Bloodborne Remake: New Hope After PlayStation Anniversary Trailer

Speculation surrounding a Bloodborne remake or sequel has surged following its inclusion 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's Appearance in the Anniversary Trailer

Set to a unique rendition of The Cranberries' "Dreams," the trailer highlighted iconic PlayStation games such as Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and Helldivers 2. Each game featured a thematic caption; for example, Final Fantasy VII was captioned "It's about fantasy," and Resident Evil, "It's about fear." The final Bloodborne segment, however, with its emphasis on "persistence," fueled fan excitement.

Despite the lack of concrete information before or after the trailer's release, fan speculation regarding a Bloodborne sequel 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 Bloodborne locations sparked a similar wave of anticipation, although no official announcement followed.

While the trailer's conclusion features Bloodborne, it could simply be a nod to the game's renowned difficulty, highlighting the persistence required from players, rather than a direct hint at upcoming updates.

PS5's Latest Update: UI Customization

To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Sony released a PS5 update including a limited-time PS1 boot-up sequence and customizable themes inspired by past PlayStation consoles. This update offers 30th-anniversary and PS1-to-PS4 themes, allowing players to revisit the nostalgia of past PlayStation experiences.

The update enables PS5 users to personalize their home screen's design and sound effects based on older consoles. After installing the update, navigating to PS5 Settings and selecting "PlayStation 30th Anniversary," then "Appearance and Sound," allows users to customize their home screen background and sound effects.

While fans appreciate this surprise update, particularly the return of the PS4 user interface, the limited-time availability has caused disappointment, with some expressing a willingness to pay for permanent access. Others speculate this could be Sony testing the waters for future, more comprehensive UI customization options on PS5.

Sony's Potential New Handheld Console

Speculation extends beyond the PS5 update. On December 2nd, 2024, Digital Foundry on YouTube corroborated Bloomberg's report regarding PlayStation's development of a new handheld console. Bloomberg's November 25th article claimed Sony is developing a handheld device for PS5 games. While still in its early stages, Sony aims to enter the portable gaming market currently dominated by 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 panelists discussed the logical timing for Microsoft and Sony's entry into the portable gaming market, given the prevalence of smartphone gaming, suggesting their handheld devices can coexist with mobile gaming.

While Microsoft has openly expressed interest in a handheld device, Sony remains tight-lipped. Despite Digital Foundry's confirmation, it may take years before we see these devices from Microsoft and Sony, as they need to create affordable yet graphically superior consoles to compete with Nintendo.

Meanwhile, Nintendo appears ahead in the portable gaming market. Nintendo 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.