Commander Fury

Street Fighter V’s final digital event revealed new details on the last character, Luke, who will be a key player in the next Street Fighter project. We’re not ready to talk about that just yet, but let’s dive into Luke in SFV and his unique gameplay mechanics. Play Video SFV’s Final Combatant Enters the Ring The SFV Fall Update kicked off with a preview of Luke’s story mode. This follows a dramatic childhood event that inspires him to become a fighter, join the military, and encounter a familiar face. What caused such a commotion? How does Guile fit into Luke’s story? We won’t spoil too much here. Play Luke’s Character Story to learn more. Luke Gets Up Close and Personal Luke is all about forward moving attacks that keep the pressure on. All three normal punches move Luke forward, allowing him to close distances offensively. Luke also has two target combos great for racking up damage. Luke’s target combos are great for dealing damage Luke’s special moves allow him to close safely and create offensive opportunities. A mid-to-long ranged projectile called “Sand Blaster” shoots energy from his hands. “Rising Rocket” is an anti-air move that launches Luke upwards to attack airborne opponents. Zone with “Sand Blaster” “Rising Rocket” is his anti-air “Avenger” is a forward-moving dash Luke can string into combos and lets him cover more ground. It has two follow ups: “No Chaser,” a shoulder charge that’s integrable into combos, and “Impaler,” a mid-range overhead kick. “No Chaser” is a tackle that leads to combos “Impaler” hits overhead to catch opponents off guard “Flash Knuckle” is Luke’s go-to combo starter and extender. Each punch leads to a different forward-moving attack. LP “Flash Knuckle” moves slightly forward MP ver. moves further HP ver. goes nearly half-screen away Holding punches executes a charged version of “Flash Knuckle” and gives it different properties, depending on the button pressed. A Familiar Yet Unique V-System Luke’s V-System, while familiar, has special properties, especially with his V-Triggers. His V-Skill I, “Hard Shot,” charges up “Flash Knuckle” without having to hold and charge the move. If you charge after using “Hard Shot,” it executes an enhanced version with more damage and combo potential. Flex on opponents Power up “Flash Knuckle” V-Skill II, “Suppressor,” has Luke take a quick step back before executing a body blow. Different from a parry, it excels against throws and command grabs when timed properly. While seemingly defensive, this move keeps Luke on offense by making accurate reads and suppressing escapes. Time “Suppressor” correctly against throws Now it’s your turn Luke’s V-Triggers are unique, as both cause his V-Gauge to become a timer that continuously fills in a neutral state. Additionally, Luke can gain V-Timer by doing damage. Conversely, he loses V-Timer when getting hit or using his V-Trigger moves. These are the first SFV V-Triggers to increase V-Timer as you do damage. This also forces opponents to approach and prevent Luke from maintaining a filled V-Timer. V-Trigger I, “Fully Armed,” gives Luke access to two new moves, which we revealed during the SFV Summer Update 2021. Pressing HP+HK after activation throws out three long range projectiles called “Rock Smasher.” Activate “Fully Armed” and pummel opponents! “Thermobaric Thrash,” is only executable off an EX “Sand Blaster.” This adds tons of damage but EX meter must be utilized wisely. “Thermobaric Thrash” unleashes heaps of damage but is only usable after EX “Sand Blaster” V-Trigger II, “Vanguard,” lets Luke cancel any “Flash Knuckle” into another of a different strength. This opens up previously unavailable combo paths, allowing Luke to double up on “Flash Knuckles” in his combos. “Vanguard” can string together “Flash Knuckles” of different strengths for extended combos and extra damage! Luke is fully armed and ready to fight on November 29th with additional costumes. Make sure to prepare before Luke joins the fight by picking up the Season 5 Character or Premium Pass. Now that we know how Luke plays, let’s see him in action. Play Video SFV Sales and Free Trial To help celebrate SFV’s final character launch, discounts are available and a Free Trial is running through November 29 that grants access to all characters from Seasons 1-4. A limited-time free trial of Street Fighter V: Champion Edition is available on PS4 now. Includes all characters from Season 1 to 4. SFV, Champion Edition, and the Upgrade Kit are also discounted now in the PlayStation store! And that wraps up the final SFV digital event. Thanks to everyone who tuned in to the SFV Fall Update, and every update we released since we started in Summer 2020. We owe their success to you, the players, who have continued to support us. We’ve been watching everyone’s reactions and are grateful for your passion for Street Fighter. While Luke brings an end to our SFV digital updates and character releases, we’ll continue to support SFV. After Luke’s is released, our next SFV update will be the Battle Balance update coming in March 2022. We hope you’ll enjoy Luke in SFV and you can look forward to seeing more of him in the next Street Fighter project. Goodbye for now. We’ll be back next year with more Street Fighter news! View the full article

Hi guys! I’m Tommaso Bonanni, technical director at Caracal Games, we’re collaborating closely with publisher Wired Productions on the upcoming psychological thriller, Martha Is Dead. I’m here today for two very important reasons, firstly, to share the exciting news that the game will launch on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on February 24, 2022 – and secondly, to talk about how we’ve have leveraged PS5 tech, including the DualSense wireless controller, to immerse players in the game. Play Video For those of you who are new to the game, Martha Is Dead is a first-person psychological thriller from LKA, who are known for creating reality-based narrative games. Set in 1940s Italy during World War 2, the game explores a distressing period in history from the perspective of a family that has had their world turned upside down. Martha is dead, and playing as her twin sister Giulia, you must unravel the story and hunt for the truth in a world shrouded by mysterious folklore, superstition, and the extreme horror of war. The immersive features of the DualSense controller provided potent new ways to pull players into this psychological experience. For example, in moments of increased tension and fear, players feel the heightened heartbeat of the protagonist. Players can also feel the difference of the character’s footfalls across different terrain. Our aim was to help players feel Giulia’s movement and emotions as she explores and searches for clues. The resistance of the adaptive triggers lets us draw players further into the dark world. For example, taking pictures with the protagonist’s vintage 1940s camera feels more tactical thanks to the triggers. This is key, as photography plays a core role in unraveling the prevailing mystery. The PS5’s 3D Audio also lets us envelope players in the unnerving world of Martha Is Dead. This effect is combined with the DualSense controller’s speaker to emit sounds across the environment in unexpected ways. For example, hear dialogue from a phone call or the click of a lighter through the controller’s speaker. We can’t wait for you to experience all of this and more starting February 24, 2022. In the meantime, look out for more information about Martha Is Dead coming soon, and thank you for reading! View the full article

It is that festive time of year again, where everyone is breaking out their decorations and winterwear and getting into the holiday spirit. To help celebrate, we are pleased to announce a new collection of PlayStation merchandise available on the PlayStation Gear Store that pays homage to PlayStation’s heritage and iconic characters. Let’s take a look. PlayStation Bauble Ornament Set Decorate the home with these PlayStation Bauble Ornament Sets! Adorned with iconic PlayStation imagery, these sets come in a Royal Velvet blue that would look great on the family’s tree. Material: Glass Color: Royal Velvet Size: 3-1/4” Estimated Ship Date: 12/22/2021 Americas PlayStation Studios Icons Acrylic Ornament Set PlayStation is home to some of the most recognizable characters in gaming, and we are pleased to launch this new PlayStation Studios Icons Acrylic Ornament Set that pays tribute to some of our amazing icons! Material: Acrylic Color: Clear Size: H: 3” Estimated Ship Date: 12/15/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Crew Neck Sweater Paying homage to PlayStation’s heritage, this PlayStation Crew Neck will keep gamers warm and in style. Material: 60% combed ring spun cotton, 40% polyester French Terry Fleece Color: Heather Grey Size: XS – 3XL Estimated Ship Date: 12/22/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Zip Up Hoodie Also celebrating PlayStation’s heritage is this new PlayStation Heritage Zip Up Hoodie that adds comfort when layering on. Material: 80% cotton, 20% polyester Color: Black Size: XS – 3XL Estimated Ship Date: 12/31/2022 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Blanket Another way to keep warm this holiday season is with this soft blanket that sports our original PlayStation logo and Katakana logo. Material: 100% Polyester Color: Black/Heather Gray Size: 50”x60” Estimated Ship Date: 12/19/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Fuzzy Socks We get a warm fuzzy feeling with these super cool PlayStation Heritage Fuzzy Socks, and we hope you will too! Material: 100% custom jacquard/woven fuzzy socks Color: grey/white Size: One size Estimated Ship Date: 12/31/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Beanie This PlayStation Heritage Beanie from The North Face features our original PlayStation logo and Katakana logo embroidered on the front, so you can keep your head warm while showing everyone your love for PlayStation in style! Material: 100% acrylic Color: Black Size: One size Estimated Ship Date: 12/30/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Scarf Stay warm with this knit PlayStation Scarf, perfect for keeping you shielded from a chilly winter breeze. Material: Acrylic Color: Grey/White Size: One size Estimated Ship Date: 12/17/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Mug Nothing quite like waking up on those cold winter mornings, getting comfy on the couch, and sipping on a nice warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa. This PlayStation Heritage Mug is perfect for those mornings. Material: Stoneware Color: Black Size: 12oz. Estimated Ship Date: 12/21/2021 Americas Europe PlayStation Heritage Thermal Mug/Tumbler* *Sold separately Adding to our heritage drinkware line is a new PlayStation Heritage Thermal Mug and Tumbler. Material: Stainless steel Color: White Size: 16oz Estimated Ship Date: 12/21/2021 Americas Europe We hope you enjoy our winter collection. Have a happy holiday season! View the full article

Well, would you look at the time of the year. That’s right – it’s Impys season! We’re so excited to announce that the 3rd Annual Impy Awards, the third-ever instalment of our yearly Dreams awards show, will be taking place on February 27, 2022 and that nominations are open… right now! Each year, the Impy Awards are our chance to celebrate another 12 months of Dreams, and all the dreamers who have made it so special. This year will be no different! We’ll be live on Twitch to hand out trophies to some of the most amazing, original and exciting creations and creators in the Dreamiverse – while also taking a look back at everything that 2021 in Dreams has given us. One of the biggest changes we’re making this year is that we’re asking dreamers to nominate themselves, rather than nominating others. This should allow dreamers to showcase the work they are most proud of. All the details can be found on our nomination form as well as on indreams.me. Now, without further ado, here are this year’s categories: Creator(s)/Team of the Year Creation of the Year Excellence in Art Direction Excellence in Environment Art Excellence in Narrative Excellence in Sculpture Music Track of the Year Musician of the Year Excellence in Animation Excellence in Gameplay Most Original Gameplay Excellence in Curation Excellence in Character Design Excellence in Audio Design Excellence in Innovation Excellence in Voice Acting Contribution Beyond Dreams Excellence in VR Evolving Experience Community Star Most Helpful Dreamer Community Collaboration Breakthrough Dreamer You’ll notice a fair few differences this year in the categories. We believe this is our most comprehensive list of Impy categories yet, and we’re really excited to see the nominations start rolling in. You’ll have until the end of the day on December 5, 2021 to get your nominations submitted. As usual, a handful of these categories will be opened up to the coMmunity for voting early in the new year, so stay tuned for details on those. As we’ve mentioned up top, the Impy Awards are our way of celebrating the inspiring community found inside and outside of the Dreamiverse, and we hope you’ll join us in doing just that during this year’s festivities. We’ll have a new playable Impys hub space launching in Dreams in the run-up to the event, inviting dreamers all over the world to get into the Impys spirit, and we’ll also be celebrating the birthday of Dreams in the week leading up to February 27. It’s sure to be one big party! View the full article

Brawlhalla and Street Fighter collide today in one of the free-to-play platform-fighter’s biggest crossovers yet. Ryu, Chun-Li, and Akuma are joining Brawlhalla’s cast as Epic Crossovers during a special event, and they’re bringing their best moves – including Ryu’s Hadoken and Chun-Li’s Spinning Bird Kick – to the battle. The event also adds a new game mode: Street Brawl, which adds health bars for one-on-one Street Fighter-style fights. Players can fight in a new map based on Suzaku Castle (Ryu’s classic stage), or get their hands on a Podium patterned after Kapukon Yu (E. Honda’s stage), as well as snagging a new Street Fighter-style K.O. Effect, an Emote based on Akuma’s Satsui no Hado victory pose, and avatars featuring Zangief, the Shadaloo emblem, a Hadoken, and an animated quarter-circle punch. Play Video Of course, crossovers like this don’t just happen – they’re the result of careful planning and collaboration between companies, as well as deep affection and respect for a franchise that Brawlhalla’s developers grew up with. To find out more about how it all came together, we spoke with Josh Kenneth, international product manager at Brawlhalla developer Blue Mammoth Games. How did this crossover begin? Was it something fans were clamoring for? Josh Kenneth: Like every Crossover we do, it started because we love the property and its characters. For this one, we thought, “we grew up with Street Fighter, and it’s awesome. Can we do a Crossover with them?” Fans also have a lot of Crossovers that they want in Brawlhalla. It’s usually that person’s favorite IP x Brawlhalla, and we started seeing a lot of Street Fighter suggestions. Brawlhalla’s a fighting game, so it makes sense that fans would want us to crossover with another fighting game. It’s a great fit. While Brawlhalla and Street Fighter are both fighting games, they have very different gameplay styles – Brawlhalla lets you take on multiple opponents at once and is more focused on free-form combat, whereas Street Fighter focuses on 1v1 matches and features set combos. Why does it make sense to bring them together? Kenneth: This Brawlhalla x Street Fighter Crossover is our first Crossover with another fighting game. We’ve made leaps to crossovers with TV franchises, like Adventure Time, TMNT, and WWE, and to other video game genres, like Rayman, Shovel Knight, and Tomb Raider. So, while it makes fighting-game sense to bring them together, all the differences in the styles are also what makes it so fun. We were able to bridge a gap between traditional 2D fighters and platform fighters with this Crossover, and it’s awesome. Epic Crossover for Petra Ryu is always trying to find the next strongest opponent to better himself. Many of his iconic techniques have been brought over to Brawlhalla, like the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, Shoryuken, and Hadoken. Street Fighter characters have a familiar feel and fighting rhythms; what was it like adapting these characters to Brawlhalla? What made Petra, Wu Shang, and Val the right characters for these Epic Crossovers? Kenneth: We knew we wanted to have the most iconic attacks for each character. For Ryu, for example, that meant the Hadoken, Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, and the Shoryuken. Petra, Wu Shang, and Val had all the right weapons and attack styles to fit these Street Fighter characters and their iconic attacks. Once we had those attacks in the game, everything just fell into place. It felt so right so quickly! Chun-Li has her Spinning Bird Kick, Akuma has his Zanku Hadoken – it’s all there. In Brawlhalla, each character has two weapon types. What are the Street Fighter characters armed with? Kenneth: Each of the two Weapons the character uses changes their fighting style, so we used this opportunity to split the iconic attacks up between the weapons. Ryu uses Gauntlets and Orb, with the Orb based on the fighter’s willpower (like a Hadoken). Chun-Li uses Spear and Gauntlets, so she uses her spear to balance while she kicks. Akuma uses Sword and Gauntlets, with the sword being based on his exclamations about obliteration and annihilation. Basically, he’s going to use this thing to annihilate everything, as he likes to do. Epic Crossover for Wu Shang The Strongest Woman in the World is sure to teach her opponents a thing or two about how to take a kick. She brings techniques of her own into Brawlhalla, like the Spinning Bird Kick and Kikosho. What was the process like of working with Capcom for this crossover? Were they involved in tuning the characters, for example? Kenneth: Capcom was awesome to work with. Their team had creative input and final decision-making on how the Street Fighter characters looked in Brawlhalla. We would bring our ideas and expertise on how Brawlhalla looks and works, and they would give ideas on what to fit in, and how it all looked. The whole lot of them were really nice and fun to collaborate with! What can you tell us about the new Street Brawl mode? Kenneth: Imagine taking the Legends, movement, and weapon system of Brawlhalla, then putting the rules of Street Fighter around it all. Health bars, best of three, small 1v1 – it is so much fun. There are also walls and a ceiling on the map to really bring the combat in close. I “tested” it a whole lot during development just to play it as much as I could; also to give feedback, of course, but any chance I could get to play it, I was taking that chance! Ryu, Chun-Li, and Akuma are arguably the three most iconic characters in the Street Fighter franchise. Were any others on the table at one point? Kenneth: Oh, of course. Street Fighter has dozens of iconic characters, like Zangief, Dhalsim, M. Bison, Sakura; the list goes on. We’d be hard-pressed not to fit Zangief somewhere in this crossover, so we got him in as an Avatar; he’s easily one of my favorite Street Fighter characters, and we know how much of a fan favorite he is. We really did our best to fit as much fan-favorite (and our favorite) Street Fighter stuff in this crossover as we could. Epic Crossover for Val Focused on defeating the gods, the Master of the Fist is ready to make them truly tremble to pieces. He’ll achieve ultimate power with his Tatsumaki Zankukyaku and Zanku Hadoken techniques, among a few others.. How does the art team translate characters into the Brawlhalla art style and still maintain their identity? Kenneth: I can’t sing the praises of the Brawlhalla art team enough. Every single one of them is incredible. Since they are well-versed in the signature Brawlhalla art style and are always huge fans of the crossover characters we bring into the game, they have a great foundation to start from. That means they can identify the most important aspects of the characters’ designs and bring that into the Brawlhalla style. They also work closely with our partners, like Capcom, to make sure that everything translates over nicely, and that each character feels just right. Honestly, I’m certain the art team could fit any character to ever exist into Brawlhalla somehow. What is it about Suzaku Castle that made it the clear choice for the map? Did you consider any other classic Street Fighter locations? Kenneth: There were so many options, like Battle Harbor and the Casino, but Suzaku Castle just screams “Welcome to Street Fighter!” whenever you see it. It’s Ryu’s stage in the Street Fighter games, so it just felt right. We did also like the bathhouse stage, Kapukon Yu, from Street Fighter II, so we made that into a Podium – which is another example of fitting awesome Street Fighter stuff in where we could! Like Zangief, we just couldn’t have a Street Fighter Crossover without it. Which also means E. Honda is here in spirit. We hope everyone enjoys the Brawlhalla x Street Fighter Crossover as much as we enjoyed making it! Street Brawl mode is available to play now in Brawlhalla on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (via backwards compatibility), and Ryu, Chun-Li, and Akuma are available for purchase as Epic Crossovers. All Street Fighter content will be purchasable and playable after the event ends. View the full article

Today, as you pass through the dining section of First Class Trouble’s luxurious restaurant, you may notice that something looks a bit different. One of the tables now has a reservation card, a small, but important and permanent change. When you think of First Class Trouble, you probably associate it with all the lying and backstabbing required to win. Our tagline is, “Where cocktails last longer than friendships,” after all. But truth be told, we’d always envisioned First Class Trouble as a game that would bring players together from around the world and create a cool place for the community to hang out. Little did we know, however, that a romance was brewing aboard the Alithea. We first met Adrianna and Henry when they announced their engagement to the First Class Trouble community on Discord. We were so touched by their story, we wasted little time contacting them for more details. “Our story began when we met in the lobby of First Class Trouble and we instantly hit it off, or at least hit each other with champagne bottles,” Adrianna said. “We were lucky enough that we ended up queuing the next three matches. After finding out how great we were at finding Personoids, and how we were such a great team, we decided to exchange details!” From there, it was a simple matter of pure chemistry. “While messaging for the first time, I immediately said he had a funny accent, as he is from the U.K., and I’m from the U.S. And he said, ‘They messed up at the Personoid factory.’ From that moment, I was sold!” We’re pretty sure that Henry isn’t really a Personoid, but you never can be completely certain. Fortunately for Adrianna, though, he hasn’t demonstrated any real-world allegiance to C.A.I.N. … yet. “We played First Class Trouble every day for three months, hanging out, talking, and falling in love. It wasn’t long before I flew to the U.K., and not even a week after I arrived, we were happily engaged! We will be getting married on November 21, 2021. The happiest we have ever been, all thanks to meeting in First Class Trouble, so we want to thank the team for making such an amazing game that works so well at bringing people together!” After hearing this, the developers at Invisible Walls immediately started brainstorming ways of honoring Adrianna and Henry’s story in-game. “How can you not just feel happy as humans, developers, and artists, that something you made can bring people together like that? It needs to be celebrated,” said Niels Wetteberg, CEO of developer Invisible Walls. “We wanted something that was available to the entire community, as well as something that would stand as a tribute ‘forever’. We had a few ideas, but it all seemed to lack the level of romance needed to complement something like that. So, the table in the Restaurant level is now forever reserved for Adriana and Henry, and the wedding attire we’ve made is now available in a DLC pack for anyone else who wants to celebrate love.” The responsibility of blending wedding fashion with First Class Trouble’s established time period and theme fell on Andreas Bech, Art & Design at Invisible Walls. “A lot of thought goes into every piece of content we do. Even though we have a lot of quirky outfits in the game, every piece always must stay within the time period,” Andreas said. “For example, we tried to design most of our dresses and suits with a high waistline, which was quite characteristic for clothing in that time period.” And where do you turn for such specific inspiration? “For the wedding dress and tuxedo in particular, we were inspired by a couple of particular vintage designs, but wanted to add our own personal touch,” Andreas said. “Therefore, we added a red flower to the tuxedo, and embroidered the dress to give it a more formal wedding look. And of course, no wedding is complete without the rings!” Adrianna and Henry’s story reminds us that video games are pretty awesome. They provide us with countless hours of captivating stories and satisfying gameplay mechanics to immerse ourselves in, but they also have the power to bring people together in ways unlike any other form of media. They can create meaningful real-life friendships, and in some cases, even help us find our soulmates. And for everyone else… well, that’s what the mute and block functions are for. We’re so happy to have met Adrianna and Henry, and so thrilled to honor their story in First Class Trouble. The Wedding Pack DLC is available now on PS4 & PS5, and contains: Black Suit (Jacket, Pants and Shoes) White Dress Golden Ring So, put on your classiest attire and celebrate the union of two wonderful Residents. As a reminder to PlayStation Plus members, First Class Trouble will be available to add to your game library until Monday, December 6. *PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription with recurring fees until cancelled. Age restrictions apply. See here for full terms & conditions. PlayStation Plus monthly games are available to play for the duration of your subscription only. View the full article

One of the joys of working as a game developer is experiencing the deep impact games can have on players’ lives across the world. Within the PlayStation Studios family, we often hear stories about how our games have sparked new friendships, rekindled old ones, formed life-defining memories, helped people overcome grief or inspired them to greatness. This week, our friends in the United States are celebrating Thanksgiving. And while Thanksgiving isn’t a globally recognized holiday, I couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate some of our favorite developer-fan moments. Many of the best interactions between fans and developers occur unnoticed, without spectacle. We asked the teams at PlayStation Studios to share some poignant memories that have positively affected them. These are their stories. Bend Studio “When I played Days Gone for the first time in 2019, I had no idea how it would completely change my life. Over the past two years, I began forming relationships with some of the team at Bend Studio — first, as a passionate fan through my Days Gone content. This included my personal blog focused solely on Days Gone that consisted of fan-fiction stories I wrote, interviews with the actors and dev members of Days Gone, a gallery of my in-game photo mode shots, fan art from around the community, the weeklong anniversary event and more. I did all of this simply because I love to create and share my passion of games. Between being a father of three little ones and my full-time job where I worked in a warehouse, most of my spare time would go into creating more content and working on community events to hold in my small space on the Internet because I loved to do it. I started out as just a fan of Days Gone, but crazily enough that led to landing my dream job at Bend Studio, where Chris Reese (Studio Director) and Eric Jensen (Design Manager) gave me an opportunity to join their team and officially become the Online Community Specialist.” – Kevin McAllister, Online Community Specialist Guerrilla “For us here at Guerrilla, one of our fondest memories was when it became clear how much Aloy was going to mean to people. This became very real when people started cosplaying as Aloy before the game was even out. Cosplayers spent so much time crafting these beautiful outfits and trusting us to make Aloy everything they hoped her to be. During one of our later playtests for Horizon Zero Dawn, we had a whole group of Aloy cosplayers over, in full costume, playing our game as Aloy, and we were all hoping that we pulled it off for them. Speaking with them afterwards, they let us know that it was an emotional experience for them, and they were thrilled with Aloy. That made us really happy, and was a special moment for me personally, as my own daughter Laura provided the voice for Baby Aloy. Laura is almost six now, and is starting to realize how cool it was to be ‘the voice of Baby Aloy’. When she’s a bit older, I will give her the beautiful Nora necklace Raven Star, one of those first few cosplayers who came to the playtest, custom made for her when Laura was barely a year old.” – Lucas van Tol, Music Supervisor Insomniac Games “In 2007, Insomniac had the unique privilege to partner with the network television program Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to celebrate a young fan, James, and his father. I had the honor of designing an avatar so James could join forces with Ratchet to cruise the solar system while vanquishing some galactic villains. With the modified game code in hand, we rocketed to Lawton, Oklahoma. On site, amidst a flurry of builders, volunteers, and cameras, I was most struck by James’ courage in the face of hardship. His excitement and positivity beamed throughout the house as he grabbed the controller and reminded me of the impact games can have on the lives of our players. He was a hero on screen, and to all of us at the studio.” – Dave Guertin, Principal Artist London Studio “At London Studio, we have lots of fond memories of our SingStar days – but the one that stands out the most is when a father completed a 24-hour nonstop singing challenge for charity. Julian Hill’s baby daughter, Amelia received lifesaving open-heart surgery from Great Ormond Street Hospital, which saved her life. Our dev team heard about this and we set about supporting Julian with donations as well as equipment so the event could be hosted at a hotel and get the attention it deserved! The final result saw Julian play SingStar continuously for 24 hours 21 minutes 25 seconds, a total of 314 songs in that time. Achieving this meant he was awarded the Guinness World Record for “longest video games marathon playing a karaoke game.” Julian went on to raise over £3.2k for the hospital’s charity so they could continue to pioneer research, fund advanced medical equipment, provide child and family support services and more.” – Annem Hobson, Studio Communications Manager Media Molecule “Community has always been at the heart of what we do at Media Molecule, and throughout Dreams’ journey we’ve seen international friendships formed and ambitions reached. Just in the past few months we’ve seen two Dreamers reach incredible goals – Mystical_Vortex was nominated for an award at the BAFTA Young Game Designers awards for their game ‘The Little Ninja’ and HalfUp_ won the Student Game award at this year’s Freeplay Awards for their creation ‘The Snowgardens’. It is really quite something to know that our game is enabling up-and-coming game developers to achieve such incredible feats! As for friendships? We’ve seen Dreamers across the world come together to work on projects together. Take the team behind the Pig Detective series as an example – they’re made up of German, Australian, British and American folks who met through Dreams! We’re constantly hearing stories of new connections and global friendships and seeing the most imaginative creations from people around the globe.” – Tom Dent, Senior Community Manager Naughty Dog “Nothing makes me prouder as a game developer than hearing from players who have used the accessibility settings to remove barriers from their gameplay experience. One player told us how the accessibility settings allowed his father to reconnect with gaming as a hobby after losing his vision due to a degenerative eye disease. Another described how he watched his wife (who is completely blind) play The Last of Us Part II, and how delighted they were to share the experience. A player with cerebral palsy worried the Rat King fight might be impossible without asking his dad for assistance. He tweaked the accessibility settings, got the timing down, and (to quote him directly): “FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I DEFEATED A BOSS!” These stories remind me of our duty to consider the needs of all players with our design choices, and how accessible design invites everyone to play. We’ll strive to continue reaching further as we create games at Naughty Dog.” – Matthew Gallant, Game Director PixelOpus “At PixelOpus, we were all incredibly moved by the community reaction to Concrete Genie’s themes and story. But I think the most powerful interaction we’ve had with a player actually relates to our first game, Entwined. A father approached art director Jeff Sangalli and myself at a PlayStation Experience event to talk to us about the special bond gaming provides between himself and his son, who is autistic. This connection was especially important as his son did not like physical contact or proximity, so co-op gaming and collaborative experiences were very important to their playtime. When his son started playing Entwined, the father could tell that it had caught his imagination, and was helping him relax. He went on to tell us that the mechanics of the game in particular (controlling two characters at the same time with each stick) had enabled a different type of co-op for them: sharing a single controller to play the game collaboratively. When they played like this, the father explained, it allowed him to put his arm around his son – and that was something he hadn’t been able to do for years. As parents ourselves, Jeff and I were so moved by this story and it has stayed with us as a constant reminder about the power our medium has to make connections, and to never underestimate the nature of those moments or the unexpected places they can come from.” – Dominic Robilliard, Creative Director San Diego Studio “Every day we interface with some of the most passionate players online through various social channels, forums, etc… but finally meeting some of those fans and being able to talk with them about The Show face to face at gatherings like PSX, E3, and Twitch Con is where we had some of our most memorable fan interactions. We’ve met MLB The Show players from all over the country and even had fans travel from overseas to come and see us! I will never forget seeing a small group of designers who sat and chatted with some players who visited us from Australia for more than a few hours at PSX. We’ve formed many friendships at these events, and we hope to have opportunities for more in the future!” – Victor Reynolds, Manager, Online Community Santa Monica Studio “One of the most memorable fan highlights for our studio was one year after God of War (2018) released, when we invited Emmanuel, a God of War memorabilia collector, to the studio. Emmanuel’s story isn’t just impressive for the sheer number of unique God of War goodies he’s amassed over the years (583 items as of 2019, I’m sure he’s added a few more since then), it was his equally unrelenting positivity in the face of adversity that really hit home for our team. Emmanuel drew confidence from Kratos’ journey to change his fate as a personal source of motivation in his own life, which ended up sparking the initial desire to start his now Guinness World Record-sized collection. Hearing how much the God of War series had a positive impact on him in turn has truly been a huge source of inspiration for our entire team. Emmanuel said it best himself, “If you make something with passion, that passion is contagious.” I couldn’t think of a better phrase to articulate how we feel when we see the incredible things our players have created based on their passion for God of War. When you know you’re doing something to excite the people who truly love and appreciate your work, it makes even the most challenging hurdles of game development worth it. As the saying goes in SMS, ‘We’re fans of our fans!’ and we couldn’t ask for a more amazing community!” – Grace Orlady, Senior Communications and Community Manager Play Video Sucker Punch “Rayshawn was a huge Infamous fan who was very excited about Second Son. However, odds were very low that he would live to play it. So, dressed as various Second Son cast members, we knocked on Rayshawn’s door and asked him to hide us from the DUP. As a reward for his bravery, he got to play the gold disc version of Second Son pre-release. We also gave him the Delsin vest and beanie that were scanned for the costume in the game. To top it all off, Troy Baker FaceTimed him. We ultimately named one of the fictional stores in Infamous First Light “Rayshawn Games” in honor of him. The impact he had on me was priceless. This kid’s positive attitude while dealing with the final stages of a terminal illness and his mantra N.E.G.U (Never Ever Give Up) has helped me through various personal rough spots since that day.” – Billy Harper, Animation Director Team Asobi Thomas (UK), posing after his first-ever Platinum trophy. “At Team Asobi, we try hard to make our games fun for experienced players but also for newcomers alike. So it’s not unusual we get private messages or videos from parents with children who had their first gaming experience playing one of our games. Recently, with the launch of PlayStation 5 and Astro’s Playroom, we received lots of video clips of kids with their faces in awe as they could see and feel little Astro wandering on their TV and inside their little hands. These first moments in front of video games are extremely powerful, there is nothing like the pure and innocent joy of discovering a whole new magical world through the eyes of a child. Sadly, as we grow older, we sometimes get jaded and tend to over-scrutinize details and a part of the magic vanishes away. So to all kids out there, keep those dreaming eyes wide open and thank you so much for reminding us why we chose this life and above all, for giving us the most amazing purpose to go to work every day!” – Nicolas Doucet, Studio Director View the full article

The Forbidden West is vast and deadly, filled with ancient ruins, awe-inspiring machines, and hidden threats. Surrounded by danger, its human inhabitants need places to train, rest, and improve their gear. The game’s settlements form these sanctuaries, and they are just as vital to Aloy as they are to the tribes that live in them. The living world in these settlements is a complex character of its own. Every detail establishes credibility, creating an authentic environment through visual storytelling. For example, the Nora live in relative solitude in the isolated valley of the Sacred Land, making it difficult for them to communicate with the outside world. As a result, they are less technologically advanced than other tribes, and more wary of outsiders. Their settlements are made of wood and rope, featuring minimal furnishings other than what is needed for daily life. Food and resources are obtained through hunting and gathering, so there’ll be pelts, baskets, or sheaths full of arrows lying around. All the objects and people within such a settlement feel like they belong, and more so: like they’ve always been there. Spoiler Alert: Please note this article may contain some spoilers for Horizon Zero Dawn and its storyline. World building with intention With hours and hours of exploration in the Forbidden West, how do you create a lush and thriving world filled with activities, but without overwhelming people, or detracting from the overarching story? Espen Sogn, Lead Living World Designer at Guerrilla, explains how his team is central to this very question. “When you walk through the Forbidden West, everything should feel like it belongs there. The Living World team at Guerrilla works on aspects of the game that make the world feel authentic and alive: the tribes, the settlements, and the people within them. There’s an intention behind everything we place within the world.” Clarity on those intentions comes from collaboration with the narrative team. “At the start of a project, we put a lot of thought into every tribe we’re going to encounter,” says Annie Kitain, Senior Writer at Guerrilla. “What their conflicts are, how they fit into the story, and how they interact with the world around them. Take the Tenakth, for instance. Many of their beliefs are influenced by the ancient ruins of the Forbidden West, and unlike other tribes, they’re comprised of three distinct clans. Their shared history, convictions, disputes – all of that is important to developing the characters that Aloy will meet on her journey.” “Our main challenge is translating this narrative framework into visuals that are integral to the world itself,” says Espen. “For example, the Tenakth are known to be competitive and combat-focused, but so are other tribes. So how do we distinguish them, and how do we communicate that visually?” ‘It then becomes all about the details, the animations, and the behaviors. Within their settlements, you’ll see the Tenakth working out, readying themselves for battle. They’re often younger because they need to be capable warriors. Their base is an ancient ruin, from which they’ve picked up certain Old World gestures that they may not fully understand – like using a military salute to say hello.’ ‘Ultimately, our goal is to make sure NPCs feel connected to where they live, and we work closely with other internal teams, such as Narrative, Quest, and Environment, to make sure that every location feels authentic.” “The Living World team does a fantastic job, and it’s so great to see it all come together,” says Annie. “Each tribe starts as a bunch of ideas, then is translated into these amazing settlements. Like the Utaru, who were imagined as an agrarian society that’s deeply connected to the land around them. Once the tribe is in-game and the Living World team has done their magic, you’re walking around the Utaru’s fields, interacting with them, and you think, ‘whoa, they nailed it.’ Now this tribe feels real.” Authenticity through behavior With a world as vast as the Forbidden West, it was important for the team to maintain the level of authenticity that was achieved in Horizon Zero Dawn. “Every non-combat NPC in Horizon Forbidden West is part of a crowd system,” says Espen. “Within that system, you can create rules such as reactions, walking paths, and other animations. We then also have the attitude system, which determines a personality. This means we can create unique people who behave like individuals within the world.’ ‘We are constantly adding layers of authenticity within the world through animations and behaviors. When members of a tribe are in their settlement, their safe spaces, they can act like themselves. The Oseram are a social and historically patriarchal tribe, so their animations are more about shoulder punches and high fives. The Utaru, on the other hand, are laid back, so they will often sit down together and be a bit more touchy-feely. As the player moves around, these are potential subconscious hints that will help you visualize where in the world you are.’ ‘All of this happens within the game’s narrative framework. You should be able to identify from a distance which tribe you’re looking at. The way that different tribes hold or transport water: the strong Tenakth will carry it on their shoulders; the peaceful Utaru will hug it closely; and the crafty Oseram will carry it with their hands.” Heading to Chainscrape One of the first places Aloy will visit as she travels west is Chainscrape, an Oseram outpost settlement on the border. It offers abundant natural resources and opportunities for adventure and risk. Its tenants have come here for many reasons: to flee problems back home in the Claim, to make a few quick shards, to embrace a dream, or for the thrill of exploration. It’s a busy hub, featuring a town bar where Aloy can meet some interesting new characters. Espen continues: “With so much activity, so many visual cues, Chainscrape was a place where we could demonstrate many new systems and animations that make the world and its people feel much more alive. In Horizon Zero Dawn, there were a lot of assets and things in the background. In Horizon Forbidden West, they’re not just textures: they’ve been elevated into actual objects that are being used by people in-game.’ ‘Where you previously saw a person standing in front of a forge, they will now actively engage with what’s around them: moving materials, leaning on walls, drinking from cups, talking to friends, and just living their daily lives. They move and exist with purpose.” Settlements of the Forbidden West Of course, the world isn’t just visually detailed – it’s a constant threat. Aloy relies on settlements and NPCs to sustain and equip her. Progression, skills, upgrades, health, and tools are all part of a larger ecosystem that structures the huge and intricate open world of the Forbidden West. “When designing the core features that form the progression systems of a game, these features always have to be built in dialog with the rest of the game’s design!” says Steven Lumpkin, Senior Designer at Guerrilla. “Beyond the narrative of Horizon, it’s imperative that all our systems work together in harmony to give our players a fantastic experience from the first time they pick up their controller.’ ‘Balancing progression is a leading focus for us, making sure that every player is readily able to acquire a set of gear that feels great to them in combat, while remaining powerful enough to tackle all of the challenges over the course of the game. We’ve built an ecosystem that rewards the player for engaging deeply with the whole world of Horizon Forbidden West, while remaining friendly for those who want to stay focused on the core narrative.” At the heart of that are the settlements in Horizon Forbidden West: bustling hubs where you can find weapons, outfits, and all the upgrades you need to continue your journey. “We wanted the towns and villages across the Forbidden West to feel lived in, vibrant, and useful,’ continues Steven. ‘In each settlement across the world, you’ll find opportunities for adventure. They are filled with merchants and vendors: Stitchers, who can sell Aloy powerful (and beautiful!) new outfits in exchange for shards and machine parts; Hunters, who offer an array of tactical new weaponry; Herbalists, who sell potent potions that Aloy is definitely strong enough to handle; and Cooks, who prepare invigorating meals that Aloy can carry with her for a boost.” For the Narrative team, it was also important that the merchants fit into the context of their respective tribes. “A Hunter from the Oseram tribe might act more like a blacksmith, forging weapons for hunters to use in the wilds,” says Annie. “Whereas a Tenakth Hunter functions more like a quartermaster, ensuring that their clan’s warriors are armed for battle.” “You’ll see this reflected in the individual characters, as well. There’s an Oseram Cook you meet in one of the early settlements who has a buoyant personality and puts a lot of emphasis into how food tastes. Later, you meet a stern Tenakth Cook who mainly focuses on how a well-fed warrior is better prepared for a battle. These differences make them feel like they’re a part of a unique culture.” Customize to survive “Weapons and outfits are even more potent and stylish than before,” says Steven. “Weapons now have extra perks to make them even more specialized – you can read more on that in one of our previous blogs. Also, Aloy can now carry up to six weapons at the same time, along with her trusty spear.’ ‘Outfits do not only provide resistance to the many damage types Aloy will face in the Forbidden West, but also stack bonuses on top of Aloy’s skills on the Skill Tree. With the right outfit boosting the right skills, the sky’s the limit. Plus, you can swap weapons and outfits on the fly, so you can change your approach at any time.’ ‘The narrative of Horizon and the vibrant cultures that inhabit its world were a huge source of inspiration for Aloy’s outfits. Clothing reflects a unique style, as well as the materials a tribe has access to and knows how to use. Hunters from the Nora tend to favor ranged combat and stealthy hunting. Carja excel at the use of traps and tripwires. The boisterous Oseram love fighting up close and personal with a hammer. The Tenakth and Utaru have their own preferences as well — and the outfits Aloy can acquire from each culture tend to reflect and support these unique approaches to combat.” In the Horizon Forbidden West gameplay trailer, we mentioned a new feature called Workbenches, which can be found all over the world. Steven explains: “Aloy can forge the machine parts she’s harvested into her weapons and outfits, upgrading them to be even stronger. As you travel the Forbidden West, take note of machines that have visible horns, claws, tusks, or tails. While early upgrades may just need a bit of braided wire or sturdy hardplate, if you want extra mod slots, the strongest perks, or the biggest resistances… you’ll want to make sure you shoot off the Tremortusk’s parts before you take it down.” Whether from downed machines, animals Aloy has hunted in her travels, plants she’s harvested, or even rare crystalline growths called Greenshine that can be discovered around the world — every resource she comes across will be valuable in some capacity. “More advanced upgrades will require resources from specific machines, and Aloy’s Focus can help her scan the machine, identify key resources, and tag them for easy tracking,’ Steven says. ‘If you’re ever short on supply, merchants will happily take valuables to sell off your hands. And if you need even more, external machine parts can be harvested and sold for a fair price. A consummate crafter, Aloy can use animal skins and bones to sew new Pouch and Quiver upgrades, letting her carry more ammunition or resources with her in the field. All of these systems reward Aloy for exploring the world even as she travels deeper into the Forbidden West.” An authentic, vibrant world… It’s not easy to create an immersive open world, filled with adventure, culture, and opportunity, and sustained by detailed and well balanced systems of progression and commerce. It took a true team effort from start to finish. “When you’re out in the Forbidden West, our hope is that the story is reflected in every detail of the world,” says Annie. “And we strive to make that happen through collaboration with the many talented teams at Guerrilla. Aloy’s journey will take her through some really gorgeous settlements, allowing her to meet many interesting characters, trade for cool new gear, and prepare herself for the challenges ahead.” “We’re very proud of what we have achieved together,” says Espen. “We hope the player will encounter a world that feels more alive and more real than ever. We have put so much detail into the daily lives of our people: from groups of people gossiping on a street corner to rowdy customers in the bar who burst into spontaneous song. From children playing tag outside to play fighting with the town guard. We hope players will take a moment to watch what is going on around them and come away with their own favorite moments.” Steven adds: “To work with so many teams to make sure that everything sings just right all together has been such a highlight. Our goal was to make sure that Aloy feels embodied in and engaged with the world around her, whether she’s relaxing in our settlements or hunting in the wilds. We’re proud of the results: from outfits and the boosts they give to player skills, to Workbench upgrading and hunting for machine parts — there are so many cool new systems that draw you into the world, and we hope you will love the game from start to finish.” For more information on Horizon Forbidden West, please visit here. View the full article

Last week, we asked you to turn to some hi-tech gadgets and tech-loving characters using #PSshare #PSBlog. From gizmos and weapons, to hi-tech AI, here are this week’s hi-tech highlights: Sefwick lays back in front of some massive screens and relaxes in Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. photo_station5 shares Selene bearing down on some enemies with alien tech in Returnal. justinphotomode shares Ratchet feeling energized by his weapon in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. TheoBouillet shares Aloy tapping into ancient tech for some answers in Horizon Zero Dawn. Photoingame shares how body tech modifications are all the rage in Cyberpunk 2077. AloyUltra shares Mass Effect 3’s EDI, an AI character. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Feast SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on November 24 Next week we’re tucking in for some delicious in game meals. Share bountiful feasts or scrumptious snacks found in the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Hello everyone, following our combat system overview, we wanted to give you a preview of our death and aging mechanic. We have received a lot of questions regarding our progression system, and I tried to answer some of them below! Play Video Kung fu or “gōngfu” can refer to any discipline or skill achieved through hard work, practice and patience. kung fu as a martial art carries the concept of endless self-improvement, of a mastery kept alive and relevant by permanent practice. In that sense, a single life is never enough to know, or have, kung fu. In Sifu, our hero, although they’ve been training their whole life, are only 20 years old. They are driven by a burning desire for revenge and will have to face a dangerous group of assassins, who have become prominent figures of the city and are based in well defended strongholds. Our young student does not have the luxury of an entire life ahead of them to improve their kung fu, and as they depart on their path of revenge, at dusk, they will have to find and defeat all of their enemies in a single night. As we have already shown before, our hero has one powerful tool to help them on their quest: an ancient pendant that can heal them back to life. But nothing is ever free. That pendant has to be fueled with life energy, and every time they get back up, they will age. That means that you will start the game with a limited resource that you must manage carefully if you want to reach the end of your quest. Aging will not make you weaker, but it has a slight impact on your abilities: as you get older, you will trade maximum health for offensive power. Your character’s model will also showcase how old you are, and you will be able to contemplate the consequences of your actions. But getting older has no drawbacks on your abilities and you will be able to complete the game at any age. The ability to rise up after death gives the opportunity for players to get right back in the action, over and over again. Before getting back to the fight, the death screen is actually a good spot for players to take a breather and reflect on their past mistakes. It is where they’ll be able to unlock new skills and open more options to deal with the situation that caused their demise. Skills can also be unlocked in the hero’s Wuguan, accessible between missions, and in Shrines found throughout the levels. Shrines will also allow you to improve your character during runs, by giving the player a choice between different perks, each one with different costs or requirements. Along with skills, it will allow you to specialize depending on what you feel you need the most: more health, additional focus charges, max structure increase, weapon durability etc. Those upgrades are not lost on death, and along with the ability to rise up immediately when you fall, it might give you at first a feeling of invulnerability. But this will not last, and the more you die, the faster you will age. This takes the form of a death counter: the first time you die, you’ll age by one year. The second time, by two years, the third by three, and so on. The only way to lower or reset that counter is to use one of the available shrines or beat specific enemies such as the chapter bosses. Ending a chapter will reset your death counter, but your age will not be affected. There is no way to get younger, you will only get older as you fall and get back up – you can cheat death for a while, but in the end time catches with everyone. Past a certain age, you won’t have enough life left in you to sustain the pendant, and you won’t be able to get back up anymore. Your ultimate death will translate into a definitive game over. Although you will lose your unlocked skills and upgrades upon a game over, some elements are persistent. Each time you complete a chapter of the game, it will create a saving point with the age you had when you finished it. You will be able to continue on to the next chapter or play it again to try and improve your performance. Besides save points, you will be able to permanently unlock skills by spending more experience points, making them available right away at the start of a new run. Finally, the detective board, which illustrates the progress of the main character on his investigation, will retain all the information you’ve already gathered, even after a game over. Beside keeping track of the various clues and story elements you gathered on your five enemies, the detective board will also show you shortcuts, hidden rooms or doors you unlocked on previous playthroughs, allowing you to quickly get back on track. These features will help you on your quest of revenge, but they will not replace training and practice. Do you have what it takes to know kung fu? Find out on February 8, 2022. View the full article

Greetings to the PlayStation community! I’m Félix, marketing manager at Sloclap, and I’ve worked with the team to give you this short overview of Sifu’s combat system and a sneak peek into our design choices. Play Video Building on our experience working on martial arts gameplay with Absolver but focusing this time on a single-player game, we wanted with Sifu to offer a unique player experience, heavily drawing from kung fu and martial arts movies. Fighting villains by the dozen in a nightclub, jumping over tables and throwing bottles, we want the player to feel like the main character of a kung fu movie. In terms of design, it meant for us striking a balance between credibility – realistic combat techniques, faithful animations – and esthetics, with crisp action and immersive camera framings. With Sifu, we wanted to mix the esthetics of classic kung fu movies with the raw close-quarters combat found in modern movies such as The Raid, Old Boy, or John Wick. The combat system draws from these different inspirations. We want the gameplay to offer a challenge consistent with the kung fu values of training and self-improvement. And we want players to experience a progression, to feel like they are learning kung fu, improving, and progressively earning their power fantasy. We designed what we called the Structure system, to emulate the real combat notion of impacting and breaking the stance of your opponent, his ability to attack and defend himself. It takes the form of a gauge, for both you and your enemies. If you manage to break your opponent’s structure, you will be able to finish them with a powerful takedown, which is the opportunity to display the devastating techniques of Pak Mei. But if your own structure gauge is filled, you’re unable to fight and defend yourself for a short duration and you will find yourself vulnerable to your enemies’ attacks. Blocking attacks will quickly fill your balance gauge, and we’ve given the players a few more flexible defensive options. Dodges will allow you to create space at key times and can be life savers. But more importantly, parrying hits at the right time will let you deflect the blow, unbalancing your opponent and opening opportunities to counterattack or to throw them down. You can also avoid blows altogether, by ducking under or jumping over incoming strikes. It is particularly useful against strong hits that you can’t parry or to quickly recover balance and strike back at your opponent. The player will start with an offensive kit able to deal with any opposition, but it will take you some time to learn the different properties of the techniques available to you. You can mix strong and fast attacks to build combos, on a single enemy or going from one opponent to the other. And as you progress and unlock new skills, you will have more options available to fit your playstyle and how you like to approach challenging situations. You will be able to knock your enemies down, push them back into their allies, stun them or disarm a threatening foe. It will be particularly useful as you start fighting more and more opponents at the same time. Fights against multiple enemies are at the heart of the Sifu’s gameplay experience. We aimed at finding the right balance between having the player feeling surrounded and challenged, but not overwhelmed by the amount of aggression coming at the same time. We’ve chosen to use a dynamic lock system for the camera, to allow for quick and responsive swapping between multiple targets. We’ve worked on optimizing the game to ensure a stable 60FPS frame rate on PlayStation 4, as well as on PS4 Pro and PS5 of course, to provide a smooth and reactive experience. We want combat to feel like a back-and-forth motion, with enemies forcing the players to react, to use a variety of crowd control techniques and good positioning to prevail. Beside relying on their favorite Pak Mei techniques, players will have to make clever use of the environment to overcome the unfavorable odds they will be facing. We have introduced usable elements to all combat situations, be it furniture you can toss into your enemies’ feet, throwable items, makeshift weapons or tables you can leap across. They add options for the players, who are free to approach a given situation from different angles. Finally, players will be able to rely on precise and powerful techniques through the focus mechanic. Focus is a resource that builds up as you fight, filling up charges that you will progressively unlock during your playthrough. Using a focus charge will slow down time and allow you to choose a weak point of your opponent to perform a devastating technique, disabling or seriously wounding your enemy. Players will be able to access different focus attacks as they unlock new skills, allowing them to adapt to specific situations they struggle with. This overview may give you an idea of what will be expected of you to learn kung fu and achieve your revenge in Sifu, but nothing replaces good practice. Sifu releases on PS4 and PS5 on February 8, 2022. Find out more about Sifu’s death and aging system in our next PlayStation Blog post, publishing later today. View the full article

Hello. So… Right… Now then… Things have been happening… To mark a period of 21 years since the expulsion of Kid A and Amnesiac from a converted barn in the Oxfordshire countryside into an unsuspecting world we’ve built… something. We aren’t sure what it is. To start with, when we first started thinking about it, we intended to build a physical exhibition/installation in a central London location. It was going to be a huge red construction made by welding shipping containers together, constructed so that it looked as if a brutalist spacecraft had crash-landed into the classical architecture of the Victoria & Albert Museum in Kensington. This astounding steel carapace would be inserted into the urban fabric of London like an ice pick into Trotsky. Jutting up into the grey English sky. And then – being constructed from shipping containers – we could ship it around the world… New York, Tokyo, Paris… But then we couldn’t fit it at the Victoria & Albert without parts of the museum building collapsing. So we changed location – now it would look as if it had crashed into the side of the Royal Albert Hall. But Westminster council didn’t like the idea one little bit. And then Covid delivered the final annihilation. Our dream was dead. Until we realised… It would be way better if it didn’t actually exist. Because then it didn’t have to conform to any normal rules of an exhibition. Or reality. Much better. So… With Nigel Godrich we have been working on this for about two years, through lockdowns, self-isolations and many very long intermittent Zoom calls. We worked with Sean Evans, a genius video/computer artist who directed it all with awe inspiring dedication and energy, theatre set designer Christine Jones and the game developers [namethemachine] and Arbitrarily Good Productions. And finally persuading Epic Games to help us put it out to the world. We had one guiding principle, visually. NO NEW WORK. Because… there was loads of it already. Like really. Like a really crazy amount… You’ll see. Everything that we built came directly from what we made 20 years ago, in one way or another. And we had all the multitrack recordings from the albums so we were able to rebuild the audio from the original elements in a new controlled space which wasn’t just stereo. That was a lot of fun. Working on something as strange as this over long Zoom calls with a large team of technicians all around the world has been one of the strangest experiences we have ever had. Unreal in every sense of the word, especially within the months of almost total human isolation. In all those days of blankness… A small Minotaur sat on one shoulder saying ‘This is too mad. This ain’t ever gonna happen’ And the other shoulder sat another saying ‘Oh yes. It is.’ What we have made is… it’s something like a mutant re-engineering of Kid A and Amnesiac. But that’s enough now. Enough!! It’s all yours… View the full article

Black Friday comes to PlayStation starting tomorrow, Friday, November 19. Discover great deals, with deep discounts for a variety of titles on PlayStation Store*. Make sure to bookmark the PlayStation Black Friday homepage to track every discount available. PlayStation Direct Enjoy fantastic Black Friday deals directly from PlayStation, shipped to your door! These include the DualSense wireless controller + NBA 2K21 Jumpstart Bundle**with $15 USD off, as well as numerous PS5 and PS4 titles, which you can see below. Check out the full range of deals here. 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Simply use the code “BLACKFRIDAY20” at the checkout***. PlayStation Store discounts Enjoy incredible PS5 and PS4 titles for less with PlayStation Store’s Black Friday promotion. Below is the full list of games that will be discounted during Black Friday, along with deals on PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now memberships. All discounts will be revealed on PlayStation Store tomorrow. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN Deluxe Edition Aeon Must Die! AFL Evolution 2 Air Conflicts: Double Pack Aliens: Fireteam Elite Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Alternate Jake Hunter: DAEDALUS The Awakening of Golden Jazz Apex Legends™ – Bangalore Edition Apex Legends™ – Bloodhound Edition Apex Legends™ – Champion Edition Apex Legends™ – Gibraltar Edition Apex Legends™ – Lifeline and Bloodhound Double Pack Apex Legends™ – Lifeline Edition Apex Legends™ – Octane Edition Apex Legends™ – Pathfinder Edition Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – Season Pass Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Ultimate PS4 & PS5 Assassin’s Creed® Bundle: Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey, and Assassin’s Creed® Origins… Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Gold Edition Assassin’s Creed® Origins Deluxe Edition Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla + Immortals Fenyx Rising™ Bundle Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla + Watch Dogs®: Legion Bundle Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey DX Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings DX Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack Atelier Ryza Season Pass ‘Kurken Island Jam-packed Pass’ Atelier Ryza: Digital Deluxe Edition Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX Back 4 Blood Annual Pass Back 4 Blood: Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Back 4 Blood: Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 Back 4 Blood: Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Batman: Return to Arkham Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions Black Desert – 11,500 Pearls Black Desert – 2,040 Pearls Black Desert – 3,200 Pearls Black Desert – 4,360 Pearls Black Desert – 6,600 Pearls Black Desert – Conqueror Item Pack Black Desert – Explorer Item Pack Black Desert – Traveler Item Pack Black Desert: Conqueror Edition Black Desert: Explorer Edition Black Desert: Traveler Edition Borderlands 3 PS4™ & PS5™ Borderlands 3 Season Pass Bundle Borderlands 3 Season Pass PS4™ & PS5™ Borderlands 3: Season Pass 2 PS4™ & PS5™ Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions Deluxe Edition CODE SHIFTER Collector’s Pack Conan Exiles – Complete Edition October 2021 Conan Exiles – Isle of Siptah Crash’n the Boys Street Challenge Crown Capers Costume Pack Cyberpunk 2077 DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin DARK SOULS™ III DARK SOULS™ III – Deluxe Edition DARK SOULS™ III – Season Pass Dark Souls™ III: Ashes of Ariandel™ Dark Souls™ III: The Ringed City™ DARK SOULS™: REMASTERED DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT Digital Deluxe Edition DEATHLOOP DEATHLOOP Deluxe Edition Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5… Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles PS4 & PS5 Demon’s Souls Demon’s Souls Digital Deluxe Edition Desperados III – Digital Deluxe Destiny 2: Beyond Light Destiny 2: Beyond Light + 1 Season Destiny 2: Beyond Light Deluxe Edition Destiny 2: Forsaken Destiny 2: Legendary Edition Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Devil May Cry 5 Deluxe + Vergil Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition Devolver Redux Pack Dishonored 2 Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Companion: Sir Lora the Squirrel Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition DOOM Eternal Standard Edition DOOM Eternal: Year One Pass (Add-On) DOOM Eternal: Year One Pass (Standalone) DOUBLE DRAGON Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle DOUBLE DRAGON II: The Revenge DOUBLE DRAGON III: The Sacred Stones Double Dragon IV DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ – FighterZ Edition DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Deluxe Edition DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Ultimate Edition Dragon Hugger Costume Pack Dungeons 2 Dying Light: The Following – Enhanced Edition Embr F1® 2021: Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 F1® 2021: Deluxe Upgrade Pack Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition Fallout 76 Fallout 76: Brotherhood Recruitment Bundle Fallout 76: Steel Dawn Deluxe Edition Far Cry 6 Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 FAR CRY®6 Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 FAR CRY®6 Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 Farming Simulator 19 Farming Simulator 19 – Alpine Expansion Farming Simulator 19 – Anderson Group Equipment Pack Farming Simulator 19 – Bourgault DLC Farming Simulator 19 – CLAAS DOMINATOR 108 SL MAXI DLC Farming Simulator 19 – CLAAS TORION 1914 Dev Mule DLC Farming Simulator 19 – GRIMME Equipment Pack Farming Simulator 19 – John Deere Cotton DLC Farming Simulator 19 – Kverneland & Vicon Equipment Pack Farming Simulator 19 – Mahindra Retriever DLC Farming Simulator 19 – Platinum Expansion Farming Simulator 19 – Premium Edition Farming Simulator 19 – Rottne DLC Farming Simulator 19 – Season Pass Fast Food Costume Pack FIFA 22 PS4™ FIFA 22 PS5™ FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition PS4™ & PS5™ FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Digital Deluxe Edition FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE Digital Deluxe Edition Fortnite – Magma Masters Pack Fortnite – The Lars Pack Fruit Pirate Costume Pack Future Fashion Pack Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT Grand Theft Auto Online Megalodon Shark Cash Card Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition Guilty Gear -Strive- Guilty Gear -Strive- Deluxe Edition Guilty Gear -Strive- Ultimate Edition Hades Hell Let Loose Hell’s Rangers Content Pack HITMAN 3 – Deluxe Pack HITMAN 3 – Standard Edition Hunting Simulator 2 Icy Adventure Costume Pack Immortals Fenyx Rising – Digital Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 IMMORTALS FENYX RISING – GOLD EDITION PS4 & PS5 IMMORTALS FENYX RISING SEASON PASS Immortals Fenyx Rising™ PS4 & PS5 Injustice™ 2 – Legendary Edition Insurgency: Sandstorm – Deluxe Edition Insurgency: Sandstorm – Gold Edition It Takes Two PS4™ & PS5™ JETT: The Far Shore JUMP FORCE JUMP FORCE – Characters Pass JUMP FORCE – Characters Pass 2 JUMP FORCE – Ultimate Edition Just Dance 2022 Deluxe Edition Just Dance® 2022 Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition Complete KILL la KILL – IF KINGDOM HEARTS All-In-One Package KINGDOM HEARTS III KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind + Concert Video KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning – Fate Edition Knockout City™ Deluxe Upgrade LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe Edition LEGO® Marvel™ Super Heroes Life is Strange: True Colors – Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Life is Strange: True Colors – Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Life is Strange: True Colors PS4 & PS5 Little Nightmares II PS4 & PS5 Lost Judgment Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Lost Judgment Digital Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Lost Judgment PS4 & PS5 LUMINES REMASTERED Madden NFL 22 MVP Edition PS4™ & PS5™ Madden NFL 22 PS4™ Madden NFL 22 PS5™ Mafia: Definitive Edition Mafia: Trilogy Marvel’s Avengers Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Black Widow Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Black Widow Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Captain America Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Captain America Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Heroic Starter Pack Marvel’s Avengers Hulk Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Hulk Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Iron Man Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Iron Man Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Kate Bishop Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Kate Bishop Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Ms. Marvel Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Ms. Marvel Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Thor Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Thor Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers: Exclusive Digital Edition Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy PS4 & PS5 Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS4 & PS5 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition Mass Effect™ Legendary Edition MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Heroes of the Inner Sphere MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – JumpShip Edition MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Legend of the Kestrel Lancers Metro Exodus Gold Edition Metro Exodus: Gold Edition Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™ – Game of the Year Edition Middle-earth™: Shadow of War™ Definitive Edition MLB® The Show™ 21 Digital Deluxe Edition MLB® The Show™ 21 Jackie Robinson Edition MLB® The Show™ 21 PS4 MLB® The Show™ 21 PS5 Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 3 Monster Energy Supercross 3 – Special Edition Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Digital Deluxe Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition Digital Deluxe Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate PS4 & PS5 MotoGP™19 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja® STORM 4 – Deluxe Edition NBA 2K22 for PS4™ NBA 2K22 for PS5™ NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for PS5™ Need for Speed™ Heat Deluxe Edition NHL® 22 PS4™ NHL® 22 PS5™ Ni no Kuni™ II: REVENANT KINGDOM – Deluxe Edition Nioh Nioh – The Complete Edition Nioh 2 Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition PS4 & PS5 Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition PS4 & PS5 Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition OF MICE AND SAND -REVISED- Orcs Must Die! 3 OUTRIDERS PS4 & PS5 Overcooked! 2 – Gourmet Edition Paladins – Deal of the Day Unlock Paladins Deluxe Edition Paladins Gold Edition Paladins Season Pass 2021 Paladins Sky Whale Pack Paladins Starter Edition Paladins: Nightmare Pack Persona®5 Royal Ultimate Edition Persona®5 Strikers PGA TOUR 2K21 Baller Edition PGA TOUR 2K21 Digital Deluxe Popstar Pack Port Royale 4 – Extended Edition Praetorians – HD Remaster Project CARS 3 Project Highrise: Architect’s Edition Psychonauts 2 Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Digital Deluxe Edition Realm Royale Bass Drop Bundle Realm Royale Cute But Deadly Pack Red Dead Online Red Dead Redemption 2 Red Dead Redemption 2: Story Mode Renegade RESIDENT EVIL 2 Deluxe Edition RESIDENT EVIL 3 Resident Evil Village & Resident Evil 7 Complete Bundle PS4 & PS5 Resident Evil Village PS4 & PS5 Resident Evil: Deluxe Origins Bundle Returnal Returnal Digital Deluxe Edition Rez Infinite RIDE 3 RIDE 3 – Gold Edition Riders Republic Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 Riders Republic PS4 & PS5 Riders Republic Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 River City Melee Mach!! River City Ransom Rocket League® – Red Hot Bundle Rogue Company: Rogue Edition Rogue Company: Ultimate Edition Rogue Company: Year 1 Pass Sackboy: A Big Adventure Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Sackboy: A Big Adventure PS4 & PS5 Sakura Wars Digital Deluxe Edition Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI Anthology Upgrade Bundle SMITE Digital Deluxe Edition 2021 SMITE Season Pass 2021 SMITE Ultimate God Pack Bundle Sniper Elite VR SnowRunner SnowRunner – Season 1: Search & Recover SnowRunner – Season 2: Explore & Expand SnowRunner – Season 4: New Frontiers Sonic Colors: Ultimate Sonic Colors: Ultimate – Digital Deluxe SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order™ Deluxe Edition STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order™ Deluxe Upgrade STAR WARS™: Squadrons STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Street Fighter™ V Street Fighter™ V: Champion Edition Upgrade Kit Street Power Soccer Stubs™ (1,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (11,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (150,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (24,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (5,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (67,500) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Subnautica: Below Zero PS4 & PS5 Sugar Plum Pack Super Dodge Ball Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania PS4 & PS5 Tales of Arise PS4 & PS5 Tales Of Arise Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Tennis World Tour 2 – Complete Edition Tetris® Effect: Connected The Dark Pictures Anthology – Triple Pack PS4 & PS5 The Elder Scrolls Online The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Blackwood The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Blackwood CE The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood CE Upgrade The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Upgrade The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR The Jackbox Party Pack 8 The Last of Us Part II The MISSING: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories The Nioh Collection The Outer Worlds The Outer Worlds Expansion Pass The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon The Sims™ 4 Cats and Dogs Plus My First Pet Stuff Bundle The Sims™ 4 City Living The Sims™ 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack The Sims™ 4 Deluxe Party Edition The Sims™ 4 Discover University The Sims™ 4 Eco Lifestyle The Sims™ 4 Get Famous The Sims™ 4 Get to Work The Sims™ 4 Get Together The Sims™ 4 Island Living The Sims™ 4 Plus Cats & Dogs Bundle The Sims™ 4 Seasons The Sims™ 4 Snowy Escape Expansion Pack The Sinking City The Surge 2 The Surge 2 – Season Pass The Surge 2 – The Kraken Expansion The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition theHunter: Call of the Wild™ – 2022 Edition theHunter™: Call of the Wild – 2019 Edition Train Sim World® 2 Train Sim World® 2: Rush Hour – Boston Sprinter Train Sim World® 2: Rush Hour – London Commuter Train Sim World® 2: Rush Hour – Nahverkehr Dresden Tron Costume Pack Tropico 6 El Prez Edition Two Point Hospital: Close Encounters Two Point Hospital: Exhibition Items Pack Two Point Hospital: JUMBO Edition Two Point Hospital: JUMBO Edition Upgrade Two Point Hospital: Off the Grid Two Point Hospital: Retro Items Pack UFC® 4 Deluxe Edition Warframe®: Initiate Pack Watch Dogs: Legion – Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 Watch Dogs: Legion – Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 Watch Dogs®: Legion – Season Pass Watch Dogs®: Legion PS4 & PS5 Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood Champion of Gaia Wolfenstein® II: The New Colossus™ Digital Deluxe Edition World War Z: Aftermath WRC 10 – Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship PS4 & PS5 WWE 2K Battlegrounds Digital Deluxe Edition WWZ Upgrade to Aftermath WWZ: Aftermath – Explorer Weapons Pack WWZ: Aftermath – Zeke Hunter Weapons Pack Yakuza: Like a Dragon Legendary Hero Edition PS4 & PS5 Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS4 & PS5 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim ACE COMBAT™ 7: SKIES UNKNOWN Deluxe Edition Aeon Must Die! AFL Evolution 2 Air Conflicts: Double Pack Aliens: Fireteam Elite – Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Apex Legends™ – Bloodhound Edition Apex Legends™ – Champion Edition Apex Legends™ – Gibraltar Edition Apex Legends™ – Lifeline and Bloodhound Double Pack Apex Legends™ – Lifeline Edition Apex Legends™ – Octane Edition Apex Legends™ – Pathfinder Edition Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – Season Pass Assassin’s Creed Valhalla PS4 & PS5 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Ultimate PS4 & PS5 Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey – GOLD EDITION Assassin’s Creed® Origins – DELUXE EDITION Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla + Immortals Fenyx Rising™ Bundle Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla + Watch Dogs®: Legion Bundle Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey DX Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings DX Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack Atelier Ryza Season Pass ‘Kurken Island Jam-packed Pass’ Atelier Ryza: Digital Deluxe Edition Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX Back 4 Blood Annual Pass Back 4 Blood: Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Back 4 Blood: Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 Back 4 Blood: Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Batman: Return to Arkham Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions Black Desert – 11,500 Pearls Black Desert – 2,040 Pearls Black Desert – 3,200 Pearls Black Desert – 4,360 Pearls Black Desert – 6,600 Pearls Black Desert – Conqueror Item Pack Black Desert – Explorer Item Pack Black Desert – Traveler Item Pack Black Desert: Conqueror Edition Black Desert: Explorer Edition Black Desert: Traveler Edition Borderlands 3 PS4™ & PS5™ Borderlands 3 Season Pass Borderlands 3 Season Pass Bundle Borderlands 3 Season Pass PS4™ & PS5™ Borderlands 3: Season Pass 2 PS4™ & PS5™ Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions Deluxe Edition Collector’s Pack Conan Exiles – Complete Edition October 2021 Conan Exiles – Isle of Siptah Cyberpunk 2077 DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin DARK SOULS™ III DARK SOULS™ III – Deluxe Edition DARK SOULS™ III – Season Pass DARK SOULS™ III : The Ringed City™ DARK SOULS™: REMASTERED Deal of the Day Unlock DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT DEATH STRANDING DIRECTOR’S CUT Digital Deluxe Edition DEATHLOOP DEATHLOOP Deluxe Edition Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5… Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles PS4 & PS5 Demon’s Souls Demon’s Souls Digital Deluxe Edition Desperados III – Digital Deluxe Destiny 2: Beyond Light Destiny 2: Beyond Light + 1 Season Destiny 2: Beyond Light Deluxe Edition Destiny 2: Forsaken Destiny 2: Legendary Edition Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Devil May Cry 5 Deluxe + Vergil Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition Dishonored 2 Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Companion: Sir Lora the Squirrel Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition DOOM Eternal – Year One Pass DOOM Eternal Standard Edition DOOM Eternal: Year One Pass (Standalone) DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ – FighterZ Edition DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Deluxe Edition DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Ultimate Edition Dragon Hugger Costume Pack Dungeons 2 Dying Light: The Following – Enhanced Edition Embr F1® 2021: Braking Point Content Pack F1® 2021: Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 F1® 2021: Deluxe Upgrade Pack Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition Fallout 76 Fallout 76: Brotherhood Recruitment Bundle Fallout 76: Steel Dawn Deluxe Edition Far Cry 6 Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 FAR CRY®6 Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 FAR CRY®6 Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 Farming Simulator 19 Farming Simulator 19 – Alpine Expansion Farming Simulator 19 – Anderson Group Equipment Pack Farming Simulator 19 – Bourgault DLC Farming Simulator 19 – CLAAS DOMINATOR 108 SL MAXI DLC Farming Simulator 19 – CLAAS TORION 1914 Dev Mule DLC Farming Simulator 19 – GRIMME Equipment Pack Farming Simulator 19 – John Deere Cotton DLC Farming Simulator 19 – Kverneland & Vicon Equipment Pack Farming Simulator 19 – Mahindra Retriever DLC Farming Simulator 19 – Platinum Expansion Farming Simulator 19 – Premium Edition Farming Simulator 19 – Rottne DLC Farming Simulator 19 – Season Pass Fast Food Costume Pack FIFA 22 PS4™ FIFA 22 PS5™ FIFA 22 Ultimate Edition PS4™ & PS5™ FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Digital Deluxe Edition FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE Digital Deluxe Edition Fortnite – Magma Masters Pack Fortnite – The Lars Pack Fruit Pirate Costume Pack Future Fashion Pack Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition Guilty Gear -Strive- Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Guilty Gear -Strive- Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Hades Hell Let Loose Hell’s Rangers Content Pack HITMAN 3 – Deluxe Pack HITMAN 3 – Standard Edition Hunting Simulator 2 Hunting Simulator 2 Elite Edition Icy Adventure Costume Pack Immortals Fenyx Rising – Digital Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 IMMORTALS FENYX RISING – GOLD EDITION PS4 & PS5 IMMORTALS FENYX RISING PS4 & PS5 IMMORTALS FENYX RISING SEASON PASS Injustice™ 2 – Legendary Edition Insurgency: Sandstorm – Deluxe Edition Insurgency: Sandstorm – Gold Edition It Takes Two PS4™ & PS5™ JETT: The Far Shore JUMP FORCE JUMP FORCE – Characters Pass JUMP FORCE – Characters Pass 2 JUMP FORCE – Ultimate Edition Just Dance 2022 Deluxe Edition Just Dance® 2022 KINGDOM HEARTS All-In-One Package KINGDOM HEARTS III KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind KINGDOM HEARTS III Re Mind + Concert Video KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning – Fate Edition Knockout City™ Deluxe Upgrade LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe Edition LEGO® Marvel™ Super Heroes Life is Strange: True Colors – Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Life is Strange: True Colors – Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Life is Strange: True Colors PS4 & PS5 Little Nightmares II PS4 & PS5 Lost Judgment Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Lost Judgment Digital Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Lost Judgment PS4 & PS5 LUMINES REMASTERED Madden NFL 22 MVP Edition PS4™ & PS5™ Madden NFL 22 PS4™ Madden NFL 22 PS5™ Mafia: Definitive Edition Mafia: Trilogy Marvel’s Avengers Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Black Widow Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Black Widow Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Captain America Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Captain America Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Heroic Starter Pack Marvel’s Avengers Hulk Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Hulk Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Iron Man Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Iron Man Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Kate Bishop Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Kate Bishop Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Ms. Marvel Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Ms. Marvel Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers Thor Heroic Starter Pack – PS4 Marvel’s Avengers Thor Heroic Starter Pack – PS5 Marvel’s Avengers: Exclusive Digital Edition Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy PS4 & PS5 Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS4 & PS5 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition Mass Effect™ Legendary Edition MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Heroes of the Inner Sphere MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – JumpShip Edition MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Legend of the Kestrel Lancers Megalodon Shark Cash Card Metro Exodus Gold Edition Metro Exodus: Gold Edition Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™-Game of the Year Edition Middle-earth™: Shadow of War™ Definitive Edition MLB® The Show™ 21 Digital Deluxe Edition MLB® The Show™ 21 Jackie Robinson Edition MLB® The Show™ 21 PS4 MLB® The Show™ 21 PS5 Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 3 Monster Energy Supercross 3 – Special Edition Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Digital Deluxe Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition Digital Deluxe Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate PS4 & PS5 MotoGP™19 NBA 2K22 for PS4™ NBA 2K22 for PS5™ NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for PS5™ Need for Speed™ Heat Deluxe Edition NHL® 22 PS4™ NHL® 22 PS5™ Ni no Kuni™ II: Revenant Kingdom – The Prince’s Edition Nightmare Pack Nioh Nioh – Complete Edition Nioh 2 Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition PS4 & PS5 Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition PS4 & PS5 Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition No Man’s Sky PS4 & PS5 Orcs Must Die! 3 OUTRIDERS PS4 & PS5 Overcooked! 2 – Gourmet Edition Paladins Deluxe Edition Paladins Gold Edition Paladins Season Pass 2021 Paladins Sky Whale Pack Paladins Starter Edition Persona 5 Royal Ultimate Edition Persona®5 Strikers PGA TOUR 2K21 Baller Edition PGA TOUR 2K21 Digital Deluxe Popstar Pack Port Royale 4 Praetorians – HD Remaster Project CARS 3 Project Highrise: Architect’s Edition Psychonauts 2 Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Digital Deluxe Edition Red Dead Online Red Dead Redemption 2 Red Dead Redemption 2: Story Mode RESIDENT EVIL 2 Deluxe Edition RESIDENT EVIL 3 Resident Evil Village & Resident Evil 7 Complete Bundle PS4 & PS5 Resident Evil Village PS4 & PS5 Resident Evil: Deluxe Origins Bundle Returnal Returnal Digital Deluxe Edition Rez Infinite RIDE 3 RIDE 3 – Gold Edition Riders Republic Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 Riders Republic PS4 & PS5 Riders Republic Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Rocket League® – Red Hot Bundle Rogue Company: Rogue Edition Rogue Company: Ultimate Edition Rogue Company: Year 1 Pass Sackboy: A Big Adventure Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Sackboy: A Big Adventure PS4 & PS5 Sakura Wars Digital Deluxe Edition Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI Anthology Upgrade Bundle SMITE Digital Deluxe Edition 2021 SMITE Season Pass 2021 SMITE Ultimate God Pack Bundle Sniper Elite VR SnowRunner SnowRunner – Season 1: Search & Recover SnowRunner – Season 2: Explore & Expand SnowRunner – Season 4: New Frontiers Sonic Colors: Ultimate – Digital Deluxe Sonic Colours: Ultimate SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order™ Deluxe Edition STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order™ Deluxe Upgrade STAR WARS™: Squadrons Street Fighter V Street Fighter V – Champion Edition Upgrade Kit Street Fighter V – Season 5 Character Pass Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Street Power Football Stubs™ (1,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (11,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (150,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (24,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (5,000) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Stubs™ (67,500) for MLB® The Show™ 21 Subnautica: Below Zero PS4 & PS5 Sugar Plum Pack Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania PS4 & PS5 Tales of Arise PS4 & PS5 Tales Of Arise Ultimate Edition PS4 & PS5 Tennis World Tour 2 – Complete Edition Tetris® Effect: Connected The Dark Pictures Anthology – Triple Pack PS4 & PS5 The Elder Scrolls Online The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Blackwood The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Blackwood CE The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood CE Upgrade The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood Upgrade The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR The Jackbox Party Pack 8 The Last of Us Part II The Nioh Collection The Outer Worlds The Outer Worlds Expansion Pass The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon The Sims™ 4 Cats and Dogs Plus My First Pet Stuff Bundle The Sims™ 4 City Living The Sims™ 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack The Sims™ 4 Deluxe Party Edition The Sims™ 4 Discover University The Sims™ 4 Eco Lifestyle The Sims™ 4 Get Famous The Sims™ 4 Get to Work The Sims™ 4 Get Together The Sims™ 4 Island Living The Sims™ 4 Plus Cats & Dogs Bundle The Sims™ 4 Seasons The Sims™ 4 Snowy Escape Expansion Pack The Surge 2 The Surge 2 – Season Pass The Surge 2 – The Kraken Expansion The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Game of the Year Edition theHunter: Call of the Wild™ – 2022 Edition Train Sim World® 2 Train Sim World® 2: Rush Hour – Boston Sprinter Train Sim World® 2: Rush Hour – London Commuter Train Sim World® 2: Rush Hour – Nahverkehr Dresden Tron Costume Pack Tropico 6 – El Prez Edition Two Point Hospital: Close Encounters Two Point Hospital: Exhibition Items Pack Two Point Hospital: JUMBO Edition Two Point Hospital: JUMBO Edition Upgrade Two Point Hospital: Off the Grid Two Point Hospital: Retro Items Pack UFC® 4 Deluxe Edition Warframe®: Initiate Pack Watch Dogs: Legion – Gold Edition PS4 & PS5 Watch Dogs: Legion – Standard Edition PS4 & PS5 Watch Dogs®: Legion – Season Pass Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood Champion of Gaia Wolfenstein® II: The New Colossus™ Deluxe Edition (CUSA07377) Wolfenstein® II: The New Colossus™ Deluxe Edition (CUSA07378) Wolfenstein® II: The New Colossus™ Deluxe Edition (CUSA07379) Wolfenstein® II: The New Colossus™ Digital Deluxe Edition World War Z: Aftermath WRC 10 – Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship PS4 & PS5 WWE 2K Battlegrounds Digital Deluxe Edition WWZ Upgrade to Aftermath WWZ: Aftermath – Explorer Weapons Pack WWZ: Aftermath – Zeke Hunter Weapons Pack Yakuza: Like a Dragon Legendary Hero Edition PS4 & PS5 Yakuza: Like a Dragon PS4 & PS5 *PlayStation Store Black Friday promotion runs from Friday November 19 at 00.00am (local time) until Monday. November 29 at 23.59pm (local time). **Requires NBA 2K21 on PS5™ consoles or PS4™ consoles. NBA 2K21 game not included. Internet connection and account for PlayStation™Network required to download. Expires December 30 2023. ***PlayStation Gear Store available in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain,, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay. Black Friday discount available from Friday November 19 at 00.00am (local time) until Monday. November 29 at 23.59pm (local time) View the full article

It’s fun to forget the time and immerse yourself in the game or to play against strangers online, but one of the most charming elements of gaming is that you can play together with your family and friends on one screen. Here are 15 recommended titles that offer local multiplayer by connecting multiple DualSense™ wireless controllers to one PlayStation®5. *Including PlayStation®4 games New popular games to be released soon and latest sport games 　Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 　Call of Duty: Vanguard 　It Takes Two 　FIFA 22 　NBA 2K22 Long-selling, fun games to compete or cooperate with friends 　Fortnite Casual games to enjoy together with friends! 　Sackboy™: A Big Adventure 　Minecraft 　Overcooked! All You Can Eat New popular games and latest sport games Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles Tag team with your friend to enjoy 2-player team battle “Kimetsu no Yaiba”, the popular comic and anime is now a battle action game! In Versus mode, you can enjoy online and local multiplayer battles with up to 2 players in 2vs2 team battle. 12 characters who fought powerful battles in the anime, including Tanjiro Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Rengoku, are joined by 6 characters from the official spin-off, “Junior High and High School!! Kimetsu Academy Story”, for a total of 18 characters to join the battle! Moreover, demons will be added as playable characters in free updates scheduled after release. Show off your ideal teamwork to your family and friends just like those fighting buddies in the anime! Learn More Call of Duty: Vanguard To the forefront of the heated battlefield that unfolds in an unprecedented scale! The latest installment to the FPS franchise “Call of Duty” which is popular not only in Japan, but all over the world. Whether dogfighting over the Pacific Ocean, airdropping operation in France, defending Stalingrad with sniper’s precision, or blasting through advancing forces in North Africa, this game portrays the heated battlefields of World War II in an unprecedented scale. In the immersive campaign mode, soldiers from different countries and regions work together to confront the greatest threat in human history. You can also compete online with players from around the world in Call of Duty’s multiplayer mode and attack the undead horde with your friends in a new Zombies game mode. Learn More It Takes Two 2-player co-op adventure on split screen! The adventure game dedicated to two-player co-op play offers both local multiplayer and online multiplayer features on a split screen. The players will take control of either Cody or May, a couple trapped in a mysterious world. Each stage is full of unpredictable and cooperative gameplay gimmicks. Overcome a wide variety of challenges while helping each other. Embrace a heartfelt story about reconnecting people where narrative and gameplay are interwoven in a uniquely metaphorical experience. Collaborate with friends to enjoy the memorable adventure of Cody and May in the journey to overcome their differences. Learn More FIFA 22 Enjoy advanced soccer experience in FIFA 22’s 4-player match! FIFA 22 is the latest version of FIFA, a series of soccer games. The game supports not only online multiplayer, but also local multiplayer for up to 4 players. With the goalkeeper rewrite, true ball physics, and the “Explosive Sprint” that allows you to control acceleration of movements during dribbling and defense more freely, the soccer battle is hotter than ever with additional gameplay functions! The PS5 version uses the newly developed gameplay technology “HyperMotion” to combine mocap data of all the improved teamplays with machine learning. Gameplay enhancements in every match will give you the remarkable, realistic, responsive, and sleek gameplay experience. Learn More NBA® 2K22 Play authentic basketball in 4-player matches! NBA 2K22 is the latest game in the NBA 2K basketball series which has shipped over 100 million units worldwide. The game supports local multiplayer for up to 4 players, and online multiplayer for up to 10 players. Developers have redesigned various elements of the gameplay, including defense, dribbling, shooting, and finishing moves from the past series. Direct feedback was utilized to address some of the key changes that players are looking for, and the game will be delivering several new gameplay improvements that will further elevate the experience. Enjoy an immersive sports gaming experience, as the crowd fills the arena with excitement and the rival teams battle it out in heated matches. Learn More Long-selling, fun games to compete or cooperate with friends Fortnite Take on the challenge in 2-player team “DUO” and 4-player team “SQUAD”! The free-to-play game that is a massive hit all over the world for its unique system that allows you to build with the materials you collected. You can compete in PvP mode with up to 100 people to survive the battle royale or collaborate with your friends to create the Fortnite world you dreamed of. With the split screen function, you can challenge the online battle of two-person team “Duo” or four-person team “Squad” side by side with your family and friends using just one PS5 / PS4 and a TV. The PS5 version allows smooth gameplay with breathtakingly beautiful 4K image quality and 60fps even in split screen mode. Let’s fight to become the last survivor, Victory Royale! *Players must connect to the internet to play Fortnite. Learn More Casual games to play together with friends! SackboyTM: A Big Adventure Embark on a great adventure in this 4-person co-op game! Sackboy, the main character of the Little Big Planet series, has made his way to PS5! Players can enjoy the exciting 3D adventure on Craftworld not only through the single player mode, but also through the local multiplayer mode with friends and family. Up to 4 players can participate and challenge various game stages, whether they are snow-covered mountains, bird-singing jungles, undersea kingdoms, or the outer space. There is also a stage dedicated to co-op play. The various stages are full of gimmicks that both adults and children can enjoy together. The excitement that you feel can be doubled by playing with your friends! Let’s have an adventure in the cute Craftworld together! Learn More Minecraft Build megastructures with friends and embark on an adventure together! Minecraft is the adventure and construction game that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Not only does the game offer an online multiplayer mode, but also a local multiplayer mode that supports up to 4 players on split screen. In this world, wood, sand, minerals, and animals are all made from cubic blocks. Constructing huge buildings together with everyone is super fun, whether it’s during the construction works or when it is completed. It is reassuring to have family and friends exploring dangerous caves and travel through the dark nights together. You can also create minigame maps to play tag and hide-and-seek, so let’s find various ways to play with innovative ideas. Whether it’s the building or the adventure, it’s more fun if you play with your friends! Learn More Overcooked! All You Can Eat Happy cooking with up to 4 players to compete or co-op! The complete edition that includes the main story of Overcooked and Overcooked 2 and all the additional content released up to date. Join with other 60 chefs to serve delicious food that will satisfy hungry diners. Enjoy co-op cooking action with your friends in local multiplayer and online multiplayer that support up to 4 players. Aim for a high score together during “cooperative play” or compete against rival chefs during “competitive play” in the 29 stages that the Arcade Mode has to offer! An “assist mode” has also been added that allows beginner chefs to enjoy themselves with a peace of mind. Learn More DualSense Wireless Controller 〜Choose your color and play together!〜 The haptic feedback and trigger effect (*1) of the controller react with variable intensity to provide a deeply immersive gameplay experience unlike anything else, allowing you to experience more in-game actions with your own hands (*2). This controller with characteristic design is equipped with a built-in microphone and create button. ＊1 You can experience this feature in a game that supports it. ＊2 In comparison to DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller. DualSense Wireless Controller Available now SGD 99.9 MYR 349 IDR 1,269,000 THB 2,390 PHP 3,990 VND 1,999,000 DualSense Wireless Controller Midnight Black Available now SGD 99.9 MYR 349 IDR 1,269,000 THB 2,390 PHP 3,990 VND 1,999,000 DualSense Wireless Controller Cosmic Red Available now SGD 107 MYR 369 IDR 1,359,000 THB 2,590 PHP 4,290 VND 2,099,000 Also give this article a look! PS5: The Ultimate FAQ ©Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable ©DEMON SLAYER KIMETSU NO YAIBA THE HINOKAMI CHRONICLES COMMITTEE *Screenshot is taken from the game under development. © 2021 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY VANGUARD, CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, and WARZONE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. © 2021 Electronic Arts Inc. ©2021 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, EA SPORTS, and the EA SPORTS logo are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Official FIFA licensed product.© FIFA and FIFA’s Official Licensed Product Logo are copyrights and/or trademarks of FIFA.All rights reserved. Manufactured under license by Electronic Arts Inc. © 2005-2021 Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and its subsidiaries. 2K, the 2K logo, and Take-Two Interactive Software are all trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. The NBA and NBA member team identifications are the intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams. © 2021 NBA Properties, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Officially licensed product of the National Basketball Players Association. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2021, Epic Games, Inc. 無断複写・転載を禁じます。Epic、Epic Games、Epic Gamesのロゴ、Unreal、Unreal Engine、Unreal Engineのロゴ、Fortnite/フォートナイト、Fortnite/フォートナイトのロゴは、米国及びその他の国々におけるEpic Games, Inc.の商標/登録商標です。その他全ての商標は各社に帰属します。 ©2020 Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe. Developed by Sumo Digital. Overcooked! All You Can Eat. Developed by Team17 Digital Ltd and Ghost Town Games Ltd.© 2020. Published by Team17. Team17 is a trademark or registered trademark of Team17 Digital Limited. All other trademarks, copyrights and logos are property of their respective owners. View the full article

After months of hard work, we are almost ready to unleash our brand new Precinct update and Make it Count DLC, and shake up prohibition Chicago. All of us are extremely excited for you to play it, so while we’re working toward release day, why not share our excitement and showcase some new design and gameplay features? Play Video Precincts Update Precincts are definitely our most ambitious change to the game, so let’s start there. Precincts are subdivisions of neighborhoods which provide a new level of control. Right now, you can build or burn a racket anywhere from Municipal Pier to Chinatown, and stake your claim. It’s a lot of fun at the start of the game, but as the game progresses, we feel it becomes too predictable. As upgrades are done on an individual basis, managing rackets dotted around the city results in considerable amounts of administration for any budding Mob Boss. Besides, once you own enough rackets, losing an odd one to the enemy doesn’t affect your game much. First off, economic controls have been streamlined with the Precinct update. You can keep track of your rackets, precinct by precinct, from one easy-to-use screen. This is a more efficient way to manage your empire and keep an eye on the parts that need attention while leaving you time to get on with the other demands of being a Mob Boss. In terms of expansion, precincts stack incrementally outward, painting your faction’s colors across the map, while also setting up a Supply Line. Another crucial element of your empire, Supply Lines form a pathway to get supplies out to your precincts and ensure your money has a safe route back to you. That means it’s bad news if your Supply Line is broken by the enemy and your precincts are cut off, stopping money from coming in until the Supply Line is restored. This also gives you new offensive strategy options, however: the only way past the enemy is through them, and if planned well, you can surround their precincts, giving them no way out. So, how do you own a precinct? Simply take out the Depot. This is the precinct’s control building, and control won’t fall to you until you have claimed it. Depots are not to be underestimated. Security is heavy and they can draw reinforcement guards from surrounding rackets to help in the defense. This gives you options when it comes to taking over a precinct. Attacking surrounding rackets first eliminates the reinforcements, removing them from the Depot fight. Of course, you can go for the quick kill and attack the depot directly. You will face more opponents, but bring enough firepower and they won’t be able to stop you. Interestingly, we found that the addition of precincts acted as a great motivator for the AI. As it stands, AI attacks on your rackets occur anywhere in the city. Thanks to precincts, the areas of attack have been greatly reduced. With less choice available, the AI has become more focused on areas of attack, with a special emphasis on breaking Supply Lines specifically. This adds another layer to your strategic game: precincts that border with the AI can focus mostly on security upgrades to prepare for these attacks, leaving the inner precincts – the heart of your empire – to focus on money-making upgrades. Precincts provide deeper strategy options while avoiding current pitfalls. By splitting neighborhoods into precincts, there is more to gain, (and just as much to lose) by contending for control. Every decision you make holds more weight, and a good strategy in how you build your empire is critical. Empire of Sin’s take on turf wars gives you a sense of realism, a feeling of what it’s like to carve out your own ground, and more importantly, what it takes to keep it and improve on it. It matters where you pick your battles and how you plan your next move, allowing for more meaningful gameplay. As a way to track your trajectory throughout the game, your campaign is divided into four Acts. Starting from your humble beginnings in Chicago, these Acts chart your progression and provide different rewards for reaching each one. Act I, The Roaring Twenties, starts with every new game session and reduces Police Activity generated from rackets by half. You reach Act II, Paint the Town Red, when a third of the precincts are owned by you and the AI, reducing Buy Out costs by 25%. Once a third of all major factions are eliminated, you enter Act III, Under The Gun, and reduce the cost of Racket buildings by 25%. The final Act, The View From The Top, triggers once half of all major factions are eliminated, and rewards you with reduced hiring costs for gangsters. Something players have offered us lots of feedback on is the police. Well, we heard you! As you manage your precincts, we’ve made Police presence, and how they interact with you, more apparent. The suspicion value in the current game can be a little hard to decipher at times. It affects each racket differently and so relies on your own judgment. With the introduction of precincts, we added a precinct-wide Police Activity number that is much easier to keep track of. This value is affected, positively or negatively, by your actions and decisions. Keep your number low and it’s easier for police to turn a blind eye to your actions. However, even the dirtiest cops can’t ignore the most brazen criminal enterprises. As Police Activity rises, customers spend less, becoming less keen to drink in precincts with high police presence, and the police may even raid some of your rackets in order to look busy. Make It Count DLC That covers the big stuff for the free update (yes, you read that right, everything mentioned so far comes with the free Precinct update). Let’s take a look at some of the new features coming with the premium Make It Count DLC. First, we’ll address the new Mob Boss in the room. Maxim Zelnick is a Brooklyn-born butcher’s son, who cooks both the books and the bodies. Along with a sharp mind, Zelnick is bringing a different nuance to the Boss role. As a mediator for hot-headed mobsters, Zelnick has tailored his Boss Ability to this particular skill. He can force a truce between two warring factions, and when money is tight, he charms Gangsters into working without pay for twice as long as they usually allow. That’s not even including Maxim’s unique combat ability! Bolster the Ranks is one we already know will be a fan favorite. In combat, when the chips are down, Maxim whistles in two bodyguards, packing serious heat, to help turn the tide of the fight. It’s an awesome feature that changes the dynamic of combat, and one that is a lot of fun to play. Along with Maxim comes a new business venture to make money from. Loan Sharking opens its doors in Chicago, offering a racket type that doesn’t rely on alcohol to function. Of course, this doesn’t make for an easy, money printing service. Loan Sharks are integrated with the economy, and although they don’t have customers in the way conventional rackets do, they still affect the Precinct economy. A dollar that’s paying back a loan, is a dollar that can’t be spent in a speakeasy! Then there are the clients themselves. Loan Sharks have a unique set of events tied to debtors who cannot pay you back and are banking on your input to let them off the hook. How you deal with them is completely up to you. Your honor rating influences the chances of default, so if you are a Boss of your word, then people know they have to pay. Letting too many payments go, however, results in damage to your honor, so keep in mind that some people will have to learn the hard way. There are a few other new faces in town, too. Included in the Make It Count DLC are The Fixers, five brand new gangsters, who specialize in making problems go away. From crooked Judge, Ma ‘The Pillar’ Miller, to Black Market artifact dealer, Dr. Ada Santos, each Fixer’s background provides for a unique, memorable character. Having a Fixer in your crew allows you to hire two Gangsters that hate each other, thanks to their mediation skills, and allows you to bribe your way out of certain combats. Though, after hearing what they can do in combat, maybe a scrap will be just what you’re after. Fixers have unique abilities like Booby Traps and Crows’ Feet. Crows’ Feet are spiky area-denial weapons, perfect for crowd control in dense buildings. They are super effective and when launched at the right time during combat, can put you in control of the fight. Beyond everything mentioned here, you’ll be kept busy with a bunch of new missions and events, along with new items, weapons, interiors, paths to victory, improvement buildings, and boss reveals. Maybe it’s best to spare some details, though, we wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise. We can’t wait for you to see how Empire of Sin plays with the Precinct Update and Make It Count DLC, both launching on November 18. View the full article

After almost three years in development, we’re thrilled to announce that Heavenly Bodies will be launching on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on December 7, 2021. We’ve been working hard to make this game everything we’d imagined, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Our new gameplay trailer below hints at some of the varied, alluring and often ridiculous scenarios you’ll find yourselves in, whether playing solo or with a space pal via local co-op. Play Video The art of Heavenly Bodies Previously, we’ve written about how the game feels to play and what you’ll be doing out there in space. To celebrate the game being so close to release, we thought we’d dive into the reference that inspired us and how Heavenly Bodies came to look the way it does. Visual direction The game’s visual style is influenced by mid-century technical illustrations, archival imagery of early space flight exploration and cutaway drawings that allow the viewer to see detailed structures. Our goal has been to create something that appears more like an artist’s interpretation of space rather than striving for realism. The work of Soviet architect and designer Galina Balashova and NASA collaborator illustrator Russ Arasmith has been vital in informing our visual language. Image credit: Artwork by Russ Arasmith, Date Unknown. NASA Capturing illustrative qualities in a real-time context To reproduce this bold, graphical and analogue aesthetic, we first analysed what it was that we needed to effectively reproduce in an interactive, real-time context. The key features we wanted to include were: ● high contrast between highlights, mid-tones and shadows with little blending in between; ● the ability to replicate illustrative techniques such as hatching and stippling; ● grain that feels relative to the scale of the objects in the scene; ● ability to control the roughness of an object; ● texture support for hand painted details. The results of our initial experiments are below, and we felt they were an early step in the right direction. Once we’d encapsulated these properties in real-time 3d on smaller objects, we were keen to apply them to larger, playable environments. Our main considerations in translating this style across to Heavenly Bodies were: ● prioritising the playable space and interactive objects over unnecessary detail or clutter; ● using colour to highlight essential items and different interaction types; ● preferencing analogue technology and large forms that communicate their operation. Here’s a look at the scenario ‘Data’ in the game, where you can see all of these elements coming together. Communications Terminal and Operations Manual concepts The information required to complete the task at hand is delivered from Mission Control via the Communications Terminal in every level. This information arrives as a paper printout which is then added to the Operations Manual carried by the player. The Operations Manual is informed by NASA handbooks and checklists issued to astronauts for quick reference in stressful situations, of which there are plenty in the game. Preferencing analogue technology over digital, modern and sci-fi is an underlying direction for the game. Below are some early concepts for the clunky Communications Terminal, followed by an example of the materials they dispense in the level ‘Energy’. Memorabilia reference Throughout the game we’ve hidden a bunch of special collectable items for players to find and send back to Mission Control to be placed proudly on display. These collectables are our nod to significant achievements in space history, such as Sputnik, the first satellite put into orbit, and the Voyager Golden Record that blasted through the cosmos containing the sounds of our universe, and more, which we’ll leave for you to discover. The artwork for the PlayStation trophies are our way of acknowledging the efforts of our brave cosmonauts, commemorating their efforts in the form of a physical artefact for players to collect and reflect on—creating their own history of memorable events. Vintage space memorabilia, including stamps, matchboxes, pins and badges, were integral sources of reference, so making our own set of assets felt like a great way to pay tribute to a past era of space exploration. Our love of historical space illustration extends to every corner of Heavenly Bodies, and we’ve aimed to capture the magic of mid-century graphic illustration wherever possible. For us, this era embodies the early romanticism and optimism of space travel. While loosely set in the late 60s, early 70s, we’ve adapted events and technologies from later decades to create the kinds of scenarios we want players to experience, and we hope you enjoy it.See you in orbit! Heavenly Bodies releases for PS4 and PS5 on December 7, 2021 – you can wishlist the game here. View the full article

The threads of Destiny’s narrative are far-reaching, touching practically every aspect of the game. Over the past year or so, Destiny players have experienced a narrative unfold around one of the game’s most beloved characters: Osiris. From the death of his loyal Ghost, Sagira, to his increasingly suspect behavior, questions have followed the famed Warlock and former Vanguard commander for months. At the start of Season of the Lost, the truth was revealed. In case you didn’t already know — SPOILER ALERT — Osiris wasn’t Osiris. In fact, Osiris hadn’t been himself for quite a while. Savathûn, the Sister of Shapes, the Witch Queen herself, revealed to Guardians that she had traded places with Osiris months prior, and had been sowing discontent in the Vanguard ever since, creating rampant speculation and spawning wild theories among Destiny lore hounds throughout the community along the way. And that’s exactly the way the Bungie Narrative team planned it. Over the past year the Narrative team has dug deep, planting the seeds of Savathûn’s deception throughout the game in unexpected ways. Today we’re looking back at some of these pivotal moments and talking with the team about what it was like to bring this story to life. The First Glimpse The Savathûn/Osiris narrative was the result of countless discussions within the Destiny Narrative team and something that was planned long before it unfolded in the game. The team had an overarching goal of raising the narrative stakes in the game without resorting to killing characters. They also knew they wanted to embed Savathûn into the Last City; as a born trickster, having her impersonate someone and walk amongst the people felt right in line with her character. Furthermore, the Last City was chosen because Savathûn knew it was the last place her sister and rival, Xivu Arath, would look for her. “From there it became a conversation in the writers’ room about who the best candidate was for her to impersonate,” said Bungie’s Senior Narrative Lead Julia Nardin. “We landed on Osiris because of his relationship with Ikora, his former apprentice, which gave Savathûn the most direct access to the Vanguard.” The first moment where the Witch Queen took over for Osiris came during Season of the Hunt. Early on, players found a series of audio messages from Mara Sov and Osiris in Zavala’s office. The line where Osiris declared that his Ghost, Sagira, had died in an attack – that was not Osiris at all, but rather Savathûn taking the Warlock’s place for the very first time, beckoning players to the Moon. For extra credit, Savathûn orchestrated the player’s first meeting with Crow, creating the situation where players witnessed him “rescue” Osiris from one of Xivu Arath’s minions. What followed was a carefully calculated campaign of Savathûn manipulating people and spreading distrust and doubt within the Vanguard. Nardin said one of her favorite examples of this was how quickly Savathûn-as-Osiris tanked the initial meeting between Caiatl and Zavala at the start of Season of the Chosen. As soon as Caiatl proposed the alliance between the Cabal and the Vanguard, Savathûn stepped out of the shadows and began questioning Caiatl’s trustworthiness. As Nardin explained, “Savathûn couldn’t afford an official alliance between humanity and Caiatl’s Cabal, so she sabotaged it. But she did so in a way that prevented Caiatl from launching a full-scale assault on her hiding place, and when it came time to de-escalate the conflict she helped to create, she made sure that her solution kept all the players on her chess board.” Family Ties After assuming the identity of Osiris and driving distrust at every turn, it was inevitable that Savathûn’s ego would get the best of her and that her façade would ever-so-slightly slip. A good example of that was evident during the showdown against the High Celebrant in Season of the Hunt, where Savathûn-as-Osiris, in a prideful outburst, briefly belied her real attitude towards her sister Xivu Arath, claiming she “has no ambition.” “This line came from a discussion in the Narrative Writer’s Room where someone suggested, ‘What if Savathûn is really annoyed that Xivu Arath has no imagination and is basically just copying her?’” said Bungie Senior Narrative Designer Nikko Stevens. “It showed a little flash of who was behind the Osiris mask and was one more clue that there was more happening underneath the surface.” It just goes to show that even when control of the universe is at stake, there’s still room for sibling squabbles. A Step Too Far By Season of the Splicer, Savathûn’s schemes moved into even more dangerous and divisive territory. As Osiris, Savathûn leveraged people’s fears and distrust of the Eliksni refugees living among them, and weaponized it against the Vanguard through Lakshmi. When Saladin came knocking to make amends and help strategize, Savathûn implied that the people believed he was behind the earlier assassination attempt on Zavala’s life and turned him away. Every move she made continued to distance Zavala and Ikora from their existing allies. Perhaps worst of all, she used Osiris’s relationship with Saint-14 to try to get him to help overthrow the Vanguard. Yet all this subterfuge was beginning to take a toll on the Witch Queen. “Even though all this deception feeds her worm, this parasite that gives her power, it still wasn’t enough,” Nardin said. “Savathûn made so many mistakes during Season of the Splicer because she was in a great deal of pain. She was desperate, and when Savathûn gets desperate she gets sloppy.” For example, at one point, flustered and weary from months of shapeshifting, Savathûn stammers through a contradiction during a conversation with Mithrax, claiming the Black Armory has things under control. Sharp dialogue enhanced by a great performance from Osiris voice actor Oded Fehr really brings Savathûn’s momentary struggle to life. “We worked closely with Oded on the Savathûn-Osiris storyline twist,” said Stevens. “In fact, when we told him of the swap, he was delighted and immediately adjusted his performance for Season of the Lost to sound more like ‘Savathûn-as-Osiris.’” Savathûn Revealed Throughout multiple Seasons, the team worked to bring the Savathûn-as-Osiris plot to life in different ways. Still the team knew that “the big reveal” would need to make an impact. They also knew that many players would have seen information on The Witch Queen after the Destiny Showcase in August, so the decision was made to put Savathûn’s admission front and center immediately in Season of the Lost. “At the time we were working on Season of the Lost, we didn’t yet have a character model for Savathûn, so we had to get creative with her onscreen transformation and how she’d maintain a physical presence in the world leading up to Witch Queen,” Nardin said. “So much of game development is finding solutions to these sorts of challenges, especially when we’re walking multiple creative paths at the same time.” The Savathûn reveal was the payoff for all the breadcrumbs and subtle nods that were threaded throughout the last three Seasons and a grand setup for the action yet to come. Guardians now know the truth and, while Savathûn’s deceptions have been revealed, the fallout is something that Guardians will be contending with in The Witch Queen expansion, in Season of [REDACTED], and beyond. Interested to know what happens next? Don’t miss The Witch Queen when it’s released on February 22, 2022! View the full article

Hello! I’m Mihai Preda, studio head here at Fun Labs, and we’re the studio behind Nerf Legends. GameMill Entertainment, our publisher, had been discussing the opportunity of a potential Nerf game with Hasbro and when they brought the pitch to us, we really liked the idea of bringing the toys to life in a video game and creating a unique universe to go along with them. From the start, everyone was very supportive of having creative freedom to come up with a unique set of characters, levels, and story and to create a universe never before seen in any Nerf game before. Nerf Doomlands The Judge — real toy on left, in-game model on right. In terms of my personal history with the Nerf brand, my son loves Nerf blasters – it’s one of his favorite toys and he has been a source for lots of inspirations and creativity throughout the project. There is something about his adventurous spirit and wonder that just brings me joy. I see it when we’re chasing each other around with blasters or challenging each other to shoot targets across the room. Mostly, though, I think he likes to pretend I’m an alien so he can fire darts at his old man. It has been a lot of fun taking those Nerf blasters my son and I play with and translating them into the game. We were fortunate to receive the 3D CAD models used to make the plastic molds for the toys. This was a great starting point for us because they were basically blueprints which allowed us to quickly make high quality game-ready blasters that we knew were authentic to the real-life counterpart. Nerf Elite 2.0 Shockwave — real toy on left, in-game model on right. For the game, we wanted to take things up a notch and make the blasters come alive to match the new universe we were creating. We did this by taking inspiration from the shape and look of the blasters and imaged them with sci-fi coatings, animated lights, and other effects without changing the identity of the blaster. That was important to us because we wanted to ensure that the blasters still looked recognizable to what people played with as kids (or as adults who still enjoy Nerf blasters). Nerf Elite Titan CS — real toy on left, in-game model on right. Getting the blasters to feel right was just as important as making them look right and we wanted to make sure they all felt different. We took inspiration from many other shooter games and grouped the blasters into classes. Some, like the Judge, are great short-range blasters that do a lot of damage up close. Others like the Nerf Mega Centurion are specialized for long range sniper-like action. Then there is the Nerf Ultra One which is a well-rounded mid-range blaster. Furthermore, each is specially balanced with a wide set of parameters such as range, accuracy, spread, drop, reload speed, cooldown, and more. Beyond this, we put a lot of energy into the visual and audio identity of each blaster. We hand-crafted the visual effects, the animations, and the audio to further differentiate how they feel. For example, the Nerf Elite Titan is a huge blaster that feels powerful but slows you down because it’s bulkier. It’s a far different experience than the quick, rapid firing Nerf Ultra Two. Nerf Mega Sniper — real toy on left, in-game model on right. Nerf Legends takes place in the near future where blasters are enhanced and used for a Nerf tournament. In this context, the sound of the blasters is inspired by the toys, but enhanced and taken to a whole new level. We leaned into some sci-fi sound effects which vary greatly from blaster to blaster, but it’s not the pew-pew sounds you might hear in movies. We leaned into the idea of enhancing the mechanical inner workings of the toy and giving them subtle electromagnetic sounds, as if the blasters are propelling darts forward with magnetic forces. Nerf AccuStrike RaptorStrike — real toy on left, in-game model on right. We worked closely with Hasbro to come up with a diverse list of blasters across several different series like the Ultra, Mega, and Elite, including both older and newer models. Most blasters in the game came out within the past five years, but we also have some that released as recently as this year. We hope that you will find a Nerf blaster you love when the game releases on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on November 19. View the full article

Greetings gamers! My name is Stephen Takowsky, and I am the community manager for Grow: Song of the Evertree. Discover a vibrant unique world at your own pace, build the town of your dreams, and prepare for a wonderful sandbox adventure with Grow, launching November 16 on PlayStation 4. Australian-based Prideful Sloth is the developer of Grow and they wanted to share some important tips and strategies to help you on your journey to restore the Evertree. Explore the worlds of Alaria Who knows what strange and interesting things you might find when you explore? Oh! There’s a chest over there. What’s that? A recipe for a World Seed! I wonder what’s in this cave… WELL! We will just let you discover that one for yourself <3 Shop til you drop Buildings aren’t just a great place for your residents to live and work in. They also sell items. Need some new clothes? Plonk a tailor down. In need of a new do? Well, the Hair Salon is the place for you. In need of adventure supplies, the General Store has everything you are looking for (and some things you didn’t even know you needed). Visit the Everkin often The Everkin are helpful companions you will meet on your adventure, and they have their own mini city known as Where-Ever. It is a fantastic place to visit and a great place to trade items – you see, the Everkin don’t have much care for worldly possessions. But you just might! Sort/Organise your tools to save time There is so much to accomplish each day and you might not want to waste time. You can access your tools in more than one way so make sure you play Grow in a manner that is best for you! You have the option to sort your tools for the best efficiency for the way you want to play. Interact with the world Pick flowers, shake trees, cut grass, play with critters, solve puzzles, engage with townsfolk, design an incredible layout for your town, and so much more. One of our goals was to create an interactive sandbox game with life management and adventure elements. You will not only get to build your town, but you will also take your experience to the next level by creating a unique community. Make the Worlds you want to explore Does a warm and tranquil world sound nice to you? Then make it. Want to try out a world that’s a bit squishy and smells? If you really want that, well we got you covered. What about a cute and dreamy world with heaps of sparkly goodness? We’ve got you. You are in control of the world seeds you create. Have fun, mix things up, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Sometimes even the strangest combinations lead to interesting things. You can also take it easy and not rush things Even the most dedicated of Everheart Alchemists’ needs to take some time off for themselves. Why not find a nice fishing spot, pull out your fishing rod, and enjoy the scenery? Or spend some time cuddling up with some of the adorable critters and maybe even snap a selfie with them? Stop and smell (and customise) the flowers After you have raised your town harmony high enough, you’ll be able to customise the grass, trees, flowers, and shrubs so that each area really has its own personality. Don’t be afraid to experiment Grow provides a variety of ways to obtain items and essences. So don’t be afraid to use items, place buildings where you want, and dress villagers as you want. There’s no wrong way if it feels right to you! So don’t hold back, enjoy, and discover. Kazumi loves a good snuggle As your ever faithful steed, and long-term companion, Kazumi deserves lots of pats and snuggles. Don’t forget to capture the lovely moments you share with Kazumi. And who knows… if you take extra good care of Kazumi, exciting things might happen. Thank you for taking the time to read our tips guide. Please join our community, share your favourite images from Grow, and let us know what you think by visiting us on our official social channels. If you are interested in playing Grow: Song of the Evertree launches on PS4 tomorrow. View the full article

Hey everyone! I’m Adam Robinson-Yu, the main developer behind A Short Hike. I’m excited to finally announce that the launch date for A Short Hike on PS4 will be… November 16! With the release just around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to share a bit more about the world of Hawk Peak Provincial Park, and how it took shape while I was developing it. Play Video In A Short Hike, you’ll be exploring the park and working your way towards the top of the mountain. There’s plenty of areas to find and explore, but it didn’t start this way. In the beginning, I just started sculpting areas that were fun to climb and glide between. At this point, the world and the player’s movement were being designed hand in hand, and I created hills and valleys on whim to test out every tweak to the character’s controls. Through this process, I started to get an idea for what types of terrain were interesting, and how I could make areas unique from only the shape of their geometry. I also started brainstorming a list of landmarks that I could scatter around the world for players to discover. I collected a variety of references, of either places I wished I could visit, or places that I had been in my own life. For example, the firetower in the game is directly inspired by the one I visited in person when hiking to Mount Pilchuck. I also used photos to help me establish the primary color palette for the world. I found a photo of a breezy fall landscape that really captured the feeling I was aiming for, and I then sampled colors directly from the photo to build a palette for texturing the rest of the game with. After this initial experimentation phase, I eventually needed to settle on the general structure of the game. I wanted freedom of exploration to be a core aspect of the level design. To me, this meant avoiding any sort of invisible barriers or cutscenes that force you down a specific path – even from the very start of the game. I wanted the player to always feel free to explore any direction they wanted. However, this can make it difficult to design the game, since I can’t be certain about what the player has or knows at any given point. So to help solve this problem, I drafted a quick map that divided the world up into regions. Each region would be elevated a different height above sea-level. To climb into the next region, the player will need a specific amount of stamina (which is given via golden feathers) to get there. This allowed me to control the pacing of the game a little better, and create a more distinct beginning, middle, and end. One of the challenges of designing an open-ended game like this was trying to make sure players don’t miss important items entirely. While almost all of the items are optional for completing the game, I think the game is more fun if the player has more tools to play with. When testing the game, I found a lot of players would plunge into the ocean and explore the back half of the mountain first. To help lead them back towards the stuff I want them to find, I placed a little cave in the back that gets them back on track. Who can avoid the allure of a good cave? The hardest part of the mountain to design was the peak. While A Short Hike isn’t a difficult game, I wanted the final area to be a little tricker to ascend. Our protagonist, Claire, is a little nervous about reaching the top, and the atmosphere and music tries to reflect this. This section should reward players who explored the most, giving them more ways to reach the summit. However, I wanted to make sure it was also possible to get up there with barely any golden feathers too. (It’s just a lot more difficult!) I don’t want to spoil too much here, but I hope you enjoy exploring Hawk Peak Provincial Park. I tried to make each area feel unique – either through the types of flora that decorate it or the landmarks you’ll discover. A Short Hike isn’t a giant open world game, but I think it’s little world is dense with things to uncover. Come check it out for yourself when A Short Hike releases on November 16. View the full article

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Join Tim and Justin for a look back at the first year of PS5, in-depth Elden Ring impressions, and oh-so-much more. Plus, as always, next week’s new release highlights and some fresh news that you very well may choose to use. Listen in! Stuff We Talked About Elden Ring One year of PlayStation 5 Playing classic games on old TVs The Cast Tim Turi – Manager, Content Communications, SIE Justin Massongill – Content Communications Manager, SIE Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and 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.] View the full article

Last week, asked you to turn up the volume and share your galactic hero moments in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy using #PSshare #PSBlog. This week’s portrait highlights are out of this world: onananomariano shares Star-Lord ready to call a team huddle. killshot_studio – I am Groot. PeteyReilly shares Drax studying very intensely. DotPone shares Rocket striking a pose. imroyank shares a deadly portrait of Gamora. RatchetBlaster shares Rocket grabbing a lift from Groot. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Hi-tech SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on November 17 Next week, it’s tech’s time to shine. Share a moment in a game of your choice featuring computers, machines, or any other hi-tech gizmos using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Hello Travelers! Your Genshin Impact dev team is back, bringing you the latest information about Version 2.3 Shadows Amidst Snowstorms that releases November 24. As winter is approaching in Teyvat, we’ve been planning a series of challenges and activities in snow across Dragonspine. Meanwhile, Inazuma’s Bantan Sango Detective Agency is also calling for helpers for investigation and rescue operations regarding mysterious mass disappearances of little animals. With Version 2.3, we’d also like to bring more friends, both old and new, to join your adventure. Albedo and Eula will return, and Arataki Itto and Gorou will also join the game as new playable characters. Play Video Training in Biting Cold Covered by snow all year round, Dragonspine is an enormous frozen mountain range in the south of Mondstadt. In this season’s event, Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, the Adventurer’s Guild has decided to hold a winter training camp in this area, and old friends such as Albedo and Eula will also make an appearance in the story. It’s time to sharpen your skills, enjoy the snowy weather, and earn loads of rewards including the new 4-star Sword Cinnabar Spindle to enhance your characters. The Dragonspine Special Training will provide participants with three different types of challenges. The first one is Agility Training, which will put your speed to the test in specially-designed race tracks with various buffs, collectible seals, and obstacles. The second challenge is the Tracker Training which requires participants to spot and melt certain Ice Crystal Piles to collect Snowman Components. If you’re already a veteran treasure hunter who never misses a chest, this one should be a piece of cake. Last but not least, we have Combat Training. You will find special Lures emitting cold air, buffing a great number of enemies around. If you get closer, Sheer Cold will also accumulate at a faster rate. Luckily, you can switch the Lures to Heat Source mode by activating all three mechanics around you while carrying Scarlet Quartz. However, before heading out for the challenges and rewards, please make sure to survive the cold first. Besides your HP and Stamina, you need to pay close attention to your Sheer Cold Bar in Dragonspine. Without any heat source, Sheer Cold will accumulate, and once the bar is full, your character will continually lose HP. But no proper snow day is complete without a snowman. During the Dragonspine Special Training, you may obtain various Snowman Components to make your Puffy Snowmen in-game. You can also exchange Snowman Components with friends, and even bring them into the Serenitea Pot to add a seasonal touch to your realm. Creatures Big and Small At the far eastern end of Teyvat across the sea, mass disappearances of little animals have caused concern among the locals in Inazuma. In the Bantan Sango Case Files: The Warrior Dog event, you can lend a helping hand to help these missing critters return to their homes. Oddly enough, a mysterious dog and its illusionary copies, the Canine Bunshin, seem to be patrolling around and guarding some of the missing animals. To bring them back, you have to sneak past the guarding dogs and whisk your target away with a special Gadget Ubiquity Net. You may also distract the watchdogs by using smoke machines and fireworks wisely. The other missing animals seem to be imprisoned at a location named the Den of Thieves. Defeat all opponents to free them! Other than Primogems and resources, you will also be rewarded with the Omni-Ubiquity Net once you have completed the event. This new Gadget can capture the essence of some smaller creatures and replicate their forms in the Serenitea Pot. You can find out which creatures can be recreated by the Net by checking the Archive. Speaking of new residents, you may also invite Paimon to your realm with the latest update. As a guest, of course. While Travelers are busy rescuing cute little animals, a huge and dangerous monstrous beast – the Golden Wolflord has also appeared as the new boss in Tsurumi Island. As the king of the Rifthounds and Rifthound Whelps, the Golden Wolflord can also apply the Corrosion status, causing all characters in your party to continuously lose HP regardless of their shields. At the same time, the Golden Wolflord can also summon Rifthound Skulls to shield itself. In the later stage of the battle, the Wolflord’s Attack further increases as its Resistance to Geo Attacks decreases. So, different team building strategies might affect how you fight this fierce monster. Friends Old and New Humans are not the only intelligent life in the world of Teyvat, and our characters also come from different origins and backgrounds. We’ve already met Xiao and many other adepti in Liyue. This time, the new five-star playable character we’d like to introduce you is an Oni from Inazuma – Arataki Itto. Arataki Itto seems to have a strong will to win, no matter if it’s a ramen eating contest with a fox-eared lady, playing games with children, or his rematch challenge to Kujou Sara. Kujou Sara, the general of the Tenryou Commission, once took him down and confiscated his Vision under the Vision Hunt Decree. But beyond any doubt, Arataki Itto has his unique charisma. We heard he even established his own crew, the Arataki Gang. In battle, Arataki Itto also possesses powerful attacks, wielding a huge Claymore and the power of Geo. Both his Normal Attacks and Elemental power can be very compelling. Itto may gain stacks of Superlative Superstrength with his Normal Attacks and Elemental Skill. Each stack of Superlative Superstrength allows him to slash an empowered Charged Attack, the Arataki Kesagiri, and once the last stack is consumed, an especially powerful attack will be unleashed. With his Elemental Burst, Royal Descent: Behold, Itto the Evil, Itto lets his inner Raging Oni King emerge, using his Oni King’s Kanabou in battle. When Itto transforms into the Raging Oni King, his Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks will be converted to Geo Damage. In addition, Itto’s Elemental and Physical RES drops, while his ATK increases based on his DEF, and his Normal Attack Speed will also increase. Gorou will join as a new four-star character in the same wish event with Itto. The great general of Watasumi Island’s force is in fact younger than many of his subordinates, but he gained the trust of his comrades and the Traveler in the Inazuma storyline. Gorou also wields a Geo Visio, but he favors the bow and can buff his teammates in combat. Both his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst deals AoE Geo Damage and buffs characters on the field. Besides, the more Geo characters there are in your party, the more bonuses Gorou may provide. Both new characters are also helpful in resource gathering. Itto’s Exploration Talent, Woodchuck Chucked, will give you a better chance to get an additional log of wood, and Gorou’s Talent, Seeker of Shinies, can display the location of nearby resources unique to Inazuma on the mini-map. You can get to know more about their personalities from Itto’s Story Quest or Gorou’s Hangout Event. Beidou’s Hangout Event will also be available. In addition to new characters, you also have a chance to recruit Albedo and Eula during the earlier phase of Version 2.3. Two Character Event Wishes will be available at the same time as Albedo and Eula are both up for a rerun, sharing the same cumulative pull count toward the 5-star drop guarantee. The Event Wish for Arataki Itto and Gorou will come after. Our sharing for Version 2.3 has come to an end for now, but more friends, more stories, and more adventures await you in the world of Teyvat. We are very excited to see you again in Dragonspine soon! View the full article

Happy birthday, PS5! A year seems to have flown by rather quickly since the first day that gamers were able to get their hands on PS5 — and I am deeply honored and humbled to celebrate this amazing first year with all of you. So much has happened in just one year from the day we lit up landmarks and other iconic places all over the world to mark the arrival of PS5. Incredible games such as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Returnal, and Deathloop launched. SIE acquired the talented development studios Bluepoint Games, Firesprite, Housemarque, and Nixxes. We revealed our next-generation VR system for PS5. And most recently, we’ve unveiled new footage and exciting updates for upcoming titles such as God of War Ragnarok, Gran Turismo 7, and Horizon Forbidden West all from PlayStation Studios, and announced Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake during our September showcase. A busy year indeed, and we are just getting started with PS5. The imaginative game creators and publishing partners we work with have launched more than 360 games on PS5. Additionally, there are currently more than 25 games in development for PS5 at PlayStation Studios. Most importantly, the passionate support we’ve seen from you, our players, makes this past year truly special for us. PS5 gamers have collectively played more than 4.6 billion hours of gameplay on PS5 and broadcast more than 26 million hours of content. Here is a look at the top ten PS5 games played during PS5’s first year, based on gameplay hours: Fortnite Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War FIFA 21 NBA 2K21 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Destiny 2 MLB The Show 21 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Demon’s Souls NBA 2K22 You’ve made PS5 the biggest console launch in history, and I truly can’t thank you enough for your support and dedication this past year. I also want to thank everyone in the community for your patience. We continue to see historic demand for PS5 and we understand the inventory constraints remain a source of frustration for many of our customers. Rest assured that we are laser-focused on doing everything in our power to ship as many units as possible, it’s something we work on every day across the company and remains my top priority. Again, we appreciate your patience as we navigate through these unprecedented global challenges. There’s plenty of great things to come for PS5 in the future, and I look forward to sharing more of these extraordinary moments with you. Thank you again for being part of the PlayStation community and celebrating this milestone with us. All data between November 12, 2020 – September 30, 2021 View the full article

“Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles”, the video game adaptation of the “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” anime, is now on sale for the PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5! Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles | CM Play Video ＜Adventure Mode “The Hinokami Chronicles”＞ In Adventure Mode, follow Tanjiro Kamado through the story from the “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” anime by diving in and taking control yourself! This game includes the events of “Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc” where Tanjiro would begin his journey, join the Demon Slayer Corps and fight a variety of demons, as well as “the Movie: Mugen Train” where he was accompanied by the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku! The fights against the demons from the anime are given new life with incredible graphics! ＜Versus Mode “Battles”＞ 12 characters from the “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” anime, including Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado, are joined by 6 characters from the series’ official spinoff, “Junior High and High School!! Kimetsu Academy Story”, for a total of 18 characters where you can choose any combination of 2 characters to take part in battles! Also, via free post-launch updates, VS Mode is under attack by demons! Characters can be paired together as they were in the anime or even partnered in ways yet to be seen, which means you can form your ideal tag team! 【Specs】 Title: Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles Genre: Demon-slaying Action Players: 1-2 (online mode available) Release Date：Available now Official Website: http://asia.sega.com/kimetsu_hinokami/en/ ©Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable ©DEMON SLAYER KIMETSU NO YAIBA THE HINOKAMI CHRONICLES COMMITTEE ※ The release date of games and contents may vary by country/region. ※ The contents are subject to change without prior notice. View the full article