Sony plans to remove a software feature many PlayStation 5 users may not know even exists. In fall 2022, the company will discontinue support for Accolades. As the name suggests, Accolades allow you to commend players you meet online for sportsmanship …
The best Xbox games for 2022
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The Morning After: No, Google isn’t shutting down Stadia
Google has responded to last week’s rumors that it may sunset its Stadia gaming service this year: “Stadia is not shutting down,” the official Stadia Twitter account told a concerned fan in a tweet spotted by PC Gamer. “Rest assured we’re always workin…
BMW recalls 83 iX and i4 EVs over battery fire concerns
BMW is recalling 83 iX and i4 vehicles after investigating multiple battery fire incidents involving the two EVs. In an advisory spotted by Autoblog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns owners of select iX xDrive 50, iX M60, i4 eDr…
Samsung’s ‘Repair Mode’ keeps your data hidden from technicians
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TikTok is testing more mini-games, including one from Aim Lab
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Nike Training Club adds adaptive workouts to make exercise more accessible
Nike wants to make fitness apps accessible to more people with disabilities. The athletics gear maker has introduced adaptive workouts to the Nike Training Club app (available for Android and iOS) that you can perform whether or not you have a disability. The seven classes in this set target a wide range of movement and equipment, ranging from upper-body strength training with dumbbells to yoga.
A Nike athlete with limb loss, Amy Bream, leads all the classes. You’ll also find guidance from an adaptive training-focused physical therapist. Training Club already offers an exercise program for expecting and recent mothers.
The company isn’t alone in making these apps more accessible. Apple added Fitness+ workouts for pregnant people and seniors last year and has Apple Watch wheelchair workout tracking, for instance. Still, Nike’s move is an important step that could bring exercise apps to a wider audience.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 revealed in leaked renders
Samsung vowed to make foldable phones mainstream last year, and so far, more and more people have been embracing the form factor. In fact, the tech giant previously said that more people switched brands for the Galaxy Flip 3 than for its flagship devic…
The Morning After: Instagram backpedals on its full-screen feed
Last month, Instagram started testing a full-screen display for photos and videos. And we didn’t like it. Now, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri says the test will be wound down over the next couple of weeks. “For the new feed designs, people are frustrated,…
Sony lowers forecast for PS5 gaming sales in 2022
At the end of its fiscal year in May, Sony was fairly bullish on gaming sales, predicting sales of 18 million PlayStation 5s for 2022 after selling 11.5 million in 2021. The company also expected a “significant” revenue increase in its gaming division over 2021 due to a boost across “all categories.”
In its latest earnings drop, however, the company has revised its profit forecast down by 16 percent from 305 billion yen ($2.3 billion) in May to 255 billion yen ($1.9 billion), “due to an expected decrease in sales of first party titles,” it wrote. The company also chalked up the drop in revenue to higher expenses due to its acquisition of Bungie Studios closing earlier than expected.
Sony didn’t say anything about its PS5 console forecast, but it sold 2.4 million units this quarter compared to 2.3 million in the same quarter last year (21.7 million units to date). That means it must sell over 5 million units on average for the next three quarters to meet its May forecast — something it has never done before. In May, however, Sony said that it will finally be able to ramp up production to meet PS5 demand as supply chain issues ease — though as it stands now, the consoles are still in short supply.
On the software side, things also went south as Sony sold just 47.1 million titles, including 6.4 million first party games, compared to 63.6 million titles and 10.5 million first-party games in the same quarter of 2021. On top of that, PlayStation Plus users dropped slightly from Q4 (47.3 million instead of 47.4 million), and monthly active users also dropped from 106 to 102 million. Sony introduced the new higher-priced PS Plus Extra and Premium tiers in June, but it has yet to reveal the impact of those — hopefully, we’ll learn more next quarter.
Looking ahead, Sony has a few major titles on the horizon that could perk up software sales, including God of War Ragnarokcoming November 9th, and The Last of Us Part I remake arriving on September 2nd. On the hardware side, the PSVR 2 has been revealed but isn’t expected to arrive until next year.
The next quarter will be a lot more interesting for Sony’s gaming division, as PS5 sales will show if it’s been able to ramp up production. Game sales will also be notable, as the steep drop this quarter bodes ominously for the industry as a whole.
Update 7/29/2022 10:34 AM ET: The post has been updated with information that Sony has sold 21.7 million PS5s to date, not 21.4 million.