Commander Fury

Ghost of Yōtei has been a labor of love for Sucker Punch, and we’re happy to have it out in the world for everyone to play. Now that players have gotten a taste of the game, we thought this was a good opportunity to talk a little bit about the technology that helped get us here.

Coming off of what we achieved with Ghost of Tsushima, the project vision for Ghost of Yōtei put a stronger emphasis on a player’s sense of freedom in an untamed wilderness. This meant striving for less intrusive ways to guide players, beautiful environments with longer sightlines, more flexible weapon combat, memorable characters with personality, and emotional story moments. Trying to do all this while maintaining a good frame rate is clearly a challenge.

So, let’s dig into a few aspects of the technology we used to create Ghost of Yōtei!

Wandering a wild world

In prototyping our vision for free exploration, we found it most effective if players could gaze across a beautiful landscape and follow their curiosity to find the game. From a technical perspective, landing that feeling required longer sight lines, meaning better rendering for grass, terrain and mountains into the distance.

We improved the appearance of distant mountains by baking models and detailed terrain materials into textures that we could display at higher detail. We also doubled the amount of grass and renderable items our GPU compute renderer is allowed to produce. In this shot, the distant mountains with over one million trees, rocks, and bushes are culled down to about sixty thousand individual items that we render to generate our G-buffers to build the final image.

We use procedural assisted authoring techniques and lean heavily on GPU compute to process all of these instances efficiently without CPU involvement. This involves sequences of compute jobs to perform occlusion culling, memory allocation, fill out draw records before we readback that information on the CPU to stitch into the final command lists for the frame. Here’s an animation of a similar shot with all GPU drawn geometry animating into place to give you a sense of the scale involved. We use these techniques for runtime generated data as well like our broad fields of flowers, and even occasionally for things like ropes and chains.

To give each area of the world a unique flavor, we built interaction systems that help emphasize their themes. Much of the world has grass or small plants, and in addition to deforming with wind and character motion, we added a system that renders weapon sweeps into a “cut buffer.” This buffer is then sampled by cuttable geometry and is used to spawn particles with the geometry above the cut. This allows Atsu to cut most grass, flowers and small plants in the game.

Hokkaido has Japan’s most extreme winters, so we wanted to realistically portray the interaction of characters with deep snow. To support that, we built a terrain tessellation system that both increases the amount of detail that can be represented by the terrain, and which can be dynamically deformed at runtime. To achieve this, particles and geometry are rendered to a displacement buffer as characters walk, roll and fight through it. This was flexible enough that we extended it to allow characters to knock snow off of trees and bushes, spawning snow particles in the process. When we combine that with a new snow sparkle effect using stable screen-space noise, it ends up looking like this.

Tall mountains like Mt. Yōtei are often covered by clouds, so we had to come up with a way of rendering clouds in front of world geometry, which wasn’t possible in Ghost of Tsushima’s engine. We also wanted to give the impression of stormy, unsettled weather by increasing the speed at which clouds could move. To enable faster cloud motion without objectionable artifacts, we store the average visible depth of each texel in the cloud map (measured from the camera), which allows us to use parallax mapping techniques while scrolling each cloud frame. (We also blend three cloud frames instead of just two, which results in even smoother motion.) By also storing the average visible squared depth in the cloud map, we are able to reconstruct a simple statistical distribution of the cloud opacity along each ray, and this lets us compute how much the clouds should obscure world geometry like mountains.

Fog and atmospheric scattering was an important focus when establishing the art style of Ghost of Tsushima, and for Ghost of Yōtei we wanted to build on that by adding support for local fog volumes. These are computed efficiently by using the PS5’s expanded 16-bit floating point GPU instructions. As a side effect of our cloud optimizations, we compute a light-space cloud shadow map, and this enables crepuscular rays (“god rays”) to be visible in our volumetric fog, even far from the camera. We also let artists place “god ray targets” in the world so that they are more frequently lit by a hole in the clouds.

Character and movement

One of our primary goals was to make the world of Ghost of Yōtei feel alive. We want everything on the screen to move with the wind, including all the clothing characters wear, the tassels on weapons, and all of the hanging cloth in settlements. When you roll around and fight, we want to kick up dust and leaves while leaving you muddy and bloody, to really anchor you in the world.

Atsu’s complex costumes can only move realistically thanks to the new layering support we built into our high-performance GPU compute cloth system. In addition to adding support for multiple layers of simulated cloth (seen below), we support cloth collisions, and use a set of carefully tuned heuristics to simulate large numbers of individual cloth simulations efficiently. Here is an example of Atsu in one of her more complex costumes, surrounded by moving cloth.

GPU particles have been a strong suit for Sucker Punch since Infamous Second Son. In Ghost of Yōtei we continue to add to our bag of tricks, allowing particles to sample terrain material, deformation and water flow. For example, this shot shows particles landing on and flowing down river.

In addition to affecting the world, we anchor characters by having the world punch back. We do this by splatting information into a directional grid deformed around the character which we then use to layer in texture effects to make the character wet, bloody, muddy or snowy.

We also leverage our particle systems to allow the player to swap to the past to explore Atsu’s family history. To swap between past and present, we change the skeleton and geometry of Atsu while keeping her character state and animation consistent. Elements of the background and lighting are also changed instantly thanks to the speed of the SSD with some carefully chosen prefetching. This is done behind a curtain of animating particles which sample a copy of the frame buffer from just before the transition.

Ray Tracing and PS5 Pro enhancements

As a native PS5 game, we knew we wanted to improve image quality by leveraging some of the platform’s newer technology. With the release of the PS5 Pro, we also wanted to push in a direction that would help us with future games. Based on the solid support from the PlayStation central technology teams, we invested in two big areas: ray tracing, and image upsampling with PSSR.

Since Ghost of Yōtei takes place in the wilderness of 17th century Hokkaido, there are few mirror-like surfaces that lend themselves to ray-traced reflections. Instead, we decided to use ray tracing to improve the fidelity of our global illumination solution. We attacked this from two directions: first with a more automated, improved baked lighting model, which we could then augment with short-range ray-traced global illumination (RTGI). This required significant changes to our mesh streaming format, allowing us to dynamically decompress the acceleration structures used by the ray tracing hardware. By using the PS5 Pro’s more efficient ray tracing hardware, players can enable RTGI targeting 60 frames per second on Pro consoles.

For Ghost of Yōtei we rebuilt our frame to use a more general dynamic resolution algorithm, with upsampling, partly so we could take advantage of PSSR. PSSR works very well for us with only a few tweaks, including running conservative rasterization for small particles. By comparison, our standard upsampling algorithm requires significantly more hinting and authoring help to achieve good results. Here’s a side-by-side look. If you zoom in very close (16x before gif compression), you can see that PSSR does a better job reconstructing fine details on architecture and foliage. It is also more stable under motion.

Loading speed

For a long time, Sucker Punch has prided itself on getting players into our games as quickly as possible. In Ghost of Yōtei we continued this tradition by doubling down on fast load times.

We optimize loading by preprocessing data so that it requires only a handful of SSD reads and patching operations per location or terrain tile to load gameplay-relevant data. We then compute and load only the texture mips and mesh LODs needed to render the first frame, with one read per element. Here’s what loading from the far south to the far north looks like without the screen faded out. (Note that this is somewhat slower than it would be if we didn’t have to render the world the whole time.)

Throughout development we “dog food” these systems rather than using a different loading model for shipping builds. Dog fooding is programmer-speak for every programmer, artist and designer testing what we ship to improve its quality.

Conclusion

This is a small peek into some of the technical work we do at Sucker Punch. Making games is more than that though — it’s a huge team effort with art informing technology and technology informing art throughout.

When we began this project five years ago, our goal was to build a game world that players would love getting lost in. Many of our technical decisions were anchored around the core fantasy of Ghost of Yōtei — that of a wandering warrior coming to terms with events from her past. We’re thrilled to see this vision coming to life with players sharing their experiences and posting incredible in-game screenshots and videos using Photo Mode.

We’re certainly proud of the result and we hope everyone enjoys wandering the wilderness in Ghost of Yōtei.

If you’re interested in more info on Sucker Punch’s technology and development process, take a look at our past presentations at conferences like GDC and SIGGRAPH. We expect to share more in 2026.

Special thanks to Jasmin Patry, Doug Davis, and Eric Wohllaib who helped me edit and prepare content for this post, as well as all the Sucker Punch folks whose work I am representing here.

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For the first time ever, the Gran Turismo World Series is heading to Los Angeles, and you are invited to join the celebration at the inaugural GT World Series Fan Fest, a full day event dedicated to the passion, culture, and community that define Gran Turismo. 

On November 8, the Orpheum Theatre in downtown LA will host a weekend of racing excitement as we celebrate Gran Turismo’s incredible milestone — 100 million games sold worldwide as of June 25, 2025. Fans can cheer on the world’s fastest drivers, get an early look at new tracks, cars, and features from the upcoming SPEC III update*, test their skills on GT racing sleds, explore a display of highly customized GT Awards vehicles and partner showcases, enjoy some of LA’s best food vendors, and visit a kids zone designed for the next generation of racing fans.

Return of the GT Awards**

The legendary Gran Turismo Awards return, featuring an incredible showcase of custom and modified cars from the Gran Turismo community and tuners. From iconic track machines to one-of-a-kind builds, the parking lots adjacent to the Orpheum Theatre will transform into a celebration of automotive artistry.

One remarkable vehicle will be crowned Best of Show and be digitally immortalized in a future release of Gran Turismo for players from around the world to drive.

Think your car has what it takes? Owners of custom builds located within the Los Angeles area are invited to submit their vehicles for judging at the GT Awards. Accepted entrants must have their cars delivered to the Orpheum Theatre on Saturday, November 8, to be part of the event showcase.

Click here to register your vehicle for consideration.

GT panels + experiences GT

Throughout the day, fans can dive into panels and workshops led by automotive photographers, builders, and car collectors as they explore the artistry of speed and design that defines both Gran Turismo and real-world car culture.

Catch every moment of the live Gran Turismo World Series races on a massive LED screen outside the Orpheum and experience the thrill of Gran Turismo in an all-new way.

Union x Gran Turismo

Be among the first to see the Union × Gran Turismo collaboration — a new capsule collection that merges Union’s timeless streetwear design with Gran Turismo’s racing heritage. Fans will get an exclusive first look at this limited-edition apparel debuting at GTWS Los Angeles.

Gran Turismo World Series

The action inside the Orpheum Theatre begins with an Invitational Race at 3:00pm when 12 creators and members of the media get their chance to show off their Gran Turismo 7 skills on stage in front of the live audience. That, of course, is just the warmup with the main events being the Manufacturers Cup at 4:00pm PT and the Nations Cup at 7:00pm PT.

The Manufacturers Cup will see 12 drivers from North, Central and South America battling on behalf of their favorite automaker. So far Subaru have dominated proceedings with Japanese star Takuma Miyazono taking victory in Round 1 in London followed by Frenchman Kylian Drumont at Berlin’s second round. Veteran GT World Series racer Daniel Solis will hope to follow his teammates onto the top step of the podium on home soil. The rest of the field will hope to stop Team Subaru’s run.

The Nations Cup sees the same field of 12 elite racers competing at each Round in 2025. So far Spaniard Jose Serrano has been unstoppable with two wins. But Italian Valerio Gallo is snapping at his heels after consecutive podiums. Serrano’s fellow Spaniard, Pol Urra, sits third in the standings.

Tickets on sale now

This is Gran Turismo brought to life, celebrating virtual racing and car culture under the LA skyline.

Be part of the celebration! Tickets are on sale now. Availability is limited, so secure yours early and join the Gran Turismo community in Los Angeles for an unforgettable day of racing, innovation, community and incredible cars.

• Event: GT World Series + Fan Fest Los Angeles
• When: Saturday, November 8, 2025
• Where: The Orpheum Theater (842 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014)
• Tickets: GTWS LA Event Page

Follow Gran Turismo social channels for artist announcements, panel schedules, and more.

*Available via patch v. 1.64. Internet connection and account for PlayStation required.

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Battlefield 6 has blasted onto the FPS scene, revitalizing Electronic Arts’ franchise with a return to classic elements and a hefty dose of widespread destruction. But its October 10 release was just the beginning. Developer Battlefield Studios has more free content coming for the game, starting with its first season, which kicks off on October 28 and runs to November 11.

Seasons for Battlefield 6 are broken into three timed, themed updates. The first in Season 1 is Rogue Ops, bringing a new map, mode, and weapons for players to try. I hit the dirt with Rogue Ops’ new content, going hands-on with its new map, Blackwell Fields, and its gameplay mode, Strikepoint. I also got to try the map and mode coming with the second update, California Resistance, on November 18. 

Here are all the hands-on details for what’s coming in Rogue Ops, as well as a few looks ahead to California Resistance.

New maps

Blackwell Fields — Coming in Rogue Ops, Blackwell Fields is a massive oil field in the California chaparral. The All-Out Warfare map is set in a desert landscape that catches fire easily as helicopters, planes, and tanks fight over the vast area. Blackwell Fields provides a lot of open space, with rolling hills and low brush that are great for snipers to set up camp. Vehicles also have plenty of room to maneuver on their way to different objectives. But with oil wells, construction equipment, and shipping containers dotting the landscape, there are plenty of places for infantry to dig in and get into some intense fights. 

Eastwood — With Pax Armata attacking new targets, NATO soldiers find themselves fighting cells in the suburbs of Los Angeles in the California Resistance update. Eastwood is one such Southern California town, where the fighting takes place in the streets and through the houses. Eastwood’s suburban landscape offers a lot of locations for intense skirmishes, with battles fought in and out of living rooms and through drained pools and back yards as tanks shred high-end homes. A wide-open golf course means you’ll need to take care not to get sighted by enemy troops as you move, but there’s still a whole lot of variety in this map.

Get to the … golf cart! — One very cool aspect of Eastwood is that it’s littered with driveable golf carts that are great for an impromptu escape or trip to a new objective. You might also try ramming them into enemy vehicles, provided you remember to jump out in time.

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New modes

Strikepoint — Rogue Ops also gets a new 4-on-4 multiplayer mode, which pits two squads against each other in close-quarters combat as they battle over a single objective. Players only get one life per round in Strikepoint, so it’s essential to play carefully, stick with teammates, and watch for ambushes. Victory in a round is attained when a team either captures the objective or eliminates the other squad, and the first team to win six rounds takes the match. Strikepoint is a tough mode that hardcore players are sure to love, where tactical awareness, good strategies, and clear communication are all essential to taking down a win.

Sabotage — An 8v8 mode coming with California Resistance, Sabotage gives you one of two objectives: destroy boxes of equipment scattered across a small, close-quarters map, or prevent the opposing team from doing so. Teams switch between offense and defense, with the team that destroys the most equipment winning the match. The trick to the mode is to destroy the caches as quickly and efficiently as you can, using everything in your arsenal to get the job done — while still defending yourself against enemy fighters. Explosives are at a premium, for attackers, while defenders need to use smart positioning to box out the opposing players as they continually stream into the battle zone. Sabotage is a chaotic, action-packed mode that might be a bit more welcoming to casual players who want to continually rush into the action with little downtime. It’s full of players constantly fighting and quickly respawning.

New weapons

In addition to new modes and maps, the three updates in Season 1 bring new weapons to the fight. I tried each of the three guns that will be available with Rogue Ops, as well as its new vehicle. You can earn all of them through the free tiers of Battlefield 6’s battle pass, and with four different paths through that pass, you’ll be able to choose which rewards you want to prioritize. Complete all four paths and you’ll unlock a fifth free path to work through. 

You can also purchase Battlefield Pro, which nets you additional battle pass rewards and cosmetics.

SOR-300C – Carbine — This carbine is built for close-range engagements and is highly lethal when you’re near to an enemy. It has a lower fire rate than other carbines, but deals higher damage, making it great for tighter confines and smaller maps. At shorter ranges, it can be effective both hip-firing and aiming down sights, and it’s pretty solid at midrange if you fire in bursts to manage the recoil.

Mini Fix – Sniper Rifle — Good news for Recon players: Rogue Ops drops a new, faster sniper rifle option. The other snipers currently in the game force you to lower the rifle to cycle a new round every time you shoot, unless you equip an attachment, making them pretty slow. But Mini Fix can shoot through its entire 10-round magazine much more quickly than its counterparts, without interrupting your aim. It doesn’t hit quite as hard as some other rifles as a result, but the ability to keep firing on a target might make up for it.

GGH-22 – Sidearm — The new Glock 22 sidearm is a solid middle-of-the-road choice that feels pretty lethal at short range, even firing from the hip. It serves a balanced position among the other sidearms, with a few more shots and a little more damage than some, but a slower firing rate than others. It might not replace the sidearm you’re already comfortable with, but it’s a solid option in an emergency.

Traverser Mk. 2 – APC vehicle — A new armored personnel carrier hits the field in Rogue Ops, and it’s great for capturing objectives. The APC is a support vehicle for infantry fighters. It can carry soldiers across maps and is outfitted with mounted weapons, while also offering attachments like an integrated med bay to heal players, and an emergency repair station to keep the APC in the fight.

New attachments — Rogue Ops also introduces a few new modifications you can add to your guns. Rail Covers for some rifles and light machine guns increase the gun’s draw speed, while Low Powered Variable Optics scopes give you a few new options for the magnification on LMGs and rifles.

There’s a whole lot of new stuff coming to Battlefield 6 in Season 1, and the themed drops of Rogue Ops and California Resistance are poised to keep the game fresh for squads throughout the end of the year. You can check out everything that Rogue Ops has to offer when Battlefield 6’s first season drops on October 28.

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A little over a month ago, the tiny No Man’s Sky team held its breath as we pushed the button on the super ambitious Voyagers update. We poured a lot of love into it for over a year but didn’t know what to expect. It has been incredible for the team to watch the reaction and see us hit our highest player numbers since launch over nine years ago. I genuinely never thought that would happen, what a journey it’s been.

It has provided some of my favourite moments of these last nine years. Standing in the Nexus and seeing these beautiful, creative, sci-fi ships that other players have built. And just floating in space outside of your ship, has really resonated with players and provides these tranquil moments of calm that I love. It has made us instantly excited to work on a new update!

Today, with our latest update, Breach, we’re introducing space wrecks to explore, leaning into that thrill of spacewalking, and giving players more excuse to enjoy it. Salvaging these wrecks unlocks a huge array of new ship building parts which has been greatly requested. We’ve also improved and expanded ship building in response to watching players spend so much time in the workshop designing their dream ships.

In Breach, there is also an expedition launching – where players will traverse a desolate and abandoned universe to discover what happened to a mysterious abandoned wreck. Voyaging to the edge of space will be required if you are to salvage from the wreckage of the ill-fated ship and add unique parts and modules to your ship-building workshop.

Many such wrecks have begun to appear throughout the far reaches of space, and there are rewards for the bravest of Travellers prepared to scavenge from them, including new vertical and structural parts which allow players to build colossal ships and rare, glowing Atlas-themed wings, engines and features.

The Breach expedition also brings players together to explore the strange and rare purple-star solar systems. The planets in these systems are particularly fun to explore with their deeper oceans, incredible terrains and volatile gas giants. It guides players towards the new space wrecks, is a great way to salvage some new rare ship parts, while uncovering a spooky story – suitable for the Halloween season!

It has been a crazy year for the No Man’s Sky team and we’re so proud and pleased to be able to continue working on this game we all love so much nine years after launch. Seeing so many folks enjoying Voyagers has really inspired us, and we can’t wait for you to see what we have in store in future.

Our journey continues.

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When Hotel Infinity releases on PlayStation VR2 November 13, players will be able to traverse expansive halls and ballrooms with their own two feet from the comfort of their living rooms. We want to take this opportunity to pull back the curtain on how we created this experience and share some of the unique design lessons we learned along the way.

When we set out to make Hotel Infinity, our top focus was to make the movement in VR feel as natural as possible. Instead of using teleportation or joystick-based movement, players explore the world by actually walking through it. Building on what we learned from making Manifold Garden, we used impossible geometry to twist space and make a small area feel vast. The result is an experience where you can physically move through the game’s environments without breaking immersion. 

The illusion of enormous environments

From the start, our biggest challenge was making players forget they were standing in a 2m by 2m (6 ft 7 in. by 6 ft 7 in.)  space in their living room. VR can make you truly feel like you’re in a different place, but only if you maintain the illusion. Every corridor and room in Hotel Infinity had to look expansive while subtly signalling where the player can and cannot walk in order to keep them from tripping over furniture.

Sticking to a grid

Hotel Infinity uses portals to create the experience of walking through impossible architecture. To make these interconnected areas appear seamless, we built the environment on a standardized 3×3 grid so portals are perfectly aligned. In the video below, you can see how the player experiences walking down a hallway, opening a window, and proceeding out onto the ledge that traces a path through this grid in the real-world space.

Designing for comfort in roomscale VR

Roomscale VR is physical, so pacing needs to account for both movement and comfort. Puzzles play an incredibly important role in the game’s pacing, as not only do they create variety in gameplay, they allow the player to rest in between exploration segments. We also learned that minimizing repeated turns in the same direction helped reduce dizziness and prevented the cable from getting tangled. These limitations ensured the spaces in the game took on a serpentine structure that made it even more immersive.

Putting it all together

There was no shortage of unique challenges that presented themselves as part of designing an exploration-focused roomscale VR game. However, for every problem we had to solve, the solution came with a new way to experience VR. Once we had all of our design principles and tools in place, we could easily create the spaces where players can solve a puzzle, see a door open from across a giant lobby, and walk through it by taking a dozen steps around their living room.

We’re thrilled to get the opportunity to share some of the lessons that we’ve learned while making this game. We hope you get the chance to explore the spaces we made on your own when Hotel Infinity launches on PS VR2 on November 13.

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Hunters on PlayStation, today we’re sharing new details on our fall seasonal event, the Festival of Accord: Dreamspell, taking place in Monster Hunter Wilds from October 22 to November 12. 

Take part in this splendid festival being held in the Grand Hub for a limited time, with decorations, special meals, gestures, and pop-up camp decorations available.

Festival of Accord: Dreamspell | Fall Seasonal Event

Collect limited-time Dreamspell tickets to craft special hunter armor, the Dreamwalker α Series, and Palico equipment, the Meowrionette α Series. Limited-time event quests will also be available and many past event quests will also return.

As with past seasonal events, special limited-time meals will be available at the Grand Hub. Receive your login bonus each day to earn Dreamspell Voucher and other items during the event. The regular login bonus will also be increased, with two Lucky Vouchers and three Barrel Bowling Vouchers available during the event period.

Bounties will be updated daily, allowing you to obtain special tickets and items. In addition, the Provisions Stockpile will be running a sale during the event.

Obtain the Spectral Barrel Bomb through login bonuses.

Limited-time login bonus content

Gesture: Pumpkin Head

Special Seikret Decoration: Living Doll Caparison

Customize your Hunter Profile with a special Nameplate, Background, Pose, and Titles, themed to the Festival of Accord: Dreamspell. 

Here’s a look at some of the special items that can be used to customize your pop-up camp.

Obtain the special pendant  Dreamspell Felyne Teddy and additional music (BGM) tracks during the seasonal event as well!

Here’s a look at some of the special Event Quests and their rewards, available during the Festival of Accord: Dreamspell.

Event Quest: Hirabami Harvest

Collect special materials to obtain the Harvest α Series armor and the Felyne Ghost α Series Palico equipment!

 Event Quest: “That Won’t Faze Me!”

Become one with the pack by collecting special materials to obtain the Gelidron α Series armor set with a Gelidron look! 

Alma’s costume change equipment

(Alma’s costume change will be unlocked after clearing a specific side mission.)

You can also forge new glasses for your hunter and for Alma as well! Forge the Kitten Frames α, Aviator Shades α, and change Alma’s style to your heart’s content!

Permanent Event Quest: Be Cursed, Ye Shadowy Flame

The apex predator of the Oilwell Basin appears in the permanent event quest as an Arch-tempered monster. Special rewards allow you to craft the powerful hunter armor Nu Udra γ Series and the Palico equipment Felyne Udra γ Series.

The Handlers’ new looks for the Seasonal Event

We’ve prepared special Handler outfits to match the atmosphere of the Dreamspell festival.

During the event period, you can try on the special outfit, Alma Outfit: Autumn Witch for Alma, and Erik Outfit: Autumn Therian for Erik.

(You can change the outfits any time during the event period from the Appearance menu. The Handlers’ outfits can be purchased as paid DLC to be worn even after the event ends.)

The Dreamspell DLC Pack will also become available when the event starts on October 22.

The Dreamspell DLC Pack features special pendants, gestures, a sticker set, and a Seikret decoration, as well as Alma and Erik’s seasonal outfits! These items can be purchased separately, or as together as part of the Dreamspell DLC Pack. (Please note that it may take some time for the content to appear in the store.)

Happy hunting! 

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As the night draws near, the fangs come out and the darkest of deceptions begins. From its tabletop roots, to its transition into visual novels and action role-playing games, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 raises the stakes in the popular series.

I got to explore a sinister Seattle in this final version of the first-person adventure sequel, to unearth what has come to light in the World of Darkness for its October 21 launch on PlayStation 5.

A living undead world

The Emerald City has adopted a distinct shade of white in Bloodlines 2, following a brutal winter snowstorm, restricting all transport. It’s the perfect setting of isolation for assuming control of a 400-year-old Elder vampire only known as Nomad (or Phyre, for the more familiar), who you can customize via a massive variety of outfits, facial styles, and accessories. These choices can also affect how others react to you – want to get a biker to respect Phyre? Then slipping on a power suit isn’t going to cut it.

After finishing an action-packed tutorial through a derelict building, I was free to explore Seattle’s brightly lit streets, rat- infested back alleys, and impressive skyscrapers. Despite being set in the depths of night, the city heaves with life. Between its varied wanderers, street art, and radio shows broadcasting everything from weather bulletins to the mood of the people, environmental storytelling is everywhere, filling each area with something to pay attention to.

Move like a vampire

From its opening minutes, the game teaches you the importance of verticality, with Phyre’s enhanced jump via a quick double tap of the X button allowing them to scale high fences and reach tall ledges.

Between supernatural leaps, a super-speed dash, the ability to clamber up drainpipes and fire escapes with ease, and being able to glide across the sky without worrying about fall damage, navigating the city was an empowering experience. Especially as I often had to use Phyre’s enhanced senses via R3 to track scents across the rooftops. However, there’s a catch…

Preserve the masquerade

As per the series’ established rules, performing unusual, supernatural, or outright vampiric actions within the public eye is punishable by the Camarilla, the code-enforcing vampire court. This meant my activities had to be governed with caution to prevent hunters from being sent to collect my immortal head. And mortal police roaming these snowy streets will not hesitate to fire if they suspect ill intent.

Supernatural skills

But none of this limited my bloodsucking expression. The fun was in figuring out how to work around the law, supernatural or otherwise, especially as combat is a big part of Bloodlines 2.

Starting off simple, a tap of L1 lets you dodge attacks, while R1 delivers a melee strike. The latter is devastating to humans – often turning them into instant mulch – but will only slightly damage enhanced enemies such as ghouls or other vampires. Given I was fighting around half a dozen brutes at one time, stealth and hit- and- run tactics were essential to survival.

However, Phyre has another trick in their coffin. Pressing R2 activates their telekinesis ability, which can be used to levitate items from a distance, steal weapons from enemies, and even throw their bodies. This allowed me to draw people into the shadows so Phyre could feed, but also, in one instance, gave me the chance to provoke the police into attacking a band of ghouls – leaving me to find a safe spot to watch them wipe each other out.

A clash of clans

Of course, there are other ways to fight, too. The clan you choose at the start of the game determines your ability tree progression and unlockable skills. I bit into Ventrue, which specialises in mental domination perks like temporarily possessing or entrancing enemies, and passive attack resistance.

Other clans offer different talents, such as the brawling Brujah with abilities like Earthshock, a Hulk-like ground- shaking slam. The Tremere clan specialises in ranged attack blood magic, Banu Haqim focuses on stealth perks, including the ability to prevent an enemy from calling for help, the shadow-driven Lasombra clan allows skills designed to trap or scare opponents, and Toreadors are all about overpowering the weak-willed at close quarters. Handily, you can also unlock skills outside of your chosen clan by feeding on people with particular types of blood.

Adding another layer to all of this is Fabien, the vampire detective, unexpectedly trapped in Phyre’s head. During short interludes, I was transported into Fabien’s past, tying a previous case to the current- day mystery of their psychic entanglement, giving access to fresh powers, like reading emotions to glean information from the tight-lipped.

Choose your words carefully

In situations where fists don’t fly, the branching dialogue system nicely changes the pace. When engaging in conversation, you’ll often be given different ways to respond, with Fabien sometimes hinting at the personality you’re facing. It’s important to know when to employ flattery, discretion, directness, or intimidation to yield the best results, as your responses can affect these relationships and how others perceive you as the story progresses,on top of the influence of your clan affiliation.

Put your vampiric powers through their paces when Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 releases on October 21.

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Hey, everybody! Kristen and I are back this week to celebrate the launch of Ghost of Yōtei, discuss upcoming releases, and share the latest news. This episode also includes an interview with Erika Ishii, voice of Atsu from Ghost of Yōtei.

Stuff We Talked About

• Next week’s release highlights:
  • Ninja Gaiden 4 | PS5
  • Jurassic World Evolution 3 | PS5
  • Painkiller | PS5
  • Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 | PS5
  • Dispatch | PS5
  • Double Dragon Revive | PS5, PS4
  • The Jackbox Party Pack 11 | PS5, PS4
  • The Lonesome Guild | PS5
  • Bounty Star | PS5
  • Once Upon A Katamari | PS5
    
    
• Ghost of Yōtei armor builds — Check out the best armor builds for your playstyle and situation, from staying undetected to charging ahead with a full frontal assault.
  
  
• Lumines Arise preview — Take a tour of the new modes and challenges ahead of the November 11 release date.
  
  
• Battlefield 6 series enhancements — See how the latest entry in the franchise elevates the classic formula and adds new tactics to the fray.
  
  
• PlayStation Plus Game Catalog October
  • Extra and Premium
    • Silent Hill 2 | PS5
    • Until Dawn | PS5
    • V Rising | PS5
    • Yakuza: Like a Dragon | PS5, PS4
    • Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 | PS5, PS4
    • As Dusk Falls | PS5, PS4
    • Wizard with a Gun | PS5
  • Premium
    • Tekken 3 | PS5, PS4

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The Cast

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Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

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Last week, we asked you to focus in on the Onryō herself, and share epic portraits of Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

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NoviKaiba23 shares Atsu peeking through the holes of her straw hat.

domgatica shares Atsu wielding her kusarigama as lightning strikes in the distance.

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TakaSanGames shares holding her hand out for a bird, surrounded by flowers and butterflies

AzureKnight75 shares Atsu stalking forward after unleashing an Onryō howl in black and white.

domo_vp shares Atsu wielding her odachi wearing a white demon mask

secondcapture shares young Atsu surrounded by yellow ginkgo leaves

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on X or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Ghost of Yōtei – Landscapes
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 22, 2025 

Next week, we’re taking in the breathtaking beauty of Ezo. Sharing landscapes from your journey across Ghost of Yōtei using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

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In a lot of ways, Battlefield 6 is a return to some of the classic elements of the first-person shooter series. But even as it draws on features that players have loved for years, it also makes adjustments to the formula that can seem small, but have a big impact. From changes to the class system to help you find your perfect play style, to map destruction that can create chaos or provide advantages, Battlefield 6’s look back to its past is actually full of steps forward into its future.

Here are nine ways Battlefield 6 is improving the storied franchise with subtle and not-so-subtle improvements.

Waves of destruction

One of the things that has always set Battlefield apart is the destruction players can wreak across its multiplayer maps. In Battlefield 6, destruction has been amplified to be both realistic and strategic, and it plays a big part in both multiplayer matches and in the campaign. Blasting out walls to expose enemy soldiers or destroying towers to eliminate machine gun nests gives you more options as you fight through Battlefield 6’s story, and watching huge structures blow apart is always mesmerizing.

Enhanced squad commands

Battlefield is known for its squads, and you’ve often had a team of fighters backing you up in the franchise’s many campaigns. In Battlefield 6, you can issue squad commands to focus fire on a tough enemy, or tell a particular member of your team to use their class’s skills, like having your Recon mark targets or your Assault use a grenade on a tough position.

Escalation mode feels perfect for Battlefield

New to Battlefield 6 is Escalation mode, a 64-player match type that combines elements from classics like Conquest, Domination, and Breakthrough to make something new. In Escalation, two teams vie for control of control points, and once one team controls more points than the other, a meter begins to fill. If the meter is completed, the team with more territory scores a point, and one of the control points disappears from the map. As you keep fighting for territory, the contested area of the map shrinks, creating more intense battles and forcing teamwork to attack and defend positions. Throw in Battlefield 6’s many vehicles, and you have a mode that’s both highly strategic and intensely chaotic.

A better Class

Bringing back a focus on its four classes — Assault, Recon, Support, and Engineer — is a core element of Battlefield 6 returning to the series’ roots. But Battlefield is also taking those classes into the future with this new game, thanks to the Training Paths you can unlock for each one. Training lets you focus on different aspects of a class’s specific role. For example, as an Assault, you can work as a fast frontline fighter, or unlock the Breacher training, which lets you emphasize blasting through walls and clearing rooms. Each class has its own Training Paths to unlock through completing Assignments, so you can customize your play style while becoming an expert in the capabilities of each class.

More responsive movement

Battlefield 6’s Kinesthetic Movement system brings a lot of adjustments to how you get around in the game, and they feel so natural and intuitive that you might not even notice them. From running while crouched to keep your head down, to rotating on your back while prone to shoot behind you, to leaning out of cover to take a shot, to jumping on the outside of vehicles to hitch a ride, Battlefield 6 is full of small improvements that make it easier to get where you’re going and fight well when you arrive.

Jumping straight to the firing range

There are a lot of little tweaks to Battlefield 6 that make it a more welcoming game than past entries into the franchise, like short explanations of different game modes and classes to help you learn the game faster. As you’re tweaking your loadouts, you can also take any gun you’re playing with straight to the firing range to try it out by pressing L2, allowing you to instantly test attachments and modifications to find exactly the weapon for you.

DualSense haptic feedback that puts your boots on the ground

In both the campaign and in multiplayer, Battlefield is an intense, over-the-top experience, where gunfire and explosions constantly rock the air around you. All those sensations are translated into intense haptics through the DualSense controller, helping to capture just how fierce, powerful, and enormous all those crashing vehicles and collapsing buildings really are.

Modular maps offer a variety of battles

In past Battlefield games, the largest multiplayer maps also contained flashpoint locations within them that could function as maps on their own. Battlefield 6 continues this design philosophy, but dials in the focus even tighter than before. Each of the largest maps in the game contains multiple different kinds of areas, where you might find yourself fighting pitched gunfights through the corridors of a skyscraper under construction, before running into a village full of small cottages that are quickly being leveled by tank fire. Lots of these locations work as maps for the smaller game modes, like Team Deathmatch, so you can learn their intricacies across lots of different experiences.

A more creative Portal mode

Since Battlefield 2042, the Portal mode has allowed players to create their own Battlefield games by tweaking rules sets and building their own map. Those tools have been greatly expanded in Battlefield 6 to offer a whole lot more freedom. Players are only just beginning to explore what’s possible with the Portal, but already you can find lots of different kinds of matches, thanks to a new server list and new discovery features.

Between maps, modes, Portal, and a full campaign, there are a whole lot of unforgettable Battlefield moments to be had in Battlefield 6, which is available now on PlayStation Store. Plus, Season 1 is just around the corner on October 28.

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This month, October’s Game Catalog lineup brings plenty of thrills for spooky season. Step into a fog-shrouded nightmare in the chilling remake of Silent Hill 2, survive a night of terror in the definitive PS5 edition of the slasher horror Until Dawn, embrace your inner vampire and stalk the night in V Rising, or, in an entirely different register, join Ichiban Kasuga and his unlikely crew of outcasts in a quest for the truth in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Meanwhile, Tekken 3 brings arcade fighting action to PlayStation Plus Deluxe. 

PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe | Game Catalog 

Silent Hill 2 | PS5

Take on the role of James Sunderland and venture into the mostly deserted town of Silent Hill in this highly anticipated remake of the 2001 classic. What awaits him is a rust-stained nightmare, cloaked in fog, and populated by monsters. Experience a master class in psychological horror on the latest hardware with chilling visuals and visceral sounds. Enter a dream-like world and encounter twisted monsters, the menacing Pyramid Head, and a seemingly ordinary cast of characters wrestling with their past. As James comes to terms with his own turmoil, he’ll be left with one question – why did he really come to Silent Hill?

*Silent Hill 2 is releasing  on October 21.

Until Dawn | PS5

Rebuilt from the ground up for PS5, Until Dawn invites you to immerse yourself in a gripping slasher horror where every decision can make the difference between life and death. When eight friends return to the isolated mountain lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, things quickly take a sinister turn. As fear tightens its icy grip on the group, their remote retreat becomes an inescapable nightmare. Your actions and choices will determine who survives in this definitive version of the seminal horror classic.

*Until Dawn is releasing on October 21.

V Rising | PS5

V Rising is a vampire survival action-RPG adventure like no other. Awaken as a weakened vampire after centuries of slumber and hunt for blood to regain your strength while hiding from the scorching sun to survive. Rebuild your castle and convert humans into your loyal servants in a quest to raise your vampire empire. Explore a vast world teeming with mythical horrors and danger. Travel through lush forests, open countryside, and dark caverns to discover valuable resources, meeting friends and foes alike along the way. Roam the night alone or gather a clan – V Rising can be played solo, co-op or in persistent online multiplayer. Travel alone or explore the world with friends. Raid other players’ castles or play the diplomat in the game of blood, power and betrayal. Compete or cooperate – the choice is yours.

*V Rising is releasing in Singapore on October 16 and on October 21 in other Southeast Asia markets. 

Yakuza: Like a Dragon | PS5, PS4

Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, faces an 18-year prison sentence after taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit. Never losing faith, he loyally serves his time and returns to society to discover that no one was waiting for him on the outside, and his clan has been destroyed by the man he respected most. Ichiban sets out to discover the truth behind his family’s betrayal and take his life back, drawing a ragtag group of society’s outcasts to his side: Adachi, a rogue cop, Nanba, a homeless ex-nurse, and Saeko, a hostess on a mission. Together, they are drawn into a conflict brewing beneath the surface in Yokohama and must rise to become the heroes they never expected to be. Experience dynamic RPG combat like none other. Switch between 19 unique Jobs ranging from Bodyguard to Musician, and use the battlefield as your weapon. Take up bats, umbrellas, bikes, street signs, and everything else at your disposal to crack some skulls!

*Yakuza: Like a Dragon is releasing on October 21.

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 | PS5, PS4

Playtime Co. was once the king of the toy manufacturing industry… until everybody inside of the factory one day disappeared into thin air. Now, years later, you must explore the factory and uncover the truth. Try to survive the vengeful toys waiting for you in this horror/puzzle adventure. Use your GrabPack to hack electrical circuits or nab items from afar. Explore the mysterious facility… and don’t get caught.

*Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 is releasing in Singapore on October 16 and on October 21 in other Southeast Asia markets. 

As Dusk Falls | PS5, PS4

As Dusk Falls is a gripping crime drama that explores the entangled lives of two families across decades, starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong in small town Arizona. Created by the lead designer of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, this thrilling, branching multiplayer interactive drama follows these two families in their struggle to survive, protect, and endure challenges rooted in the previous generations’ mistakes. Every decision will shape the characters’ fates. Multiple paths through each chapter will reveal insights about who you and your friends are and make every playthrough unique. Replay the story again and again to uncover vastly different outcomes for multiple characters and hidden nuances behind every decision and relationship. Will your characters survive unscathed? What kind of people will they ultimately become?

*As Dusk Falls is releasing in Singapore on October 28 and on October 21 in other Southeast Asia markets. 

Wizard with a Gun | PS5

Wizard with a Gun is an online sandbox survival game for 1 to 4 players set in a magical wilderness wrought with dangerous creatures and arcane mysteries. Embark on a journey alone or with friends to collect, craft, and outfit your wizard however you see fit as you explore the unknown. Collect resources from the world and craft unique enchanted ammunition for your arsenal of guns. Combine elements for intended or surprising effects that alter the shot, blast radius, bullet trail, and even the status of the creature in your crosshairs. Carefully design weapons, bullets, and furnishings for your tower home but try not to burn it all down as the magic you wield escalates beyond your control… Survive alone or with a few wizard friends in online cooperative play to combine resources, magic, and creativity in your tower building. Or just watch it all burn down together – the choice is yours.

*Wizard with a Gun is releasing in Singapore on October 28 and on October 21 in other Southeast Asia markets. 

PlayStation Plus Deluxe

Tekken 3 | PS5, PS4

Experience Tekken 3, originally released on the original PlayStation, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. Nineteen years following the previous King of Iron Fist tournament, fighters from all over the world have mysteriously begun to disappear at the hands of the enigmatic being known only as Toshin. Heihachi, hoping the promise of strong opponents will lure out this so-called “God of Fighting,” begins his preparations for The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. Experience Tekken 3’s world at its very best, with an all-new CGI opening and unique endings for each character, exclusive to the home console release. Every mode from previous entries is here, including Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, Team Battle Mode for competitive play, and Practice Mode for all your training needs.

*Tekken 3 is releasing on October 21.

*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.

View the full article

This month, October’s Game Catalog lineup brings plenty of thrills for spooky season. Step into a fog-shrouded nightmare in the chilling remake of Silent Hill 2, survive a night of terror in the definitive PS5 edition of the slasher horror Until Dawn, embrace your inner vampire and stalk the night in V Rising, or, in an entirely different register, join Ichiban Kasuga and his unlikely crew of outcasts in a quest for the truth in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Meanwhile, Tekken 3 brings arcade fighting action to PlayStation Plus Premium. All these titles and more will be available Tuesday, October 21 in this month’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog

Silent Hill 2 | PS5

Take on the role of James Sunderland and venture into the mostly deserted town of Silent Hill in this highly anticipated remake of the 2001 classic. What awaits him is a rust-stained nightmare, cloaked in fog, and populated by monsters. Experience a master class in psychological horror on the latest hardware with chilling visuals and visceral sounds. Enter a dream-like world and encounter twisted monsters, the menacing Pyramid Head, and a seemingly ordinary cast of characters wrestling with their past. As James comes to terms with his own turmoil, he’ll be left with one question – why did he really come to Silent Hill?

Until Dawn | PS5

Rebuilt from the ground up for PS5, Until Dawn invites you to immerse yourself in a gripping slasher horror where every decision can make the difference between life and death. When eight friends return to the isolated mountain lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, things quickly take a sinister turn. As fear tightens its icy grip on the group, their remote retreat becomes an inescapable nightmare. Your actions and choices will determine who survives in this definitive version of the seminal horror classic.

V Rising | PS5

V Rising is a vampire survival action-RPG adventure like no other. Awaken as a weakened vampire after centuries of slumber and hunt for blood to regain your strength while hiding from the scorching sun to survive. Rebuild your castle and convert humans into your loyal servants in a quest to raise your vampire empire. Explore a vast world teeming with mythical horrors and danger. Travel through lush forests, open countryside, and dark caverns to discover valuable resources, meeting friends and foes alike along the way. Roam the night alone or gather a clan – V Rising can be played solo, co-op or in persistent online multiplayer. Travel alone or explore the world with friends. Raid other players’ castles or play the diplomat in the game of blood, power and betrayal. Compete or cooperate – the choice is yours.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon | PS5, PS4

Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, faces an 18-year prison sentence after taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit. Never losing faith, he loyally serves his time and returns to society to discover that no one was waiting for him on the outside, and his clan has been destroyed by the man he respected most. Ichiban sets out to discover the truth behind his family’s betrayal and take his life back, drawing a ragtag group of society’s outcasts to his side: Adachi, a rogue cop, Nanba, a homeless ex-nurse, and Saeko, a hostess on a mission. Together, they are drawn into a conflict brewing beneath the surface in Yokohama and must rise to become the heroes they never expected to be. Experience dynamic RPG combat like none other. Switch between 19 unique Jobs ranging from Bodyguard to Musician, and use the battlefield as your weapon. Take up bats, umbrellas, bikes, street signs, and everything else at your disposal to crack some skulls!

Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 | PS5, PS4

Playtime Co. was once the king of the toy manufacturing industry… until everybody inside of the factory one day disappeared into thin air. Now, years later, you must explore the factory and uncover the truth. Try to survive the vengeful toys waiting for you in this horror/puzzle adventure. Use your GrabPack to hack electrical circuits or nab items from afar. Explore the mysterious facility… and don’t get caught.

As Dusk Falls | PS5, PS4

As Dusk Falls is a gripping crime drama that explores the entangled lives of two families across decades, starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong in small town Arizona. Created by the lead designer of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, this thrilling, branching multiplayer interactive drama follows these two families in their struggle to survive, protect, and endure challenges rooted in the previous generations’ mistakes. Every decision will shape the characters’ fates. Multiple paths through each chapter will reveal insights about who you and your friends are and make every playthrough unique. Replay the story again and again to uncover vastly different outcomes for multiple characters and hidden nuances behind every decision and relationship. Will your characters survive unscathed? What kind of people will they ultimately become?

Wizard with a Gun | PS5

Wizard with a Gun is an online sandbox survival game for 1 to 4 players set in a magical wilderness wrought with dangerous creatures and arcane mysteries. Embark on a journey alone or with friends to collect, craft, and outfit your wizard however you see fit as you explore the unknown. Collect resources from the world and craft unique enchanted ammunition for your arsenal of guns. Combine elements for intended or surprising effects that alter the shot, blast radius, bullet trail, and even the status of the creature in your crosshairs. Carefully design weapons, bullets, and furnishings for your tower home but try not to burn it all down as the magic you wield escalates beyond your control… Survive alone or with a few wizard friends in online cooperative play to combine resources, magic, and creativity in your tower building. Or just watch it all burn down together – the choice is yours.

PlayStation Plus Premium

Tekken 3 | PS5, PS4

Experience Tekken 3, originally released on the original PlayStation, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. Nineteen years following the previous King of Iron Fist tournament, fighters from all over the world have mysteriously begun to disappear at the hands of the enigmatic being known only as Toshin. Heihachi, hoping the promise of strong opponents will lure out this so-called “God of Fighting,” begins his preparations for The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. Experience Tekken 3’s world at its very best, with an all-new CGI opening and unique endings for each character, exclusive to the home console release. Every mode from previous entries is here, including Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, Team Battle Mode for competitive play, and Practice Mode for all your training needs.

*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.

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Lumines Arise is set to release in less than a month! That November 11 release date on PlayStation 5 is coming up fast, so it’s time to share more of the incredible content this latest entry of the addictive block-dropping color-matching puzzle series contains. From different single-player modes to extensive leaderboards to Survival runs to Training Missions to customizable Playlists and more, this game is packed with content to keep you coming back for more.

A quick reminder that a Demo of Lumines Arise is available from now until release day on the PlayStation Store—you’ll find it on the Lumines Arise PlayStation Store page.

.Journey of survival

The main single-player mode is Journey—an over 35-stage trek featuring stunning visuals, thumping music, and powerful vibrations from the DualSense controller that all blend perfectly, immersing you and evoking intense emotions.

For those new to Lumines, here’s a quick refresh of the basics: blocks drop into the playfield, often containing two different patterns. The goal is to form Squares of 2×2 or larger, all of the same color/pattern. In larger matches, the game counts the number of 2×2 Squares that make up the match. The Timeline then sweeps across to the beat of the music and clears Squares you’ve made. There’s a tutorial in-game (and in the Demo) that’ll show you that and the new Burst mechanic.

Finish Journey, and you unlock Survival, a run-based mode that goes from stage to stage without stopping. See how far you can get and compare your scores with other players around the world on a leaderboard. It’s a fun way to test your skills and harkens back to previous Lumines titles.

Get better everyday

Yes, Lumines Arise is a very chill puzzle game, and you can play it in a relaxed way without worrying about time pressures. But if you’ve always wanted to get a better grasp on its puzzle mechanics and improve, the Missions hub is for you. It’s got 60 Training Missions with repeatable scenarios to help hone your skills and teach you ways to approach various playfield configurations. Practice making Squares of different sizes, keep that Combo up, use Chain Blocks more effectively, and use the new Burst mechanic to the greatest impact. Spending time here will definitely improve your game.

Also found within the Missions hub are 25 Challenges. You can think of these almost like different single-player modes: they take the core Lumines gameplay and add wild twists. Sometimes more than one! These include blocks only falling to the beat of the music, portions of the playfield being completely walled off, or you’re using huge versions of the blocks to generate massive combos. They’re all fun ways to mix up the core Lumines gameplay, and they’ll help you get a deeper understanding of some of the more advanced mechanics in the game, too.

Take me to your leaderboards

Within the Multiplayer Hub, there are several ways to compete on leaderboards in addition to the multiplayer Burst Battle mode, which we introduced previously on PS Blog. While you wait for a multiplayer game, you can try your hand at Quick Burst, an arcade-style challenge to create the largest single Burst match you can muster. (Burst is a new mechanic where you keep one match on-screen for several passes of the Timeline and build it as large as possible.) Then over at the Leaderboard League, you have 60, 180, and 300-second score challenges. This is a great place to track yourself improving if you’ve been working through Training Missions.

New to Lumines Arise is a Dig Down mode, which constantly raises the playfield stack from the bottom, requiring you to lower it as quickly as possible. It’s another fun test of your skills that will challenge both new players and seasoned pros. Playing Dig Down, Quick Burst, or any Time Attack modes during the Weekend Loomii-Live events will contribute points towards a community goal and unlock Loomii avatar customizations if the goal is met. 

Wait, we didn’t mention the Loomii? How can we forget! They’re your in-game avatar, accompanying you from the Journey mode to Training Missions and the Multiplayer Hub—every part of Lumines Arise. You can customize them with different parts, like those you’ll get as rewards from the Weekend Loomii-Live event.

Playlists to match your mood

You’re sure to have favorite stages and songs (all by Hydelic, btw—the same composer as Tetris Effect: Connected, you’ll find info on the game’s soundtrack, including links to streaming services here). As you work your way through Journey mode, you’ll unlock songs you can then use to construct playlists of your favorite tracks and stages in the Playlist hub. Set a mood or play a single stage you really love a dozen times in a row. You can even set it to Theater mode, sit back, and just experience the vibes without playing.

We hope you’re as excited as we are to finally get your hands on Lumines Arise on November 11. You can pre-order Lumines Arise right now on PlayStation Store, in Standard and Digital Deluxe variants. The Digital Deluxe Edition comes with 4 premium Loomii avatars based on Enhance’s previous titles (Tetris Effect: Connected, Rez Infinite, Humanity) and Astro Bot. The game features optional PS VR2 compatibility, allowing you to play the full game in VR and get even more immersed.

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A yellow kimono. A damaged lacquered hat. The Ghost mask with its kintsugi effect.

More than a simple garment, Atsu’s outfit from Ghost of Yōtei’s trailers and artwork has quickly become iconic. And while this is the outfit you’ll begin your journey with, you’ll quickly be searching for upgraded armour and speciality gear if you plan on surviving Ezo.

Understanding the challenges that lay ahead of you, developer SuckerPunch has introduced a builds system to Ghost of Yōtei, allowing players to combine the special features of armour and outfits with the boons offered by the charms found throughout the world. At the start, you can have three builds, and eventually you will be able to save up to five at any one time.

To help you in your hunt for the Yōtei Six, we’ve put together a selection of unique builds to try out during your time at the edge of Japan. Note that while this guide names amour sets and charms, it avoids spoilers and specific details. However, we recommend spending a few hours exploring Ezo yourself, before delving further into this article.

The Warrior – Combat and Melee

Built around stagger damage and useful for facing multiple foes at once, this build will boost your health, increase your ability to push enemies back and put you in strong stead during combat scenarios.

To make the most of this build, focus on parrying incoming attacks and using your heavy attack to stagger enemies quickly, but make sure you select the correct weapon for your opponent, as this armour’s abilities are only triggered when you are weapon-aligned.

• Armour: Armour of the Undying
  • Found: The Undying Samurai questline
  • Benefits:
    • Staggers restore health if weapon aligned
    • Window to perform perfect parry and dodge increased if weapon aligned
    • Focus attacks increase stagger damage if weapon aligned
• Charms:
  • Charm of Thoughtful Restoration
    • Gain increase to maximum health
  • Father’s Charm
    • Perfect parries regain a moderate amount of Health
  • Takezo’s Charm of Bold Deflection
    • Parrying inflicts additional stagger damage
  • Charm of Shattering Strike
    • Shields destroyed with the Kusarigama unleash an explosion of shrapnel, inflicting stagger damage to nearby enemies
  • Charm of Thunderous Assault
    • Staggering an enemy with the odachi has a chance to knock down that enemy
  • Charm of Cannon Steps
    • The Yari’s Typhoon kick has a chance to instantly stagger an enemy

The Ghost – Stealth and Assassination

Perfect for infiltration missions or when you’re outnumbered but not yet discovered, this build will slow down enemy detection speed and allow you to silently take down multiple opponents at once.

For this build, keep out of sight, sneak up on enemies and trigger the chain assasination ability, allowing you to take several of them down quickly. If you are detected, sake jars and smoke bombs allow you to return to the shadows.

• Armour: Crimson Kimono
  • Found: Crimson Kimono questline
  • Perks:
    • Chain assassinations can be performed with kunai
    • Enemy detection is reduced
    • Kusarigama assassinations can be unleashed from further away
• Charms:
  • Charm of Lingering Shadows
    • Reduces enemy detection speed
  • Charm of the Wary Opponent
    • Press L2 to focus on an enemy that has begun to detect you
  • Charm of the Blind Drunk
    • Throwing a sake jar at an enemy will briefly blind them
  • Charm of Masaka
    • Using a smoke bomb regains health
  • Charm of the Fearful End
    • All types of assassinations have a chance to terrify nearby enemies
  • Charm of Assassin’s Resolve
    • All types of assassinations grant an additional amount of Spirit

The Dragonfly – Ranged

Want to take enemies on from a distance? This build focuses on the use of Atu’s dual bows, allowing you to put down enemies from farther with precision and speed.

This build works best if you hit enemies with either bow, making use of the time-slowing Concentration feature, which is extended by the attributes of the chosen charms. You can then quickly close the gap for a chance to refill your quiver, before retreating to a safe distance to continue your volley.

• Armour: Dragonfly Armour
  • Found: Daijiro questline 
  • Perks:
    • Fully drawing your bow creates a brief timed glint. Firing your arrow during this glint empowers your shot, increasing its damage and range
    • Firing an empowered arrow grants an amount of concentration 
    • Increase arrow reload speed
• Charms:
  • Mother’s Charm
    • The wind quickens your arrows, increasing their damage
  • Charm of True Aim
    • The Yumi locks onto enemies and fires two arrows
  • Charm of Kibitsuhiko
    • Land headshots while using Concentration to extend its duration
  • Charm of Iron Focus
    • Increases total concentration time
  • Charm of Archer’s Fortune
    • An increased chance to recover arrows that kill or miss their target

The Dueller – Risk and Reward

A risky choice, this build is all about precision and allows you to plow through opponents, provided you have your timing right. It is especially useful during 1-on-1 duels.

Perfect parries are key here; performing one allows you to land multiple damaging blows on your opponent while retaining and regaining health through the choice of charms. But be warned – regular parries are disabled, opening you up to devastating damage if you miss your window, which is why this build leans heavily on health-related perks.

• Armour: Bounty Master Armour
  • Found: Soma the Condemned bounty
  • Perks:
    • Perfect parry windows are increased, but regular parries are disabled
    • A perfect parry enables additional counter attacks
    • All Spirit gains are increased
• Charms:
  • Father’s Charm
    • Perfect parries regain health
  • Takezo’s Charm of Bold Deflection
    • Parrying inflicts additional stagger damage
  • Charm of Thoughtful Restoration
    • Gain an increase to maximum health
  • Charm of Healing
    • While at half health or less, potency of the Heal technique increases
  • Charm of Masakado
    • Onryō’s Will revives you at full health

The Firefly – Quickfire Chaos

Focused on the use of flaming kunai, with this chaotic build you can overwhelm groups of enemies while your armour and charms buff damage and burn time, igniting enemies and melting shields.

This build’s attributes can refill your Kunai through assassinations and looting to keep your fiery attack going.

• Armour: Nine Tail Armour
  • Found: Kitsune questline 
  • Perks:
    • Quickfire weapon damage and duration of status effects are increased
    • Assassinations has a chance of dropping quickfire ammo
    • Enemy detection speed and assassination noise is reduced
• Charms:
  • Charm of Burning Blades
    • Kunai now inflict fire damage and ignite flammable objects
  • Charm of the Hidden Blades
    • Throw additional kunai
  • Charm of Homusubi
    • Inflict increased fire damage to enemies
  • Charm of Lingering Affliction
    • All harmful status effects on enemies last longer and deal additional damage
  • Charm of Uncanny Aim
    • Quickfire weapon damage increased
  • Charm of Generous Opponents
    • Chance to recover quickfire weapons when looting the dead

Additional tip: All armour sets and many charms can be upgraded several levels, increasing their special effects. To fully benefit from these builds, focus on reaching the top level with your chosen armour and charms.

These builds will help you on your hunt for the Yōtei Six, but they are not the only options. Combining one of the many other discoverable armour pieces with your chosen combination of charms allows you to craft a build that perfectly suits your own playstyle.

Play around and discover what works for you. You’re going to need all the help you can get as you face The Snake, The Oni, The Kitsune, The Spider, The Dragon, and Lord Saito.

Ghost of Yōtei is out now on PS5.

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Share of the Week is back, and ready to ride into the world of Ghost of Yōtei. You shared your best moments using #PSshare #PSBlog, here are this week’s highlights:

YouSpoonyBardd shares an orange sunset sky facing Mount Yōtei with leaves falling around Atsu.

tulippooh3 shares Atsu leaning down and smiling at a fox.

GeekNamedMike shares Atsu unleashing the Onryō howl in black and white.

kcssrlnd shares Atsu running across a fallen tree trunk with Mount Yōtei in the background.

ForgottenJasmin shares Atsu strumming her shamisen in a field of white lilies.

CarrotsCaptures shares Atsu framed by the setting sun striking with her yari

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Ghost of Yōtei – Atsu
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 15, 2025 

Next week, we focus the lens on the Onryō herself. Share portraits of Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

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Greetings, Travelers! We’re delighted to meet you once again as Genshin Impact Version Luna II, Song of the Welkin Moon: Reprise — “An Elegy for Faded Moonlight,” will be launching on October 22. The story in Nod-Krai grows ever more intense as another clash with the formidable enemy, “Rächer of Solnari,” looms on the horizon. To confront this threat, you will join forces with the Fatui Harbingers and other unexpected allies. Among them, the new 5-star character Nefer steps into the fray, unlocking new strategic possibilities for Lunar-Bloom reactions. Furthermore, this update heralds the long-awaited debut of Miliastra Wonderland! This brand-new UGC (User-Generated Content) system allows you to explore hundreds of imaginative stages created by other players. You can also personalize your very own Manekin or Manekina with distinctive styles.

New power rising against the Sinner

Back in Nod-Krai, the path ahead remains uncertain, overshadowed by the looming threat of “Rächer of Solnari,” Rerir — one of the Five Sinners. The newest Archon Quest in Version Luna II delves deeper into the secrets of this formidable foe, with support arriving from both trusted companions and unexpected allies. The powerful Fatui Harbingers, Arlecchino and Sandrone, will lend their strength to the fight against Rerir. Meanwhile, Nefer, the head of the Curatorium of Secrets, may hold the key to uncovering the truth behind the enemy’s dark obsession. And just when the battle reaches its most perilous moment, our long-awaited old friend, Varka, makes a timely return, poised to turn the tide.

Meanwhile, The Damselette awaits in the Silvermoon Hall, ready to share more of her stories. In Version Luna II, Traveler can spend more time with this mysterious maiden. In return for your companionship, she will grant you the Ascendant Gleam state — a blessing from the Moon Goddess to aid you in combat. As a final token of her grace, fulfilling her request will also reward you with an exclusive namecard.

The lady to know all hearts

Beyond the unfolding storyline, the new 5-star character Nefer debuts as a Dendro Catalyst wielder. As the head of the Curatorium of Secrets, she navigates a web of hidden knowledge with ease, possessing an uncanny ability to sense when even the most reserved individuals are guarding secrets. The intelligence she unearths with her unique talent can even be exchanged at the Adventurers’ Guild for a collection of quirky anecdotes.

In combat, this elegant and sharp-eyed lady takes increased Lunar-Bloom DMG. By consuming Verdant Dew, Nefer can execute her special Charged Attack, Phantasm Performance, which summons a shade of herself to fight alongside her, dealing Lunar-Bloom DMG. When buffed by the Moonsign: Ascendant Gleam state, her Elemental Skill transforms all Dendro Cores into Seeds of Deceit. Nefer can then draw in these special resources to empower both her Charged Attacks and her Elemental Burst, the latter of which deals AoE Dendro DMG.

Version Luna II’s Event Wishes will feature new and returning characters in two phases: the first half marks the debut of Nefer alongside the return of Furina, followed by the reruns of Arlecchino and Zhongli in the second half.

More fun awaits in the event stories of Version Luna II. Traveler will reunite with Nefer and old friends on a journey to the long-lost remains of Sumeru, where mysterious occurrences await. By completing the event, you can earn the chance to invite Collei for free, as well as enjoy a variety of mini-games and rewards.

The world of creativity – Miliastra Wonderland

Making its grand debut in Version Luna II is Miliastra Wonderland, Genshin Impact’s brand-new UGC system, available on PlayStation 5 for PlayStation players. This whimsical realm springs from the mysterious Witch Octavia. With the special landscape orb Venti gave you earlier as your key, you’ll enter Miliastra Wonderland by awakening Manekins, avatars that act as projections of your will.

Once you complete Act I of the Archon Quest Prologue, “The Outlander Who Caught the Wind,” you’ll unlock access to Miliastra Wonderland. It can then be entered anytime via the Paimon Menu or the quick-access button in the top-right corner.

This is where the real fun begins: customizing your very own Manekin/Manekina. Freely adjust everything from clothing and hairstyles to facial features and accessories, tailoring their look to your inspiration. The best part? These customizations aren’t limited to Miliastra Wonderland. Your Manekin/Manekina can stroll through the world of Teyvat wearing your unique creations, turning your entire adventure into a personal showcase of style.

After crafting your perfect look, step into the social heart of Miliastra Wonderland: the bustling Lobby. It’s a place buzzing with Manekins chatting, exchanging invites, and heading off to diverse stages. Explore the Popular Miliastra Wonderland tab to see what the community is raving about, browse All Wonderlands to find your favorites, or dive straight into hundreds of imaginative stages from management sims and party games to PvP battles and adventure challenges.

To make your first steps even more rewarding, Version Luna II offers a wealth of bonuses through login events and in-game activities. These include exclusive outfits, lobby templates, and resources to obtain outfit blueprints (known as Catalogs), among other rewards.

And that wraps up our preview for Version Luna II. With Miliastra Wonderland opening its gates and the battles of Nod-Krai calling for unity, this update celebrates creativity, courage, and discovery. We can’t wait to see the worlds you explore, the style you embrace, and the memories you create with friends. Until then, Travelers — happy journeys, and we’ll see you in Teyvat and beyond!

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Hello again, PlayStation community! I’m Sam Eng, the sole developer behind Skate Story – a game where you play as a glass-bodied demon, doomed to skate through the Underworld and devour the Moon to satisfy the devil’s contract. Today I’m proud to share that Skate Story is set to release on December 8 on PS5.

It’s been a while since the last PlayStation Blog where we announced Skate Story coming to PS5, but I wanted to fill you all in on some new gameplay features, a peak behind the creation of an all-new original soundtrack from Blood Cultures, as well as how the PS5 DualSense Controller can help shape your experience of the game.

Skate Story or true story

Did you know? Skate Story is based on a true story. Yes, that’s right folks. Sure, it’s slightly dramatized for effect, but it’s all totally 100% true. Of course, names and places have been altered as well, for the privacy of those involved. For example, it was not originally a Frog who ran the bagel shop, and the Skater actually had to get a lawyer before signing the Devil’s Contract.

Sound (track) of the city

Blood Cultures breathed real New York City life into a brand-new 12 track original soundtrack. The way they captured the city’s heartbeat – the chaos, the beauty, the endless motion elevates the game into something richer and more alive.

Their music doesn’t just accompany the world, it defines it. I tapped Blood Cultures to guide the statement above.

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“When I was working on the soundtrack, Sam gave me some insane instructions. He was like, “I dunno, maybe make it sound industrial… it’s the underworld, you know?” Industrial? So I decided to apply for a job at the local train depot. I was worried they wouldn’t like the bag I keep over my head, but I figured everyone would be wearing masks anyway! They were actually really nice, but they kept insisting I take off my jacket. I’m not doing that! So I didn’t get the job. The foreman said “don’t trip on the way out!” I should have heeded the warning because I tripped on several metal beams. What a tumble! It sounded glorious! Then I realized… I should sample New York itself!

So then I went around the city, with my little pocket field recorder and a variety of little objects: spoons, chopsticks, my grandmother’s father’s watch, and started recording myself hitting objects! I eventually realized that inanimate objects work pretty good, and I was able to get some really nice samples from that. I recorded so many sounds of the city. I sampled obscure pillars under the bridge, to classic sounds like the rare subway screech at the last stop.”

– Blood Cultures

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Dynamic board wear + stickers, stickers, and stickers

The best thing about skateboarding is getting a new board. So what better to make you get a new board than to completely shred your current setup? In Skate Story, every trick, grind, slide, will wear away your deck. If you do more nose pops, then the nose will wear away. If you do more tailslides, the tail will show scrapes.

As you skate your way to the Moon, you’ll come across various gift shops. These are gifts created specifically for your soul. You can then trade collected portions of your leased soul for new decks, fresh trucks, and stylish wheels. Make your own setup and then bless it with some new stickers.

Stickers add style, customization, and will help keep your deck from falling apart. However, keep in mind you can only use a sticker once! Once you stick it, it’s stuck. Unhappy with where you stuck it? Grind it off!

As you skate, the stickers on your board will wear off. Enjoy the ephemeral nature of the many adhesive designs you’ll find.

The DualSense controller lights will dazzle you in the dark

Playing Skate Story on PlayStation 5 with the DualSense Controller is a multisensory experience. I designed the DualSense light bar effect in Skate Story to give a beautiful effect to ambiently dazzle the darkness. As you skate through the underworld, your tricks will beam out the DualSense. The light bar will reflect the Skater’s glass body, a lens to the gritty underworld lights in that eternal night.

STOMP your combo to deal damage

To take down the celestial beasts of the underworld, you’ll need to deal some massive damage with your skateboard.

Every trick you do will add to your skate combo. The combo will increase more if you perform different, stylish tricks. Performing tricks at speed, over objects, gaps, and catching air will increase your combo higher. If you repeat tricks or skate too slowly, it’ll still go up, but not as much.

Keep your line by switching it up and chaining tricks at a stylish pace. In the light of the Moon, you can STOMP your combo to end it in explosive fashion. Every trick you’ve done in that line will be expelled as damage around you. All of your tricks and your combo will reset, allowing you to start a new line. Keep pushing. Chain a beautiful skate line. Stomp the lunar projection. A tasty Moon awaits.

Well, I think that’s really all for now – it’s been quite the journey leading up to the final months of development, and I hope you all get to experience Skate Story on PS5 when it launches on December 8.

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Create an infinite number of unique islands to house prehistoric animals with Jurassic World Evolution 3’s Island Generator. The Island Generator will be available to players in game when it launches October 21 on PlayStation Store, and is available to pre-order now.

The powerful new feature in Sandbox Mode will allow players to create completely custom island layouts on which to build their sprawling Parks.

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Park Managers will have control over the Shape and Terrain of the island, as well as the amount of Trees, Water and Mountains, giving them the tools to create endless unique tropical islands at the tweak of a slider.

The Island Generator also comes with the full host of sandbox settings so Park Managers can build, manage, and control every aspect of their Parks.

Each island layout will have an Island DNA code, so players can share the seed and settings of their island. Inputting other players Island DNA codes will let them recreate other islands players have made. Players will also be able to upload Parks to the Frontier Workshop to share their Community Creations.

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“We are so excited to bring the Island Generator to Jurassic World Evolution 3. This is a feature we have wanted to realise for a long time now, and with the incredible new environmental tools we’ve developed for JWE3, we are finally able to do it justice. Not only does this feature give players endless variety in their Sandbox maps, but the ability to share Parks on the Frontier Workshop means that people all around the world can see how you’ve developed your own unique starting point into a truly distinctive park. We also really love that players can use Monorails and Hyperloop transport systems to connect and extend their park out to any smaller islands that may have been generated away from the main landmass. The potential for elaborate and creative island parks is now greater than ever and we can’t wait to see what players do with these tools when the game launches.”

– Andy Fletcher, Game Director

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Jurassic World Evolution 3 on PlayStation 5 Pro

Building on the success of the previous game, Jurassic World Evolution 3 pushes the boundaries with new and improved graphical technology. The team at Frontier have worked with brand-new console technology to create the best player experience possible.

PlayStation 5 Pro offers players incredible image quality with both PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and Ray Traced Sun Shadows. PSSR delivers super sharp image clarity with an extraordinary level of detail.

Without Ray Traced Sun Shadows, the shadows cast by foliage and dinosaurs are darker and interact with the environment less realistically.

Ray Traced Sun Shadows adds a great depth of realistic detail, with shadows cast by foliage and dinosaurs appearing softer.

Brand-new to the Jurassic World Evolution franchise, the delivery of Ray Traced Sun Shadows is made possible on console by the PlayStation 5 Pro’s upgraded GPU and Advanced Ray Tracing. Ray Traced Sun Shadows provides accurate penumbra for shadows using ray tracing to improve their quality, making the subtle details even more noticeable than before.

Without Ray Traced Sun Shadows, colours are brighter but have less contrast and shadows are more detailed but behave less realistically.

Ray Traced Sun Shadows have a more accurate penumbra, softening the shadows cast by foliage and scenery items.

This means sun shadows in Jurassic World Evolution 3 are very sharp near to the shadow-casting object and get blurrier further away, just like shadows in real life. This is one of two Ray Tracing features on the console with Ray Traced Global Illumination also available on PlayStation 5.

With Ray Traced Sun Shadows off, the shadows cast on to Psittacosaurus, as well as the dinosaurs shadows themselves, are harsher and more solid.

When Ray Traced Sun Shadows are on, shadows behave more naturally, adding a great depth of realistic detail.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 launches on 21 October and is available to pre-order now on the PlayStation store.

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While we’re approaching boogeyman season, your evenings needn’t be filled with frights (unless you enjoy a good scare!). Find something fun to play, explore fantastical frontiers, rediscover a favorite game series and more with PlayStation Store’s Player’s Choice promotion, offering a selection of games at reduced prices for a limited time*. 

*Player’s Choice promotion is live on PlayStation Store from Wednesday, October 8 at 00:00 AM PDT/BST/JST and finishes Wednesday October 22 at 11:59 PM PDT/BST/JST.

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The Haunting returns in full force, bringing thrilling content to all three modes inspired by the rich history of horror films. Drop into map variants like Bootown and night versions of Verdansk and Rebirth Island, become the monster in Slasher Deathmatch, and face the undead in Haunted Havoc and Zombie Royale.

Experience all the scares alongside new maps, weapons, and more when The Haunting update goes live in Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone starting October 9.

Multiplayer overview

New Maps

Gravity (Launch): Explore the sprawling compound for the Advanced Technologies and Applications Gravity Division. Soar over foes in the Low Gravity room and fight through the concrete bunkers and outer walkway.

Rig (Launch): Stop over at this truck stop after dusk, where a turned-over rig has slammed into the gas station pumps. Move through the combo Restaurant and Shop and get above the action from the Garage and Motel balcony.

Mothball (Launch): Inspired by the cognitive research facility encountered in the Black Ops 6 Campaign, this Strike map sets combat around the base of the towering golden Statue and the outer wings surrounding it.

Bootown (Launch): Skeletons, spiders, and Jack-o’-Lanterns infiltrate the quiet cul-de-sac at night in this Nuketown map variant featuring a soundscape of menacing laughter and creaking doorways.

New Multiplayer modes

Slasher Deathmatch (Launch): Play as and face off against slashers inspired by some of horror’s most iconic villains in this new hide-and-seek mode. Through four rounds of play, two of the eight survivors are randomly chosen to take on the role of a slasher. Hunt down the remaining survivors who must use their wits to fight back and run down the clock before going down.

Slasher Deathmatch: Jason: Become Jason from Friday the 13, wielding a Machete and moving with an unnerving pace that quickens as he pursues his victims. The final living survivor is awarded the Pickaxe which, can eliminate Jason.

Slasher Deathmatch: Chucky: Slashers gain abilities inspired by Chucky, a serial killer trapped inside a doll’s body. Chase after survivors with the Combat Knife and get back up again with extra lives to stay in the fight. Survivors can fight back with their Shock Charge and Molotov.

Zombies overview

New LTM: Haunted Havoc (Launch)

Enter a relentless nightmare with lurking Mimics, treat-filled Jack-o’-Lanterns, and a forced Rampage Inducer making zombies faster and more aggressive from the start. Additionally, zombie health is reduced until Round 15, but their damage output increases much faster compared to Standard Zombies.

Haunted Havoc will be available across all six maps. Complete the Main Quest to unlock sweet rewards, including a pack of 5 unique GobbleGums, an Ultra GobbleGum, and 15,000 XP per map.

New GobbleGum: Jacked Lanterns

Transform zombie heads into pumpkin heads with the new Jacked Lanterns Whimsical GobbleGum, bringing the Halloween spirit even when you’re not playing Haunted Havoc.

Two New Leaderboard Events

In Death Pit, compete to gather the most Essence in Haunted Havoc. In Extinction Protocol, eliminate the undead with Scorestreaks or while Field Upgrades are active to score points and progress.

Call of Duty: Warzone overview

Verdansk and Rebirth Island Night Variants

Night descends on Verdansk and Rebirth Island. Play night map variants for both, setting the mood for the many zombified battles ahead, including the following limited-time modes:

New LTM: Casual Z (Launch)

Drop into a match against players, bots, and the undead. Regular and armored zombies roam the map, attacking living flesh on sight. Available on Verdansk and Rebirth Island.

New LTM: Zombie Royale (In-Season)

Zombie Royale returns to Verdansk, bringing new zombie abilities and map-wide features into play. In this mode, slain Operators are reanimated as zombies. Work with your remaining squad members to take down enemy squads and seek out special Anti-Virals to get back into the match as a living Operator.

Zombie Abilities: Disguise yourself as a prop and then reveal your identity when the enemy approaches, and tear them to pieces. Plus, disrupt human Operators and their gear with the EMP Blast and become the powerful Mangler with the Mutant Injection.

Portals: Enter portals for rapid traversal. Human Operators who enter a portal will redeploy in the air away from undead foes, while reanimated Operators will teleport to a random human Operator who is not part of their squad. 

General overview

New Weapons: In the Battle Pass, unlock the Dresden 9mm SMG and Merrick 556 Assault Rifle. Through in-game events, get wild with the X52 Resonator Special Weapon and the Chainsaw Melee weapon.

New Attachments: Up your fire rate with two new attachments, the GPR91 Double-Barrel Conversion and the GPMG-7 Muzzle Booster.

Events, Ranked Play 

Celebrate the season with several in-game events including The Haunting Daily Login, Echoes of the Dead, Chucky Event Pass, and Tapes of Terror. Earn rewards including new seasonal weapons, a new attachment, Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, and more.

Plus, prepare for a new season of Ranked Play for Multiplayer and Call of Duty Warzone, including Ranked Play: Battle Royale and Ranked Play: Resurgence. Earn new seasonal rewards based on the highest Rank obtained in the season.

The Haunting Battle Pass, Store content

Purchase the Battle Pass to immediately unlock rewards including, a seasonal 10% Battle Pass XP Boost, the new Jungle Hunter Predator Operator, and more, providing access to over 110 pieces of unlockable content. Get more with BlackCell.

Look for exciting new Store Bundles including, the Tracer Pack: Jason Ultra Skin, Tracer Pack: Predator: Badlands Ultra Skin, Tracer Pack: Fallen Icon The Replacer, Tracer Pack: Halfpipe Havoc Mastercraft, and more.

Free trial

Play Black Ops 6 for free for an entire week from October 9 through 16, including full access to the entire single player Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies.

The Haunting launches October 9

Black Ops 6 is available now on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Experience the spy action thriller Campaign, the in-depth tactical chaos of Multiplayer, and soak in the gory glory of round-based Zombies experience.

Plus, pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 today so you’re ready to go on its November 14 launch date.

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Inspired by PlayStation’s storied heritage, here’s a first look at the DualSense wireless controller – Icon Blue Special Edition, which features unique, layered shades of blue and a glossy pattern of PlayStation shapes on the touch pad.

To share more about the inspiration behind this upcoming controller, here’s Leo Cardoso from our Color, Material and Finish design team: 

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“From the moment the console powers on and the DualSense controller lights up, that signature blue glow signals the start of something special. It’s the spark that draws you into new worlds and immersive gameplay. Inspired by PlayStation’s iconic shades of blue, this design captures the feeling of anticipation and wonder every time you pick up the controller. As a nod to our origins, we added Katakana characters on the back that spell our name the Japanese way: Pureisutēshon.“

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Starting on October 20 in the U.S. and Canada, October 28 in Mexico and Chile, the DualSense wireless controller – Icon Blue Special Edition will be available for a recommended retailer price (RRP) of $84.99 USD /  $109.99 CAD /  $1,899 MXN /  $93,490 CLP at Walmart locations in these regions as well as on Walmart’s official site.

Alongside the controller, we’re also excited to share a look at upcoming products available in the U.S. on Walmart.com and in select stores highlighting PlayStation’s heritage, as well as characters and themes from games like The Last of Us, Astro Bot, and more. 

Astro Bot Lunch Box
A collectible lunch box featuring the beloved Astro Bot, complete with a playful lenticular face that shifts expressions as you move it.

Twisted Metal Meltz Figures
A wild assortment of Culturefly’s signature Meltz figures reimagined as over-the-top characters and vehicles from the chaotic world of Twisted Metal.

PlayStation Jersey
A sleek, gamer-inspired jersey blending modern athletic style with iconic PlayStation heritage.

Monogram Backpack Clips
A set of detailed figural backpack clips celebrating fan-favorite PlayStation characters, perfect for collecting or showing off on the go.

The Last of Us Ellie Mini Backpack
A mini backpack modeled after Ellie’s in-game pack from The Last of Us, designed as a stylish and functional accessory for everyday fans.

We hope you enjoy the new controller design!

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Hi everyone! I’m thrilled to reveal more details about our debut game, Reach, an immersive action-adventure built from the ground up for next-gen virtual reality.

Launching on PS VR2 next week, Reach puts you in the boots of a reluctant hero drawn deep into a world of collided realities. What starts as a search for an escape quickly becomes a high-stakes journey of survival, discovery and agency – where your movement, your decisions, and your tools directly affect your adventure through the game.

We set out to create a VR experience that offers the scale, depth, and spectacle of a blockbuster action game while staying true to what makes VR special: presence, freedom, and physicality. Here’s a deeper look at what makes the game tick, and the journey we took to get here and how we’re making use of the power of PS VR2 to make every moment feel more impactful.

Become an action hero

Embodiment is one of VR’s biggest strengths, allowing for unrivalled expressive roleplay as you step inside a virtual body and experience the world through it. One of our core goals with Reach was to push embodiment further than ever before through a responsive full-body avatar that gives you a true sense of presence in the world in a way that’s only possible in VR. Whether you’re reaching for a ledge, dangling above a perilous drop, or dodging an enemy attack, your actions feel natural and fully grounded in the world.

In Reach your physical actions really do directly impact the world around you. We want you to have the power to create epic moments and live through these thrilling action sequences, not just observe them. Key to this is how you traverse – or move – through the world.

Traversal in Reach is so much more than a way of getting from A to B. From death-defying leaps across chasms to scaling breathtaking and vast environments while performing acrobatic escapes from the imposing threats within, you’ll feel like a true badass. No rails, no teleporting, it’s just you, your instincts, and the environment.

We’re incredibly proud of this combination of physicality and responsiveness that makes every action – no matter how subtle – feel immersive and real.

Complete freedom of choice

One of our core aims, right from the start of the prototyping phase of Reach’s development, has been to put player agency right at the heart of the game. We want to give you the complete freedom of choice on how you approach every situation and to reward you for experimenting with different strategies.

We’ve leant into this with our tools and weapons. They’re multi-functional and designed to adapt to whatever situation you’re facing, from parkour to puzzle-solving. Mastering these tools make you feel like you’re wielding superhuman abilities as you make your way through the game’s unpredictable and varied world.

A perfect example is how you can transition from traversal to combat. You might start by using your grapple hook to swing from grapple point to grapple point, then fire arrows into a wall using your trusty bow, climb the arrows up to a vantage point, pull them out of the wall, and then fire them at an enemy from long range. That’s the kind of versatility and improvisation that we’re encouraging.

This philosophy also shaped how we built levels in the game. Areas can be scaled in various ways and approached in multiple directions with the game rewarding experimentation and exploration. We’ve found that people start off slow and steady but quickly become more daring and confident, making death-defying jumps to access hidden paths and vantage points.

Harnessing the power of PS VR2 

Our ethos as a team has always been to continue pushing VR forward through innovative gameplay and boundary-pushing technology. Every system, animation, and interaction is designed to drive immersion, presence, and roleplay, and we’ve sought to use every ounce of PS VR2’s power to make moment-to-moment gameplay feel as impactful as possible.

Using PS VR2’s Sense controllers, every interaction feels rich and tactile. Through haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, you’ll feel the weight and resistance of objects and surfaces as you interact with the world around you: doors push back as you slide them open, your hands adjust as they grip uneven surfaces, and your limbs react realistically when brushing against walls or crouching under obstacles. The tactility of that feedback as you land on a ledge, having desperately flung yourself across a cliff face, legs flailing beneath you, adds an extraordinary extra layer of depth to the feeling of embodying an action hero.

Visually, we’re also using PS VR2’s 4K capabilities to bring our intricate world to life in spectacular fashion. Higher-resolution textures help to tell the story of the vast scale and minute detail that fills every area of the game, from sprawling caverns to crumbling subterranean architecture.

That’s just a taste of what you can expect in Reach. If you like what you’ve read, then you can pre-order Reach on the PlayStation Store today ahead of its launch next week. We can’t wait for you to experience this exhilarating VR adventure for yourselves..

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Five years ago, Sucker Punch took us to new frontiers on “Tsushima Island”, where we were introduced to Jin Sakai, a samurai struggling between abandoning his code of honor and protecting his home from the first Mongol invasion of Japan.

Three hundred years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, a new warrior has risen. In Ghost of Yōtei, Atsu seeks revenge on the Yōtei Six after they ruthlessly slaughtered her family. As she takes on each of her enemies with an “underdog vengeance”, Atsu traverses the open world of Ezo and adopts the spirit of the onryō to pursue justice on those who took everything from her.

Ghost of Yōtei takes players through a sensory-driven, open world that offers players a unique perspective and experience. The original score, composed by Toma Otowa, is the perfect accompaniment to immerse you in a cultural adventure as you unlock hidden levels of beauty and brutality. East meets West when the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments merge with the modern Western influences to create a one-of-a-kind score that fully captures Atsu’s journey.

Ghost of Yōtei – Official Soundtrack Listening Party | October 15

The PlayStation Studios Music team and Sony Music Masterworks are thrilled to invite you to the official soundtrack listening party celebrating the recent release of Ghost of Yōtei!

Join our 60-minute livestream on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00 PM PT, featuring exclusive commentary, behind-the-scenes stories, and insights into the production of the game soundtrack.

We’ll be joined by four talented speakers, each offering their own unique perspective and contribution on the creative process behind the music and characters that bring Atsu and the open world of Ezo to life. 

Toma Otowa

Toma Otowa is a multi-award-winning film and game composer based in Los Angeles. He has worked on such Hollywood blockbuster films as Thor: Ragnarok, Croods: A New Age, Lego Movie 2, and Hotel Transylvania 3 with veteran film composer and DEVO frontman, Mark Mothersbaugh.

Otowa’s video game work includes Resident Evil 5, Afrika, Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, Halo 2: Anniversary, Knack, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which he co-composed with Mothersbaugh.

Jason Connell

Jason Connell is a Creative Director on Ghost of Yōtei and was Creative Director and Art Director on Ghost of Tsushima, leading lighting, cinematography, and concept direction. He has more than 20 years of game development experience, over half of which have been with Sucker Punch. Alaska-bred, he loves adventuring with his wife and two children. Jason lives in a beanie 99% of the time and abuses the word awesome.

Brad Meyer

Rev. Dr. Bradley D Meyer is an Audio Director at Sucker Punch with over 27 years of experience in game audio. He’s fortunate enough to have led the team that won both the BAFTA and D.I.C.E awards for best Audio in 2020 for Ghost of Tsushima. Brad now leads the team on Ghost of Yōtei. He has lectured extensively about game audio at universities and conferences around the world. He is an ordained minister and a Doctor of Metaphysics and Immortality, and you wouldn’t know if he didn’t plaster it everywhere his name appears.

Erika Ishii

Erika Ishii (all pronouns) is a well-known figure in games, animation, and comedy. They star as main character Rook in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sektor in Mortal Kombat 1, Valkyrie in Apex Legends, and in October 2025 will play the titular lead in Ghost of Yōtei. Erika is considered an especially chaotic regular cast member on comedy streamer Dropout’s shows including Dimension 20, Game Changer, and Make Some Noise. They have appeared with Critical Role, hosted Marvel red carpets, and recently performed as a special guest in the Off-Broadway theater production Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern. Erika is the proud co-creator of the record-breaking narrative play and storytelling collective Worlds Beyond Number, along with Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Lou Wilson.

Now Streaming: Ghost of Yōtei Original Soundtrack

The Ghost of Yōtei original soundtrack by Toma Otowa is now streaming on all major platforms! This symphonic odyssey intricately weaves the haunting gravity of what Atsu has lost and carves the path of who she will choose to become. Listen now wherever you get your music.

If you liked what you heard, tune in to Twitch | YouTube on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00PM PT / 8:00PM ET to join the Ghost of Yōtei soundtrack listening party! Ghost of Yōtei is now available on PS5.

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Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here

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Hey, everybody! Kristen and I are back this week to celebrate the launch of Ghost of Yōtei, discuss upcoming releases, and share the latest news. This episode also includes an interview with Erika Ishii, voice of Atsu from Ghost of Yōtei.

Stuff We Talked About

• Next week’s release highlights:
  • Ghost of Yōtei| PS5 (out now)
  • Digimon Story: Time Stranger | (out today)
  • Battlefield 6 | PS5
  • Little Nightmares III | PS5, PS4
  • Dreams of Another | PS5, PS VR2
    
• PlayStation 30th anniversary merchandise — A new large-format photography book is coming in Spring 2026, featuring a rich look at the history of the consoles, including hundreds of unseen images.
  
• My Hero Academia: All’s Justice character episodes — The new anime arena fighter is coming to PS5 on February 6, 2026, and you can get a first look at the new modes.
  
• Call of Duty Black Ops 7 hands-on — Get a full report of the multiplayer, zombies, and more as the latest entry looks to push the series forward.
  
• PlayStation Plus Monthly Games October
  • Alan Wake 2
  • Goat Simulator 3
  • Cocoon

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The Cast

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Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

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Ghost of Yōtei is now available on PS5, and players are taking their first steps into the lavish, dangerous world of Ezo, joining Atsu on her quest to hunt down the Yōtei Six and discover a life beyond revenge. To mark launch, and delve further into the process of bringing this new protagonist so vividly to life, we were joined in the PlayStation Podcast studio by Atsu’s voice actor Erika Ishii, who also lends their likeness to the character. 

Note: Interview condensed for clarity and brevity. The full conversation will be available on the latest episode of the PlayStation Podcast, available later today. 

PlayStation Blog: by the time this interview goes out, players will have finally got to step into the shoes of Atsu. But for you, the character has been part of your life for a long while now. So how long has that been and what did those initial conversations look like with the team at Sucker Punch Productions?

Erika Ishii: It has been almost three years of my life now. I was a huge fan of Tsushima, and so it was both a tremendous pressure that I put on myself, and very, very exciting. I think the first conversations that we had were us sharing how geeked up we are about samurai films and about video games. 

PSB: One of the wonderful things was when you discovered the cosplay guide, and I remember seeing you geeking out about, I believe it was Ellie (from The Last Of Us) you cosplayed as, and now there’s a cosplay guide with your face and your character going out to the PlayStation audience. That must be really exciting.

Erika Ishii: Yeah, it’s so wild, because I do feel like the Cinderella story. I was a fan, I was a cosplayer, and, you know, I would go to release parties, and you know, now I get to be part of that. And who knows, maybe somebody will cosplay Atsu or play the game, and years later, they’ll point to Ghost of Yōtei as something that inspired them to start telling their own stories. I mean, that’s the dream.

PSB: Speaking of cosplay, there was also a wonderful Astro bot cameo. You had a little Atsu bot in Astro How was that, seeing that for the first time?

Erika Ishii: There was, of course, the feeling of triumph you get from whenever you get the Astro bots, and then on top of that… I think I feel like a broken record, but I truly am flabbergasted and honored to get to have all of this. I played through all of Astro Bot, and I’m at 100% Bots until this DLC dropped. It’s so cute. The wolf is adorable. And yeah, it just feels like a surreal fever dream.

PSB: So obviously Atsu not only looks like you and sounds like you, but which parts of who Atsu is, in terms of values, relationships, vulnerabilities, what sort of things felt most personal to you, and how did you protect that authenticity in your performance? 

Erika Ishii: From our first conversations, discussing the character and our love and the homage we wanted to pay to classic samurai films and to classic revenge films. She’s very much of that legacy. And as she relates to me, I think Atsu is still sort of young in a lot of ways, definitely emotionally. They did not have therapy back then, and I think that Atsu is what happens if I, or really any of us, give in to those really angry and fearful urges. And I think at her rawest, like most emotional core, Atsu, is scared and vulnerable. I think, you know, of course, she’s this incredible warrior, and we get to play the sort of samurai fantasy of the Dual Katanas and the Muskets and the Yari. But I think also what really resonated for me about Atsu was just that raw, emotional core of hers.

PSB: What do you hope players can take away from meeting her?

Erika Ishii: I really want them to have fun playing this game. Because while the story is compelling and really, truly – Sucker Punch does narrative like few game studios – I think there’s just something really fun about truly living out that fantasy. Yes, there’s, you know, the emotional character arc, but I just, I want people to feel badass. I think that I’m also a huge fan of westerns, and that was something we talked about as well: she is sort of that spaghetti Western samurai film hybrid – of feeling like the lone wanderer, striking a cool pose, silhouetted in the door frame of the saloon. And I want people to be able to sort of live that cinematic fantasy.

PSB: You’ve inhabited many characters over the years, both in video games and otherwise, but from an improv/TTRPG background, how did that help you shape and find Atsu’s character? 

Erika Ishii: One thing about improv is it’s a lot about listening and about making a strong choice in reaction to something that you hear. And I think that was incredibly instrumental with Atsu because the script, I have the benefit of an incredible script by great writers that are written for me for Atsu, whereas in Critical Role or the like, you have to be the writer, the actor, and in some small ways, the producer of your character. So with Atsu, the script was written, but being able to hear it – and to hear other characters react to her and reacting to them in an authentic way – I think, is where a lot of improv and spontaneity comes in. Because you can memorize the lines, but the way that you say them, in some ways, has to be a surprise to you, because, unless you’re a character who is reciting a speech that they have memorized, you don’t know what you’re going to say as a character. So I think that’s always been very helpful. 

PSB: It sounds like even from the first reads, it was pretty intense at times in terms of those scenes, in terms of the levels of emotion. Were there any moments you can recall where your background in improv and in actual play helps you nail those intense scenes?

Erika Ishii: It’s very scary. But I keep saying it is this duality of excitement and fear. You are literally, you know, in a very vulnerable suit. You know, the mocap suit is a spandex unitard, and you’re in a white padded room. And it’s sometimes, it’s just you. If you’re with other actors, you get to be with other actors. But there were some scenes that were just me and my horse, or just me having an emotional moment, an emotional beat, and when it’s you know, you have to create all of those circumstances yourself. There’s something in improv and in tabletop called scene painting, where usually a DM, or sometimes a player, will describe the scene, they’ll set the scene, they’ll have all the details of this landscape and perhaps some items. It’s like black box theater for theater goers, where it’s really just you in a room with a bunch of people looking at you. And you know that every minute that those cameras are rolling, it’s all you. 

PSB: Did you have a chance to look at concept art? Was that any visual help while picturing those scenes? 

Erika Ishii: Truly huge, huge thanks to Sucker Punch. They kept me in the loop whenever there were writer meetings, if I had questions about the character or about the story, or about what was happening. I could ask them. I had a dialect coach. And the concept art, the artists are so phenomenal at [the studio]. We got concept art of locations, of the characters. It really helped to do that scene painting. 

I had the fortune of getting to see some of the cinematics as they were completed, which, again, is very unusual for voice acting, because usually you do your work and that’s it. But for this, since I was there for the entirety of production. I got to see some progress. I got to see some gameplay. And that is so, so paramount as a performer like because the more data we have to build this little database in our head of what the world is, just the more immersive it can be for us. And so, yeah, just they did a great job of getting me immersed.

PSB: So the game launches October 2. Where does October 2 find Erika, how are you marking launch?

Erika Ishii: I am going to get together with some of the cast, and we’re gonna have our own sort of small celebration. Our director, our fearless leader, who directed all of the voiceover, is sort of gathering us together. And this again, is an unusual project, in that I got to work with most people. I got to be in the booth or in the mocap volume with a lot of folks. And so there’s this camaraderie that we don’t always get in games. And this cast is something really, really special. They’re all unbelievably talented. A lot of them are just video game veterans and also video game nerds, but it’s a mostly all Asian and Asian American cast, and that’s something that just doesn’t really happen a lot in. There’s sort of a shared, sort of “in the trenches” feeling with us together. So we’re gonna celebrate it and that weekend. 

And for me, I’m going to be out “sick” a lot of that week, playing the game. It’s odd: I’ve never played a game extensively with me, as me, like this. I don’t know how it will be. I don’t know how I’ll react. I think beyond launch and beyond the world, getting to meet Atsu is a bit of a fog of war for me. I think I just kind of have to navigate it, one bit at a time.

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