➀ After two quarters of declines, Q3 shipments of AR/VR headsets rose 12.8% according to IDC, driven by Meta's Quest 3 and Sony's PSVR2. ➁ Mixed Reality headsets, like the Quest 3, are expected to grow 21.7% in 2025. ➂ Extended Reality devices are forecasted to have a 85.7% CAGR through 2028.

➀ TrendForce estimates that 2024 shipments of VR and MR headsets will increase by 8.8% y-o-y to 9.6 million units; ➁ Three trends are identified: the dominance of low-cost devices, the shift from entertainment accessories to productivity tools, and OLEDoS becoming the preferred display technology for high-end near-eye devices; ➂ Meta leads the VR and MR device shipments with a 73% market share in 2024, driven by the affordable Quest 3S, while the high-end Quest Pro 2 is suspended.

➀ Astro Bot has received a winter update on PS5; ➁ The update is free and includes festive content; ➂ The update is aimed at both children and adults.

➀ Apple is collaborating with Sony to bring third-party controller support to Vision Pro; ➁ Sony's PSVR2 controllers are planned to be supported; ➂ The collaboration aims to boost Vision Pro's profile as a gaming platform.

➀ Apple is reportedly working with Sony to bring PSVR2 controller support to the Vision Pro; ➁ The partnership is aimed at enhancing the VR gaming experience on Apple's headset; ➂ Despite logistical issues, the project is expected to be revealed soon.

➀ Xbox gamers are against Sony's acquisition of FromSoftware, a major game developer; ➁ Concerns are raised about Sony potentially exclusive access to FromSoftware's popular games on PlayStation; ➂ Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard and the integration of game studios into console wars are discussed.

➀ Sony Space Communications Corporation and Astro Digital are partnering to design, manufacture, and launch two micro-satellites for laser communication; ➁ The satellites will showcase SSCC's optical communication technology and push for laser communication to become the industry standard for space comms; ➂ The collaboration aims to address the need for efficient and reliable communication in space exploration.

➀ Concord's release marked a major failure in PlayStation history, with the game being delisted in less than two weeks and the developers being shut down shortly after. ➁ Sony's President and CFO, Hiroki Totoki, commented on the failure, emphasizing the need for more thorough testing and evaluation of new IPs. ➂ Totoki also mentioned the need for a more integrated organizational structure for development and sales, and the importance of selecting the right release window to avoid cannibalization and maximize performance.

➀ The Communication Workers of America (CWA) has criticized Sony's decision to shut down Firewalk Studios, accusing the company of 'monopolistic' tactics. ➁ The union plans to raise concerns about Sony's increasing market power with antitrust regulators and policymakers. ➂ The CWA has been active in opposing mass layoffs in the industry and has previously raised complaints against Microsoft.

➀ Sony is refreshing stock for the PlayStation 5 30th Anniversary Edition consoles and accessories; ➁ The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition - 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle is available for preorder at MSRP; ➂ The DualSense Wireless Controller - 30th Anniversary Limited Edition is also scheduled for release.

➀ Sony announced the release of the ISX038 CMOS image sensor for automotive cameras, with a 1/1.7-inch sensor size and approximately 8.39 million effective pixels. The sensor is the first in the industry to handle and output both RAW and YUV images simultaneously. It features a stack structure with a pixel chip and a logic chip with Sony's SSS ISP, providing high-precision detection and recognition capabilities for the environment outside the vehicle. However, the high price of the product has sparked controversy. ➁ Sony's product is priced at 15,000 yen (about $100), which is at least twice as high as the price of similar products from Chinese manufacturers. ➃ The market for automotive cameras is growing due to the rise of intelligent driving, with China leading in the production and sales of new energy vehicles. Chinese CMOS suppliers are also emerging as a result.

➀ Sony's limited production of the PS5 Pro 30th anniversary edition has been criticized for catering to scalpers; ➁ Sony Japan's strategy to make it harder for scalpers includes requiring a PlayStation Network account with a certain amount of logged hours; ➂ The requirement is only for Japan, not the US or other territories, and is seen as a clever way to ensure more consoles go to genuine gamers.

➀ Sony expands its LYTIA image sensor portfolio with a 50MP CIS for high-end and flagship smartphone cameras. ➁ The sensor boasts a large 1/1.28" sensor size and 1.22 μm pixel size, enhancing image quality with low noise and HDR capabilities. ➂ It supports 4K2K video recording with 120fps All pixel Autofocus and HDR recording options.

➀ Raspberry Pi and Sony have co-developed an AI Camera module priced at $70; ➁ The camera is compatible with all Raspberry Pi single-board computers and features Sony's IMX500 image sensor; ➂ It eliminates the need for additional accelerators or a GPU, handling AI processing internally; ➃ The camera captures footage at 12.3 megapixels and offers adjustable focus and a 76-degree field of view.

➀ A mod for God of War: Ragnarök removed PlayStation runtime elements, allowing users to play without linking a PSN account. ➁ The mod was deleted by the author to avoid potential legal threats from Sony after receiving significant media attention. ➂ Despite the mod's removal, it was downloaded thousands of times, leading to inevitable reuploads.

➀ Sony is hosting a State of Play event today with updates on over 20 upcoming PS5 and PS VR2 games; ➁ The event is set to be a 30-minute show broadcast in English and Japanese on YouTube and Sony's PlayStation Twitch channel; ➂ Previous State of Play events have featured announcements such as Astro Bot for PS5, and fans are hoping for remasters like Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone, as well as a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima.

➀ Sony unveiled the PlayStation 5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition, a limited edition console with retro-themed design and accessories; ➁ The bundle includes a PS5 Pro console with 2TB SSD, Wi-Fi 7, and various retro-themed accessories; ➂ Sony's strategy of releasing a premium, limited edition bundle diverts attention from the PS5 Pro's high price and generates excitement for the platform.

➀ Sony's PS5 sales are more than double that of Microsoft's Xbox Series X and S combined; ➁ Despite the sales discrepancy, Microsoft has a strong market cap and has made significant acquisitions; ➂ Microsoft is also promoting its Xbox Game Pass service and planning for the launch of new generation consoles.

➀ Sony is developing the PlayStation 6, which is expected to be a next-generation game system; ➁ AMD is likely to continue providing hardware for the PS6 despite Intel's attempt to take over; ➂ Intel's financial struggles and high costs contributed to its loss in the bidding process for the PS6 chip supply contract.