple of sources specifically… it’s interesting that this finally, sort of, started to make its rounds because it just sort of confirmed what we had seen and heard off the record."
The panel discussed the logical timing of both Microsoft and Sony entering the portable market, given the current prevalence of smartphone gaming, suggesting their handheld devices can complement mobile gaming.
While Microsoft has been more open about its handheld ambitions, Sony remains tight-lipped. Despite Digital Foundry's confirmation, the release of both Microsoft's and Sony's handheld consoles may be years away, requiring the development of affordable yet graphically superior devices to compete with Nintendo.
In contrast, Nintendo appears to be ahead in the portable gaming race. Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, announced on Twitter (X) in May 2024 that more information about the Nintendo Switch's successor would be revealed within the fiscal year.
