Commander Fury

Before working on Dark Alliance – the action RPG set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons – I was a game cinematics director at a few major gaming studios. My time before Tuque taught me to not just care about the look of a world. The “vibe” and the characterization of a world is what brings it to life. That’s what I’m here to talk about today with Dark Alliance. Plus, I want to share a lot of concept art from our artists Vincent, Stanimir, Victor, Dimitri, Fred, Jorge, and Even. Finding Dark Alliance’s Art Core The concept of Dark Alliance is simple. It’s you and your friends versus this alliance between legions of monsters. The monsters really started to take on a life of their own as we developed the game. In a way, they’re the stars of the show. They’re what you are going to remember when you talk about Dark Alliance with your friends. I was interested in exploring the various cultures of these monsters. To me, the best way to showcase a culture is through its music and dance. This is what drove the game’s style, music, and tone. But it also needs to feel fresh in the high fantasy genre. So, one day I was asked to sum up the game’s art style in two words. We’re heavy metal. Heavy Metal Inspiration When I say heavy metal think art style, not music. The game’s music is fully orchestral. Think of the look of heavy metal album covers, or Mad Max, or Apocalypto. Or even one of the original masters of metal – Mozart. We also obviously take a lot of inspiration from Dungeons & Dragon art that has come before us. The cool thing about D&D is there have been so many unique interpretations of its art over the decades. There is no one set style. But it all still looks high fantasy at the end of the day. Dark Alliance is that too. When you put everything together, we still look like the fantasy of D&D. The team took care to bring D&D to life in a way fans will get excited about. Our journey there started with heavy metal inspirations, though, to create our own unique flavor. The Companions of the Hall The next challenge was bringing four of the most iconic characters in D&D lore to life. We wanted to stay true to R.A. Salvatore’s descriptions of Drizzt, Bruenor, Catti-brie, and Wulfgar in his books. Here is their early concept art. From there, tweaks were made throughout the development process to make each character more readable in game. Here is the final art of the companions in Dark Alliance. Where we got to have our own fun is with the various gear each companion can collect and equip. Here is Drizzt wearing an outfit in-game that you won’t be seeing anytime soon in the novels. Creating the Monsters There are more than 30 different enemy types in Dark Alliance. Each main faction of monsters gets its own mission structure that explores their architecture, culture, and even a bit of their daily practices. By centering each three-act mission around a faction, it helps us build a cohesive visual design that brings our world to life and makes our enemies more memorable. I want to talk about two of my favorite monster designs today. The Duergar The duergar in Dark Alliance best represent our metal theme. Duergar are cousins to dwarves, typically living deeper in the Underdark. In our game they’re dressed in leather, fur, armor, spikes, mohawks, skull, and bones. They look like a gang of magic-wielding bikers. The Verbeeg These giants are probably my favorite character in the game. The verbeeg in D&D are a smaller and more cunning sub-race of giants. The verbeeg in our game are a faction of sadistic hillbillies. They like to wear the skin of their victims on their faces as trophies and have a specific taste for dwarf flesh. But they also like to gather round the campfire and sing about their meals. We’ll have more to share on Dark Alliance between now and our launch on PlayStation 4 and 5 on June 22. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/pcWiT969MXYView the full article

Arriving as part of the upcoming Blackwood Chapter (releasing June 8 on PS4 and PS5 alongside ESO’s next-gen optimized Console Enhanced upgrade, free for ESO players), the Companions System will allow you to recruit a new combat ally to take on Tamriel. For the development team, the goal of this new system was to provide a new way to experience ESO’s open world and its many dangers. “With the Companions System, we wanted to provide our players with a new ally they can take on their adventures to provide companionship and combat support,” explains Rich Lambert, ESO’s Creative Director. “When adventuring with a Companion, we want our players to be more confident in experiencing everything Tamriel has to offer while also getting to know some unique and interesting characters.” Mirri Elendis, a Dark Elf “Daedra Expert” Blackwood will introduce two unique Companions at launch, Mirri Elendis and Bastian Hallix, each with their own personality and unique characteristics. “Bastian has a strong sense of duty and honor, but he’s also a little socially awkward and values your friendship,” explains Lambert. “Mirri, on the other hand, is quick-witted and clever, but she can also be a bit headstrong and impatient, potentially leading her into trouble. The more you adventure with your Companions, the more you’ll discover what makes them special, including their very different backgrounds.” Of course, Tamriel is a dangerous place, and whatever role you need filled, your new allies will be able to help you tackle that especially challenging world boss or quest. “Companions are designed to be able to perform the game’s different combat roles, such as damage, healing, or tanking, and while they won’t be as powerful as regular players, they’ll still be effective combat allies in the heat of battle,” explains Lambert. “Players might discover that some enemies that challenged them solo in the past, can be defeated with the help of a trusted Companion.” Customizable Comrades Just like your own ESO characters, you’ll be able to tailor many aspects of your Companions. When designing the Companions System, it was important to us that we allow players to fully customize how their new allies fight and look,” explains Lambert. “They’ll be able to select what combat abilities their Companions utilize in combat, what gear they wear, and even tailor their appearance by applying costumes or outfit styles.” Bastian Hallix, an Imperial Battlemage In addition, as you gain experience and level up your characters, so too will your Companions, and as you quest and explore together, you’ll also have to manage your relationships with these new characters. “As players earn experience battling monsters, their Companions will also earn their own experience and level up, improving their base stats and unlocking more combat abilities. In addition, as players and Companions adventure together, actions the player takes in the world of Tamriel will also impact their rapport with their active Companion. Rapport levels can go up and down, depending on the activities, and players should talk to their Companions to get an idea as to what kind of activities will be seen favorably or negatively by their new allies.” Never Adventure Alone For the team, the hope is that this new system will open the game up to more of its players and allow them to tackle challenges that might have seemed out of reach previously. “We know that a lot of our players enjoy playing ESO solo, and that is a perfectly viable way to experience the game,” says Lambert. “However, there is a lot of content that solo players might not be able to experience that way, and the Companions System helps open those doors by giving players a trusted ally to explore more group-oriented content at their own pace.” Converse with your Companion to learn more about them Of course, how you choose to use your Companions is completely up to you, and the perilous region of Blackwood (and even more dangerous realms beyond Nirn) await with the upcoming Chapter. No matter how you play The Elder Scrolls Online, with the new Companions System, you’ll never have to adventure alone again! The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood arrives for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on June 8 and is now available for pre-order at PlayStation Store. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/NJzGkxWpZqgView the full article

April has come and gone, and with it some incredible new releases. The Players’ Choice polls are open now for you to vote on which game made the biggest impression on you last month! We’ll keep the polls open until Sunday night at 11:59pm Pacific, so be sure to cast your vote before then. Then take to the comments to let us know why you think your pick is the one to beat. How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation.Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. Soon thereafter, we’ll close the polls, tally your votes, and announce the winner at PlayStation.Blog. PlayStation Store will also showcase some top Players’ Choice winners throughout the year. What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? In keeping with our long tradition in the Game of the Year Awards, remastered or re-released games won’t qualify. Ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds and remakes like Shadow of the Colossus and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will. How are nominees decided? The PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store editorial teams will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. Write-in votes will be accepted. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/dUUo3cf9eZIView the full article

You got a taste of competitive play in Open Series Tournaments*, felt the thrill of watching rivals develop, and learned how to get better month after month. It’s been one year since we launched free events to help you close the gap on the competition, so let’s celebrate the most memorable moments from your community. The PlayStation Tournaments Open Series 2020 Year in Review is your chance to give players the recognition they deserve. Watch each video to see the highlights for categories like most heroic comebacks and the funniest moments that cracked you up, then vote for your favorites. Join special guests live on May 26 at 10am PT on PlayStation’s Twitch and Youtube channels after the polls close to honor the top plays with interviews, reactions, and other surprises. The clips will be showcased in order of votes.** Tune in to see who best captures the cooperative side of a competitive community, but don’t run out the clock. Voting closes on May 14 at 11:59pm PT. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Call of Duty: Modern Warfare SoulCalibur VI FIFA 21 Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Best Comeback Best Combo Funniest Moment Most Valuable Player (MVP) BlazBlue: Cross Tag BattleBest Comback BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is a 2D anime fighter featuring fast-paced gameplay, high damage, and momentum that can shift in one input. A knockout is never far, but neither is a comeback. Play Video BlazBlue: Cross Tag BattleBest Combo Blink and you just might miss one of these notable strings. Play Video BlazBlue: Cross Tag BattleFunniest Moment Fighting games aren’t always serious. The unexpected can happen somewhere between all of the counterpicks and pokes, shattering the tension to hilarious results. Play Video BlazBlue: Cross Tag BattleMost Valuable Player (MVP) When these players are on the stream, you just have to stop and watch. Play Video Play Video Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Best Killshot Most Valuable Player (MVP) Call of Duty: Modern WarfareBest Killshot Everyone wants the final kill in Call of Duty. Whether you win or lose, you’re treated to the perspective of the round ending elimination. Players often go out of their way for something stylish, but these nominees make the win almost seem effortless. Europe Play Video North America Play Video Call of Duty: Modern WarfareMost Valuable Player (MVP) MVPs don’t just know their way around the map, they know strategic lines of sight and create their own power positions through coordination. Europe Play Video North America Play Video Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. FIFA 21 Best Goal Most Valuable Player (MVP) FIFA 21Best Goal Every fan gets hyped over phenomenal goals because FIFA is universal. Here are the shots that lingered in the back of the net and our minds well beyond the instant replay. Europe Play Video North America Play Video FIFA 21Most Valuable Player (MVP) The most valuable player is worth far more than any FIFA Ultimate Team Icon card. They know the first few goals don’t always mean victory or defeat and keep games close regardless of what it says on the scoreboard. North America Play Video Europe Play Video Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Best Comeback Best Combo Funniest Moment Most Valuable Player (MVP) Mortal Kombat 11 UltimateBest Comeback No one likes one-sided fights. These players flipped the script for some of the hardest earned victories in the MK11 Open Series. Play Video Mortal Kombat 11 UltimateBest Combo The visuals aren’t the only gruesome part of these combos. The damage is brutal. Play Video Mortal Kombat 11 UltimateFunniest Moment While there are more Fatalities than Friendships, that doesn’t mean we can’t create our own funny moments, even if the best ones happen by chance. Play Video Mortal Kombat 11 UltimateMost Valuable Player (MVP) Seeing these names in your bracket is either demoralizing or motivating. The MVP can make almost any character seem top tier. These nominees don’t play by the meta, they define it. Play Video Play Video Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. SoulCalibur VI Best Comeback Best Combo Funniest Moment Most Valuable Player (MVP) SoulCalibur VIBest Comeback These nominees use mechanics like lethal hits and reversals to prove the game isn’t over until you’re on the victory screen. Play Video SoulCalibur VIBest Combo SoulCalibur VI’s weapon variety gives players seemingly endless options to juggle opponents. Play Video SoulCalibur VIFunniest Moment Powerful tools like Ring Outs are effective, consistent, and more than capable of cracking up the community. More so if you’re not on the receiving end… Play Video SoulCalibur VIMost Valuable Player (MVP) SoulCalibur is about searching for the legendary soul swords, however these players already seem to possess mythical prowess. Play Video Play Video Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] Best Comeback Best Combo Funniest Moment Most Valuable Player (MVP) Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]Best Comeback Don’t autopilot against these contenders. Here are UNICLR’s best players that refused to unplug their controller when all seemed lost. Play Video Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]Best Combo Extended strings can be tough in this tug-of-war fighter. Practice and precision paid off for these players. Play Video Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]Funniest Moment The aesthetic of Under Night is dark, although the mood tends to be a lot brighter. Experience the community’s funnier side. Play Video Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]Most Valuable Player (MVP) The MVP is a role model to not just UNICLR players, but the entire FGC. They inspire others to pick up the game both casually and competitively. Play Video Play Video That’s all the categories! Thanks for casting your vote and be sure to tune in for the results on May 26 at 10am PT on PlayStation’s Twitch and Youtube channels. * PlayStation Plus membership required for online multiplayer games. For more information about the Open Series, visit the Competition Center at compete.playstation.com. **In the event of a tie between one or more selections in a category, PlayStation will decide the order of the selections. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/_trqQO19eFYView the full article

With PlayStation Now’s May lineup, you can try to survive unrelenting yokai in feudal Japan, rub shoulders with manga icons, and battle your way across an entire city. Starting tomorrow, May 4, Nioh, Jump Force and Streets of Rage 4 will be available to play on your PS5 or PS4 console. Let’s take a closer look at each game. Play Video Nioh Take up your sword and travel to Japan’s blood-bathed Sengoku period – an era ravaged by warring states and dark, malevolent forces – and cut a violent path through the land as the masterless samurai, William. Cross blades in brutal hand-to-hand combat, wielding swords, axes, spears and even war hammers against foes both human and demon. In this brutal third-person adventure, you must endure the vicious encounters and learn from your mistakes: each death will bring you resurrection and each resurrection a greater resolve to overcome your foes. Play Video Jump Force Some of the most famous Manga heroes are thrown into a whole new battleground: our world. Uniting to fight the most dangerous threat, the Jump Force will bear the fate of the entire human kind. Create your own avatar and jump into an original Story Mode to fight alongside some of the most powerful Manga heroes from Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Hunter X Hunter, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu Yu Hakusho, Saint Seiya and many others. Or head to the Online Lobby to challenge other players and discover lots of modes and activities. ● Jump Force is available on PlayStation Now until Monday, August 2, 2021. Play Video Streets of Rage 4 Sega’s iconic side-scrolling beat’em up is reimagined for the modern generation. Featuring fan favorites Axel and Blaze, newcomers Cherry Hunter, Floyd Iraia (and unlockable guest stars), clean up the streets of Wood Oak City the only way you know: with fist and foot. Pull off stylish combos alone, with up to three friends locally, or team up with another player online. And all the while enjoying a soundtrack – created by industry icons – that perfectly accompanies the action. ● Streets of Rage 4 is available on PlayStation Now until Monday, November 1, 2021. As we recently announced, PlayStation Now has begun rolling out support for streaming 1080p capable games (requires minimum internet speed of 15 mbps) on PC and PS4/PS5 consoles. The rollout will occur over the next several weeks across Europe, US, Canada, Japan where PlayStation Now is available. Your game streaming resolution may vary, depending on your internet connection. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/x4kvdW-tejYView the full article

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here The gang’s all here with early thoughts on Returnal and Resident Evil Village. Plus, we play an inaugural game of Box Art Trivia. Stuff We Talked About Resident Evil Village Returnal Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition Disco Elysium Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart The Cast Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE Tim Turi – Manager, Content Communications, SIE Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/mU94xgLS9OEView the full article

Respawn Entertainment has much in store for fans with Apex Legends Season 9, coming to the free-to-play battle royale on May 4. We’ve got the lowdown on a new round-based 3v3 mode called Arena, a jetpack-equipped Legend named Valkyrie, the Bocek Compound Bow, as well as an update to the Olympus map. Play Video A close look at Season 9: Trails of Heroes The new Arena Mode In this new 3v3 mode, players compete against each other on a close-quarters map. How it works Each round is decided by eliminating the enemy team (of course), with the final victory decided by winning at least three rounds and gaining a margin of victory of at least two rounds. Sudden death decides the final winner on the 9th round when both teams are deadlocked at four wins each. That means that each game has a minimum of three rounds and a maximum of nine. Buying Phase Each round begins with a buying phase, which lets players arm themselves with weapons, consumables such as healing items, projectiles, and even abilities — just make sure you have the materials to pay for it. Get ready for a big departure from dropping into the map and collecting gear as you go. Weapons start out in their basic form with no add-ons, and by purchasing additional upgrades, you can go up from level 1 to level 3 and add a scope of your choice. However, weapons cannot be carried over to the next round, and must be repurchased with each buying phase. You’ll only be allowed to use Tactical Abilities and Ultimate Abilities in each round. Tactical Abilities start with a limited number of rounds, but you can stock up on more charges during the buying phase. Unspent abilities carry over to the next round. Materials required for purchase are provided as round bonuses, and can also be earned by extracting them from devices or by killing enemies. The round bonus also increases as the fight progresses, giving you more options for more powerful weapons, upgrades, and ability charges. The choices you make in the buying phase play a huge role in overall strategy. In the first round, you only have enough materials to buy your best weapon type and one recovery (you start equipped with armor and helmets). The more you earn in round bonuses, the more you can buy as the game progresses. You can upgrade your weapons, add attachments, recharge your abilities, and make more choices. In the final rounds of the game, both teams will be well-equipped for an epic, high-level battle. Maps in Arena Mode Arena maps are small, but like Battle Royale, the ring closes at regular intervals and constricts the battlefield. Supply boxes are scattered around the map containing recovery items and supplies. Combat takes place in a rotation of locales, including the new Party Crusher and Phase Runner maps developed specifically for this mode. Party Crusher Party Crusher is a versatile map designed for all types of battles, as you fight for a corner of the Mirage Voyage or Bonsai Plaza. Phase Runner The Phase Runner map will have the same portal features found in Olympus. Phase Runner focuses on medium to long range combat, where players can fight from either the construction site or the entrance/exit of the map. In addition to the new maps, there will also be custom locations for existing battle royale maps, such as the Turret in Kings Canyon, the Thermal Power Plant in World’s Edge, and the Garden in Olympus. New Legend: Valkyrie The latest legend, Valkyrie, is the daughter of Viper, the famed Titan pilot from Titanfall 2. Valkyrie’s jetpack, reconstructed from the wreckage of Viper’s Northstar Titan, gives her the ability to temporarily fly over the battlefield and rain down a barrage of missiles. When danger abounds, she can use her Ultimate Ability to quickly retreat into the sky, and if an ally on her team grabs her, she can carry them up into the air with her. VTOL Jet Activate the jetpack in mid-air and spend the energy gauge to fly. You won’t be able to shoot while the jets are activated, but you can open fire while letting off the gas. Missile Swarm This ability fires multiple small rockets in a specified area, dealing damage and stunning enemies. Missile Swarm can also be activated while the VTOL jet is in flight. Bombarding an area deals less damage than you might expect. On the other hand, it does stun enemies hit by it for a short period of time, so it could be used to support your allies. Skyward Dive Two teammates can accompany Valkyrie on the Skyward Dive by approaching her while preparing to fire and performing an action. This maneuver also lets you quickly spot your enemies’ positions. After ascending with the Skyward Dive Ultimate Ability, enemies caught in view during the skydive will automatically be marked and shared with your allies. Although you can’t see beyond shields, the ability to mark enemies as soon as you see them is powerful. A Note from Respawn Lead game designer Daniel Klein says Valkyrie’s ability to fly with a jetpack is both exciting and effective. But the big question is how to keep matches balanced. Respawn has accounted for that. First of all, you can’t fly forever; if you run out of energy, you will plummet. And the jetpack is so loud that it may expose Valkyrie to nearby enemies. Guns and grenades also aren’t usable while Valkyrie is in jet flight. All these adjustments were made to keep the game fair. Respawn recommends flying somewhat erratically when playing Valkyrie, to make yourself a harder target mid flight. Bocek Compound Bow The new Bocek Bow is a powerful and deadly Marksman Weapon from medium range. It’s capable of precision shooting and uses a new type of arrow ammunition. As with all bows, damage is increased by drawing back the arrow and timing the shot. Reloading isn’t a worry with the bow, as you can keep firing until your arrow reserves run dry. Ejected arrows can also be retrieved. The Bocek Bow has two hop-up slots that can be used in different ways. The Deadeye’s Tempo increases the speed of the bow if you time your shot perfectly. The Shutter Cap spreads the arrows like a shotgun. Update on Olympus Olympus, a map introduced in Season 7, gets an update with Season 9. The Icarus, a suspicious ship that entered the atmosphere of the planet Psamathe from outside the realm, has docked at Olympus along with an unidentified parasitic plant. The landscape, infested with giant roots at the point of descent, provides players with a new gameplay experience throughout the map. Massive vines wrap around entire buildings, creating new paths and vantage points. Inside the ship, you will also find the bodies of the fallen scientists. Search them to find keycards, which will unlock top-grade loot hidden in the Icarus. Get Ready for Season 9 Valkyrie takes flight, along with Arena Mode, the Bocek Bow, and more when Apex Legends Season 9 launches May 4. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/gxjxGKRlsiYView the full article

Earlier this week, Days Gone turned two! To celebrate, we asked you to share your favorite moments riding alongside Deacon using #PSShare #PSBlog. From portraits of Freakers to Deacon’s looking endlessly cool on his bike, here are this week’s highlights: SindyJ_B shared Deacon riding off into a gorgeous mountainside view. justinphotomode captured Deacon up close and personal. Unhappyclappy1 shared Deacon riding through that Pacific Northwest weather. makfi78 shares a detailed portrait of a snarling Freaker. MostlyVp captured a Freaker bear sneaking up behind Deacon. thiagofm33 could resist doing some donuts on Deacon’s bike. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on May 5 Next week, Aloy takes the spotlight to celebrate Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition being available as part of the Play At Home program. Share your best moments fighting machines and exploring Aloy’s world using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Want to share more of your epic photo mode moments? U.S. players can enter the Red Bull Capture Point competition* for the chance to win some thrilling prizes. See full details at redbull.com/capturepoint. *Red Bull Capture Point Official Contest Rules: THIS IS A SKILL CONTEST. MUST HAVE ACCESS TO PS4/5 CONSOLE, PLAYSTATION™NETWORK, TWITTER® ACCOUNT, AND THE PARTICIPATING GAME(S). Starts February 1, 2021, ends May 21, 2021. Open to legal US residents, 18+. To enter, capture in-game image and share on Twitter with #RedBullCapturePoint and #contest. All entries must be submitted by May 2, 2021. Limit: 18 entries per person. For prize categories, judging information, restrictions, and Official Rules: redbull.com/capturepoint. Sponsor: Red Bull North America, Inc., 1740 Stewart St., Santa Monica, CA 90404. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/JwylpPLl_Z8View the full article

Salutations, fearless daredevils! Starting May 1, you’re invited to compete in the new Sackboy: A Big Adventure PlayStation Tournaments series on PS5. The Sackboy Knit-Speedrun Challenge is part of a new PlayStation Tournaments series that is available through the PS5 Challenge activity cards in the title’s Game Hub area. Play Video A total of five never-before-seen monthly obstacle courses will be available every other month starting this May until January 2022, where you’ll need to navigate through the obstacle courses as quickly as possible, setting the fastest times you can to climb the leaderboards. We’ll track your progress in online leaderboards so you can also see how your friends are doing. Additionally, if you reside in the following countries or territories, you’ll have a chance to win exclusive in-game prizes throughout the whole challenge: Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, the UK, Ukraine, United States of America, and Uruguay. Prize Tiers are split into five categories: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Bronze: collectibles for everyone who takes part. Silver: a costume piece for the top 50% of entrants. Gold: a costume piece for the top 30%. Platinum: a costume piece for the top 15%. Diamond: a costume piece for the elite 5%. You’ll earn prizes from your current tier, and from every tier below at the end of each of the five trials. See if you can collect all the different costume pieces from each trial and create all-new outfits for Sackboy! See the Challenges activity cards in the PS5 Game Hub, or the Knitted Knight Trials in-game to take part. Good luck! Check out this Competition Center page for more details: http://playst.cc/sackboy-challenge Need more competition? Check out our lineup of Open Series monthly tournaments on PS4 at the Competition Center – the home of all PlayStation competitive gaming content. The tournaments are open to all eligible participants in participating countries. * PSN Account, internet, access to PS5 console and compatible copy of Sackboy: A Big Adventure required to play. Must be 18+ and resident of an eligible country to compete for prizes. Starts May 1, 2021 – Ends Jan 31, 2022. Void where prohibited. See full rules: http://playst.cc/sackboy-rules http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/vdPru1t4utcView the full article

In less than 24 hours, PlayStation 5 players will be able to step into the hostile and mysterious world of Returnal. From unsettling alien creatures to haunting musical themes, Selene’s journey through Atropos is one you won’t soon forget. But what exactly is the flow to this cyclical adventure? You may have seen trailers and other gameplay clips that show a hectic run and gun, arcade-style adventure, while other footage looks a bit slower-paced and focused on exploration. The short answer is, Returnal is all of the above – and hopefully today’s deep dive from developer Housemarque helps drive this point home. Play Video Mikael Haveri, along with narrative director Gregory Louden, and game director Harry Krueger narrate a handful of typical “runs” through Atropos, where modular aspects of the levels change but certain progress persists. This video picks up still fairly early in the process, where Selene has unlocked a melee weapon and made some initial inroads into the ruins. From there we get a glimpse of the first real “boss,” and then onto the Crimson Wastes, the second region of the game. As you’ll see in the video, you can get back to certain areas even after dying and starting a new cycle – but given how tough some of the enemies can be, do you want to rush back, or take your time powering up your weapons and consumables? The choice is yours, which helps reinforce the whole “is it a shooter or is it an adventure?” question above. Take your time, or rely on fast reflexes to survive… up to you! Returnal lands on PS5 April 30, which may very well be “today” for many of you! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/MOYxQ19P6hsView the full article

Think you can trust your friends? Think again! Our social deception game, Among Us, is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 later this year. Hop aboard the spaceship with 4-10 players via online play and get to work. Just don’t forget there may be one or more impostors on board ready to sabotage your work and take a deadly swipe at you. Among Us originally launched as a teeny, local, mobile only game, and we’re so blown away by how far it’s come. Now we’re even more excited to say it’ll be coming to PlayStation! Wahhh?! We can’t wait for even more people to join our space crew… and potentially eject some of them. With all four maps available to play – from the Skeld to the Airship – it’s going to be a chaotically fun time together. Our game was partially based off a game one of our cofounders, Marcus, used to play as a kid where you’d draw role cards and roam a house aimlessly while another person secretly “killed” players by drawing a finger across their neck. He especially loved the idea of someone trying to blend in with everyone. That core idea is still present in Among Us, but we wanted to alleviate the need for an interesting house layout and boring wandering, so we made it space themed and added tasks. The game underwent a ton of design changes to get it to where it’s at, and we’re happy it has resonated with so many of you. There is a lot we could say about Among Us, but truly the best part has been seeing the community gather around our indie title. From doodles to entire live action movies and countless streams, we’ve seen a lot of love pouring out for our little space beans. Thank you. We hope we can continue giving back that same energy! There are lots of updates we have planned for Among Us, and we can’t wait to take our PlayStation community along for the ride. Thanks for reading, and we’d love to hear about your excitement over the PS4 and PS5 launch, coming later this year! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/ddo5kJYe6ekView the full article

Hello everyone. I’m Donya, Community Manager at Unknown Worlds. We were delighted to be included in PlayStation’s State of Play and showcase some of the incredible work that the team has been doing on Subnautica: Below Zero to get it ready to launch on PS4 and PS5 on May 14. Play Video The sequel to the award-winning Subnautica, Below Zero plunges even the bravest of explorers into an underwater world, filled with all-new and vast biomes to explore, and mysterious and unfamiliar creatures lurking in the depths of the planet. As you continue to investigate the mysterious circumstances that brought you planetside, you’ll be challenged to survive in the harsh, arctic conditions, as well as avoid the looming threat of discovery by Alterra, who have all but abandoned 4546B in their haste to evacuate. With all of the new tools and vehicles to craft, and lovingly crafted biomes to marvel at, Below Zero provides a unique spin on the familiar setting of Subnautica’s unforgiving planet. Players can look forward to added cold mechanics to explore, creatures great and small to discover — and, in some cases, avoid — and far, far more about the lore of the Subnautica universe to uncover. As announced during State of Play, we’ve been hard at work utilizing the PS5 DualSense controller for Below Zero. With the haptic feedback system, you’ll receive visual and audio cues linked to key game moments, or when you’re using tools and vehicles. We’re excited for you to try Below Zero with this additional integration, which has enhanced some already terrifying and tense moments! We’ve also heard all of your queries and questions about the upgrade path for players who already own the first Subnautica on PS4. We’re pleased to confirm that if you own a physical or digital edition of the game you can upgrade to the digital PS5 version at no additional cost. Similarly, those who purchase Below Zero on PS4 will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version for free.* As always, we want to thank you, our incredible community, for your feedback and excitement as we got Below Zero ready to launch. We can’t wait for you all to play and experience the adventure. You can pre-order Below Zero for PS4 and PS5 today for $29.99 USD. Below Zero launches on both platforms on May 14. *To upgrade your PS4™ disc version of the game to the PS5™ digital version, you need a PS5 console with disc drive. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/x9tUmvC_rH4View the full article

One year! It’s been one year since we jumped out of the chopper onto the jungle floor. One year since we slid among the trees using infrared to spot our next trophy spine. It’s been one wild year of hunting and being hunted. When the hunt began last April, we promised it was just the beginning. Since then: Dutch has arrived, filling you in on lost time with tapes of his whereabouts; five different Predators (Viking, Samurai, Valkyrie, Jungle Hunter, and City Hunter) have watched your every move; new classes for the Predator and Fireteam have made the game more challenging; a new mode was introduced allowing friends (4v4) to CLASH, literally; countless guns, skins, loot, easter-eggs, and trophies have been found/dropped/won; you can host private matches that give you the capability to modify how you want to play; and there are four, actually now…5 maps to test your skills on. You could say IllFonic’s quarantine has been a productive one. Before we jump into what’s next, we want to thank everyone who has played, wrote, vlogged, and supported our team. We do this for you. Keep the comments and feedback coming. NOW… We have BIG NEWS and lots to cover: New platform play, a new map, and lots of additions/updates. And all are available to enjoy from today. New platform play We are on Steam! You can purchase Predator: Hunting Grounds on Steam today. To get all Steam players caught up, we will be offering a DLC Predator Package – all four Predator DLC skins and abilities: Viking, Samurai, Valkyrie, and City Hunter; plus early access* to three additional masks and six war paints. (This DLC package is available on all platforms starting today as well, if you have been waiting to add to your Predator collection.) Lastly, good news, Steam players do not fret; our game is crossplay friendly and allows for crossplay invites. One thing to note, all progress in-game is stored on a per-platform basis and is non-transferable. New Airstrip Map Deep in the jungle, the Stargazer mercenary fleet has an airstrip they use to smuggle goods in and out of the area. The Airstrip map will challenge the player’s skills once again; not only will it push your vertical limits fighting on hangar roofs and run-down radio towers, its open areas will leave you feeling vulnerable. Guerilla snipers wait to pick you off one-by-one, and broken sight lines leave you easy prey as Fireteam. The Predator is forced to calculate its every move as entering this space forces you into hand-to-hand combat without an easy escape to the trees. There are places to hide, but if you seek shelter in a plane and the Predator sees you, just know you’re not getting past it unless it wants you to. The Airstrip map took our team about seven months to develop from concept to creation. It will offer 12 different missions that will have you dodging bullets as you weave through homes, radio towers, multiple Stargazer encampments, airplane hangars, and an airstrip littered with planes and choppers, all scattered throughout the thick jungle. The new map also brings a killer fight to CLASH. Multiple points within the map make for merciless battles. Our QA team points to the radio tower as an exciting place to defend. With multiple choke points, it’s a calculated yet claustrophobic race to secure the location while your enemies are emerging from all directions making this an incredibly intense battle. QA Play Tip – if you want a ridiculously fun CLASH, try the following in a private modified match. Use bottomless mags, crank up explosion range, greatly increase speed, and slightly decrease gravity. Have everyone use rocket or grenade launchers and watch the absurdity. It’s a Pyromaniac’s delight. For extra hilarity, add in Big Head Mode; just be sure to record your play; we want to see the show. New Updates We have given the Fireteam new toys and a lot of specializations this past year. Now it’s the Predator’s turn. Found in field lockers, a massive amount of cosmetics are coming, including armor and weapon skins. And let’s not forget the trophies coming, including some easter-eggs. We will only give one away right now; you’ll have to find it yourself or look to our social for hints for the rest. The pauldron on Dutch is now finally a mask for the Predator, you asked, and we delivered; this mask is part of the early access release when you purchase this month’s Predator Package DLC. Specializations have been a hit, so there is a long list of Predator specializations coming your way with perks correlating to each Predator. To see the complete list, check out our detailed patch notes, but we will highlight a few: Hunter/Jungle Hunter: Tracker – Target isolation ignores mud. Scout: Ghost – Melee attacking from cloak deals additional damage. Berserker: Savage – Claiming restores health. Alpha: Wrathful – After receiving enemy fireteam damage from behind, your next melee attack deals increased damage. Elder: Vicious – Opponents, you bleed out faster while downed and take longer to revive. What’s Next As we successfully hit the one-year mark, it doesn’t mean we are done. We have a lot left to bring you. Maybe we will release new Predators, characters, maps, and more. Who knows?! I guess you’ll just have to keep looking at our socials, forums, and here to find out more. Internet connection and PlayStation®Plus membership (sold separately) required for online multiplayer. *Additional masks and war paints unlockable to all via gameplay by December 2021. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/Wc9g2UjmNkMView the full article

Hey everyone, Today we’re stoked to share with you a special preview of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on State of Play. This episode will have updates on a couple of other titles before giving you 15 minutes of never-before-seen gameplay footage, new reveals, and updates from Creative Director Marcus Smith. Play Video In today’s State of Play, we will give you the most in-depth look yet. You’ll see brand-new gameplay with Rivet, deeper looks at some of the new weapons from the out-of-this-world-arsenal, and glimpses at the variety of worlds, characters and gameplay you’ll experience in the full game. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a brand-new full-length standalone adventure that is great for both returning players and newcomers alike. We’re pulling out all the stops to make this a showpiece exclusive game for your PlayStation 5 console as you jump between dimensions, handle an explosive arsenal (made even more visceral by the DualSense wireless controller), and strive to save the galaxy from the evil Nefarious. We’re so excited for everyone to experience Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for themselves on June 11, 2021. In case you missed it earlier this week, we released a new gameplay trailer that gives you a taste: Play Video As well as a look at the five additional armor sets you get with the Digital Deluxe Edition. If you have an… uncontrollable urge to pre-order, here’s where you can do that. That’s all for now, we can’t wait to hear what you think of today’s State of Play. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/R4rxzRHLuHkView the full article

Join forces with players worldwide as you plunge yourself into the dark heart of battle, crunch metal and burn rubber on a carnage-filled racetrack against friends or strip back to the bare essentials and attempt to survive a treacherous paradise solo. Enticing, challenging prospects all, but which will you try first when next month’s PlayStation Plus games launch on May 4? Let’s take a closer look at those games coming to PS5 and PS4 consoles next week. Wreckfest: Drive Hard, Die Last | PS5* Burn rubber, break rules and shred metal in this full-contact racer from the creator of the FlatOut. Race and upgrade patched-together cars, improving their looks and toughening up their body armour to survive the epic crashes and neck-to-neck fights over the finish line in competitive races. Enjoy some hilarity in Challenge modes as you get behind the wheel of crop harvesters, three-wheelers and much more, then challenge your friends online in multiplayer up to 24 players**. Battlefield V | PS4 Enter mankind’s greatest conflict with Battlefield V as the series goes back to its roots in a never-before-seen portrayal of World War 2. Experience all-out multiplayer** with your squad in the vast Grand Operations and the cooperative Combined Arms, or take on single player War Stories. As you fight in epic, unexpected locations across the globe, enjoy the richest, most immersive Battlefield yet. Play Video Stranded Deep | PS4 Test your survival skills in this open world adventure. In the aftermath of a mysterious plane crash, you are stranded in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Alone, without any means to call for help, you must do what you can to survive. Explore underwater and on land as you hunt for supplies to craft the tools, weapons, and shelter you’ll need to stay alive. Stay sharp: hunger, thirst, and exposure conspire against you as you brave treacherous elements and the dangerous creatures of the Pacific. All games will be available for PlayStation Plus members to add to their library until Monday, May 31. Last chance to download your PlayStation Plus games for April A reminder that the PlayStation Plus games for April – Oddworld: Soulstorm***, Days Gone and Zombie Army 4: Dead War will leave on Monday, May 3. Make sure to add them to your library before they’re gone! *PS5 console only; PlayStation Plus benefit not applicable for Wreckfest: Drive Hard, Die Last on PS4. **Internet connection and PlayStation Plus required for online multiplayer modes. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription with recurring fees until cancelled. Age restrictions apply. See here for full terms & conditions. ***PS5 console only; PlayStation Plus benefit not applicable for Oddworld: Soulstorm on PS4. Oddworld: Soulstorm available in South Korea until Monday, May 17. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/3yKXmyELqAMView the full article

Hey everyone, the team at Lucid has been working hard during the launch of Destruction AllStars and we’ve had a blast interacting with you on Twitter and elsewhere in the community on Reddit and Discord. We’re really grateful for all the feedback we’ve been receiving as well as all the chaos and carnage we’ve been seeing in the arena! We’re back with a brand new trailer and your first look at Destruction AllStars’ first season, Hotshots! Play Video Season 1 We’re just a week away from the launch of our first season in Destruction AllStars. Seasons are our way of injecting new content into the game for all players, as well as adding in new cosmetics items to help you customise your AllStars to reflect your personality. In our last blog post, we revealed that our first season will be called Hotshots, and we also dropped a few teasers around our first new AllStar being added to the roster since the game’s launch. We’re here to flesh out what you can expect from Season One, starting with a closer look at our new AllStar. Without further ado, let’s introduce you to Alba. New character Alba is a veteran of Destruction AllStars who is returning to the competition after several years away from the event. She’s a fierce competitor hailing from Scotland who brings a clear sense of determination to the arena, along with a high-tech armoured battle suit. We’ll be learning more about Alba through her Challenge Series which will be released alongside Season One. In the arena, we’re really expecting Alba to shake things up. Her on-foot ability, or Character Breaker, summons blockers out of the ground in front of her. These blockers, called bulwarks, act in the same way that blockers do in our arena. They are immovable objects, physically stopping competitors as they try to drive on through. Being able to use these bulwarks anywhere in the arena opens up tactical opportunities for disrupting opposing players or protecting yourself from an incoming vehicle when you’re on foot. Alba’s hero vehicle, Claymore, is where the sparks really start to fly. Her hero vehicle functions a little differently to the other vehicles in Destruction AllStars. Instead of a slam which pushes the vehicle in the chosen direction (forwards, left, or right), Claymore deploys a laser beam that sweeps and damages AllStars or vehicles in its area of effect. These beams can be tactically deployed as you approach an enemy player, or in response to an enemy hero vehicle bearing down on you. AllStar Pass The brand new AllStar Pass is coming to Destruction AllStars, starting with Season One Hotshots. The AllStar Pass is a way for players to earn cosmetics from online multiplayer, no matter how they choose to play the game. With Alba returning to the competition, our AllStars have decided to roll out the red carpet and get dressed up for the occasion. You’ll see a lot of black ties and tailcoats in the AllStar Pass as our AllStars get ready to welcome back a renowned veteran. Some of our AllStars have taken things even further, with two Legendary skins and one Heroic skin available in the AllStar Pass to really stand out from the crowd. With skins, emotes, avatars, banners and shouts, there’s plenty of ways to show off your style and change up your AllStars’ look. To progress your AllStar Pass, you’ll need to earn Season Points by completing matches online (active PlayStation Plus subscription is required for online play), with additional points on offer through new Seasonal Challenges and Sponsor Challenges. Seasonal Challenges are an extension of our existing Daily and Weekly challenges, only these award Season Points instead of XP and currency. Sponsor Challenges are objectives set by some of the companies that sponsor Destruction AllStars events in-game. These challenges are made available from the start of Season One and can be completed at your own pace, at any point before the end of the season. All of these challenges reward Season Points, but some of the biggest challenges offer AllStar Coins and Destruction Points upon completion. These challenges are available at no additional charge to all players. Whenever you play online multiplayer, you’ll always be making progress towards your next tier of the AllStar Pass. The AllStar Pass will have 100 tiers to unlock, with some items available for all players alongside a premium tier that can be bought for 1000 Destruction Points. The premium tier of the AllStar Pass and Alba’s Challenge Series are the only paid content planned in Season One: Hotshots Photo Mode A few weeks after the launch of Season One, Photo Mode will be making its way to Destruction AllStars. Available in all single player activities, you’ll be able to pause the game at any moment and enter free-cam to start looking for the perfect angle on any wreck, barge, or pose. Once you’ve found your shot, you can apply a variety of stickers, frames and filters to enhance your image and really make it shine. Thanks to the built in sharing features of the PS5, it’s easy to share your moments of mayhem on social media for the world to see. We can’t wait to see what you’ll create with this brand new feature, especially when taking it back through some of our previous Story Mode’s (previously referred to as Challenge Series) as well as any new single player content that follows in the future. Blitz For AllStars looking to take their careers to the next level, Blitz is the game mode for you. This is a brand new mode for Destruction AllStars and it will be arriving about halfway into Season One. This mode has been built to really get to grips with what makes for skillful teamplay in our game. At its core, Blitz is an evolution of Mayhem (our take on standard deathmatch) between four teams of three AllStars. However, unlike a game of Mayhem, Blitz consists of short, intense, adrenaline fueled rounds. These rounds are all about being the first team to reach a set score to win the round. Win a set number of rounds wins the match. To add more tactical decision making between the rounds, players will need to pick a new AllStar at the start of every round! Here’s where things start to get really tactical. In Blitz, your Character Ability and Hero Vehicle energy will carry over from the previous round. You can use this rollover of energy to start your next round with a key advantage. Will you pick an AllStar with an aggressive Hero Vehicle and cause carnage in the opening seconds or will you play your cards close to your chest and activate your Character Ability in the final moments for a dramatic comeback? Be sure to coordinate with your team to make sure that your chosen AllStars are robust and able to counter whatever the competition might throw at you. Blitz will be joining our lineup of game modes towards the start of June. Blitz is our competitive mode and will be launching as an unranked playlist during Season One. We’re treating this as an introduction to the game mode to allow players to get familiar with how it works and experiment with its teamplay. As part of its introduction, there will be exclusive cosmetic rewards available for players who dive into Blitz during its first season. We’ll be back with more information and a dedicated look at Blitz as we approach its release. And there you have it! Season One is bringing loads of new features to Destruction AllStars, with many of them being made available at no additional cost for all players. Season One launches May 5. We can’t wait for you to get your hands on all of this new stuff. What strategies will you devise with Alba, what amazing photos will we see shared on social media and how will you fair in our new game mode, Blitz? I’m sure you’ll find plenty of ways to surprise us. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/8uctHvrn9-8View the full article

Hello everyone! We’re finally closing in to the launch of Returnal, and we’re incredibly excited for everyone to finally experience our biggest and most ambitious title to date. Before we let you venture off onto the mysterious world of Returnal, our team here at Housemarque would like to share a final round of tips and tricks to help you survive the hostile planet of Atropos. Play Video In Returnal, one of our central themes is answering the call of the void. Our main character Selene receives a mysterious message coming from Atropos, and – against her better judgement and Astra orders – feels morbidly compelled to investigate it. The result: Selene crash lands her ship Helios on the hostile alien planet, and gets trapped in an endless, nightmarish cycle of death and rebirth. Her only hope is to break the cycle, before the cycle breaks her. In a similar fashion, once Selene is trapped on Atropos her undying curiosity and relentless determination will continue to push her forward. She will scan, analyse and experiment with all kinds of alien devices, abandoned technologies, and all sorts of strange items, natural flora and even parasites with unpredictable properties. Exploring the planet and expanding her arsenal is the only hope for Selene to survive, find answers, and ultimately solve the mystery of Atropos. Leave no alien stone unturned The planet is a place brimming with secrets that will reward the most intrepid explorers. Each cycle is guaranteed to be unique, and your trusty map system will always be there to assist you in navigating towards your next goal. While you can always take a direct path to your Primary Objective, you will have a better chance to succeed if you devote time to explore the environments more carefully, and remain on the lookout for secret doors, hidden switches and juicy rewards off the beaten path. Here’s a few things that you can find on your journey: Artifacts These are items that will have beneficial effects lasting for the duration of that cycle. They can have passive effects (for example the Reactive Stabilizers, which reduce the chance of being knocked down by enemy attacks), or activate under certain conditions (like the Fractal Nail, which increases your damage whenever you have a suit malfunction). Some rare artifacts like the Astronaut Figurine can even resurrect you on the spot, which can make the critical difference between triumphing against a Boss battle or respawning back at Helios in defeat. Consumables These are single-use items that are used up on activation. They can be defensive items like one-hit shields; offensive, like the Ground Surge that impales the closest hostile; or even boost your economy, such as the Obolite Seeder that causes killed enemies to drop more Obolites (the game’s currency) for a limited time. Most of these will appear fairly frequently in the game, so remember to use and experiment with these, especially early on! While it’s often tempting to save these for a special moment, you can make many moments more special by just using these more often. Mysterious Devices Selene can use the remains of the ancient civilization that once ruled Atropos. You can find many different devices on Atropos: some may provide you items in exchange for Obolites, others will increase your max health or provide various state upgrades, and have many different outcomes that are worth experimenting with. There’s even a Reconstructor that, when activated, will revive you at that location without losing the progress of that cycle. Always be mindful of using your obolites wisely though, as there are no refunds on Atropos. Treasure, risks and decisions There are plenty of items to collect on your journey, but make sure you read the descriptions carefully before picking anything up. Not everything is going to work to your advantage, as some items will have a certain degree of risk associated with them. Take, for example, the Parasites, which always come with a combination of a positive effect (e.g. regenerative health when it’s low) but also a downside (e.g. enemies spawn revenge bullets!). There are also our malignant containers, which have a risk of causing a malfunction when they are opened, such as disabling your Alt-Fire or increasing the cooldown of your melee attack. So it’s really important to consider how far you are willing to go, what risks you want to take, in order to survive. However, if this sounds scary, rest assured that your audacity can also be greatly rewarded as some items take these perceived weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Find an Unfed Pod, and suddenly you’ll be dealing more stagger damage per parasite you have attached! Or the already mentioned Fractal Nail, which increases your damage output while you have a malfunction. So, make sure you consider all options and all playstyles, because you might just find a special combination that can give you the upper hand. Keep moving Threats on Atropos can come from any direction. The bullet hell that we love looks even more glorious from a 3rd person perspective, but it will provide some challenging avoidance gameplay that will put your spacial awareness and mastery of the controls to the test. Some suggestions on how to increase your survival odds in the heat of combat: Movement is critical. Make sure you use the full moveset and all the tools at your disposal: use hip fire for good environment awareness and the Focus Aim for better accuracy and for highlighting enemy weak spots; don’t forget melee attacks to help stagger larger enemies or dispatch smaller ones more easily; keep up a healthy rhythm of using your Alt-Fire, and remember to use those Consumables; and of course, keep dashing, as this not only allows you to quickly avoid attacks, but also move through enemy projectiles without taking damage. Well, most of them, at least. Also, keep your priorities straight. An enemy dropped a shiny new undiscovered item in the heat of combat? Maybe best to postpone scanning it until the area is cleared. You’ll always have the calm after the storm to celebrate your spoils, but you’ll need to survive that far first. Amidst the bullet ballet of Returnal, learn to avoid target fixation. With so many threats coming your way, your attention becomes your most valuable resource. If you spend all of it on a single threat or bullet pattern, you won’t have any left to process the rest of the threats coming your way. While it’s incredibly easy to get mesmerized by one of our many tentacle-donning monstrosities, keeping a high level overview of your current situation can help put you one step ahead of your foes: keep an eye on the threat indicator for any attacks coming from off-screen; take a (very quick!) glance at the minimap to see how many hostiles are still around; and pay close attention to audio cues for incoming attacks. Trust your senses, and learn to feel your way through the combat. Know your exit routes. Familiarize yourself with each area and be mindful of your surroundings. Finding yourself backed up against a corner or accidentally falling to your doom mid-firefight is a sure-fire way for Selene to meet her demise… again. Last but not least: keep your Adrenaline up! This is easier said than done as receiving any damage will reset your meter. But building up your Adrenaline up will provide you with multiple advantages in combat, such as additional homing missiles fired from your helper droid; a more dangerous melee attack; or even our Enhanced Vision which allows you to see enemies’ energy signatures through walls. These bonuses can make a big difference in combat, and can make the combat even more engaging when you try to maintain that satisfying high of “riding the wave” without getting hit! Weapons for all A critical feature for survival on Atropos is, of course, weapons. There are plenty to experiment with, as we discussed before, across weapon archetypes, Alt-Fire modes and weapon traits. These can suit very different playstyles, so a cycle can shift dramatically depending on your chosen weapon. For me, while I prefer shifting up playstyles between various weapons in one session, I often find myself going back to Selene’s trusty Pistol. I enjoy the purity of the experience that it provides, as it’s simple, precise and predictable. With high FireRate and Damage stats it can easily compete with “bigger” weapons. There’s also a very satisfying feeling of growth when you accumulate your Adrenaline bullets, and combined with the extra ones you get from the HomingMissile Trait you can shoot out a barrage of homing missiles in a glorious pattern that’s reminiscent of classic shoot-em ups (and is also incredibly powerful!). AltFire-wise I enjoy the TendrilPod, because its continuous damage is very effective against larger enemies, and it’s always satisfying to use because of tentacles. But that’s me. Preferences really vary from player to player, so we asked the team for some of their favourites and some bonus hints… My fave is definitely the Tachyomatic Carbine with the Trackerswarm Alt-Fire for the fast, long-range firing and the Alt-Fire that works even for flying enemies (and is my go-to against the Ixion boss). I also always try to go for any items that give me auto-repair or convert damage or kills to healing. If I got that kit, I’m pretty much good to go for any situation! – Eevi Korhonen, Senior Narrative Designer Are you stuck in the cycle? Do tentacles keep dragging you down? Fear not, intrepid scout, we have the solution for you. Presenting the all-new Spitmaw Blaster! Look those slimy tentacles right in their face – then right through their face as you blast them back to the depths from whence they came! Combine it with such upgrades as the Slug Shot and Explosive Spit to eliminate those annoying hard-to-reach tentacles. Take back your personal space with the personal touch of a Spitmaw Blaster! Available now where all weapon drops can be found. – Ethan Watson, Technology Director As a fan of high risk and high reward playstyle, it’s hard to find something that suits me more than the Coilspine Shredder with Alt-Fire Cooling and Enlarged Cavity-traits, paired with the Doombringer Alt-Fire. Coilspine Shredder, by default, is a single shot weapon, that you can charge up by holding the trigger and releasing it when the panic takes over and/or when you’ve honed in on your targets weakest spot, usually the tentacly noggin of your opponent. Charging up the Coilspine Shredder slows your movement speed (a penalty which can be mitigated with our WeaponStatBlock™ system), but it dramatically increases the projectile’s damage, speed and the amount of times it can ricochet and pierce enemies. The Doombringer can also charged to fire a more devastating blast, but it sadly has the longest cooldown of any of our Alt-Fires. With power comes responsibility, I guess. If only there was a Trait that could reduce the cooldown of the currently active Alt-Fire. Oh wai- – Henri Markus, Gameplay Designer Whenever possible, I try to stick with the Thermogenic Launcher paired with the Full-Auto trait. It’s got the rapid efficiency of an assault rifle paired with the explosive area-of-effectiveness of a rocket launcher, not to mention how satisfying it is to pulverize enemies with a rapid streak of explosions! And while rockets may be difficult to hit moving targets with, the homing Trackerswarm Alt-Fire is a blessing to cover that weakness. It may take some doing to stumble upon this combination, but once I find it, I instantly feel like this is gonna be a good run! – Toni Aaltonen, Level Designer Not the most effective but I’ve always enjoyed the Electropylon Launcher (It shoots small pylons that are connected with electricity). I guess it makes me feel like I’ve become the hunter instead of the hunted, laying traps and outplaying my prey. Making sure the damage attribute is high is enough to beat the game with, but the Webbing trait (the full clip is fired at once in a web pattern) makes the weapon really powerful. “Will you walk into my parlour?” From the Alt-Fires the Blast Shell is my favourite as it feels so satisfying when you get multiple enemies with one grenade. – Henri Reunanen, Level Designer Welcome to Atropos Returnal is easily our most bold and ambitious project to date. It’s been super exciting for us to bring our established brand of explosive bullet hell action into the 3rd person space, while also enriching it with a unique blend of narrative and roguelike elements for the first time ever. We feel the result is something fairly unique: it’s an experience that we hope will feel both familiar and fresh, and will hopefully appeal to both our longtime fans and newcomers alike. We’re all incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished with Returnal, and we can’t think of a better way for us to start this new console generation or embark on this new creative chapter at Housemarque. We thank you all for your continuous support over the years, and we hope that you enjoy Returnal when it comes out on April 30. See you on Atropos! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/MF1YqwVJjN8View the full article

The Games Under promotion returns to PlayStation Store. Starting Wednesday, April 28 and ending May 12 at 11.59pm (local time), it offers numerous PlayStation games at a discount. That includes the likes of Star Wars: Squadrons, Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. See the full list of games below, then head to the dedicated PS Store page here for your local discounts. See the full list of games below, then head to the dedicated PS Store page here for your local discounts. #Funtime 11-11: Memories Retold 7th Sector 7th Sector – Collector’s Edition 8-Bit Armies 8-Bit Armies – Deluxe Edition 8-Bit Hordes 8-Bit Hordes – Deluxe Edition 8-Bit Invaders! 8-Bit Invaders! – Deluxe Edition 8-Bit RTS Series – Complete Collection A Knight’s Quest A Winter’s Daydream Accel World VS Sword Art Online Aces of the Luftwaffe Active Neurons – Puzzle Game Active Neurons 2 Active Neurons 3 – Wonders Of The World Adam’s Venture: Origins AER: Memories of Old AereA AereA – Deluxe Edition Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders Air Conflicts: Pacific Carriers – PlayStation 4 Edition Air Hockey Aircraft Evolution Alienation Alteric Ancestors Legacy Anthem Antiquia Lost AO Tennis 2 ARK Park Ashen Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Gold Edition Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Deluxe Edition Assault On Metaltron Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Crystal Menhir Asterix & Obelix XXL: Romastered Atomicrops Attack of the Earthlings ATV Drift & Tricks – Definitive Edition Aven Colony Awesome Pea Awesome Pea 2 Bad North Bad North Portraits Pack Batman: Arkham Knight Batman: The Enemy Within – Season Pass Batman: The Telltale Series – Season Pass Battlefield 4 Big Crown: Showdown BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition Bite the Bullet Blacksad: Under the Skin Blood Waves Bonkies Bonkies – Bananas Bundle Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Bound Bowling Brain Beats Breeder: Homegrown – Director’s Cut Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Bucket Knight Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Duke Nukem Bundle BUTCHER Butcher – Special Edition Bundle Call of Cthulhu Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition Call of Duty: WWII – Gold Edition Cars 3: Driven to Win CarX Drift Racing Online CASE: Animatronics Cave Digger Chaos on Deponia Chicken Police – Paint it RED! Chubby Pixel Mega Bundle Cinders Citadel: Forged with Fire Clouds & Sheep 2 Coaster Control Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!! Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2/3 Bundle!! Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! CounterSpy Crashbots Cruz Brothers – Combat School Edition Crysis Remastered Cubers: Arena Curious Expedition Dandara Darkwood Darkwood – Special Edition Darts Daymare: 1998 DCL – The Game Dead by Daylight: Special Edition PS4™ & PS5™ Dead Cells: The Fatal Seed Bundle Death’s Gambit Deep Ones Defunct Defunct – Deluxe Edition Deiland Deiland Special Pack Deleveled Deponia Deponia Doomsday Descenders Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Digital Deluxe Edition Dishonored 2 Disney Classic Games: ‘Aladdin’ and ‘The Lion King’ Doki-Doki Universe Dollhouse Dollhouse – Deluxe Edition Don’t Knock Twice Drowning DUCATI – 90th Anniversary Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour Dungeons & Bombs Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 Dynamite Fishing: World Games Edahi & Dohai Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition El Hijo – A Wild West Tale End Space Energy Balance Energy Bundle (Energy Invasion, Energy Cycle, Energy Balance) Energy Cycle Energy Cycle Edge Energy Invasion Erica Escape from Life Inc Escape From Tethys Escape Game Fort Boyard Escape Plan Escape Plan Ultimate Esports Life Tycoon Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone Explosive Jake Fallout 4 Fallout 4 – Season Pass Far Cry 3: Classic Edition Far Cry 4 Far Cry 4 – Gold Edition Far Cry 4 + Far Cry Primal Bundle Far Cry New Dawn Far Cry New Dawn – Deluxe Edition Far Cry Primal Far Cry Primal – Apex Edition Farmer & Forestry Bundle Fat Princess Adventures Felix The Reaper Fenix Furia Fernz Gate Fight Firefighters: Airport Fire Department Firefighters: The Simulation – Everyday Heroes Bundle Firefighters: The Simulation – Platinum Bundle Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour – Deluxe Edition Five Dates Flashback Flower Flying Soldiers Flywrench FMV Murder Mystery Bundle Football, Tactics & Glory For Honor For Honor – Marching Fire Edition For Honor – Year 3 Pass Frostpunk: Console Edition Fruit Ninja VR Garfield Kart: Furious Racing Generation Zero – Alpine Unrest Generation Zero® Generation Zero® – FNIX Rising Genesis Alpha One God Eater 2 Rage Burst Goetia GoNNER GONNER 2 GONNER2 Lose Your Head Deluxe Bundle Grab the Bottle Gran Turismo Sport Spec II Grass Cutter: Mutated Lawns GraviFire Gun Club VR Guns, Gore and Cannoli Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 Guts and Glory Hard West: Ultimate Edition Headspun Hellfront: Honeymoon Hello Neighbor Hellpoint Here They Lie Hidden Through Time HITMAN – Game of the Year Edition HITMAN 3 Access Pass: HITMAN 1 GOTY Edition HITMAN 3 Access Pass: HITMAN 2 Expansion HITMAN 3 Access Pass: HITMAN 2 Standard Hohokum Homefront: The Revolution Homefront: The Revolution – Expansion Pass Hotline Miami Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Hue Hunting Simulator 2 Hyper Sentinel Hypnospace Outlaw I am Bread I, AI In rays of the Light Intruders: Hide and Seek Journey Jurassic World Evolution – Deluxe Edition Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth Killzone Shadow Fall Intercept – Standalone Game Kinetica Kingdom Come: Deliverance Kingdom Come: Deliverance – A Woman’s Lot Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Amorous Adventures Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Band of Bastards Kingdom Come: Deliverance – DLC Collection Kingdom Come: Deliverance – From the Ashes Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Treasures of the Past Kingdom Treasury Collection Kingdom Two Crowns Kingdom: New Lands King’s Quest – Chapter 2: Rubble Without a Cause King’s Quest – Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb King’s Quest – Chapter 4: Snow Place Like Home King’s Quest – Chapter 5: The Good Knight King’s Quest: The Complete Collection Knack Knack 2 LA Cops Last Day of June Laws of Machine Layers of Fear 2 LEGO Marvel’s Avengers LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Season Pass LEGO The Hobbit Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition – OST Combo Life is Strange 2 – Complete Season Life is Strange 2 – Episode 2 Life is Strange 2 – Episode 3 Life is Strange 2 – Episode 4 Life is Strange 2 – Episode 5 Little Big Workshop Lock’s Quest Lonely Mountains: Downhill Lonely Mountains: Downhill – Eldfjall Island Lornsword Winter Chronicle Mad Games Tycoon Mad Tower Tycoon Maid of Sker Malicious Fallen Malicious Fallen: Deluxe Edition Manual Samuel Marooners Mask of Mists Matterfall Mega Bundle – 2 Games + Avatars + Themes Mega Man Legacy Collection Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 Mega Man X Legacy Collection Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 Mekorama Memories of Mars Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience Metal Gear Survive Metropolis: Lux Obscura Mind Labyrinth VR Dreams Mind Labyrinth VR Dreams & Brain Beats Bundle Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Video Game 2 Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Video Game 2 – Special Edition Monstrum Moonfall Ultimate Moonlighter Mortal Kombat X Mortal Shell Mosaic Mosaic – Deluxe Edition Content Mosaic 1% Edition Mother Russia Bleeds Moto Racer 4 – Deluxe Edition MotoGP 17 Mountain Rescue Simulator Move or Die Music Racer MX vs ATV All Out MXGP 2019 – The Official Motocross Videogame My Aunt is a Witch My Universe – Cooking Star Restaurant My Universe – Fashion Boutique My Universe – My Baby My Universe – Pet Clinic Cats & Dogs My Universe – School Teacher ‘n Verlore Verstand ‘n Verlore Verstand: Deluxe Edition Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 NASCAR Heat 5 Naught Need a Packet? NeverEnd Nidhogg Nidhogg 2 NO THING Norman’s Great Illusion NORTH Nowhere Prophet Offroad Racing – Buggy X ATV X Moto Okage: Shadow King One Eyed Kutkh One Piece: Burning Blood – Gold Edition Operencia: The Stolen Sun Othercide Outbreak: The New Nightmare Outlast Outlast 2 Outward Outward – The Soroboreans Overcooked! Overcooked! Gourmet Edition OVIVO Pantsu Hunter: Back to the 90s Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul Party Crashers Party Crashers and Party Golf Party Golf Party Trivia Pathologic 2 Pawarumi Payday 2: The Crimewave Collection Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Season 2 Bundle Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Solo Pack Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens Pack Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: The Last Jedi Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Unsung Heroes Pineview Drive – Joe’s Diner Horror Bundle PixARK PLANET ALPHA Planet RIX-13 Police Chase – City Patrol: Police Potata: Fairy Flower Prison Architect – Total Lockdown Edition Professional Farmer 2017 – Gold Edition Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness Project Root Project Warlock Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 PS4 & PS5 Railway Empire Rainbow Six Siege – Deluxe Edition Ray’s The Dead ReadySet Heroes Redeemer: Enhanced Edition Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs – Royal Edition Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs – Royal Edition OST Combo Relicta Resogun Reus Reus – Deluxe Edition Ride 3 Rift Keeper Rise of the Kasai Robinson: The Journey Roundguard Rush VR Ryu ga Gotoku 5 Save the Ninja Clan Seeds of Resilience Shadow Legend VR Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition Extra Content Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun Sharknado VR: Eye of the Storm Shenmue III Shenmue III – Complete DLC Collection Shenmue III – Story Quest Pack Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter Shing! Sigi – A Fart for Melusina Silence SIMULACRA Skelattack SKYHILL SkyTime Slender: The Arrival Slide Stars Snooker Nation Championship Sound Shapes Sound Shapes Ultimate Bundle South Park: The Fractured but Whole South Park: The Stick of Truth Space Hulk Bundle Space Otter Charlie Sparkle 4 Tales Speed 3: Grand Prix Spike Volleyball Spiral Splatter Spitlings Spot The Difference Star Wars Battlefront II Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition Upgrade Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Star Wars Pinball Season 1 Bundle Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter Star Wars: Racer Revenge STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer STAR WARS™: Squadrons State of Anarchy: Master of Mayhem State of Mind Steam Tactics Steep Stellaris: Console Edition STELLATUM Street Power Soccer Subject 13 Sudden Strike 4 Suicide Guy Suicide Guy Bundle Suicide Guy: Sleepin’ Deeply Summer in Mara Super Star Wars Super Street: The Game SUPERLIMINAL Surgeon Simulator A&E + I Am Bread Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition Surgeon Simulator: Experience Reality Switch ‘N’ Shoot Swordbreaker The Game Tannenberg Telltale Batman Shadows Edition Teslagrad The Adventures of 00 Dilly The Bluecoats: North & South The Bradwell Conspiracy The Bridge The Catch: Carp & Coarse – Deluxe Edition The Childs Sight The Complex The Crew 2 The Dark Eye Bundle The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav The Dark Eye: Memoria The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan The Escapists The Escapists 2: Game of the Year Edition The Escapists DLC Bundle The Escapists: The Walking Dead The Flame in the Flood: Complete Edition The Giants Bundle The Jackbox Party Pack 4 The Jackbox Party Pack 5 The Jackbox Party Pack 6 The Jak and Daxter Collection The King’s Bird The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame The LEGO Movie Videogame The Little Acre The Long Journey Home The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game Definitive Edition The Mark of Kri The Mooseman The Mooseman Collector’s Edition The Rhythmic Bundle The Sims 4 The Suicide of Rachel Foster The Survivalists The Survivalists – Monkey Business Pack The Tower of Beatrice The True The Unfinished Swan The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Season Pass 1 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Expansion Pass The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone TheNightfall Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales Ticket to Ride Timber Tennis: Versus Timberman VS Time Carnage Timothy vs the Aliens Tiny Hands Adventure Toki Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 – Standard Edition Tom Clancy’s The Division Franchise Bundle Tour de France 2020 Towaga: Among Shadows Train Sim World 2020: Deluxe Edition Tropico 5 – Complete Collection Tropico 6 TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2 Tumblestone Tyd wag vir Niemand Tyd wag vir Niemand – Deluxe Edition Ultimate Chicken Horse Ultrawings Underworld Ascendant Unholy Heights UNO UNO: Ultimate Edition UNRAILED! Unravel Yarny Bundle Unruly Heroes Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series Valkyria Chronicles Remastered + Valkyria Chronicles 4 Bundle Valley Vampyr Vasilis Verdun Vikings – Wolves of Midgard Virginia Virry VR: Feel the Wild Wands War of the Monsters Warlocks vs Shadows Warparty WARSAW Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut Watch Dogs 1 + Watch Dogs 2 Standard Editions Bundle Watch Dogs 2 Watch Dogs 2 – Deluxe Edition We Happy Few We Happy Few – Digital Deluxe Edition West of Dead West of Dead Path of the Crow DLC West of Dead Path of the Crow Edition Where Are My Friends? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Wolfenstein II: The Freedom Chronicles Season Pass Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot Woodle Tree 2: Deluxe+ Woodle Tree Adventures Deluxe World of Farming Bundle World to the West Worlds of Magic: Planar Conquest Worms Rumble – Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship Wreckfest PlayStation®5 Version WW1 Game Series Bundle WWE 2K20 XL Pack Yakuza 3 Remastered Yakuza 4 Remastered Yesterday Origins Yoga Master Yoga Master – Dreams Bundle Yoga Master – Dreams Fantasy Pack 1 YOGA MASTER – Magic Atmosphere Bundle YOGA MASTER – Magic Atmosphere Pack 1 YOGA MASTER – Meditation Studio YOGA MASTER – Meditation Studio Bundle YouTubers Life OMG Zombie Army Trilogy #Funtime 11-11: Memories Retold 7th Sector 7th Sector – Collector’s Edition 8-Bit Armies 8-Bit Armies – Deluxe Edition 8-Bit Hordes 8-Bit Hordes – Deluxe Edition 8-Bit Invaders! 8-Bit Invaders! – Deluxe Edition 8-Bit RTS Series – Complete Collection A Winter’s Daydream Accel World VS Sword Art Online Aces of the Luftwaffe Active Neurons – Puzzle Game Active Neurons 2 Active Neurons 3 – Wonders Of The World Adam’s Venture: Origins Adam’s Venture: Origins – Deluxe Edition AER: Memories of Old AereA AereA – Deluxe Edition AeternoBlade II Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders Air Conflicts: Pacific Carriers – PlayStation 4 Edition Air Hockey Aircraft Evolution Alienation Alteric Ancestors Legacy Anthem Antiquia Lost AO Tennis 2 Ashen Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Deluxe Edition Assassin’s Creed Origins Assault On Metaltron Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 Asterix & Obelix XXL 3: The Crystal Menhir Asterix & Obelix XXL: Romastered Atomicrops Attack of the Earthlings ATV Drift & Tricks Aven Colony Awesome Pea Awesome Pea 2 Bad North Bad North Portraits Pack Batman: Arkham Knight Batman: The Enemy Within – Season Pass Batman: The Telltale Series – Season Pass Battlefield 4 Big Crown: Showdown BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition Blacksad: Under the Skin BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle – Special Edition Bundle Blood Bowl 2 Blood Bowl 2: Legendary Edition Blood Waves Bonkies Bonkies – Bananas Bundle Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Bound Bowling Brain Beats Breeder: Homegrown – Director’s Cut Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Bucket Knight Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Duke Nukem Bundle BUTCHER Butcher – Special Edition Bundle Call of Cthulhu Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition Call of Duty: WWII – Gold Edition Cars 3: Driven to Win CarX Drift Racing Online CASE: Animatronics Cave Digger Chaos on Deponia Chess Chicken Police – Paint it RED! Chubby Pixel Mega Bundle Cinders Citadel: Forged with Fire Clouds & Sheep 2 Coaster Control Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!! Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2/3 Bundle!! Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! CounterSpy Crashbots Cruz Brothers – Combat School Edition Cubers: Arena Curious Expedition Dandara Darkwood Darkwood – Special Edition Darts Daymare: 1998 DCL – The Game Dead by Daylight: Special Edition PS4™ & PS5™ Dead Cells: The Fatal Seed Bundle Deep Ones Defunct Defunct – Deluxe Edition Deiland Deiland Special Pack Deleveled Deponia Deponia Doomsday Descenders Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Digital Deluxe Edition Dishonored 2 Disney Classic Games: ‘Aladdin’ and ‘The Lion King’ Doki-Doki Universe Doki-Doki Universe – Game Unlock Dollhouse Dollhouse – Deluxe Edition Don’t Knock Twice Drowning DUCATI – 90th Anniversary Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour Dungeons & Bombs Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 Dying Light: The Following – Enhanced Edition Dynamite Fishing: World Games Edahi & Dohai Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition El Hijo – A Wild West Tale End Space Energy Balance Energy Bundle (Energy Invasion, Energy Cycle, Energy Balance) Energy Cycle Energy Cycle Edge Energy Invasion Entwined Erica Escape from Life Inc Escape From Tethys Escape Game Fort Boyard Escape Plan Escape Plan Collection Esports Life Tycoon Euro Fishing: Ultimate Edition EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone Explosive Jake Fallout 4 Fallout 4 – Season Pass Far Cry 4 Far Cry 4 – Gold Edition Far Cry 4 & Far Cry Primal Bundle Far Cry New Dawn Far Cry New Dawn – Deluxe Edition Far Cry Primal Far Cry Primal – Apex Edition Fat Princess Adventures Felix The Reaper Fenix Furia Fight Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour – Deluxe Edition Five Dates Flashback Flower Flying Soldiers Flywrench FMV Murder Mystery Bundle Football, Tactics & Glory For Honor For Honor – Marching Fire Edition For Honor – Year 3 Pass Fort Boyard Frostpunk: Console Edition Fruit Ninja VR Garfield Kart: Furious Racing Genesis Alpha One God Eater 2 Rage Burst Goetia GoNNER GONNER 2 GONNER2 Lose Your Head Deluxe Bundle Grab the Bottle Gran Turismo Sport Spec II Grass Cutter: Mutated Lawns GraviFire Gun Club VR Guns, Gore and Cannoli Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 Guts and Glory Hard West: Ultimate Edition Headspun Hell Warders Hellfront: Honeymoon Hello Neighbor Hellpoint Here They Lie Hidden Through Time HITMAN – Game of the Year Edition HITMAN 3 Access Pass: HITMAN 1 GOTY Edition HITMAN 3 Access Pass: HITMAN 2 Expansion HITMAN 3 Access Pass: HITMAN 2 Standard Hohokum Homefront: The Revolution Homefront: The Revolution – Expansion Pass Hotline Miami Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Hue Hunting Simulator 2 Hyper Sentinel Hypnospace Outlaw I am Bread I, AI In rays of the Light Intruders: Hide and Seek Journey Jurassic World Evolution – Deluxe Edition Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth Killzone Shadow Fall Intercept – Standalone Game Kinetica Kingdom Come: Deliverance Kingdom Come: Deliverance – A Woman’s Lot Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Amorous Adventures Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Band of Bastards Kingdom Come: Deliverance – DLC Collection Kingdom Come: Deliverance – From the Ashes Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Treasures of the Past Kingdom Two Crowns Kingdom: New Lands King’s Quest – Chapter 2: Rubble Without a Cause King’s Quest – Chapter 3: Once Upon a Climb King’s Quest – Chapter 4: Snow Place Like Home King’s Quest – Chapter 5: The Good Knight King’s Quest: The Complete Collection Knack Knack 2 LA Cops Laws of Machine Layers of Fear 2 LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham – Premium Edition LEGO Marvel’s Avengers LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Season Pass LEGO The Hobbit Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition – OST Combo Life is Strange 2 – Complete Season Life is Strange 2 – Episode 2 Life is Strange 2 – Episode 3 Life is Strange 2 – Episode 4 Life is Strange 2 – Episode 5 Little Big Workshop Lock’s Quest Lonely Mountains: Downhill Lonely Mountains: Downhill – Eldfjall Island Lornsword Winter Chronicle Mad Games Tycoon Mad Tower Tycoon Maid of Sker Malicious Fallen Malicious Fallen: Digital Deluxe Edition Manual Samuel Marooners Mask of Mists Matterfall Mega Bundle – 2 Games + Avatars + Themes Mega Man Legacy Collection Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 Mega Man X Legacy Collection Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 Mega Party – A Tootuff Adventure Mekorama Memories of Mars Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience Metal Gear Survive Metropolis: Lux Obscura Mind Labyrinth VR Dreams Mind Labyrinth VR Dreams & Brain Beats Bundle Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Video Game 2 Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Video Game 2 – Special Edition Moonfall Ultimate Moonlighter Mortal Kombat X Mortal Shell Mosaic Mosaic – Deluxe Edition Content Mosaic 1% Edition Mother Russia Bleeds Moto Racer 4 – Deluxe Edition MotoGP 17 Move or Die Music Racer MX vs ATV All Out MXGP 2019 – The Official Motocross Videogame MXGP: The Official Motocross Videogame My Aunt is a Witch My Universe – Cooking Star Restaurant My Universe – Fashion Boutique My Universe – My Baby My Universe – Pet Clinic Cats & Dogs My Universe – School Teacher ‘n Verlore Verstand ‘n Verlore Verstand: Deluxe Edition Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 NASCAR Heat 5 Naught Need a Packet? NeverEnd Nidhogg Nidhogg 2 NO THING Norman’s Great Illusion NORTH Nowhere Prophet Offroad Racing – Buggy X ATV X Moto Okage: Shadow King One Eyed Kutkh Operencia: The Stolen Sun Othercide Outbreak: The New Nightmare Outlast Outlast 2 Outward Outward – The Soroboreans Overcooked! Overcooked! Gourmet Edition OVIVO Pantsu Hunter: Back to the 90s Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul Party Crashers Party Crashers and Party Golf Party Golf Party Trivia Pathologic 2 Pawarumi Payday 2: Crimewave Edition – The Big Score Bundle Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Season 2 Bundle Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Solo Pack Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens Pack Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: The Last Jedi Pinball FX3 – Star Wars Pinball: Unsung Heroes PLANET ALPHA Planet RIX-13 Police Chase – City Patrol: Police Potata: Fairy Flower Prison Architect – Total Lockdown Edition Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness Project Root Project Warlock Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 PS4 & PS5 Railway Empire Rainbow Six Siege – Deluxe Edition Ray’s The Dead RAZED ReadySet Heroes Realpolitiks – New Power Redeemer: Enhanced Edition Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs – Royal Edition Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs – Royal Edition OST Combo Relicta Resogun Reus Reus – Deluxe Edition Réussir : Code de la Route (French Highway Code) Ride 3 Rift Keeper Rise of the Kasai Roundguard Rush VR Ryu ga Gotoku 5 Save the Ninja Clan Schlag den Star – Das Spiel Seeds of Resilience Shadow Legend VR Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition Extra Content Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Game Unlock Shenmue III Shenmue III – Complete DLC Collection Shenmue III – Story Quest Pack Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter Shing! Shiny – A Robotic Adventure Shiny – A Robotic Adventure: Deluxe Edition Sigi – A Fart for Melusina Silence SIMULACRA Skelattack SKYHILL SkyTime Slender: The Arrival Slide Stars Sound Shapes Sound Shapes Ultimate Bundle South Park: The Fractured but Whole South Park: The Fractured but Whole – Gold Edition South Park: The Stick of Truth Space Hulk Bundle Space Otter Charlie Sparkle 4 Tales Speed 3: Grand Prix Spike Volleyball Spiral Splatter Spitlings Star Wars Battlefront II Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition Upgrade Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Star Wars Pinball Season 1 Bundle Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter Star Wars: Racer Revenge STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer STAR WARS™: Squadrons State of Anarchy: Master of Mayhem State of Mind Steam Tactics Steep Stellaris: Console Edition STELLATUM Street Power Football Subject 13 Sudden Strike 4 Suicide Guy Suicide Guy Bundle Suicide Guy: Sleepin’ Deeply Summer in Mara Super Pixel Racers Super Star Wars Super Street: The Game SUPERLIMINAL Surgeon Simulator A&E + I Am Bread Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition Surgeon Simulator: Experience Reality Switch ‘N’ Shoot Swordbreaker The Game Syberia 3 Tannenberg Telltale Batman Shadows Edition Teslagrad The Adventures of 00 Dilly The Bluecoats: North & South The Bradwell Conspiracy The Bridge The Catch: Carp & Coarse – Deluxe Edition The Childs Sight The Complex The Crew 2 The Crew 2 – Gold Edition The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav The Dark Eye: Memoria The Escapists The Escapists 2: Game of the Year Edition The Escapists DLC Bundle The Escapists: The Walking Dead The Flame in the Flood: Complete Edition The Jackbox Party Pack 4 The Jackbox Party Pack 5 The Jackbox Party Pack 6 The Jak and Daxter Collection The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame The LEGO Movie Videogame The Little Acre The Long Journey Home The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game Definitive Edition The Mark of Kri The Mooseman The Sims 4 The Suicide of Rachel Foster The Survivalists The Survivalists – Monkey Business Pack The Tower of Beatrice The Unfinished Swan The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Season Pass The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Expansion Pass The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Hearts of Stone Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales Ticket to Ride Timber Tennis: Versus Timberman VS Time Carnage Timothy vs the Aliens Tiny Hands Adventure Toki Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 – Standard Edition Tour de France 2020 Towaga: Among Shadows Train Sim World 2020: Deluxe Edition Tropico 5 – Complete Collection Tropico 6 TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2 Tumblestone Tyd wag vir Niemand Tyd wag vir Niemand – Deluxe Edition Ultimate Chicken Horse Ultrawings Underworld Ascendant UNO UNO: Ultimate Edition UNRAILED! Unravel Yarny Bundle Unruly Heroes Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series Valkyria Chronicles Remastered + Valkyria Chronicles 4 Bundle Valley Vampyr Vasilis Verdun Vikings – Wolves of Midgard Virginia Virry VR: Feel the Wild Wands War of the Monsters Warlocks vs Shadows Warparty WARSAW Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut Watch Dogs 2 Watch Dogs 2 – Deluxe Edition We Happy Few We Happy Few – Digital Deluxe Edition Wer weiß denn sowas? – Das Spiel Wer Weiß Denn Sowas? – Das Spiel 2 West of Dead West of Dead Path of the Crow DLC West of Dead Path of the Crow Edition Where Are My Friends? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Wolfenstein II: The Freedom Chronicles Season Pass Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot Woodle Tree 2: Deluxe+ Woodle Tree Adventures Deluxe World to the West Worlds of Magic: Planar Conquest Worms Rumble – Digital Deluxe Edition PS4 & PS5 WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship: Deluxe Edition Wuppo WW1 Game Series Bundle WWE 2K20 XL Pack Yakuza 3 Remastered Yakuza 4 Remastered Yesterday Origins Yoga Master Yoga Master – Dreams Bundle Yoga Master – Dreams Fantasy Pack 1 YOGA MASTER – Magic Atmosphere Bundle YOGA MASTER – Magic Atmosphere Pack 1 YOGA MASTER – Meditation Studio YOGA MASTER – Meditation Studio Bundle YouTubers Life OMG Zombie Army Trilogy http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/WfGIAcm61icView the full article

Citizens of Appalachia, get excited: A new major update for Fallout 76 is here! The Locked & Loaded Update brings not just a new Season of unlockable content to the game, but also several eagerly anticipated features fans are sure to enjoy right out the gate. To help us dive deeper into Locked & Loaded, Bethesda Game Studios Design Director Mark Tucker took the time to share his thoughts on all the exciting content now available to players, starting with an all-new Fallout 76 Season. “For Season 4, Armor Ace will make his second appearance in the new Cold Steel game board,” says Tucker. “In Cold Steel, Armor Ace teams up with his other Power Patrol teammates, Ice Breaker and Oneshot, to take on the Yukon Five – led by Commander Chaos.” As with past Seasons, players can look forward to unlocking all kinds of new content as they progress through the game board, including outfits, Power Armor skins, weapon skins, workshop items (including a new Collectron) on top of an assortment of consumable rewards such as Perk Card Packs, Scrap Kits, Gold Bullion and more. “My personal favorites from the upcoming Season are the Commander Chaos Power Armor skin and the Breath of Death flamethrower skin,” reveals Tucker. “The Commander Chaos skin might be one of the most unique and cool looking skins we’ve ever put in the game – and that’s saying something because we have some amazing and unique Power Armor skins in the game! The Breath of Death skin is going to put me on the hunt for a good Legendary Flamethrower to apply this skin to, because it is sick.” Sounds like we’ll need space to show off all those goodies – thankfully, Locked & Loaded is giving all players an extra C.A.M.P. slot to help expand their territory in Appalachia! With that extra slot, avid builders can set up a new base of operations, hangout den, home away from home or whatever else they can imagine, separate from their original C.A.M.P. “No one needs to worry about how they get an extra slot. Everyone will get an additional C.A.M.P. slot when the Update goes live, for a total of two C.A.M.P.s!” says Tucker. “We’re also focused on addressing a lot of the feedback and suggestions from our players on [C.A.M.P.s and Shelters]. We hope to reveal more in future updates, so to anyone who likes to build stuff in our game: please stay tuned.” Another fan-requested feature coming in the Locked & Loaded Update is S.P.E.C.I.A.L. loadouts. With S.P.E.C.I.A.L. loadouts, player can save their preferred Perks and S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat allocations, making it easier than ever to have the right character for the job as you enjoy Fallout 76’s wide range of activities and challenges. “Players have been asking for this feature pretty much since launch, so it’s something we have wanted to get into the game since then,” says Tucker. “That said, we wanted to make sure we did it right and gave players something we thought they would really appreciate.” “Initially, we looked at making just Perk loadouts but the more we played with that design, the more we realized it fell short on providing players with the ability to truly change builds. So, we expanded the design to also allow players to not only change their Perks, but also their S.P.E.C.I.A.L points – this allows players to not only change the things they are good at (Perks), but also the ‘DNA’ of who their character is (S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats), which directly influences what they are good at. I also like knowing I can easily try out different builds whenever I get a good roll on new Legendary loot and not have to delete my “standard” build, and I can experiment with different S.P.E.C.I.A.L. and Perk builds without losing the one I am currently having fun with.” Does the mission at hand call for fleet-footed stealth character? An especially hardy build with high Endurance? As much weapons proficiency as possible? On top of offering players more choice on how they play, loadouts are an especially useful tool for tackling challenges like Fallout 76’s Daily Ops missions. Speaking of Daily Ops, the Locked & Loaded Update brings a host of new locations and mutators to the Daily Ops rotation. Players can now encounter Vault 96, The Watoga Raider Arena and West Tek Research Center as they try their hand at Fallout 76’s recurring encounters. “Each location has not only a unique look and feel, but also really changes the gameplay experience,” explains Tucker. “West Tek is a bit more maze-like with short sight lines and tight combat spaces, whereas the Watoga Raider Arena has much longer sight lines and more open combat spaces with lots of verticality.” A new Daily Ops game mode, Decryption, also offers its own set of challenges, including hard-hitting enemies buffed with the armor-bypassing Savage Strike mutation. “Decryption encourages players to take out enemies before they can attack you,” explains Tucker. “Basically, it embraces sneak builds and stealthy play styles. If you are more of a ‘run and gun’-type player, you might find this mode a bit more challenging.” “Personally, I usually do pretty well in this mode with a teammate because I tend to play a sneak-rifle build. However, some enemy mutations like Resilient can make it far more challenging. When I see that one pop up, that motivates me to switch my build to be more melee-focused (which is pretty easy now thanks to S.P.E.C.I.A.L loadouts.)” Regarding mutations, the latest batch of enemy buffs force players to embrace fresh tactics on the fly, spicing up the combat during a Daily Op. Toxic Blood enemies, for example, leave behind poisonous hazards on death that can deal tons of damage to unaware players, especially in crucial chokepoints or objective areas. Meanwhile, Group Regeneration allows enemies in proximity with each other to heal at a very rapid rate and the Swift-Footed mutation greatly increases enemy movement speed, keeping players on their toes at all times. As for what’s next for Fallout 76, the team at Bethesda Game Studios is always looking ahead and welcomes community input, from new features to Daily Ops locales. “We have some ideas, but we aren’t ready to share them just yet. I encourage our players to continue offering up their suggestions on locations they would like to see added!” concludes Tucker. “Player feedback and input is an important factor that helps us with our decisions.” The Locked & Loaded Update is available tomorrow for all Fallout 76 players. There’s no better time to emerge from the Vault, so download Fallout 76 from the PlayStation Store and start your adventure today on PlayStation 4 systems (as well as PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility.) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/X_oHc0NuQAoView the full article

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is now less than two months away! Coming exclusively to the PlayStation 5 console on June 11, 2021, this brand-new full-length standalone Ratchet & Clank adventure will be a blast for returning fans and newcomers alike. We’ve been hard at work on the game, and we know you’ve been craving an update. Let’s start with a new trailer, shall we? Play Video Yes! We finally revealed her name… you guessed it! Right?! Rivet is a Lombax resistance fighter from another dimension, where organic life is hunted by the evil Emperor Nefarious. You saw brand-new locations like Nefarious City, and alternate-dimension twists on old favorites like Sargasso and Torren IV along with a sneak-peak at some new weapons and gameplay mechanics. The song we chose for the trailer has special meaning beyond just being a great, exciting track. It is from the (Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame nominated) band DEVO, a personal favorite of mine, but, some would say more importantly, the band that the incomparable Mark Mothersbaugh co-founded. I’m excited to announce that Mark is the Composer of the Rift Apart soundtrack! Beyond his work in DEVO, you’ve likely heard his compositions across the years whether it was in the original three Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter games, as well as animated series like Rugrats, and the blockbuster film: Thor Ragnarok. We are so thrilled to be collaborating with Mark and cannot wait for you to hear the incredible score he’s come up with. Here is an early listen! Many of you have been patiently waiting to see the five armor suits we’re including in the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game. These five looks for Ratchet and Rivet were designed and developed particularly for the Digital Deluxe Edition. Here’s a preview: The Imperial, Scavenger, Android, Rebel, and Hacker suits all give you some distinct cosmetic looks to play with and mix-and-match as you play and take photos in Ratchet & Clank’s first ever photo mode. Want to see more? We’re pleased to announce that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the focus of PlayStation’s next State of Play. And it’s just three days away. Tune in to the PlayStation Twitch and YouTube channels this Thursday, April 29 at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern to see more than 15 minutes of fresh gameplay. Still haven’t pre-ordered yet? No worries, you can check out all of the details here. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you on State of Play this Thursday. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/lHodfjsM0lEView the full article

Last week, we asked you zoom in a little closer to capture intense details using #PSShare #PSBlog. From portraits so close you can see their pores to textures on vehicles, here are this week’s highlights: Justinphotomode shared this zoomed in portrait of Kratos in God of War. Photoingame closes in on the eye of Jesse Faden in Control. Philt43_Yewone moved closer to capture this fast paced shot from Wipeout Omega Collection. Pj179 captured the gaze of Sam Bridges in Death Stranding. Yuric83 zoomed in on the Man…bat from Batman Arkham Knight. Sefwick zoomed in on the textured lights of this car from Gran Turismo Sport. Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Days Gone – Second Anniversary SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on April 28 Next week, Days Gone celebrates its second birthday! To celebrate two years riding alongside Deacon, share your best shots using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Want to share more of your epic photo mode moments? U.S. players can enter the Red Bull Capture Point competition* for the chance to win some thrilling prizes. See full details at redbull.com/capturepoint. *Red Bull Capture Point Official Contest Rules: THIS IS A SKILL CONTEST. MUST HAVE ACCESS TO PS4/5 CONSOLE, PLAYSTATION™NETWORK, TWITTER® ACCOUNT, AND THE PARTICIPATING GAME(S). Starts February 1, 2021, ends May 21, 2021. Open to legal US residents, 18+. To enter, capture in-game image and share on Twitter with #RedBullCapturePoint and #contest. All entries must be submitted by May 2, 2021. Limit: 18 entries per person. For prize categories, judging information, restrictions, and Official Rules: redbull.com/capturepoint. Sponsor: Red Bull North America, Inc., 1740 Stewart St., Santa Monica, CA 90404. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/ZUGjg1ViOHgView the full article

My name is Tsuyoshi Kanda, Producer on Resident Evil Village. At this point, I hope many of you have had the chance to experience the village area of Resident Evil Village through the Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo. For those of you who missed out on the early access period last weekend, you have nothing to worry about. It’ll be available to try out again on May 1 as well. At that time, both the village and the castle sections of the game will be available to play for a full hour, so you’ll have more time to venture into the village if that’s the brand of horror you’re looking for. Get ready by pre-downloading the Gameplay Demo on PS5 and PS4. Play Video A Haunting Collaboration To set the mood for tomorrow’s demo, watch the new remixed trailer above to refamiliarize yourself with the known story beats of Resident Evil Village. The goal for this trailer is to present Ethan Winter’s tale in a psychological and thought-provoking style. Of course the music track had to perfectly capture the strong emotional pull of Ethan to his daughter Rose. The song “Vanish” from Grammy-nominated artist Giveon fit seamlessly. Giveon’s music and lyrics immediately evoke the game’s themes of loss and loneliness, from the moment you hear the haunting bells at the beginning of the trailer. Welcome to Castle Dimitrescu If you’re looking to step into the halls of Castle Dimitrescu, you’re in for a treat this weekend. PlayStation players will get early access to the terrifying yet beautiful inner workings of the castle, the stronghold of the illustrious Alcina Dimitrescu and her bloodthirsty daughters. It’s not available to play just yet, but you can go to the PlayStation Store to pre-download the Resident Evil Village Gameplay Demo in anticipation. To clear up any confusion, you just have to download that one demo. Everything will be automatically available to play through the Gameplay Demo during the designated times. When you first step into the castle, you may immediately feel the contrast between the decrepit village of the first early access experience to its regal interior. One of the major motifs of this area, and the game in general, was creating environments filled with beauty. When players aren’t running for their lives, we wanted to create a setting that they could enjoy by venturing through and slowly taking in all the sights and scenes. Of course, every picture of beauty hides a face of terror. Players may also find themselves beneath the splendor in an underground prison, tiptoeing past cold cellar bars that offer a sharp juxtaposition to the warmth found up above. In Resident Evil 7 biohazard, our main focus was creating something claustrophobic with a lot of depth. With Resident Evil Village, we wanted to use what we learned as a foundation to build upon and create something expansive with more variety. The juxtaposition within Castle Dimitrescu, between the well-lit halls of the upper floors and the cold dark chambers down below, is just a small example of the different kinds of environment Ethan Winters will find himself in as he desperately searches for his daughter Rose. Not only will he find himself in a wider variety of environments this time around, but he’ll also have a bigger arsenal of weaponry at his disposal as well. It’s all up to you to strategize and figure out what works best in every new environment and situation that you find yourself in. A World of Immersive Horror For those of you who have the pleasure of trying out our game on PS5, I’d also like to draw attention to some additional features. On PS5, you’ll have an extra level of immersion as you walk through the environments with 3D audio surrounding them, high-fidelity graphics using ray tracing, and adaptive triggers to help you feel the extra weight of the weapons as well. PlayStation 4 players will feel the same thrill as they journey through the village. We’ve worked hard to make sure that the next evolution in survival horror is just as terrifying and immersive on PS4 as it is on PS5. No matter which platform you’re playing on, the world of survival horror and the doors to Castle Dimitrescu are right around the corner this weekend on April 24 at 5:00PM PT and April 25 at 6:00PM BST. I know it will whet your appetite for Resident Evil Village, coming to both PS5 and PS4 on May 7, 2021. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/6hVwYL0T-t0View the full article

Verdansk as you’ve come to know it is gone. A nuclear blast has wiped out a zombie outbreak that recently corrupted the land. In its cleansing wake, Activision has rewound Verdansk back to its 1984 version to explore how the Cold War events affected that city. Warzone Season Three rises from these ashes, and with it comes a host of exciting map updates, including reimagined retro interpretations of iconic locations. The throwback blast of Warzone is just one piece of the Season 3 picture. New Operator Wraith joins the fight – a stone-cold killer featured in the narrative cinematics around the destruction of Mt. Yamantau. Yamantau is a new snowy Multiplayer map that takes place in and around buildings after a devastating avalanche, Sticks and Stones mode returns for a more laid-back MP experience, and will challenge your tomahawk-throwing precision. Diesel is a new 2v2 Gunfight map that doubles as a tight-quarters 6v6 map. The Strafe Run scorestreak rakes the battlefield with airplane machine gun fire. That’s just a sample. Play Video Welcome to Verdansk ‘84 Every building, surface, and object on the Warzone map has been revisited and retouched to create a fresh Warzone environment. For starters, It’s now springtime in Verdansk. Cherry blossoms line the streets, and vivid green flora makes the map a newly vibrant destination. Seven existing locations return with new points of interest, including the Airport which was destroyed in modern-day Verdansk. In Verdansk ‘84, the Airport is fully furnished, sun shines through intact windows, and has an entirely different mood than before. The Airport control tower still stands tall in the location, creating a power position for players who want to control the area. However, the new layout of the airport allows players additional cover to counter-snipe anyone camped out in the tower. The Verdansk Stadium is still under construction in 1984, complete with a crane towering over the location. The dome, previously blasted open, is completely absent in 1984, creating an open-air battleground. We had a chance to chat about three of the most high-profile Verdansk map changes with Miles Leslie, Creative Specialist at Treyarch, and Amos Hodge, Associate Creative Director at Raven Software. Read on to learn about what these locations were like previously, how they’ve been updated in Verdansk ‘84, and tips for success. (Northwest on map) Gora Summit What it was Amos Hodge: “…the biggest change is that before it was the Dam. It was a solid wall. A lot of times you’d try to get up there and you just couldn’t because solid walls are hard to traverse. You could go inside, but it was a little bit maze-y, a little bit dark. So it was really hard to transition up to the top [of the Dam].” What it is now Amos Hodge: “Now there’s a truck path [up Gora Summit]. It’s kind of steep, but you can run up it, you can drive a truck up it. We also have what I think is the coolest part: the cable cars that go from summit down to buildings below to provide a little cover.” Tips for success Amos Hodge: “[Gora] Summit is really great for its lines of sight and sniping. If you get to Summit and climb on the roofs, you can snipe. There are the gondolas that go up and down and you can get people who aren’t paying attention, getting on and off the gondolas.” (Slightly west of map center) Airplane Factory What it was Amos Hodge: “Airplane Factory was one of those in-between locations. There were these big, rusted cylinders that stood straight up. There were some ladders. There were six of these structures. This area was kind of an intermediary location. It was just enough to pass through, but wasn’t really a destination.” What it is now Amos Hodge: “Now it’s a full destination. There are interiors where people are actually assembling the planes.” Tips for success Miles Leslie: “I like driving a truck around the outside just to get people really excited and come out from the inside, thinking they’re going to kill me. And then I’m just driving around in a cargo truck. And it’s doomsday for them.” (Northeast on map) Radar Array What it was Amos Hodge: “There really wasn’t much there before! This is one of the most interesting new locations because you see it from anywhere in the map.” What it is now Miles Leslie: “For some of the fans that remember back to the original Black Ops, we had a map called Grid, and it was based right next to the Dugo. This also made an appearance in the Black Ops Cold War campaign as well, so there’s some deep connection and a lot of tie ins to the Black Ops world, overall. It was also a real thing used during the Cold War, so now that we’re going back in time to ‘84, it just made sense. On top of that, it’s just really fun to play. Radar Array is deceiving – you immediately want to land on it, but there’s a sense of mastery that comes with how you use it, how you run on it, and how you play around it. I think that’s what players are going to enjoy.” Tips for success Amos Hodge: “On Radar Array I love carrying a launcher secondary [weapon] and taking down helicopters. It’s the perfect vantage point. You can see so many helicopters up there and can lock on with your launcher at a pretty long distance. So it’s a great place to clear out the helicopters. You can also get up there and [destroy] vehicles down on the ground.” Miles Leslie: “You want epic moments? Try jumping off [Radar Array], parachuting, and wiping people out. There you go, it’s fantastic.” Season 3 of Call of Duty Warzone and Black Ops Cold War is live now, and ready to transport you to Verdansk ‘84. Be sure to jump into Black Ops Cold War and dig into all the updates for Zombies and Multiplayer as well. More is on the way from the teams at Treyarch and Raven Software, but for now jump in and get to work learning the exciting new map so you can fight your way to victory. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/hD4x75LMTTYView the full article

There’s a moment that happens almost every day in our multiplayer playtests – where someone jolts out of their seat, laughs, and says to no one in particular, “Did you just see that happen?” These amazing and unpredictable moments in gaming are the sparks that occur when playing with others; future memories ready to be replayed and retold. We started Firewalk Studios in 2018 with this kind of spark at the heart of our games. It’s why I used to stay up until 2 AM playing Phantasy Star Online night after night with the same group from Server 9. Or how the neighbors who showed up at my NYC apartment to complain about the noise, ended up jamming with us in Rock Band instead. For others on our team, it was spending nights with their crew searching and finding the perfect last armor set piece in Diablo II, making the online qualifiers in competitive Halo tournaments, or skipping studying for a math final to play in a Left 4 Dead 2 LAN party. As a next-generation AAA studio and part of the ProbablyMonsters family, we’ve carefully assembled an amazing and diverse team of best-in-class talent who are focused on creating these moments. Everyone here brings a deep passion for games and the art of making them. We have a saying at Firewalk: build a great team, build a great game. One leads directly to the other. The ProbablyMonsters’ world-class operations teams and infrastructure has allowed us to focus on doing both better: fostering a sustainable development culture where people come first and delivering great games. Our collective leadership team is no stranger to building memorable multiplayer experiences. Ryan Ellis, our Game Director, was a Creative Director on Destiny. Elena Siegman, our Executive Producer, was a producer on Guitar Hero II, Bioshock Infinite, and multiple Destiny releases. Our deeply talented team has helped bring to life franchises like Mass Effect and Apex Legends. Combined with my own experience (and, er, thousands of hours played) on Call of Duty and Destiny, we’ve had the opportunity to deliver some of the decade’s biggest experiences to gamers – and we’ve loved it. Today, we’re thrilled to announce a partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment for our new, original multiplayer game. For our team, the opportunity to create new worlds and inspire more amazing moments for players around the world is the fire and ambition that keeps us going. The PlayStation team has a deep love and respect for the medium of games, and some of the best expertise and capabilities in the world to help make big ambitions a reality. We’re already hard at work on development and have been having a ton of fun playing our game as a team. In fact, while we continued to grow our team during this challenging last year, it was our daily online playtests that provided the most consistent point of joy and connection for our crew. The fun and laughter of playing together brought us closer, even if we were physically apart. Our goal is to be able to deliver that same joy to gamers and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on when the time is right. We’re very fortunate to love what we do – making games. There’s more game-making in front of us, but in the meantime, we’ll keep playing the incredible games this industry creates and generating a few more sparks of our own. See you out there. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/RzOFewcDpPkView the full article

Hello PlayStation fans! Since launching our free editing app Share Factory Studio for PS5 with the console’s launch, we’ve been hard at work to continue to enhance the on-console editing experience – so players can creatively bring to life and share their epic gameplay moments. We are pleased to announce some new updates we’ve made to Share Factory for PS5, which will be available starting today. Play Video First up is a feature our community has asked for – an increase in the number of clips for your tracks. Below is the new clip count you can expect to see for your Share Factory Studio projects: Track 1 clips increased from 50 to 100 Track 1 transitions increased from 49 to 99 Music tracks increased from 12 to 24 Track 2 clips increased from 10 to 20 We’ve also improved the overall editing experience – here’s a roundup of updates launching today for Share Factory Studio on PS5: A fresh new look for Track 2 with tapestry now available as well as added support for Layouts and Frames. Support for HDR screenshots. Improved track visualization with Track 1 and Track 2 now featuring icons indicating if your clip is in HD, 4K and/or HDR. Improved Clip and Screenshot Management and integration with the Media Gallery, allowing you to sort your videos and screenshots by Favorites that you have marked. These new updates will enhance the current features already available on the Share Factory Studio app for PS5 – for example, you can now create videos up to 4K resolution at 60fps with HDR support. such as 4K/HDR 60fps support for video clips high-quality Creator Packs, music tracks, transitions and stickers, as well as the support of Sound FX. It has been seven years since we first introduced SHAREfactory for PS4 in April 2014, and we are so pleased to see the engagement and support from the PlayStation community for this feature. The idea for SHAREfactory came together when we first learned about the video recording feature that was launching on PS4, as well as the industry-first innovative Share button on the DualShock 4 wireless controller. Many of our team members have had previous experiences in game development, and a few of us also had experience with video editing and multimedia design. As gamers ourselves, we believed the PlayStation community would have fun creating personalized videos to share with their friends, so we thought it would be pretty neat if we could create a video editing app that players could use right from their PS4. Once the idea was formed, it wasn’t too long after that SHAREfactory was born, and we have been blown away by the creativity and how players were using the app ever since. Since then, we’ve listened to the PlayStation community’s feedback and incorporated ongoing improvements and enhancements to SHAREfactory over the years to make the editing experience a smooth one for gamers. We hope you enjoy the new updates for Share Factory Studio on PS5 and we look forward to seeing even more creative gameplay moments from the community. Happy editing! http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PSBlog/~4/H_Z_Je2GibAView the full article