It's that time again! We're days away from the November 12, 2020 release of Sony's PlayStation 5, but you know how it goes: some people (present company included) have been lucky enough to get their hands on the PS5 before everyone else. Michael B. Jordan—star of the Creed franchise, Black Panther, and lifelong gamer—was one of those people. Truth be told, he got to experience the PS5 a full week before my delivery touched down! Lucky for us, we were able to catch up with the gamer-turnt-actor immediately following the filming of the above video, and he was still coming down from his PS5-induced high. "They had to pry it out of my fingertips," Jordan admitted when asked about his first PlayStation 5 experience.
In our brief chat, Jordan shared his hands-on experience with the new PlayStation-exclusive Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, his journey as a gamer, favorite games, and even gives us some insight on how he likes to game...you may have been hooped against Michael B. Jordan and didn't even know it!
You just got your hands on the PlayStation 5, huh?
Listen here: They had to pry it out of my fingertips. Okay?
What was your first experience like?
My first experience was incredible, man. I got a chance to play two of my favorite games, Call of Duty, and a little bit of Spider-Man: Miles Morales. So it was everything I wanted it and needed it to be.
That's amazing. You were a big fan of the first Spider-Man game on the PS4?
Oh, yeah. That was incredible. When Into the Spider-Verse came out we were like, "Hey, listen: a) he needs another movie and b) he needs some video games." The fact that they figured out a way to get that done was really exciting.
Talk about what that was like to be as Miles.
It was dope, man. One of the best things about these games is they get a chance to go in between gameplay and the actual story. So, to be able to kind of see Miles put in different situations and settings and see more of his personality and his style, it's pretty incredible, man. The graphics are really, really clean. The load time, it seems like it's a lot quicker; it's everything you really want in a game. Just from like web-slinging around the city [and on the] tops of buildings, that was one of the best parts of the first game. You felt like there were no boundaries. This one kind of gives you that same feeling.
You also mentioned getting into some Call of Duty. What were your thoughts on playing that on the PS5?
I mean, just the detail, man. The lighting and the shading, and just in the environment. All the small details, it feels like you're really in that location. I feel like even when you're shooting or breathing or running or going through a door or getting shot at, the controller vibrates in different pulses. So it gives you real feedback, that sensation in your hands, that you're actually in that moment, at that time. That is something they added to it. The controller is a little heavier. It kind of gives you a little bit more weight, so it makes you feel grounded. I think a lighter controller is a little flimsy, but this one makes you feel like you're just really hands-on with what's going on.
Amazing. How long have you been gaming?
Since I was a kid. I think I came out of the womb with a PlayStation controller in my hand. (Laugs) But yeah, man, I've been playing games all my life, before it was cool to play games. From the Crash Bandicoots to the Need for Speeds to the Metal Gear Solids. I've been gaming my whole life, man.
What was the first PlayStation console you got?
The first PlayStation. I begged my parents to get it for the holidays. The Sunday paper came out, [and I would] get little coupons and discounts. You sit there [saying], "I don't want anything, I swear. I'll never asked you for anything ever again. I promise. No... The only thing I ever wanted! No dinner! No dinner for me. Nothing. No, no. I just want this!" I was fortunate enough to get that first PlayStation, and the rest is history.
Definitely. I remember getting that first PlayStation too and having to hit a button to have a door come up to then put a disc in there.
Exactly.
Who's on your squad? Are you gaming with the friends we saw in your Coach ad or is it a different group entirely? Are you mixing it up with your fans?
I haven't gotten into the complete mixing it up with fans, but I do... I got my squad of people that I play with, back home in Jersey, couple people in Texas, couple people in Cali or whatever that I run with on the regular. But every now and again, I'll switch up my screen name and I'll play with other people. I haven't got on Twitch or anything like that [and] really started gaming as me. I haven't done that just yet.
So, Michael B. Jordan playing under a totally different name. Is that with the mic on or the mic off?
That's with the mic on, until... It's always funny to hear people start asking questions or if I start talking about certain subjects just to see if I keep talking or if I answer in a certain type of way. It's a sick and twisted sense of humor of mine. It's actually kind of funny just like, turn the mic on and play every once in a while.
That's some Bill Murray shit, I won't lie. Somebody's randomly going to have a story about getting beat by Michael B. Jordan on 2K or what have you. What are some of the games you're playing right now?
2K and Call of Duty get the majority of my time, for sure. Uncharted. I'm copping Spider-Man. I can't wait to play this Miles Morales version in its entirety. Those are the ones I really rock out. Resident Evil would be one that I cop just because it's just fun to play at night, with the lights off. My sisters and I used to play that a lot growing up.
Nostalgia is why games like Crash Bandicoot 4 are still amazing. Now I would assume with your schedule at times, it'd be difficult to get into games, like a Grand Theft Auto V or The Last of Us, with long, drawn-out campaigns?
I haven't gotten to those in quite some time, to be perfectly honest. I like the games that I'm able to just play it in those moments and have a great time and then kind of step out of it. When I'm traveling, I'm always taking my PlayStation with me so I can be able to play with my boys and other people from the area and stuff like that. Gaming keeps me out of trouble and in the house.
You may have already answered the question, but what does PlayStation mean to Michael B. Jordan?
PlayStation just means... legacy, honestly. It's been an evolution. It's something that I've seen grow, and it's surpassed my expectations at every iteration. This one, I can't wait to dive into all the details of it. But PlayStation, for me, is happy memories, friendships, bonds. I have people that I play with, on the regular, that I've never met before, that I only talk to through a party chat. That type of connectivity builds friendships. It keeps people connected.
