Commander Fury

That’s a wrap! Today was an exciting day for gamers around the world, as the PlayStation 5 showcase granted us our first look at PS5 games under development… and culminated with the reveal of the PS5 system itself. Actually, two PS5 systems. At PS5’s launch, we will offer two options: a PlayStation®5 console with an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive and a PlayStation®5 Digital Edition without a disc drive. The PS5 gameplay experience will be the same, so the choice is all yours. While there are some slight differences in the look of each model, for the overall design, we wanted to deliver a console that’s bold, stunning, and unlike any previous generation of PlayStation. On the software side, the industry’s most talented developers unveiled a lineup of games that will define PS5 when it launches this holiday. Grand Theft Auto V started the party, revealing an expanded and enhanced edition due to hit PS5 in 2021. PlayStation Studios also served up a massive buffet of extraordinary PlayStation 5 game reveals (read details here) totaling nine titles. It kicked off with Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales — the next chapter in the acclaimed partnership between the legendary studio and Marvel Games and is due out for PS5 this holiday. Insomniac also revealed Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a galaxy-hopping new PS5 adventure in the fan-favorite Insomniac series. Our friends at Guerilla gave us a breathtaking first look at Horizon Forbidden West for PlayStation 5, a gorgeous new adventure set in a distant land ravaged by massive storms. And Polyphony Digital dropped by to unveil Gran Turismo 7 as The Real Driving Simulator prepares for a new generation of PlayStation hardware. And I know you’re excited about Demon’s Souls, a gorgeous PS5 remake from Bluepoint Games and Japan Studio. When creating a new console, it’s essential to invite bright, talented independent developers into the process early. And it was inspiring to see such a wide array of innovative new indie titles showcased. Let’s just list them out: INDIES Bugsnax from Young HorsesA whimsical, narrative-driven adventure from the creators of Octodad. Investigate the mysterious Snacktooth Island, home of the legendary half-bug, half-snack creatures. Goodbye Volcano High from Ko_opA cinematic narrative game that touches on love, friendship, and self-realization in the final days of civilization. Jett: The Far Shore from Superbrothers + Pine ScentedA bittersweet interstellar trip to a mythic oceanic planet in a narrative-driven action adventure, featuring an emotional mix of storytelling and world exploration. Kena: Bridge of the Spirits from Ember LabA story-driven action adventure game combining exploration and discovery with fast-paced combat. Little Devil Inside from Neostream InteractiveSet in a “Victorian-like” era, embark on dangerous missions to gain evidence and findings for your employer, a mysterious professor. Oddworld: Soulstorm from Oddworld InhabitantsA major visual and cinematic lead for the celebrated series, with intelligent new gameplay mechanics and twisted new devices to enable explosive deviousness. From Oddworld Inhabitants: “Oddworld: Soulstorm’s scope and scale are larger than we have tackled before. We plan to use PS5’s stunning graphic fidelity, mind-blowing 3D audio, and the DualSense controller to enhance our storytelling and artistic abilities to bring you closer to the game and to create an even deeper emotional Oddworld experience…” The Pathless from Giant Squid / AnnapurnaThe mythic tale of an archer and an eagle in a vast forest who venture to a mystical island to dispel a curse of darkness. Stray from BlueTwelve Studio / AnnapurnaA little cat in a futuristic walled city, devoid of life, befriends a sentient drone. The cat must find its way home, and perhaps help the city along the way. Solar Ash from Heart Machine / AnnapurnaA journey through a surreal and vivid world filled with mystery, endearing characters, and massive enemy encounters across a vast open world. THIRD-PARTY GAMES PlayStation’s third-party partners also brought in some big new PS5 titles. Let’s take a look: Grand Theft Auto V from Rockstar GamesFrom Rockstar: “Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 5 will feature a range of technical improvements, visual upgrades and performance enhancements to take full advantage of the console’s powerful new hardware, making the game more beautiful and more responsive than ever. Plus, a new standalone version of Grand Theft Auto Online will be also available, free for three months exclusively on PlayStation 5.” (PlayStation Plus required for online multiplayer) Ghostwire: Tokyo from Tango Gameworks / Bethesda SoftworksFrom Bethesda: “From Shinji Mikami and the team at Tango Gameworks comes Ghostwire: Tokyo, a next-gen action-adventure game coming to consoles exclusively for PlayStation 5 in 2021. Tango Gameworks has taken full advantage of the power of the PS5’s next-gen hardware to create a stunning, immersive, and mysterious world to experience. Explore the streets of a city filled with spirits and mysterious otherworldly threats, with an arsenal of powerful abilities at your command.” GodfallFrom Counterplay Games: “You are the last of the Valorian knights, god-like warriors able to equip Valorplates, legendary armor sets that transform wielders into unstoppable masters of melee combat. Players will tear through foes as they climb through some of the elemental realms…. We’re still hard at work and can’t wait for players to experience Godfall when it makes its console debut on PS5 and launches on PC this holiday season.” Project Athia from Luminous Productions / Square Enix“Project Athia is the culmination of our philosophy here at Luminous Productions to create completely new and fresh gaming experiences that fuse together the latest technologies with art. With the PS5, our vision truly comes to life, and with Project Athia players can look forward to being transported to a vast and detailed world filled with beauty and dismay.” Hitman 3 from IO InteractiveFrom IO Interactive: “Hitman 3 is the dramatic conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy and will put you back into the shoes (and stylish suit) of Agent 47, a ruthless professional assassin who must take on the most important contracts of his career.” NBA 2K21 from 2K Sports2K Sports stopped by to give us an eye-popping first look at pre-alpha PS5 development footage of NBA 2K21. Deathloop from Arkane Studios / Bethesda SoftworksFrom Arkane Studios: “With stunning and stylish environments, memorable combat encounters, and the freedom to tackle each mission at any pace and with any approach you choose, this is Arkane like you’ve never seen (or felt) it before, built with next-gen in mind. Deathloop is being developed for a new generation of hardware and will launch on console exclusively for PlayStation 5.” Resident Evil Village from CapcomFrom Capcom: “…the fear of dark corners has been replaced with the anxiety of the unknown as Ethan searches for answers within decrepit buildings among snow-covered trees. The return of a first-person perspective will bring a visceral edge to combat… With a greater focus on combat and exploration compared to Resident Evil 7, the village itself is just as important a character as any other, a location with a life of its own that will frequently keep you on edge as you discover its secrets.” Pragmata from CapcomCapcom also gave us a first look at a thought-provoking PS5 game called Pragmata. Phew! There’s a lot to look forward to this holiday. From all of us here at PlayStation, thanks for joining us on this PS5 journey. We’re incredibly excited about the next chapter, and we’ll have more details to share about PS5 and the broader PlayStation ecosystem as we close in on launch this holiday. View the full article

Announced earlier today as part of the Future of Gaming digital event, I’m incredibly excited to tell you that Resident Evil Village is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2021, setting a new standard for survival horror as the eighth main entry in the storied Resident Evil franchise. Fear is one of our greatest motivations. The traditional themes of fight or flight (and, occasionally, to freeze) when faced with danger are natural to people even as we press on into the unknown, and most of us aren’t a stranger to the looming sense of anxiety that rises from a disturbing sound or a gloomy corner. Both the great unknown, as well as our need to explore – and be fearful of or fight for survival against what we find – is innately human. It’s what drove our ancestors to create the myths and legends we hear about to this day… perhaps because what’s really out there is significantly more terrifying and deadly than any fable. To that end, the team behind Resident Evil Village is using its expertise with Capcom’s in-house RE Engine to bring a truly next-generation survival-horror experience to PS5. You may have caught a few bits and pieces of how the engine is being used in the enigmatic trailer that was shown during The Future of Gaming, providing ultra-realistic environments and characters that inhabit a strange, snow-capped village. We’ll let you all pick apart the trailer and speculate on the finer details of what it all means, particularly the return of a Resident Evil mainstay, but rest assured you’ll be getting a next-gen experience that only Capcom can create. If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, go give it a watch – it’s time to dive into some of what you’ve seen in the trailer itself. If you don’t want to be spoiled, skip the next paragraph – we’ll get into some gameplay details afterwards. Taking place a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7 biohazard, in which protagonist Ethan Winters traveled to Louisiana to search for his missing wife, Mia, Resident Evil Village sees the reunited Mia and Ethan living happily together and putting their shared nightmares of the Baker’s plantation house behind them. Finally able to move on from those horrifying events, Ethan’s world suddenly comes crashing down once again when Chris Redfield, an unexpected yet familiar face makes an appearance, setting off a chain of events that sees a distraught Ethan seeking answers to Chris’s shocking actions… and ultimately finding him in a mysterious village. Unlike the cramped corridors of the Baker mansion in Resident Evil 7, the fear of dark corners has been replaced with the anxiety of the unknown as Ethan searches for answers within decrepit buildings among snow-covered trees. The return of a first-person perspective will bring a visceral edge to combat, as well. Each encounter is a personal fight for survival against terrifying foes, forcing you to keep a watchful eye on the environment and constantly looking for resources and enemies in unknown territory. With a greater focus on combat and exploration compared to Resident Evil 7, the village itself is just as important a character as any other, a location with a life of its own that will frequently keep you on edge as you discover its secrets. That’s all I have to share today. Keep your eyes open for more information on Resident Evil Village in the coming months, and look forward to a truly next-generation survival horror experience with Resident Evil Village, coming to PS5 in 2021. View the full article

It’s nighttime on Blackreef. Your current target: Aleksis Dorsey. Fortunately, the self-proclaimed “Alpha Wolf” is throwing an exclusive dinner party at his lavish mansion — and you aim to crash it. Welcome to Deathloop, Arkane Lyon’s new immersive first-person shooter coming to consoles exclusively for PlayStation 5 when it launches this holiday season. BLACKREEF will also be launching on PC at the same time. Trapped on an island stuck in a timeloop, you will fight, sneak, and sabotage your way past the members of the AEON Program – the island’s trigger-happy revelers who have put you on the top of their hitlist – on your mission to eliminate eight key targets in a single loop and end the “endless” cycle. But it won’t be easy, because you’ll also have to contend… with her. Deathloop puts you in the role of Colt, a man with a unique problem. Every morning you wake up on the same beach with the same killer hangover, the subject of the same island-wide manhunt by the same entitled partyers. There’s only one way to free yourself from the loop, the island, and the cycle of slaughter: You’re gonna have to take out the eight people responsible for maintaining the loop. You’ve got to accomplish this nigh-impossible task before midnight, so you better get creative. Each repeated day is an opportunity to learn, adapt, and solve the puzzle of Deathloop. It’s up to you how you go about this. You can tackle each loop at your own pace, and in any order you choose – selecting your missions, targets and explorations as you see fit. Arm yourself with a variety of devastating weapons and supernatural abilities to survive the AEON Program and break the loop. Take the knowledge you gain from each day to try different paths and playstyles as you navigate the treacherous backstreets and hidden lairs of Blackreef. Stay on your toes, rework your strategies and push forward, all the while compiling clues as to the inner workings of the island. And remember: If at first you don’t succeed… die, die again. Colt Vs. Julianna But the island’s inhabitants aren’t the only obstacles in your path. Deathloop is Arkane Lyon’s innovative take on an immersive multiplayer experience; a story-driven first-person shooter where your main antagonist might be another player. You’ll experience Deathloop’s main story as Colt, hunting down targets across the island as you try to break the loop. Meanwhile, another player might temporarily enter your story in the role of Julianna, a rival assassin with her own singular goal: Protect the loop by eliminating Colt. Of course, if you’re feeling particularly villainous, you can slip into the shoes of Julianna yourself, jumping into someone else’s Blackreef for a tense game of cat-and-mouse. (The multiplayer invasion element is completely optional, so you toggle it on or off as desired.) For Game Director Dinga Bakaba, Arkane’s goal is to blur the line between single- and multiplayer. “The focus is on the campaign and the story,” he says. “And that campaign can be played with Julianna controlled only by the AI, or – and this is our recommendation – by a mix of A.I. and random players to experience the range of unpredictability and chaos that Julianna is capable of.” Exclusively on Consoles for PlayStation 5 With stunning and stylish environments, memorable combat encounters, and the freedom to tackle each mission at any pace and with any approach you choose, this is Arkane like you’ve never seen (or felt) it before, built with next-gen in mind. Deathloop is being developed for a new generation of hardware and will launch on console exclusively for PlayStation 5. Leveraging the PS5’s cutting-edge graphics and technology, like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, Deathloop will drop you into a spectacular and immersive world that only Arkane could provide. View the full article

At Young Horses, our team of nine has been working hard for the past six years to follow up our slapstick fatherhood simulator, Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Since our new game features neither cephalopods nor fathers, this is a bold new step for us! But that’s our mission at Young Horses: to create original games that are odd, charming, and mildly concerning. And with all that in mind, we’re proud at last to announce Bugsnax, coming to PS5 and PS4! So what is Bugsnax, anyway? In our first-person adventure, you play as a journalist who receives a mysterious film from the disgraced explorer, Elizabert Megafig. She’s invited you to Snaktooth Island to witness her latest and greatest discovery: Bugsnax! Lured by the promise of a great story, you travel to the island to interview Elizabert and her group of misfit grumpuses. In the pursuit of your big scoop, you get caught up in hunting Bugsnax, feeding grumpuses, and solving the mysteries of the island… – What are these half-bug half-snack creatures, really? – How do they affect the bodies of those who eat them? – And most importantly, why do they taste SO GOOD!? We’ve also been hard at work integrating the features of PS5. I’ve personally been super excited to see the dynamic feedback of the DualSense controller bring life to our world! Feeling vibrations change with the terrain underfoot, the triggers tensing as I snap a trap shut on a Bugsnak, and then hearing its cute little chirp through the controller speakers right next to my face — it’s honestly so cool. I feel like we didn’t take enough advantage of the DualShock 4 with Octodad, so I’m glad we’re using all the features of the DualSense controller on Bugsnax! My team is still exploring all the potential for immersion (and in the case of multisensory belch feedback, I kind of hope they stop). It’s been a long road, and we’re excited for all of you to discover the strange and delightful world of Bugsnax on PS5 and PS4 this holiday season! We’ll have plenty more info to share between now and release, so stay tuned. <3 Young Horses View the full article

After the surprise reveal of Hitman 3 during today’s PlayStation 5 showcase, we’re extremely excited to finally share more details about the next chapter in our beloved franchise! Hitman 3 is the dramatic conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy and will put you back into the shoes (and stylish suit) of Agent 47, a ruthless professional assassin who must take on the most important contracts of his career. The stakes are high and when all is said and done, Agent 47 and the world around him will never be the same again. The Hitman 3 Announcement Trailer will give you a first look at what you can look forward to when the game launches in January 2021 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4! Hitman 3 will take you around the world to exotic and luxurious locations that are packed with creative opportunities. Your ultimate goal is to explore these meticulously crafted locales and figure out exactly how you want to eliminate your targets. You’ll have complete freedom to take disguises, create “accidents,” interact with other characters and blend into the crowd to watch your master plan unfold – or gloriously fail. That’s also part of the charm! As long-time Hitman fans will know, our games and locations are always built with unparalleled player choice and replayability in mind. Hitman 3 is no different. In fact, our next game encourages players to explore and interact with the game world in new ways that will reward them in future playthroughs. We want the game to be tactile and we want players to feel that their actions have an impact on what is going on around them and their future playthroughs. Hitman 3 is the conclusion to the World of Assassination trilogy and we’re very happy to allow players to carryover locations and progression from Hitman 2 into Hitman 3. We’re very proud to have the entire trilogy all playable from within Hitman 3 and to make it the ultimate place to play any game from the trilogy. We’ve got more Hitman 3 announcements lined up in the coming months, so stay tuned! Love from the IOI Team. View the full article

Our first game, Hyper Light Drifter, is a very personal story. I began work on the game during a brutal low period, stemming from a lifetime of health problems. The game reflected these personal struggles, and development on the title helped to focus on a creative outlet that could sustain and help to build something bigger than the demons that would always be clawing. Our second title, Solar Ash, has been about reflection and progress in many ways. Our ambitions are bigger and the team has grown to match. The story still remains personal, but evolves to be something beyond just the weight of the struggle into something more hopeful. In Solar Ash, the player journeys through the Ultravoid, a ravenous rift in space swallowing worlds. It’s a place of incredible danger and surreal spaces – a dream none can escape. Familiar though alien, lush but grotesque, peaceful at times and supremely violent in others. Our characters must find solace in each other to make it through the spiral of despair they find themselves trapped in. Players will blast through high-speed traversal challenges with wild gravity and beautiful vistas, while slaying massive monsters and meeting other lost souls. Beware the remnants that loom and bristle with hunger. We’ve been working tirelessly over the years, building incredible tech to help realize this fantastic world. After releasing Hyper Light, I wanted to dive into a bigger, grander world, opening up possibilities with far more powerful tools. PlayStation 5 gives us power previously unavailable in a console: we can push more lush, high-quality visuals at a much higher framerate, we can load seamlessly due to the wild speed of the SSD, and the DualSense can even provide feedback in the controller we had not known was possible. Power is all well and good, but the most exciting part is the suite of tools for more direct engagement with our audience. We’ll be revealing more about Solar Ash as release comes closer. We’ve poured our heart into the project, and hope you’ll enjoy it. View the full article

Today has been an exciting day for the whole team at Counterplay Games. We have been hard at work on our upcoming PlayStation 5 title, Godfall, and are ecstatic to have everyone see the first official PS5 gameplay at the The Future of Gaming digital event. The trailer gives players a glimpse into the world of Aperion, weapon classes, a selection of Valorplates, as well as the fast-paced, melee combat that you can expect to enjoy in Godfall. In Godfall, Aperion is on the precipice of ruin. You are the last of the Valorian knights, god-like warriors able to equip Valorplates, legendary armor sets that transform wielders into unstoppable masters of melee combat. Players will tear through foes as they climb through some of the elemental realms and challenge the mad-god Macros who awaits you at the top. Players will be able to master five weapon classes, unlock various Valorplates through gameplay, level up and learn new skills, and choose to fight solo or alongside friends with three-player PvE online co-op play. We have a lot more to show and talk about with Godfall, so keep your eyes open in the upcoming days to learn moreabout Valorplates, weapon classes, and more. We’re still hard at work and can’t wait for players to experience Godfall when it makes its console debut on PS5 and launches on PC this holiday season. View the full article

Well, it’s been a while! Now, the time has come. We’re thrilled to be able to show you something fresh! Today we’re unveiling Jett: The Far Shore, a new cinematic action adventure that invites you to embark on an interstellar trip. Carve out a future for a people ‘haunted by oblivion’ while skimming over an ocean of music and 3D sound. There’s a fair bit to Jett: The Far Shore, we hope you’ll dig it! Jett: The Far Shore has had a long road. For a few years we were a skeleton crew, looking ahead and dreaming dreams while carving out Jett: The Far Shore’s design and concept. Jett: The Far Shore began with me and my old pal Patrick McAllister at Pine Scented as we started to dig into creating a type of videogame we wanted to see in the world. We got rolling when Scntfc climbed aboard very early on to carve out Jett: The Far Shore’s score and audio concepts. To get Jett: The Far Shore done, we started pulling other folks in, eventually forming an all-star squad of old and new pals scattered around the world. Together this squad has bolstered Jett: The Far Shore’s development, taking it to a new horizon. So what is Jett: The Far Shore about? You might prefer to keep wondering and embark blind when Jett: The Far Shore is out, later this year. However, if you would like a light insight into some of Jett: The Far Shore’s concepts, read on. Jett: The Far Shore begins with Mei embarking on an interstellar trip, lapsing into torpor aboard the Mother Structure. A thousand years then pass before the first scout unit arises, Mei among them. Together they will deploy to a mythic ocean planet on the far shore of a sea of stars, to seek out a prospective sanctuary for a people on the verge of extinction. That’s where you will step into the snug space boots of ‘Jett (noun)’ scout Mei, who is tasked with mounting up and going aloft in her high speed low flying aircraft. Mei and her Jett (noun) co-pilot Isao are ‘chosen by Jao’ – the space program’s overseer – to be the first to deploy. Together with the scout unit to which they belong, they are tasked with alighting on the far shore to investigate the apparent source of an interstellar transmission known as ‘the hymnwave’ that sits at the heart of a cosmic mystery. You will have to get familiar with the Jett (noun)’s movement and toolset and strive to understand your surroundings. Jett: The Far Shore takes place on an archipelago with pristine coastlines and otherworldly woods, offering up a pretty decent-sized open-world for you to skim around, while getting in and out of trouble and outpacing pursuers. Keep an eye out for occasional massive creatures, the kolos — they’re quite a sight. There’s a linear narrative in here, about scouts coming together to overcome adversity as the story gains momentum and reaches its dramatic conclusion. Just be sure to stick around after the credits — there’s a whole lot more to Jett: The Far Shore if you’re eager to delve deeper. We’ve had a strong focus on audio and haptics since we carved out Jett: The Far Shore’s concept, so of course we’re thrilled about the new DualSense controller. As for what the PS5 uniquely offers in terms of 3D audio processing: it’s revelatory, and it’s a great fit for Jett: The Far Shore. This may sound silly, but with the PS5 it’s as if you really have ears in a videogame for the first time. There is suddenly an unprecedented fidelity available for perceiving audio spaces. Stay tuned, there’s much more to say, Jett-wise. Please consider embarking with us on Jett: The Far Shore this holiday on PS5 and PS4! View the full article

From Shinji Mikami and the team at Tango Gameworks comes Ghostwire: Tokyo, a next-gen action-adventure game coming to consoles exclusively for PlayStation 5 in 2021. Ghostwire: Tokyo will also be launching on PC. Tango Gameworks has taken full advantage of the power of the PS5’s next-gen hardware to create a stunning, immersive, and mysterious world to experience. Explore the streets of a city filled with spirits and mysterious otherworldly threats, with an arsenal of powerful abilities at your command. Get your first look at Ghostwire: Tokyo’s next-gen gameplay, captured on the PlayStation 5. Face the Unknown and Save Tokyo Tokyo has become a city under siege; overwhelmed by paranormal threats beyond our understanding. After a devastating occult event leads to the disappearance of 99% of the city’s population, only you stand between the loss of this great city and its salvation. After the vanishing, a strange encounter causes your own supernatural abilities to take shape. Explore a beautiful city that blends ultra-modern cityscapes and stunning ancient shrines as you purge the darkness from your home. Armed with a bevy of formidable, upgradeable powers, you will face off against evil spirits (referred to as The Visitors) haunting the city of Tokyo, several of which you caught a glimpse of in the gameplay reveal trailer above. Spirits like: Amewarashi: This entity manifests as a young child in a yellow raincoat. Derived from the powerful emotions of sadness caused by being separated from his parents, as well as his innocent yet mischievous spirit, this Visitor will call for help and bring forth fellow spirit when it feels threatened. Shiromuku: Shiromuku is a traditional type of pure white wedding kimono, and though she may appear to be a bride, this Visitor is actually a physical manifestation of powerful emotions. This Visitor represents regret and strong feelings for a partner she was never able to marry. Kuchisake: Inspired by an actual urban legend, the Kuchisake-onna is a strong and agile opponent, capable of closing distances quickly to get at you with her large scissor blades. Be careful if she asks you if you find her attractive; there are no right answers there. Each spirit will have its own attack styles and weaknesses, so you’ll need to combine your abilities in different ways to suit each unique combat encounter. But the spirits roaming the streets aren’t the only threat. At the heart of everything – the disappearance of the population, the appearance of the Visitors, and even your own supernatural abilities – sits a shadowy group wearing “Hannya” masks. Who are they, what they want and how they will interact with you remains a mystery, and it will be up to you to determine their motives and unveil the mystery. Next-Gen Advantages Tango Gameworks is using the power of the PlayStation 5 to help them bring their unique vision of a supernaturally haunted Tokyo to life. Not only does the cutting-edge technology allow for a new level of visual fidelity, but the audio has been kicked up a notch, perfect for Tango Gamework’s eerie Tokyo environments. “We’re particularly excited by the possibility of players experiencing our modern, yet Visitor-filled city with 3D sound,” says Kenji Kimura, Game Director on Ghostwire: Tokyo. “This version of Tokyo is not a version you’ve ever seen or heard before. In Ghostwire: Tokyo, you’ll hear and encounter sounds that you normally would not hear in the city in real life. Our hope is that with the 3D sound, you will feel compelled to seek out and identify what is causing those sounds you hear.” Kimura tells us even the feel of combat in the game is benefitting from the new hardware. “The player character’s special abilities have a deep relation to these hand gestures,” says Kimura. “Which are perfect for the controller haptics and adaptive triggers – one of the PS5’s new features that we’re taking advantage of. We can’t wait for you to get your hands on the new controllers and play in this thrilling, unpredictable Tokyo where you’ll never know what’s going to happen next.” View the full article

The power of PlayStation 5 allows us to push Oddworld: Soulstorm toward a cinematic visual and storytelling leap over our previous titles. Soulstorm’s scope and scale are larger than we have tackled before. We plan to use PS5’s stunning graphic fidelity, mind-blowing 3D audio, and the DualSense Controller, to enhance our storytelling and artistic abilities to bring you closer to the game and create to create an even deeper emotional Oddworld experience for you to enjoy. Oddworld is known for fun and challenging action adventure platform games with rich storylines that possess a dark sense of humor while shining a bright light on the ironies that exist in the human condition. Most importantly, Oddworld games use HOPE as an overriding philosophy that propels the game and the gameplay forward. In Oddworld: Soulstorm, you pick-up where New ‘N’ Tasty left off. Abe has undergone an unwanted transformation from being a clueless Mudokon cog, literally about to be chewed up by the Glukkons’ big business machine, into an unlikely hero, a beacon of hope. Abe is a true representation of every person, regardless of age, color, gender or sexual or political preference. Abe was someone who went about his life, blind to what was happening around him, and then woke to a deeper uncomfortable reality and had no choice but to make a change. Abe may not have wanted to be a hero, but there was, and remains, some greatness in Abe. A greater purpose. A greater good. All of which got him into enormous amounts of trouble and continues to do so. If someone like Abe, who has to overcome nearly impossible odds can be a symbol of hope and potentially change the world around him, maybe you can as well. Revolutions start small and build from unexpected places. You and Abe are the beginning. In Oddworld: Soulstorm, you will begin to understand the power of many will be needed to solve problems that the individual alone cannot. And, in typical Oddworld games, this will lead to more hilariously devastating moments, which has always been a cornerstone of the Abe games. Based on the concept of Scavenger’s Economy, you will loot from trash cans, pickpocket, and search through lockers for items to craft into weapons and tools to use to help save your fellow Mudokons while you try to unlock the dark secrets behind Brew. Whether you prefer the classic Abe playstyle of sneaking and problem solving or using scavenge for what you need to create an arsenal that you can hand off to your followers that you have saved along the way, Oddworld: Soulstorm gives you more choices to replay with different approaches. Add in light RPG elements, leader boards, trophies for completionists, and a progression system and Soulstorm sets a new standard for next-generation action adventure platformers. Going from blissful ignorance to revolutionary takes time, and for us at Oddworld, it takes a quintology. Oddworld: Soulstorm is the second installment in the quintology, and we look forward to sharing more news with you. View the full article

Greetings, PlayStation community! I’m Marcela Huerta, KO_OP’s Community Manager and resident hypebeast for our upcoming narrative adventure game, Goodbye Volcano High. KO_OP is a Montreal-based studio, making games with the kind of art you’d hang on your walls, and the kind of music you’d listen to on Spotify. You might recognize our name from our 2017 release GNOG – a musical puzzle game that came to PS4 and PS VR – or even from our 2020 mobile release, Winding Worlds.. For the past two years, we’ve been hard at work making our next project: Goodbye Volcano High, a cinematic, choice-based narrative game set in the final year of school for a bunch of dinosaur teens, on the cusp of graduation and the rest of their lives. You will follow them as they struggle to make their mark on the world, figure out who they’re going to be, and try to find love, all before time runs out and they’re thrust into the world of adulthood. But what they don’t know yet is that time might be about to run out for real. In a time where we’re all feeling a little lost and scared, and not sure what happens next, we’re hoping that the story resonates with people. We have a fantastic art team behind the game – it’s the most artists we’ve ever had working on one project in the studio’s history! – with lovingly hand-painted backgrounds and bespoke animations in each scene that bring the game to life. You’ll be able to appreciate every tiny detail of the art in stunning 4K. The art is backed up by our fantastic in-house audio and music design, by Boyfriend Dungeon and Winding Worlds audio director, Dabu. We’ve also enlisted the vocal talent of local Montreal musician, Brigitte Naggar, all in the name of creating a fantastic, sweeping, melancholy soundtrack to the ups and downs of high school life. We want playing Goodbye Volcano High to bring you the satisfaction of binging your favorite TV shows. But, unlike with TV, you’ll have the power and the emotion in your hands as you guide our characters through a branching narrative, with innovative use of the PS5’s features. Haptic feedback on the new DualSense controller brings the tension to you—when Fang is making a decision that’s difficult for them, you feel that pressure as the player. The power of PS5 allows us to build Goodbye Volcano High with no limits, enacting our vision exactly how we want it. And just to really drive the point home: in our search to cast a non-binary actor to voice our main character, we found Lachlan Watson from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, who is absolutely fantastic. We’re really excited for you to hear them – and don’t worry, the rest of the game will also be fully voice-acted, too! Now that I’ve yapped your ear off about Goodbye Volcano High—dinosaur this, graduation that—you’re probably foaming at the mouth to get your claws on this game. So are we! Keep your eyes peeled for more details from us leading up to launch. View the full article

It’s hard to describe the excitement and pride we felt for our entire team as the trailer of our first game, Kena: Bridge of the Spirits, was revealed during The Future of Gaming PS5 digital event. My brother Mike and I founded the studio with the goal of creating immersive content through compelling characters and cinematic worlds, and the reveal of Kena: Bridge of the Spiritsis the culmination of that vision. Ember Lab is a small team with a background in film and animation. Before transitioning into game development, we were a boutique studio specializing in character development for animated commercials. As young kids, we moved around a lot, following our dad on various expat assignments. Games centered us and allowed us to feel at home no matter where we were. Our love of games pushed us to create the fan film Majora’s Mask – Terrible Fate. Creating Kena: Bridge of the Spirits was the natural next step for us. Kena: Bridge of the Spirits is a story-driven action adventure set in a charming world rich with exploration and fast-paced combat. Players find and grow a team of tiny spirit companions called the Rot, enhancing their abilities and creating new ways to manipulate the environment. Working with the support of Sony and the next-generation features of the PS5 gave us the opportunity to expand the immersive experience we envisioned and enhance the game’s unique play mechanics. We are proud to have maintained an indie spirit and singular vision while working with a global team of artists and developers to bring the game to life. Kena: Bridge of the Spirits is truly a passion project born from our pursuit of creative storytelling, and we hope audiences around the world will love it as much as we do. We’re looking forward to sharing more about the project soon. View the full article

We are so excited to be able to share a sneak peek at what we have been working on at Luminous Productions with you today. During the PlayStation 5 showcase, we showed a teaser trailer for the upcoming debut game from our studio, Project Athia (working title) Project Athia is the culmination of our philosophy here at Luminous Productions to create completely new and fresh gaming experiences that fuse together the latest technologies with art. With PS5, our vision truly comes to life, and with Project Athia players can look forward to being transported to a vast and detailed world filled with beauty and dismay. Project Athia will take you on a thrilling other-worldly adventure – it is going to be action-packed, and at times twisted, tempestuous, and forbidding. It is a journey that we want to feel as much yours as it is our protagonists. We are hard at work on making full use of the exciting potential of the PS5 hardware for this project. While today was just a sneak peek, we’ll have a lot more to show you in the future and we can’t wait to tell you more about the game. View the full article

Several years ago, a few gifs were released about a game concept called HK_Project where you play as a cat in a strange city. Those gifs got a lot of attention, but no one really knew what they were. Well, we’re here to share a little more about Stray, the cat adventure game that began as HK_Project. I remember that I was having a pint of fresh beer with BlueTwelve co-founder Koola, on the « Place des beaux-arts » in Montpellier, France. The summer sun was shining and we were thinking about a cool game idea to pursue as independent developers after working at Ubisoft for long time. We wanted to find an original idea, interesting enough to keep us excited throughout the years of development. Kowloon Walled City kept coming up in our discussions. Such a unique, organic place was fascinating to us. We thought it was a great basis for a universe, but it really clicked when we realized: “What a better playground than Kowloon for… a cat!” The concept was crazy enough for us to move forward, so we rented a flat together and started working on what was called Project_HK at the time. After our first few posts on Twitter, we got a lot of heartwarming feedback. Thank you so much to all those people who sent us those supportive messages over the years. It really gave us a great feeling and energy to keep pushing on this idea. In April of 2016, Annapurna Interactive reached out to us, and they have been a tremendous support to help us put an experienced team together and realize our vision for Stray. Creating a virtual cat Our goal is to create a unique experience playing as a cat. We are inspired everyday by Murtaugh and Riggs, our two cats. Most of the team are cat owners as well, giving us all a lot of helpful first-hand references. Cats are always so playful, cute and lovingly annoying that it’s an endless stream of gameplay ideas for us. It is also a very unique point of view for an adventure game. Exploring the strange world we are building feels really fresh when you’re sneaking under a car, or walking the rooftops with the inhabitants below unaware of your presence. Or if you want them to be aware, you can just meow endlessly to annoy them. PlayStation 5 The short teaser that we just released highlights the tone and feel of the game, including the mysterious city and weird robots that dwell there. Later on we’ll be excited to show you more of the gameplay like exploration and puzzle-solving, as well as fast-paced action sequences. The new generation of PlayStation is an amazing opportunity for us. We always loved adding a crazy amount of detail in what we create, and we’re going to continue to explore all that this exciting piece of hardware offers us as creators. The game is very much still in development and the whole team at BlueTwelve Studio is hard at work to give you the best possible feline experience. We can’t wait to show you more as we get closer to Stray’s release on PS5 in 2021! View the full article

Grand Theft Auto V continues to excite players from generation to generation, combining an action-packed tale of three very different criminals trying to survive in modern day Los Santos with one of the deepest and most diverse online experiences to date. Now, with over 130 million copies sold, the record-breaking and critically acclaimed open world experience, we are proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto V is coming to PlayStation 5 in the second half of 2021. Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 5 will feature a range of technical improvements, visual upgrades and performance enhancements to take full advantage of the console’s powerful new hardware, making the game more beautiful and more responsive than ever. For the massive and vibrant community of Grand Theft Auto Online players worldwide, the journey through the ever-evolving, shared world of GTA Online will continue on PlayStation 5, featuring additional GTA Online content exclusive to the latest generation hardware. Plus, a new standalone version of GTA Online will also be available for free exclusively for PlayStation 5 players during the first three months. And starting today, all PlayStation Plus members on PlayStation 4 will get GTA$1,000,000 (deposited within 72 hours into their in-game Maze Bank account) each month they play GTA Online until the launch of GTA Online on PlayStation 5. View the full article

Captain Price has arrived in Special Ops, Multiplayer, and Warzone in the Season Four Battle Pass to help fight against the opposition in an ongoing battle in Verdansk. Season Four of Modern Warfare including Warzone features in-match updates in Warzone and more, new Multiplayer maps, new modes of play, and a 100 Tiers of content in this Season’s new Battle Pass system. Introducing Jailbreak, Fire Sale, and Supply Chopper to Warzone Get more content in Warzone this season like new blueprints in the loot pool, new limited time modes, and new in-match mechanics. During a Warzone Battle Royale match, you may encounter some new twists that provide unique opportunities to help your team to survive to the end of the match. Here’s an overview and tips on the three in-match Battle Royale updates in Season Four. Jailbreak – When a Jailbreak happens, all eliminated players (spectators and those in the Gulag) are redeployed back into the match. Fire Sale – Items at Buy Stations are discounted up to 80% off and redeploying a teammate is Free for sixty seconds. Loadout Drops are not discounted. Supply Chopper – A non-lethal helicopter with a high amount of health will appear in the sky. Take it down using ample ammo and rockets, if you have them, to be rewarded with a LOT of premium loot. Tips for Battle Royale Survival Jailbreaks can redeploy your squad even after you have all been eliminated. Consider sticking around until just before the Gulag closes to see if you’ll have a chance to re-enter the fight. Taking down a Supply Chopper can be a lengthy process, especially if you don’t have a launcher. Consider positioning some of the squad members as lookouts to ensure you don’t get taken out by a rival while you’re aiming at the skies. A Fire Sale just may be too good to be true. If you’re the only squad member still alive in a contested area, rushing toward a Buy Station during a Fire Sale might result in a total squad wipe. Consider the risks and the rewards before you make your final decision. Note that Jailbreaks, Supply Choppers, and Fire Sales, only occur during some Battle Royale matches. Many matches will not have a Jailbreak, Supply Chopper, or Fire Sale. Plus, free-to-play Warzone users can experience another Multiplayer Free Access Weekend on June 12 at 10 AM PT to June 15 at 10AM PT. It will include the latest 6v6 Multiplayer Maps Zhokov Scrapyard and Hardhat, as well as a few other fan-favorites. In addition, there will also be a Gunfight playlist during the Free Access Weekend featuring seven maps primed for fun, tactical and tension-filled engagements. More Multiplayer Experiences Season Four serves up three new Multiplayer maps – Zhokov Scrapyard (Standard Multiplayer), Promenade (Ground War), and Trench (Gunfight). Zhokov Scrapyard, first seen in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, arrives on launch day primed for fresh combat and multiple engagements on this extremely versatile map. Medium in size, and designed for a variety of playstyles, this abandoned field littered with airplane parts will be a familiar hunting ground for Warzone players. Bring your Warzone tactics to Multiplayer and adjust your strategy as needed to excel in deathmatch and objective game modes. Here are three tips to help you best the enemy in Scrapyard: Tips for Scrapyard Some of the hulls of the planes in Scrapyard can be penetrated with the help of the FMJ attachment. Consider equipping it on your weapon of choice to take down enemies lurking inside the planes. There are plenty of opportunities for close quarters combat in this tightly spaced map. When in doubt, equip the Breacher Device attachment which enables melee kills for any enemies that take you by surprise. The center of Scrapyard where the planes lay waste can be a potential minefield – Proximity Mine field. Consider adding the Spotter perk to your loadout to see any enemy equipment through walls and hack them. Play Video Captain Price and the Season Four Battle Pass System Purchase the Battle Pass to get instant access to Captain Price, a Legendary Operator and the newest Coalition member in Modern Warfare including Warzone. Preview the goods of the entire Battle Pass system by heading to the tab in-game to see what’s available to unlock. All players can earn two FREE weapons, just by playing – the Fennec SMG and the CR-56 AMAX assault rifle. Fennec (Tier 15) – One of the fastest firing SMGs in the Modern Warfare armory, the Fennec is fairly agile with decent control. To compensate for its smaller magazine size, bring the Munitions Box with you whenever you take the Fennec into battle. CR-56 AMAX (Tier 31) – A well balanced assault rifle that deals lethal damage, the CR-56 AMAX has a long list of attachments that will have you tinkering in Gunsmith to find your perfect configuration. Kit the weapon out for higher accuracy, longer range, or more mobility to test its versatility in Multiplayer, Special Ops, and Warzone. Get More On PlayStation: Sony Exclusive* Modern Warfare Season Four Content Survival Talsik Backlot Introduced as a Multiplayer Map in Season Three, fight to survive waves of enemies in Survival on Talsik Backlot. Backlot has multiple interior spaces and wide exterior spaces to fortify a stronghold and outlast the enemy. The Destroyed Building, an open two-story building, will give teams a high ground and minimize the entry points for attackers. Plus, the second story sightlines allow players to take out approaching assailants before they get too close. Earn Exclusive Rewards including a New Weapon Blueprint in Missions (Multiplayer) The Epic Cold Rift blueprint is a configuration of Submachine Gun Delta designed for mobility and a quick ADS time. It’s 40 Round Mag attachment ensures you can take out a few foes before you reload, and the 5mW laser helps your hip firing stay on target. The blueprint includes a unique weapon perk – Frangible Disabling. This effect enables your bullets to slow enemy movement and briefly disable their tactical sprint when shooting at their legs. Use this to your advantage to rush enemies who will be slower to react when they are attempting to disengage and heal up from a fight. Players can earn this blueprint by going to the Barracks tab in-game and completing the Aristocratic Champion mission. Season Four of Modern Warfare is now live. * Timed Exclusive content until Oct. 1, 2020 View the full article

Hey everyone! You may have noticed that the PS Store charts look a bit different this month. There’s a good reason for that: As we’ve recently combined the US and EU PlayStation Blog sites into a larger megablog, we’ll be keeping the US and EU charts in one handy post each month going forward. Thoughts on the format? The PS4 lists were topped by longstanding juggernauts Grand Theft Auto V and NBA 2K20 on the US and EU sides, respectively, while The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners took the top spot for PS VR in both regions. The other charts synced up, too, with Call of Duty: Warzone coming out on top for Free-to-Play and Fortnite’s Iris Pack securing the Victory Royale in the DLC list. Read on for the full charts! PS4 Games (US) PS4 Games (EU) 1 Grand Theft Auto V NBA 2K20 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare EA SPORTS FIFA 20 3 Minecraft Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 NBA 2K20 Minecraft 5 THE FOREST Grand Theft Auto V 6 Minecraft Dungeons EA SPORTS UFC 3 7 TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE Stranded Deep 8 Assassin’s Creed Odyssey The Forest 9 Call of Duty: Black Ops III F1 2019 10 Stranded Deep Assassin’s Creed Origins 11 Maneater eFootball PES 2020 12 PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION SnowRunner 13 EA SPORTS FIFA 20 TEKKEN 7 14 SnowRunner Minecraft Dungeons 15 STAR WARS Battlefront II Red Dead Redemption 2 16 STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order ASSASSIN’S CREED IV BLACK FLAG 17 Assassin’s Creed Origins The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 18 FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Far Cry 5 19 Saints Row: The Third Remastered PAYDAY 2: CRIMEWAVE EDITION. 20 Streets Of Rage 4 JUST CAUSE 4 PS VR Games (US) PS VR Games (EU) 1 The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners 2 GORN Beat Saber 3 Beat Saber GORN 4 Job Simulator Arizona Sunshine 5 SUPERHOT VR Job Simulator 6 Arizona Sunshine SUPERHOT VR 7 Creed Rise to Glory L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files 8 Gun Club VR DOOM VFR 9 Robinson: The Journey Robinson: The Journey 10 Drunkn Bar Fight The Room VR: A Dark Matter Free-to-Play Games (US) Free-to-Play Games (EU) 1 Call of Duty: Warzone Call of Duty: Warzone 2 Fortnite Fortnite 3 Apex Legends Apex Legends 4 Destiny 2 Brawlhalla 5 Brawlhalla Destiny 2 6 Dauntless eFootball PES 2020 LITE 7 Cuisine Royale RACING BROS 8 Paladins Warface 9 Warframe DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 Lite Version 10 3on3 FreeStyle WORLD OF WARSHIPS: LEGENDS DLC & Expansions (US) DLC & Expansions (EU) 1 Fortnite – The Iris Pack Fortnite – The Iris Pack 2 Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Fortnite – Lava Legends Pack 3 Fortnite – Lava Legends Pack Fortnite: Save the World – Standard Founder’s Pack 4 GTA Online: Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack GTA Online: Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack 5 Apex Legends – Fortune’s Favor Bundle Farming Simulator 19 – Mahindra Retriever DLC 6 Call of Duty Modern Warfare – C.O.D.E. Fearless Pack Apex Legends – Fortune’s Favor Bundle 7 DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ – Goku (Ultra Instinct) Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath 8 Call of Duty Black Ops III: Zombies Chronicles Modern Warfare – Atlanta FaZe Pack 9 Farming Simulator 19 – Mahindra Retriever DLC The Division 2 – Warlords of New York – Expansion 10 Fortnite: Save the World – Standard Founder’s Pack Farming Simulator 19 – CLAAS DOMINATOR 108 SL MAXI DLC View the full article

The Elder Scrolls Online’s latest Chapter, Greymoor, brings all-new challenges and stories to Tamriel’s adventurers and returns Elder Scrolls fans to the mountainous region of Western Skyrim for the first time since The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Skyrim Needs Heroes In The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor, you’ll explore both the home of the Nords within Western Skyrim, and the vast subterranean world beneath Blackreach. You’ll have the chance to visit a Skyrim almost 1,000 years before the events of TES:V, including the city of Solitude and townships of Dragon Bridge and Morthal. As you explore this isolated part of Tamriel, you’ll discover a hardy people struggling to survive and deeply suspicious of outsiders, even including other Nords. Explore Solitude 1000 years before TES: V Roaming giants, ill-tempered guards, and frigid barrows filled with mindless draugr, while the region’s snow-swept mountains and rocky cliffs might be familiar at first, with its supernatural predators and massive, soul-stealing Harrowstorm events, you’ll find no shortage of new and unique quests and challenges within both Western Skyrim and Blackreach. A Dark Tale In Greymoor, an ancient threat rises from beneath, and a monstrous legion of Vampires, werewolves, and witches prey upon the local Nords. Why they have risen from their long-forgotten vaults and what they are planning is the mystery you must investigate in the Chapter’s main storyline. With new and returning fan-favorite characters (including Lyris Titanborn) to aid you in your quest and a dark host of monsters standing in your way, Greymoor is a gothic tale full of secrets and danger that will take you from the royal palace of Solitude to the darkest depths of Blackreach. Discover Skyrim’s dark heart Part of the Dark Heart of Skyrim year-long adventure, Greymoor is an important story within the massive, interconnected adventure that began with the Harrowstorm DLC in March and continues throughout the rest of the year. The events of this Chapter will resonate throughout all of this year’s releases, but that doesn’t mean you have to complete the Dark Heart of Skyrim stories in any particular order, and you can begin your adventure at any point and with any release! New Antiquities System Greymoor also introduces the Antiquities System, a new series of minigames and activities that see you travel all over Tamriel in order to locate and dig up its hidden treasures and knowledge. As a member of the Antiquarian’s Circle, you can use a powerful relic to scry the locations of special dig sites, scattered all over the world that you can then excavate in order to uncover its buried relics and riches. Dig up unique relics and knowledge with Antiquities With this new system, you can dig up a massive selection of new collectibles, including unique furnishings, outfit styles, components for a special mount, a devastating PvP siege weapon, and more. Antiquities is also the only way you can acquire the powerful new Mythic items, special gear that you can equip for a uniquely powerful boon. In addition to these goods, you’ll also uncover long-lost secrets and lore about that particular relic or part of Tamriel. Become a Vampire Releasing in tandem with the Greymoor Chapter is Update 26, a free base-game patch that includes a complete reworking of the Vampire Skill Line. With this revamp, Vampires will enjoy a host of new and improved abilities, designed to make playing as a Vampire a more active and engaging experience. Prey on Tamriel with new vampiric abilities With a Vampire character, you’ll be able to mercilessly strike from nowhere and then fade away into the shadows before your enemies can even react. Trading your own life force for power, few will be able to withstand your relentless assault and supernatural elusiveness. However, this power comes at a cost, and Vampires must now be careful with how they use their powers in the open, lest they attract the attention of the local guards. Gifts with Purchase at PS Store Buy Greymoor now at PlayStation Store, and you’ll receive a host of special Gifts with Purchase rewards only available for a limited time. These rewards include: Jarl Finery costume Sacrificial Pocket Mammoth pet Nightfall Preview Crown Crate Western Skyrim Treasure Maps Jarl Crown adornment Two XP Scrolls Holdbreaker Warhorse mount Everything you need to begin your adventure in Western Skyrim! These items are perfect for new players and are only available as Gifts with Purchase from now until Monday, June 22, so don’t miss out. With all-new zones, stories, powers, and treasure, Greymoor is an exciting new Chapter for all ESO players, new and old. Whether you’re looking for your next big adventure or eager to explore a Skyrim from an age before, there’s something for you in The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor — it’s time to once again discover the home of the Nords. The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor is now available at PlayStation Store for PS4. View the full article

It’s been a busy month in the Dreamiverse with new Dreams content, big community-led projects and a “trial and unlock” demo of Dreams debuting on PlayStation Store. We also have an exciting announcement — our first big community showcase and in-game expo is opening on June 30 — and you can join us on Twitch, YouTube and in Dreams for a look at some of the most exciting Dreams community projects in development and some updates from the Dreams team too. Our newest event, the Dreams Community Showcase (DCS), kicks off on June 30 at 5pm BST / 6pm CEST / 9am Pacific with our DCS live stream where we’ll be revealing new trailers and games from some of the most well-known creators in Dreams. There are some super exciting reveals lined up! After the show, we’ll be opening the doors to the DCS show floor, where you’ll find an expo full of booths to explore and demos to play. If you’re a Dreams player, you can get involved by grabbing our handy template and submitting your own booth and demo by June 24. You can find all the details on how to get involved at indreams.me. Stay tuned to our social channels and indreams.me for updates, reminders and info on future Dreams events! If you haven’t checked out Dreams yet, we’ve launched a trial version of Dreams, which is available to download now. You can play out a selection of games and learn more about creating your own games. Now, we did mention it’s been busy… here are the top things you don’t want to miss in Dreams this month! New content We’ve released our Welcome Garden gameplay kit — so you can create your own sliding, platforming adventure for our newest characters, Ash and Rowan! You can find the Welcome Garden kit, with new characters, scenery and game-making contraptions to get you started just by heading into DreamShaping and clicking the “kits” banner at the top of the page. The Dreams you should be playing… Temporal FuseDancingEmber, Jhayceee, Aecert, YLedBetter10, HyperDreamSurfer and fednic Track down and defuse the explosive before time runs out in this nail-biting collaboration with a sci-fi time altering twist. This brilliantly designed work is a collaboration by DancingEmber, Jhayceee, Aecert, YLedBetter10, HyperDreamSurfer and fednic for the 30 Seconds community jam. .:Beat Runner:.shadow124900 Every now and then, a Dream comes along that will cause a whole lot of ‘OKAY JUST ONE MORE’ exclamations from all of us. .:Beat Runner:., created by shadow124900, is absolutely one of those games. A stylish side-scroller with an amazing soundtrack is one of our simply must-plays. BOP! DISARMEDX Dreams is full of amazing audio-visual experiences, with creators really taking our audio tools for a spin and bringing to life some tracks that deserve the #1 spot. DISARMEDX has created several of these creations, but their latest, BOP!, is a (playable) music video that hits all the right notes. Check out the creation here, and follow DISARMED’s advice: “Dance like nobody’s watching.” Yesterday ClubSolid1156 Speaking of amazing visual experiences, Yesterday Club took our breath away. A gorgeous mix of colours, leaving the rest to your imagination, Yesterday Club is just begging to be your new desktop wallpaper. Rabbit & BoyCyber Sheep Films During a weekly team meeting, we showed our studio Rabbit and Boy, a 15-minute animation from Cyber Sheep Films that is absolutely incredible. The level of animation in Rabbit and Boy had our own animators in awe, and is really a testament to what is possible with the tools found in Dreams. Sit back and watch it in full. Projects to get involved with! We love collaborative projects in Dreams, so we’ve been making our own, and highlighting some of our favorite community-led ones. Want to get involved or play the results? Read on: Take a Hike Our DreamWalk gathers together outdoor walks created by Dreamers. We’ve already been able to fill out four different walks (of varying lengths, just like real nature trails!) — through the mountains, through futuristic landscapes and even one that sees you step foot on the moon! You can check out all of them right here. Dream together Our other project is known as #DreamsTogether, and brings together all the on-going projects (including the DreamWalk) that are designed to let creators collaborate. We’ve built a bulletin board in-game so you can keep track of each project, and get involved if you wish! That’s all for now, we hope to see you on June 30 at 5pm BST / 6pm CEST / 9am Pacific for first-looks at some epic community creations and more! View the full article

With launch fast approaching, today we’re excited to share a comprehensive overview of the accessibility features that will be available in The Last of Us Part II when it releases on June 19. From the very beginning, our goal has been to ensure that as many fans as possible have an opportunity to experience the game through our most robust accessibility feature set to-date. Building upon the foundations we established with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, The Last of Us Part II features more than 60 accessibility settings, with expanded options focused on fine-motor and hearing, as well as completely new features that benefit low-vision and blind players. We encourage everyone to take advantage of these features to create a gameplay experience that’s right for them. Accessibility Presets One challenge in creating a large number of configurable options is making you aware of which options might be relevant for your needs. In addition, many features were created to work well in concert with one another. To help with this, we created three accessibility presets that configure all the recommended settings for vision, hearing, and motor accessibility. While we hope these will provide a good starting point, you can always go through and tweak individual options, even after selecting a preset. Setting Options Description Apply Vision Accessibility Preset On or Off Configures all the recommended settings designed for players who are blind or have low vision. This will enable settings across multiple menus, such as: • Text-to-Speech• High Contrast Display• HUD Scale > Large• Lock-On Aim > Auto-Target• Traversal and Combat Audio Cues• Navigation and Traversal Assistance• Ledge Guard• Enhanced Listen Mode• Invisible While Prone > Unlimited• Skip Puzzle Option• Various adjustments in the Combat Accessibility menu Apply Hearing Accessibility Preset On or Off Configures all the recommended settings designed for players who are deaf or hard of hearing. This will enable settings across multiple menus, such as:• Awareness Indicators• Pick-Up Notifications• Dodge Prompts > Frequent• Subtitles > Story + Combat• Subtitle Names• Subtitle Direction• Combat Vibration Cues• Guitar Vibration Cues Apply Motor Accessibility Preset On or Off Configures all the recommended settings designed for players with a physical or mobility disability. This will enable settings across multiple menus, such as:• Lock-On Aim > Auto-Target• Auto Weapon Swap• Auto Pick Up• Camera Assist > On• Navigation and Traversal Assistance• Ledge Guard• Infinite Breath• Repeated Button Presses > Hold• Melee Combos > Hold• Weapon Sway > Off• Skip Puzzle Option• Various adjustments in the Combat Accessibility menu Alternate Controls For the first time in a Naughty Dog game, we are offering full control customization. This allows you to remap every command to a different controller input, including touchpad swipes and controller shake. Because holding or rapidly tapping buttons can be challenging for some players, we have individual options to change every button hold into a toggle, and every rapid press into a hold. Returning from Uncharted 4, we also provide expanded options for camera assistance and lock-on aim. Input Remap Setting Options Description Customize Controls Remap and fully customize all controls. Control Scheme Default, Right Hand Only, Left Hand Only, Custom Scheme 1, Custom Scheme 2, Custom Scheme 3 Select a preset or create your own controller layout. Rename Control Scheme Change the name of your custom scheme. Controller Orientation Default, Left, Right, Upside Down Select how you hold your controller, which rotates the directional buttons, left stick, and right stick to match. Left Stick and Right Stick Default, Flipped While Aiming, Flipped Always Swap the functionality of the left stick and right stick. Boat Controls Default or Alternate Change the input method for driving the boat. DEFAULT: Use |left-stick| to steer and accelerate and |L2| to reverse. ALTERNATE: Hold |R2| to accelerate and |L2| to reverse. Use |left-stick| to steer. DEFAULT recommended for players who are blind or have low vision and are using Navigation Assistance to orient themselves. Rope/Ladder Movement Character or Camera Change the directional input for movement on ladders and ropes. CHARACTER: Movement up/down ladders and ropes with |left-stick| is relative to the player’s orientation. CAMERA: Movement up/down ladders and ropes with |left-stick| is relative to the camera’s orientation. Recommended for players who are blind or have low vision and are using Navigation Assistance to orient themselves. Guitar Strumming Input Vertical, Horizontal, Taps Change the input method for playing the guitar. VERTICAL (Default): Swipe up and down on the touch pad to strum the guitar. HORIZONTAL: Swipe left and right on the touch pad to strum the guitar. TAPS: Press |X| to strum the guitar. This can be bound to a different button in Customize Controls under Select / Alternate Strumming. Melee While Aiming On or Off Allows the player to melee with |Square| while aiming. This will disable Shoulder Swap, or whichever control is mapped to |Square| while aiming. Play Video Holds and Presses Setting Options Description Repeated Button Presses Tap or Hold Change the input method for repeated button press prompts. TAP (Default): Press the button repeatedly to progress. HOLD: Hold the button to progress. Melee Combos Tap or Hold Change the input method for performing a melee combo. TAP (Default): Press |square| repeatedly to melee combo. HOLD: Hold |square| to melee combo. Aiming Mode Hold or Toggle Change the input method for aiming. HOLD (Default): Hold |L2| to aim. Release to stop aiming. TOGGLE: Press |L2| to aim. Press |L2| again to stop aiming. Listen Mode Hold or Toggle Change the input method for listen mode. HOLD (Default): Hold |R1| to listen. Release to stop listening. TOGGLE: Briefly hold |R1 to listen. Briefly hold |R1| again to stop listening. Sprinting (Available with Patch 1.01*) Hold or Toggle Change the input method for sprinting. HOLD (Default): Hold |L1| to sprint. Release to stop sprinting. TOGGLE: Briefly hold |L1| to start sprinting. Briefly hold |L1| again to stop sprinting. Crafting Hold or Toggle Change the input method for crafting and upgrading. HOLD (Default): Hold |X| to start crafting and release to cancel. TOGGLE: Tap |X| to start crafting and tap to cancel. Backpack Weapon Swap Hold or Toggle Change the input method for swapping weapons in your holsters. HOLD (Default): Hold |square| to enter backpack weapon swapping and release to exit. TOGGLE: Hold |square| to enter backpack weapon swapping and tap to exit. Bow Firing Hold or Taps Change the input method for firing the bow. HOLD (Default): Hold |R2| while aiming to draw the arrow back and release to fire. TAPS: Tap |R2| while aiming to automatically draw the arrow back and tap again to fire. Hold Breath Mode Hold or Toggle Change the input method for holding your breath while aiming. Hold Breath skill is unlocked as a player upgrade. HOLD: Hold |L3| while aiming to hold your breath. TOGGLE (Default): Press |L3| while aiming to hold your breath. Press |L3| again or stop aiming to release. *Internet connection required. Assistance Setting Options Description Camera Assist On , Off, Horizontal, Vertical Automatically reorients the camera in the direction of your movement. Select HORIZONTAL or VERTICAL to limit assistance to that axis. Designed for players who are new to action games or have difficulty using Left Stick and Right Stick simultaneously. Lock-On Aim Off, On, Auto-Target Automatically lock-on to enemy targets when aiming. Targets the center of the enemy’s body by default. Use |right-stick| to target the head or legs. If set to AUTO-TARGET, you will lock onto the next enemy automatically even if they’re offscreen. Lock-On Strength 1 to 10 Slider Adjust the pull strength of Lock-On Aim. Arc-Throw Lock-on On or Off Automatically lock-on to enemy targets when |L2| aiming a throwable. In stealth, bricks and bottles lock-on slightly away from enemies to facilitate distractions. Use |right-stick| to directly target the enemy instead. Arc-Throw Lock-on Strength 1 to 10 Slider Adjust the pull strength of Arc-Throw Lock-On. Auto Weapon Swap On or Off Automatically swap to another holstered weapon when you run out of ammo. Auto Pick-Up On or Off Automatically picks up nearby ammo and ingredients. Play Video Magnification and Visual Aids Text, UI, and gameplay elements that are too small or difficult to read can be frustrating. To address these issues, we created options to fine-tune the HUD size, color, and contrast. Our new High Contrast Display is a special render mode that provides more contrast for in-game elements. We also provide a Screen Magnifier, which allows you to zoom-in on any part of the screen using the DualShock 4 touchpad. Setting Options Description HUD Scale Default, Large Changes the size of in-game HUD elements. HUD Background Default, Light, Darkened Changed HUD background darkness. HUD Color White, Yellow, Blue, Red, Green Changes the color of text and HUD elements. HUD Colorblind Mode Off, Protanopia, Deuteranopia, Tritanopia Changes the color palette of HUD accents. HUD Flashing On or Off Enables flashing HUD animations. High Contrast Display Off, Setting 1, Setting 2, Setting 3 Mutes environment colors and adds distinct contrast coloring to allies, enemies, items, and interactive objects. When enabled, use |touchpad-swipe-left| to toggle high contrast display. Screen Magnifier Off, Low, Medium, High Magnifies a section of the screen. Lightly double tap touch pad to quickly toggle zoom. Holding the second tap will slowly increase the zoom, locking the zoom level on release. Use touch pad to move magnifier over different areas of the screen. Double tap again to exit. Translation Prompts Off, On, Auto Enables |triangle| translation prompts for in-world text. When set to AUTO, this feature is automatically enabled when a non-English text language is selected or if text-to-speech is enabled. Play Video Motion Sickness Simulated 3D movement can be a source of motion sickness for many players. To create a more visually comfortable experience, we provide options to adjust camera shake, motion blur, camera follow distance, and even field of view. We also provide an option for a persistent white dot in the center of the screen, which can alleviate the sensation. Setting Options Description Camera Shake 1 to 10 Slider Adjust the intensity of camera shake. Motion Blur 1 to 10 Slider Adjust the intensity of the motion blur effect. Camera Distance -5 to +5 Slider Adjust the distance of the 3rd person camera. Increasing this value moves the camera further from the player. Decreasing this value moves the camera closer to the player. Field of View -5 to +5 Slider Adjust the field of view of the 3rd person camera. Increasing this value makes the field of view wider. Decreasing this value makes the field of view narrower. Dolly Zoom Effect On or Off Toggles moments where the camera moves backwards and zooms at the same time, creating a disorienting effect. Full Screen Effects On or Off Enables screen effects that indicate player status. Persistent Center Dot On or Off Displays a persistent reticle in the center of the screen, hidden during cinematics and while aiming. Navigation and Traversal Making a game that’s accessible for blind and low-vision players means providing new ways of navigating the game world. Navigation Assistance can be used to guide you along the golden path of story progression or you can use Enhanced Listen Mode to go off and find enemies or pickups instead. To help you move through the game world, we also provide options for simplified traversal input, ledge guard, and the ability to skip puzzles altogether. Setting Options Description Navigation Assistance On or Off Pressing |L3| faces the camera in the direction of story progression, marking the path to follow. If Enhanced Listen Mode is also enabled, then pressing |L3| while in listen mode (hold |R1|) will instead direct the player towards the most recently scanned item or enemy. Traversal Assistance On or Off Enables simplified traversal input. • Press |X| to automatically perform certain difficult jumps.• Automatically climb ledges and squeeze through small gaps.• Automatically vault small obstacles while on the horse.• Automatically sprint in certain encounters. Ledge Guard On or Off Guards against falling off ledges with additional audio and vibration feedback. Prevents you from falling from ledges that will kill you. Enhanced Listen Mode On or Off Enables the ability to scan for items |circle| and enemies |square| while in listen mode. Send out a scan triggering audio cues at the target’s location. The pitch of the sound changes based on the target’s height relative to you. If Navigation Assistance is also enabled, then pressing |L3| while in listen mode will direct the player towards the most recently scanned item or enemy. Scan Range 10m – 30m Slider Adjust the maximum distance of Enhanced Listen Mode scans. Scan Time 1s – 5s Slider Adjust time for an Enhanced Listen Mode scan to reach its maximum distance. Infinite Breath On or Off Enables infinite breath while swimming underwater. Skip Puzzle Option On or Off When in a puzzle, select SKIP PUZZLE from the pause menu to advance to the puzzle’s completion. This setting is highly recommended for players who are blind or have low vision because some puzzle progression may not be fully accessible. Additional accessibility assistance for puzzles is available with the 1.01 and 1.02 patches. Play Video Text-to-Speech and Audio Cues Any information that is only represented visually is unavailable to a blind player. To address this discrepancy, we created several options to convey this information through sound and controller vibration instead. Traversal and Combat Audio Cues work alongside the game’s audio to map easily identifiable sounds to commonly used actions (scavenging pickups, jumping across gaps, dodging incoming melee attacks, etc.). These audio cues are catalogued in an audio glossary that you can refer back to at any time. Additionally, our menus and other on-screen text can be voiced using the Text-To-Speech* option. For those that have their language set to English and Text-to-Speech* enabled at the console level, The Last of Us Part II will automatically enable Text-to-Speech for you in-game. * Text-to-speech features available in all supported languages**, except for Thai Text-to-Speech Audio Cues Setting Options Description Text-to-Speech On or Off Enables narration of on-screen text. When enabled, request a text-to-speech description of your current status with |touchpad-swipe-up|. Text-to-Speech volume can be adjusted from the Audio Volumes menu. Traversal Cues On or Off Enables additional accessibility audio cues to assist with traversal and exploration. Plays a sound cue for:• Jumpable gaps, climbable ledges, and squeeze-throughs• Areas that require crouching or going prone• Interacts and pick-ups• Nearby breakable glass• Gaining or losing movement control• When Ledge Guard is enabled, plays a sound cue when it activates For additional sound cue information, consult the Audio Cue Glossary. Combat Audio Cues On or Off Enables additional accessibility audio cues to assist with combat and stealth. Plays a sound cue for:• Enemy grab and strike prompts• Incoming enemy melee attacks• Being impaled with an arrow• Aiming at an enemy• Landing a shot on an enemy For additional sound cue information, consult the Audio Cue Glossary. Combat Vibration Cues On or Off Enables vibration cues to assist with combat. Plays a vibration cue for:• Incoming enemy melee attacks• Aiming at an enemy• Landing a shot on an enemy Guitar Vibration Cues On or Off Enables a vibration cue when the correct guitar note for story progression is selected. Play Video Audio Volumes Effects 0 to 100 Slider Adjust the volume of sound effects. Dialogue 0 to 100 Slider Adjust the volume of spoken dialogue. Music 0 to 100 Slider Adjust the volume of music. Cinematics 0 to 100 Slider Adjust the volume of cinematics. Accessibility Audio Cues 0 to 100 Slider Adjust the volume of accessibility audio cues. Audio cues for traversal and combat can be enabled from the Accessibility menu. Text-to-Speech 0 to 100 Slider Adjust the volume of text-to-speech narration. Audio Cue Glossary Browse and listen to various audio cues that appear throughout gameplay. Combat Accessibility Because we want combat in The Last of Us Part II to be accessible for all players, we provide a number of options that can significantly alter the gameplay experience. For instance, the Invisible While Prone feature allows you to experience stealth gameplay that might otherwise be inaccessible. If you have difficulty aiming, you can give yourself more time by enabling Slow Motion while aiming. Our goal is to provide you with all the tools you need to make the combat experience enjoyable and challenging. Setting Options Description Enable Combat Accessibility On or Off Enables the combat accessibility settings. These settings are designed to make combat accessible for all players. As such, they can significantly alter the gameplay experience. Hostages Don’t Escape On or Off Enemies grabbed by you will not break free while struggling. Allies Don’t Get Grabbed On or Off Allies will automatically escape when grabbed by enemies. This setting will not apply during certain combat encounters. Enemies Don’t Flank On or Off Enemies will not intentionally try to get behind your position. Reduced Enemy Perception On or Off Reduce enemy perception in stealth. This setting is relative to the chosen difficulty. Reduced Enemy Accuracy On or Off Reduce enemy accuracy when shooting. This setting is relative to the chosen difficulty. Enhanced Dodge On or Off Dodge with |L1| is better at evading enemy attacks. Invisible While Prone Off, Limited, Unlimited You are invisible to enemies while prone and not aiming. This setting is disabled during certain encounters where stealth is not an option. If set to LIMITED, the time limit will be based on the stealth difficulty settings. Weapon Sway On or Off Enables camera sway while aiming weapons. Slow Motion Off, While Aiming, Toggle Reduces game speed when enabled. When set to TOGGLE use |touchpad-swipe-right| to toggle slow motion. Play Video HUD If you’re deaf, hard-of-hearing, or need to play at low or no volume, you may not be able to access gameplay information that is only represented through audio. To address this discrepancy, we provide several options to display this information visually instead. Awareness Indicators allow you to determine when you’re being spotted in stealth; they also can be set to persist during combat, pointing in the direction of high-threat enemies. Setting Options Description Damage Indicators On or Off Enables HUD spikes in the direction damage was taken. Awareness Indicators Off, Stealth, Always Enables HUD element warning you when enemies are about to spot you and from which direction. STEALTH: Awareness indicators display until you are spotted. ALWAYS: Awareness indicators persist during combat. This setting is recommended for players who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Available with Patch 1.01*) Hints Off, Sometimes, Frequent Enables gameplay hints that appear when you’re lost in an area for some time. Hints are activated by pressing |L3|. Pick-Up Notifications On or Off Displays a HUD notification when you pick up ammo, crafting ingredients, or other resources Dodge Prompts Off, Sometimes, Frequent Adjust the frequency of the |L1| dodge tutorial prompt that appears when enemies begin a melee attack. *Internet connection required. Play Video Subtitles Subtitles are an extremely popular accessibility feature, and we wanted to provide you with a wide array of customization options for them. You can tweak the size and color, add a dark background for contrast, enable speaker names, and even a directional arrow for offscreen speakers. For the first time in a Naughty Dog game, we also allow you to enable subtitles for all systemic enemy dialogue during stealth and combat. Setting Options Description Subtitles Off, Story Dialogue, Story + Combat Dialogue Enables subtitles for spoken dialogue. STORY DIALOGUE: Enables subtitles for main characters, important enemy dialogue, and cinematics. COMBAT DIALOGUE: Enables subtitles for additional enemy dialogue while in stealth and combat. Size Small, Medium, Large Adjust the size of subtitle text. Background Off, Default, Darkened Enables a dark background behind subtitles to improve legibility. Names On or Off Displays the name of the speaker with the subtitle. Name Colors On or Off When subtitle Names are enabled, displays the names with a unique color per speaker. Direction On or Off Enables an arrow next to subtitles indicating the screen-relative direction of the person speaking. Does not display for on-screen speakers. Color White, Yellow, Blue, Red, Green Changes the color of subtitle text. Game Difficulty As an extension of our accessibility features, The Last of Us Part II also includes expanded difficulty options. At launch, we provide five different challenge levels: Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, and Survivor. We also allow you to customize specific aspects of difficulty to your needs or desired experience. You can individually tweak difficulty settings related to incoming damage, enemy and ally effectiveness, stealth, and resources. Trophies are not limited by difficulty. Setting Options Description Challenge Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, Survivor, Custom Adjust the overall difficulty of the game Player Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, Survivor Adjusts difficulty settings related to:• Amount of damage the player takes from enemies• Frequency of mid-encounter dynamic checkpoints Enemies Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, Survivor Adjusts difficulty settings related to:• Accuracy of enemy gunfire and frequency of projectiles• Aggression of enemies advancing and flanking• Complexity of enemy melee combos• Movement speed of certain high-threat enemies• Custom tuning to specific combat encounters Allies Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, Survivor Adjusts difficulty settings related to:• Aggressiveness of allies in combat• Frequency at which allies kill enemies Stealth Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, Survivor Adjusts difficulty settings related to:• Enemy’s perception through vision, hearing, and smell• Length of grace period before enemies will alert others• Conditions for grabbing enemies from stealth Resources Very Light, Light, Moderate, Hard, Survivor Adjusts difficulty settings related to:• Quantity of ammunition and supplies found in the world• Durability of melee weapons dropped by enemies• Yield of certain crafting recipes We look forward to having players leverage these features and continuing to drive awareness and advocacy for accessibility support in games together. Alongside everyone at the studio, we’d like to recognize all of the people that helped make these features possible, including our partners at PlayStation, Worldwide Studios, and our accessibility consultants: Brandon Cole, James Rath, Paul Lane, Josh Straub, Steve Saylor, Morgan Baker, and Ian Hamilton. Thank you for all of your incredible support and guidance. ** Supported Text-to-Speech languages include: English, UK English, French, Italian, German, Danish, Turkish, Russian, Czech, Greek, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Croatian, LATAM Spanish View the full article

Hey everyone, I’m Christian Spicer– a writer, podcaster, stand-up comedian, and a huge fan of The Last of Us. Like so many of you, when I first played The Last of Us in 2013, it left a lasting impact on me and I’m eagerly awaiting the launch of The Last of Us Part II on June 19. You can imagine my excitement when last year, I was approached to work with Naughty Dog, PlayStation, and Sony Music to host a new podcast that would reflect upon the game with the developers, cast, and collaborators that brought it to life and take a look ahead at the sequel. After hours of recording and captivating discussions over the last several months, today I’m proud to announce The Official The Last of Us Podcast and the launch of our very first episode. Available today, episode 1 starts from the beginning, as we discuss the unforgettable first few hours of The Last of Us with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann and Anthony Newman, as well as cast members Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker. You can stream or download it from your favorite audio source right here. We’ll be dropping new episodes of this limited series every Tuesday for the next eight weeks. Each episode, I’ll be joined by an evolving lineup of guests, including various members of the development team, composer Gustavo Santaolalla, other notable fans of the game, and cast members, such as Jeffrey Pierce, Laura Bailey, Shannon Woodward, and Ian Alexander. In the lead-up to The Last of Us Part II’s launch, we’ll be diving deep into the making of the first game, but on July 7, once everyone’s had a chance to play, we’ll be turning our focus to the The Last of Us Part II and unpacking the story, gameplay, and development process. You’re going to want to make sure you tune in for that. On behalf of everyone that helped make this podcast possible, thank you so much for listening! We hope you enjoy it. View the full article

Hi all – thanks for being patient and understanding while we rescheduled this PS5 event for Thursday, June 11 at 1pm Pacific Time / 9pm BST. We needed to step aside so key voices could be heard during this historic and important time. Now that the event is confirmed for June 11, I wanted to add that this pre-taped program will be broadcast at 1080p and 30 frames per second. This eased the show’s production process during a time when many of our team and developers are working from home. The games you’ll see on Thursday will look even better when you play them on PS5 with a 4K TV, as you’d expect. It’s also best if you watch while wearing headphones, if you can — there’s some cool audio work in the show, and it might be harder to appreciate if it’s pumped through your phone or laptop speakers. Anyway, enough talk! An updated version of Jim’s original post follows below. See you Thursday! With each generation, from the first PlayStation to PlayStation 4, we aim higher and we push the boundaries further, to try and deliver better experiences for our community. This has been the mission of the PlayStation brand for more than 25 years. A mission I have been a part of nearly since the beginning. There are few things as exciting as the launch of a new console. While this road to launch has been a bit…different, we are as thrilled as ever to bring you with us on this journey to redefine the future of videogames. We’ve shared technical specifications and shown you the new DualSense wireless controller. But what is a launch without games? That’s why I’m excited to share that we will soon give you a first look at the games you’ll be playing after PlayStation 5 launches this holiday. The games coming to PS5 represent the best in the industry from innovative studios that span the globe. Studios, both larger and smaller, those newer and those more established, all have been hard at work developing games that will showcase the potential of the hardware. This digital showcase will run for a bit more than an hour and, for the first time, we will all be together virtually experiencing the excitement together. A lack of physical events has given us an amazing opportunity to think differently and bring you on this journey with us, and hopefully, closer than ever before. This is part of our series of PS5 updates and, rest assured, after next week’s showcase, we will still have much to share with you. Please join us on Twitch or YouTube on June 11 at 1pm PDT / 9pm BST / 10pm CEST to see what’s in store for the next generation of games. I hope we can make you proud. View the full article

Hello, this is Aaron Whiting of Seattle-based Camouflaj. I have the honor of being the lead producer on Marvel’s Iron Man VR, coming July 3 exclusively to PlayStation VR. I previously worked at Camouflaj on its first release, République, before I left to try my hand at a larger local game studio. During the interim years away from Camouflaj, I heard whispers from my former coworkers that the team was working on something incredibly exciting and ambitious for VR. It was around then that studio founder, Ryan Payton, put me in a headlock and asked me if I’d be interested in coming back to Camouflaj to help produce the game. After I fixed my hair, I scheduled a time to stop by the studio and check out their prototype for Marvel’s Iron Man VR. Within seconds of putting the VR headset on, I got chills. I looked down at my body, saw the iconic red and gold armor, and thought to myself, “Holy crap, I am Iron Man!” From there I pointed the motion controls towards the ground, pulled the triggers and lifted into the air. I then thought to myself, “How does Iron Man fly forward?”, so I placed the controllers at my sides, pointed my palms back, and began to surge forward. Despite the crude greybox representation of Shanghai, it felt great to zip through the city at high speeds and feel the thrill of flight. I soared above the metropolis and threaded the needle between tight corridors. I clearly remember saying aloud, “You guys have done it! We’ve nailed flying in VR.” After spending about 20 minutes flying around grinning from ear to ear, Ryan asked me, “Do you wanna shoot some stuff?” Of course I said yes. As with flight, I thought, “How does Iron Man shoot?” I extended my arm out, pointed my palm at a target, pushed the Repulsor button and fired a shot. I began striking Iron Man poses like I was in a photoshoot and blasted all the enemies around me. “How about coming back to Camouflaj and helping us produce this game?” Ryan asked. The rest is history. When I rejoined Camouflaj, the challenge of creating a great prototype was behind us, so our focus shifted towards developing the full game. We aligned the team around building a world not only about Iron Man, but also about his larger-than-life civilian persona, Tony Stark. One thing Ryan struggled with early on was solving the problem of allowing VR players to not only feel like Iron Man but also see him. Due to the first-person nature of VR, we knew players wanted to embody Tony Stark, but we all worried about those moments that players would want to see Tony be Tony. We experimented with various solutions, including Ryan’s boneheaded idea (his words, not mine) to have the player not be Tony, but play as his up-and-coming protege. Fortunately, our friends at Marvel pushed back on that idea, and they were right — fans want to be Iron Man, not be standing next to him. Thankfully, our lead writer, Brendan Murphy, came up with a brilliant solution. Borrowing a thread from a recent run of Marvel’s Iron Man comics, we introduced an additional AI character based on Tony’s personality. Thus, “AI Tony” was born. He’s smart, witty, and helps you upgrade your suit. Suddenly, we had the best of both worlds—players got to not only see Tony but to be him! On top of that, can you think of any superhero that would enjoy his own company more than Tony Stark? People want to fly around and be super heroic like Iron Man, but they also want to live out the fantasy of being the larger-than-life billionaire, Tony Stark. Early in development we tossed around many different ideas, but when the dust settled, we had a handful of key Tony Stark-related features that fed back into our core gameplay: Tinker in Tony’s garage Come face-to-face with iconic Marvel characters Nick Fury, Pepper Potts & Friday Explore classic Iron Man environments including Tony’s Malibu mansion, a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, ROXXON Corporation, and various Stark Industries locales As I reminisce about the production of Marvel’s Iron Man VR, we always knew that the game needed to feel super heroic. About a year into production, we thought we nailed it with our flying and shooting mechanics, but we couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. Marvel agreed. This realization occurred right around the time we were wrapping up work on our vertical slice, which included a mission where Iron Man rescues a jet in mid-flight. It was around this time the team discovered the missing puzzle piece: interactive “Super Hero Actions.” In record time, we added “Super Hero Actions” to the mission that enabled players to do heroic things such as extinguish an engine fire, repair a damaged wing, and pull down the jet’s landing gear. From a production perspective, these moments terrified me — they are one-off moments that were extremely expensive and time consuming to build, but I couldn’t deny that they were our ticket to making Marvel’s Iron Man VR evolve from “good” to “great.” If you’re curious about how those Super Hero Actions deliver the Super Hero fantasy, you’ll be able to experience them first-hand in the demo for Marvel’s Iron Man VR, available at PlayStation Store now. It’s a small taste of what’s to come in the rest of the game, which includes many more VR-enabled heroic actions. In the closing moments of development, I often think about why I returned to Camouflaj to work on Marvel’s Iron Man VR. Naturally I wanted to help the team achieve their goal of building a great Iron Man experience for virtual reality, but I also wanted to leverage the unique strengths of PS VR to tell an important and meaningful story starring Tony Stark. We put the player in Tony’s shoes and have them face his demons. Those moments really stand out for me as a player, and I can’t wait for you to experience them when the game releases on July 3. View the full article

Welcome! Following the recent unification of the US and EU PlayStation.Blog sites, you might notice things look a bit different around these parts this week. We’re still working out our new process as we combine new releases for the North America and EU regions into a more robust multi-region mega-post. For new releases coming to Brazil and the rest of Latin America, visit their respective posts. Now then, back to the games. This week’s highlights include Project Warlock, which sends players back to the dawn of the first-person shooter in a fast-paced tribute to the genre’s originators. Stop by the Workshop between the game’s 60 levels to upgrade weapons and spells, then introduce the game’s demonic denizens to the business end of the Harvester — a devastating quadruple shotgun — and 37 other weapons. You can read more about Project Warlock and its creator in this PS Blog post. Here are the new games coming to PlayStation next week: Beyond Blue – PS4 – Out June 11 Demon’s Tier+ – PS4, PS Vita – Out June 9 (US & Canada only) Depth of Extinction – PS4 – Out June 11 (US & Canada only) Epic Dumpster Bear 2 – PS4 – Out June 9 (US & Canada only) Evan’s Remains – PS4 – Out June 11 (US & Canada only) Fault – Milestone One – Out June 9 (EU only) Firechief – PS4 – Out June 10 (US & Canada only) Firefighters – Airport Heroes – PS4 – Out June 10 Jump King – PS4 – Out June 9 Let’s Create! Pottery VR – PS VR – Out June 12 (US & Canada), June 9 (EU) Pity Pit – PS4 – Out June 9 (US & Canada), June 10 (EU) Project Warlock – PS4 – Out June 9 Pushy and Pully in Blockland – PS4 – Out June 9 (EU only) Rooftop Runner – PS4 – Out June 11 (US only) Super Soccer Blast – PS4 – Out June 12 (US & Canada only), June 11 (EU) Warborn – PS4 – Out June 12 Yoga Master – PS4 – Out June 9 (EU only) Ys: Memories of Celceta – PS4 – Out June 9 (US & Canada only) Zaccaria Pinball – PS4 – Out June 12 (US & Canada only) Pardon our dust! In the coming months, you may notice the occasional discrepancy in this post as we’re updating the back-end systems we pull game info from to populate our list. Game release dates should be correct at time of publication but we will strive to correct any mistakes as they arise. Thanks for your patience! View the full article

Editor’s Note: Hello, everyone, Shuhei Yoshida here. Today, we’re kicking off a series of stories written by independent developers whose games address interesting, unique, or thought-provoking issues. We’re starting with a story about making connections with other people in Night School Studio’s Afterparty, authored by the game’s lead writer & director. Stay tuned, as we’ll be publishing more of these stories over the next few weeks. We wanted to make a game in a bar. That was the initial idea. Just to make a game in a bar. The single location would be easier on production than a concept that required multiple areas, and the cultural ubiquity of drinking establishments means it would be simple to understand and relate to. But the main reason we were attracted to the idea of a game set entirely in a bar was the wide cast of characters it afforded us. Bars are like hospitals or courthouses or schools. Most everyone, at some point in their life, will be in one. And like hospitals, courthouses and schools, they’re old. There are bars on this planet that are literally older than the dirt surrounding them. Bars are universal, and have been drunken amplifiers for human connection for almost as long as there have been humans. And that’s really what Afterparty is about. Meaningful connections, and why they’re so hard to make and maintain. Well, to be clear: Afterparty is a game about two dead friends named Milo and Lola. You see, they’ve unfortunately and unexpectedly slipped from this mortal realm just when they were about to graduate college, and now find themselves trapped in Hell. Bummer. However! They quickly discover a loophole in the cosmic ruleset that will allow them to escape if they successfully find Satan and outdrink the dark angel in a series of party games. It’s a narrative-driven, puzzle-adventure game so there’s some twists and turns along the way, of course, but that’s essentially the goal. Escape Hell. One challenge of Milo and Lola’s underworld adventure is they need to make friends to achieve that goal, and that’s where the whole “meaningful connection” part comes in. The Hell of Afterparty is a sprawling metropolis split amongst islands on the fiery River Styx, each hub of which is filled with demons and souls all vying for your drinks and attention. It was important for us at Night School to tell a story that makes you feel the stress, the humor, the joys, the disappointments of meeting people in a frantically social setting in a brand new, intimidating environment, and being forced to navigate the relationships that can bubble up from those encounters. We tried to accomplish this in a couple of ways. One was making the very act of drinking a fun, interesting gameplay mechanic that could cartoonishly mirror what an actual night out with strangers is like. For a lot of us, talking to someone, striking up a conversation, or trying to make a friend can all feel like challenges to be overcome, or even just survived. It especially feels that way to Milo and Lola, two young 20-somethings who have never been comfortable making new friends. But there’s a reason drinking has been a social lubricant for eons: it diminishes your ability to feel awkward. In a game, however, it’s hard to translate that. Only the most sensitive players would be so nervous interacting with computer-driven actors that they’d truly feel the need to have a virtual drink to calm their virtual nerves, so we needed drinking to be much more valuable than that. Thankfully, drinking alcohol is a choice that has many smaller choices tucked inside. In real life, knowing yourself, your company and your own drunken limits, you might avoid a specific cocktail if you don’t want to get too aggressively flirty, or you might down three shots to calm your shaking nerves. So the drinks in Afterparty drastically change Milo and Lola’s personalities to fit the ridiculousness of their situation. For example, one makes you talk like a cliched 20’s mobster until the effect wears off. Another causes your conscience to spill out of your body, turning your every thought and utterance into the ruminations of a self-absorbed creep. All of this is in service of letting the player “win” these social interactions — to feel like you’re speaking to the wild and wooly demons and dead souls in a language and style they would appreciate. Play Video Now, you could say that there’s a certain callousness to this approach. How can you make a meaningful connection to somebody if you’re trying to constantly “game” the interaction, by playing into what you may think they want to hear? So it was necessary to make every character you talk to and “party” with in Afterparty feel real, and special, and have them react to what you say and do as honestly as they can. Talking to someone shouldn’t ever feel like you’re just finding the right keys for the right locks. Yes, you have your Big Goal™ — getting out of Hell — that you’re working towards, and all the minor goals and obstacles clogging your way, but that doesn’t mean conversations shouldn’t be as fun and unpredictable and stress-inducing and elating as a real, glancing encounter with someone new over beer pong. Achieving this means making sure the characters you meet have their own goals, their own fears, their own hangups and pet peeves. And making sure they remember how you treat them during the night. As Sartre cheerfully pointed out, “Hell is other people,” denoting the pervasive, existential discomfort of being “known” by another person. When you see yourself as other people really see you, it can be an awful experience. Milo and Lola’s “Personal Demon” Sister Mary Wormhorn was the mechanical way of expressing this idea. She pops in and out of the story at the most inopportune times, taunting every decision you’ve made up until that point, bringing up ad nauseum the immense futility of trying to escape the afterlife. She brings up the fact that you’re sitting somewhere, probably alone, playing a video game, instead of actually going out into the world to meet people (something that’s a bit of an impossibility now). She’s a terror, and there only to get in your way. But she’s a “person,” too, in the end, with her own struggles and desires. So we hope Afterparty leaves players with at least the tiniest of comforts: everyone really is just like everybody else. View the full article