The 4 Biggest Tech And Gaming Drops Set To Rock The Fall

Despite the generally dire state of the world, the holiday season is still right around the corner, and as such, companies are prepping an avalanche of new tech and gaming launches. The fall season is set to be particularly packed in 2020, thanks to the impending debut of a new video game console generation.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest launches and debuts coming in the next few months.

• PlayStation 5:

Sony’s follow-up to the toweringly successful PlayStation 4 is still somewhat shrouded in mystery, with no price tag confirmed and no release date more specific than “November.” Still, eager gamers have been given plenty to go on in terms of next-gen specs, with the PS5 sporting optimized SSD storage for non-existent load times, the new “DualSense” controller with immersive feedback capabilities, and the much-hyped “3D audio” capabilities, which Sony heralds as a major step for video game immersion.

Launch window titles are set to include exclusives like “Spider-Man: Miles Morales” and “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart,” as well as cross-generational releases like “Cyberpunk 2077” and “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.”

• Xbox Series X & Series S:

Whereas Sony remains cagey about details, Microsoft has recently revealed that their next-gen consoles will launch on Nov. 10, costing $499 for the high-end Series X and $299 for the cheaper, digital-only Series S. Flexible cost is Microsoft’s big play for holiday 2020 sales, and the company is even expanding its offerings to include its Xbox Game Pass subscription service to further entice content-hungry gamers.

The system’s launch lineup currently seems to consist of mostly cross-generational multi-platform games, including “Marvel’s Avengers,” “Gears Tactics,” and “FIFA 21.” “Halo Infinite,” once set to be a marquee Series X launch title, has been delayed to 2021.

• "Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War":

The unflaggingly popular “Call of Duty” franchise makes its return on Nov. 13 with the newest entry in the “Black Ops” subseries. A direct follow-up to the first “Black Ops” from 2010, the Treyarch-developed title will see players sent on a covert mission in the 1980s by President Ronald Reagan in a single-player campaign with multiple endings. After penning the first two “Black Ops” entries, “Batman Begins” scribe David Goyer has returned as the writer for the new game, reports USA Today.

“Black Ops – Cold War” is also set to debut across multiple generations of hardware, with versions set for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Multiplayer will pair players across platforms and hardware generations.

• iPhone 12:

Apple’s inevitable next-generation smartphone has yet to be officially unveiled, but a virtual event scheduled for Sept. 15 is speculated to possibly see the debut of the 5G-ready iPhone 12. According to insider accounts, the next iPhones will feature two screen-size options for both the standard and Pro models. All models are also expected to sport crisp OLED screens for the first time in iPhone history.

Apple's iPhone 12 is expected to debut in October, a month later than has been the tradition for many years.