Commander Fury

The annual Game Developer’s Conference is upon us, and we’re excited to meet with many of the talented developers who are gathering here at this event. We’ve put together this post as a guide to all of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) GDC activities. From March 20 through March 22, you can find the PlayStation booth located at Space S527 in the South Hall at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. We’ll have interesting tech, tools and games to show. If you would like to meet with us to talk about the world of PlayStation, stop by for a visit. Sony Interactive Entertainment developers, programmers, producers, technology specialists, as well as experts from independent development studios will be speaking on a variety of topics throughout the week. Be sure to check out some of the PlayStation sponsored sessions and related talks that are available while you are here. Additionally, our Recruiting team will be at the booth to talk about opportunities at PlayStation. Recruiters representing multiple businesses will be available to discuss both full time and internship opportunities. Game Kiosks Here are some games that will be displayed at our booth. Stay tuned for updates. (Content featured at the booth is subject to change.) PlayStation 4 / PS4 Pro Heaven’s Vault Falcon Age Jupiter & Mars Indivisible Dreams Days Gone Move or Die PlayStation VR Trover Saves the Universe Ghost Giant Tech Kiosks PlayStation HDR Calibration PlayStation HDR Scopes PlayStation Developer Tools – SN Systems PlayStation Developer Tools – Middleware Dreams Demo Dreams brings to life the creativity and imagination of its players with a creative suite that’s robust and accessible for all. Join the developers from Media Molecule for an in-depth demo of Dreams’ tools and a look at what the community has already created! Tools & Middleware Exhibitors A complete list of Tools & Middleware companies that will be exhibiting at GDC 2019 can be found on our GDC webpage. PlayStation Related Talks Throughout GDC there will be PlayStation-related sessions and roundtables focusing on developer topics such as visual arts, audio, design, business & marketing, programming, advocacy, and more. PlayStation-related sessions, locations and schedules are subject to change. For example… Reinventing ‘God of War’ Speaker: Cory Barlog (Creative Director, Sony Santa Monica Studio) Location: Room 303, South Hall Date: Friday, March 22 Time: 10:00am-11:00am Sponsored Sessions Building Communities by Increasing Visibility within the Gaming Community Date: Thursday March 21 Time: 10:00-11:00 Location: Room 2000 West Hall Session Description: Join PlayStation as we discuss the importance of highlighting and celebrating our diverse communities within video games, as well as the people that make them. In this talk, our panelists will discuss including diverse cultures in recent/upcoming games, featuring strong female leads, people of color, and LGBTQ characters. Ask PlayStation The “Ask Third Party Relations @GDC” station will be here throughout GDC to answer licensing and business oriented questions that pertain to PlayStation publishing. Members of our Third Party Relations team will be here to answer them and have discussions with you on a limited appointment basis at GDC. PlayStation Academic Program To address the rapidly evolving digital entertainment industry and the need for highly technical and creative skill initiatives, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) offers an academic program to champion the next generation of PlayStation-savvy creators! Our aim is to establish partnerships with select universities and academic institutions inspired by PlayStation technologies as a critical part of their teaching curriculum. For more information about the academic program available in your region, educators can send an expression of interest to: applications@ps-edu.scedev.net. Only requests from qualified school representatives will be responded to — interested students should ask their teacher to submit the request. AfroDev AfroDev is a collaboration of BEAT! (Black EA Team!), PAAN (Playstation African American Network) and BIG (Blacks In Gaming) affinity groups with a focus on networking members within the gaming industry. Blacks In Gaming (BIG) has been one of the independent organizations we can look to who have recognized the need to have a resource and build community among African Americans in the games industry. AfroDev will be held Tuesday evening, March 19, from 5:00pm-9:00pm at MoAD (Museum of African Diaspora) in SF centrally located to GDC. Address: 685 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105 5:00pm to 6:00pm: Doors Open, Check-in, Pre-Awards Power Networking Session, Museum 2nd and 3rd Galleries open during this time. *Complimentary beverages and food will be served (1st Floor Only) 6:00pm to 7:00pm: 3rd Annual Blacks In Gaming Awards Show 7:00pm to 8:00pm: Post Awards Reception (Lobby) Careers at SIE Our Recruiting team will be at the booth to talk about opportunities at PlayStation. Recruiters from multiple locations will be available to discuss both full time and internship opportunities. View the full article

Do you remember your first Chocobo? My very first encounter was in 1997 when I got my hands on my very first Final Fantasy game. This changed the meaning of fun in my household forever, transitioning me away from tangible toys as I hid in my room with my video games. It was this magnificent flightless bird that helped me avoid enemy encounters… especially with a certain formidable snake that always resulted in a Game Over screen whenever I boldly thought I could defeat it in combat. Through the ages there have been many iterations of this fan-favorite bird, from its very first appearance in Final Fantasy II to its own solo series, Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon. I sat down with character designer, Toshiyuki Itahana to learn where the design for Chocobos started and where they are now. “This art was the first time I designed a super stylized Chocobo, for the first Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon title. Compared to the stylized Chocobos of today, this one’s beak and nails are quite a bit sharper. We added some more roundness to them when we translated it into pixel art for the actual game data. This is something I designed about 22 years ago, so it makes me feel nostalgic, but the signature beside it is uncool (LOL).” Hello Itahana san! What was your role in Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy!? I handled the art direction and additional design work needed for Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy! In terms of the additional design work, I prepared designs in the process of generating new models for characters and monsters that appeared in Chocobo’s Dungeon and Chocobo’s Dungeon 2. Devil Chocobo from Chocobo’s Dungeon and Skull Hammer from Chocobo’s Dungeon 2 will appear in this game! I also discussed specifics about the direction of this game with the producer at the beginning of development, including which title in the series would serve as a basis, and what features should be implemented. Do you know where the idea of chocobos first started? Chocobo is a character that was contrived and designed by Koichi Ishii when Final Fantasy II was being developed. The one that appears in Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon is a version that was stylized specifically for a Final Fantasy spin-off with a rogue-like system. I designed it when I was temporarily assigned to work at Square Soft while I was a designer at my previous company, a toy manufacturer. At the time, I explored various designs including chocobos with a sharper beak that appeared more like a dinosaur as well as those that appeared more like a chick. What’s been your favorite Chocobo design since its inception? It happens to be a job in Every Buddy!, but the White Mage Chocobo is very cute and has to be one of my favorites. It’s been released as a plush, so I always have it decorating my desk. I also like the Red Mage Chocobo, which also is a job, and its appearance is pretty cool! The red hat suits the Chocobo really well and it’s also a very strong job. “I designed this as package art for Chocobo’s soundtrack. Chocobo and the monsters are stylized, and they’re performing instruments together here. I like illustrations that let you imagine the moment that’s being captured, so when I drew this, I made sure to give them facial expressions that hint at some sort of story. Who might be the character hiding in the grass?” What was it like designing the Chocobo style for this game vs. others? Compared to other titles I’ve worked on, such as Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII or NieR:Automata, I took care in developing designs that still look appealing, even after simplifying them by paring down the details. Simply put, I aimed to create designs that would be easy for even children to copy and draw. As a result, we received many wonderful submissions for the “My Chocobo Contest” that the Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon marketing team recently ran in Japan where we asked participants to share various Chocobo-themed handcrafted items and dishes. I enjoyed looking through each and every one of them with the development team. Everyone is so talented — we were so surprised! I’m truly thankful for everyone who participated. The appeal for Chocobos in this game is that they have some very neat jobs, how was designing the style and costume for each of the jobs? There are numerous jobs in this title so it was quite a task to differentiate the designs. For any character, we need to ensure the job is easily identifiable through the colors used as well as the silhouette. It’s relatively easy to distinguish the job with the equipment in-hand for human characters in Final Fantasy, but a Chocobo is unable to carry anything by hand, so I try to draw designs that make the job easily identifiable with few colors and a simple silhouette. Aside from that, compared to other titles, these stylized designs are relatively easy to transform into plush and merchandise, so I have a lot of fun drawing these as I’m also conscious about creating designs that would retain its appeal, even when they’re made into merchandise. “I drew this up for a party game called “Chocobo’s Crystal Hunt.” I aimed for a similar feel to art that was drawn by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone for game books in the past – these were popular in Japan back then as well. I draw Chocobo in this “glancing over the shoulder” pose rather frequently.” “I designed this as an enemy for World of Final Fantasy. I went for a futuristic mech-style design, keeping the details on the low side. However, I also incorporated a Gatling gun under Chocobo’s wing, and there’s a weapon in the beak as well. Plus, there’s a Moogle hiding on its belly… When I played the game, it turned out that this Chocobo’s voice was actually pretty cute, which warmed my heart.” Which of these jobs is your favorite to play? The machinist is a new job that has been added to this title. It allows you to set traps and, if used wisely, unleash very powerful attacks. I also like the design. You’ll be able to enjoy the process of leading monsters into traps in a quite rogue-like manner. In actuality, the machinist is based on a design submitted by a Chocobo’s Dungeon series player for a job design contest we had previously conducted. Regrettably, the design didn’t make the cut back then, but it’s making its first appearance here. What do you recommend for new players to this game and series? There are two ways to enjoy Every Buddy! 1) You can have a blast with others by playing and discussing strategy with family and friends, or 2) You can dive into the game alone when you want to take time and cautiously consider your moves as though you’re solving a puzzle. For those who think rogue-like games may be difficult, I would love to see you try experiencing this adventure with Chocobo at your side since the beginning is designed to ease you in. For experienced players who enjoy and prefer a challenge, we prepared dungeons with higher difficulty, so please give it a try and let us know how far you get! View the full article

For those new to MLB The Show 19, Legends are the game’s greatest retired players such as Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams. Legends are playable in Diamond Dynasty (Internet required), Franchise Mode, and on era-specific teams in Exhibition mode. Flashbacks are current-day players, such as Rookie Bryce Harper, that are rated based on that time in his career. For the first time in MLB The Show 19, you can add 50+ Flashbacks to your Franchise roster along with other Legends and try to win a title. Legends and Flashbacks add a rich, historic element to MLB The Show 19. They tap into more than 100 years of history and illustrate how the sport has evolved into today’s game. Pick up a controller and settle debates on the digital field. Build your roster with all-time Legends, players you grew up watching, or today’s stars in their prime. Introducing two new Legends to MLB The Show 19: Rickey Henderson and Don Mattingly! NEW Legends announced in MLB The Show 19 (and more to come!) Willie Mays Rickey Henderson Don Mattingly Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez Lou Gehrig Ty Cobb Jimmie Foxx Cy Young Kerry Wood Mark Prior Christy Mathewson Walter Johnson Rogers Hornsby Jason Kendall Rob Dibble Cliff Lee Andruw Jones Bret Boone Hal Newhouser A.J. Burnett Diamond Flashbacks Choice Packs If you order the Gone Yard Edition, MVP Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition of MLB The Show 19, you will receive a voucher code for a Diamond Flashbacks Choice Pack. In the pack, choose one of 30 Diamond Legends and Flashbacks for your Diamond Dynasty squad. With each MLB team represented, this will be one of the toughest choices of your baseball gaming life! Lou Gehrig, Frank Thomas, Kerry Wood and Buster Posey are among your Diamond Legends and Flashbacks. Stay tuned for news and follow MLB The Show on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and visit TheShowNation.com as MLB The Show 19 launches on March 26 exclusively on PS4. View the full article

The hunt is on — welcome to the Wild Frontier. The first season of Apex Legends is here, and tons of great stuff is dropping into the arena. Check out what’s in store if you play for free, and learn what you get when you grab the Season 1 Battle Pass. What is a Season? Seasons are massive packs of content dropped regularly throughout the year. We drop these massive packs of content regularly throughout the year, and each season brings new Legends, fresh loot, and special events that change the Games. Grab the Battle Pass to earn tons of themed rewards as you level. You can also earn a Wild Frontier Legend skin, five Apex Packs, and 18 stat trackers for free as you play. Then, jump into the fight with your first new Legend, Octane. Meet Octane After blowing his legs off in a record-breaking gauntlet speed-run, Octavio “Octane” Silva is diving into the Apex Games with metal legs and even bigger ambitions. He’s searching for the ultimate adrenaline rush by using his death-defying moves to become an Apex Champion. His Adrenaline Junkie ability lets him trade health for speed, and an endless supply of Stim health regeneration means he’s always ready for action. His Launch Pad Ultimate Ability lets his squad fly through the air with the greatest of ease. Jump into Apex Legends and play Octane today! Score More Loot with the Battle Pass The Battle Pass is your ticket to tons of rewards: once you buy the pass, every level you gain during Season 1 unlocks a Battle Pass reward, like weapon skins, banner frames, XP boosts, and more. Over 100 rewards are yours for the taking, and you have the entire season to earn them all. Plus, you’ll score three Wild Frontier-themed Legend skins immediately when you purchase the pass. You can get the Battle Pass from the in-game shop for 950 Apex Coins. Plus, you can earn enough Apex Coins through leveling the Battle Pass to purchase the next one without spending one real cent. To level up your Battle Pass even faster, snag the Battle Pass Bundle for 2,800 Apex Coins, unlocking your next 25 Battle Pass levels (and their rewards) automatically. Apex Legends is available for free now on PS4. Jump into the arena, hit the in-game store to grab the Battle Pass, and get ready to unleash the beast. View the full article

We are excited to announce that PlayStation Vue is adding multi-view on Apple TV today, allowing users to watch up to four live channels on one screen. This comes just in time for NCAA March Madness, so you can keep an eye on all the action or mix and match live games with live news or other programs. Multi-view is one of our most popular features on PlayStation 4, so we are thrilled to expand to Apple TV to allow more of our customers to enjoy the feature. Additionally, the multi-view feature on PS4, which offers up to three live channels at once, is receiving two updates today. The first update is real-time program changing, which means you will no longer have to start from the beginning each time you want to add in a different program. The second update is new filters – now Sports and News have their own dedicated tabs, which makes it even easier for you to find sports and news for multi-view. PS Vue customers on all devices, which includes Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, iOS and Android mobile devices, PC/Mac browsers and Chromecast, continue to enjoy other rich features that come with their monthly plan, like industry-leading five simultaneous streams and a powerful cloud-based DVR with the least ad skipping restrictions — at no extra cost. We will also continue to offer standalone channels without the need of a multichannel plan, such as HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax, as well as continue to launch additional local channels. Currently 92 percent of the country has access to at least three of the “Big 4” broadcasters (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC) on PS Vue. We hope you continue to enjoy all the innovative features available on PS Vue, and as always, thank you for your continued support. If you have not tried PS Vue, check us out at www.psvue.com for a 5-day free trial. View the full article

Going on a journey is always exciting — you never know exactly what will happen or where you will end up. For us at Okomotive, releasing our first game Far: Lone Sails is exactly the trip we’ve always dreamed of taking. Now, we’re close to another major destination: the game arrives on PS4 April 2. Far: Lone Sails is a vehicle adventure game. In a unique hybrid of ship and train, you travel across an ocean-turned-desert following the tracks of a once-flourishing civilization. Through an array of roadblocks and through hazardous weather you need to keep your vessel going. Where will this journey take you? Are you the last of your kind? Far: Lone Sails takes you into a post-apocalyptic, yet zombie-free world: it’s just you and your machine vs. the big nothing. Its unique mechanics and atmosphere make the game stand out from the crowd. The art style and music are unique in the best sense — a sight and sound to behold. But what probably stands out the most — especially in the platformer genre — is Far’s pacing, which leaves enough time and space to relax and take in the scenery. Studio Okomotive is based in Zurich, Switzerland. We’re five game designers and one musician. All of us studied at the University of the Arts in Zurich, where we met and the idea for our debut title was born. It started out in 2015 as Don Schmocker’s bachelor’s thesis. He came up with the concept and art style, drawing inspiration from various sources including Theo Jansen’s Strandbeest, The Straight Story by David Lynch, and post-apocalyptic movies like Mad Max. He built a prototype of Far together with composer Joel Schoch. Shortly after that, publisher Mixtvision hopped on board, so that the idea and concept could be built upon. Don teamed up with Goran Saric, a fellow student of his, to handle the technical aspects of the game. During the development process, the team grew further: first, Martina Hugentobler joined for animations, then Phil Stern to support them in level design and art, and finally, Fabio Baumgartner made it to the team as a programmer and sound designer. After a successful release for PC and Mac, collecting numerous awards along the way, it was only a matter of time to bring the game to PlayStation, too. So here we are, finally getting close to our next destination. To everyone joining the trek to PS4 starting April 2, we have some words of advice for you: Hoist your sails, let the wind guide you — and keep your eyes open, so that you will be able to perceive the beauty that lies in small things and to find little beacons of hope. Even when times are rough and the world may seem dreary to you, hang in there and keep going. View the full article

Hello, PlayStation fans! Now that Days Gone has officially gone gold, I’m happy to finally share details about Bend Studio’s implementation of Photo Mode. The world of Days Gone includes a regular day/night cycle, as well as multiple biomes and weather types. We’re giving players all the tools they need to capture and share these breathtaking vistas and the unique sandbox gameplay moments Days Gone makes possible. The vast Central Oregon wilderness is so beautifully crafted and rendered in Days Gone it’s easy to forget that you’re playing a game. Our aim with Photo Mode was to make players feel like they’re manipulating a real camera in the real world. Of course, this includes features that people expect to come standard these days. From the Characters panel, users can toggle character and bike visibility as well as select from a library of facial expressions. The Frames & Presets panel hosts nine custom frames, several black frame shapes and sizes, Days Gone logo options, and 18 filter presets. The Lens panel lets players manipulate Field of View, Focal Distance, Aperture, and Film Grain. One of the first features we developed for Photo Mode was the inclusion of Focus Lock, which allows users to set a permanent focus point that stays sharp no matter where they move the camera. But the pièce de résistance is our Advanced Mode where users can fine-tune their final shots by manipulating 55 different settings across Bloom, Color Grading, and Color Depth Grading panels. We worked closely with members of our Art team, including some Hollywood veterans, to help define the essential properties to capture all the power and flexibility that comes with professional photo editing software. This is the very same interface our artists used to author the filter presets that ship with the game. Players can even use one of our presets as a starting point to learn how Advanced Mode works, then use it a baseline to creating their own filter that can be saved to one of five preset slots for easy reuse later. All of this will be available at launch. Everyone at Bend Studio can’t wait to see the pictures the community creates starting April 26! View the full article

Time to enjoy the Great Indoors at PlayStation Store! Embark on adventures through unpredictable landscapes, navigate your way through alien solar systems, and much, much more with over 1,000 titles to choose from! So fill up those canteens, fluff up those couch cushions, and get ready to stay inside with savings up to 65 percent on games like Red Dead Redemption 2, NBA 2k19, and Destiny 2: Forsaken. That’s not all! Now through March 29, new subscribers save 25 percent on 12 months of PlayStation Plus. Check out some lineup highlights below then head to PS Store over the next two weeks to see the full list of titles. The Great Indoors Sale ends March 29 at 8 AM PT. PS4 Games Title $Sale $PSPlus $Original A HAT IN TIME $20.99 $17.99 $29.99 ABZÛ $12.99 $10.99 $19.99 ARK: EXTINCTION $17.99 $16.99 $19.99 ARK: SURVIVAL EVOLVED $24.99 $19.99 $49.99 ASTRO BOT RESCUE MISSION $33.99 $29.99 $39.99 BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT $9.99 $7.99 $19.99 BATMAN: RETURN TO ARKHAM $9.99 $7.99 $19.99 BIOSHOCK: THE COLLECTION $20.99 $14.99 $59.99 BLOODBORNE THE OLD HUNTERS $14.99 $12.99 $19.99 BORDERLANDS 2 VR $42.49 $37.49 $49.99 BORDERLANDS: THE HANDSOME COLLECTION $25.79 $19.79 $59.99 BRAVO TEAM $27.99 $23.99 $39.99 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE – DIGITAL PRO EDITION $44.99 $34.99 $99.99 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE – SEASON PASS $29.99 $24.99 $49.99 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE GOLD EDITION $23.99 $19.79 $59.99 CALL OF DUTY: INFINITE WARFARE $23.99 $19.79 $59.99 CALL OF DUTY: INFINITE WARFARE – DIGITAL DELUXE $59.99 $49.99 $99.99 CALL OF DUTY: INFINITE WARFARE – LEGACY EDITION $47.99 $39.99 $79.99 CALL OF DUTY: MWR VARIETY MAP PACK $8.99 $7.49 $14.99 CASTLEVANIA REQUIEM: SYMPHONY OF THE NIGHT & RONDO $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 DEAD BY DAYLIGHT $14.99 $11.99 $29.99 DEAD BY DAYLIGHT: THE HALLOWEEN CHAPTER $4.79 $3.99 $7.99 DEAD ISLAND DEFINITIVE COLLECTION $15.99 $11.99 $39.99 DÉRACINÉ (VR) $26.99 $23.99 $29.99 DESTINY 2: FORSAKEN $23.99 $19.99 $39.99 DESTINY 2: FORSAKEN – ANNUAL PASS $27.99 $24.49 $34.99 DESTINY 2: FORSAKEN – COMPLETE COLLECTION $69.99 $59.99 $99.99 DESTINY 2: FORSAKEN – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $59.99 $51.99 $79.99 DESTINY 2: FORSAKEN – LEGENDARY COLLECTION $35.99 $29.99 $59.99 DESTINY 2: FORSAKEN + ANNUAL PASS $48.99 $41.99 $69.99 DESTROY ALL HUMANS! $6.99 $2.99 $19.99 DISHONORED 2 $23.99 $19.99 $39.99 DISHONORED: DEFINITIVE EDITION $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 DISHONORED: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION $47.99 $39.99 $79.99 DOOM $13.99 $11.99 $19.99 DOOM + WOLFENSTEIN II BUNDLE $34.99 $27.99 $69.99 DOOM VFR (VR) $17.99 $14.99 $29.99 DYING LIGHT $15.99 $13.99 $19.99 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 5 $35.99 $29.99 $59.99 FALLOUT 4: GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $35.99 $29.99 $59.99 FALLOUT 76 $44.99 $40.19 $59.99 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 – BIG BUD PACK $11.54 $10.04 $14.99 FARPOINT (VR) $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 GOD OF WAR $31.99 $29.99 $39.99 GOD OF WAR DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $39.99 $37.49 $49.99 GOOSEBUMPS: THE GAME $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO V $17.99 $14.99 $29.99 GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS $10.49 $8.99 $14.99 HELLDIVERS SUPER-EARTH ULTIMATE EDITION $19.99 $15.99 $39.99 HITMAN – GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $23.99 $17.99 $59.99 HORIZON ZERO DAWN: COMPLETE EDITION $16.99 $15.99 $19.99 HORIZON ZERO DAWN: THE FROZEN WILDS $7.99 $6.99 $9.99 INJUSTICE 2 – LEGENDARY EDITION $23.99 $17.99 $59.99 INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US ULTIMATE EDITION $6.99 $4.99 $19.99 JAK & DAXTER: THE PRECURSOR LEGACY (PS2) $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 JAK II (PS2) $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 JURASSIC WORLD EVOLUTION DELUXE EDITION $25.84 $19.24 $54.99 KNACK 2 $13.99 $11.99 $19.99 L.A. NOIRE $23.99 $19.99 $39.99 MAD MAX $6.99 $4.99 $19.99 MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS $18.74 $16.74 $24.99 MAX PAYNE $10.49 $8.99 $14.99 METAL GEAR ONLINE COMPLETE BUNDLE $5.49 $4.39 $10.99 METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES $6.99 $4.99 $19.99 METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE DEFINITIVE EXPERIENCE $13.99 $11.99 $19.99 METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR – GAME OF THE YEAR EDITION $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF WAR $17.49 $12.49 $49.99 MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF WAR DEFINITIVE EDITION $29.99 $23.99 $59.99 MOONLIGHTER $13.99 $11.99 $19.99 MOSS (VR) $23.99 $22.49 $29.99 MOSS + SOUNDTRACK BUNDLE $27.99 $26.24 $34.99 MOSS SOUNDTRACK $7.99 $7.49 $9.99 NBA 2K PLAYGROUNDS 2 $22.49 $19.49 $29.99 NBA 2K19 $25.79 $19.79 $59.99 NBA 2K19 + NBA 2K PLAYGROUNDS 2 BUNDLE $34.39 $26.39 $79.99 NBA 2K19 ANNIVERSARY EDITION $42.99 $32.99 $99.99 OBSERVER $14.99 $11.99 $29.99 OVERCOOKED $7.47 $5.77 $16.99 OVERCOOKED 2 $19.99 $17.49 $24.99 OVERCOOKED HOLIDAY BUNDLE $8.79 $6.79 $19.99 OVERCOOKED: GOURMET EDITION $8.79 $6.79 $19.99 OWLBOY $17.49 $14.99 $24.99 PERSONA 3: DANCING IN MOONLIGHT (VR) $41.99 $35.99 $59.99 PERSONA 5: DANCING IN STARLIGHT (VR) $41.99 $35.99 $59.99 PERSONA DANCING: ENDLESS NIGHT COLLECTION $79.99 $69.99 $99.99 PLAYSTATION VR WORLDS $5.99 $4.49 $14.99 PREY $17.99 $14.99 $29.99 PREY + DISHONORED 2 BUNDLE $32.49 $25.99 $64.99 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2019 STANDARD EDITION $29.99 $23.99 $59.99 PSYCHONAUTS (PS2) $1.99 $0.99 $9.99 PSYCHONAUTS IN THE RHOMBUS OF RUIN (VR) $5.99 $3.99 $19.99 QUANTIC DREAM COLLECTION $33.99 $29.99 $39.99 QUIPLASH $3.99 $2.99 $9.99 RAYMAN LEGENDS $13.99 $9.99 $39.99 RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 $46.19 $40.19 $59.99 RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2: SPECIAL EDITION $59.99 $51.99 $79.99 RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2: ULTIMATE EDITION $69.99 $59.99 $99.99 RED FACTION GUERRILLA RE-MARS-TERED $17.99 $11.99 $29.99 SOMA $14.99 $11.99 $29.99 STAR TREK: BRIDGE CREW (VR) $15.99 $11.99 $39.99 STAR TREK: BRIDGE CREW THE NEXT GENERATION BUNDLE $23.64 $18.14 $54.99 STARLINK: BATTLE FOR ATLAS DIGITAL EDITION $29.99 $23.99 $59.99 THE EVIL WITHIN $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 THE EVIL WITHIN 2 $29.99 $19.79 $59.99 THE EVIL WITHIN DIGITAL BUNDLE $17.99 $14.99 $29.99 THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK 3 $12.49 $9.99 $24.99 THE LAST GUARDIAN $13.99 $11.99 $19.99 THE PERSISTENCE (VR) $17.99 $14.99 $29.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT $15.99 $11.99 $39.99 THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT – COMPLETE EDITION $19.99 $14.99 $49.99 THRONEBREAKER: THE WITCHER TALES $23.99 $22.49 $29.99 TRINE TRILOGY $11.99 $8.99 $29.99 UNTIL DAWN: RUSH OF BLOOD $5.99 $4.49 $14.99 WOLFENSTEIN II: THE NEW COLOSSUS $35.99 $29.99 $59.99 WOLFENSTEIN: THE OLD BLOOD $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 WWE 2K19 $25.79 $19.79 $59.99 Note: All pricing is for U.S. only and subject to change. 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Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here This week, Devil May Cry 5 has taken over Kristen and Tim’s lives, while Sid can’t stop dropping back into Apex Legends. The gang also celebrates PS Blog’s swanky new design and the selection of new songs just added to Beat Saber. Enjoy the show! Stuff We Talked About Devil May Cry 5 Apex Legends Beat Saber Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice More listeners share how they tackle their backlog The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Kristen Zitani – Social Media Specialist, SIEA Tim Turi – Senior Social Media Specialist, SIEA Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

Two excellent ninja games in one week, sweet! But that’s just about the only similarity between these two titles. FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice launches on Friday. Their newest journey is a departure from the Souls-like formula, promising a faster-paced experience than fans have come to expect from the studio — where even your own death can be weaponized. Meanwhile, Québec-based studio Sabotage is releasing their acclaimed throwback sidescroller The Messenger on PS4 Tuesday, with its sharp, witty writing and tight platforming gameplay in tow. There’s more to this one than you might think… For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Alwa’s Awakening PS4 — Digital (Out 3/21) Alwa’s Awakening is a game that tries to stay as close as possible to the authentic 8-bit look with sweet pixel art, a soundtrack filled with catchy chiptunes and so much charm it’ll bring you right back to the golden age of video games. American Ninja Warrior PS4 — Digital Do you have the strength and endurance to jump, swing, and sprint your way to hitting the buzzer at the end? Race against the clock with your friends and family while testing your skills in couch multi-player or take on the challenging career mode. Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy! Bundle PS4 — Digital (Out 3/20) Explore and adventure through the challenges of countless dungeons, battling monsters with the new buddy system, and gain amazing abilities and outfits with the job change system to beat the beasties! Cube Zone PS4 — Digital Cube Zone is a frenetic puzzle game. Think fast, match the color patches on the board or drop them all before you reach the end! it may seem easy at first, but different maps and varied mechanics will put your reflexes to the test! Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Lite PS4 — Digital (Out 3/20) Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 gives players the ultimate Dragon Ball gaming experience. Develop your own warrior, create the perfect avatar, train to learn new skills & help fight new enemies to restore the original story of the Dragon Ball series. Fate/Extella Link PS4, PS Vita — Digital, Retail The digital realm of SE.RA.PH. faces a new kind of threat, and Heroic Spirits from across the Fate series have joined forces to defend it. In Fate/Extella Link, you’ll hack and slash your way across dynamic battlefields with polished graphics, detailed character customization, and refined gameplay. The Messenger PS4 — Digital As a demon army besieges his village, a young ninja ventures through a cursed world, to deliver a scroll paramount to his clan’s survival. What begins as a classic action platformer soon unravels into an expansive time-traveling adventure full of thrills, surprises, and humor. Peasant Knight PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross-Buy) Peasant Knight is a challenging puzzle-platformer that you can play with only two keys: jump and stop. All the while you’re relentlessly dashing forward into traps, enemies, and hazards. Peasant Knight has a tongue-in-cheek tone that fits well the many ways to reach your demise. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 3/22) You are the “one-armed wolf,” a disgraced and disfigured warrior. Bound to protect a young lord, you become the target of many vicious enemies. When the young lord is captured, nothing will stop you to regain your honor, not even death itself. SNK 40th Anniversary Collection PS4 — Digital, Retail 2018 marked the 40th anniversary of legendary studio SNK! To celebrate this extraordinary milestone, a variety of classic arcade games from SNK’s golden age are coming back together in one anthology, packed full of retro games and a treasure trove of features! Super Kickers League PS4 — Digital (Out 3/20) The best arcade experience and football fantasy are waiting for you in Super Kickers League. There are no referees, there are no rules, everything is allowed, the only aim is to score more goals than your rival! War Theatre PS4 — Digital (Cross-Buy) As endless conflict rages, seven warriors discover an ancient power that promises mastery over any battlefield. From the developers of Plague Road, War Theatre expands classic turn-based strategy gameplay with RPG elements. The information above is subject to change without notice. Steep Playlist Maxo – Lil Big Man Steven Price – Wonder Park (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Bumblebee The Mule My Hero Academia: Two Heroes The action starts Tuesday, 3/19 live on truTV PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Last week, we asked you to pull that Devil Trigger and share your best moments from Devil May Cry 5 using #PS4share and #PSBlog. After going through the very stylish entries, here are this week’s highlights: Nero leaps into action in this share by @AreeLyBadPun. Dante moves through the air on the Cavaliere, shared by @Davemead147. V is cloaked by shadow in this haunting share by @IxionVII. Nero’s attacks must be swift, like in this share by @virtua_photographer. V and his nightmarish familiars wreak havoc in this share by @erosfortones. Dante can’t help but smirk in this share by @gamesphotomode. Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in next week’s Share of the Week? Theme: Architecture Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, March 20 Next week, it’s time to take in your surroundings. Share bold and eye-catching architecture from the game of your choice using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

We’re happy to announce that Alpine Green is joining the DualShock 4 wireless controller lineup next month. The new controller features a contrasting green and white color with golden arrows around the directional buttons. Pick one up to refresh your setup this spring and add some extra style to your play! Alpine Green will be available across retailers in U.S. and Canada in April for $64.99 USD (MSRP) / $74.99 CAD (MSRP), while supplies last. Click here for pre-order details, or check your local retailers for availability. View the full article

The inaugural World Tour live event of the 2019 FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships kicks off this weekend, and we’d love for you to join us down on the track. All the best competitors from last year’s FIA GT Championships will meet again at the Gabriel Pavilion in Paris, and we’ll be live streaming every moment from the first dizzying rush of acceleration to the last split-second finish. As with previous World Tours, there’ll be a Nations Cup with individual competitors, and a Manufacturer Series, pitting manufacturer teams against each other – both of which offer a glimpse into the future of the 2019 Series of the FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships. Where can I see the action? You can catch the event live over the weekend at the following times: Manufacturer Series – 16 March 10:00AM PDT Nations Cup – 17 March 6:00AM PDT Links to the streams with commentary for your respective language can all be found here. Last year was a great success and culminated in a nail-biting final in Monaco which crowned Igor Fraga (IOF_RACING17) Nations Cup Champion, whilst Lexus was driven to victory in the Manufacturer Series by Tyrell Meadows (GT_Academy2013), Vincent Rigaud (Oscaro_SkyPikmin) and Kanata Kawakami (Kawakana222). I am excited to see what this season has in store! We hope you look forward to this thrilling first event of the 2019 World Tour, and remember you can find all the latest GT info here on PlayStation.Blog and on the Gran Turismo website. Until next time drivers, we’ll see you in Paris! View the full article

Hello everyone, we know that there is a lot of hunger out there for news and updates on No Man’s Sky. We wanted to share some information from behind the scenes. Our next chapter will be called No Man’s Sky Beyond, coming Summer 2019. Each chapter for No Man’s Sky has been more successful than the last. Thanks to our community, our large release last year, NEXT, was especially so. It went on to bring enjoyment to millions of new players, and it helped to change the legacy of this game we care so much about. Earlier this year, while working on our roadmap of three future updates, we decided we wanted to interweave their features, and had a vision for something much more impactful. We are excited to announce that Beyond will contain those three major updates rolled into one larger free release. The first component of Beyond we are announcing today is No Man’s Sky Online. No Man’s Sky Online includes a radical new social and multiplayer experience which empowers players everywhere in the universe to meet and play together. While this brings people together like never before, and has many recognizable online elements, we don’t consider No Man’s Sky to be an MMO — it won’t require a subscription, won’t contain microtransactions, and will be free for all existing players. These changes are an answer to how we have seen people playing since the release of NEXT, and is something we’ve dreamed of for a long time. We will talk more about each component when we know we can be precise, and look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks. Beyond will be our most ambitious chapter so far, and something we’ve been working ridiculously hard on. We’ll continue to support No Man’s Sky in this way for the foreseeable future. It’s unexpected but so rewarding to see so many accolades and nominations for No Man’s Sky as Best On-going or Most Evolved this year. To some NEXT may have felt like a natural end-point for our journey, but for us it was another step on a longer voyage. Thank you so much, Sean View the full article

I’m Hannah Nicklin, Writer and Narrative Designer at Die Gute Fabrik, and I’m delighted to be able to announce Mutazione via this brand-new teaser trailer. Mutazione is an adventure game where the juicy gossip is just as important as the supernatural ‘adventure’ part of the game. The game is full of colorful dialogue, distinct character voices, and irresistibly tangled love-lives. It draws on the ensemble cast format of storytelling in favorite television shows such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Twin Peaks, Grey’s Anatomy, or Bojack Horseman. Over 100 years ago, a great meteor named Moon Dragon struck a tropical holiday resort. Most of the inhabitants perished but those who didn’t remained in the mutating environment and founded the small community of Mutazione. Fast-forward to modern day where you play as the protagonist Kai as she travels to this strange and secretive community to visit her ailing Grandfather, Nonno. Run around the village, choose who you want to talk to, and explore your way through an in-game week of small-town drama and scenic hangout spots. As you nurse your grandfather back to health, you make new friends, discover old betrayals, unravel long-kept secrets, and try to save everyone from a mysterious darkness at the heart of it all… Die Gute Fabrik is a Denmark-based studio who have been making games for almost a decade. You might know us from Sportsfriends, Johann Sebastian Joust, and Where is My Heart. We make games that are handcrafted, fresh-feeling, offbeat, and which tell personal stories, and Mutazione is our most ambitious game yet. I have been working as Writer and Narrative Designer on this game for over three years, but the story itself is much longer-lived, having been in Creative Director Nils Deneken’s imagination for over a decade. His beautiful illustration and design fills notebooks and paper scraps going back years. Being handed the story-world of Mutazione has been a huge gift. Alongside an excellent and dedicated team, we’ve been able to develop and structure it around those first fledgling ideas into something full of dramatic twists and turns, rich characterization, and a lush hand-illustrated world. The game also revolves around a generative musical “gardening” mechanic, which we hope to tell you more about soon. But for now, we’re designing a world we hope you’ll want to spend time in, and we’re writing characters we hope you’ll be eager to get to know. You can play an exclusive demo of Mutazione at Day of the Devs at Game Developers Conference (GDC) March 18-22, 2019, or at the Sony booth at PAX East, March 28-31, 2019. View the full article

It’s finally here! A fresh dose of beats just arrived to Beat Saber and we are super excited to share it with you. Sharpen your sabers and swing with us. It makes so much sense that we chose Monstercat for our very first Music Pack. These guys came to our mind as a perfect match because we believe in Monstercat’s progressive attitude and their supportive approach toward the games industry. For us, Monstercatis a perfect example of a trendy label that brings pulsing electronic dance music to their fans and community. And this philosophy strongly resonates with our studio! Here is the list of tracks you will find in Monstercat Music Pack Vol. 1: ‘Boundless’ – Aero Chord ‘Emoji VIP’ – Pegboard Nerds ‘EPIC’ – Tokyo Machine ‘Feeling Stronger (feat. Charlotte Colley) [High Maintenance Remix]’ – Muzzy ‘Overkill’ – RIOT ‘Rattlesnake’ – Rogue ‘Stronger (feat. EMEL)’ – Stonebank ‘This Time’ – Kayzo ‘Till It’s Over’ – Tristam ‘We Won’t Be Alone (feat. Laura Brehm)’ – Feint As usual, levels are mapped for all difficulties: Easy, Normal, Hard, Expert And of course, all-time favorite ‘Living Hell aka Expert+’ for all those crazy heroes out there In the game, you can get full pack containing 10 tracks for $12.99 USD or get individual tracks for $1.99 USD each. We changed our UI so you can add tracks to your music library comfortably with just a few clicks and with your headset on! We know it took our team longer than we expected but we are extremely happy to finally share this with you! The good thing is that from now on, releasing upcoming Music Packs will be much easier for us as we now have the infrastructure for adding new Music Packs figured out! Our plan is to share a new Music Pack with you every month and we already have several top stars and indie artists booked. But Music Packs aren’t the only music content we are planning to add to the game. Apart from Music Packs, we will be releasing several free tracks from time to time. We want Beat Saber to become a place where you discover amazing artists and experience their pumping music in the most intense way — that’s our mission! We can’t wait to share more of the names we have on the list! View the full article

When demons invade, the PlayStation social team answers the call. We’ve been honing our skills with Dante, Nero, and V since Devil May Cry 5 released last week. Oh, the things we’ve learned while slicing and blasting the putrid minions of Urizen. DMC5 packs in surprising gameplay depth, so use these demon-slaying tips to up your game and know where to spend those Red Orbs. Nero The Flow of Battle – Nero’s chargeable Blue Rose gun and Royal Queen blade powerful tools you must manage in battle. Try simultaneously revving up the Red Queen’s Exceed gauge while charging up the Blue Rose’s bullets. The resulting firepower stuns enemies, and the flaming sword dishes out pain. Breaker, Breaker – With all the tools at Nero’s disposal, don’t forget the new Devil Breakers! The Gerbera Breaker – obtained early on – deals potent shockwaves of damage that knock enemies back. The all-or-nothing Breakage attack summons a break beam of energy to devastate foes. Must-Have Nero Skills Streak – Close the gap with this rushing attack. Split – Slash enemies to the ground from mid-air. MAX Act – Charge up your sword mid-combo by tapping L2 in sync with swings. V Remap Those Buttons – V’s primarily attacks via his spectral familiars, Griffon and Shadow. By default these pals are mapped to face buttons. Tinker with remapping Griffon to a shoulder button to make it easier to execute moves that require holding buttons. Nightmare Treasures – Playing as V and see a suspicious wall or shiny collectible trapped behind a barrier? Try summoning Nightmare, who will sometimes clobber open routes to hidden goodies. Must-Have V Skills Guillotine (Shadow) – A spinning charge attack that shreds enemies. Blockade 2 (Griffon) – Blast forth more crackling pillars of electricity. Trigger Heart – Keep Nightmare in the fray longer. Dante Dante’s Many Tricks – Finally playing as Dante is rad, but his bounty of weapons and styles can make him a lot to handle. Avoid the urge to quickly buy complicated new skills and take time to practice Dante’s dual pistols, shotgun, swordplay, and melee-based weapons. Each weapon combination can be paired with a flashy combat Style like Trickster or Royal Guard, so there’s a lot to explore before digging deeper. Switch Up Styles – Remember to try Dante’s four unique styles in addition to juggling his many guns and melee weapons. The Swordmaster and Gunslinger Styles have signature moves associated with each weapon (break dance with Balrog or brandish a shotgun like nunchucks. Mix and match! Must-Have Dante Skills Stinger — Perfect for reaching far-off baddies. Ari Hike — Double jump to reach hidden areas. Trigger Heart — Stay in Devil Trigger mode longer. Above all, have fun! Don’t put too much performance pressure on your first DMC5 run (grades aren’t everything). Missions can be replayed at any time, and unlockable difficulty modes present more opportunities to hone your skills. Your weapons and purchased abilities even carry over into other difficulty modes. Good luck, and stay stylish! View the full article

Starting March 26th, put the power of a full army – even dragons – at your fingertips and conquer the VR battlefield as Skyworld launches on PlayStation VR! Skyworld is a VR wargame from the same team that brought you Arizona Sunshine. This time, we’re putting you at the helm of a kingdom at war in VR. Build your army from a huge variety of units – from snipers to siege tanks and flying fortresses – conquer all worlds and wage war against friends online! Obliterating your friends in multiplayer will have an even more permanent, shove-it-in-their-faces effect with the all-new multiplayer features that we have added to Skyworld PS VR. A persistent leveling system will have you earn XP based on your single player and PvP victories and completing the game’s all-new daily challenges. Level up to unlock special avatars an earn a place on the new Skyworld PS VR leaderboards. Can you stand among the global top 10? If you prefer to wage war in single player, Skyworld offers a full-sized single player campaign that has you start out with a small but growing army on a royal conquest across all Skyworlds. In a place where worlds dot the sky like stars – worlds with cores of magic, old as time through very much alive – demons have spilled into the once prosperous planets driven by a lust for their magical power. It’s up to you to deliver them from darkness. Skyworld heads to war on PlayStation VR on March 26th, 2019. We hope to see you on the battlefield! View the full article

A few months ago, we spoke with Hidetaka Miyazaki, director of legendary FromSoftware milestones like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, to learn what we could about their just-announced new project: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Now, Sekiro’s release date is almost here… but we still have questions. Activision’s Robert Conkey, producer on the title, was kind enough to answer a few of them as we draw nearer to launch on March 22. PlayStation.Blog: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is nearly here. First of all, congratulations! How does the team collectively feel at this stage? Relieved? Excited? Anxious? Robert Conkey, Producer: Thank you! It is hard to describe everything all in one word, but to say the least we are extremely excited. From has been hard at work on the game for some time now, and it has come to an incredible place. We can’t wait for players to experience FromSoftware’s next work. PSB: What has it been like to work with FromSoftware? RK: FromSoftware is a world class developer and it has truly been an honor to work with them. Personally, working with them on this title was a bit of a dream come true. The amount of love, blood, sweat and tears they’ve put into this game is astounding, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the results of that themselves later this month. PSB: The main character of Sekiro is much more agile and mobile than characters have generally been in past FromSoftware titles. How does this new approach affect gameplay? RK: Mobility is one of the things in the game we’re really excited about, as it opens up many new ways to fight. Just having a dedicated jump changes the concept of combat entirely, where you suddenly have to think in three dimensions – you have to jump over sweep attacks, you can deflect, use arm tools and combat arts in the air, etc. Additionally, the added mobility means encounters can be designed for the player to viably fight larger groups of enemies at the same time. There are a variety of techniques that are designed specifically for this purpose, and they can be very fun to use. The Bloodsmoke Ninjutsu technique we showed at TGS is a great example of one of these. PSB: How do specific enemies like the Corrupted Monk and Oniwa dictate the change in an environment’s mood? Is there a relationship between the atmosphere of an area and the mechanics a player will find themself using? RK: FromSoftware are masters of atmosphere, and they’ve done some really exciting stuff this time. It’s clear that much consideration has been made for each boss appearance and ensuring a certain mood is achieved. Just before a boss things might get quiet, and you may spend some time walking through a beautiful, visually rich area — the calm before the storm. Each boss has their own musical theme, as well as their own sense of character and personality, which is expressed vividly in their animations. The Corrupted Monk is a great example of this – everything from her long flowing robes, to the way she fights, the bridge, the lighting, the music… it all plays into what makes the fight that much more memorable. Even the surrounding trees change the combat itself by allowing for different grapple points to escape or find a new vantage point for an attack. PSB: In an interview with Miyazaki-san at E3 he mentioned that the details of the resurrection system in the game hadn’t yet been finalized, but I think it’s safe to presume they have been at this point. Can you share any insight into how that mechanic affects the flow of the game? Are there approaches that were proposed but did not end up in the final game? RK: FromSoftware iterated on the resurrection system quite a bit, and I think it landed in a really great place. The idea was to ensure the player could experience intense combat as a fragile but powerful shinobi, while still giving the player some leeway to really push their limits and take some risks. It also allows the player some opportunities to use death to their advantage by luring enemies into a false sense of security. Some astute players may have noticed, but the E3/Gamescom demo also featured an item that allows you to cause your own death specifically for the purpose of taking this advantage. Of course, FromSoftware needed to make sure this mechanic didn’t make the game too easy (and don’t worry, it hasn’t); the game has been tuned around the fact that players have this ability. So while it makes for a different flow than what you’ve seen in previous titles, the level of challenge you’d expect is very much intact. PSB: We spoke before about the different ways players might approach a battle in Sekiro, but is there a certain strategy you generally prefer? Sprint in with weapon drawn, or stick to the shadows and plan a quieter attack? RK: This game has a lot of combat variety even in just the encounter composition. For example, sometimes you’ll be up against a group of five, six, or more regular enemies, other times two or three big, powerful ones, and other times it’s a pure 1v1. The player will have access to many tools that can help with such challenging situations. Much of the strategy of the game is based on how good your initiate is and if you’re bringing the right tools to the party. Stealth is one of your strongest methods of initiation, and other mid-to-late-game moves such as the Bloodsmoke ninjutsu are especially effective when engaging against groups. Prosthetic tool and Combat Art selection can also make a big difference in combat, so a lot of the fun is experimenting with different tactics and determining which tools and techniques make sense for different enemies. We are excited to see some of the unique approaches that fans come up with. PSB: What’s one thing you think all players of Sekiro — be they hardened Dark Souls veterans or more casual players looking to broaden their horizons — should know before they start the game? RK: While fans of From’s previous works will certainly find Sekiro familiar in some ways, this is an entirely new game that we think will appeal to both long time From fans as well as new players. The new Posture system is an evolution of FromSoftware’s signature combat, so some of the tactics that worked previously might not work so well anymore. I would encourage players to take the time to learn, embrace, and experiment with the new combat system and I believe they will find it very rewarding. View the full article

Hi there! I’m Francesco Bruschi, CEO of development studio 3DClouds. We are bringing arcade racing back with the futuristic Xenon Racer! I can’t wait for you to get your hands on it when it releases later this month. But first, I would like to tell you the story of how my past as a go kart driver has inspired me to create a racing game, and how I translated my own experiences into features of the game. Racing is in my blood, my grandfather was a race driver and his passion has been passed down from father to son. When I was ten years old, my father encouraged me to push myself to my limits in go kart races. I fell in love with the world of racing, the speed and adrenaline, the race lines, the sound of the roaring engines and the exquisite technique of the cars. I took part in the 100cc Championship, after which I participated in the LeMans Kart Race with the Beretta team and even raced Sebastian Vettel in Formula Renault. I’ve always loved playing sim racing games as well. At some point I was playing the game Grand Prix 2, where I could simply modify liveries. From that moment on, I fell in love with the modding system and basically started to recreate every piece of my racing equipment within my favorite video games. I became infatuated with the idea of making a racing game from scratch, and a few years later my dream came true with the creation of Xenon Racer. With Xenon Racer, the aim was to create an old school arcade racer, where players can have uncomplicated fun right from the start. We chose a futuristic theme, which fits the arcade vibe and allowed us to use our imagination and creativity when designing tracks, cars and buildings. We’ve spent a lot of time playing the classic arcade racers of the past 20 years and we’ve integrated their best qualities into Xenon Racer. We’ve also tried to take the physics of the karts I used to drive into the real cars in the game, by creating fast, futuristic cars that run at 400 km/h and that can drift just like a go kart. The drifting system was the first thing we wanted to perfect, because to me drifting is a big part of what makes racing so much fun. We tuned the drift system until we had reached the perfect chemistry, a drift that challenges players to refine their driving style with every race. To add the true sense of competition that is key in racing, we have also included leaderboards, classic split screen for couch play and online lobbies in the game. It was important to me to offer a massive amount of customization options as well, since that is something I’ve always valued in racing games. In Xenon Racer, you can personalize vehicles not only with extra liveries, but also with free palettes to change the looks and extra parts to change the statistics. For every racing track, there is a difference as to which car and which settings work best to put you in pole position. I am very proud of how Xenon Racer turned out, and hope that you will have the same adrenaline rush that I experienced on the tracks as a child. Xenon Racer is already available for pre-order, and launches both physically and digitally on March 26, so speed to the stores and experience the drifts and boosts yourself. See you on the tracks! View the full article

Greetings! More than 11 years after its initial launch, it’s time to level up PlayStation.Blog once again. We’ve been working on some assorted UX tweaks for the past few months, and over the next day or two, we’re excited to begin rolling them out for you. We had a few broad goals for the new-and-improved () PlayStation.Blog: A streamlined look and feel A simpler, more pleasant user interface Improved mobile/tablet functionality Improved discoverability for new and recent articles, as well as new videos There are a number of other tweaks and refinements. But we didn’t want to change what makes PlayStation.Blog great: you’ll still see all the great announcements, developer updates, and peeks behind our playful curtains that you’ve come to expect. That said, please pardon our dust while we roll out the new updates — you may notice things that don’t behave quite as expected as we transition everything over. If you notice any issues or have requests for new features you’d like to see us implement (Blog-specific requests only, please!) leave them in the comments here — unless the comments are acting up. And in that case, send us a smoke signal or something. We’ll be watching! Thank you, as always, for your continued support. PlayStation.Blog is something the whole team here is proud of, and we consider it a privilege to be able to keep bringing you updates on the games you (and we) love so much. Now then, back to the news! View the full article

Diamond Dynasty is back, and this year, we’ve made improvements to make it more customizable and rewarding than ever. At its core, Diamond Dynasty is an online mode that lets you play the game your way while earning the prizes you want. Let’s take a look at what’s different in MLB The Show 19’s new and improved Diamond Dynasty. XP Reward Path The Show 19 features an all new XP Reward Path. This means you can unlock excellent big-time rewards anywhere throughout the game. No matter what game mode you prefer, you can earn XP to use towards everything from Diamond players to special unlockable items. Team Affinity Being a die-hard fan of your favorite MLB team finally pays off. In the all-new Team Affinity section, you can earn rewards as you rack up innings with players from your favorite team. The more innings you play, the more team-specific rewards you’ll earn. Signature Series Diamond Dynasty’s next reveal is a big one: the Signature Series. Signature Series is a new set of rare and powerful unlockable players, taking Diamond Dynasty to new levels. Get ready to hunt down autographs to unlock all-time greats like Willie Mays. This is the new class of must-have players for your squad. New Conquest Map Configuration and Goals This year, Conquest is getting a major overhaul. In Conquest mode, you battle your way through maps, playing strategic games to unlock prizes. In MLB The Show 19, we’ve added all new maps with new scenarios. Attack strongholds and steal fans from opposing teams. New Conquest challenges will require your sharpest skills and strategies to unlock more rewards than ever. Bat Skins We’ve added tons of new customizable gear options to deck out your team and players. All new bat skins featuring flames, diamonds, and dozens of other creative designs. Swing away in style and show off to your friends with the most customizable gear yet. Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale Rewards Diamond Dynasty is our most competitive game mode, and so we have something special for our most competitive elite players. Choice Packs are now a part of Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale rewards at the highest levels of Diamond Dynasty. Fierce competition yields the biggest rewards, so bring your best game to win more Choice Packs. Be sure to check out this Thursday’s Twitch live stream for more information on Diamond Dynasty. In the meantime, please make sure to watch The Show Nation, our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts between now and March 26 for the latest updates. View the full article

Diamond Dynasty is back, and this year, we’ve made improvements to make it more customizable and rewarding than ever. At its core, Diamond Dynasty is an online mode that lets you play the game your way while earning the prizes you want. Let’s take a look at what’s different in MLB The Show 19’s new and improved Diamond Dynasty. XP Reward Path The Show 19 features an all new XP Reward Path. This means you can unlock excellent big-time rewards anywhere throughout the game. No matter what game mode you prefer, you can earn XP to use towards everything from Diamond players to special unlockable items. Team Affinity Being a die-hard fan of your favorite MLB team finally pays off. In the all-new Team Affinity section, you can earn rewards as you rack up innings with players from your favorite team. The more innings you play, the more team-specific rewards you’ll earn. Signature Series Diamond Dynasty’s next reveal is a big one: the Signature Series. Signature Series is a new set of rare and powerful unlockable players, taking Diamond Dynasty to new levels. Get ready to hunt down autographs to unlock all-time greats like Willie Mays. This is the new class of must-have players for your squad. New Conquest Map Configuration and Goals This year, Conquest is getting a major overhaul. In Conquest mode, you battle your way through maps, playing strategic games to unlock prizes. In MLB The Show 19, we’ve added all new maps with new scenarios. Attack strongholds and steal fans from opposing teams. New Conquest challenges will require your sharpest skills and strategies to unlock more rewards than ever. Bat Skins We’ve added tons of new customizable gear options to deck out your team and players. All new bat skins featuring flames, diamonds, and dozens of other creative designs. Swing away in style and show off to your friends with the most customizable gear yet. Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale Rewards Diamond Dynasty is our most competitive game mode, and so we have something special for our most competitive elite players. Choice Packs are now a part of Ranked Seasons and Battle Royale rewards at the highest levels of Diamond Dynasty. Fierce competition yields the biggest rewards, so bring your best game to win more Choice Packs. Be sure to check out this Thursday’s Twitch live stream for more information on Diamond Dynasty. In the meantime, please make sure to watch The Show Nation, our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts between now and March 26 for the latest updates. View the full article

When Sabotage creative director Thierry Boulanger was eight years old, his grandfather gave him a copy of Ninja Gaiden II. This event sparked a lifelong interest in telling stories and creating his own dream video game. About 25 years later, The Messenger, an 8-bit ninja platformer that blossoms into a 16-bit metroidvania, was released to critical acclaim, earned the Game Award for best Debut Indie Game of 2018 and was even praised by the Ninja Gaiden creators themselves. In The Messenger, players take the role of a young ninja tasked with carrying a magic scroll across a cursed world in order to save his clan besieged by a demon army. While, on the surface The Messenger might look like a simple homage to the classic platformers, you’ll quickly discover that the game plays with your expectations to surprise you with its modern game design approach, clever writing and super tight controls. The cast of memorable characters as well as its fourth wall and the inclusion of a few mechanics from other game genres also contribute in making The Messenger a truly unique gaming experience. While the game is considered fair compared to platformers of the early 90s, it still proves very challenging even to hardcore players with its 45 optional Power Seals to collect as well as its unique New Game+ system. We also designed The Messenger with the speedrunning community in mind from the beginning and we make a point to wholeheartedly support the scene in any way we can. Ever since The Messenger was announced, fans have been asking us to bring it to PS4. Well, the wait is over, and we are very excited that the PlayStation family can carry the scroll and do the thing with a DualShock controller starting March 19. But that’s not all. This summer, the story of The Messenger will take an unexpected turn with the release of a free expansion entitled Picnic Panic. This resolutely silly adventure will test your skills even more as our ninja heads to Voodkin Island in order to thwart Barma’thazël’s wicked plan. Sabotage is a Quebec City based indie studio mostly made up of veteran developers with a deep passion for retro games and the punk attitude. We hope that you will enjoy The Messenger as it was created with a lot of love to bring back those memories of gaming from another era while keeping you on the edge as truly modern games do so well. View the full article

When Sabotage creative director Thierry Boulanger was eight years old, his grandfather gave him a copy of Ninja Gaiden II. This event sparked a lifelong interest in telling stories and creating his own dream video game. About 25 years later, The Messenger, an 8-bit ninja platformer that blossoms into a 16-bit metroidvania, was released to critical acclaim, earned the Game Award for best Debut Indie Game of 2018 and was even praised by the Ninja Gaiden creators themselves. In The Messenger, players take the role of a young ninja tasked with carrying a magic scroll across a cursed world in order to save his clan besieged by a demon army. While, on the surface The Messenger might look like a simple homage to the classic platformers, you’ll quickly discover that the game plays with your expectations to surprise you with its modern game design approach, clever writing and super tight controls. The cast of memorable characters as well as its fourth wall and the inclusion of a few mechanics from other game genres also contribute in making The Messenger a truly unique gaming experience. While the game is considered fair compared to platformers of the early 90s, it still proves very challenging even to hardcore players with its 45 optional Power Seals to collect as well as its unique New Game+ system. We also designed The Messenger with the speedrunning community in mind from the beginning and we make a point to wholeheartedly support the scene in any way we can. Ever since The Messenger was announced, fans have been asking us to bring it to PS4. Well, the wait is over, and we are very excited that the PlayStation family can carry the scroll and do the thing with a DualShock controller starting March 19. But that’s not all. This summer, the story of The Messenger will take an unexpected turn with the release of a free expansion entitled Picnic Panic. This resolutely silly adventure will test your skills even more as our ninja heads to Voodkin Island in order to thwart Barma’thazël’s wicked plan. Sabotage is a Quebec City based indie studio mostly made up of veteran developers with a deep passion for retro games and the punk attitude. We hope that you will enjoy The Messenger as it was created with a lot of love to bring back those memories of gaming from another era while keeping you on the edge as truly modern games do so well. View the full article