Sony is testing a tiny PS5 version of Steam charts, and I can't wait to see the GTA 6 numbers (GamesRadar)

[Jeans]

Sony is testing a tiny PS5 version of Steam charts, and I can't wait to see...

A new PS5 Welcome Hub widget currently in beta testing reveals top and trending games by region, bringing a new layer of Steam-like player analytics to the notoriously opaque console space.

YouTuber Mystic flagged the PS5 widget in a recent video, showing several examples of details shared with beta program participants (per Radec). Two settings are available: one shows the top 10 most popular PS5 games of the week, and the other shows games that are “trending now,” selected based on “which games and modes are surging in popularity right now.” Both settings use country-specific data rather than global stats, expanding on the “top games in your country” banner already in the PlayStation Store.

This beta widget notably includes player count figures, albeit only weekly. Fortnite had “14.6m players this week,” according to one example shown. Some other examples get into two-digit decimals. (I wouldn’t read too much into the exact numbers here, as the whole thing screams early beta.)

Unsurprisingly, Fortnite and other online giants like GTA Online, Minecraft, and Marvel Rivals fill out this particular top 10. The immovable nature of live service games means that won’t change very much between regions or between weeks, making for a pretty static feed.

Assuming it’s out in the wild or at least still visible in beta, this widget could provide some interesting first-hand data on the GTA 6 launch, as the game’s expected to be heavily PS5-leaning due to the makeup of the console audience today (not to mention Sony’s alleged marketing deal with Rockstar).

The trending widget is more interesting, as it brings a smidgen more algorithmic promotion and topicality to PS5. It also more closely mirrors the feeds and stats orbiting Steam, handily the best store for game visibility. PlayStation doesn’t seem keen to release the granular details that filter through tools like SteamDB or Steam Charts, but any additional insight or visibility for trending PS5 games is welcome.

Sony's Testing A New PS5 Feature. | PlayStation VP Reveals 2nd & 3rd Party Strategies. - [LTPS #726]

[Jeans]

If you want the short version, there’s a video from JackFrags talking about it (not just Battlefield):

Battlefield 6 player numbers are shocking...

[Titan]

I’ve said it elsewhere, but what’s most interesting to me is that Sony would do this considering none of their first party games are going to be in those charts (I’m actually surprised Helldivers isn’t). It kinda just hammers home the reliance on third party. But as someone not on Playstation, I’m really just waiting to see the new endless stream of “Game died after XXX days.” articles . The internet’s reactions to the player charts we have has made me lose faith. People just jump to any conclusions about any game (whether it’s multiplayer or not). I guess this will be interesting because you can’t see all games player counts and the trending seems to just be based on percentage increases. So I’m not even sure how much information we’ll get for most games. That top 10 is only changing when GTAVI replaces GTA V.

[Jeans]

@Titan

…re, but what’s most interesting to me is that Sony would do this considering none of their first party games are going to be in those charts (I’m actually surprised Helldivers isn’t). It kinda just hammers home the reliance on third party. But as someone not on Playstation, I’m really just waiting to see the new endless stream of “Game died after XXX days.” articles . The internet’s reactions to the player charts we have has made me lose faith. People just jump to any conclusions about any game (whether it’s multiplayer or not). I guess this will be interesting because you can’t see all games player counts and the trending seems to just be based on percentage increases. So I’m not even sure how much information we’ll get for most games. That top 10 is only changing when GTAVI replaces GTA V.

It’s kind of sad to be honest. If you watched the JackFrags video I posted, he’s kind of shocked of that top 10. APEX Legends ? GTAV a game from 2013 ?? They are the games making the charts every week.

There’s also a trending feature that tells the games that get a boost, which is more interesting.

I would like the same feature on Xbox with the numbers. I hope they are seeing this because it gets people talking I guess.

[Titan]

@Jeans

It’s kind of sad to be honest. If you watched the JackFrags video I posted, he’s kind of shocked of that top 10. APEX Legends ? GTAV a game from 2013 ?? They are the games making the charts every week.

There’s also a trending feature that tells the games that get a boost, which is more interesting.

I would like the same feature on Xbox with the numbers. I hope they are seeing this because it gets people talking I guess.

The internet made me jaded. I don’t trust them with numbers. Xbox would probably just get a field day for having smaller raw numbers because they’re half the size of Playstation. Trending charts are nice if they bring traction to games. But for the top charts on Xbox and PS there’s not enough good discovery for those to even be interesting. It is sad. Nothings changed in like over a decade.

[Jeans]

@Titan

The internet made me jaded. I don’t trust them with numbers. Xbox would probably just get a field day for having smaller raw numbers because they’re half the size of Playstation. Trending charts are nice if they bring traction to games. But for the top charts on Xbox and PS there’s not enough good discovery for those to even be interesting. It is sad. Nothings changed in like over a decade.

I mean yeah, but as a consumer I like to know these stats. We can already guess, so I think it doesn’t matter. Xbox already has that in the store, we just don’t have the numbers.