PS5 graphics will be "the best that we've yet to see", says Yakuza director

Although Sony isn't going to be part of the E3 2019 games line-up this year, after all the Death Stranding madness and rumours of a Last of Us 2 appearance sometime today, you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Ever since the Japanese gaming giant officially confirmed it was working on PS5 though, all thoughts have been on what the next-generation PlayStation console will offer gamers, and it seems the Yakuza series director, Toshihiro Nagoshi, has shared his thoughts on PS5 - and from the sounds of it, he's way more in the know than we are right now.

Speaking during the latest Sega-Nama broadcast (thanks Gematsu for the translation), Nagoshi was talking about the new Yakuza game, which is set to star Yakuza Online's Ichiban Kasuga. Not only is the story "finally done", but there are some "unexpected people cast" that are "sure to surprise" people.

But then he goes on to give some impressions on the PS5, which emphasise just how powerful Sony's next console will be.

"The processing power of PlayStation 5 is incredible," he said. "So when we try to think of new gameplay that will utilise its full potential, I'm not really sure which aspects of existing machines we should translate."

"If you would pour its power into graphics, it'll be the best that we've yet to see, and I think everyone is thinking about in what way we should use this power."

It certainly aligns with what Sony itself has promised in terms of 8K graphics and ray tracing. However, Nagoshi goes on to talk about how this next generation of consoles will have a slightly different focus to what came before.

"First there was a time where graphics improved, then there was network features, and now I guess you can say it's a return to the 'programmable' era," he adds, suggesting that a big feature of the next-gen consoles will be improved usability rather than major leaps in graphics or online tech. "I think artificial intelligence and machine learning will continue to evolve."

Interestingly, he mentions AI again later on, saying that "there's artificial intelligence and many other things I want to think about". He doesn't elaborate on what exactly that could mean, but it's certainly a head scratcher.

Whether Sony reveals more about the PS5 pre-E3 or at another special event, I'm sure it won't be long until we get more official information.

If you're after more information about the games coming up, here is the full E3 2019 schedule you should look out for, or look below to see what's going on this week in the world of movies, TV, and games!

Sam Loveridge is the Brand Director and former Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar. She joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.