Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game podcast. This week the Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- discuss the PlayStation 5 price and release date, Demon's Souls, Spider-Man Miles Morales, Final Fantasy 16, Deathloop, Monster Hunter, Disgaea 6, Spelunky 2, and so much more. The music in this episode is from Spelunky. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

Sony finally — finally — announced the PlayStation 5 price and release date during its latest PS5 event, and sure, the pre-order situation is a little muddy, but in terms of cost it’s just about the best-case scenario interested buyers could have reasonably hoped for. And the price points are not only largely fair compared to the competition, they’re also smartly competitive, and a clear indicator that even as Microsoft’s console philosophy has shifted, Sony is still in it to dominate the sales charts. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-game-and-announcement-featured-in-the-playstation-5-showcase-event&captions=true"] PS5’s standard edition costs $499, and the PS5 digital edition is $399. Other than the absence of a disc drive (and thus the console’s reduced weight and size), both systems have functionally the same specs — same SSD, same storage space, and all the same 3D audio and ray tracing bells and whistles Sony has been promising. That not only puts the PS5’s more expensive option and Xbox Series X at the same price point, but means you can buy the PS5 Digital Edition for $100 cheaper than the competition. Yes, the Series X is more powerful, and there are still plenty of incentives to buy an Xbox – Game Pass, more robust backward compatibility, and Xbox’s Play Anywhere initiative all make the Xbox Series X a great platform. But as an argument to buy a next-gen system to play next-gen games, Sony has made the PS5 pretty hard to pass up, so long as you don’t mind giving up discs.

The Digital Edition Undercut

Sony’s big play is the PS5 Digital Edition, which essentially offers Sony’s topline hardware for $100 less than Xbox’s top-of-the-line Series X. Discussions of raw horsepower aside, Sony is making the argument that you can get a comparable experience for less than the competition with the PS5. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/ps5-price-release-date-launch-games-and-more-beyond-episode-666"] And it really benefits Sony for you to want to pick up the Digital Edition. Sure, even if Sony loses any money on the cost of the box itself, the Digital Edition locks you into Sony’s purchasing ecosystem. Outside of the occasional digital code you may get on Amazon, Digital players will be buying all their PS5 games from Sony directly, and can never trade in those games to a third-party retailer. The PlayStation Network Store is effectively the only shopping option, and that means Sony gets a much larger, more consistent cut of every game you buy. Even if Sony makes less money from you on day one, they’ll get a more consistent share of every game you buy from them, rather than having to share the profits with retailers and shipping.

A Stronger Launch Lineup

The latest PS5 showcase gave us a better understanding of what PS5 owners will be able to play on day one, and...it’s looking a lot stronger than Xbox Series X and S this holiday. First of all, yes, it’s undeniable to say that Sony announcing Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is also coming to PS4 offers one less huge incentive to buy a PS5 on day one, alongside other upcoming games like Horizon Forbidden West. For Sony to spend most of 2020 saying it “believes in generations” rather than Microsoft’s more blurred line and then make these announcements, it knocks a bit of the wind out of the sales of why you should buy a PS5 this fall. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] That said, the console will have a decent amount of console and console-family exclusives, including Demon’s Souls, Destruction Allstars, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Astro’s Playground on the first-party front, plus third-party console exclusives like Godfall and a host of PS4/PS5 console exclusives from the indie realm like Bugsnax and The Pathless in the nebulous “Holiday 2020” window. And that’s not counting Sony’s biggest play — between the two PS5 showcases, Sony gave players the hard sell on long-term ownership. With exclusives like God of War, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Final Fantasy XVI, and more, Sony clearly made a case for why the next couple of years are a going to be great time to own a PS5. Of course, there is the big question of power — the Series X is the more powerful console, and theoretically games will run and look better on it. Players looking to buy the beefiest console (until the inevitable PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X-2?), Xbox is currently the way to go. But we’ve yet to see any direct performance comparisons and so, at least for launch when so many third-party games are also having to consider current-gen versions too, it’s a safe bet to assume that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of cross-platform games will be comparable enough that PS5 players likely won’t miss out on much. That said, if raw power is your primary concern, it may be best to wait until we have some concrete examples and comparisons of how the two consoles stack up. On the whole, Sony wisely let Microsoft show its whole hand first before laying out what it had to offer. It may feel like conspiracy theory-level thinking to Sony made major changes to its pricing plans because of where Microsoft landed with the Xbox series but by being the last ones to go, Sony could shore up a competitive pricing plan, and pivot its messaging to double down on what it offers that Microsoft doesn’t — two console options, one cheaper by a not insignificant margin, that offer the same on-screen experience. Whichever price point you might choose, Sony’s launch window and current year-one lineups do a great job of telling you what your initial investment will get you, and why they think it’s worth your money now and throughout 2021 – even if preordering is a pain in the ass. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Sony finally — finally — announced the PlayStation 5 price and release date during its latest PS5 event, and sure, the pre-order situation is a little muddy, but in terms of cost it’s just about the best-case scenario interested buyers could have reasonably hoped for. And the price points are not only largely fair compared to the competition, they’re also smartly competitive, and a clear indicator that even as Microsoft’s console philosophy has shifted, Sony is still in it to dominate the sales charts. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-game-and-announcement-featured-in-the-playstation-5-showcase-event&captions=true"] PS5’s standard edition costs $499, and the PS5 digital edition is $399. Other than the absence of a disc drive (and thus the console’s reduced weight and size), both systems have functionally the same specs — same SSD, same storage space, and all the same 3D audio and ray tracing bells and whistles Sony has been promising. That not only puts the PS5’s more expensive option and Xbox Series X at the same price point, but means you can buy the PS5 Digital Edition for $100 cheaper than the competition. Yes, the Series X is more powerful, and there are still plenty of incentives to buy an Xbox – Game Pass, more robust backward compatibility, and Xbox’s Play Anywhere initiative all make the Xbox Series X a great platform. But as an argument to buy a next-gen system to play next-gen games, Sony has made the PS5 pretty hard to pass up, so long as you don’t mind giving up discs.

The Digital Edition Undercut

Sony’s big play is the PS5 Digital Edition, which essentially offers Sony’s topline hardware for $100 less than Xbox’s top-of-the-line Series X. Discussions of raw horsepower aside, Sony is making the argument that you can get a comparable experience for less than the competition with the PS5. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/ps5-price-release-date-launch-games-and-more-beyond-episode-666"] And it really benefits Sony for you to want to pick up the Digital Edition. Sure, even if Sony loses any money on the cost of the box itself, the Digital Edition locks you into Sony’s purchasing ecosystem. Outside of the occasional digital code you may get on Amazon, Digital players will be buying all their PS5 games from Sony directly, and can never trade in those games to a third-party retailer. The PlayStation Network Store is effectively the only shopping option, and that means Sony gets a much larger, more consistent cut of every game you buy. Even if Sony makes less money from you on day one, they’ll get a more consistent share of every game you buy from them, rather than having to share the profits with retailers and shipping.

A Stronger Launch Lineup

The latest PS5 showcase gave us a better understanding of what PS5 owners will be able to play on day one, and...it’s looking a lot stronger than Xbox Series X and S this holiday. First of all, yes, it’s undeniable to say that Sony announcing Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is also coming to PS4 offers one less huge incentive to buy a PS5 on day one, alongside other upcoming games like Horizon Forbidden West. For Sony to spend most of 2020 saying it “believes in generations” rather than Microsoft’s more blurred line and then make these announcements, it knocks a bit of the wind out of the sales of why you should buy a PS5 this fall. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] That said, the console will have a decent amount of console and console-family exclusives, including Demon’s Souls, Destruction Allstars, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Astro’s Playground on the first-party front, plus third-party console exclusives like Godfall and a host of PS4/PS5 console exclusives from the indie realm like Bugsnax and The Pathless in the nebulous “Holiday 2020” window. And that’s not counting Sony’s biggest play — between the two PS5 showcases, Sony gave players the hard sell on long-term ownership. With exclusives like God of War, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Final Fantasy XVI, and more, Sony clearly made a case for why the next couple of years are a going to be great time to own a PS5. Of course, there is the big question of power — the Series X is the more powerful console, and theoretically games will run and look better on it. Players looking to buy the beefiest console (until the inevitable PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X-2?), Xbox is currently the way to go. But we’ve yet to see any direct performance comparisons and so, at least for launch when so many third-party games are also having to consider current-gen versions too, it’s a safe bet to assume that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of cross-platform games will be comparable enough that PS5 players likely won’t miss out on much. That said, if raw power is your primary concern, it may be best to wait until we have some concrete examples and comparisons of how the two consoles stack up. On the whole, Sony wisely let Microsoft show its whole hand first before laying out what it had to offer. It may feel like conspiracy theory-level thinking to Sony made major changes to its pricing plans because of where Microsoft landed with the Xbox series but by being the last ones to go, Sony could shore up a competitive pricing plan, and pivot its messaging to double down on what it offers that Microsoft doesn’t — two console options, one cheaper by a not insignificant margin, that offer the same on-screen experience. Whichever price point you might choose, Sony’s launch window and current year-one lineups do a great job of telling you what your initial investment will get you, and why they think it’s worth your money now and throughout 2021 – even if preordering is a pain in the ass. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Amazon is warning customers who pre-ordered the PlayStation 5 that it may not be able to deliver PS5 systems in time for its November 12 launch. Customers who pre-ordered PlayStation 5 systems from Amazon have received emails warning them that Amazon may not be able to fulfill orders in time for launch. Multiple IGN staffers received the same email from Amazon regarding their PS5 pre-orders.

Amazon has sent an email saying PS5 orders may not arrive on launch date due to high demand pic.twitter.com/xip55XEwYD

— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 18, 2020

“We’re contacting you about your order of PlayStation 5 Console to let you know in advance that you may not receive this item on the day it is released due to high demand. We’ll make every effort to get the item to you as soon as possible once released.” When PS5 pre-orders went live, Walmart customers found some of their orders were canceled, but in Amazon’s case, these PS5 pre-orders are still valid. The only issue is that those who ordered from Amazon may not receive a system on launch day. A similar situation with Amazon happened when the Nintendo Switch was released and Amazon couldn’t fulfill orders in time for launch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] IGN will continue to monitor the PS5 pre-order situation. Check out our PS5 pre-order page for regular updates on console drops. Xbox Series X systems will be available for pre-order next week. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Amazon is warning customers who pre-ordered the PlayStation 5 that it may not be able to deliver PS5 systems in time for its November 12 launch. Customers who pre-ordered PlayStation 5 systems from Amazon have received emails warning them that Amazon may not be able to fulfill orders in time for launch. Multiple IGN staffers received the same email from Amazon regarding their PS5 pre-orders.

Amazon has sent an email saying PS5 orders may not arrive on launch date due to high demand pic.twitter.com/xip55XEwYD

— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 18, 2020

“We’re contacting you about your order of PlayStation 5 Console to let you know in advance that you may not receive this item on the day it is released due to high demand. We’ll make every effort to get the item to you as soon as possible once released.” When PS5 pre-orders went live, Walmart customers found some of their orders were canceled, but in Amazon’s case, these PS5 pre-orders are still valid. The only issue is that those who ordered from Amazon may not receive a system on launch day. A similar situation with Amazon happened when the Nintendo Switch was released and Amazon couldn’t fulfill orders in time for launch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] IGN will continue to monitor the PS5 pre-order situation. Check out our PS5 pre-order page for regular updates on console drops. Xbox Series X systems will be available for pre-order next week. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

PlayStation boss Jim Ryan explained Sony’s decision to pass over on making a lower-cost, lower-spec console, citing that those kinds of hardware offerings haven’t done too well in the past. In a translated interview with Japanese media outlet, Impress IGN independently verified, Ryan was asked why Sony didn’t announce a lower-cost PS5 designed with lower-specs. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] “First of all let me say that we respect the judgment and philosophy of our competitors. Obviously price is an important factor, and we respect the strategy of our competitors. That said, we are completely convinced of our strategy and its implications,” said Ryan. “One thing I would say is that introducing a low-spec console at a low price range hasn’t produced pleasing results in this industry’s past. We have also considered such an approach, but I also know that other operators have tried and had problems.” Ryan says the conclusion comes from research that says customers want to invest in a console for long-term and use it for as long as 7 years. “We want the products we buy to be future proof,” Ryan says. “We are not looking to buy a product that will become obsolete in a few years.” Although Sony isn’t introducing a lower-spec model this generation, the company revealed the PS5 Digital, a cheaper system with the same specs as a standard PS5, except without a physical media drive. The digital PS5 costs $399 compared to the $499 physical media version. Microsoft, meanwhile, has introduced a cheaper, lower-spec Xbox Series S that’s capable of playing games at 1440p compared to the Xbox Series X’s 4K. The Series S costs $299 compared to the $499 Xbox Series X and will be able to play all the same next-gen games and have access to Game Pass. For more on next-gen consoles, check out our PS5 pre-order page which is regularly updated to help snag a pre-order for the PS5. The Xbox Series X and S will go on pre-order next week. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

No Man's Sky's next major update is called Origins and it's coming next week. Hello Games' No Man's Sky has come a long way since its original release thanks to its many large updates and all of the patches in between. Its next major update will launch next wee, and the studio's Sean Murray said Origins will be the beginning of something new. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=no-mans-sky-desolation-update-screenshots&captions=true"] "Four years ago we announced FOUNDATION, our first major update for No Man's Sky," Murray said in a blog post released today. "'It won't be our largest update, but it is the start of something.' Those words were true at the time, and they ring true for Origins. We called it Origins because it is the beginning of something new, as No Man's Sky continues to grow and evolve." The blog post goes on to mention the game's last major update, Beyond, which brought VR to the game and expanded upon its online capabilities, as well as the more regular updates the game received over the past year. Namely, Synthesis, Bytebeat, Living Ship, Exo Mech, Crossplay, and Desolation. "We know there is a huge appetite in the community for No Man's Sky content, and the team has worked our socks off this year to deliver in difficult circumstances," the blog post reads. "We have been quiet, but we are always listening and focusing on improving the game that our team loves and feels so passionately about." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/14/no-mans-sky-beyond-review"] Like the rest of No Man's Sky's updates, Origins is expected to be free for all players. As far as when players can expect to jump into everything new that comes with the update, no official date has been announced. We do know, however, that it's releasing next week. For more No Man's Sky, read about how Hello Games is working on a huge and ambitious new game and then read about why we think No Man's Sky made a major comeback. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Cyberpunk 2077's PC specs were revealed during today's Night City Wire livestream, both for minimum and recommended requirements. You can find the minimum and recommended system requirements listed below. CD Projekt Red has confirmed minimum specifications to run Cyberpunk 2077 are as follows: Processor: Intel Core i5-3570K or AMD FX-8310 RAM: 8 GB Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 3GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 Storage: HDD (70 GB), SSD recommended [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cyberpunk-2077-25-new-night-city-images&captions=true"] For an optimal experience, these are the recommended system requirements: Processor: Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 3 3200G RAM: 12 GB Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon R9 Fury Storage: SSD (70 GB) Cyberpunk 2077 is in its 'final stretch of development' according to CD Projekt Red and the developer does not anticipate any further delays at this time. Be sure to check out the full Night City Wire (Episode 3) stream to see all the new details revealed for Cyberpunk 2077 including more about the individual districts you'll explore within Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 is slated to release November 19th and will arrive on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia with enhanced versions coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X in 2021 as free upgrades for existing owners of the base game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

If you're a fan of all things Middle-earth and have very deep pockets, Weta Workshop has just the collectible for you. The company recently unveiled a new statue featuring The Hobbit's King Thranduil, and it's easily one of the company's most elaborate and expensive pieces to date. Dubbed The Hobbit Masters Collection: Thranduil, The Woodland King, this piece recreates the likeness of actor Lee Pace and depicts the elven monarch perched regally in his forest throne while one of his guards stands at attention. Get a closer look at this amazing piece in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-hobbit-this-king-thranduil-statue-is-fit-for-a-woodland-king&captions=true"] Like many of Weta's Hobbit/Lord of the Rings pieces, The Woodland King is designed at 1:6 scale. But given the enormous size of Thranduil's throne, the piece still clocks in at a whopping 41.33 inches in width and 39.37 inches in height. It's also got a price tag to match, coming in at $2799.99 (not including what promises to be a massive shipping charge). Given that only a select few Middle-earth fanatics will have the spare cash and the space needed to display this monster of a statue, The Woodland King is limited to a low edition size of 400 pieces. But apparently the demand is there, as it's already sold out on Weta's website. Fortunately, it's still available at a handful of other third-party retailers like BBTS. If you're lucky enough to snag one of these statues, Weta estimates it'll start shipping in March 2021. Let us know in the comments below if you'll be trying to pre-order one or simply admire it from afar. Even if you don't have an extra $3000 and an empty bedroom lying around, there's plenty of reason to be excited about the future of all things Middle-earth. Amazon is producing a Lord of the Rings prequel series set during the Second Age of Middle-earth. Production began in February 2020, though it's been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/19/amazons-lord-of-the-rings-the-second-age-explained"] Though the series takes place thousands of years before the movies, fans can expect to see several familiar Lord of the Rings characters. However, Hugo Weaving has made it clear he has no interest in returning to play Elrond again. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

CD Projekt Red has released a number of new Cyberpunk 2077 images, showing off the game's gangs and locations. In today's third Night City Wire broadcast, we were given a closer look at the districts of Night City, and the often violent factions that populate them. The biggest new glut of images focus on Night City itself, with 25 screenshots showing us the abandoned Pacifica resort, the Corpo-packed City Center, Japantown, and much more: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cyberpunk-2077-25-new-night-city-images&captions=true"] We also got a set of renders of many of the game's gangs, from the freakishly augmented Animals to the katana-wielding Tyger Claws: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cyberpunk-2077-9-gang-renders&captions=true"] The images should be a good representation of what we'll be playing when the game arrives on November 19, given that it's now in the final stretch of development. We've played 4 hours of the game so far, and were very impresse dby what we found, saying "it just might somehow live up to the years of hype." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-how-2-ign-editors-played-it-differently"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.