The PlayStation 5 Pro is promising to enhance the system’s current library of games, but there’s one iconic title from a previous generation that will make the console’s price tag worth it to me.
The PS5 Pro was announced at an eye-wateringly high price, as the console is launching with a $699.99 USD/£699.99 tag. This is almost double the cost of a base system, and that’s without a vertical stand or disc drive, which is sold separately.
Some players are already balking at the cost of the PS5 Pro, especially since they anticipate that scalpers will spoil the launch in the same way they did back in 2020. If Sony was smart, then they’d push one game as a PS5 Pro enhanced title to get everyone excited.
The PS5 Pro enhanced game library is filled with games that already look amazing
Sony has announced that several games will receive graphical updates on PS5 Pro. These include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Demons’ Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Stellar Blade, and Gran Turismo 7.
There’s a problem with promoting games like these: they already look amazing.
It’s not hyperbole to say that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth might be the best-looking game of the generation so far, to the point that, when the PS5 Pro enhancements were shown off, fans were joking that they couldn’t tell the difference.
A frame rate boost, especially when ray-tracing is active, is always a plus, but the effect is diminished when it’s shown on triple-A titles that are already graphical showcases.
PlayStation fans must ask themselves whether such marginal gains are worth the huge price tag.
PS5 Pro enhancements are ideal for older games
Where the PS5 Pro enhancements could excel is for older titles in the console’s library. These are games that are still played by millions of people worldwide and an upgrade would have fans genuinely excited for a performance or visual boost.
Titles like Final Fantasy 14 and Red Dead Redemption 2 would generate buzz if they received significant upgrades on the PS5 Pro, to say nothing of the big free-to-play games like Fortnite or Valorant.
It’s highly unlikely that we’re going to be seeing any PS5 Pro exclusives in the future, so focusing on making older titles look amazing alongside the new ones can get the fans invested.
And, of course, there’s the goth-shaped pin on the grenade that Sony has been careful not to even hint at pulling, even after all these years.
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The PS5 Pro release could be the ideal time to bring back Bloodborne
If Sony wants to see PS5 Pros to people who might otherwise ignore it, including myself, then it’s time to put out a Bloodborne patch that finally improves its visuals.
Bloodborne is a strong contender for the title of FromSoftware’s best game, despite fierce competition from the likes of Elden Ring and Dark Souls, yet it’s still stuck in the past. Bloodborne is easily the game fans most want to see improved, but it still hasn’t happened.
If you want to play Bloodborne on the base PS5, you’re playing the backward-compatible PS4 version locked at 30fps. There isn’t a legal PC version you can buy with the option to boost the performance, despite Sony releasing numerous other first-party titles on the system.
If Sony promoted a Bloodborne PS5 Pro enhancement patch that unlocked the frame rate and added ray-tracing (something fans have already done in emulation), then that would be a huge incentive to get the new system.
Bloodborne is incredible, and fans have shown a willingness to return to the game in droves, such as during the annual “Return to Yharnam” event. If the visuals are finally going to be on par with Elden Ring’s graphics, then I couldn’t wait to dive back in and go for another run, especially as it’s going to be a while until we see a new FromSoftware game.
Will Sony release a PS5 Pro enhancement for Bloodborne?
Hell no. This is the same company that’s releasing a PS5 remaster of Horizon Zero Dawn, a game that already looks incredible and doesn’t need any significant visual upgrades.
If Bloodborne is ever going to return, it’s going to be as a full-price release. If we didn’t get an upgrade to sell the PS5, then it’s not going to happen for the PS5 Pro.
Or is it? The PS5 didn’t need Bloodborne to ship systems. The fact it was impossible to buy a console for years due to high demand (and hardware/shipping issues caused by the pandemic) means that Sony didn’t need to bring out the big guns for the system.
A Bloodborne enhancement would be a huge selling point for the PS5 Pro, but it feels more likely that Sony would rather remake the game and put it on the market for $70 USD rather than give a remaster patch away for free.
This a huge shame, as a Bloodborne upgrade patch is something that would get me truly excited about the PS5 Pro. While I love Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, I’m not going to spend nearly £700 for slightly prettier lilies. Now, if the console finally had a 60fps Yharhnam with gorgeous reflections in the Rom fight, then that would make me reach for my wallet.
