Commander Fury

Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Join the Blogcast crew as we discuss this week’s selection of new PS VR content, including Blood & Truth, Trover Saves the Universe, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. Plus, we talk about that bonkers new Death Stranding trailer. Enjoy! Stuff We Talked About Death Stranding Trover Saves the Universe Blood & Truth Five Nights at Freddy’s VR Days of Play 2019 Ideas for a Game of Thrones game Dance Dance Revolution FFXIV Shadowbringers Ghostbusters The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Kristen Zitani – Social Media Specialist, SIEA 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

Today’s PlayStation Underground episode shows off a couple more exciting pieces of content from Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled: a deep-dive into one of our favorite remastered tracks from the game, Dragon Mines, as well as a reveal of the PlayStation-exclusive track, Retro Stadium. Now, I’m happy to give you guys a closer look at each of these tracks. Breathing Fire into Dragon Mines At Beenox, Dragon Mines has turned out to be one of our favorite tracks in CTR Nitro-Fueled, because we feel it really exemplifies the injection of personality that we’ve tried to put into every facet of the game. Back in the original CTR, Dragon Mines was a fun track from beginning to end, with awesome details of being down in the caves, minecarts whizzing by you, the beautiful glow of the subterranean lake, the giant gears making the whole operation run — racing in this track really enveloped you in the setting. Yet, with ‘90s-era technology, a lot of the heavy lifting had to be done with your own imagination. The pieces were there to help inspire this, but it was really your mind taking the relatively limited detail and creating a beautiful and immersive landscape out of it. With the tools at our disposal today, we don’t have to rely on imagination, alone, to fill in the gaps. Like all of the other tracks In CTR Nitro-Fueled, we have tried to give Dragon Mines an incredible level of detail and life that will envelop you like it never has before. Aside from the graphical updates and the art direction that went into the 2019 version of the track, a huge part of this process was giving a story to the track. This is something we’ve done with a lot of the tracks for the game — providing context to the detail that we have added. For Dragon Mines, the original track didn’t actually have any dragons in it (although it gets its name from being Komodo Joe’s home track). For CTR Nitro-Fueled, we felt it would be fun to bring that element into it. The track’s story is simple: a group of miners have discovered an aging dragon’s treasure deep under the earth and have now built an entire community to harvest the treasure out. Creating this story gave us the direction to start animating a ton of fun details into the track, like miners working to the beat of the music, mischievous rats getting into trouble, and even a slumbering dragon, sitting on what’s left of his treasure, trying to breathe fire on the racers as they pass by (but unfortunately, only mustering a feeble puff of smoke before he loses interest and goes back to sleep). A miner desperately reaches for a stubborn bat at the starting gate. Another tries to engage in a (literal) game of whack-a-mole while being mocked by a family of them. A whole underground town bustles as the workday goes on. These are just a few more examples of the humor and details we felt would give this track a setting that players would want to re-visit over and over and is also something we wanted to make sure to do across the entire game. It’s worth noting, though, that we also wanted to make sure that the track layout was just as fans remembered from the original. The turns are the same, the hills are the same — even the shortcut is the same! [As a tip for you readers, when you come across the minecart rails that cross the racetrack at about the halfway point, you can follow them to the right and through the tunnel to gain an extra bit of ground on your opponents. But make sure to go in with a boost, since the minecarts will be hot on your tail!] As with all the remastered and re-imagined tracks in the game, we wanted to give fans a sense of nostalgia while also giving them an environment that will wow them. We feel that Dragon Mines is a perfect example of this. Going Old School for PS4 Players Now, switching gears entirely, I’m excited to talk to you about another track in the game which is on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of modern-day detail — Retro Stadium. Fully revealed today, this track rounds out the set of retro content offered exclusively to PS4 players of the game. Together with the retro skins for Crash, Coco, and Cortex, and their retro karts, this bonus track brings you back to the days of low-polygons and minimal-pixel textures! The track is based off the original Turbo Track in CTR, and to create it our team had a lot of fun reversing the mindset we were taking with all the other tracks in the game. While we’ve been spending most of our time seeing how we can bring the original tracks from CTR and CNK into the next stratosphere in terms of graphics and detail, with Retro Stadium we turned off the texture filtering in the level, scaled back details with a “less is more” mindset, and embraced the pixelated look of video games of the late ‘90s. With the high-fidelity qualities that we’ve been putting into all the other tracks in CTR Nitro-Fueled, we felt it would be fun to offer PlayStation players a way to step into the past with this track if they wanted to. In addition to this, we really did want to make this track an homage to the PS1, and the history of the Crash franchise on the PlayStation platform. The platform and the franchise essentially got their start together and have both created a ton of great memories for me, for all of us at Beenox, and for millions of players across the world. This track is a way to hearken back to the early days of these two gaming icons, and it is simply fun to be able to think back to when graphics like these were blowing you away! With Dragon Mines and Retro Stadium, we have highlighted two tracks that are polar opposites in terms of graphics and detail, but both of which we have tried to pack with the spirit and fun that CTR Nitro-Fueled is all about. We can’t wait for PlayStation players to try them both out on June 21! View the full article

Last week, we asked you grab your gallon hat and hop back on the horse in Red Dead Online. While you drew pistols on fellow outlaws and explored the untamed west, you shared your best moments using #PS4share and #PSblog. Here are this week’s highlights: @GAMMSTERN heads off onto that dusty trail. @Spiggy_Smalls shared this moonlit scene. @jafsperspective’s outlaw peeks around the corner. It’s all in the details of this share by @_priism. @kai_890711 shares a misty portrait of an outlaw. @Fire_Hard_Core is just out fishing. Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in next week’s Share of the Week? Theme: A Plague Tale: Innocence Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, June 5 Next week, we’re headed to the rat-infested world of A Plague Tale: Innocence. Survive rat hordes and the murderous Inquisition while protecting your sick brother using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Hey, Justin Roiland here. I co-created a show called Rick and Morty and now I’m sitting here typing a thing about my first ever real life video game: Trover Saves the Universe. Can you imagine? You partner up with Trover and you travel the cosmos meeting weird characters along the way. You’ll fight and platform across crazy levels all to save your dogs and stop a bad guy. Pretty clever concept, huh? Save dogs? Stop a bad guy? I mean… we’re like the Christopher Columbus of game devs, charting new territory. Trover is a funny and fun game. I swear. I wouldn’t be saying that if so many people hadn’t told me. Like, at least 30 different people, so unless they are all lying… the game is actually funny and fun. Unless all 30 of those people are lying. But I don’t think they’d be able to coordinate a lie like that. Not in 2019. Maybe if this were like… the mid-80’s or even 90’s I could buy it. Not today. Way too hard. God. This writeup is horrible. Who am I kidding with this? Anyway. The game plays great on the TV. I keep hearing about that, too. From lots of people who don’t have VR. They are playing on the TV and they love it, and the people who do have PS VR love it, too. Seriously. I also hear that the $29.99 price is perfect. Right on the money. If anything, people tell me it’s too cheap! Can you imagine? Like we should have made it more expensive! But instead of that, we will be adding fun side adventures to Trover in the form of DLC packs ALL FOR FREEEEEE!!! We’ll be releasing those as time marches forward and we slowly decay and eventually die. Do you think the cosmos gives a **** about you? We are nothing. Hope you like Trover!! Buy more video games! View the full article

Developed by Infinity Ward and scheduled for global release on PlayStation 4 on Friday, October 25, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a powerful, reimagined experience and all-new title, built from the ground up. Take on the role of highly-skilled Tier One operators in an exceptionally raw and gritty narrative affecting the global balance of power. A Visceral and Heart-Pounding Campaign What can PlayStation 4 players expect from the Campaign mode? The new Modern Warfare ratchets up the intensity with an emotionally-charged and thought-provoking single-player experience. Edgy, culturally relevant, and shining a light on the changing nature of modern war, players will fight alongside a diverse cast of international special forces and freedom fighters. You’re working within the grey area of the rules of engagement, whether you’re venturing through Europe or trekking into the expanses of the Middle East, expect a number of heart-pounding operations. These operations include long-range combat with a reliance on tactical decision-making, close-quarter, and stealth missions. A Unified Narrative Experience Continuing beyond the edge-of-your-seat single-player campaign, prepare for a unified narrative experience and progression across all elements of the game, whether that’s single-player, online multiplayer, or co-operative experiences. Additional Intel: Don’t Be Kept in the Dark Be sure to check both here, and the Activision Games Blog in the coming days and weeks for the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare announcements and content. Pre-orders at participating retailers are available now, and at PlayStation Store. View the full article

We’re excited to announce that Richie’s Plank Experience is getting a new elevator button, and PlayStation VR is the first platform to get this new update. Richie’s Plank Experience was created to entertain your friends and family with virtual reality. It’s a short experience which invokes strong reactions — exhilaration, fear and laughter — it’s always surprising to see how each person reacts. Richie’s Plank Experience is the only VR game that allows you to clone any real world plank into the virtual world through our plank setup system. Last year we released Richie’s Plank Experience on PS VR with two of our most popular features: The Plank & The Flying. On May 31, Richie’s Plank Experience is bringing four new features to PSVR. Some features you may know about already, but some you definitely haven’t seen before. The graphics have been improved and you now have the option to add cake and donuts to the end of the plank. You can experiment with different objects on a hidden panel in the elevator. Beware of the spider cake. Sky Brush We’ve also included our famous Sky Brush in the latest update of Richie’s Plank Experience. Sky Brush mode is a skywriting simulator where you can paint the sky different colors using rocket hands as a paintbrush. It allows you to unleash your creativity while flying in and around the city. Introducing: The Hero Academy Last but not least, we’re proud to announce The Hero Academy. On May 31, PS VR users will be the first to play our new Hero Academy level available in Richie’s Plank Experience. Master your virtual reality flying skills to become the ultimate savior of the city. Do you have what it takes? Our new features are an addition to Richie’s Plank Experience, and as such, come at no additional cost to those who have already purchased Richie’s Plank Experience on PS VR. From the entire team here at Toast VR, we hope the new Hero Academy delights, the Sky Brush inspires and The Plank continues to terrify you, your friends and your family. View the full article

Hello, PlayStation.Blog readers! I’m Matt McKnight, the biz dev director and producer on the upcoming Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered. That’s right, we’re breaking some news globally today. The game that’s been known as a love letter to Ghostbusters fans is making a high-resolution comeback! I still remember the first time I ever heard about Ghostbusters. It had launched in theaters in the summer of 1984 and I knew had to catch it on the big screen. It was playing at the great old Coronet Theater in San Francisco (which now happens to be a senior housing facility). What followed was a smash hit in creativity, comedy, and universe building. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson had starred in one of the most successful action comedy films of its time — a film written by Aykroyd and Ramis themselves. Over two decades later, Ghostbusters: The Video Game released, and I was excited but cautious. Licensed games can often be an afterthought, but I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. The game was also penned by Aykroyd and Ramis, and featured a story set shortly after the events of Ghostbusters II. Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis, and Hudson are all in the game with their voices and likenesses. It became a game beloved by fans that really made you feel like you were joining the team and participating in a Ghostbusters movie. We’re incredibly honored and excited to announce Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered will be launching on PS4 in 2019. All of the in-game videos and cutscenes were found on a hard drive in storage from one of the original creators and remastered in 4K. The great storytelling and audio has all been preserved while enhanced textures and lighting complete the package. For those who haven’t played the original game, you’ll join the Ghostbusters as the new rookie recruit. Using tools like the PKE Meter and trusty Proton Pack, you’ll learn to hunt, wrangle, and trap ghosts with the team across iconic New York City locations like Times Square and Central Park. You’ll upgrade your ghost traps and Proton Pack. The Proton Pack will have alternate firing modes such as Shock Blast and Slime Blower. Getting into wild, funny, and exciting ghostly adventures with the Ghostbusters through all the action brings a big smile to my face, and we hope it does the same for you. We can’t wait to announce more details about the game soon. Until then, don’t cross the streams! View the full article

Chernarus has once been a popular tourist destination. Now it’s a post-apocalyptic wasteland struck by an unknown epidemic – and you’re one of the survivors immune to the virus, desperately trying to make it through another day. We’re excited to introduce you to the authentic open world of DayZ – available on PlayStation 4 in our most complete release so far! Get a quick intro to the gloomy, post-apocalyptic country of Chernarus in our brand-new live action trailer: What if the zombie apocalypse actually happened? DayZ is a persistent, 60-player online survival game. But when you immerse yourself into Chernarus, everything immediately feels disturbingly real. The fear of other survivors, the growling sounds of the infected, and the looming danger of permadeath makes you behave like you were actually there, surviving the apocalypse. To achieve this feeling, we based many of the stunning locations you see across Chernarus on real places (as seen in the live action trailer!), and the environment design closely follows the landscape of a small region in the heart of Europe. DayZ is as real as it gets. No laws, or rules – it’s pure survival When society falls, it brings out both the worst and the best of mankind. In DayZ, we give players the ways and means to demonstrate what we’re capable of as human beings when following our basic survival instinct. There are all the ugly things of course (have you been force-fed a disinfectant spray before?), but at the same time, DayZ players can forge true friendships, or restore your faith in humanity through random acts of kindness. How far will you personally go to survive? Are you a hero, or a bandit? The choice is yours. We don’t hold your hand or give you any artificial goals or rules to follow. The game is your playground, an online social experiment with one ultimate consequence for making bad decisions: in DayZ, when you die, you die. This is DayZ, this is your story A way to survive is to get a couple of friends together and play DayZ as an adrenaline multiplayer shooter, killing every survivor before they have the chance to get the better of you. You’ll have loads of fun (and loot!) for sure, but doing this, you’re missing out on the best: interacting with strangers and experiencing unscripted moments as they naturally enfold. So while we don’t force you into anything, here’s a piece of advice on how to play DayZ: put yourself out there and try to talk before you shoot! From direct voice chat to public address system loudspeakers, DayZ offers a variety of communication tools to let the situation play out. Yes, you will probably die often, but then, it’ll all click together once or twice, leaving you with an epic story to tell. And exactly this is DayZ – it’s your survival story. Make it a good one! See you in Chernarus, Survivors! View the full article

It fills me with joy to announce that Death Stranding, the latest project from legendary game creator Hideo Kojima, will be available November 8 on PS4. In Death Stranding, play as Sam Bridges and traverse a ravaged nation to reconnect a fractured society and save mankind from the brink of extinction. A special message from Hideo Kojima: People have created “Walls” and become accustomed to living in isolation. “Death Stranding” is a completely new type of action game, where the goal of the player is to reconnect isolated cities and a fragmented society. It is created so that all elements, including the story and gameplay, are bound together by the theme of the “Strand” or connection. As Sam Porter Bridges, you will attempt to bridge the divides in society, and in doing create new bonds or “Strands” with other players around the globe. Through your experience playing the game, I hope you’ll come to understand the true importance of forging connections with others. Now, please enjoy the latest Death Stranding trailer. Play Video Play Video We’re also revealing that pre-orders for Death Stranding begin today. You’ll have the option to choose between the Standard Edition, Special Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition and Collector’s Edition – all of which include the full game and bonus incentives for pre-ordering. Pre-order the Standard Edition for $59.99 USD MSRP/ $79.99 CAD MSRP and immediately get a voucher to download a Chibi Ludens PSN Avatar – a stylized version of the iconic logo for Kojima Productions – plus, a Death Stranding PS4 Dynamic Theme at launch. Pre-orders also receive special gold versions of in-game items earned through gameplay: Gold “Sam” Sunglasses Gold Hat Gold Speed Skeleton: Increase the speed of Sam’s movement when equipped Gold Armor Plate: Increase protection against any damage Sam takes The Special Edition ($69.99 USD MSRP/ $89.99 CAD MSRP) includes a collectible Steelbook case. Pre-order and receive all incentives offered through the Standard Edition. The Special Edition also includes – A special gold version of the Gold “Ludens Mask” Sunglasses earned through gameplay. As well as these digital bonuses: Death Stranding: Timefall (Original Music from the World of Death Stranding) Music Album Digital Download Behind the Scenes Making Of Digital Video Pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition for $79.99 USD / $99.99 CAD MSRP and receive all digital pre-order incentives offered via the Standard Edition. The Digital Deluxe also includes – Special gold versions of in-game items earned through gameplay: Gold “Ludens Mask” Sunglasses Gold Power Skeleton: Enhance Sam’s ability to handle heavy cargo Gold All-Terrain Skeleton: Enhance Sam’s ability to balance himself on uneven terrain Gold Armor Plate (Level 2): Stronger protection for Sam against falls, gunfire, and more As well as these digital bonuses: Death Stranding: Timefall (Original Music from the World of Death Stranding) Music Album Digital Download Behind the Scenes Making Of Digital Video Also available for pre-order starting today is the Death Stranding Collector’s Edition ($199.99 USD MSRP / $249.99 CAD MSRP), which includes all Digital Deluxe Edition in-game items and bonus contents, the Special Edition Steelbook, plus: Life-sized BB Pod Statue BRIDGES Cargo Case Ludens Keychain And one more thing – Sony Interactive Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment have partnered to create a full album of all-new, original music inspired by Death Stranding. Stay tuned to our official channels for details on Death Stranding: Timefall (Original Music from the World of Death Stranding). I am excited for you to experience the cinematic adventure of Death Stranding. See you in November! View the full article

June’s monthly free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers offer a heady mix of high-speed retro platforming and over-the-top shoot ‘n’ loot FPS action, available to download starting next week on June 4. Let’s take a closer look. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Play Video Play Video Getting excited for the freshly announced Borderlands 3, launching later this year? Now is the time to revisit the franchise with Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, which includes both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and get reacquainted with Gearbox’s hilarious loot-focused FPS series. Not only does The Handsome Collection include all DLC for both titles, enhanced local multiplayer and remastered visuals, but if you played either title on PS3 you can carry over your save data and can pick up where you left off in the PS4 version. Sonic Mania The blue blur returned in style in 2017 with this lovingly-crafted throwback to the Sega icon’s 2D side-scrolling roots, tailor-made to put an ear-to-ear grin on the faces of the Sonic faithful. You know the drill: Sonic, Tails and Knuckles face off against their old nemesis, Dr. Eggman, across a mix of re-imagined classic stages and brand new zones. Expect lightning-fast platforming thrills, countless collectibles, hidden areas, and both competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes for two players. While you’re waiting for those to drop, you’ve still got a few days left to download May’s line-up before they go away on June 3: check out the award-winning narrative adventure What Remains of Edith Finch and the madcap couch co-op hit Overcooked! View the full article

Hello, I’m Marco from Studio Evil, the creative director for Super Cane Magic Zero. I’m super excited to announce that our game will be released on PS4 tomorrow. Super Cane Magic Zero is a comedy action-RPG featuring a couch co-op Campaign Mode and a competitive Arena Mode, both supporting up to four local players. Today I’m not going to tell you about “classic” dungeon crawling stuff like battling monsters, pulling levers and getting wrecked by traps. No, I’m here to talk about one of the weirdest mechanics we have in our game: eating. Okay, okay, wait a second… I know you can eat stuff in other games, but this time is different! In Super Cane Magic Zero, items can be picked up and thrown at enemies as a projectile or… eaten. You will find watermelons, sausages, lightbulbs, lava cakes, rocks, explosives and other delicacies, and you’ll have to decide if you are in need of a weapon or a meal. The game features more than 180 different “throwables.” Experiment by throwing or eating everything that is not nailed to the ground, and you will learn what each item can do for you. Let me walk you through the basics. Not everything you eat is healthy — some items will harm you and others replenish your health. How do you know what’s good for you? You’ll notice that the eating animation slightly changes depending on how it affects your character. The animation is slower, and your character makes a scared face. The animation is smooth and your character’s face looks happy. Of course, you can also just eat everything and see what happens… Regardless of the good or bad nature of the items you eat, most of them will grant you “diet perks.” Diet perks last until you lose a life, complete a level, or until you eat too much and “digest” your upgrades. If you get more than two diet perks at the same time, your character will burp and lose all the perks gained from eating. Of course there are exceptions to this rule: some special diet perks will stack with others without causing “digestion.” Diet perks, unknown to most This is a list of some common types of food and their “diet perks”: Meat grants just one perk, but it’s pretty useful: Mass Gain – Increases max health Vitamins! – Increases attack and throw damage and removes active poison effects Staying Regular – Increases the amount of health you gain by eating Sugar Surge – Grants a large amount of mana the first five seconds after eating High Blood Sugar – Increases your mana regeneration Potions lessons doesn’t take place in the Dungeons this time Potions are another very important addition to your dietary arsenal, as their powerful buffs will stack with each other and with regular diet perks. Just make sure not to waste any time, because potion perks will only last 180 seconds. Let’s see a few of the major potion types and the effects they provide: There are several armor potions that you can find during your adventures. They increase your defense against a specific type of elemental damage. Remember, their effects stack. This potion increases the range at which you detect secret chests, mechanisms and traps. Very useful if you are a completionist. This super-weird potion will set you on fire, but will also make you glow with a small light-emitting area that can be really useful in the dark. One of the most powerful upgrades, this potion makes you able to eat almost every kind of item you can find. Wanna try an even more unusual snack? Select a different character before jumping into a new level or improve your digestive techniques by spending a few points on the right Belief Trees. Each of the 15+ playable characters has its own dietary needs — sometimes quite unusual. For example, the (in)famous Dr. Buttdog believes in the marvels of science and he can feed on circuits and other electronics, while Dr. Bones, the skinny undead, is in fact dead so he can eat anything he likes and not being harmed! But none can beat the wide-mouthed and demonic Evilio, who can even swallow enemies and allies whole in one go. Some characters also have powerful abilities related to eating. Take for example Mary Jane J J: when she eats something healthy she regains health, but also heals her allies! Eating in Arena Mode The power of eating is important even when you are playing arena mode against your friends. In addition to the obvious “regain health” thing (in arena mode, you get much more health than normal), some edible items define the gameplay in their specific arena. “Longthrow” potions in the Lava-Donut Factory max out your throwing capabilities, enabling ridiculous long-range battles, whereas the shield potion in the Insta-Friends Arena makes you temporarily immune to all non-explosive damage. This is an outstanding feature against the insta-kill staff pickable by any player at the center of the arena. Last but not least, the “Magic Frozen Jelly” in the Brainfreeze Arena. Its gelatinous core makes you incredibly powerful, boosting both attack and speed. I hope you enjoyed our tour of the food specialties of the planetoid WOTF! See you in the plains of Minestronya, and don’t eat the bombs! View the full article

It’s that time again! Every couple years, the development team behind Final Fantasy XIV unleashes a new, JRPG-length expansion to their hugely successful MMORPG. This year’s new release, Shadowbringers, launches July 2, with early access beginning June 28 for players who pre-order. In it, the Warrior of Light (that’s you) will travel to “The First,” a world that has been all but consumed by light and is on the brink of catastrophe. To restore balance and save the realm, players must cast aside the light and become what they must: Warriors of Darkness. (Heck yeah.) A recent event hosted by Square Enix and held in San Francisco gave media a chance to go hands-on with some of Shadowbringers’ new content, including a new dungeon, two new jobs (Dancer, a ranged DPS job focused on buffs / support; and Gunbreaker, a new tank job who wields a Gunblade as their main weapon), two new playable races, and more. Attendees also got some facetime with Naoki Yoshida, the director and producer of Final Fantasy XIV and the man most famously associated with turning the game around after its rocky 1.0 launch. Read on for a series of highlights from my interview with Yoshida-san (shared with a couple fellow FFXIV devotees from Gamer Escape and Easy Allies), and a selection of images and clips captured during my time with a pre-release build of the game running on a PC in a pre-release state. The title screen for Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers. Click to enable sound! On guiding principle Yoshida-san wanted the dev team to keep in mind while creating content for Shadowbringers: “Heavensward was our first expansion, in Stormblood we went to the Far East, and now in Shadowbringers we’re going to a completely new world to save that realm. One rule was we didn’t want any extreme humor or gags. Of course, we didn’t want to completely eliminate it, but we didn’t want anything that was extremely humorous. “In terms of direction that I gave to all the teams, including the battle team, people that work on cutscenes, people who work on the lighting… we have these characters we’ve been with since A Realm Reborn — the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. We’re going to be delving deeply into their backgrounds and motivations, so we wanted to make sure they’re depicted in an appealing way, that there’s some charm to wanting to find out what these Scions are and what they’re thinking, so we wanted to make sure their emotions are tied into the gameplay experience.” A few /gpose photos of the Viera I created. Ain’t she cute? On simplifying the Tank role in Shadowbringers: “Players who use Tank jobs have provided a lot of feedback about how they want them to play, so a great deal of focus was placed on how do we respond to that and how much of that can we address? “I think a lot of people who play the Tank role have a fundamental desire to deal a lot of damage and unleash the maximum amount of DPS they can, and they don’t like that when they switch into a tank stance their DPS is lower because they’re in a defensive stance. I don’t think players dislike the fact that by turning on the Tank stance they’re generating more enmity; it’s more that by turning on a Tank stance you’re lowering your DPS. So people hesitate to try and actively generate enmity because they’re worried about their DPS dropping. So one of the first ideas was to remove that penalty, so to speak, of lower DPS when switching to a Tank stance. “The initial thinking of having both offensive and defensive stances was strategic: we wanted players to go into different encounters and determine when is a good time to switch to an offensive stance or activate your Tank stance and generate enmity, but looking at how players dislike the Tank stance, it might as well have one single stance. By reducing it down to one stance and toggling on and off, we’re hoping that will address that player feedback. With the update, it will be a matter of simply switching the Tank stance on or off; you no longer need to worry about turning on your tank stance to generate more enmity, you just have to worry about generating DPS and utilizing your skill rotations. If there are certain types of content with specific mechanics you’ll have to deal with those. “With the system becoming so simple, I think that allows it to become easier to grasp for newer or less experienced players.” Final Fantasy XIV Director and Producer Naoki Yoshida On whether we can expect any new PvP modes in Shadowbringers: “It’s actually deliberate that we don’t have any new PvP modes at the launch of Shadowbringers. We have the data to back up this claim — when an expansion first launches almost 100% of players are concentrating on getting through the main scenario, or enjoying the battle content, leveling their jobs, leveling their Disciples of the Hand / Land, et cetera, so there’s almost nobody in the PvP content (or the Gold Saucer content, for that matter). We do have plans to update it, it just won’t come until patch 5.1.” On the recently announced 24-player YoRHa Dark Apocalypse raid and the first meeting with Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito: “It’s a very simple reason that we decided to utilize the NieR series: we had so much player feedback and requests to add gear based on NieR Automata. Of course, it would have been easy to just bring in the gear designs and have them available as a reward, but I don’t think that would be as interesting as having Yoko Taro actually participating and coming up with content for us to play. Then, by clearing that content, players can obtain the gear as a reward. That’s the reason we had initially thought about bringing them on. “In terms of that first meeting, it was Yoko Taro, Yosuke Saito, XIV’s assistant producer, and the project manager, so it was five people. We went to dinner together. Saito-san is an avid MMO player — he loves World of Warcraft as well — so I was sure this would be an appealing idea for him, but Yoko-san… we approached Yoko-san and asked if he’d be interested in doing something like this. Yoko-san laughed hysterically: “Are you for real?! Are you trying to end Final Fantasy? But it sounds very interesting, so I’d love to do it.” The decision was made very quickly, but they were very humble about it: “Are you sure you’re okay with it being a collaboration with NieR?” They were very happy to be on board.” A couple /gpose photos of the Hrothgar I created. Ain’t he cute? On the huge new changes coming to the Machinist job: “When redesigning the fundamentals of the Machinist job, one of the major things we looked at was the Heat gauge. It’s hard to tell whether it’s a good thing to increase that gauge, how much is too much, whether or not it’s good to overheat… it was a difficult mechanic to understand, especially when trying to deal optimal DPS. “In terms of the Job gauges — not just for Machinist, but for all jobs — the dev team wanted to change the thinking of how these gauges function. We want to make it a good thing to fill up your gauge. We wanted to remove the idea of having to maintain a certain level or decrease your gauge at certain points, because that’s not very easy to grasp. This problem was especially prevalent with Machinist and the Heat gauge. “We also received feedback that Machinist was simply not fun or interesting to play. Throughout 3.0 and 4.0, the development team was torn on how to position Machinist. We thought it was about utilizing [Machinist’s primary weapon] the gun and they had strong positioning as a gunner, so we made sure they had actions that stylishly utilize their guns to execute their different attacks. “But we’ve drastically redesigned it for Shadowbringers. We wanted to skew back towards the name “Machinist,” and bring out that element of using different machines and weapons — like a mecha, which you might have seen in our Job Actions video — and have that visual representation of how the Machinist can use different machines and weapons in their arsenal. The gun is now just one of the many weapons that the Machinist can handle. It might feel like a completely new job at this point! We’re hoping with these revisions you’ll enjoy it more, and the job will be more fun to play.” Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers | More Screenshots On whether the dev team has considered making changes to FFXIV’s endgame progression cycle: “If we feel there is a need to deviate or make changes, we would consider it. Right now, we feel like we have a good set of content for after you reach the level cap. But that being said, we have made adjustments and revisions to items that drop in that content. In terms of Savage drops, they aren’t going to be a direct form of a drop, per se — of course, Turn 4 of Savage content (where you get the weapons) might not apply to this — but whenever you open that coffer and obtain the item it should correspond to whichever job you are when you open it, so you won’t have to worry about item drops that are for someone else’s job. “The overall endgame cycle will not undergo any significant changes, but we have identified stress points for players and tried to apply tweaks so we’re alleviating those frustration points. We’re hoping players will notice that while playing.” Plus… you can do this. What’s not to love? On FFXIV’s music and the evolution of Soken-san’s (FFXIV’s sound director) growth and the evolution of his work: “In terms of how Soken-san approaches the composition of his music, he’s been taking one stance and hasn’t changed that concept. He’s instead been trying to raise the quality with each song he creates. His work thus far in FFXIV culminates in [Stormblood final boss] Shinryu’s theme. That single stance he’s been pursuing this whole time is that in a video game, the gameplay experience is of utmost importance — it’s the highest priority that we place. So going into the player experience is the graphical element, the battle content, the music that accompanies it… no single element is the main focus. We want these to be tools where they all come together to bring excitement to the players. “Of course, Soken-san is continually pursuing that concept. There is one moment in Shadowbringers — it’s not battle content, but the theme that plays at this particular timing is so memorable that I’ve replayed that scene over and over just to experience it again and again. It’s such a wonderful moment in Shadowbringers where that song plays, it just grabs the heart. Soken has put a lot of effort into his creation of sound, so we hope you get to experience that scene and enjoy it as well.” All content discussed and assets shown in this article are based on a pre-release build that has not undergone final adjustments. All content is subject to significant change. View the full article

We’re pleased to announce that Days of Play is back! This annual global promotion celebrates the passionate PlayStation community, with a huge thank you from us for all of your support this past year. Because of you, PlayStation continues to be the best place to play, while driving success for games like God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man. From June 7-17, you can find awesome deals on hardware, peripherals and a bunch of PlayStation 4 exclusive games at participating retailers across the U.S. and Canada, while supplies last. We are also introducing a 1TB PS4 Days of Play Limited Edition for $299.99 USD / $379.99 CAD (MSRP) on June 7. The limited-edition console in Steel Black features the iconic PlayStation Shapes embossed in silver on the top surface, alongside a matching DualShock 4 wireless controller. This special Days of Play PS4 will be available for a limited time only, so don’t miss out! Other awesome deals throughout the 11 days include: Jet Black 1TB PS4 Pro – $349.99 USD / $449.99 CAD (MSRP) PlayStation VR bundles – starting at $249.99 USD / $329.99 CAD (MSRP) DualShock 4 wireless controller (all colors) – starting at $39.99 USD / $49.99 CAD (MSRP) Days Gone, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, MLB The Show 19 – starting at $19.99 USD / $29.99 CAD (MSRP) PlayStation Hits games – starting at $9.99 USD/CAD (MSRP) Catalog titles – check with your local retailer What’s more? Starting June 7, PlayStation Store will be offering awesome deals for digital blockbuster games, as well as deals on PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. There will also be a discount on select officially licensed merchandise on the PlayStation Gear Store. Stay tuned for more info here on PS Blog and over on the Days of Play site. Thanks again to all of you for your tremendous support this past year. Happy gaming! View the full article

It’s Blood & Truth launch day! After years of hard work, the team here at London Studio are thrilled to finally get our all-action PS VR blockbuster into your hands. If you have seen our launch trailer, you will know “Be the action hero!” was our mantra in the design of Blood & Truth. I see it when I close my eyes at night! The game puts the player at the very center of an action movie where they are the hero. Alongside some incredible blockbuster moments, we also focussed on including some smaller touches to ensure that every moment feels as epic as possible. Here are 20 moments in Blood & Truth that will make you feel like a true action hero: You can dual-wield a weapon in either hand and fire them! You can still grab ammo from your chest pouch and reload them, but for true heroics do it in slow-motion as you jump through a window or off a building. Reloading normally is for chumps! How about throwing your magazine in the air and catching it in your gun? Some weapons have extra interactions, which improve their performance. For example, put your hand over the hammer of the revolver to fan it and get a faster fire rate. Flick shut the revolver and sawn-off after loading them so you can fire quicker. Use your teeth to pull out grenade pins! There is so much fun to be had with grenades! You can ‘bake’ a grenade by pulling the pin before you throw it to get a slightly shorter detonation time. Roll grenades and bounce them off walls and they will detonate instantly if you hit your target. For ultimate style points, catch an enemy grenade and throw it back at them! Even better, activate precision mode and shoot the grenade before it lands to take them out! Awesome! You earn mods and gun skins by collecting Stars. These are awarded for mission scores, hitting hidden targets and finding collectables. We have silencers, extended magazines, sights and laser pointers that you can attach to the weapons in your collection! The gun skins are just for fun, but you can seriously show off by customizing your pump-action shotgun in hot pink or your revolver in classy gold! This deserves a special mention because nothing says action hero quite like the thunk of a grenade launcher. Particularly when aimed at a 4×4 or attack helicopter. You’ll unlock the grenade launcher when you play through the missions, but you can also unlock a sub-barrel grenade launcher mod for the assault rifle and semi-automatic rifle. You can quickly switch between the gun’s normal fire mode and grenade launcher with the Triangle button. If you just want to show off, hold down Triangle and flick your wrist to spin your gun on your trigger finger. Brilliant with a 9mm pistol, awesome with an SMG, totally off-the-scale with a pair of sawn-off shotguns! There are so many things you can do in the middle of a gun fight. Try turning up the car radio while taking out an enemy’s tire. Stagger an enemy with successful rapid fire and watch them clutch onto their injured limbs. Activate precision mode and land a lethal kill shot. Try out your music skills by cross fading and adding samples on the DJ decks in the casino! Getting headshots in precision mode will extend the time you are in it — so make sure you’re accurate! Give a thumbs up or your best hand gestures as you put a bullet into a gas canister. Knock down enemies in run ‘n’ gun sequences by driving your fist into their skulls, or for extra style, try pistol-whipping. These are just a few of the epic touches we’ve included in the game to make you feel like an action hero — there are plenty more to discover for yourself when you start playing. We can’t wait to see you create your own action hero moments when you get your hands on Blood & Truth, starting today. We’re also happy to confirm today that we will be supporting the game with free DLC post-launch, such as online leaderboards, new time attack and score challenges, New Game+, and an additional Hard Mode for those of you who want to up the ante. So, get your hands on Blood & Truth, available starting today, and test your hand at the 20 tricks! We hope you enjoy the game and be the action hero. View the full article

Hi I’m Robin Hunicke, CEO and co-founder of Funomena, and I’m pleased today to announce that Luna’s new Storybook Edition will be available June 18 on PS4 and PS VR! This game is near and dear to my heart for many reasons. For starters, this marks Funomena’s first ever release for PlayStation. Martin Middleton and I founded Funomena after working together on Journey for PS3. Our explicit goal was to create a diverse & inclusive studio that would explore the future of games and game hardware. So you can imagine how excited we were when PS VR was announced. Releasing a game for the platform is a dream come true! Luna is also the first commercial title we released as a studio, and so it marks the culmination of so many first-time efforts for us as a team: from raising the money to make it and finding our very first office space, to recruiting our team, learning to collaborate and shipping our first VR title. So many wonderful people helped us along the way, there is an immense element of gratitude that is inherent in this release as well. Creatively, Luna is also an incredibly personal title, with elements of each teammate woven deeply into its environments and storyline. I began designing it while working through some big changes in my life. During that time, I felt like there was a constant “scribble” in my belly — a knot of energy that was nervous, anxious, excited and afraid all at once. Over time, I began to realize that there were elements from my past that contributed to this feeling, and as I learned more about trauma and recovery, I began wondering: could making a game help me let my “scribble” go? As the team grew, we spent a lot of time talking about how being creative is one of the best ways to communicate how past experiences have shaped us. We took this notion of making art to heal into the mechanics, building a tactile audio-visual experience that defied traditional game labels. A meditative, sculptural fairytale about letting go of mistakes and learning to heal others by working to heal yourself. I think a lot about this idea: that by spending more time helping ourselves feel relaxed, peaceful and in touch with our own creative value, each of us can add joy and peace to what is often a very chaotic, unpredictable and stressful world. While games with thrills and action have their place, so do titles like Luna, which give you free reign to zone out, stretch and shape some trees, play a tune on some musical lily pads, and pet a bird. Yes, you can pet the bird. :D I don’t want to say too much more about the game itself, as it is better experienced than explained. But in closing, I will say that this title exemplifies Funomena’s core belief that games should explore the full spectrum of play experiences — from silly and playful to contemplative and creative. Because play is a vast ocean of possible experiences, and we have so many wonderful new places to go. We look forward to sharing Luna with you and hearing what you think of it! – Luna’s watercolor, folded look was influenced in part by Robin’s own exploration of origami: https://funomenalfolding.tumblr.com View the full article

Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here On this week’s Blogcast, the gang looks forward to Trover Saves the Universe, a raunchy PS VR hootenanny from the creator of Rick and Morty. Plus, Blood & Truth, Five Nights at Freddy’s… and one final Game of Thrones spoilercast. Stuff We Talked About Trover Saves the Universe Destiny 2 balance changes Video game crossovers we wish would happen Blood & Truth Game of Thrones (last time, promise! (Probably!)) The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Kristen Zitani – Social Media Specialist, SIEA Tim Turi – Senior Social Media Specialist, SIEA 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

Take heed, VR aficionados: Three heavy hitters land on PlayStation VR next week. Take on the gritty London underworld in Blood & Truth, the full-fledged blockbuster follow-up to PlayStation VR Worlds’ The London Heist. Try to survive the night (bonus points for not soiling your undergarments) in Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted, a series “greatest hits” collection of sorts… with some brand-new content built just for VR. Or set off on an adventure that could only come from the mind of Justin Roiland (trust us, you’ll see) in Trover Saves the Universe. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Blood & Truth PS VR — Digital, Retail Star in your own explosive action movie blockbuster with this PS VR exclusive shooter. Battle through the crime-ridden London underworld as elite soldier Ryan Marks in your deadliest mission yet… to save your family from a ruthless criminal empire. Wreak havoc through an unpredictable story packed with twists and shocking revelations. Cricket 19 PS4 — Digital (Out 5/29) Lead your team to international glory with Cricket 19. The truly global cricket simulation from Big Ant Studios, the leading name in authentic, realistic cricket action, Cricket 19 allows you to take control of your team, from club through national level, and lead them to T20, ODI, or Test Match glory. DayZ PS4 — Digital (Out 5/29) The post-soviet country of Chernarus is struck by an unknown virus, turning the majority population into frenzied infected. Fighting over resources has bred a hostile mentality among survivors, driving what’s left of humanity to collapse. You are one of the few immune to the virus — how far will you go to survive? DragonfangZ – The Rose and Dungeon of Time PS4 — Digital (Out 5/29) This game offers a nostalgic and new experience. It is a wonderful roguelike RPG that will test your bravery! Rose is half human and half dragon. One day, she wanders into a world called the Tree of Time with her nanny, Fairy. Your courage and growth will be the key to clear the dungeon! Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted PS VR — Digital Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted is a collection of classic and original mini-games set in the Five Nights universe. Survive terrifying encounters with your favorite killer animatronics in a collection of new and classic Five Nights at Freddy’s experiences. “Where fantasy and fun come to life!” Golem Gates PS4 — Digital Golem Gates is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi blend of action-strategy and card battler, pitting your conjured armies against otherworldly forces. Choose from 100 cards (known as Glyphs) and unleash diverse units, buildings, buffs, and more in tactical combat across single player, co-op, and multiplayer. The House in Fata Morgana PS Vita — Digital, Retail (Cross-Buy) A gothic suspense tale set in a cursed mansion. The House in Fata Morgana is a full-length visual novel spanning nearly a millennium that deals in tragedy, human nature, and insanity. This recent blog post has more details about the purchase options. Lapis x Labyrinth PS4 — Digital, Retail Help a struggling town recover from bankruptcy in an age of dwindling adventuring. Recruit and customize your team of adventurers in this high-voltage action platformer. Behind every monster inside the Labyrinth could be unfathomable treasures, endless gold, or perhaps, even more terrible nightmares. Layers of Fear 2 PS4 — Digital Layers of Fear 2 is a first-person psychological horror game with an emphasis on exploration and story. Players control a Hollywood actor who heeds the call of an enigmatic director to take on the lead role in a film shot aboard an ocean liner. Beware, for all may not truly be what it seems. Super Cane Magic ZERO PS4 — Digital (Out 5/30) Cake the Wizard is dead, and his Magic Dog is out of control! Can you save the world? Can you save the Dog? Gear up, eat rocks, throw banana-boomerangs and fight a Giant Potato! Explore a huge game world, unlock over 15 playable characters and collect hundreds of items and perks in this local co-op Action RPG for 1 to 4 players! Super Tennis Blast PS4 — Digital (Out 5/24) Smash that ball and have a real blast enjoying the best tennis! Start your professional career in the World Tour mode, train your skills and become a tennis legend playing on courts around the world. Host couch parties playing tournaments in singles or doubles with classic rules or the awesome Super Blast modes. Trover Saves the Universe PS4, PS VR — Digital, Retail (Out 5/31) Your dogs have been dognapped by a beaked lunatic who stuffed them into his eye holes and is using their life essence to destroy the universe. You’re partnered with Trover, a little purple eye-hole monster who isn’t a huge fan of working or being put in the position of having to save the universe. Unruly Heroes PS4 — Digital Take control of four unlikely heroes that battle a diverse lineup of enemies and show off your kung-fu skills in this action-packed adventure. Seamlessly swap between heroes and journey west across stunning different environments in order to hunt for the scattered remnants of the Sacred Scroll. Warlock’s Tower PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross-Buy) Warlock’s Tower is a retro puzzler with elegantly designed levels around one simple rule: one move equals one life lost. Playing as mailman Tim, brave the tower’s maddening puzzles to reach the top and deliver a peace offering to the Warlock. John Wick Playlist Rocketman Soundtrack Flying Lotus – Flamagra Naruto Shippuden Captain Marvel Ultimate Movie Weekend Season premiere Wednesday, 5/29 at 10PM PT on FXX The action starts Thursday, 5/30 at 9PM ET live on ABC PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Last week, we asked you to dive headfirst into the frenzied and frenetic world of Rage 2. While roaming around and making things go boom in style, you shared your wildest moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: @ilikesomegames captured the well lit entrance to Wellspring. @BadGamerElite shared this moody neon-lit portrait. @DarkLink1987 showed off some of the grimey underworld settings. Loving the armor on this character, captured by @MrTJ_808. @AreeLyBadPun really made things go boom. @JustN2bad captured this serene corner of the world. Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in next week’s Share of the Week? Theme: Red Dead Online Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, May 29 Next week, we’re heading back to the old west in Red Dead Online. Hop on your horse and grab your outlaw’s camera to snap some action-filled shares using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Welcome to an inside look into the design process for Layers of Fear 2, launching on PS4 Tuesday. We have a specific vision for the games we create, we call it ‘hidden horror.’ It has only two guiding principles: 1) it has to have a subject (most often psychological or sociological in nature); 2) playing the game should bring a cathartic experience, but not only as a way of relieving us from fear but also as a means of growing our self-understanding — we provide moral dilemmas in decisions and situations presented in the game in hopes that people will stop for a second and actually ponder on the consequences. We call it Catharsis 2.0. In Layers of Fear 2, we use this stage to tell the tale of an actor who is losing his grip on reality as he struggles with his own identity, both as a performer and a person. Pushed to his acting limits by an eccentric and demanding director, the protagonist will need to live through his personal nightmare. The world shifts, rooms change based on your point of view, and nothing should ever be considered absolute. From Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) by Georges Méliès — a work we admire to such an extent that it was the code-name for this project — to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, close observers will notice many callbacks to some of the greatest films in the history of cinematography from obvious references, to far more subtle ones. It would take someone very knowledgeable in decades of film to see them all and know them for what they are. We take these scenes as inspiration and adjust them, sometimes twist them, to help you understand the psychological point of view of the protagonist. You aren’t necessarily seeing the world as it is; you are seeing it through the eyes of this specific person, with their specific history. What you see may not always be what is there, but does that make it any less real? With Layers of Fear 2, there are no simple answers to the situations you encounter. We don’t want to tell you what is right or wrong. We want you to make choices and then see how your decisions have determined where you end up. This allows everyone who plays to experience something that may be similar, but it affects us in different ways. Our underlying thoughts alter what we take away from the game, and that is a beautiful thing. Our goal is to have you think about what your choices would be in the same type of situation, likely with less supernatural circumstances, and act upon them, or not. The choice is yours, as is your interpretation of what we have created. Layers of Fear 2 will launch on PS4 next Tuesday, and is available to pre-order right now at PlayStation Store. View the full article

It’s the Survival of the Fastest, and you’ll need to bring your best as you race for the fate of the planet! With Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, we at Beenox are thrilled to bring back the groundbreaking campaign mode from the original CTR, the Adventure Mode, which pits you against the nefarious alien Nitros Oxide. Oxide claims to be the fastest racer in the galaxy, and his challenge is simple: he will square off against the best racer on Earth. If he wins, he turns the planet to a parking lot. If he loses, he leaves Earth alone. Choose your favorite racer, earn your place as Earth’s best by collecting trophies and defeating bosses, and then square off against Oxide to save the planet… talk about high stakes! The Adventure Mode’s Legacy My introduction to Crash Team Racing in 1999 was with the Adventure Mode, and it is still the part of the game that has left the biggest impression on me over the years. At Beenox, we believe that so much of the joy of CTR Nitro-Fueled will come from racing against your friends in local or online play. But we also feel strongly that a big part of what made CTR special in the ‘90s, and what will make CTR Nitro-Fueled special in 2019, is this single-player campaign experience. It was a unique thing to see a campaign mode in a kart racer. This was relatively new for the genre, and in true Crash Bandicoot fashion it was filled to the brim with the wacky personality you came to expect from the franchise. I remember endless nights honing my skills, feeling that sense of progression, and experiencing the satisfaction of earning new characters as I raced my way to the final confrontation with Oxide. It was the most engaging experience I ever had with a kart racer, which is something that I have kept in mind while working on the Adventure Mode for CTR Nitro-Fueled. The Adventure Mode: Nitro-Fueled In bringing the Adventure Mode back, we knew we had to hit all the elements that made the original so special. The challenges are the same — there are trophy races, boss races, relic races, token races, and gem cups. The characters are back — choose from Crash, Coco, Cortex, Polar, Pura, Tiny or any of the other starting lineup characters you remember from the original. And the thrill of earning new characters (like Ripper Roo and Pinstripe Pontoroo) is still a huge part of the fun. However, we wanted to take things a step further for CTR Nitro-Fueled. Instead of just earning the boss characters like in the original, players will now earn something every time they win a race. Players will be getting new kart parts, character skins, or kart customization items with every victory. Also, players will now earn the boss characters immediately after they beat that boss, instead of after Gem Cups (which now unlock a new set of valuable prizes). This includes the ability to earn Nitros Oxide himself — though that is no easy task! Finally, players will now have the opportunity to change to any racer, kart, or customization item they have already unlocked at any point in the Adventure Mode. Are you feeling like Crash gives you the best chance in Crash Cove, but Pura will dominate the competition in Tiger Temple? Swap him in! Do you dig that sweet new paint job you got after beating Ripper Roo? Immediately style your kart out with it. Did you earn enough Wumpa Coins to grab N. Trance from the game’s Pit Stop? Get ready to bring that egg-shaped villain into the fray. It’s all about earning new items, new characters, new karts, and making the experience feel like your own. However, we know that there will be players out there who want to commit to one racer and one kart from the outset, just like in the original. For that reason, players will have the option of playing the Adventure Mode in one of two different ways: Classic or Nitro-Fueled. In the Classic setting, racers will still be earning all of the awesome items, characters, and karts as in the Nitro-Fueled setting, but won’t be able to change their racer or kart in the middle of the Adventure Mode. For those players looking to mix things up along the way, the Nitro-Fueled setting is for you. An Engaging Single-Player Experience We’re super excited about everything you can now earn in the Adventure Mode, but it’s important to emphasize that the story and a great single-player experience are still at the heart of it. There are new intro and victory cinematics that give life to each of the boss battles. We’ve spent a lot of effort to make sure that the hub worlds are more detailed than ever before. Working through each hub world and finally beating Oxide will bring an amazing sense of accomplishment. In short, in CTR Nitro-Fueled, the Adventure Mode will take you for a ride, will test your skills, and will immerse you in the true Crash Team Racing experience! Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled peels out onto PS4 June 21. View the full article

Hi everyone! I’m Douglas Bogart, COO of Limited Run Games. We’re a small company whose primary mission is to preserve digital games in physical form and bring them to you, the fans of these games. We believe that every game is an important piece of history that should be available in a tangible form for future generations to enjoy. Since 2015, we’ve enjoyed bringing PlayStation fans their favorite digital games in a highly collectible format that respects the developers’ hard work and artistic vision. It’s with great pleasure that Limited Run Games is coming out with our first localized game straight from Japan, The House in Fata Morgana, from Keika Hanada of Novectacle for PS4 and PS Vita! The House in Fata Morgana is a gothic tale set in a cursed mansion spanning nearly a millennium that deals in tragedy, human nature, and insanity. Your character wakes up with amnesia and meets a maid in the mansion. The two of you visit the mansion in different time periods to learn what has happened to its residents in the past and to regain your lost memories. The game was originally made to run in an 800×600 resolution, but we’ve rebuilt the game contents for these new versions to support up to 4K resolutions, which allows it to shine on the PS4 Pro. Other changes to the game include an updated UI design, refurbished backgrounds, enhancement of effects, remaking several art pieces, and more. This new content hasn’t been seen anywhere else and will debut with this release! Our release of The House in Fata Morgana will include: The House in Fata Morgana: the main storyline. A Requiem for Innocence: a prequel shedding light on the origins of Fata Morgana’s terrible curse. Reincarnation: a sequel featuring the central cast members reincarnated in the present day. Other additional short stories! We will also have a collector’s edition available for $84.99 that includes: The game (PS4 or PS Vita) Official soundtrack on six physical CDs 60+ page art book 18-inch x 24-inch poster The digital version of the game will be $39.99 on both platforms at PS Store. The PS Vita version will be available on May 28, and the PS4 version will be available on June 11. The physical version of the game will be $49.99 and available exclusively at www.limitedrungames.com on Friday, May 31. There will be two batches of the game; the first batch will go live at 7 AM PDT / 10 AM EDT and the second batch will go live at 3 PM PDT / 6 PM EDT. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Keika Hanada and release this acclaimed visual novel in the West. We hope that everyone sees how much work and care was put into this project! View the full article

Grinding Gear Games is proud to announce Path of Exile: Legion! Set to launch on June 10, it’s the first of many expansions to come since our official PlayStation 4 launch in mid-March this year. Set in the dark world of Wraeclast, Path of Exile is a free-to-play game that provides significant expansions every 13 weeks. Each expansion introduces a new challenge league, powerful items, skill gems, a shake-up of Path of Exile’s playstyle meta and much, much more. Path of Exile: Legion is no exception. It offers an exciting new twist on core Path of Exile gameplay that boasts a thrilling rush and endless replayability. As you explore Wraeclast, you’ll discover Timeless Monoliths in every area. When you tag the Monolith, you’ll uncover legions from Wraeclast’s history frozen in mid-battle. Dealing damage to these enemies will unbind them from their frozen state, but be careful not to bite off more than you can chew — once the Monolith’s effect wears off you’ll then be thrust into combat with these freed warriors. But if you can handle the fray, you’ll be met with lucrative rewards and power! Among other powerful new items, each legion drops splinters from their factions which can be combined into emblems and used in a map device to unlock the Domain of Timeless Conflict. Inside this domain, the timeless battle rages on. The most hardened players can challenge themselves against this swarming horde and even take on the general of each legion. There are five legions from different backgrounds and all unlock their own rewards. If fighting two legions simultaneously isn’t hard enough, it’s possible to work your way up to the grand conflict between all five armies. Path of Exile: Legion also introduces new ways to play! With this expansion, we’re introducing several new skills based around two new melee-based Archetypes, the Blood and Sand Gladiator and Rage Berserker. These are sure to be complemented by our huge overhaul to Path of Exile’s melee combat system. We’ve revitalized the systems that affect melee gameplay the most, to make them more powerful and feel more satisfying to play. This includes changes to movement skills, targeting, animation systems, accuracy and more changes than are possible to list here. In addition to these system changes, we’ve also rebalanced almost all melee skills to create an entirely new combat experience. If you’re unfamiliar with Path of Exile challenge leagues, here’s what you need to know! Each challenge league has Standard (experience penalty on death) and Hardcore (permanent death) modes. There are also solo versions of each of these event types where trading is disabled, for those who love to really push themselves. Among the most compelling reasons to get involved in these new leagues is to take advantage of the fresh item economy, explore the new game content and compete against other exiles on the ranked ladder. As you slay your way across Wraeclast, you can unlock exclusive cosmetic microtransactions that make your character look as powerful as you feel. There is so much more blood, grit and glory to be discovered in Path of Exile: Legion. Come check it out for yourself on June 10. See you in Wraeclast, Exiles! View the full article

PlayStation Plus members, get ready to see (and save) double! Hit up the scroll bar as we bring you a comprehensive list of titles featuring PS Plus savings up to 80 percent. Non-members enjoy discounts up to 40 percent. Over the next two weeks, discover monumental deals on Grand Theft Auto V, NBA 2K19 and Outward. Check out the full roster below – then head over to PlayStation Store before PS Plus Double Discounts ends June 4 at 8 a.m. PT. PS4 Games Title $Sale $PSPlus $Original 18 FLOORS (VR) $12.74 $10.49 $14.99 1979 REVOLUTION: BLACK FRIDAY $7.79 $3.59 $11.99 ADAM’S VENTURE: ORIGINS – DELUXE EDITION $10.99 $1.99 $19.99 ADVENTURE TIME: PIRATES OF THE ENCHIRIDION $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 AEGIS DEFENDERS $14.99 $9.99 $19.99 AEREA – DELUXE EDITION $13.74 $2.49 $24.99 AGATHA CHRISTIE – THE ABC MURDERS $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 ALBERT AND OTTO $7.19 $2.39 $11.99 ALEKHINE’S GUN $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 ALIEN SHOOTER $5.59 $3.19 $7.99 ALTERIC $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 APOCALYPSE RIDER (VR) $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 AQUATIC ADVENTURE OF THE LAST HUMAN $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 ARMELLO $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 ARMELLO – DELUXE BUNDLE $29.24 $13.49 $44.99 ASSASSIN’S CREED CHRONICLES TRILOGY $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 ASSETTO CORSA ULTIMATE EDITION $27.99 $15.99 $39.99 ASTROLOGY AND HOROSCOPE PREMIUM $6.74 $4.49 $8.99 ATV DRIFT & TRICKS DEFINITIVE EDITION (VR) $14.99 $4.99 $24.99 AVEN COLONY $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 BATTLEFIELD 1 – REVOLUTION $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 BATTLEFIELD 1 AND TITANFALL 2 – ULTIMATE BUNDLE $44.99 $29.99 $59.99 BATTLEFIELD 1 PREMIUM PASS $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 BATTLEFIELD 4 $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 BATTLEFIELD 4 PREMIUM EDITION $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 BATTLEFIELD HARDLINE PREMIUM $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 BEAST QUEST $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 BEN 10 $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 BEYOND EYES $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 BIOSHOCK: THE COLLECTION $37.19 $14.39 $59.99 BLACKSEA ODYSSEY $7.79 $2.59 $12.99 BLASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (VR) $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 BLAZBLUE: CENTRAL FICTION $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 BLOOD BOWL 2 $12.59 $5.19 $19.99 BLOOD BOWL 2: LEGENDARY EDITION $28.34 $11.69 $44.99 BORDERLANDS: GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $24.89 $19.79 $29.99 BRAWLOUT $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 BRAWLOUT DELUXE EDITION $20.99 $11.99 $29.99 BRIDGE CONSTRUCTOR PORTAL $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 BRIDGE CONSTRUCTOR STUNTS $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 BROTHERS: A TALE OF TWO SONS $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 BUBSY: THE WOOLIES STRIKE BACK $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 BURNOUT PARADISE REMASTERED $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 CARD GAME BUNDLE VOL. 1 $14.39 $4.79 $23.99 CIRCUIT BREAKERS $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 CITIES: SKYLINES – PLAYSTATION 4 EDITION $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 CITIES: SKYLINES – PREMIUM EDITION 2 $62.99 $55.99 $69.99 CODE51: MECHA ARENA (VR) $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 COOK SERVE DELICIOUS! 2!! $9.74 $6.49 $12.99 DARK MYSTERY $4.79 $1.59 $7.99 DARKNET (VR) $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 DEAD ALLIANCE $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 DEATH MARK $37.49 $24.99 $49.99 DEEP ONES $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 DEFUNCT – DELUXE EDITION $10.99 $1.99 $19.99 DEILAND $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 DESERT CHILD $7.19 $2.39 $11.99 DIRT 4 $35.99 $11.99 $59.99 DIRT RALLY 2.0 $44.99 $29.99 $59.99 DIRT RALLY 2.0 DIGITAL DELUXE $59.99 $39.99 $79.99 DIRT RALLY PLUS PLAYSTATION VR BUNDLE $29.99 $9.99 $49.99 DISCO DODGEBALL – REMIX $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN – ENHANCED EDITION $25.19 $10.39 $39.99 DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION – GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 DRAGON’S CROWN PRO $23.99 $17.99 $29.99 DRAGON’S DOGMA DARK ARISEN $23.99 $17.99 $29.99 DREAMBREAK $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 DRONE STRIKER (VR) $8.99 $7.99 $9.99 EAGLE FLIGHT (VR) $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 EAGLE FLIGHT & WEREWOLVES WITHIN PSVR BUNDLE $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 WINGDIVER THE SHOOTER $14.99 $9.99 $19.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 $44.99 $29.99 $59.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 DELUXE EDITION $67.49 $44.99 $89.99 ENERGY BALANCE $2.09 $1.19 $2.99 EPIC DUMPSTER BEAR: DUMPSTER FIRE REDUX $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 F1 2017 $35.99 $11.99 $59.99 F1 2018 $37.19 $14.39 $59.99 FAR CRY 4 + FAR CRY PRIMAL BUNDLE $45.49 $20.99 $69.99 FAR CRY 4 AND ZOMBI BUNDLE $32.49 $14.99 $49.99 FAR CRY INSANITY BUNDLE $69.99 $39.99 $99.99 FAR CRY NEW DAWN COMPLETE EDITION $69.99 $39.99 $99.99 FAR CRY NEW DAWN COMPLETE EDITION $64.39 $36.79 $91.99 FAR CRY NEW DAWN ULTIMATE EDITION $90.99 $51.99 $129.99 FAR CRY NEW DAWN ULTIMATE EDITION $73.49 $41.99 $0.00 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 – PREMIUM EDITION $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 FARMING SIMULATOR 17: PLATINUM EDITION $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 FE $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 FIBBAGE: THE HILARIOUS BLUFFING PARTY GAME $4.89 $2.79 $6.99 FIFA 19 / NHL 19 BUNDLE $59.99 $39.99 $79.99 FIFA 19 / NHL 19 BUNDLE $59.99 $39.99 $79.99 FIFA THE JOURNEY BUNDLE $52.49 $34.99 $69.99 FIFA THE JOURNEY BUNDLE $52.49 $34.99 $69.99 FIGHTING EX LAYER (STANDARD VERSION) $29.99 $19.99 $39.99 FLOCKERS $16.24 $7.49 $24.99 FORT DEFENSE $4.89 $2.79 $6.99 FOUR SIDED FANTASY $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 FROST $8.44 $3.89 $12.99 FRUTAKIA 2 $2.99 $1.99 $3.99 GLADIATOR: BLADES OF FURY $7.14 $1.29 $12.99 GRAND KINGDOM $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO ONLINE MEGALODON SHARK CASH CARD $92.99 $85.99 $99.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO V $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO V: PREMIUM ONLINE EDITION $37.79 $15.59 $59.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO: THE TRILOGY $26.24 $17.49 $34.99 GRAVEL $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 GRAVEL SPECIAL EDITION $29.99 $9.99 $49.99 GTAV: PREMIUM ONLINE EDITION & GREAT WHITE SHARK CARD $44.19 $20.39 $67.99 GTAV: PREMIUM ONLINE EDITION & MEGALODON SHARK CARD $79.19 $38.39 $119.99 GTAV: PREMIUM ONLINE EDITION & WHALE SHARK CARD $57.19 $26.39 $87.99 GUILTY GEAR XRD REV 2 $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 HACKYZACK $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 HAS BEEN HEROES $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 HERO DEFENSE $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 HEROINE ANTHEM ZERO EPISODE 1 $10.39 $7.79 $12.99 HORSE RACING 2016 $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 HUNTING SIMULATOR $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 HYPER SENTINEL $7.01 $1.03 $12.99 INFINITE AIR MARK MCMORRIS $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 INFINITE MINIGOLF (VR) $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 INK $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 IRON SEA $4.89 $2.79 $6.99 JUST CAUSE 4 – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $52.49 $34.99 $69.99 JUST CAUSE 4 – GOLD EDITION $67.49 $44.99 $89.99 JUST CAUSE 4 – STANDARD EDITION $44.99 $29.99 $59.99 KERBAL SPACE PROGRAM ENHANCED EDITION $27.99 $15.99 $39.99 KORIX (VR) $10.99 $1.99 $19.99 KYURINAGA’S REVENGE $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 L.A. NOIRE $29.99 $19.99 $39.99 LA COPS $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 LASER DISCO DEFENDERS $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 LEGENDARY FISHING $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 LEGENDARY FISHING $19.49 $12.99 $25.99 LETHAL VR (VR) $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 LICHDOM: BATTLEMAGE $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 LIFE IS STRANGE 2 EPISODE 1 $5.99 $3.99 $7.99 LITTLE DRAGONS CAFÉ $41.99 $23.99 $59.99 LOADING HUMAN: CHAPTER 1 (VR) $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 LORDS OF THE FALLEN $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 LORDS OF THE FALLEN COMPLETE EDITION $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 LUMINES REMASTERED $11.99 $8.99 $14.99 MADDEN 19 / FIFA 19 BUNDLE $59.99 $39.99 $79.99 MADDEN 19 / FIFA 19 BUNDLE $59.99 $39.99 $79.99 MAFIA III $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 MAFIA III DELUXE EDITION $37.19 $14.39 $59.99 MAGICKA 2 $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 MAGICKA 2 SPECIAL EDITION $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 MAHJONG GOLD $4.89 $2.79 $6.99 MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA DELUXE RECRUIT $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA RECRUIT EDITION $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 MEDIEVAL DEFENDERS $4.89 $2.79 $6.99 METAL MAX XENO $33.99 $27.99 $39.99 MICRO MACHINES: WORLD SERIES $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS – SPECIAL EDITION $32.49 $14.99 $49.99 MORTAL BLITZ (VR) $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 MOTO RACER 4 $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 MOTO RACER 4 – DELUXE EDITION $35.99 $11.99 $59.99 MOUNT & BLADE: WARBAND $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 MUSYNX $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 MUTANT YEAR ZERO: ROAD TO EDEN $29.74 $24.49 $34.99 MXGP PRO $29.99 $9.99 $49.99 NATURAL DOCTRINE $11.24 $7.49 $14.99 NBA 2K PLAYGROUNDS 2 $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 NBA 2K19 $39.59 $19.19 $59.99 NBA 2K19 + NBA 2K PLAYGROUNDS 2 BUNDLE $52.79 $25.59 $79.99 NBA 2K19 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION $65.99 $31.99 $99.99 NBA 2K19: 200000 VC PACK $44.99 $39.99 $49.99 NBA 2K19: 450000 VC PACK $86.99 $73.99 $99.99 NBA 2K19: 75000 VC PACK $18.39 $16.79 $19.99 NEED FOR SPEED $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 NEED FOR SPEED DELUXE EDITION $15.49 $5.99 $24.99 NEED FOR SPEED PAYBACK $14.99 $9.99 $19.99 NEED FOR SPEED PAYBACK DELUXE EDITION $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 NEED FOR SPEED RIVALS $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 NO MAN’S SKY $37.49 $24.99 $49.99 NORTH $2.09 $1.19 $2.99 NUMANTIA $20.99 $11.99 $29.99 OKAMI HD $16.99 $13.99 $19.99 ONE PIECE GRAND CRUISE (VR) $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 ONE PIECE UNLIMITED WORLD RED $29.99 $19.99 $39.99 ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 3 $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 ONRUSH DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $50.99 $16.99 $84.99 ONRUSH STANDARD DIGITAL EDITION $35.99 $11.99 $59.99 OUTWARD $35.99 $31.99 $39.99 OVERLORD: FELLOWSHIP OF EVIL $14.56 $5.63 $23.49 OVERRIDE: MECH CITY BRAWL $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 OVERRIDE: MECH CITY BRAWL – SEASON PASS $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 OVERRIDE: MECH CITY BRAWL SUPER CHARGED MEGA EDITION $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 OVERRULED! $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 PALM READING PREMIUM $6.74 $4.49 $8.99 PAPER DOLLS (VR) $15.29 $13.59 $16.99 PARANAUTICAL ACTIVITY $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 PARTY CRASHERS $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 PARTY CRASHERS AND PARTY GOLF $15.59 $7.19 $23.99 PARTY GOLF $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 PEGGLE 2 MAGICAL MASTERS EDITION $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 PERFECT UNIVERSE PLAY WITH GRAVITY $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOLOGY PREMIUM $6.74 $4.49 $8.99 PINBALL FX3 – BETHESDA PINBALL $7.69 $4.39 $10.99 PINBALL FX3 – WILLIAMS PINBALL: VOLUME 2 $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 PIXEL PIRACY $10.49 $5.99 $14.99 PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES GARDEN WARFARE 2: DELUXE EDITION $13.74 $2.49 $24.99 PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES GARDEN WARFARE 2: STANDARD EDITION $10.99 $1.99 $19.99 PRISON BOSS VR (VR) $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 PROJECT CARS $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 PROJECT CARS 2 $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 PROJECT CARS 2 DELUXE EDITION $58.49 $26.99 $89.99 PROJECT CARS: COMPLETE EDITION $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 QUIPLASH $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 RAIDEN V $24.49 $13.99 $34.99 RAINING COINS $4.49 $2.99 $5.99 REAL FARM $21.99 $3.99 $39.99 REUS – DELUXE EDITION $9.34 $1.69 $16.99 REZ INFINITE (VR) $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 ROAD RAGE $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 ROYAL COLLECTION $9.09 $5.19 $12.99 SCHOOL GIRL/ZOMBIE HUNTER $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 SEASONS AFTER FALL $12.59 $5.19 $19.99 SEVEN: ENHANCED EDITION $35.99 $31.99 $39.99 SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER $44.99 $29.99 $59.99 SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER – CROFT EDITION $67.49 $44.99 $89.99 SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER – DELUXE EDITION $52.49 $34.99 $69.99 SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER – SEASON PASS $23.99 $17.99 $29.99 SHERLOCK HOLMES : THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER $29.99 $9.99 $49.99 SHINY – DELUXE EDITION $10.99 $1.99 $19.99 SHOPPE KEEP $8.70 $4.41 $12.99 SLAIN: BACK FROM HELL $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 SLENDER: THE ARRIVAL $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 SLIME RANCHER $14.99 $9.99 $19.99 SMASHBOX ARENA (VR) $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 SNIPER ELITE 3 $20.99 $11.99 $29.99 SONG OF THE DEEP $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 SPACE HULK TACTICS $27.99 $15.99 $39.99 SPACE HULK: DEATHWING – ENHANCED EDITION $27.99 $15.99 $39.99 SPACE OVERLORDS $4.79 $1.59 $7.99 SPECTRUM PS4 $7.79 $3.59 $11.99 SPINTIRES: MUDRUNNER $24.14 $13.29 $34.99 SPINTIRES: MUDRUNNER: AMERICAN WILDS EXPANSION $8.49 $6.99 $9.99 STAR TREK: BRIDGE CREW (VR) $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT HOTH BUNDLE $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT ULTIMATE EDITION $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 STARLINK: BATTLE FOR ATLAS $41.99 $23.99 $0.00 STARLINK: BATTLE FOR ATLAS – COLLECTION 1 PACK $44.99 $29.99 $59.99 STATIK (VR) $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 STEAMWORLD DIG $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 STEAMWORLD DIG 2 $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 STEAMWORLD HEIST $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 STRIDER $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 SUNLESS SEA: ZUBMARINER EDITION $15.19 $11.39 $18.99 SUPER KIDS RACING $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 SUPER PACK 5 IN 1 $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 SUPER STREET: THE GAME $29.99 $19.99 $39.99 SURVIVING MARS $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 SURVIVING MARS – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $29.99 $19.99 $39.99 SURVIVING MARS – FIRST COLONY EDITION $48.74 $32.49 $64.99 SYBERIA 3 $32.49 $14.99 $49.99 TACOMA $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 TALES OF ZESTIRIA $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 TERRARIA $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 THE ADVENTURE PALS $11.24 $7.49 $14.99 THE COMA: RECUT $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 THE CREW $18.89 $7.49 $29.99 THE DIVISION $28.19 $9.39 $46.99 THE ESCAPISTS $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 THE ESCAPISTS + THE ESCAPISTS: THE WALKING DEAD COLLECTION $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 THE ESCAPISTS: SUPERMAX EDITION $16.24 $7.49 $24.99 THE ESCAPISTS: THE WALKING DEAD $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 THE GOLF CLUB 2 $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 THE GOLF CLUB 2019 FEATURING PGA TOUR $39.99 $29.99 $49.99 THE HUNTER CALL OF THE WILD $23.99 $17.99 $29.99 THE INVISIBLE HOURS $20.99 $11.99 $29.99 THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK $17.49 $9.99 $24.99 THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK 3 $17.49 $9.99 $24.99 THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV $27.99 $15.99 $39.99 THE RABBIT HOLE (VR) $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 THE SURGE $31.49 $12.99 $49.99 THE TECHNOMANCER $25.19 $10.39 $39.99 THE UNKNOWN CITY (HORROR BEGINS NOW…..EPISODE 1) $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 THE WALKER. (VR) $8.49 $6.99 $9.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT – BLOOD AND WINE $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT – COMPLETE EDITION $32.49 $14.99 $49.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT – HEARTS OF STONE $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT EXPANSION PASS $17.49 $9.99 $24.99 THESEUS VR $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 THREE FOURTHS HOME: EXTENDED EDITION $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 THRONEBREAKER: THE WITCHER TALES $26.09 $22.19 $29.99 TITANFALL 2 – ULTIMATE EDITION $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 TOBY: THE SECRET MINE $9.74 $4.49 $14.99 TOKYO XANADU EX+ $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION $29.99 $9.99 $49.99 TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION – 1050 PREMIUM CREDITS PACK $8.49 $6.99 $9.99 TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION – 2400 PREMIUM CREDITS PACK $16.99 $13.99 $19.99 TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION – 4600 PREMIUM CREDITS PACK $29.74 $24.49 $34.99 TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION – 7200 PREMIUM CREDITS PACK $39.99 $29.99 $49.99 TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION GOLD EDITION $53.99 $17.99 $89.99 TOUHOU GENSO WANDERER RELOADED $39.99 $29.99 $49.99 TOUR DE FRANCE 2016 $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 TOUR DE FRANCE 2017 $25.19 $10.39 $39.99 TOUR DE FRANCE 2018 $31.49 $12.99 $49.99 TRACKMANIA TURBO $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 TRANSFERENCE $17.49 $9.99 $24.99 TRIALS FUSION $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 TRIALS FUSION: AWESOME MAX EDITION $25.19 $9.99 $39.99 TRULON: THE SHADOW ENGINE $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 TUMBLESTONE $14.99 $4.99 $24.99 ULTRA STREET FIGHTER IV $18.74 $12.49 $24.99 UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH EXE:LATE[ST] $32.49 $14.99 $49.99 UNEARTHING MARS (VR) $11.99 $8.99 $14.99 UNEARTHING MARS 2 (VR) $16.99 $13.99 $19.99 UNRAVEL $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 UNRAVEL TWO $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 V-RALLY 4 $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 V-RALLY 4 ULTIMATE EDITION $51.99 $23.99 $79.99 VALLEY $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 VERTICAL DROP HEROES HD $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 VIKING DAYS (VR) $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 WARHAMMER 40,000: INQUISITOR – MARTYR | IMPERIUM EDITION $55.99 $31.99 $79.99 WARHAMMER 40,000: INQUISITOR – MARTYR | SEASON PASS $20.99 $11.99 $29.99 WARHAMMER 40000: INQUISITOR – DELUXE EDITION $45.49 $25.99 $64.99 WARHAMMER 40000: INQUISITOR MARTYR $38.99 $17.99 $59.99 WARHAMMER BUNDLE: MORDHEIM AND BLOOD BOWL 2 $31.49 $12.99 $49.99 WEREWOLVES WITHIN (VR) $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 WHISPERING WILLOWS (GAME AND THEME) $7.49 $2.49 $12.49 WORMS ANNIVERSARY EDITION $25.99 $11.99 $39.99 WORMS BATTLEGROUNDS $16.24 $7.49 $24.99 WORMS BATTLEGROUNDS – ALIEN INVASION $3.24 $1.49 $4.99 WORMS W.M.D $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 WRC 7 $29.99 $9.99 $49.99 WUPPO $10.99 $1.99 $19.99 XCOM 2 $37.19 $14.39 $59.99 XCOM 2 COLLECTION $66.99 $33.99 $99.99 XCOM 2 DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $46.49 $17.99 $74.99 XENON RACER $44.99 $39.99 $49.99 YESTERDAY ORIGINS $14.99 $4.99 $24.99 YOUTUBERS LIFE $25.49 $20.99 $29.99 ZEUS QUEST REMASTERED $6.74 $4.49 $8.99 ZOMBI $11.59 $2.99 $19.99 ZOTRIX $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 PS3 Games Title $Sale $PSPlus $Original ALICE: MADNESS RETURNS ULTIMATE EDITION $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 BATTLEFIELD 4 $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 BATTLEFIELD 4 PREMIUM EDITION $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 BIOSHOCK $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 BIOSHOCK 2 $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 BIOSHOCK INFINITE $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 BORDERLANDS $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 BORDERLANDS 2 $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 BORDERLANDS: THE PRE-SEQUEL $12.99 $5.99 $19.99 CAPCOM ARCADE CABINET $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 DEAD SPACE 2 ULTIMATE EDITION $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 DEAD SPACE 3 ULTIMATE EDITION $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 DEAD SPACE ULTIMATE EDITION $14.99 $4.99 $24.99 DRAGON AGE II $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 DRAGON AGE INQUISITION $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 F1 2014 $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 F1 RACE STARS $12.39 $4.79 $19.99 FAIRY FENCER F $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 FIBBAGE: THE HILARIOUS BLUFFING PARTY GAME $4.89 $2.79 $6.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV $13.39 $6.79 $19.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO V $14.99 $9.99 $19.99 GRID 2 $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 GRID 2 – RELOADED $24.79 $9.59 $39.99 GRID AUTOSPORT SEASON PASS $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 GRID: AUTOSPORT $18.59 $7.19 $29.99 GUACAMELEE! $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 HYPERDIMENSION NEPTUNIA MK2 $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 HYPERDIMENSION NEPTUNIA VICTORY $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 L.A. NOIRE $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 MAX PAYNE 3 $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 MIRROR’S EDGE $9.29 $3.59 $14.99 MUGEN SOULS $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 MUGEN SOULS Z $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 NATURAL DOCTRINE $11.24 $7.49 $14.99 OKAMI HD $9.79 $5.59 $13.99 QUIPLASH $6.99 $3.99 $9.99 RAIDEN IV: OVERKILL $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK $17.49 $9.99 $24.99 TOYBOX TURBOS $9.29 $3.59 $14.99 UNDERGARDEN $3.49 $1.99 $4.99 PS Vita Games Title $Sale $PSPlus $Original DRINKBOX VITA COLLECTION $14.99 $4.99 $24.99 GRAND KINGDOM $22.49 $14.99 $29.99 GUACAMELEE! $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 HAKUOKI: EDO BLOSSOMS $23.99 $7.99 $39.99 HAKUOKI: KYOTO WINDS $17.99 $5.99 $29.99 HYPERDIMENSION NEPTUNIA: PRODUCING PERFECTION $7.49 $4.99 $9.99 LASER DISCO DEFENDERS $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 MARY SKELTER: NIGHTMARES $21.99 $3.99 $39.99 MUSYNX $19.49 $8.99 $29.99 NATURAL DOCTRINE $11.24 $7.49 $14.99 SPACE OVERLORDS $4.79 $1.59 $7.99 STEAMWORLD DIG $5.99 $1.99 $9.99 STEAMWORLD DIG 2 $13.99 $7.99 $19.99 STEAMWORLD HEIST $8.99 $2.99 $14.99 SUPERDIMENSION NEPTUNE VS SEGA HARD GIRLS $11.99 $3.99 $19.99 Note: All pricing is for U.S. only and subject to change. 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We’re excited to bring our darkly comedic and surrealist sci-fi adventure to PlayStation VR! As we open the world of Virtual Virtual Reality to new players today, I’m here to share a little about its inspiration. Put On Your Headset, Find Your Calling VVR plays like an extended sci-fi fever dream. In the near future, AI may have taken our jobs, but no hard feelings — we humans are kept as cherished pets, beloved by AI for our quirky, inefficient ways. Activitude, the Virtual Labor System, still provides “meaningful” employment and assures you that your artisanal human companionship is highly sought by our A.I. clients, even if their requests seem… eclectic. You could, dear reader, live quite comfortably completing an odd assortment of mildly unsettling tasks for AI looking to be entertained by that human je ne sais quoi. Perhaps a gruff pinwheel named “Sprinkle Tooth” needs his garden tended or “Butter” is in good need of a bread slathering. Or, or you may just find a deeper purpose lurking just beyond the scenes: the story of Activitude’s evolution from VR start-up to the “human purpose provider” it is today. Along the way, put on VR headsets in VR to jump between virtual realities or simply vacuum up reality with your Activitude Brand Poly Cleanup Tool! And then there’s Chaz… but, I wouldn’t want to spoil Chaz for you… Inspiration Before the current era of VR, I worked for eight years on narrative projects for a Cave Automated Virtual Environment: a form of VR different than the HMDs (helmet-mounted displays) we have today. I watched technology evolve, even while observing the industry weather a “VR Winter.” This was actually a fruitful time to work in VR. Lower stakes permitted a lot of risk-free experimentation by researchers tinkering away at universities. There was room for not-typical creators to play around with the tech like writing students under the guidance of novelist Robert Coover. Living through this time, it was clear that VR was more than just flashes of hype, but something more enduring tied into our collective desire for ever more perfect immersion in fantasy worlds. Something that goes as far back as 360 paintings in Roman Villas, maybe further. The efforts of researchers and artists to continuously iterate on this promise eventually led to the VR of today. But… much of what came before was forgotten: archived, like Activitude’s history. VVR began in Fall 2015 as a hackathon project inspired by the surreal, often comedic experience of watching an industry grow up, re-invent itself and forget itself. Activitude’s evolution and characters are very much inspired by lived experience. VVR is as much a love letter to VR as a cautionary tale that simultaneously celebrates and pokes fun at all our technological aspirations from AI and mind transfer to gig labor and smart cities. But, at its heart, VVR is also a comedic adventure that one can just experience and enjoy. Old Friends/New Friends “Any new graphics tech needs a demo, and every demo needs a whale.” As a member of the space whale community, Bernice was once the quintessential XR demo for everything, ever. In a future of VR adoption, she’s a former starlet, dreaming of her glory days. Eliza: A homage to the first computer therapist, her AI evolved to run a Virtual Travel Agency. She believes “armchair tourism” soothes the senses. Hernandez: Currently an artichoke and CEO of “Activate,” an older platform for hiring virtual AI assistants. He likes to work out and gets cranky without his vitamin C supplements. View the full article

Last week’s Red Dead Online update saw the game’s biggest content drop yet including a huge range of new cooperative story missions, Free Roam activities, Poker and sweeping improvements including the introduction of Playing Styles, increased gold payouts and more. This week, PlayStation 4 players get early access to new Showdown Modes, clothing, emotes and a brutal new melee weapon, all free of charge and without rank restriction. The Ancient Tomahawk Visit your local Fence to acquire the throwable Ancient Tomahawk, free of charge and available to players of any rank. The Perlino Andalusian Horse, Horse Equipment, Clothing and Emotes Visit the Wheeler, Rawson and Co. Catalogue in the game or online to check out a range of new content available at no cost with no rank restrictions for PlayStation 4 players only. The Perlino Andalusian Horse has higher stamina for longer rides and can be acquired for free along with a new saddle and saddlebags. Or visit a General Store or Tailor to try on the Finely Jacket, Stenger Studded Spurs and the Caldwell Hat to take them home free of charge. You can also get the Boast and Hey, You emotes from the Catalogue and equip them for use through the Emote Wheel. Make it Count: Ancient Tomahawk A true test of resourcefulness: use nothing but Ancient Tomahawks to be the last one standing in this free-for-all Showdown Mode. Take down your enemies silently by throwing the Ancient Tomahawk or getting up-close and personal. With a gradually shrinking play area, there’s nowhere to run. Launch Make it Count in the Special Series from the Red Dead Online main menu, through the Quick Join option in the Player Menu or by visiting the Special Series icon on your map. Last Stand Last Stand is a new variation of free-for-all competition where players compete to survive in two-minute bouts, resulting in a bloody free-for-all with no way out, no second chances, and one winner. Be the last one alive to win a bout. You can jump into Last Stand via the Red Dead Online main menu, the Quick Join option from the Player Menu or by visiting the Special Series icon on your map. In addition to this suite of Early Access Content for PS4 players, you can earn five Gold Bars for playing in a Posse any time before May 27. Enjoy this range of new content and keep an eye on Red Dead Online in the weeks to come for new content and events. View the full article