The PS5 event scheduled for June 11 has finally been confirmed, and we have an interesting tidbit that will hold us over until Thursday. Sony has told us to watch the PS5 event while wearing headphones.
Listening with headphones instead of speakers may seem a bit of an arbitrary decision for a game showcase, but Sony insists. In a blog post by Sid Schuman, senior director of content communications at Sony Interactive Entertainment, he recommends:
"It's best to watch with headphones if possible," he writes.
"There is some cool audio work in this show, but if you play it through your cell phone or laptop speakers, you may have a hard time appreciating it.
There are two possibilities for what he's trying to say here. One is fairly mundane, but the other is that you might be able to see (or, more accurately, hear) some of the PS5's key features in action.
First, Sherman may simply be saying that the game audio offered will be robust, with lots of nuance in dialogue, sound effects, and music. If that is the case, then listening through cell phone or laptop speakers, even the best ones, will only be "acceptable" and will not give a good feel for how a PS5 game will actually feel. Headphones will alleviate this problem, but so will good high-end speakers.
Another option could be more exciting, although I'm not sure how Sony would make it work. As Mark Cerny made clear when he delved deeper into the hardware a few months ago, one of the key features of the PS5 is 3D audio.
This technology allows users to theoretically hear high-quality directional audio as if it were coming from a surround sound system, rather than from two ear cups. If Sony is going to show off 3D audio, then of course headphones are necessary to hear it.
On the other hand, this may pose a logistical challenge, as Cerny himself explains that how one interprets 3D audio is related to the physical shape of the ear, and therefore requires a somewhat different 3D audio profile for each person. This varies from person to person; some people are very receptive to the 3D audio setup, while others cannot hear any difference at all. it is possible that a PS5 event will sound shocking to a certain percentage of the audience, while to the rest of the audience it will sound just like any other presentation! .
Whatever the sound, don't expect too much from the images. Sherman explained that the entire presentation will be pre-recorded and streamed at 1080p, 30 frames per second. Bandwidth is limited, especially since Sony's team works from home. Hopefully, we will be able to see the features of the PS5 games, even if they are broadcast at a lower graphical fidelity than we get from the PS4 Pro.
For those who wish to tune in, the PS5 event will take place on Thursday, June 11 at 4 p.m. ET on PlayStation's official YouTube and Twitch channels.
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