Commander Fury

Calling all “Chosen Ones!” You’ve been granted first access to Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online. The game is available tomorrow on PS4! With nine classes to choose from, it can be challenging to pick one. Check out tour new player’s guide to help you choose your class and dive straight into the world of Alsgard! What is 4 Goddesses Online? 4 Goddesses Online is an MMORPG game within the game Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online! So what does that mean exactly? You’re playing as characters playing an MMORPG. Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online isn’t an MMORPG, but it’s a hack ‘n’ slash action RPG with gameplay elements like job classes and a chat system. There’s even a multiplayer mode that allows you to team up with other players in your region if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription. Nine Character Classes The world of Alsgard was created by The Four Goddesses. They have defended Alsgard from the Demon King Jester, and since that infamous battle, one thousand years of peace have passed. But an ancient evil threatens to rise again… Choose a character, each with her own unique job class, and fight to save Alsgard! Goddess Combat Type: Tank, Damage Available Weapons: Swords, Axe, Lance, Rapier Not only do they look Goddess-tier, they are Goddess-tier when it comes to beating baddies left and right. They lack support skills, but this all-rounder class makes up for it with offensive power and a strong defense. The greatest of Chosen Ones may someday call upon the Goddesses’ power… Paladin Played by: Neptune Combat Type: Tank, Support Available Weapon: Sword Melee attacks and magic are the Paladin’s middle name! Because of their healing abilities, this is a well-balanced class for starting players or for those who fight to defend others. This is a class descended from the ancient knights who fought alongside the Goddesses themselves. If you wish to pursue the Paladin class, prepare to use your own life as a shield! Black Knight Played by: Noire Combat Type: Damage Available Weapon: Spear Clad in jet-black armor, these fearsome Black Knights charge headfirst into battle to strike the enemy first! Great for close-combat, they can deal damage quickly and with ease. Black Knights are a class of warriors who lost their loved ones in the war against the Demon King Jester. To become a Black Knight, you must channel the hatred held in your heart into your blade! Priest Played by: Blanc Combat Type: Support, Ranged Magic Available Weapon: Staff Priests are vital to any adventuring party. They provide unending support from the rear and must balance dodging enemy attacks and healing their party. If you are drawn to the call of priesthood, steel yourself against all evils and you will become the light that saves your allies! Enchanter Played by: Vert Combat Type: Elemental, Healer Available Weapon: Rapier Enchanters bend the power of nature to their will to buff up their party or heal their allies. As divinators of both magic and healing, they’re an incredible asset to any party. They’re the only class able to imbue the party’s weapons with elemental abilities. Those enchanted by the Enchanter class can look forward to juggling quick, close-combat swordplay and long-range support! Mage Combat Type: Ranged Magic Available Weapon: Staff Mages wield powerful magic to exploit enemies’ elemental weaknesses and gain the upper hand. Long-range offensive skills are a mage’s expertise — use it to annihilate enemies! Simple magic existed in Alsgard until the monster witch Merlin developed magic to its highest potential. Now, spellcasters wield this dangerous magic to their advantage! Thief Combat Type: Ranged DPS Available Weapons: Pistols Quick to the draw with their pistols, thieves scurry about on the battlefield and catch enemies off guard. High speed and long-range attacks make them great damage-dealers. Hailing from the Thieves Guild, thieves are only interested in firearms, treasure hunting, and finishing their enemies off quickly! Samurai Combat Type: Tank, Damage Available Weapon: Katana The swing of a samurai’s katana is beautiful to witness and impossible to predict. A samurai’s offense and defense is controlled with calculated and swift swordplay, making them a perfect tank. Samurai are descended from knights who learned to wield the katana. Master the ancient art of the katana and you can carve out your own fate! Ninja Combat Type: Damage Available Weapons: Ninjutsu Lurking in the shadows, Ninjas are swift assassins who can deal multiple attacks with a quick sleight of hand. With their arsenal of attacks, they are best suited for mid-range combat. Ninjutsu was passed down from the Beast clan whose descendants were scattered after the war. Should you wish to enlist in the Ninja Guild, you must control your spirit to unlock your body’s special abilities! Party System Acting as party leader, you can have up to three other AI-controlled members in your party. However, you can switch the lead character whenever you want in a dungeon to try out different classes and skills! As the party leader, you’ll be able to instruct your party members’ AI with different Tactics. Tactics like “We’ll Nep them up!” are particularly useful when you’re adventuring through a lower-leveled dungeon, for example. Skills Characters learn Skills as they level up, and these Skills differ according to her class. Set skills to an action button in the menu, and then you’ll be able to unleash them during battle! You also have an Awakening Gauge, which fills up when you attack or take damage. Once the bar is full, you can activate your Awakening State and unleash a massive amount of damage with your Skills! Customization There’s even a customization mode, so you can dress your party up! With the ability to equip up to five different accessories and attach them to various body parts, each party member can rock her own style! Conclusion Even though it’s not actually an MMORPG, there’s an online multiplayer mode so that you can complete special quests with friends. These quests challenge giant boss battles and more, so choose your class wisely for a balanced party! Which class are you most interested in playing? You can get Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online Day 1 Edition on launch day for early access to the following: Four (4) PS4 system themes — Decorate your home screen with the Goddesses Advent Theme, Pixel Theme, Chosen CPUs Theme, or Chosen CPU Candidates Theme! Twelve (12) PSN avatars — Nep up your PSN profile with your favorite Goddess! Choose from 12 different avatars of the CPUs or CPU Candidates. This content will be available for all to purchase after October 24. The free Neptune Special Theme and free Catsuit DLC will be available to download from the PSN store on the day of release. View the full article

The Dark Lord of the Sith is coming to PS4. Gleaming helm, sweeping cape, glowing red lightsaber: Darth Vader’s imposing presence is so purely menacing that few dare stand before him. In Star Wars Battlefront II, you will wield the full arsenal of Lord Vader’s vast powers against the enemies of order. Anger fuels the dark side of the Force, and Vader’s rage is nearly boundless. By drawing from his potent fury, Vader can periodically increase both his durability and his damage output, becoming stronger as a battle unfolds. Vader is always dangerous, but when he calls upon his anger, he is nearly unstoppable. Vader can also attack at range with his lightsaber with a powerful throw, sending the red blade of energy scything through enemy ranks and then returning it to his hand. This allows him to make potent strikes at a distance. And of course, Darth Vader wields his iconic Force choke, punishing his enemies with a telekinetic attack that lifts them off the ground as it weakens them. The crushing grip of the Sith Lord holds victims in the air, then drops his enemies at a place of his choosing (like a nearby cliff). Players can also customize Vader’s abilities with Star Cards to suit their play style. Regardless of the configuration you choose, you’ll be delighted by Darth Vader’s ability to effortlessly cut down opponents within reach of his lightsaber, and impressed with his durability. Darth Vader is just one of many heroes and villains you’ll be playing in Star Wars Battlefront II when it arrives everywhere November 17. View the full article

The Gravewalker returns to continue the war with Sauron and his dark forces. Rally behind the Bright Lord’s banners and press the attack in Middle-earth: Shadow of War, which launches October 10 on PS4. Set after the events of its predecessor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War once again follows the skilled warrior Talion and the fearsome wraith Celebrimbor. Stalk the fortresses of Mordor, hone Talion’s skills, and build an army of loyal soldiers to wage war within a refined Nemesis system. Nearly every aspect of the original game has been expanded in Shadow of War for a deeper, more spectacular quest of vengence. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation, read on. And enjoy The Drop! New Releases: Week of October 10, 2017 Alteric PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Out 10/11) Jump through boiling lava, run from perilous traps and saw blades, glide and climb through catacombs, fall into the abyss, and overcome gravity. And don’t forget to switch to a parallel dimension in time, because it’s Alteric! Always Sometimes Monsters PS4 — Digital Out of money and out of luck, you find yourself heartbroken and on the verge of collapse. Your landlord’s taken the key back, you can’t finish your manuscript, and your beloved is marrying someone else. With no choice but to handle whatever life throws at you, you set out on the open road on a mission to win back the love of your life. Bad Apple Wars PS Vita — Digital, Retail (Out 10/13) After a sudden car accident on her first day of school, the protagonist finds herself in the afterlife, standing before a strange school for lost souls. The confounded protagonist attends the school’s opening ceremony. Then, chaos strikes… Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online PS4 — Retail Stock up on your Net bull, because Vert’s inviting you on a dungeon raid! In this hack ‘n’ slash adventure everyone’s favorite four Goddesses enter an online fantasy game world inspired by… themselves! Echo PS4 — Digital After a century in stasis the girl En arrives at her destination: a palace out of legend, a marvel of the old civilization eons gone, still awaiting its first human occupants. Out here, using forgotten technologies, she hopes to bring back a life that shouldn’t have been lost. The Evil Within 2 PS4 — Digital (Out 10/13) Detective Sebastian Castellanos has lost everything, including his daughter, Lily. To save her, he must descend into the nightmarish world of STEM. Horrifying threats emerge from every corner, and he must rely on his wits to survive. Fort Defense PS4 — Digital All hands on deck! Pirate armada dead ahead! Take part in an uncompromising struggle repelling freebooters’ assaults. Friday the 13th: The Game PS4 — Retail (Out 10/13) From the most storied franchise in slasher history comes Friday the 13th: The Game, a love-letter to a date synonymous with horror. Players will get to live out the movies as they take on the role of Jason Voorhees for the very first time in gaming history! The Invisible Hours PS VR — Digital The Invisible Hours is a complex murder mystery in VR, in which players freely explore an intricate web of interwoven stories within a sprawling mansion. Middle-earth: Shadow of War PS4 — Digital, Retail Immerse yourself in the epic war for Middle-earth as you confront the Dark Lord Sauron and his Ringwraiths. Forge a Ring of Power to dominate your enemies and command your followers as you experience a unique, personal story brought to life by the award-winning Nemesis System. Miko Gakkou Monogatari: Kaede Episode PS4 — Digital (Out 10/11) In a world where humans and youkai coexist, uppity second year shrine maiden student Kaede Yamabuki finds herself in a pinch as the winter recess starts. A pair of strange glasses found in the woods leads her to her toughest challenge yet: falling in love. Radial-G: Racing Revolved PS VR — Digital Climb into the cockpit of a futuristic race craft and tear up the anti-gravity track. Offering single and multiplayer action, Radial-G delivers full immersion combat racing featuring gut-wrenching twists and jumps. Raid: World War II PS4 — Digital, Retail Raid: World War II is an action-packed, tactical four player cooperative shooter set during World War II. Raiden V: Director’s Cut PS4 — Digital, Retail Arcade hit Raiden first left its mark on the shooting genre 25 years ago. The easy to learn, hard to master series comes to PS4 in its most modern and advanced form yet! Raw Data VR PS VR — Digital Built from the ground up for VR, Raw Data’s action combat gameplay, intuitive controls, challenging enemies, and sci-fi atmosphere will completely immerse you within the surreal environments of Eden Corp. Revolve PS4 — Digital Revolve is a physics-based action platformer. You have no direct control and need to use boosts, gravity, and momentum to escape a dystopian world. Semispheres PS Vita — Digital Semispheres is a meditative parallel puzzle game. Its unique single-player, split-screen mechanic challenges your brain by putting you in control of two characters at the same time. Son of Scoregasm PS Vita — Digital (Out 10/11) Only you can destroy the evil space baddies and rescue the King of the Earth’s beloved biscuit tin! Blast your way through 28 varied levels full of enemies, traps, lasers, and explosions. Squareboy vs. Bullies: Arena Edition PS Vita — Digital Squareboy vs Bullies is an old school beat ’em up by Rohan Narang that follows the titular Squareboy and his quest for Justice! Stereo Aereo PS4 — Digital Stereo Aereo is an action rhythm space arcade shooter that is inspired by the pop-culture influences of the 80’s. Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle PS4, PS Vita — Digital (PS4 at Retail) Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle is a bullet-hell battle game that takes place in the Touhou universe. Take control of one of nine Touhou characters and eliminate your opponent using bullet-hell patterns, melee attacks, or spell cards! White Noise 2 PS4 — Digital (Out 10/13) Be a part of the investigator team, or take control of the creature and devour them! White Noise 2 offers a four-on-one asymmetric horror experience that won’t leave anyone unmoved. Blade Runner 2049 – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Liam Gallagher – As You Were Belly – Mumble Rap War for the Planet of the Apes (plus bonus features) The Emoji Movie Batman vs. Two-Face The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

We’re bringing back our in-store demo program for PlayStation VR. Starting today through the holiday season, experience the magic of virtual reality first hand. Our portfolio of PS VR games has grown significantly to more than a 100 games as of September 2017, and we wanted you to get a chance to try out the latest content first-hand. Play PS VR at more than 200 Best Buy and GameStop locations across the US. Click here to find out demo locations, dates, and times. We’re going to kick off this program with demos of Gran Turismo Sport, Final Fantasy XV: Monster of the Deep, Superhot VR, Dino Frontier, Raw Data, and Voltron. More game demos will be added and continue through the end of this year, so keep an eye out for any updates here on PlayStation.Blog. And for Canadians, the mall tour and in-store demos that have been running the past couple months will also continue through the holiday season. Our lineup of PS VR games continues to grow with even more amazing experiences that showcase the magic of this new medium. Let us know which PS VR titles you’re looking forward to playing this year! View the full article

Welcome back! We’ve got some fresh, pipin’ hot charts for ya — the US PlayStation Store top downloads for September 2017, specifically. Looks like Destiny 2 was a popular choice for PS4 players in September, with a triple-attack of new sports titles (NBA 2K18, FIFA 18, Madden NFL 18) just behind it. The surprise announcement and immediate availability of Final Fantasy IX on PS4 helped it round out the top 5. CCP’s Sparc made a strong debut at #2 on the PS VR charts, but it wasn’t quite enough to dethrone the super-cool Superhot VR. Finally, Undertale fans are determined to keep Toby Fox’s quirky RPG masterpiece at the top of the PS Vita chart, and they did so handily. As always, you can head to PlayStation Store to snag any hot titles you may have missed, and you can visit our pals over at the EU PlayStation.Blog if you’d like to compare the regional results. See you next month! PS4 Games 1 Destiny 2 2 NBA 2K18 3 FIFA 18 4 Madden NFL 18 5 FINAL FANTASY IX 6 EA SPORTS NHL 18 7 Grand Theft Auto V 8 Rocket League 9 Bloodborne 10 STAR WARS Battlefront Ultimate Edition 11 The Last Of Us Remastered 12 TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE 13 Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition 14 Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 15 Need for Speed 16 NBA LIVE 18: The One Edition 17 Friday the 13th: The Game 18 UNCHARTED: The Lost Legacy 19 Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite 20 Batman: Arkham Knight PS3 Games 1 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2018 2 Grand Theft Auto V 3 FIFA 18 Legacy Edition 4 Minecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition 5 Dragon Ball Xenoverse 6 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM Revolution 7 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 8 Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch 9 The Last Of Us 10 Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 11 Fight Night Champion 12 Call of Duty: Black Ops III 13 Life is Strange Complete Season 14 Need for Speed Most Wanted 15 The King of Fighters XIII 16 Borderlands 2 17 Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion XL 18 NCAA Football 14 19 Catherine 20 Devil May Cry HD Collection PS4 Add-ons 1 Destiny 2 – Expansion Pass 2 TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE – Year 2 Pass 3 Battlefield 1 Premium Pass 4 Call of Duty Black Ops III: Zombies Chronicles 5 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – DLC4 Retribution 6 Black Ops III – The Giant Zombies Map 7 Rocket League – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Car Pack 8 Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer 9 DARK SOULS III – Season Pass 10 Injustice 2 Fighter Pack 2 PS VR Games 1 SUPERHOT VR 2 Sparc 3 Batman: Arkham VR 4 Job Simulator 5 Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul 6 Arizona Sunshine 7 Manifest 99 8 DreamWorks Voltron VR Chronicles 9 Apollo 11 VR 10 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood PS Vita Games 1 Undertale 2 GOD EATER 2: Rage Burst 3 Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z 4 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony 5 Ys: Memories of Celceta 6 God of War: Collection PS Vita 7 TOUCH MY KATAMARI 8 Jak and Daxter Collection 9 Gal*Gun: Double Peace 10 Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition PS Classics 1 Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy 2 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 3 Bully 4 Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life Special Edition 5 The Warriors 6 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy 7 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 8 FINAL FANTASY IX (PSOne Classic) 9 Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland 10 FINAL FANTASY VII View the full article

It’s time to complete your training. The Star Wars Battlefront II Beta hits PlayStation 4 for all players on October 6, and there’s a lot to take in. The skills you’ll need to utilize as a trooper in Strike aren’t quite the same as the maneuvers you’ll need to deploy as a pilot in Starfighter Assault. Here are five tips to make you more successful on the iconic battlefields of Star Wars Battlefront II’s Beta. Managing Battle Points One of Star Wars Battlefront II’s more prominent innovations is the introduction of Battle Points. As you defeat enemies and help teammates, you earn Battle Points in combat. As they accrue, you gain the power to call in reinforcements and heroes. You’ll be able to climb into the cockpit of an atmospheric starfighter, drive an AT-RT, become a clone Jumptrooper, or transform into Rey and wield her lightsaber. But Battle Point costs aren’t all the same, and you’ll constantly have to balance risk and reward. Will you opt for an upgrade the moment you can afford one and hope to leverage your tactical advantage to keep the Battle Points rolling in? Or will you hoard your Battle Points while playing as a trooper? Each approach has merits… cashing in earlier will make you more effective in the first part of a battle, but if you’re defeated before accumulating more points, it may delay your ascent toward becoming a hero. It could also prove a safer path to rely on your skills as a trooper class and work toward a singular heroic goal. The choice is yours… but we confess that it’s an awful lot of fun to use vehicles and special characters. They’re a great way to help your team and advance your way closer to becoming a hero. Breaking Missile Locks In Starfighter Assault, there’s nothing more harrowing than seeing the notification that an opponent has locked on to you with a torpedo or missile. These guided fire-and-forget weapons can be difficult to avoid, especially in open space. But you’re hardly defenseless. If you know a missile is closing in, your best bet is to weave around cover. Fondor’s orbital platform is huge, and it makes for remarkably effective protection. Banking around any large structure at a sharp angle gives you an excellent chance of escaping a pursuing torpedo. Diving into narrow areas like a tunnel can also work. And even in open space, it’s sometimes possible to dodge missiles by rapidly turning and cutting speed or accelerating as a projectile draws close… if your timing is perfect. Also, it doesn’t hurt if you’re Darth Maul and you have a cloaking shield. It’s hard to kill what you can’t see. Using the Force Speaking of Darth Maul, he’s just as dangerous on the ground in Galactic Assault as he is in a cockpit. Maul is fast and agile, and he’s an offensive juggernaut. His ranged force abilities are extremely potent, and his mobility highly compliments his melee combat skills. But Maul has a weakness: he can’t deflect enemy blaster bolts. The best defense with Maul is to keep moving and keep attacking. Search and destroy. Eliminate enemies before they have a chance to draw a bead on you. And liberally apply your Force abilities the moment they’re available. Darth Maul rewards aggression. Be a Teammate It’s always fun to lead your side in kills, but Star Wars Battlefront II also rewards team play. You may find as much fulfillment in a supporting role as you do rushing headlong into a firefight. Class-based abilities are complimentary. Assault troopers flank enemies while Heavy troopers tie down the opposition. Specialists can cover advancing friends from hiding. And for ultimate team players, there’s the Officer class, a support type who thrives at buffing nearby allies and utilizing automated tech (like remote turrets) to protect squad mates. Officers earn Battle Points for their supporting actions, so they’re a great choice for players who love making the team stronger. Play Your Hero Ship Correctly When you earn a Hero Ship, be sure to utilize it in a manner that maximizes its particular abilities. Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon is tough as nails and very hard hitting. It’s a forceful instrument, deadly in straight-on attacks and playing objectives. Boba Fett’s Slave I has a unique, rear facing special that’s absolutely awesome against close pursuit and devastating in enclosed spaces (like the interior of the Fondor orbital platform). Darth Maul’s Scimitar is most effective when employing surprise with its cloak and when ambushing foes at close range, although the cloak is also terrific as a defensive measure. Poe’s X-wing, Black One, is a powerful dogfighter, but it’s even more effective when you’re using Poe’s special ability to enhance nearby teammates… so don’t fly solo! These are just a few of the many strategies you can implement in the Star Wars Battlefront II Beta, and we can’t wait for you to try it for yourselves. Star Wars Battlefront II is available on November 14 if you pre-order the Star Wars Battlefront II: Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition, or on November 17 in the worldwide release. View the full article

PlayStation Store has an exclusive, all-new sneak peek for Blade Runner 2049. By the time you’re reading this, the full clip should be live in the PlayStation Video section of PlayStation Store — go watch it now! To celebrate, I reached out to Blade Runner 2049’s writer Michael Green to get some more insight into the long-awaited sequel to one of my favorite movies ever, launching today in theaters nationwide. PSB: How would you, in one sentence, describe the story of the original Blade Runner to somebody who had never seen it? My attempt would be: “An assassin hired to ‘retire’ rogue androids eventually realizes that the androids may be more human than he is.” MG: I like yours, but I would change assassin to “cop.” My talents don’t lie in the one-line synopsis, I get other people to write those. Whenever I try, it ends up being five pages [laughs]. PSB: Which of Blade Runner’s themes most resonated for you, personally? How did you seek to further explore it in 2049? MG: One of the first themes that I spent time with was quantity of life versus quality of life. What are the beliefs and actions that can give a life meaning? At what point does a life become a human life? As opposed to how can I extend the meager life I’ve been given, which was one of the themes of the first film. PSB: The original film is so iconic and so enduring that it must have been intimidating to take on writing a sequel. How did you manage that? MG: Anytime you write anything, you at some point have to give yourself permission to fail – or to succeed, ideally [laughs]. It helped that I was given permission to try by Ridley Scott. That allowed me to at least take a stab. And then he encouraged me to keep going. When you are given an opportunity to write Blade Runner… there are so many pitfalls that you don’t want to get in your own way. Let the creative problems be your problems, not your personality problems. [laughs] PSB: When writing 2049, what was your approach to the noir overtones of the first film? Were you wary of making it “too noir”? MG: I don’t think there’s such a thing as too much noir – it’s hot fudge on the ice cream. I came into [writing Blade Runner 2049] knowing that I had a hole in my reading education with classic noir. It’s one of the most fun things about starting a new project – you get to make yourself into the writer who is capable of doing the job. I started by reading the greats – I started with Chandler, Cain… and I made sure to keep reading while I was writing, and I enjoyed the hell out of them. You read enough until you feel you have internalized the tendencies of noir, but not so much that you’ve internalized the voices – that’s not the goal. You allow yourself to metabolize it and then see what comes out of your pen. PSB: Do you consider Blade Runner 2049 to be a noir film? MG: I will leave it to the audience. It was written in noir lighting, but the audience is the one to tell me if they see those voices in there. PSB: When writing Blade Runner 2049, did you revisist the source material for the original film — Phillip K Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? MG: Actually, no. I’ve been given it many times. I adore the film Blade Runner, it’s impressed upon me in an indelible way. The novel is not the movie… every time I have approached it, it felt like the wrong version of something I loved. It was not something I really wanted to refer to when creating Blade Runner 2049. I wanted to reference Blade Runner, not Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. It’s funny, because the novel predates all. But the adaptation that Hampton Fancher and David Peoples put together with Ridley Scott is so… it’s such a reimagining. Blade Runner 2049 hews much closer to the original Blade Runner than Blade Runner hewed to DADOES. PSB: What about the novels that came out in the 90’s by K. W. Jeter? Were those reference points at all? MG: Not at all, to be honest. I know they exist. I’m unaware of anything about them. I think the only thing I know about them is that Rick Decker stars in them. Somebody mentioned that to me. I know some people love them. PSB: Blade Runner is one of my favorite films, and I must admit I was extremely worried when I heard a sequel was in development – it’s almost like hearing they’re making “Casablanca 2.” What would you say to soothe my concerns? It’s a tight wire act. We knew we would light a fire, but we are cautious pyromaniacs. We are all enormous fans of the film. Ridley Scott is extremely protective of the legacy, and everybody involved wanted nothing more than to protect that legacy… and, if we were lucky, to expand on that legacy. There are excitable fans, and then there are fans who express their love through cynicism. If you decide to hate [Blade Runner 2049] because it exists, I cannot help you. If you are willing to give it a look, I think you might see some of your cynicism fade. One thing that made me feel confident to try: every single person involved in this film, from top to bottom, were all fans of the film and knew its value. They went to Ridley first to see if he would bless and influence it; no one ever came at it with that cash-grab, let’s-build-a-cinematic-universe and make some action figures attitude. They just wanted to make a great movie, and I’m just lucky they invited me to come and play. PSB: Critical question: in the original Blade Runner, are you pro-narration, or anti-narration? Umm… [laughs] I think it’s important that both versions exist. So much of what’s fascinating about the name BR is that it doesn’t refer to one film. When you talk about your love of it with other people, you have to have that conversation. Which one is my favorite version is less important to me than that people have to ask that question. I find that it often corresponds to which version they saw first. View the full article

It’s another meditative, quiet program this week! Zac shares his love for Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, and Ryan finally plays Destiny 2 and defends games that take things slow. Join us, and enjoy the show! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Stuff We Talked About Dishonored: Death of the Outsider Destiny 2 Star Wars Battlefront II Middle-earth: Shadow of War Recent Episodes 265: Spoiler Room 264: The End is Nier 263: …And I’ll See You at Evo The Cast Ryan Clements – Sr. Social Media Specialist, SIEA Zac Minor – Sr. Social Media Manager, SIEA Send us questions and tips! blogcast@sony.com Leave us a voicemail! (650) 288-6706 Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

As players around the world gear up for the start of the Gran Turismo Sport Limited Time Demo and the launch of the Gran Turismo franchise on PS4, we wanted to give you an insight into the cars and tracks you can look forward to racing. With its emphasis on selecting only the best and fastest cars to take to the track, players will be able to pick everyday cars, racing cars, and even concept cars that you’ll only be able to drive in GT Sport. Cars will be grouped into six categories from Group N (your everyday stock cars) through to Group X (those deemed too extreme for our other categories). Grp. N Grp. 4 Grp. 3 Grp. 1 Grp. B Grp. X This year you’ll be able to race from the streets of Tokyo, through the iconic Nurburgring to the dirtiest of rally tracks. With a total of 40 layouts (17 courses) you’ll have the chance to test your racing skills in a host of different environments from around the world, and customize your experiences by playing across different times of the day and through varied weather conditions. We’re really excited to introduce some of the fantasy tracks that the Polyphony team have created, using over 20 years of racing and driving game experience, tracks that are not only fun but will push even the most experienced of drivers. Tokyo Expressway Blue Moon Speedway Dragontrail But we’ve not forgotten the classics, including… Brands Hatch Interlagos Nurburgring And here’s the full track list: Alsace – Village Alsace – Village II Autodrome Lago Maggiore – GP Autodrome Lago Maggiore – GP II Autódromo De Interlagos Blue Moon Bay Speedway Blue Moon Bay Speedway II Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit Brands Hatch Indy Circuit Broad Bean Raceway Broad Bean Raceway II Colorado Springs – Lake Colorado Springs – Lake II Dragon Trail – Seaside Dragon Trail – Seaside II Fishermans Ranch Fishermans Ranch II Kyoto Driving Park – Miyabi Kyoto Driving Park – Yamagiwa Kyoto Driving Park – Yamagiwa II Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit Northern Isle Speedway Northern Isle Speedway – Infield Nürburgring 24h Nürburgring GP Nürburgring Nordschleife Nürburgring Nordschleife Tourist Layout Sardegna – Windmills Sardegna – Windmills II Suzuka Circuit Suzuka Circuit East Course Tokyo Expressway – Central Inner Loop Tokyo Expressway – Central Outer Loop Tokyo Expressway – East Inner Loop Tokyo Expressway – East Outer Loop Willow Springs International Raceway: Big Willow Willow Springs International Raceway: Horse Thief Mile Willow Springs International Raceway: Horse Thief Mile II Willow Springs International Raceway: Streets of Willow Springs Willow Springs International Raceway: Streets of Willow Springs II Don’t miss out on the chance to try some of these cars and tracks ahead of launch by taking part in the GT Sport Limited Time Demo starting October 9 at 10:00 AM Pacific. We look forward to seeing you all in game! View the full article

The arrival of Assassin’s Creed Origins on October 27 will mark a significant milestone for the series. Not only will the game explore an intriguing new era of history and tell the story of how the Assassin Brotherhood was formed, it will also release almost 10 years to the day after the first Assassin’s Creed launched. In the decade since the series’ inception, Assassin’s Creed games have sold hundreds of millions of copies and changed people’s lives, not least of whom are the developers who worked to bring each game to life. One of the developers that has been with the series since the first game is Jean Guesdon, the Creative Director of Assassin’s Creed Origins. We talked to Guesdon about what it was like to work on that first title, how the series has grown over time, and why now is the right time to take players to Ancient Egypt. “The angle was to ground the series in the real history.” For a series steeped in history, Assassin’s Creed didn’t exactly get started in the most iconic time period. Reflecting on the first game’s setting of the Levant during the Third Crusade in 1191, Guesdon says, “Who knew about this time period back in the day? Not a lot of people, for sure. But despite that, the angle was to ground the series in the real history. This is really important, this is where we’re coming from, from a place where there were no dragons, but that was incredibly fascinating nonetheless.” Players were fascinated, all right, and over the next year and a half, Assassin’s Creed went on to sell 8 million copies worldwide. A franchise had been launched on the strength of the core vision for the game: “total freedom of movement in a beautiful open world, set in an exotic time period, grounded in human history, with a strong mysterious narrative.” Guesdon’s description certainly captures the essence of the series, but there’s another important element he believes was crucial to the game’s success. “I also think that Desmond’s story played a big role,” he says. “This small layer (when compared to the global experience set in the past) really created a sense of continuity that made people wonder about ‘the next episode.’ This was the glue that stitched different time periods and heroes together in a consistent and coherent universe.” That universe continued to grow with Assassin’s Creed II and its Renaissance-era sequels, and with it, an increasingly passionate community who expressed their love for the series across a wide variety of artistic and social endeavors. From character portraits and cosplay outfits to fan club meet-ups and parkour videos, Assassin’s Creed brought people together from across all walks of life, and it’s something Guesdon has thought a lot about. “I really think that the power of the community and the attachment of the audience come from the positive values of the series,” he says. “Assassin’s Creed is not a competitive franchise, it’s more a collaborative universe. A real Brotherhood is very inclusive and respectful. Assassins fight for free will and for the people, all the people. This is a very positive message. And the community is based on that.” “We could feel that Assassin’s Creed was ‘special.’” Seeing the success of the series and the impact it has had on the gaming community, it’s hard not to wonder whether Guesdon and the team saw it all coming when they were working on that first game those many years ago. “We could feel that Assassin’s Creed was ‘special,’” remembers Guesdon. “Internally, like externally, there was a kind of ‘aura’ around the game. Something that was screaming, ‘I’m not a normal videogame! I’m special!’ Of course, nobody could have predicted that, 10 years later, our universe would have become what it is now, but the feeling that we were creating something huge, even if not fully understood, was definitely there.” So what about today’s team? As they prepare to launch Assassin’s Creed Origins and send players back to the earliest historical setting for an AC game yet, the team is gearing up to put players back in touch with the “strong mysterious narrative” Guesdon cited as core to the series’ appeal. “With Assassin’s Creed Origins, we really wanted to come back for the 10th anniversary of the series with something that would be a true milestone for the franchise,” says Guesdon. “And what better story to tell in Ancient Egypt, cradle of modern civilization, than the one clarifying the origins of the Brotherhood as we’ve known it since Assassin’s Creed?” Of course, narrative isn’t their only focus. The other pillars of the franchise — the historical setting, the immersive world, the engaging combat — are still a priority for the team, but they’ve also set their sights on making this “a major step in the evolution of the franchise, in terms of gameplay experience.” With a new combat system, a new quest structure, and a new AI framework, the team poured their efforts into “new stuff that would push [them] to give more control to players over their personal experience.” After all, playing an Assassin’s Creed game is a very personal experience; we each follow our own paths, use our own tactics, and identify with the characters in our own ways. So too has developing Assassin’s Creed games been a very personal experience for Guesdon, and he feels “incredibly lucky” to have been a part of what is, in his words, “a fantastic human adventure. One that I share with all my fellow colleagues that created this amazing universe with their passion and hard work, but also one that I share with our amazing community. We’ve always been there for each other and I hope it will continue for a long time.” Assassin’s Creed Origins is coming October 27 for PlayStation 4. View the full article

Samantha Cook here, Co-Founder and Producer at Artifact 5. We’re excited to announce that our first title, Anamorphine, is launching on PS4 and PS VR. In this surreal, introspective adventure game, you work through mental health issues like trauma and guilt by re-exploring warping memories. Let’s talk about what this looks like in-game and why it’s one of the most mind-bending narrative-driven games you’ll play this year. Have you ever been so sad you couldn’t get out of bed? So transported by a piece of music, you felt like you could see into the heart of the composer? So guilt-ridden you never wanted to see the sun again? Of course you have – or at least something like that. You’re human, and you experience a wide range of emotions, some minor and some paralyzingly major. Maybe, like many other humans, you have additional layers of anxiety stirring these feelings into their own unique patterns. Perhaps you suffer from depression that lurks in the background, sanding down the edges and dulling emotions you used to experience. Maybe you’ve experienced trauma that jumps out from around corners like the world’s most sinister prankster, dragging you back to places you don’t want to go. These demons all deeply affect our main character’s psyche, and you’ll discover how they contort his perception of the world as you explore his painful memories. Anamorphine centers on Tyler, a freelance nature photographer, and Elena, a cellist. The couple goes through both good and bad times, which we see from Tyler’s point of view. They’re Americans who have recently relocated to Montreal so that Elena can join a notable quartet. An accident triggers Elena’s depression and strips her of her livelihood, emotional outlet, and passion. Things get dark for the couple – not horror movie dark, but the type of dark that we all feel in our most isolating moments. As you can see in these GIFs, the game borders on hallucinogenic. We don’t use the usual text, voice-over, or UI to tell the story. You won’t be clicking buttons to navigate. Instead, we lean into visuals and evocative 3D sound, guiding you where you need to go to work through the life events and emotions that feel like they’ve sculpted themselves into a cage. They’ll show you how to look back at your past – only to have it shatter around you like a torn-up Escher painting. You’ll see yourself get stuck in a nihilistic self-fulfilling prophecy of alcohol abuse and denial. You’ll have to face the future, when living in your past may seem like a vastly more tempting option. By the end, your glass can be half full or half empty, and it’s your choice that determines how Tyler deals with his past and moves into his future. World Mental Health Day is coming up on October 10, and as developers making a game about handling emotional and mental fallout, it’s important to us that people realize that mental health is just as important as physical health. As a studio, we try to avoid common mental health minefields like crunch and overwork. As individuals, we’ve been affected by mental health in different ways, and all know friends and family members who have fought their own battles. We hope Anamorphine helps you think about how to take care of yourself, your partners, and your friends when life is at its harshest. You can play the demo of Anamorphine at IndieCade on October 6 – 8 in Little Tokyo, LA. Talk to us any time about our desire to bring you a game full of kaleidoscopically mind-blowing metaphors, as well as more traditional twisting staircases. View the full article

The Star Wars Battlefront II Beta officially lands this week! For players who pre-ordered, you can access the beta now. For everyone else, it opens up on October 6 and runs through October 9th. Players can look forward to experiencing four different ways to play in battles across all three cinematic eras. In Galactic Assault, join a team of Separatist battle droids in a three-stage attack on the royal palace in the capital city of Theed on Naboo. As you fight, you’ll earn Battle Points which can be redeemed during respawns to call in supporting vehicles, upgrade to a B2 Super Battle Droid, or become iconic characters like Darth Maul. And when you want to take a break from multiplayer, hop into Arcade mode and play against AI opponents. In the space above Fondor, engage in Starfighter Assault mode and hop into the cockpit of an A-wing, X-wing, or Y-wing to start your attack run on an Imperial Star Destroyer. You can collect Battle Points in this mode as well, redeeming them to activate Hero Ships like Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon and Poe Dameron’s X-wing, Black One. When the battle ends, join the Empire and help fight off the opposition. Playing in Strike mode, players join a team of eight on the forested planet of Takodana. Take advantage of the special abilities of all four distinctive trooper classes to claim victory for your team in in a bid to breach Maz Kanata’s castle. These Beta scenarios represent just a small portion of what you’ll be experiencing in the full release of Star Wars Battlefront II, available November 17. In the full game, play eleven different Galactic Assault maps, travel across five Starfighter Assault maps, embark on a journey through an all-new Star Wars story in the single-player campaign, and get ready for additional multiplayer action, plus much more. View the full article

It’s that time of year again! Celebrate Halloween all month long with PlayStation Now by streaming these fantastic horror and action games to your PS4 and Windows PC. Welcome to the Zombie Apocalypse experience of a lifetime with Dead Island: Definitive Edition on PS4. Your objective is to survive an epic zombie outbreak on the tropical island of Banoi. With an open world to explore and many missions to complete, Dead Island features more zombies than you can shake a stick at, or in this case swing an axe. Experience the critically acclaimed The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, a first person mystery game about an occult-minded detective who receives a disturbing letter from a missing boy. Arriving at the Ethan’s home, you discover he has disappeared in the wake of a brutal murder. With unique immersive storytelling and a focus on atmosphere and mood, there’s nothing quite like it. The radio is dead, food is running out, and the machines have started to think they are people. Discover the world of the critically acclaimed SOMA, where danger lurks in every corner: corrupted humans, twisted creatures, insane robots, and even an inscrutable omnipresent A.I. Just remember there’s no fighting back, either you outsmart your enemies or you get ready to run. Role-playing fans will love Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition, the award-winning fantasy RPG that blends deep customization and dynamic turn-based combat with witty humor, a deep, engaging story, and 100 hours of quests and storyline. Supports local split-screen and online coop. Deadlight Director’s Cut is a tense indie side-scroller set in 1986 after an apocalyptic zombie outbreak has brought humanity to its knees. Play as Randall Wayne, a father desperately searching the ravaged streets of Seattle for his family. Fight your way through using scarce resources, or sneak past undetected utilizing the environment to your advantage. Other PS Now games perfect for playing this October include Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, The Last of Us and the TLOU Left Behind DLC, The Walking Dead from Telltalle Games, Resident Evil 4, 5 and 6, Silent Hill HD Collection, The Darkness 1 and 2, Dead Nation, Costume Quest 2, Dead Rising 2, F.E.A.R., Siren: Blood Curse, Rage, and many more. Checkout the “Frightfully Fun Games” category within PS Now for more. This month we’ve also got new RPGs, indie games, RTS football with Orcs and monsters, murder mysteries, and much more. Here are all the PS4 games now available to stream on PS4 and Windows PC starting today. Dead Island Definitive Edition The Vanishing of Ethan Carter SOMA Deadlight: Director’s Cut Divinity: Original Sin (Enhanced Edition) Blood Bowl 2 The Swapper Toukiden: Kiwami The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed Lone Survivor: The Director’s Cut Overlord: Fellowship of Evil Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Edition Whispering Willows Extreme Exorcism Styx: Master of Shadows Technomancer Agatha Christie – The ABC Murders Here are the 10 most popular games on the service last month. Red Dead Redemption Fallout: New Vegas Fallout 3 Mortal Kombat WWE 2K16 Mafia II Injustice: Gods Among Us LEGO Batman 3 Beyond Gotham The Last of Us Rage If you haven’t given PS Now a try yet, the seven-day free trial for PS4 and Windows PC is the perfect way to experience the streaming service for yourself. PS Now provides unlimited on-demand access to a growing library of over 500 PS4 and PS3 games, with new games added every month, and no game downloads required. PS4 save data in PS Now is even compatible with PS Plus cloud saves, so you can upload/download save files to/from your own console. View the full article

Greetings Gran Turismo fans! Now that we are in the final countdown to the launch of GT Sport, we thought there was no better way to show our appreciation than by giving the PS community a head start on their racing journey. We are excited to announce a free GT Sport 4-day demo, available via PlayStation Store from October 9th through October 12th. PS Plus members will be able to pre-load the demo starting from October 7th at 8:00am PT, with access to the game on October 9th, at 12:00am PT. For everyone else, download and access to the demo starts October 9th at 6:00pm PT. The demo officially ends October 12th at 8:00am PT. You won’t want to miss this limited time demo, as your earned in-game credit (up to $1MM) and unlocked vehicles are transferable to the full game when it launches October 17th. The GT Sport demo will give fans an in-depth look at some of the new features, geared to define the future of motorsports for all levels of drivers, from first timers to 20 year veterans of the franchise. You drive and tune on your own terms, while the new matchmaking system ensures you’re always racing against others of similar abilities. At the start of the demo, drivers will have the option to experience a taste of Sport, Campaign, or Arcade mode. New features such as the innovative Scapes Photography mode and Custom Livery Editor are also available for the very first time. In Sport mode, drivers can prove just how fast they are by putting down their fastest lap time. At the end of each qualifying session, it’s an all-out battle against other drivers with similar performance abilities ensuring each race is equal, fair, and highly competitive. Campaign mode gives players the chance to improve their driving skills across numerous challenges, missions, and circuit experiences. Each of these modes play a key role in making every driver better prepared for racing online against others. As you complete various trial and Daily Workouts, you will be awarded with numerous vehicle unlocks, in-game currency, and Experience Points, furthering your Driver Profile and personal garage. For those looking to just jump in and drive, the Arcade mode offers a wide range of vehicle classes on three pre-selected circuit configurations with different terrains. Whether you want to go for high-speed oval racing on Northern Isle, hone your technical skills on Dragon Trail, or drift sideways through the corners in rally, race on your own terms as you choose from multiple driving aids including braking and or steering to hone your skills. You can also race against a friend offline in the classic 2-player split screen mode. The True HDR workflow and physics-based rendering tech of Scapes must be experienced firsthand to be truly appreciated. This is not your traditional photo mode as each photo location contains all the light energy information of that scene, enabling you to place your personalized car in hundreds of real world locations. To round out the demo experience, the Livery Editor allows you to add your own personal touch of customization through numerous logo designs. You can also change the color of the car, wheels, mirrors, hood, spoiler, and much more. That’s all for now, but not everything GT Sport has to offer. Be on the lookout for more insider information and videos from our GT Academy athletes as well as Kazunori Yamauchi through our GT Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels. View the full article

Our next system software update for PlayStation 4, version 5.00 (codenamed NOBUNAGA), is available now! This update introduces features like the new “Family on PlayStation Network” system, an enhanced Twitch broadcast option on PlayStation 4 Pro, and a variety of new features for Notifications, Messages, and much more. We’ve already outlined a number of key features before our beta program started, but we wanted to share some additional features that are coming to PS4 with this update. Team Tournaments Prepare to recruit the best players you know, because Team Tournaments on PS4 are almost here. With this new functionality, you’ll be able to compete against other teams for prizes and status. Team Tournament functionality will kick off on October 5, shortly after the release of the 5.00 update. The initial batch of titles supporting Team Tournaments will be Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, World of Tanks and Mantis Burn Racing, with more on the way. Head over to the Events section on your PS4 to check out details for different Events and Tournaments, and to start creating your team. You can join or own up to a maximum of 60 different teams, and each team will have an owner and captain(s) who can manage the team. Only teams will be able to register for official Team Tournaments. Your team will have its own customizable team page where you can see team member information, and view upcoming and ongoing events that your team is currently registered for and competing in. In addition, you can easily check out your team’s results in past tournaments with a new bracket viewer that shows full tournament standings for Single and Double Elimination tournaments directly on PS4. Communicating and coordinating with your teammates is also simple via the integrated team chat feature. Follow Anyone Before 5.00, you were only able to follow Verified Accounts, but now you can follow any user without having to be friends with them (subject to privacy settings). This allows you to follow content creators, game broadcasters, and other gamers in a community without having to dip into your friends list. And at the same time, this will allow these users to expand their reach and build more interest in what they’re doing. Your What’s New feed will be updated with the activities of the users you’re following, so you can easily keep up on what they’re up to. And under Friends, you’ll see a new Who to Follow section that will give you customized recommendations of who you can follow. The recommendations will be displayed in separate categories, such as Featured Verified Accounts, trending users, and suggestions based on games you’ve recently played. Messages Update We have one more feature to add to the list of updates coming to Messages on PS4. If you send a message that contains a link to a website, messages will now display a preview of the website, like headlines and thumbnails. App Updates Outside of PS4, some of our apps are getting updates today too: PlayStation Communities Following this update, you can switch the app into landscape mode when you flip your phone sideways, so you get a wider view of the app and it makes it easier to scroll through. In addition, you’re now able to view and post animated GIFs on community walls. We’re also adding the following languages to the app: Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Romanian, Thai and Vietnamese. PlayStation Messages Stickers for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and Horizon Zero Dawn are being added. And similar to the PS4’s Messages update, the PlayStation Messages app will also be updated to display previews of a website if you’ve received a link. Support for Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Romanian, Thai and Vietnamese are being added to the app. We’re excited for you to test out these features for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments. We’re listening and always appreciate your feedback! View the full article

Hey all, this is Joe Madureira, Creative Director of Airship Syndicate and creator of the Battle Chasers comic series on which Battle Chasers: Nightwar is based. With the beta already in the hands of thousands of our Kickstarter backers, and since we’ve just about made it to the official launch, I thought I’d shed some light on the epic journey that’s gotten us here. Battle Chasers started, in comic form, back in 1998. I had been drawing super hero comics for years, eventually graduating to Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men, which was a dream come true for me, as I had been an avid collector of the series since childhood. It was the #1 selling comic book, and had been for some time. So when I announced after my three year run that I was moving on from Marvel to do my own thing, and that it wouldn’t be another mainstream hero book, but a Steampunk/Fantasy series, there were a few who questioned my sanity, including me (admittedly, it did sound super nichey when I described it out loud). Back then, there wasn’t really anything to compare Battle Chasers to in the states, but in Japan, fantasy and sci-fi were all the rage, in manga (comics), anime, and of course video games. And I was obsessed with the stuff. I would go so far as to play games in Japanese with no translation, and buy import gaming magazines just to drool over the art to games I didn’t even know the titles of. Samurai battling mechs? Gunslingers, trains and airships in a medieval setting? It blew my mind. This stuff seemed to break all the rules of the traditional Tolkien/Dungeons & Dragons fantasy I grew up with (and still love to this day). As I played through ‘JRPGs’ like Lunar, Final Fantasy, Chronotrigger, Suikoden and the like, I couldn’t help but wonder how awesome it would be to create a similar world in comic book form. And so I got to work on Battle Chasers, channeling all that raw inspiration, a little bit of Capcom style, and a dash of the superhero comics I was known for. The formula was a success, and Battle Chasers went on to rival the top mainstream hero books from Marvel and DC. But, the adventures of Gully, Garrison and friends came to a halt after issue #9, when I left comics altogether to pursue a career in the game industry (something that fans never let me forget). As a life-long gamer, I had to seize the opportunity when it presented itself. It was a rocky start, but over the next couple years, I would meet the people that would help bring everything full circle. Together we co-founded Vigil Games and created the Darksiders franchise. Some 7+years later, after Vigil shut its doors, our team largely split up into what would become Gunfire Games (who are hard at work on Darksiders 3) and our little studio, Airship Syndicate. We had no game, no funding, no office (we worked from home, or at coffee shops). Even the name Airship Syndicate didn’t stick until later (after some hilarious name and logo fails). What we did have was a small, dedicated and experienced team, some of us having worked together for nearly 15 years. We decided almost immediately that our first game would be a party based RPG with tactical turn based combat, like the classic JRPG’s of old. One question kept popping up—“what if this game was set in the Battle Chasers universe?” As the game’s design began to take shape, it all sort of clicked. We really did have a diverse cast of memorable heroes who were themselves influenced by the same RPG’s we were now making. Would fans of the old comic series still care, though? Would it appeal to new gamers that had never heard of the comic? Would investors and publishers dig it? After nearly a year of developing a playable prototype, pitching to publishers and striking out, it became apparent that Kickstarter was our best bet, and possibly our last resort. This campaign would make or break us. Our fans would decide. The next few months were tense. Exciting. Exhilarating even, but so stressful! As you may have guessed, our Kickstarter campaign was a resounding success. We made enough of a splash that we garnered the attention of the gaming press, and publishers that were interested in taking another look. Our friends at THQ Nordic, owners of the Darksiders franchise partnered with us to take the game even further. So here we are, a day away from our official launch, once again waiting with baited breath for the world’s reaction to this game that our team has slaved over for two years. I’d like to use this opportunity to personally thank our longtime fans that beat the Battle Chasers war drums so loudly, they couldn’t be ignored, our amazing backers who in our darkest hour, stormed the field and helped carry us to victory, and of course the stalwart crew of cutthroats and scalawags that are Airship Syndicate, who have devoted their lives to making this game the best it can be. Cheers to you all, and here’s to to the battles ahead! View the full article

Bonjour! PlayStation is making some big plans for Paris Games Week next month, and it’s time to start talking specifics. On October 30th starting at 8:00am Pacific Time, PlayStation Live From Paris Games Week will kick off with a slew of updates and announcements before moving straight into the Paris Games Week 2017 Media Showcase, where you’ll get a new look at some spectacular games coming to PS4 and PS VR. After the Showcase, stick around – we’ll have further details and info to share in our post-Showcase debrief. Here’s the best part: you can watch all the fun from the comfort of your home, office, or home office via live.playstation.com, Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. No need to book a pricey international flight — all you need to do is tune in to and enjoy the show! So mark your calendars — we’ll see you later this month. Merci! PlayStation Live From Paris Games Week schedule Monday, October 30 | PlayStation Live From Paris Games Week 2017 featuring the PlayStation Media Showcase | 8:00 AM Pacific Time Watch it live: live.playstation.com, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook View the full article

Welcome to your official resource hub for information on PlayStation VR. We’re covering everything, from the setup requirements to the technical specifications and beyond. If you have a question about PS VR, this guide should have an answer. And if it doesn’t have what you are looking for, just leave us a note in the comments below. We’ll do our best to update this continually before, during, and after launch. Now… on to the Ultimate FAQ! New Questions Added October 2, 2017 Is there a new PlayStation VR model? How is it different? A hardware update to PlayStation VR is being prepared. The new version, model number CUH-ZVR2, features an updated design that enables the stereo headphone cables to be integrated with the VR headset and a slimmer, streamlined connection cable. There’s also an updated Processor Unit that supports HDR pass through, enabling users to enjoy HDR-compatible PS4 content on a TV without having to disconnect the Processor Unit in between the TV and the PS4 system. This function can be used only when the VR headset is turned off. When will the new PS VR model become available in North America? How much will it be? We will share details on the launch timing in North America at a later date. The pricing of the PS VR bundles will remain the same. How can I distinguish between the old PS VR headset and the new one when I’m purchasing? The packaging for PlayStation VR will change slightly when the new model hits stores. To differentiate, look for the model number printed on the box. The previous PS VR’s model number is CUH-ZVR1, and the new PS VR’s model number is CUH-ZVR2. Also, the product image on the packaging will be updated to show changes on the new model, like the integrated headphones on the VR headset. If I already own a PS VR, can I swap out my old Processor Unit with the updated one? Because the cables of CUH-ZVR1 and CUH-ZVR2 are different, you cannot swap the Processor Units. Are the PS VR games I already own compatible with the new model? Yes, all PS VR games are compatible with both PS VR models. PlayStation VR: The Basics Q: What is PlayStation VR? How much does it cost? PlayStation VR is our virtual reality system for PlayStation 4 available October 13. The core product includes the PS VR system which includes the PS VR headset, headphones and all cabling required with a suggested retail price of $399.99 USD / $549.99 CAD. The PlayStation VR Launch Bundle was available to customers that pre-ordered for a suggested retail price of $499.99 USD / $699.99 CAD. It includes the PS VR system, PlayStation Camera, two PlayStation Move Motion Controllers, and a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds. Both versions include a demo disc (which will also be available on PS Store after the product launches) and The Playroom VR will be available as a free download from PlayStation Store to all PS VR owners. Q: What do I need to own to experience PS VR? PlayStation VR allows you to experience the future of gaming through virtual reality with a PS VR system, your PS4 and PS Camera. Most games utilize the DualShock 4 Wireless Controller. Many PS VR games give you an option to enhance your experience through the use of two PlayStation Move motion controllers, while there are a limited number of games that require two PlayStation Move motion controllers. The PS VR exclusive sci-fi FPS game, Farpoint, utilizes the PS VR Aim Controller to offer a realistic and precise way to control the game. Q: What are the weight and measurements of PS VR? It is approximately 1.3lb (excluding cable) and approximately 7.4 x 7.3 x 10.9 inches (width × height × length, excludes largest projection, headband at the shortest) Q: What is VR? VR stands for Virtual Reality, which is a simulation of another reality created by designers and programmers. Currently the PS VR system delivers a virtual reality experience for your eyes and ears through the combination of the 360-degree 1:1 tracking of your head, wide field of view, stereoscopic images delivered with a high refresh rate at 120Hz, and binaural 3D audio. These combine to make your brain think you’ve been transported to another world. This feeling is often referred to as a “sense of presence.” Q: Will I be able to play non-VR games and watch video content on PS VR? PS VR has a feature called Cinematic Mode, which lets users enjoy content in 2D, including PS4 games and movies, on a giant virtual screen while wearing the VR headset. The PS Camera is required for initial setup, but not when actually using Cinematic Mode. Q: Where can I try PS VR before I decide to buy?​ In the US and Canada, hundreds of retail stores are conducting hands-on demos of PlayStation VR. You can find the closest store to you right here. Q: When can I buy PS VR? In the US and Canada, PlayStation VR preorders opened in March and have sold out. But there will be units available at participating retailers nationwide on launch day, October 13, 2016. Click here to learn more. Q: How can I pre-order PS VR? Our three separate waves of pre-orders for PS VR have concluded. If you were not able to pre-order, we are planning to have units available to purchase at retailers nationwide once the device is available on October 13, 2016. Q: When I’m using PS VR, will other people in the room be able to experience what I’m seeing? Yes, PlayStation VR displays what you’re seeing in VR or a completely different image as a 2D image on your TV screen via a feature we call “Social Screen.” This allows others to observe and, in some cases, play alongside you. For example, the free launch game The Playroom VR offers several experiences where players are working with, and against, one person wearing the PS VR headset. Q: Is there a particular age I should be at to use PS VR? Age 12 and up. PS VR: Hardware Specifications Q: How does PS VR work? PlayStation VR (PS VR) is a headset that displays a stereoscopic (a different image is in each eye) view of Virtual Reality (VR) content generated by the PS4 system. The headset contains blue LED tracking lights and motion sensors that are used in conjunction with the PS Camera to track the position and orientation of your head in real-time. VR games and applications use this tracking of your head to render immersive 3D visuals and audio that put you into a virtual world. The PS4 and PS Camera also track DualShock 4, PlayStation Move motion controller, and PlayStation VR Aim controller to allow you to interact with this virtual world. PlayStation Move controller and PlayStation VR Aim controller offer a more realistic and precise way to control games, and provide an unbelievable sense of presence in the virtual world. Q: What are the specs on PS VR’s screen? PS VR uses a single 5.7” 1920 x 1080 resolution full-color OLED RGB display, also known as “1920 x RGB x 1080.” Unlike other VR displays, the PS VR display uses full Red, Green and Blue sub-pixels to produce a full color pixel. There are 1920 Red, Green and Blue sub pixels for each of the 1080 lines of pixels, so this is referred to as 1920 x RGB x 1080. This enables PS VR to further immerse the player and deliver a strong sense of presence. Q: What is PS VR’s latency? Low latency is critical to delivering an engaging and comfortable VR experience, and PS VR’s latency comes in at less than 18ms (0.018 seconds). *Recent research in VR has deemed 20ms as being the highest acceptable latency before people notice the lag in VR. Q: What is the refresh rate of the PS VR display? The PS VR OLED display can refresh at 90Hz (90 times per second) or at 120Hz (120 times per second) depending on the VR game or application. Q: How can a game run at 60 frames per second, but we see it at 120Hz in PS VR? PS VR games and applications utilize a feature called “reprojection.” This technique takes the last output image at 60Hz and creates a new image at 120Hz based on the latest head movements made by the user. This is not the same as video frame interpolation and does not introduce any lag in the images being presented by the PS VR OLED screen. Q: Will we see PS VR games running natively at 90fps and 120fps? Yes. There are already games in development that run natively at 90fps and in the future we may potentially see some games running natively at 120fps as developers become more experienced with creating games for PS VR. Q: What is the Processor Unit and what does it do? The Processor Unit is a small box that comes with your PS VR, and connects your PS VR to your PS4 and TV and provides HDMI cable management, enabling Social Screen TV output, 3D audio processing, and Cinematic mode. Front A ) Status indicator – White: Powered on – Red: Rest mode B ) AUX port C ) HDMI output port Rear A ) HDMI TV port B ) HDMI PS4 port C ) USB port D ) DC IN 12V connector E ) Vent Q: What do you mean by “HDMI cable management”? The Processor Unit acts as an HDMI splitter, providing images to PS VR and to your TV. When the PS VR headset is off or in the system User Interface, the TV will show the normal PS4 output. When a PS VR game or application is launched, the TV will show the Social Screen output image. Q: Does the Processor Unit provide extra processing power to PS4? No. The Processor Unit only assists the PS4 with 3D audio processing, HDMI cable management, Cinematic Mode, and the Social Screen TV output. Q: How big is the Processor Unit, and how much does it weigh? It is approximately 12.9oz in weight and approximately 5.6 x 1.4 x 5.6 inches (width × height × length, excludes largest projection) Q: Does the Processor Unit support 4K and HDR pass through? The PS VR Processor Unit (PU) supports video pass through so that you can enjoy regular non-VR content on your TV when you have the PS4 connected to the TV via the PU and the PU is connected to power via the AC adapter and the PS VR headset is not in use. This pass through support works for regular 1080p signals and also supports 2160p (UHD or ‘4K’) content in YUV 420 color format at up to 60 Hz from a PlayStation Pro. However, HDR signals are not supported for pass through by the PU. This applies to both 1080p and 2160p HDR. If you have a HDR capable TV and want to view PS4 content in HDR, it is necessary to cable the PS4 directly to the TV. Q. How long is the cable between the PS VR headset and the Processor Unit? The cable between the PS VR headset and Processor Unit is made up of two parts – one that extends out of the headset itself, and the Headset Connection Cable. The total length of the two cables is approximately 14.4ft. PS VR Games Q: How many games are currently in development for PS VR? Hundreds of developers are currently working on games and experiences for PS VR, with approximately 50 titles slated to launch before the end of 2016. Stay tuned to PlayStation.Blog for more information on games and experiences in development. Q: What types of games are available for PS VR? PlayStation VR is a brand new medium for playing games and experiencing media, and its game lineup spans across genres including shooters (RIGS Mechanized Combat League, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood), puzzle (SuperHyperCube), racing (Driveclub VR), horror (Resident Evil 7 biohazard, due out 2017) and more. However, given the massive leap in interactivity and engagement that PlayStation VR provides, we are eagerly anticipating the creation of all-new gaming genres and entertainment experiences. Q: How will I know what games are PS VR-compatible? Whether on PlayStation Store or in your local retailer, you will see prominent branding elements that will indicate PlayStation VR support and whether peripherals such as the PlayStation Move Motion Controller is required. See below for an example. Q: Will there be a specific section on PlayStation Store for PS VR games? Yes. PlayStation Store will feature a PlayStation VR-specific category. Q: Can I play PS VR games without the headset? You’ll need to wear the headset to experience VR. However, certain titles such as The PlayRoom VR will support local multiplayer modes that allow a PS VR user and other players to play together using PS VR’s Social Screen. In addition, there are PS4 games like Bound and Resident Evil 7 biohazard that are PS VR compatible, which gives players the option to play in or out of VR. To play these games in VR, you must wear the headset. Q: Are any games included when I buy a PS VR headset? The PlayRoom VR will be a free download for all PS VR owners. Both PS VR packages (core and Launch Bundle) will come with a free demo disc featuring a wide variety of playable demos. The PlayStation VR Launch Bundle includes a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds, in addition to a PS Camera and two PlayStation Move Motion Controllers. Q: What games are on the demo disc that comes with the headset? The included PS VR Demo Disc will feature a number of playable demos spanning across many different games. Click here to see the full list. Q: What is The PlayRoom VR? The PlayRoom VR is a brand new collection of six VR games especially created for use with the PlayStation VR headset. Players can use their VR headset while up to four friends can join in on the multiplayer fun in the same room on the TV. Every game in The PlayRoom VR offers a unique experience and is the perfect introduction to the magic of VR. VR Bots is a welcome lobby that places the user inside a room filled with adorable interactive robots. Monster Escape is a competitive party game for up to five players (1 VR player vs 4 players on TV). The player in the PS VR headset becomes a huge monster destroying a miniature city. One to four additional players use their DualShock 4 controllers to fight the Monster in a fun and epic battle. Cat and Mouse is a competitive party game for up to five players (1 VR player vs 4 players on TV). The player in the PS VR headset becomes a cat ready to pounce to protect his kitchen from the mice players controlled with the DualShock 4 on the screen. Ghost House is a cooperative communication game where players must work together to clear a haunted house from the ghosts within a time limit. The player in the PS VR headset uses the DualShock 4 to shine a flashlight and shoot ghosts, which aren’t visible to him. He must rely on the players watching the TV for instructions as to where to aim and shoot. WANTED! is a cooperative communication game set in the wild west, where players enter a saloon and can see several characters sitting around drinking. One of them is the bad guy, but which one? Platformer is a cooperative communication game, where two players (1 VR player and 1 player on TV) work together to fight their way through enemies to rescue stranded VR bots. The player in the PS VR headset takes control of a VR bot jumping, punching and using a grappling hook to rescue his lost VR Bots comrades. The TV player gets a different viewpoint on the action, flying a UFO and giving air support to the VR player. Q: What is PlayStation VR Worlds? PlayStation VR Worlds is a collection of five different VR experiences that have all been built from the ground up exclusively for the PS VR headset. PS VR Worlds is included with the PS VR Launch Bundle, and is available separately for $39.99. Developed by SIE Worldwide Studios London Studio, VR Worlds presents a collection of varied experiences, each designed to showcase VR in different ways. Check out detail about each experience in the PS VR Worlds collection here. Q: How much will PS VR games cost, on average? This will be up to the individual developer and publisher, but we expect a wide range of prices and experiences from the publishing community. Some smaller, digital-only titles may be free or cost considerably less, and titles such as RIGS: Mechanized Combat League will be $49.99 USD at launch. Q. Do you have plans to offer PS VR games on PlayStation Plus? We have nothing to share at this point in time, but we are looking into it. Cinematic Mode Q: What is PS VR Cinematic mode? This is a mode to view the PS4 system UI and all non-VR games and applications on a virtual screen. This screen has varying sizes from Small (117 inches), Medium (163 inches) and Large (226 inches), placed virtually at 6 – 10 feet away (the size of the screen may feel different depending on the individual). Q: Will my existing, non-VR PS4 games work with the PS VR headset? Yes, PS4 games will work using Cinematic Mode, which is used to view the PS4 system interface and non-VR games and applications on a virtual screen. Non-VR games which use the PS Camera like the original non-VR PlayRoom and Tearaway Unfolded are not supported by PS VR Cinematic mode. Q. Can I use the SHARE button when playing non-VR PS4 games during Cinematic mode? Yes. All SHARE features will be available for non-VR PS4 games during Cinematic mode, as long as it is supported by the game. Q: What is the resolution of PS VR’s Cinematic mode? PS VR presents images from a single 1920 x 1080 display split between both eyes, so the content can have a maximum resolution of 960×1080 in stereoscopic 3D. The actual resolution of the Cinematic Mode screen depends on the screen size and the resolution of the content being displayed. Q: Does Cinematic Mode impact the framerate performance of non-VR games? No. Cinematic Mode is provided by the PS VR’s Processor Unit and does not impact the performance of PS4 games and applications in any way. Q: Can I change the backgrounds in Cinematic Mode to watch movies in different virtual settings? No. The current Cinematic Mode is a virtual screen floating in a black space, like being in a dark movie theater. Q: Will PS VR display 3D content in Cinematic Mode? No. In Cinematic Mode, PS VR will display 3D games and films in 2D when playing on a 3D-compatible TV. When playing with non 3D-campatible TVs or without a TV, PS4 won’t play 3D games and films. Q: In the future will PS VR support 3D content in Cinematic Mode? We have nothing to announce at this point in time. PS VR Social Screen Q: What is the Social Screen? The term Social Screen is what we refer to as the 2D image being shown on the TV when running a VR game or application. This output allows users who are not wearing the PS VR headset to see what the PS VR player is seeing, or to play alongside the VR player in certain games by having completely separate audio and image outputted to the TV, like The PlayRoom VR. Q: Why is the Social Screen image displayed on the TV in 2D? The Social Screen image displayed on the TV is a 2D, undistorted and cropped version of the right eye image that would be displayed in the PS VR headset. PS VR outputs a standard 2D image as this is supported by most TVs and no other accessories are required, so everyone in the room can enjoy it. PS VR: Health and Safety Q: How long can people safely wear PS VR? PS VR has been designed to be the most comfortable VR headset on the market, and it can be worn for extended periods of time. However, we recommend you take frequent breaks when using PS VR. Q: Is PS VR safe for my eyes? Yes. But as with all display devices (TVs, mobile phones, tablets, etc.), we recommend taking frequent breaks. Q: The PS VR display is very close to my eyes, will I become nearsighted with prolonged use? No. The focal distance of the images presented by PS VR is at a distance of about 6 – 10 feet. This is similar to the optimal viewing distance required to view a 60” TV. But again, we recommend taking frequent breaks when using PS VR, just like when viewing other display devices. Q: Can I wear my glasses inside of the headset? Yes, the PS VR headset is designed to accommodate users that wear glasses. You can telescope the lens closer to, and farther away from, your face to get the optimal fit. Q: I’m nearsighted, so can I use PS VR without my glasses? This depends on the prescription of your glasses. The focal distance of the images presented by PS VR is at a distance of about 6 – 10 feet, so if you require glasses while driving or seeing your TV, you will most likely need to wear your glasses to see PS VR images clearly. However, some very wide or unusually shaped glasses may not fit. Q: Can I walk around while wearing PS VR? Walking is not advised. We recommend that users play PS VR games while seated for the most comfortable and safest VR experience. Q: My head is larger than average – will the PS VR headset fit? PS VR can adjust to comfortably accommodate a wide range of head sizes. That said, it’s a good idea to visit a local retailer to try it out for yourself! Q: Will PlayStation VR make me feel nauseous while playing? Players’ responses to VR gameplay can differ, but generally, the vast majority of gamers should be able to enjoy PlayStation VR gameplay. Make sure to try the PS VR demo disc to get a sense of the games and experiences you prefer. In many cases, initial discomfort experienced can fade as you become more accustomed to VR gameplay. We recommend taking frequent breaks when using PS VR, and if you experience any discomfort, discontinue playing. Q: How much physical space will I need to play? The recommended play space measures approximately 10 feet by 10 feet total, with the user in VR sitting about 5 feet in front of the PlayStation Camera / TV. Clear an area larger than the Play Area of all obstacles before using PS VR, and make sure that no walls, furniture, or objects can impede your VR play space. PS VR: Entertainment & Media Q: Will there be VR experiences beyond games? Yes, there will be several non-game VR experiences coming to PS VR, including VR storytelling experiences from Penrose Studios and others. Further details of these VR experiences will be released at a later date. Q: Will PS VR support VR entertainment apps? In the weeks and months ahead, there will be a variety of VR experiences and media applications coming to PS VR, including those such as Hulu (in the US only), Allumette (Penrose), Invasion! (Baobab), Kismet (PsyOp), Within, LittlStar, Vrideo, and The Martian (Fox). Q: Can I watch movies, YouTube videos and other media through the PS VR headset? Yes, you can watch all your existing media in Cinematic Mode using PS VR. There will also be media applications designed to support PS VR. Q: Can I play 360 video using my PlayStation VR? A: An update is available for PS4’s Media Player that makes it possible to view videos / photos captured on a 360-degree omnidirectional camera (in equirectangular file format) on PS VR. PS VR: Controls & Peripherals Q: What is the PS Move motion controller? The PS Move motion controller is a single hand controller first introduced on the PlayStation 3 system, providing accurate 1:1 hand tracking. For supported PS VR games, the PS Move motion controller can be used in each hand, allowing you to interact with the VR worlds intuitively. In VR, the PS Move motion controller can be a representation of your own hands, a sword, a flashlight, or anything developers can imagine. The position and orientation of the PS Move motion controllers are tracked by the same PS Camera that also tracks the PS VR headset and the DualShock 4. Q: Do I need a PS Move motion controller to play PS VR games? The vast majority of PS VR games support DualShock 4, while offering PlayStation Move as an option for an enhanced experience. There are a limited number of titles that require the use of two PS Move motion controllers. Please check the requirements of individual games from the descriptions on the front of the PS VR software packaging or from PlayStation Store. Q: Can I use my DualShock 4 wireless controller with PS VR? Yes, and in some PS VR games you will see DualShock 4 with you inside the PS VR experience for even more immersion. PS Camera can track the light bar on DualShock 4, just like tracking lights on the PS VR headset. Q: What is the PS VR Aim Controller? The PS VR Aim Controller is a new two-handed controller designed for PS VR first-person shooter games. It will be launched at the same time as the PS VR exclusive sci-fi FPS game Farpoint. For more information about the PS VR Aim Controller, see here. Visit here for more information on the PlayStation VR exclusive, Farpoint. Q: What is 3D audio? 3D audio simulates the effect of audio arriving at your ears from different directions and distances to more closely mimic the behavior of sound in real life. Not only does PS VR create sounds coming from front, behind, left and right, but also above and below. This type of audio greatly enhances the feeling of immersion and presence in VR over traditional audio systems like 7.1 surround sound. Q: Do I need new headphones to experience 3D audio? No, any wired stereo headphones or wired earbuds can support 3D audio. Stereo headphones are included with PS VR, but you can also use your preferred audio headsets if they feature a standard 3.5mm male connector. Q: Are surround sound headphones better for PS VR? No, any surround sound generated by the headphones themselves will interfere with the 3D audio from the PS VR headset. It is recommended to turn off surround sound mode or use standard wired stereo headphones that do not use surround sound. Q: Can I use my PULSE wireless headset or other wireless headsets with PS VR? Yes, but you should connect the wireless headset using a standard 3.5mm wired cable. A wireless audio connection will not work with PS VR. Q: What controls are on the PS VR headset? The PS VR headset has three mechanical controls to adjust the fit of the headset, and four digital controls on an inline remote to adjust volume, muting of the microphone and turning on/off the VR headset power. Q: How can I adjust the fit of the PS VR headset? The PS VR headset has been designed to mechanically adjust for most head shapes and allow you to wear glasses if needed. There is a button on the back of the headset that unlocks the headband mechanism and allows you to stretch open the headset over your head. Once placed on your head, above and below the button is a dial that can be turned to tighten the headband on your head to ensure a secure fit. The main part of the headset is the visor. On the underside of this, to the right is a button, that when pressed allows you to slide the visor forwards and backwards to adjust the view. You press the button to move the visor forward to accommodate your glasses or when taking a break to see your surroundings. With the button pressed you can also move the visor backward, closer to your face to get a more encompassing view of the action or when just returning to your game from a break. Q: What is the PS VR inline remote? Attached inline to the cable coming out of the PS VR headset is a white pendant style array of buttons and a standard 3.5mm female audio jack. This is the remote for PS VR and it allows you control some functions of the PS VR headset. This is also where the headphone jack is located, and you can plug in your standard stereo headphones or the headphones provided in the box. We designed the remote to be easy to use even while you have the headset on. Q: What are the buttons on PS VR inline remote for? There are four buttons: The top recessed button is for power on/off, the next is for muting the microphone built into the PS VR, the next is for increasing the volume of the audio delivered to the audio jack, and the final button is for decreasing the volume. PS VR: Multiplayer and SHARE Q: Can I play online games with PS VR? Yes, developers can support online multiplayer features in PS VR titles. Examples include RIGS Mechanized Combat League from Guerrilla Games, EVE Valkyrie from CCP Games, and Eagle Flight from Ubisoft. Q: Can two people using PS VR headsets play together on one PS4 console? No. PS4 only supports one PS VR headset at a time. Q: Can I use game and system voice chat with PS VR? Yes the PS VR has a built in microphone that can be used for multiplayer voice chat. Q: Does the SHARE button work when playing PS VR games? Yes, you can capture photos and videos using the SHARE button. The resulting capture will be similar to the image presented on the Social Screen. Q: Can I broadcast / live stream PS VR gameplay? Yes, you can broadcast your PS VR experiences via Twitch, YouTube, or other streaming video services using the SHARE button located on DualShock 4. The resulting video feed will be similar to what users experience on the Social Screen. Q: Can I capture or live stream my PS VR gameplay session? Yes, in the same way you can stream or capture your standard PS4 gameplay, the PS VR streaming works the same way. The stream view will be the same view as the Social Screen mentioned above. Q. Can I live stream myself (show my face) while broadcasting PS VR gameplay? No, when playing PS VR, the PS Camera is being used to track the LEDs on the headset, so it cannot be used to record your face during the broadcast. Other Questions Q: Do I need to be connected to the internet to play PS VR games? An internet connection is not required, unless you plan to play an online multiplayer-enabled title or want to download a title from PlayStation Store. Q: Do I need a TV to play PS VR? You will need a TV for certain system settings, and also for certain local multiplayer games that require other users to see content on the TV using the Social Screen feature. Q: Can someone else change the channel on my TV, or turn it off, while I play PS VR? Yes, you can change the channel or inputs without affecting a PS VR user. Q: Can I use PS VR with my PC or Mac? PS VR is designed to work with PS4. Q: Do I need a PS Camera to use PS VR? Yes, you will need the PS Camera to use PS VR. It’s available separately, or as part of the $499.99 USD Launch Bundle. Q: Do I need the new PS Camera for PS VR? Are there any features that will only work with the new camera? No, the redesigned PS Camera will work just the same as the older design. Q: Can I use PS VR that was purchased outside of the US and Canada? PlayStation recommends that all users purchase PS VR at the region of their residence to fulfill safety regulations of the product and to guarantee the best customer service. Q: Does the room need to be dark when I play PS VR? Ambient lighting will generally not affect PS VR gameplay. Bright light sources directly behind the person using PS VR, lights coming in from windows and room lights, and lights reflecting off mirrors can interfere with the PS Camera and interrupt the tracking of the LED lights on the headset. It is recommended to eliminate bright light sources behind the PS VR player. Q: I heard that mirrors and shiny surfaces can be a problem when using PS VR. Is that true? Yes, the PS Camera is expecting to see only a single set of tracking LEDs. Mirrors that are in the view of the PS Camera will confuse the tracking. Smaller shiny surfaces are generally fine, but if you have problems with tracking performance then these may be contributing to the issue. Q: How do I pair a PS VR headset to a PS4? Unlike a DualShock 4 and other wireless devices that can connect to a PS4, the PS VR does not need to be paired to a PS4 as it is directly connected via HDMI and USB cables. Please refer to the Quick setup guide in the box or the tutorial video for how to connect your PS VR system to your PS4. Q: How do I navigate the PS4 interface using PS VR? The PS VR headset will show PS4’s standard home screen in Cinematic Mode. From there, you can select and launch PS VR games. Q: Are there “settings” I can enable for PS VR, i.e. sensitivity, etc? Within the PS4 “Settings” section, under “Devices” you can find the “PlayStation VR” device menu. From here you can change “Screen Brightness” of the PS VR screen, “Screen Size” of the virtual theater screen when PS VR is in Cinematic mode, “Measure Eye-to-Eye Distance” to optimize the 3D video you see inside the headset, and “Adjust Tracking Lights” to make adjustments so that PS Camera can correctly track the VR headset and peripherals such as DualShock 4 and PS Move motion controllers. There are also options to check your placement and surroundings by seeing what the PlayStation Camera can see. There is also an option to check if you are wearing the PS VR headset correctly, and you can adjust the camera after it has been initially placed in your environment. Some of these settings are also available through a long press of the PS button on your DualShock 4, which will bring up the PS4 interface over the current paused game or application. Q: Does PS VR require its own device software updates? If your PS4 system has a new PS VR device software installed, your PS VR will begin updating automatically once it is connected to PS4 and turned on. Also, your PS4 must be installed with the latest system software for PS VR to update. You can also check for new PS VR device software updates through your PS VR device menu under Settings. Q: How do I switch between playing PS VR games, and PS4 games on my TV? Once you have finished playing a PS VR game, just take off the headset and press the PS button on DualShock 4 to return to the home screen. You’ll be able to launch non-VR games. If you wear the headset, you will see the non-VR game on a virtual screen in the PS VR’s cinematic mode. Q: Will standard PS4 games run slower if I leave the PS VR headset plugged in? No. There is no gameplay performance penalty with leaving PS VR plugged into your PS4. Q: Can I travel with PS VR? Yes. The PS VR system is a certified consumer electronics device and there are no issues travelling with this. We advise you purchase a PS VR carrying bag to secure your PS VR headset and processor unit during your travels. Q: Will I need to clean or maintain PS VR? We recommend that you routinely clean and maintain your PS VR for the best experience. For further details, please refer to the PS VR Care & Maintenance support article. View the full article

Recently, we were thrilled to announce PlayStation’s Limited Edition Call of Duty: WWII PS4 Bundle, which launches November 3, and is available for pre-order now. It includes a custom-designed 1TB PS4 console, complete with matching DualShock 4 controller and Call of Duty: WWII. We are excited Call of Duty: WWII returns the franchise to the roots that made Call of Duty a household name. Our latest campaign highlights the courage, strength, and brotherhood of this era, and we can’t wait to dive in. We’re proud that PlayStation is the best place to play the latest installment of this classic series. Check out our latest spot highlighting the game and our upcoming bundle, and let us know what you think! *DLC Map Packs, when available, will launch on PS4 30 days prior to launch on other platforms. Map Packs sold separately. View the full article

It’s been almost one year since the launch of PlayStation VR! And in that time, PlayStation and its development partners have built a library of more than 100 games that cut across all genres… and created a few new ones in the process. To celebrate, we’re kicking off a new series of videos, the first of which you can watch above. We’re just getting started with this powerful new entertainment medium. This new video series expresses the physical sensations you experience when PS VR transports you to the amazing gaming worlds like Skyrim VR and Gran Turismo Sport. It’s a good time to join the VR gaming revolution. We’ve been hard at work building up a library of the best VR gaming content in the business — check out the list of what’s available on PS VR below, including some favorites picked out by the PlayStation.Blog team. And keep your eyes peeled — we have a lot more to say about PS VR. Stay tuned! Game Title Publisher Release Dreamworks: Voltron VR Chronicles Digital Domain Interactive September 26, 2017 DWVR Perziur Slu September 26, 2017 Light Tracer Oasis Games Limited September 26, 2017 End Space Orange Bridge Studios Inc September 19, 2017 Solus Grip Digital S.R.O. September 18, 2017 Bloody Zombies NDreams Ltd September 13, 2017 Batman: Arkham VR Sporting some of the highest polish and production values seen on PS VR, this immersive detective adventure equips you with Batman’s impressive forensics equipment. VR Karts Viewpoint Games Ltd September 12, 2017 The Lost Bear Fabrik Games Ltd September 5, 2017 Don’t Knock Twice Wales Interactive September 5, 2017 Sparc CCP Games August 29, 2017 Sneaky Bears War Ducks Ltd August 29, 2017 Soul Dimension Time of Virtual Reality August 22, 2017 Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul VRWerx, LLC August 15, 2017 Neptune Flux Zoxide Games August 8, 2017 Battlezone A sprawling arcade-action masterpiece that fully connects with PS VR’s immersive potential. A very safe bet for any new PS VR owner. Dino Frontier Uber Entertainment August 1, 2017 CastleStorm VR Edition Zen Studios August 1, 2017 Theseus Forge Reply S.R.L. July 26, 2017 Smashbox Arena Archiact Interactive Ltd July 25, 2017 Tiny Trax FuturLab Limited July 25, 2017 Heroes of The Seven Seas Time of Virtual Reality July 25, 2017 Infinite Minigolf Zen Studios July 25, 2017 Superhot VR Superhot Sp. z o.o. July 21, 2017 The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Viewing Revolution Bandai Namco Games America Inc. July 18, 2017 Manifest 99 Project Flight School Inc July 18, 2017 Archangel Skydance Interactive LLC July 18, 2017 Carnival Games VR A real crowdpleaser. The shooting gallery segments demonstrate how PS VR can breathe new life into even well-worn gaming mechanics. Apollo 11 VR Immersive VR Education Ltd. July 12, 2017 The Bellows Castle Steps LLC July 11, 2017 Fantastic Contraption Radial Games Corp. July 11, 2017 Arizona Sunshine Vertigo Games B.V July 5, 2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming – VR Experience Sony Pictures Virtual Reality June 30, 2017 Cavernous Wastes PouncingKitten Games LLC June 27, 2017 Ancient Amuletor Time of Virtual Reality June 27, 2017 Eagle Flight Fly like an eagle in this dazzling experience set high above a post-apocalyptic vision of Paris. A favorite of Boss Key Productions CEO Cliff Bleszinksi. Arizona Sunshine Launch Edition Vertigo Games B.V June 27, 2017 Chess Ultra Ripstone LTD June 20, 2017 Air Force Special Ops: Nightfall Sony Interactive Entertainment June 20, 2017 Race the Sun Flippfly June 13, 2017 (VR Update) Special Delivery Meerkat Gaming LLC June 6, 2017 Tekken 7 Bandai Namco Games America Inc. June 2, 2017 Farpoint One of the more magical entries in the VR shooter market, thanks to the precision and immersion of the PlayStation VR Aim Controller. Star Trek: Bridge Crew Ubisoft Entertainment May 30, 2017 Dick Wilde PlayStack Limited May 16, 2017 Farpoint Sony Interactive Entertainment May 16, 2017 Moonshot Galaxy Big Fish Games May 9, 2017 Polybius Llamasoft Ltd May 9, 2017 Gnog Ko-Op Mode Inc. May 2, 2017 Gnog Part game, part toybox, Gnog is a true delight made even more magical in virtual reality. Oasis Games Shooter VR Bundle Oasis Games Limited April 25, 2017 Symphony of the Machine Stirfier Pty Ltd April 25, 2017 Statik Tarsier Studios April 24, 2017 Quiz Night Tonight! Mardonpol Inc April 21, 2017 Bandit Six: Combined Arms Climax Studios Limited April 19, 2017 HeroCade Lucid Sight, Inc. April 18, 2017 Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live Even casual Miku fans will be impressed by VR Future Live. Cheer along with dozens of performances from various spots in the crowd, or even on stage. VR Invaders – Complete Edition My.com B.V. April 18, 2017 StarBlood Arena Sony Interactive Entertainment April 11, 2017 Mortal Blitz Skonec Entertainment April 4, 2017 Fated: The Silent Oath Frima Studio March 28, 2017 Korix StellarVR Limited March 28, 2017 Leave the Nest Kaio Interactive LLC March 14, 2017 Job Simulator Who knew work could be so much fun? Owlchemy Labs’ satirical distillation of the human workforce makes for one of PSVR’s most riotous experiences. Darknet Archiact Interactive Ltd March 7, 2017 Unearthing Mars Winking Skywalker Entertainment Limited March 7, 2017 Dying: Reborn Oasis Games Limited February 28, 2017 Psychonauts In The Rhombus Of Ruin Double Fine Productions February 21, 2017 Mervils: A VR Adventure Vitruvius Technologies Inc. February 21, 2017 DiRT Rally Plus PlayStation VR Bundle Codemasters Inc. February 17, 2017 PlayStation VR Worlds Hard to top in the “bang for your buck” department, PlayStation VR Worlds combines five excellent experiences into one polished package. Joshua Bell VR Experience Sony Interactive Entertainment February 14, 2017 VR Ping Pong Merge Games Limited February 7, 2017 Dexed Ninja Theory Limited January 31, 2017 Moto Racer 4 Anuman Interactive January 24, 2017 Resident Evil 7 biohazard Capcom U.S.A., Inc. January 24, 2017 Eve: Valkyrie CCP Games December 23, 2016 Polybius Jeff Minter’s games specialize in “just-crazy-enough-to-work” mechanics and presentation, and his take on the fabled Polybius is no exception. Rollercoaster Dreams Bimboosoft December 20, 2016 Fruit Ninja VR Halfbrick Studios Pty Ltd. December 20, 2016 Lethal VR Team17 Software Ltd. December 20, 2016 Fat City Heavy Iron Studios December 15, 2016 Starship Disco Solus Games December 15, 2016 Perfect NDreams LTD December 13, 2016 Resident Evil 7 biohazard Perhaps the finest example of the possibilities of VR gaming, this bone-chilling masterpiece shines brightest in VR. I Expect You To Die Schell Games LLC December 13, 2016 Werewolves Within Ubisoft Entertainment December 6, 2016 Surgeon Simulator: Experience Reality Bossa Studios Limited December 3, 2016 How We Soar Penny Black Studios Ltd November 29, 2016 Crystal Rift Psytec Games Ltd November 29, 2016 Pinball FX2 VR Zen Studios November 29, 2016 Rez Infinite The ultimate realization of Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s seminal audiovisual masterpiece, Rez Infinite in PS VR is something everyone should experience. NBA 2KVR Experience 2K November 22, 2016 Gary the Gull Limitless Sky Squadron, LLC November 22, 2016 HoloBall Treefortress Inc. November 22, 2016 VirZoom Arcade VirZoom, Inc November 22, 2016 Proton Pulse Plus ZeroTransform LLC November 22, 2016 Space Rift – Episode 1 bitComposer Interactive GmbH November 15, 2016 StarBlood Arena A slick multiplayer-focused arena shooter in the grand tradition of Descent. Time Machine VR Minority Inc. November 15, 2016 Trackmania Turbo Ubisoft Entertainment November 11, 2016 (VR Update) Robinson: The Journey Crytek November 8, 2016 Eagle Flight Ubisoft Entertainment November 8, 2016 Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare Jackal Assault VR Experience Activision November 4, 2016 O! My Genesis VR Xpec Entertainment Inc. November 4, 2016 Superhot VR One of the most stylish and addictive titles on PS VR, with a meta-presentation that will melt your brain. Carnival Games VR 2K October 28, 2016 Weeping Doll Oasis Games Limited October 27, 2016 Windlands Psytec Games Ltd October 25, 2016 Tethered Secret Sorcery Limited October 25, 2016 Pixel Gear Oasis Games Limited October 20, 2016 Sports Bar VR Cherry Pop Games October 18, 2016 Waddle Home Archiact Interactive Ltd October 13, 2016 Gunjack CCP Games October 13, 2016 Rez Infinite Enhance Games October 13, 2016 Headmaster Frame Interactive Studio LLC October 13, 2016 Loading Human: Chapter 1 Maximum Games October 13, 2016 SuperHyperCube A perfect example of how to make a game in virtual reality, SHC takes a simple puzzle concept and gives it just enough of a VR twist to really sell the magic of the medium. The Assembly NDreams Ltd October 13, 2016 Ace Banana Oasis Games Limited October 13, 2016 Catlateral Damage Fire Hose Games October 13, 2016 (VR Update) Job Simulator Owlchemy Labs, Inc. October 13, 2016 The Brookhaven Experiment Phosphor Games October 13, 2016 Battlezone Rebellion October 13, 2016 Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live Sega of America Inc. October 13, 2016 RIGS Mechanized Combat League Sony Interactive Entertainment October 13, 2016 Here They Lie Sony Interactive Entertainment October 13, 2016 Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes Steel Crate Games, Inc. October 13, 2016 Volume: Coda Bithell Games October 13, 2016 World War Toons Beta Studio Roqovan, Inc. October 13, 2016 Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Square Enix Co. Ltd. October 11, 2016 Batman: Arkham VR Warner Bros. Interactive October 11, 2016 EVE: Valkyrie CCP Games October 10, 2016 Thumper Drool LLC October 10, 2016 Harmonix Music VR Harmonix Music Systems, Inc October 10, 2016 100ft Robot Golf No Goblin LLC October 10, 2016 Thumper Perhaps the most intense rhythm game ever made, Thumper excels in VR. An easy recommendation for all PS VR owners. SuperHyperCube Polytron Corporation October 10, 2016 The Playroom VR Sony Interactive Entertainment October 10, 2016 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood Sony Interactive Entertainment October 10, 2016 PlayStation VR Worlds Sony Interactive Entertainment October 10, 2016 Tumble VR Sony Interactive Entertainment October 10, 2016 Hustle Kings VR Sony Interactive Entertainment October 10, 2016 Super Stardust Ultra VR Sony Interactive Entertainment October 10, 2016 Wayward Sky Uber Entertainment October 10, 2016 Tiny Trax FuturLab are masters of pure gameplay, and Tiny Trax is a brilliant, vibrant take on the age-old tradition of racing slot cars. Driveclub VR Sony Interactive Entertainment September 21, 2016 Nebulous Namazu Studios August 30, 2016 Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X Sega of America Inc. August 30, 2016 Bound Sony Interactive Entertainment August 16, 2016 VEV: Viva Ex Vivo‎ Truant Pixel, LLC May 17, 2016 View the full article

A cult classic finds a new home with Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen coming to PS4 this Tuesday. Set in a dangerous open world, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen pits players against spectacular monsters. Master a variety of vocations, each with its own set of skills and strategies to wield. Dark Arisen includes all the DLC from the original Dragon’s Dogma as well as the expansion content. Train your party and fight back against overwhelming odds in this ambitious adventure from the team at Capcom. For a full list of new games coming next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! New Releases: Week of October 3, 2017 Batman: The Enemy Within PS4 — Retail Descend into darkness! In this latest chapter from the award-winning studio behind Batman – The Telltale Series, both Bruce Wayne and Batman will be forced into precarious new roles. The Riddler has returned to terrorize Gotham City, but his gruesome puzzles merely foreshadow an even greater crisis… Battle Chasers: Nightwar PS4 — Digital, Retail Battle Chasers: Nightwar is an RPG inspired by the console genre-greats and the 90’s cult comic book. Experience deep dungeon diving, turn-based combat presented in classic JRPG format, and a rich story driven by exploration of the world. Battle Garegga Rev.2016 PS4 — Digital (Out 10/6) A classic takes to the skies once again! The retro game masters at M2 have poured their passion into the first release in the M2 Shot Triggers series! Detention PS4 — Digital Detention is an unique atmospheric horror game heavily influenced by Taiwanese/East Asian culture, religious elements, and mythology based on 1960’s Taiwan under martial law. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen PS4 — Digital, Retail The critically acclaimed action-RPG Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen combines exhilarating and deep combat with the freedom to explore the huge open world of Gransys in 1080p. Choose between nine different classes and embark on your own adventure along with three AI companions known as Pawns. Expand PS4 — Digital Expand is a 2D indie game in which you guide a pink square through a circular labyrinth that constantly rotates, unfolds, and expands around you. The Hunter: Call of the Wild PS4 — Digital, Retail Experience the thrill of the hunt in a visually breathtaking, technically groundbreaking, vast open world. Jydge PS4 — Digital Jydge is a lawful but awful roguehate top-down shooter where you get to build your own cybernetic Jydge and eradicate crime in the never-sleeping megacity of Edenbyrg. Mystik Belle PS4 — Digital Trouble is brewing at the Hagmore School of Witchcraft, and only freshman witch-in-training Belle MacFae can put things right. Save the Ninja Clan PS Vita — Digital (Out 10/6) Save the Ninja Clan is a platformer for casual players as well as speedrunners. There are two ways to play this game: play through the normal story mode or find secrets or “bugs” in the game to annoy the Game Manager watching. Twin Robots PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross Buy) Twin Robots is a platformer where you control two little robots. They have been imprisoned and need to find the way out of each level! WRC 7 PS4 — Digital, Retail Test yourself in the 13 WRC rallies and their true-to-life environments. Play as the best drivers in the Championship at the wheel of their new cars. Girls Trip Cult of Chucky An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

A cult classic finds a new home with Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen coming to PS4 this Tuesday. Set in a dangerous open world, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen pits players against spectacular monsters. Master a variety of vocations, each with its own set of skills and strategies to wield. Dark Arisen includes all the DLC from the original Dragon’s Dogma as well as the expansion content. Train your party and fight back against overwhelming odds in this ambitious adventure from the team at Capcom. For a full list of new games coming next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! New Releases: Week of October 3, 2017 Batman: The Enemy Within PS4 — Retail Descend into darkness! In this latest chapter from the award-winning studio behind Batman – The Telltale Series, both Bruce Wayne and Batman will be forced into precarious new roles. The Riddler has returned to terrorize Gotham City, but his gruesome puzzles merely foreshadow an even greater crisis… Battle Chasers: Nightwar PS4 — Digital, Retail Battle Chasers: Nightwar is an RPG inspired by the console genre-greats and the 90’s cult comic book. Experience deep dungeon diving, turn-based combat presented in classic JRPG format, and a rich story driven by exploration of the world. Battle Garegga Rev.2016 PS4 — Digital (Out 10/6) A classic takes to the skies once again! The retro game masters at M2 have poured their passion into the first release in the M2 Shot Triggers series! Detention PS4 — Digital Detention is an unique atmospheric horror game heavily influenced by Taiwanese/East Asian culture, religious elements, and mythology based on 1960’s Taiwan under martial law. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen PS4 — Digital, Retail The critically acclaimed action-RPG Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen combines exhilarating and deep combat with the freedom to explore the huge open world of Gransys in 1080p. Choose between nine different classes and embark on your own adventure along with three AI companions known as Pawns. Expand PS4 — Digital Expand is a 2D indie game in which you guide a pink square through a circular labyrinth that constantly rotates, unfolds, and expands around you. The Hunter: Call of the Wild PS4 — Digital, Retail Experience the thrill of the hunt in a visually breathtaking, technically groundbreaking, vast open world. Jydge PS4 — Digital Jydge is a lawful but awful roguehate top-down shooter where you get to build your own cybernetic Jydge and eradicate crime in the never-sleeping megacity of Edenbyrg. Mystik Belle PS4 — Digital Trouble is brewing at the Hagmore School of Witchcraft, and only freshman witch-in-training Belle MacFae can put things right. Save the Ninja Clan PS Vita — Digital (Out 10/6) Save the Ninja Clan is a platformer for casual players as well as speedrunners. There are two ways to play this game: play through the normal story mode or find secrets or “bugs” in the game to annoy the Game Manager watching. Twin Robots PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross Buy) Twin Robots is a platformer where you control two little robots. They have been imprisoned and need to find the way out of each level! WRC 7 PS4 — Digital, Retail Test yourself in the 13 WRC rallies and their true-to-life environments. Play as the best drivers in the Championship at the wheel of their new cars. Girls Trip Cult of Chucky An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Working with our colleagues over at Sony Rewards and Capital One, we are excited to present a new PlayStation Credit Card with rewards designed specifically with gamers like you in mind. Beginning today, we’re inviting all of our fans to start turning your everyday purchases into a number of amazing rewards and benefits. Now the good stuff – what you can get! When you apply and get approved, after your first card purchase, you get a $50 PlayStation Store code. That could be a free new game! And that’s just the beginning… 5X points when you use the card at PlayStation Store 5x points on all PlayStation and Sony purchases at authorized retailers with purchase confirmation using a Sony Rewards Bonus Points form 3X points when you use the PlayStation Card to pay your mobile phone bill 1X points on all other every day purchases No annual fee Customize your card for free with multiple game-inspired designs (after you become a card member and create an account at capitalone.com) Once you start racking up your Sony Rewards points (100 points is like $1 in Sony Rewards), the possibilities are endless! Redeem the points you earn for PlayStation games, consoles, downloadable content, subscription services, Sony electronics, movies, music, experiences and more. Not a member of Sony Rewards? Check it out here. This is a great opportunity for any gamer looking to earn rewards just by purchasing the items you already enjoy. To learn more about the new Capital One PlayStation Card and to apply today, click here. View the full article

Working with our colleagues over at Sony Rewards and Capital One, we are excited to present a new PlayStation Credit Card with rewards designed specifically with gamers like you in mind. Beginning today, we’re inviting all of our fans to start turning your everyday purchases into a number of amazing rewards and benefits. Now the good stuff – what you can get! When you apply and get approved, after your first card purchase, you get a $50 PlayStation Store code. That could be a free new game! And that’s just the beginning… 5X points when you use the card at PlayStation Store 5x points on all PlayStation and Sony purchases at authorized retailers with purchase confirmation using a Sony Rewards Bonus Points form 3X points when you use the PlayStation Card to pay your mobile phone bill 1X points on all other every day purchases No annual fee Customize your card for free with multiple game-inspired designs (after you become a card member and create an account at capitalone.com) Once you start racking up your Sony Rewards points (100 points is like $1 in Sony Rewards), the possibilities are endless! Redeem the points you earn for PlayStation games, consoles, downloadable content, subscription services, Sony electronics, movies, music, experiences and more. Not a member of Sony Rewards? Check it out here. This is a great opportunity for any gamer looking to earn rewards just by purchasing the items you already enjoy. To learn more about the new Capital One PlayStation Card and to apply today, click here. View the full article

Stripped to its basics, Slayaway Camp is ‘just’ a sliding block puzzle, similar to Sokoban or any number of move-a-thing-around-a-grid mini-games that most gamers will undoubtedly be familiar with. These kinds of puzzles can range from mindlessly simple to maddeningly complex, but they do have a tendency to be, well, boring. The challenge we set ourselves in Slayaway Camp was this: can we make a dry, cerebral sliding block puzzle game that is not boring? Sliding a block around to reach an objective can be tedious. But what if the block was, say, a person, and the objective of the puzzle was, say, to gruesomely murder them? Whatever that is, it’s not boring! From this concept, we quickly made the jump to ‘80s slasher movies. Thematically, it fit with our game mechanics, where you had multiple helpless, immobile victims waiting for you to slaughter them. And conceptually it was a blast, with all sorts of opportunities to indulge in retro-horror nostalgia, ‘80s metal and synth-rock, VHS tape artifacts, and creatively disgusting murders. Once we had embraced that theme, we started evolving and tweaking game mechanics to support it. For instance, we added the ability to ‘scare’ victims so that they flee from the killer, potentially sending them into a more strategically advantageous position… or right into some kind of flame-based hazard or man-mincing woodchipper. While we were having tons of fun including dozens of hidden (and not so hidden) references to 80’s horror flicks, we did have to make some careful decisions regarding the game’s violence. By any normal standards, it’s incredibly over the top, with multiple campers getting decapitated, defenestrated, disembowelled and dismembered (or worse!) every few minutes. A realistic art style would have resulted in a truly nauseous experience for all but the most hardened gorehounds. But making a bloodless slasher film homage would remove the very essence of what it’s paying tribute to. Ultimately, we decided to crank the violence to ultra levels, but reduced the detail of the characters to the point that they are basically adorable shoeboxes with eyes. As a result, the bloodshed and slaughtering – despite being utterly brutal – is more comical than it is disturbing. But it’s not just kooky kills and humorous homicides that we rely on for tickle-funnies and happy-smiles. For example, one level is effectively a labyrinth and, as you wind your way through, a guy sitting by a campfire is playing his guitar and singing especially badly. Each turn gets you closer, but one false move means you’re doomed to listen to another outburst of his horrifying campfire ballad. There are jokes and moments like these lovingly peppered through the entire game, and we feel it’s this type of attention that gives Slayaway Camp its black-but-ever-so-lovable soul. After all our efforts, some of the most satisfying feedback we have received is from fans of the game who wholeheartedly admit that before they played Slayaway Camp, they hated puzzle games. We believe that by drenching the puzzles in a thick layer of style and substance (and gore), there’s always something new to work towards… be it unlocking a secret homage to a horror movie killer or the promise of savagely beating a camp leader over the head with his own guitar. So, whether you love puzzle games or you hate them with all your guts, Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut is for you. And with more than 300 puzzle levels to massacre your way through, 90 ‘Gorepacks’ with delightfully OTT kill scenes, and over 60 killers to cause comical carnage with, Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut is undoubtedly the meatiest and most murdery version of the game yet. Coming to a PS4 near you in time for Halloween! View the full article