Commander Fury

Hey all you funky Earthlings out there! Today, the grooviest aliens are crash landing on Earth once again in ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! ToeJam and Earl have seen a lot of visual changes throughout their 28-year existence and four main series titles! The characters’ personalities have stayed the same (more or less!), but each iteration saw a new artist define their unique take on the duo’s super fresh looks. We wanted to share a blast from the past and give you a peek into how these Funkotronians have evolved! ToeJam & Earl So waaaaay back in 1991, the very first ToeJam and Earl game was release on the Sega Genesis. It was a radical top-down, cooperative, and randomly generated adventure game! The series co-creator, Greg Johnson, actually came up with the characters in a dream and soon after he sketched out the very first pictures of the iconic buddies. When it came time to create proper character designs, Greg enlisted the talents of Steve Purcell. Only a few years before, Purcell had created and designed another famous duo from the era, “Sam and Max,” so it was only fitting for him to give ToeJam & Earl their first professional digs. Greg then translated Purcell’s designs into the game’s 16-bit sprites and animation. ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron After the breakout success of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega was itching to put similar games on its Genesis system. They approached Greg Johnson and his development partner, Mark Voorsanger, and requested they make another ToeJam and Earl game — but this time as a side-scroller! Greg and Mark got right to work and in 1993 they released ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funokotron. For this go-around, it was Kirk Henderson’s turn to the artistic plate, bringing with him a more animated cartoon feel to the funked out series. Since Panic on Funkotron was not in a top-down perspective like the first title, Kirk was able to bring much more detail to the character sprites than was possible the first time. ToeJam & Earl 3: Mission to Earth Skipping over the Sega CD, 32x, and Saturn, in 1999 Greg and Mark started development on a new ToeJam & Earl title for the Sega Dreamcast. After the less-than-optimal performance of the system, Sega decided the project would be better suited for a different platform. This platform shift, according to Sega, required that this new ToeJam & Earl be “aged up” to match a more mature young adult audience. I-Wei Huang, the lead animator and concept artist on ToeJam & Earl 3, was given the challenge of presenting ToeJam & Earl as grittier, more mature versions of the characters. He eventually landed on designs for the duo that reflected the rougher attitude and aesthetic of rap music in the early 2000s. ToeJam & Earl 3: Mission to Earth was released in 2002. Doki-Doki Universe After TJ&E3 was released, Greg Johnson split off to form his own independent game company, Humanature Studios. He continued to shop around the ToeJam and Earl property for a number of years while making other games, but the lukewarm reception of TJE3 made it hard for a publisher to hop on board. In the late 2000s, Johnson and his friend, Jeff Kreis, started on a new project; a personality test/ adventure game hybrid. This project would ultimately become the charming Playstation exclusive, Doki-Doki Universe (2013). The visual direction for Doki-Doki Universe was based on doodles I-Wei Huang would make in the margins of his notepads while at Humanature Studios. Greg and his team got as far as creating a whole ToeJam & Earl level in this style for Doki-Doki Universe, characters and all, before ultimately cutting the idea from the game. A very different but interesting look for these Funkotronians! ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! In early 2014, with the success developers had been having funding their games through Kickstarter, Greg Johnson and Jeff Kreis started on a prototype in the hopes of crowdfunding a new ToeJam & Earl! They recruited indie comic artist Nathan Shorts (that’s me!) to lead both the visual direction of the new titles, as well as to organize the crowdfunding charge! In spring 2015, the group succeeded in raising their initial funding goal and full development started on ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! — the first ToeJam & Earl title in 13 years. With Greg wanting Back in the Groove! to be the quintessential version of the ToeJam & Earl line up, I decided on the challenging task of capturing the “ideal memory” of the ToeJam & Earl era (the early 90s) in visual form. Not only did he want to make original fans feel at home, he wanted new players to feel like they’d been sent back in time! He set out to make Back in the Groove!’s visuals seem like Nicktoons, comics, and video game advertising all rolled up into one playable package! The ToeJam and Earl characters went through a number of early iterations. The most important thing was that TJ and Big E felt like themselves, but updated at the same time. Greg and I ultimately landed on designs they both were happy with and the rest started falling into place from there. Now, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! is finally here for ToeJam and Earl to show off their brand new look! The team is excited to see what the fans think and hopefully this won’t be the last time we see these wacky Funkotronians! View the full article

This is it — the day we’ve all been waiting for. Bryce Harper has signed with the Phillies and he’s made the announcement with a uniform reveal on the cover of The Show 19! It’s been amazing to partner with Bryce to announce his free agency signing, and couldn’t be happier for him as he kicks off the next chapter of his career. We can’t wait to see what 2019 holds for Bryce, and we’re even more excited to share what we have in store for our fans with The Show 19. Don’t forget: MLB The Show 19 launches on March 26, 2019! The Standard Edition is $59.99 USD (MSRP) /$79.99 CAD (MSRP). For those of you curious as to what Editions we have available, and this year’s preorder items, you can find them listed here. View the full article

Season 8 has arrived and a monstrous volcano has appeared! Freed from the Ice King’s castle, the now-powerful Prisoner has brought fire and flame to Fortnite and its islands. Pirates, Ninjas and a ship load of new fighters will tussle over treasure, battle with Pirate Cannons and uncover legendary loot. For those daring enough to explore, the new Lazy Lagoon and Sunny Steps locations are just a jump away with the help of Volcanic Vents. There are tons of new areas to explore and secrets to uncover. This season, X marks the spot! New to Season 8: Party Assist! Before a match, you can pick a Daily or Weekly challenge and get assistance from your friends to help you complete it! Team up with a friend to complete these new social challenges together. A new season also means a brand-new Battle Pass. Over 100 new exclusive rewards are ready for you to unlock, and it still costs the same 950 V-bucks. This season, you get the Blackheart and Hybrid progressive outfits instantly when you purchase the Battle Pass, both of which can level up to unlock new styles. For everyone that completed the 13 free Overtime Challenges during the Share the Love event, you can claim your free Season 8 Battle Pass at the Battle Pass tab or upgrade to a Battle Bundle at a discount. Creative Set up deadly traps or harrowing trials in your own adventure games using the new Jungle Temple Prefab and Pinball Bumpers, exclusive to Fortnite Creative. Save the World Play your way with the new Hero Loadout overhaul! Customize your playstyle by mixing-and-matching new and unique perks for each Hero. Choose a Commander, five Support Team members, and one team perk to tailor the way you play. Eight new, unique quests have also been added to the game, each unlocking a new Hero to add to your roster! More Heroes, more combos. Build your customized team, save your favorite presets, and prepare to Save the World. View the full article

It’s hard to believe that two whole years have passed since we released Horizon Zero Dawn. When the game launched on February 28, I was attending GDC and counting down the minutes with a group of fellow Guerrillas and Shuhei Yoshida. Early feedback suggested that we had something special on our hands, but we never suspected that we’d still be receiving daily messages of appreciation from our players in 2019. And yet, here we are, already well over 10 million copies sold worldwide; the idea that we were able to bring Aloy’s journey to so many players is astounding. We’ve been deeply moved by the enormous amount of fan creations you’ve posted online, as well as the heartfelt letters you’ve sent sharing your favorite moments from Aloy’s journey. Cosplay by Keyvei (photographer Rina_Nerina) Cosplay by EvilCleverDog (photo credit to dtjaaaam) Fan art by CritterOfHabit Fan art by Maggie Rose Brick sculpture by SteppedOnABrick To celebrate both milestones, I’d like to share something as well: a list of peculiar details from the development of Horizon Zero Dawn that you may not have heard about before. Some of the items on this list were born of necessity, others came about through serendipity — but each proved instrumental in shaping the game. Pilot Program Prototyping on Horizon Zero Dawn’s gameplay elements began in 2010, at a time when most of the studio was still putting the finishing touches on Killzone 3. In the earliest prototypes, the team didn’t have an in-game model for Aloy because her character was still under development. Instead they used the model for Jammer, the Intruder pilot from Killzone 3. About Face It proved quite a challenge to find the right facial model for Aloy – until Conversation Director Jochen Willemsen came down with a bad case of the flu. While recovering at home he saw a movie starring Dutch actress Hannah Hoekstra on TV, and immediately knew he’d found the face of Aloy. Within minutes he was on the phone with the studio and the rest, as they say, is history. Toy Brick Raptor The first machine that the development team designed and finished was the Thunderjaw, a fierce Tyrannosaur-like monstrosity. However, during the gameplay prototyping phase the Thunderjaw looked like a children’s toy made from brightly colored plastic bricks. Each color-coded ‘brick’ represented a different part of the machine that could be targeted or shot off. Easter Egg An early prototype machine ended up as a holographic ‘easter egg’ in one of our other games, Killzone Shadow Fall, which came out in 2013. Dubbed the Predator, the design for the prototype machine ultimately didn’t make it into Horizon Zero Dawn. However, many of its behavioral routines were used to create the devastating Sawtooth. Hey Walla Walla Some of the ‘walla’ (sound imitating the murmur of a crowd in the background) recorded by the Audio Team consists of Guerrilla developers speaking in gibberish. Although these recordings were intended as placeholder, they turned out so well that our Sound Designers decided to keep them in the final version of the game. A Star Is Born The lines — or rather, the cooing and gurgling — for baby Aloy were performed by an actual baby: the three-month old daughter of Guerrilla’s Music Supervisor/Senior Sound Designer Lucas van Tol. Her performance was captured over a period of the days from the comfort of home, where her father had set up a little recording area near her playpen. All The Moves The composers for Horizon Zero Dawn were invited to the Guerrilla studio to ‘play’ on real-world facsimiles of the tribal instruments seen in the game. The resulting animations can be found at various points throughout the world of Horizon Zero Dawn, such as in the performance of the three-man band playing in Meridian City. Chihuahuatcher Every machine in Horizon Zero Dawn has hundreds of different sounds, from the creaking of mechanical limbs to the cries of alarm when it spots a threat. The Sound Designers mixed animal sounds together to give each machine a unique character; the sounds that the Watcher makes, for instance, contain Chihuahua barks to underscore its cute but ferocious nature. Bird’s Eye View Guerrilla’s Music Supervisor/Senior Sound Designer Lucas van Tol researched over 750 bird sounds. From these, only 30 made the cut to star in Horizon Zero Dawn; it was a comprehensive job to pick the birds that would naturally appear in the world of Horizon Zero Dawn. Not only does each bird sound differently based on the time of day, but weather also has an effect, as do biome location and height. I hope you enjoyed these little details, and I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the world of Horizon Zero Dawn. On behalf of the entire Guerrilla studio here in Amsterdam, I want to thank you for making these last two years fly by. View the full article

“To all of you driftin’ out there in the black, mark the frequency. The time has come to act together. To open our eyes and gaze with utmost clarity past the present and into a future we create. Shoulder-to-shoulder. Mark the frequency.” — Nora Night If you’ve played Warframe during the past couple weeks, you may have heard a mysterious new voice, transmitted from your Orbiter’s Scanner, suddenly talking a lot of conspiratory… sense. The voice is Nora Night, and the radio frequency is Nightwave, the new game update we’re delivering today across all platforms. This simultaneous multiplatform content update is a first for the Warframe team, so we’re incredibly proud and excited to offer it to you today for free! Nightwave is Nora Night’s all-new ongoing radio broadcast. Her conscience-burning questioning of the ‘System’ and poetic monologues about life in the Origin System play out like a kind of radio drama series. Nora’s stories consist of Series and Episodes. Think of a Series as a season with a beginning, middle and end, with earnable exclusive rewards specifically tied to each one. In each Series, you’ll play through a number of Episodes, each one coming out every two weeks or so, across a roughly 10-week period. The first Series, “The Wolf of Saturn Six,” tells the story of a savage and unruly convict who has escaped from captivity. Now he’s out there, freely prowling the Origin System, and you, dear Tenno, must put an end to it! Here is where it gets more nitty-gritty. Nora offers daily and weekly challenges, called Acts; as you complete an individual Act, you’ll earn Standing with her, similar to the way you earned Standing with other Syndicates in Warframe. The more Standing you earn, the better Reward Tiers you unlock. Make sure to complete all 30 Tiers before the Series is over to earn all rewards! Some of the power items you earn have never, ever been available before, so this is an incredibly opportune time to jump into Warframe and earn these exclusive items. Rewards range from exclusive Cosmetics, such as Armor, Sigils and a Syandana to exclusive and highly sought-after Power items such as a Warframe slot, Umbra Forma, Forma Bundles, Weapon Slots, Orokin Catalysts, and a lot more. By reaching Tier 4, for instance, you’ll earn things like two weapon slots; by reaching Tier 26, you’ll have access to the Wolf Howl Emote; and by overachieving at Tier 30, you’ll earn the Saturn Six Armor Set, the signature battle armor of the only lunatic fearsome enough to have escaped the Saturn Six Max-Pen. Some Tiers contain items called Wolf Cred, a new token currency. These can be used in Nightwave Cred Offerings, a shop that rotates through the former Alert System rewards you want the most. Wolf Creds must be redeemed before the Series is over or sold for credits, so use them before the frequency is lost. But take note! Once the Series ends, it’s done. There is a very real immediacy to each one! If you play, you’ll get as much Power and Cosmetic goodies as you can earn. Nora will then commence on a whole new Series, with its own distinct set of characters, story, lore, incentives and rewards. All of this is happening today across all platforms! If you haven’t already heard her musings from your Transmitter yet, we encourage you to log in and listen on your PS4. Not only is it cool to hear Nora’s warm, commanding, velvety voice in the chamber of your Orbiter, but she will continue to bring new stories, gameplay, and rewards from the Origin System, directly to you in the future! “Acts of defiance, acts of generosity, acts of sacrifice… this is how we turn this system ’round. I’ll take you there, Dreamers. I’ll bring you back.” — Nora Night View the full article

Before you suit up and dive into Anthem‘s more advanced and challenging content, we’ve got some tips that will help prepare you to take on just about anything the game can throw at you. We’ll be covering why your gear and loadouts can mean the difference between success and failure, why crafting is vital, and the importance of combos and ultimates. Ready? Let’s go, Freelancer! Beyond the Level Cap Once you’ve unlocked all four javelins and reached the level cap, you’ll be ready to take on the three highest difficulty levels: Grandmaster 1, Grandmaster 2, and Grandmaster 3. Higher difficulties, in turn, give you opportunities for increasingly rare gear that will help you to build the right javelin loadouts to take on almost any enemy. There are six rarity levels: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Masterwork, and Legendary. The higher the rarity level, the more powerful the gear. And gear at the highest rarity levels also comes with inscriptions (randomly rolled bonuses) and the possibility for added ability bonuses that appear on the item’s description. At this point, attempting to find or craft the best gear for your javelins may take up a good deal of your time. There’s no “perfect build” in Anthem, so maximizing several highly specialized and powerful loadouts is an excellent idea. Tweak your loadout in the Forge, then take your javelin out to try it against some actual enemies. Don’t be afraid to experiment; it’s important to find the right combination for you and your playstyle – you want to know precisely what your javelin can (and can’t) do before you take on something like a Stronghold. What is a Stronghold? They’re the most challenging and dangerous experiences you’ll face in Anthem, so much so that you’ll need a full squad of four even to enter them. Trust us, it’ll take every single member to succeed – and they’ll need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their javelin both individually and in terms of the team. Preparation is critical if you want to triumph and reap the generous rewards you’ll find there. Crafting 101 What do you do if you can’t find the exact weapon or gear you need to complete a loadout? You can certainly keep searching, but a faster way is to turn to crafting. First, you’ll need a blueprint, which can be obtained by completing Challenges. Blueprints have the same six rarity levels as above, and, unsurprisingly, the higher the rarity level, the more difficult the Challenge will be to get it. Once you’ve obtained a blueprint, you’ll also need embers (by-products of the Anthem of Creation that can be found throughout the world and dictate the rarity of the item you’ll craft) to get started. You’ll also need to gather materials, and there are four primary ways to go about that. Head out into Freeplay (freely roaming the open-world of Anthem) and locate plant and mineral resources to harvest, take on daily, weekly, and monthly Challenges, salvage materials by dismantling gear you don’t currently need, and visit the Crafting Shop. Finally, consumables are single-use items that provide powerful offensive or defensive bonuses. They unlock at level 10, 20, and finally 30, giving you a maximum of three. As with other kinds of gear, their strength is related to their rarity level, but even a relatively low-level consumable can make a significant difference in combat. Applying them before entering a Stronghold is suggested. Combos and Ultimates So you’ve found or crafted the gear and weapons you need, optimized your loadout, and tried it out against some enemies – now it’s time to master your combos and ultimates. Let’s start with combos, or sets of moves that can quickly and reliably take down tougher enemies. There are two essential building blocks for a combo: primers and detonators. Primers are typically a javelin’s elemental moves that inflict a status effect on the enemy. This effect can be fire, ice, electric, or acid, depending upon the ability used. Lower level enemies will be more easily primed than high level or shielded enemies. Once an enemy is primed, you’ll need a triggering mechanism to release the combo. A single javelin can both prime and trigger a combo on its own or in combination with any other javelin. And the resulting effect will vary depending on the javelin being used. For example, if a Ranger triggers the combo they’ll do extra bonus damage to a single target on top of the ability. If a Colossus does the triggering, they’ll do extra bonus damage to all of the targets in proximity. Keep in mind, though, once a combo has been triggered, you’ll need to prime enemies again before performing another. Each javelin also has a special ultimate ability that can not only take down enemies but also aid their fellow lancers during battle. Ultimates are slow to charge so must be used wisely, but their sheer power makes them well worth the wait. Here’s a quick list of each javelin’s ultimate and just what it can do. Ranger: Multi-target Missile Battery: Unload on your enemies with a volley of missiles that can lock onto dozens of moving targets at once. Colossus: Siege Cannon: When you need an enemy to disappear, trigger this salvo and get ready for a show. Interceptor: Assassins’ Blades: Carve through enemies with a burst of agility that allows you to dart around the battlefield striking enemies. Storm: Elemental Storm: Calling down a torrent of energy, the Storm decimates a targeted area and any foes unlucky enough to be standing in it. Well-prepared Freelancers will find even the most difficult Strongholds, and enemies can be overcome with a combination of the right loadout, understanding of their javelins’ capabilities, and teamwork. Communicate with your squad and work together to get the job done, and nothing can stand in your way. View the full article

Two brand new titles join the PlayStation Plus free game lineup on March 5, offering dramatically different gameplay experiences. Let’s take a look. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered Activision’s colossal Call of Duty series is truly part of the fabric of modern gaming, and it was in 2007 that developer Infinity Ward took the console world by storm with its contemporary spin on the popular action series it helped create. 2016’s Modern Warfare Remastered brought the classic back in full HD for a new generation of gamers, while respectfully retaining its first-class gunplay and brilliant level design. Download it with PS Plus this month to relive a true FPS classic (in glorious dynamic 4K on PS4 Pro when played on a PS4 Pro system and a 4K display). The Witness From the developer of the charming puzzle-platformer Braid back in 2008, creator Jonathan Blow promptly returned to the drawing board and spent the next eight years working on an ambitious follow-up. The result was 2016’s The Witness — an enigmatic first-person puzzler set on a seemingly-deserted tropical island, dotted from one end to the other with a vast network of interconnected puzzles. Boasting spellbinding narrative twists and an unbeatable sense of satisfaction in conquering each puzzle, The Witness is a benchmark in design and environmental storytelling. Download The Witness on PS Plus this month for a slow-burning test of the old grey matter. Both titles will be available to download from PlayStation Store from March 5 to April 1, 2019. In the meantime, you’ve still got time to download February’s PlayStation Plus titles. Hitman’s heady cocktail of sandbox assassinations should keep you busy trying to perfect the flawless hit, while mastering For Honor’s ‘Art of Battle’ for truly devastating takedowns will take time and patience. If you haven’t tried them, then now’s your chance — they’ll be available until March 4, 2019. As a reminder, PS3 and PS Vita games will no longer be part of the monthly free games line-up for PS Plus. If you haven’t added the following PS3 and PS Vita titles from the February games line-up to your library yet, they will remain available until March 8, 2019: Divekick, PS3 (Cross-Buy with PS Vita) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, PS3 Gunhouse, PS Vita (Cross-Buy with PS4) Rogue Aces, PS Vita (Cross-Buy with PS4) Any PS3 and PS Vita games you’ve already downloaded, or will download, prior to March 8, 2019, won’t be affected by this change. Those games will still be part of your PS Plus games library as long as you remain a member. Your game saves and other benefits of PS Plus will also remain the same. Finally, the PS Plus specials this month have some great titles including Yakuza Kiwami 2 at 40% off and both Hollow Knight and Just Cause 4 at 50% off. Act fast! The PS Plus specials for February are available until March 5, 2019. We thank you for your support and we’ll see you next month! *Internet connection and PS Plus membership required for online multiplayer. View the full article

Have you ever wanted to experience what it would be like to be at bat in a historical baseball moment? Have you ever wondered what would happen if your favorite player clashed with a legendary Hall-of-Famer? If you were holding the bat in a critical situation with the season on the line, would things have gone differently? Step into the cleats of Babe Ruth and call your shot. Can you hit father-son back-to-back home runs as Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr.? Can you set the Major League strikeout record as Nolan Ryan? Answer these questions through the new online Moments feature and earn your way to exclusive rewards in MLB The Show 19. Storylines In Storyline Moments, journey through the past and present with a mix of player-lock and team gameplay. Fantasy In Fantasy moments, you can answer Baseball’s biggest questions. What if Ken Griffey Jr. faced off against Chris Sale? What if Zach Britton pitched in the 2016 Wild Card Game? What if Willie Mays, Ted Williams, and Christian Yelich played in the same outfield? But be careful what you wish for — not only will you get to play as these Legend teams and scenarios, you’ll face off against them. Diamond Dynasty Integration Moments will be fully integrated as you progress throughout DD in MLB The Show 19. You’ll take a squad of your favorite players into Moments and compete against legends and modern day superstars. There are so many different types of DD moments that we’re excited to explore with fans. We’re committed to keeping Moments fresh throughout the year and adapting content based on the aspects people enjoy most. Get prepared to build squads based on certain criteria, come through in clutch Moments, and earn new players to add to your collection. With Moments, gone are the days of having to unlock a player before you get to play with him. Live Content and Moments We’ll be launching MLB The Show 19 with lots of Moments for you to play but our Live Content team will be constantly updating the mode. Watch out for new Challenges, Historical Moments, and even Moments from the 2019 season as they happen. Be sure to check out Thursday’s Twitch live stream for more information on one of the brand-new features: Moments. This is an especially exciting year for us here at PlayStation. We’re thrilled to welcome a new class of Legends to the team, including some all-time greats, and even more excited to show you what else we have in store in MLB The Show 19! 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

Today, the Red Dead Online Beta gets its first big batch of updates including new gameplay, weapons and clothing, additional balancing and a slew of community-requested improvements. In addition to the new gameplay and improvements, PlayStation 4 players will have the benefit of early access to a host of new content. The Jawbone Knife This new deadly weapon features a handle artfully carved from the remains of a slain animal’s jaw and is a menacing addition to your collection. Pick up the Jawbone Knife from below-board Fences located near Emerald Ranch, Rhodes, Van Horn Trading Post, Thieves Landing and Saint Denis. Clothing and Emotes While shops and Catalogues see significant new inventory this week, PlayStation 4 players get early access to over 150 new clothing items including variations of the snake adorned Diamondback Hat, the double-breasted Hartman jacket, the sleek cowhide Comstock Boots, vests, gloves and more. You’ll also get early access to three new emotes to taunt or greet your Posse, friends and rivals with. The Special Series and Open Target Races Coming soon, the Special Series is exclusive to PlayStation 4 players featuring the latest early access modes. Join the special series by finding it on the map with a diamond icon or through the quick join menu. The first early access mode is Open Target Races arriving in the coming weeks. Pit yourself against 15 other players on horseback in a competition to takedown all checkpoints on the map in any order you like. Winning requires speed, proficiency with the bow and arrow, racing skills to beat your competitors and a killer instinct to cut down anyone who takes the lead. Take advantage of weapon and horse stamina pickups where you can, use your limited bullets wisely to remove targets or your attack your competition. The Red Dead Online Beta will continue expanding each week with new content including the Evans Repeater rifle, new competitive gameplay including three new Showdown Modes and more. In addition, you’ll see changing weekly bonuses for playing and limited stock clothing items rotating in supply each week. And keep an eye out for more early access content in future updates. View the full article

A young king’s work is never done. Return to the enchanting world of Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom to join Evan on a new quest in the upcoming Tale of a Timeless Tome DLC! This brand-new chapter of the captivating RPG adventure includes new characters, missions and battle content to continue building your kingdom. The starting point of this adventure is a mysterious appearance in a dream. People staying at the Goldpond Inn claim to be visited by an enigmatic rabbit in their sleep. Upon hearing this rumor, Evan and his friends decide to stay at the hotel to investigate and unveil the mystery. They enter a dream together, step into a strange house and meet the Conductor, a rabbit in a tuxedo and a top hat. To those who played the original game, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, both the house and the Conductor will be familiar. The Conductor’s role in this story, however, remains to be discovered! More secrets will be brought to light in this new chapter: who is this sorrowful-looking figure sitting by a tombstone? Could it be Nella? Evan’s party will also meet the charismatic Queen Nerea and her companion Leander again. Will they finally seal their union in marriage? The Tale of a Timeless Tome DLC also introduces new combat methods to enhance the players’ battle abilities: the Wizard’s Companion and Martha’s Method. You will have to use them wisely to defeat your enemies. Long time Ni no Kuni fans will recall the Wizard’s Companion as a 340-page magic book used by Oliver in the first iteration of the series. How will Evan and his companions make use of these new methods? Your monster-fighting skills will be put to the test in a new location, the Solosseum Slog. Furious battles await, but the rewards will be worth it: slaying powerful monsters will give you access to new items to stay ahead of the game! Players will soon be able to uncover all of these mysteries, gain a deeper understanding of their favorite characters and reminisce in the Tale of a Timeless Tome, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom’s third DLC. View the full article

Hey guys! It’s Shabs here, Game Director from First Contact Entertainment — developer behind Firewall Zero Hour*, the team-based multiplayer shooter exclusive to PS VR. This new year is off to a great start for Firewall Zero Hour, with a PAX South trip to showcase the game, a PS Plus Free Trial, a Flash Sale, and so many new PS VR fans discovering the game! Since game launch in August 2018, the team here at First Contact Entertainment has continued to be heads down working on new in-game content drops for you, our ever-growing Firewall Zero Hour community. We are excited to announce that Firewall Zero Hour DLC #4 will be available for purchase on the PS store tomorrow! Firewall Zero Hour DLC #4 features two brand new Contractors** — Jag and Node — and their unique respective skills, Ambush and Afterlife. New Contractor: Jag Jag’s Ambush skill allows you to bring three mines into battle. Now, players who equip this skill have the opportunity to get even deadlier on the Defending squad, placing more mines in more locations — tripping up even more Attackers. The Ambush skill can be equipped to any Contractor once you’ve reached level 31 and for 25,000 Crypto. New Contractor: Node Node’s Afterlife skill gives you the ability to detonate your planted C4 from the support feed. This is a real game-changer for Defenders who placed C4 during the match, but died before they got to detonate it. Now, after death, you can watch from the support feed and detonate your C4 on an unsuspecting enemy right at the perfect time! The Afterlife skill can be equipped to any Contractor once you’ve reached level 43 and for 35,000 Crypto. New Weapons Within DLC #4, we’ve also added three new weapons that can be unlocked at the following levels and Crypto expenditures: The 9MM Stinger (SMG) (Unlocked at Level 24 / Crypto 24,000) The JA-300 (AR) (Unlocked at Level 42 / Crypto 42,000) The H5 Hornet (AR) (Unlocked at Level 50 / Crypto 42,000) Lil’ Diaz Trinket (free for all active PS Plus members) Ready to add more customization to your weapons? Don’t forget to pick up your free Lil’ Diaz Trinket*** which is free in the PS store for all active PS Plus members! As one of our most popular Contractors, and this mini version of Diaz will class up any weapon you equip. You have until March 14 to grab it before it’s gone forever. New Face Paints, Camos and Trinkets Also included in DLC #4, we have a number of new face paints, clothing camos, weapon camos, and trinkets hitting the PS store! Check them out below: New Face Paints: Kiwi Eagle Spider Janus New Clothing and Weapon Camo patterns: Geometric Lava Circuit Splinter New Trinkets – Available as a pack: Lil’ Nala Lil’ Okoro Lil’ Skip Lil’ Diaz We look forward to hearing your feedback on DLC #4! As always, we’ve been listening closely to our community since launch, and have continued to implement fine tuning to the game along the way. Some recent improvements including re-balancing the Grenade Launcher, XP earning amounts, skill unlock levels, as well as implementing a Crypto penalty on players who quit a Public Match before the Match has concluded. We are always keeping our ears open and appreciate the continued feedback coming in! Within today’s DLC #4 update, we have a number of bug fixes and improvements going live: New set of laptop locations in the Shoothouse map Improved knife hit detection Fine tuning of matchmaking Firewall Zero Hour’s 2019 is off to a big start, and we’re excited to keep supporting the game long-term–planning more new content come. We can’t wait to see your reaction to tomorrow’s update. Our team always has a ton of fun playing with you all in public matches. Let’s squad up and game on, Contractors! – Shabs *An internet connection is required for all modes of Firewall Zero Hour, including Single Player Training Mode. An active PS Plus membership is required for Multiplayer Training and Multiplayer Contract modes. **Available for purchase at PS store ***Lil’ Diaz Trinket available only for active PS Plus members View the full article

Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Kristen’s back with a brand-new name! Plus, the gang recounts their earliest “time-sink” games and debates the best prequel of all-time. Listen in! Stuff We Talked About KZ > KT Time-sink games Beat Saber’s impossible new difficulty mode Trials Rising The Lego Movie 2 Toejam & Earl Dead or Alive 6 Romantic / co-op focused games The Cast Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Kristen Titus 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

Welcome back — hope you’re ready for a big week! Whether you’re a two-wheeled hardcore physics-racer, a returning martial arts master, or a duo of funktastic alien explorers, we’ll have something new for ya launching soon at PlayStation Store. Grab Trials Rising, Dead or Alive 6, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, and a whole bunch more with the week’s new games lineup. For a full list of new titles coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! 8-Bit Invaders! PS4 — Digital, Retail 8-Bit Invaders! is a colorful sci-fi RTS that’s easy to learn and play. Control the military might of the Galactic Marine Corps or invade with the savage power of the Cranioids. Collect resources, build your base, amass an army and crush your opponents! The Arcslinger PS VR — Digital (Out 3/1) Get yer trigger finger ready for the fast-shootin’ VR world of The Arcslinger. Entrusted with the mythical gun Angelheart, you must take down the villainous Gold Smoke and his dastardly gang. Do you have what it takes to become The Arcslinger? Awesome Pea PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Out 3/1) Awesome Pea is a classic run-and-jump platformer, where you must help the greedy Pea in his insatiable quest for gold. Dangerous dungeons, deceptively beautiful nature, hidden deadly traps, and many MANY coins await you! Blast Zone! Tournament PS4 — Digital (Out 2/28) Blast Zone! Tournament is the fast-paced game where fun meets explosive combat. Take on challenges in the fully-loaded single-player campaign and prepare to compete in numerous multiplayer arenas. Blast your way to the top of the leaderboards! Crash Dummy PS4 — Digital (Out 3/1) Crash Dummy is a challenging 2D platform game. Blast, burn and freeze your way through each level. Jump long distances and do some stylish ninja action wall-runs in this story-driven adventure with a unique set of endearing characters. Creepy Road PS4 — Digital (Out 3/1) The world has gone mad. Hordes of enemies lie between Flint Trucker and his beloved Angelina. Only his courage and a shotgun will help him to reach home and save his one true love. Go get ‘em, Flint! Dead or Alive 6 PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 3/1) The long-awaited new installment of the Team Ninja’s top-class fighting game series. With the addition of brand-new stages and characters, Dead or Alive 6 embodies and illustrates the evolution of true fighting entertainment! Death Coming PS4 — Digital (Out 2/26) Death Coming is a non-linear puzzle game where you must harvest human souls ‘Final Destination’ style. However, pesky mortals are not your only problem, as the Agents of Light will do everything they can to stop you. Deponia Doomsday PS4 — Digital (Out 2/27) Can you change Deponia’s fate? Do you have what it takes to change Rufus’ past, present and future without accidentally destroying the whole planet? Fight time itself in this action-packed, platypus-tastic and insanely hilarious story. DiRT Rally 2.0 PS4 — Digital, Retail DiRT Rally 2.0 dares you to carve your way through a selection of iconic rally locations from across the globe, in the most powerful off-road vehicles ever made, knowing that the smallest mistake could end your stage. Doom & Destiny PS4 — Digital (Out 3/1) Four nerds, drawn into a fantasy world and mistaken for heroes, have to battle their way through a massive, crazy adventure and defeat a preposterous villain! Journey through an unpredictable story filled with parodies and cameos. This is Doom and Destiny, the flying-spaghetti fantasy adventure! Fimbul PS4 — Digital (Out 2/28) Fimbul combines intense Viking battles with a deep story that unfolds through in-game comics to bring the frozen world of the Norse sagas to life. Immerse yourself in the blistering winter preceding Ragnarok — The Fimbul Winter! Honor and Duty: D-Day PS VR — Digital Honor and Duty: D-Day takes place during the D-Day landing in World War II. Play TDM of Domination in 32-player matches. Drive tanks, jeeps, and trucks in large open maps as you search for the enemy. The Lego Movie 2 Videogame PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 2/26) Bricksburg is in ruins and Emmet’s friends have been taken! Team up with Emmet and a host of heroic characters to save their friends from the strange inhabitants of the Systar System. Journey into outer space, discover new worlds, and test your Master Building skills. NieR:Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail The NieR:Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition includes DLC and bonus content for the full experience of the award-winning post-apocalyptic action RPG. To defend against a surprise invasion from another world, a new breed of android infantry is sent into the fray: the YoRHa squad. Pic-a-Pix Classic PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross-Buy) The popular picture crossword series goes back to basics! Pic-a-Pix is a picture logic game, sometimes known as Picross, Nonogram or Hanjie, where whimsical pixel-art pictures are created by solving puzzles. RemiLore PS4 — Digital RemiLore is a “rogue-lite” anime-style adventure set in a colorful fantasy world. Features single-player story mode, two-player co-op mode, 200+ weapons, upgradable spells, procedurally-generated levels, loads of unlockables and more! Stellaris PS4 — Digital Paradox Development Studio is bringing the grand strategy genre to consoles for the first time ever with Stellaris: Console Edition. Featuring the same deep strategic gameplay, rich and diverse alien races and emergent storytelling, Stellaris: Console Edition puts the complexity of the galaxy at your thumbsticks. Summer Funland PS VR — Digital (Out 3/1) Get ready for the awesome VR experience that is Summer Funland! A crazy rollercoaster, hilarious mini-games, an incredibly fast-paced motorcycle ride through Gotham, underwater voyage and space trip — there’s never a dull moment in Summer Funland! ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove PS4 — Digital (Out 3/1) The iconic ‘90s duo is back in the groove with all-new presents to help them navigate this wack planet ”Earth” and retrieve all the lost pieces to the Rapmaster Rocket. Team up for co-op play to discover secret locations, hidden presents and new friends! Trials Rising PS4 — Digital, Retail Explore over-the-top action and physics-bending motorcycle racing in Trials Rising, the latest edition of the Trials franchise. All new features, more competitions, and more tracks mean new challenges! Verti-Go Home! PS VR — Digital (Out 3/1) Verti-Go Home! is an endless runner, set in a 90s space western universe. Fly through (and above) a tunnel that you steer with your head, to avoid collisions with bizarre and dangerous obstacles. This is VR. The doors of perception are open. The Walking Vegetables: Radical Edition PS4 — Digital The world is under attack from vegetables, turned evil by dastardly aliens! Answer the call and take up arms to defend the planet. Buy weapons, develop your skills and roam from city to city to take out waves of evil veggie monsters. Wartile PS4 — Digital (Out 2/27) Experience a living, breathing tabletop video game that invites the player into a miniature universe full of small adventures. It is set in beautifully handcrafted diorama battle boards, inspired by Norse mythology to honor the Vikings! The information above is subject to change without notice. Beat Saber Playlist PS4 EDM Grey Takeover Playlist Anthem Original Soundtrack by Sarah Schachner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Ralph Breaks the Internet Anna and the Apocalypse Live event on Sunday, 2/24 at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT on ABC PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Far Cry New Dawn is here, and Hope County has never looked more beautiful. Last week we asked you to share your favorite shots of the superbloomed environments using #PS4share and #PSBlog, and you delivered! Here’s this week’s shares: This survivor is all suited up and ready to rumble, shared by @JimdiGriz1. There are moments of beauty in the chaos, like this share from @Alunj52. You’ve got a pal in this good pupper Timber, shared by @AmbientVenom. Hope blooms around every corner, like in this serene shot shared by @Spiggy_Smalls. The northern lights make it almost look peaceful, in this share by @Daniel0168. We’re not totally sure what’s happening here, but we love it anyway. Thanks for sharing, @80horrormagic. 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: Anthem Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, February 27 Next week, we hop into our javelins and take off in Anthem. Share action-packed moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Apex Legends, Respawn’s new entry into the Battle Royale market, has gotten its hooks into many of us around PlayStation HQ. As such, we saw fit to collect a few tips from folks around the office to help aspiring Legends secure their first W. We also recognize that lots of you out there are far better at this game than we’ll probably ever be, so we took to Twitter to field advice from folks following @PlayStation. Got any winning strategies to add to our list? We’ll keep checking back on this tweet and adding more tips to this post, so keep ’em coming! “Use that R1 button! Apex almost feels like it can read your mind; pointing at something and pressing R1 will ping the object or location with useful context for your teammates.” – Justin Massongill, PS Blog “Want more time to scavenge better gear? Try dropping on the outskirts of the map far away, avoiding other players as you land. Loot the areas there as you move towards the next circle.” – Tim Turi, PS Blog “Following up on the first tip, your characters’ voice lines aren’t just there for fun — they’ll often speak up with useful info, like where the next circle is, even without pressing a button.” – Justin Massongill, PS Blog “Lifeline has one of the most valuable Ultimates in the game. The ability to call in supply drops can be your express ticket to high-tier armor and items. If you pick up Ultimate Accelerants, give them to your team’s Lifeline so that you can all benefit from more supply drops.” – Tim Turi, PS Blog “One of the most satisfying feelings in Apex Legends is starting a slide near the top of a hill and riding it alllllllll the way down. Try it!” – Justin Massongill, PS Blog Legends! What have been your most effective survival strategies in Apex Legends? Reply here and we might include your tips in an upcoming PS Blog post. pic.twitter.com/Y2fVxeptFE — PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 19, 2019 Don’t gamble with drops, land somewhere that guarantees a enough loot to get going. Land on the outskirts of a town or on an unmarked location then worry about fighting others. — Bdubz (@KokuTatsu) February 19, 2019 Use the PING SYSTEM! — LostS0ul91 (@LostS0ul91) February 19, 2019 If there’s a lot of death boxes in a room, and you didn’t make them. You’re probably next. — Stovenhousen (@FallenDreg) February 19, 2019 Communicate with your squad and test what weapons you are efficient with and PRACTICE. — Herobrine5O (@KeithBuckendorf) February 19, 2019 Always stick together. 90% of failed runs is due to someone trying to be mister hot shot and going into lone wolf mode — Tomasz Niemiec (@GermanosPL) February 19, 2019 shoot first , loot later — thegamingscout (@thgamingscout) February 19, 2019 Go in with a squad! — Twitter Gaming (@TwitterGaming) February 19, 2019 When you see two squads fighting, don’t intervene yet – wait for the fight to end, and when they loot the dead bodies then you can attack! — Arthur Rohart Mr. (@arthurrohart) February 19, 2019 – do not drop on the exact same spot with your mates, spread out a bit. – don't rush into the enemies when you're not absolutely sure you can handle the situation. – don't get your team mates in danger just because you're being egoistic. – share ammo – have fun — (っ◔◡◔)っ Cherrylolo (@Cherry_L0L0) February 20, 2019 Not a lot of players know this, but there is a supply ship you can land on in the air! It’s pretty much always empty and full of great loot. — Kavan Cleary (@kavancleary) February 19, 2019 Mirage tip: send your decoy into enemy smoke and if they shoot it they will be pinged giving you an advantage. — AJ Thompson (@AJT1776) February 20, 2019 Go to training mode and get familiar with some guns — T.Q. (@SirQuaresma) February 20, 2019 Tips for beginners: do not and I repeat do not drop right away, look down and read where everyone is landing, see how many stayed on the ship and drop last far away from everyone get your looting going and soon as you have a half decent set up, just then go and get them Tiger! — [LIVE] CODE Clan: Apex Pro (@CODEclanDewert) February 20, 2019 Try and combo your abilities with your team. For example Bangalore's Smoke Launcher goes great with Bloodhounds Ultimate. The enemy team wont see you, but the bloodhound will see them. — Macbacon (@MacbaconZ) February 20, 2019 Holster weapon to not only run faster but slide faster, climb higher, fly further (from balloons). — Dave Roberts (@DreadPirate_) February 20, 2019 Outnumbered and out gunned? Run.. Live to fight another day and revive your team mates when the enemies have passed — TimmyTweetsAlot (@Timmytweetsalot) February 20, 2019 Use the climbing mechanic to your advantage, if you're in a small town or near small housing, climb! Use the fast movements in apex to fight, most people expect you to just run around corners. Just limb up buildings, jump off of them, do everything you can to confuse the enemy — Dwight K. Schrute (@Victorr301) February 20, 2019 View the full article

It’s almost time to suit up and start your adventure in the beautiful but dangerous world of Anthem. Before you do, we’d like to go over some of the important elements of the game that will help you get a head start on your fellow Freelancers. Javelins Your javelin is the key to both combat and movement in Anthem. Its mobility and firepower give you the ability to soar through the air, dive into the murky depths, and take on pretty much anything this world can throw at you. The minute you climb into a javelin you feel unstoppable. So, how soon can you get your hands on a javelin of your very own? You’ll unlock your first at level 2, your second at level 8, your third at level 16, and your fourth at level 26. There are four to choose from, each with its own unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Ranger: If you’re looking for the perfect javelin for almost any playstyle, you’ll want to start with the Ranger. It’s versatile, well-balanced, and great for both close and long-range combat. Interceptor: Like to get into (and out of) a fight before the enemy even knows what hit them? The Interceptor is the right javelin for you. It’s powerful, agile, and a master of close combat. Colossus: If “tank” is your playstyle of choice, this mammoth war machine is calling your name. The Colossus is big, heavily armored, and the only javelin capable of wielding Heavy Weapons. Storm: The raw power of a Storm is something to behold. This elegant long-range specialist is a master of the elements with incredible fire, ice, and lightning attacks. You can both customize and personalize your fleet of javelins to suit your needs and style. We’ll cover the details on that in the next two sections. Loadout Now that you’ve got your javelin, it’s time to add gear and weapons, so head to the Forge, your in-game customization and personalization hub. You can access the Forge via either Fort Tarsis or the Launch Bay; once at one of those locations, select the “Loadout” tab. Let’s start with gear, which can modify aspects of your javelin, like optimizing attack combos, lowering cool-down times, increasing a weapon’s effectiveness, and more. Gear comes in six rarity levels: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Masterwork, and Legendary. At higher rarity levels your gear will also include inscriptions, randomly rolled stat boosts, and bonuses. And Masterwork and Legendary items may also have added ability bonuses. In terms of weapons, you’ll start with only one slot, but as you level up you’ll unlock a second. As soon as it’s unlocked try to select complementary weapons and remember to switch between them in the field by holding the reload button (Square on your controller). This can come in very handy when situations on the ground change, like when an immediate need to snipe a long-distance enemy arises. Appearance You can also personalize your javelin’s look in the Forge by selecting the “Appearance” tab. Note that all the options you’ll find here will only affect how your javelin looks; they’re entirely cosmetic. You can choose from a huge selection, including paint colors, armor wear state, unique patterns you can apply called vinyls, and animations. With so many options available, you may be surprised at how much time you’ll spend in the Forge getting the exact look you want. Traversal You’re armed and your javelin looks amazing, now it’s time to head out into the world for some serious adventure. Whether you’re taking on a dangerous Stronghold (high-level dungeons you’ll need a squad of Freelancers to complete) or just exploring in Freeplay (roaming freely around to collect crafting materials or look for a random fight) you’ll need to understand how to get around. Your javelin gives you the ability to travel through the vertical spaces of your world, and there is nothing quite like flying high above the landscape just taking it all in. How do you get airborne? On your controller click the left stick to soar into the air and control your movement. Want to hover above an area? Click the right stick while airborne. While flying is one of the most incredible experiences in the game, you won’t be able to do it forever. Your javelin will overheat eventually and re-introduce you to the concept of gravity rather abruptly. You can deal with this by pressing the X button to come in for a landing, or by looking for a nearby body of water. Taking a quick dip in a lake or waterfall will give you more time in the air. Start Your Adventure There’s lots more to discover in Anthem — mysteries to uncover, environments to explore, dangers to face — so choose your javelin, suit up, and become the hero this world so desperately needs. Unleash your power on PS4 today. View the full article

The skies are about to fill with supply crates as Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds comes to TERA in a 30-day event starting March 5. Players can enjoy PUBG-themed battles and earn PUBG costumes items and other rewards during the TERA × PUBG Crossover event from March 5 through April 5. TERA players of level 60 and higher can quickly jump into the thick of the fray. Every day during the event, for two hours each day, level 70 PUBG popori guardians and soldiers will spawn throughout Northern Arun while supply crates parachute from the air. Smash the crates or beat down the poporis for event rewards of crates, keys, event consumables, and Battle Points, which players can trade in for exclusive PUBG helmets. Need a break from the battle? Hang out in a PUBG-themed Highwatch filled with a fleet of planes and trucks. Log in for at least an hour every day during the event for daily rewards of keys and crates. Earn even more keys, crates, and Battle Points doing what TERA players usually do: battling bosses and completing dungeons. Then spend your hard-earned Battle Points in TERA’s in-game PUBG Shop for two premium permanent helmets and lots of event consumables. PUBG and TERA have always made a great team. Not only do we have the same parent company, but En Masse also has a particular fondness for PUBG: We helped with Alpha testing, PAX support, and even housed Brendon, Shimmer, and Sammie in our offices for several months. (We still talk about Sammie’s six-screen desk setup.) We’re excited to bring our love of PUBG to TERA players on March 5. Winner, winner, PUBG dinner! KitTeaCup out! View the full article

At Mm, we love to give players a way to be a part of the games we make. With Dreams, our ambition from the start was to put all the tools needed to make games in one accessible package – and to allow players to make their creative mark on the world from their living room. We want the community to be able to create in a way that is fun, fast and expressive and see where they take it next. During our Beta we saw players create such an incredible range of things. Clever puzzle platformers, moody first-person adventures, gorgeous interactive paintings, super charming movies and so many other amazing things. Even though it’s what we’d hoped for – we had no idea how ingenious and wonderful the results would be (and our eyes may have watered a little). So, first off we just want to say thank you to everyone who participated in the Beta and for all the wonderful creations you made. As you may know, our small team has been working on Dreams for a long time. Beta was a very important step for us – it confirmed our tool set is ready for the community – but we still have more work to be done in other areas. Every game developer wants their game to be perfect – and we are no different. We have so many ambitions for Dreams and the beta reminded us that Dreams only truly comes to life in the hands of you all – the community. So we scratched our chins and tried to figure out the best way to put the game in the hands of our most enthusiastic dreamers and allow us to continue crafting and polishing it for everyone. And… we have decided to go live and release Dreams into Early Access on PlayStation 4 this spring! OMG, IT’S HAPPENING! What is Creator Early Access? Early Access won’t have everything that the full version of Dreams will, but you’ll get 100% of the same Dreams tools that we have used every day at MM to make our content. As well as fun, deep interactive tutorials catering for all skill sets and levels and Mm-crafted arcade games ready to play and remix. If you joined us during the beta period and published your assets, you’ll also have your beta creations to return to. Along the way, we’ll be adding more features, tutorials, arcade levels and assets during the Early Access period as we build towards the full slate of launch content. Just like with LittleBigPlanet, we have always planned to evolve Dreams with the community and this is just the start. We’ll use Early Access to help us prioritize all the awesome stuff we’re already working on and get feedback as player needs develop and evolve. With refinements, bug fixes and brand new features on the way, we are kicking off the live service side of Dreams so the community can get their first look at how we’ll continue to support the game. In Early Access, you can stream, entertain, teach, collaborate and share to your heart’s content. Who is Early Access for? Early Access is for creators who want to be part of the Dreams experience from the beginning. People who will create, play others creations, get involved in the social features of Dreams and give us feedback. If you are a creator, this is definitely for you. The Dreamiverse needs curators, tastemakers, and testers – this is a great opportunity to carve out your niche. The most important thing is to know that the Dreamiverse is going to form around you, so if that gets you excited, Early Access is for you. If you participated in the beta and felt like Dreams wasn’t fully featured enough for you yet, or you wanted more Media Molecule game content, then Early Access might not be for you. We’re working on all those things during this period so that you have everything you need on your first day in the Dreamiverse. Dreams Early Access is a strictly limited release to ensure that we have a chance to listen to all of you, so be sure to snag your copy as soon as you can! Dreams Early Access will be available digitally through the PlayStation Store this spring, priced at $29.99 MSRP (+ applicable tax) in the US and $39.99 MSRP (+ applicable tax) in Canada. We are very excited about going live this spring and updating you on all the magic happening in Mm Towers. Thank you in advance to everyone who will be coming on this journey with us. View the full article

PlayStation fans have been the best we’ve ever had, giving us loads of support and kind words about our previous two games, Home and Alone With You. That’s why we’re incredibly stoked to announce our third title for the PS4 — a dark, thrilling return to the horror genre called Worse Than Death! Twenty-Four Hours of Terror! Worse Than Death is a scary, emotional thriller about a high school reunion that goes horribly wrong. You play Holly, a young woman from a small town in the middle of nowhere. She’s been dragged back to her home for a weekend she’s dreading — and with good reason! Her best friend Flynn has been inconsolable since his fiancée died in an accident, and it seems everyone in town has something to hide — including Holly herself. What follows is the worst night Holly could imagine, as she runs for her life, hides in the shadows, and uses her wits to solve the ever-deepening mystery of her once-peaceful home. A Horror Comic Come to Life! Worse Than Death feels like something right out of the pages of Tales from the Crypt — it’s full of dark secrets, dread and dramatic surprises. And it’s meant to look like a horror comic too; all of the game’s high-res art was drawn by hand on an iPad Pro, so the character portraits, cutscenes and puzzles come to life in dark, vibrant strokes. In keeping with the game’s hands-on aesthetic, we teamed up with Canadian rock-and-roll band The Secrets to include two of their songs in the game (one of which you can hear in the trailer above). The energy they bring to their music fit the game perfectly, bringing out the intensity of the game’s dark, unfolding drama. A Hair-Raising Adventure! So what about the gameplay? Horror games are often slow and contemplative, but we wanted to make a game that got your blood pumping from the get-go. Evading the unseen enemies requires careful use of your environment to hide, crawl and jump to safety, but be warned — make too much noise within earshot, and these unimaginable horrors will track you down. The DualShock4’s light bar, built-in speaker, and rumble features will clue you in to Holly’s heartbeat and the proximity of enemies, in case you’re too scared to look! As a developer, we’re known for rich stories and intriguing mysteries that reveal themselves through our games’ core mechanics. Here, you’ll peel away the game’s plot as you find items, solve adventure-game puzzles and interact with the town’s colorful cast of characters (or, we should say, what’s left of them). Rather than bog you down with reams of text, though, we wanted the story here to be punchy and suggestive; and if you’ve played our previous games, you’ll know we always like to leave a few mysteries for you to take with you… We know “coming soon” isn’t an exact release date, but we mean it! We hope you’ll be quaking in your boots to check out this second entry in our small-town horror saga. View the full article

The wait is over. It is my pleasure to unveil the newest Paladins Champion right here, exclusively at PlayStation.Blog. Evil Mojo Games has been building up to this Champion reveal for months, as part of Paladins’ ongoing lore campaign. We’ve hinted at his existence as the Paladins arrived in the Shattered Desert and found portals radiating with otherworldly power. The Paladins community has been theorycrafting all week, trying to decipher teasers. And I’m thrilled to be the first to tell you about him. Atlas, Man out of Time, will be the next Frontline Champion in Paladins. There is no light in the future, only an all-consuming Darkness. The Realm is lost. Atlas was born into this dark future as the son of a legendary Judge. Each day he fought to survive, and each night he found solace in stories of the Realm that was. These stories gave Realmkind hope, but their final stand against the Darkness failed tragically. All hope was lost… but one. Atlas studied old books of Crystal magic and mastered the control of time. He researched old tales of what started all this, of how the world had fallen. And then (as you saw in the video) Atlas stepped into the past, determined to save the Realm — and stop the Darkness — by changing the course of history. When you play as Atlas, you’ll feel his incredible control of time in every ability. He can summon a wall that slows time for enemy bullets and arrows. He can rewind time for himself… and for opponents. And with his ultimate, Atlas can even banish his foes from the space-time continuum. And I haven’t even begun to talk about Atlas’s incredible gun arm. It’s a perfect piece of future-fantasy technology, a truly unique weapon with four different firing modes depending on how long you charge each shot. Adapt to any combat situation as you unleash a precise single shot, or a close-range burst of energy. You’ll be able to play Atlas in our March update, “Future’s End.” But if Atlas has you excited about Paladins, there’s no better time to start playing. We’re offering a free bundle for PlayStation Plus Members for a limited time! With the Paladins PlayStation Plus Pack, you’ll wield guns and magic with eight free Champions. Choose from a deadly assassin, a cursed lawman, a self-important knight, and more. You’ll also unlock Voice Packs for your eight free Champions, plus 10 skins and bonus cosmetic content including a Mount! Atlas isn’t the only new content coming in “Future’s End.” This massive update is our biggest yet. We’ll be launching an all-new Battle Pass in Future’s End: An 8-bit, retro gaming-themed Battle Byte Battle Pass! The pixelated effects on these skins are absolutely stunning, and really capture the nostalgia of our shared gaming history. And, of course, we’ll conclude the End Times event that started in our February update. This event includes a special game mode where you can battle in the Shattered Desert and experience the power of the portals that brought Atlas back in time. This event also includes a ton of incredible Omega skins, depicting an alternate high-tech future. My favorite has to be the all-new Omega Imani, featuring an incredible mecha-dragon. This is Imani’s first Epic skin in Paladins, and it’s a great one. There are so many more great things coming to Paladins. Not just in Future’s End, but throughout an incredible year to come. But if I told you about them all now, I’d ruin all the fun. Join us in the Realm for a year you won’t want to miss. View the full article

Road To The Show is a game mode where you create yourself (or your alter ego). The goal is simple: get drafted, make it to The Show, and eventually to the Hall Of Fame. For MLB The Show 19, we’ve added some new features and tweaked others to offer the best version of the mode ever. First order of business: there are no attribute caps in MLB The Show 19. That’s right — if you want to be a baseball god, it’s now possible… but it won’t be easy. Archetypes have been retooled, and the choices represent how your player approaches the game. Each archetype determines how quickly you progress in certain attributes. Let’s take a look at some of the other new features in Road To The Show! Personality Growth and Relationships Your play on the field won’t be the only thing that determines how good of a player you’ll be. New in MLB The Show this year: Personality Growth and Relationships. These help establish your player’s locker room personality based on how you interact with others. Are you are a Maverick, Lighting Rod, Captain, or the Heart and Soul of the team? As you level up in each personality tree and relationship, you’ll unlock perks, and boost them as well. All of the perks align to your role on the team dynamic. In-game Challenges When you’re issued a challenge, whether it’s on the field or during training, you’ll be looking to get better and push yourself. The new Challenge structure in RTTS could be anything: a number of games, or just a single, crucial at-bat. You control how high you set the bar, and as a result, how you much you stand to gain by succeeding. You only stand to gain by completing the Challenges – and if you fail, no worries. You won’t be punished. Playable Training In MLB The Show 19, you’ll have playable training sessions that allow you to play interactive mini-games that directly affect your gains in the gym. Be sure to check out Thursday’s Twitch live stream for more information on these and other improvements to Road To The Show. This is an especially exciting year for us here at PlayStation. We’re thrilled to welcome a new class of Legends to the team, including some all-time greats, and even more excited to show you what else we have in store in MLB The Show 19! 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

Ahoy, Mateys! One Piece World Seeker is almost upon us — March 15 will mark the return of Luffy and his crew. As the Pirate Captain Monkey D. Luffy you’ll explore Jewel Island, a land torn in two by war. You’ll need all of Luffy’s abilities to uncover the island’s many mysteries and help its citizens. With that, let’s dive into some of the features of the game: Karma System Not only will you be tasked with helping the locals and a few familiar faces, you’ll also build relationships with them through the Karma System. By completing various objectives throughout your adventure you’ll unlock new side missions given to by the residents of the island or maybe even your crew. Completing the newly opened missions will net you skill points, new dialog scenes and a rare item at times. If you’re an absolute completionist the Karma System is the buried treasure you’re seeking. Traversing the Island The Karma System is just one aspect of One Piece World Seeker, traversal is another big component. You’ll jet around the island through the use of Luffy’s dynamic and stretchy Gum Gum abilities. Latch onto various objects within the world to get a better view of the action or swing from rooftop to rooftop. When you really want to cover distance, use the Gear Fourth technique to transform into a hot air juggernaut and take to the skies using air dashes and glides. Combat Combat is another key feature. By using the Haki Battle System you’ll implore all sorts elastic attacks on your foes. Arm Haki mode allows Luffy to unleash a wide area attack but it is much slower in comparison due to the amount of distance it has to cover, you’ll also be able to block gunfire in this mode, useful for taking on the Marines stationed on the island. Feeling a bit sneakier? Switch to the Observation Haki and avoid enemies all together. You can also check enemy positions through walls to set up your next plan of attack or to sneak up on your foes unnoticed and take them out with one shot. There are many other Haki techniques to master, you’ll have to pick up the game to see them all. The producer of One Piece World Seeker also wanted to offer some insight into the game. Check out this mini-interview we did with him: What sets this game apart makes this game from previous One Piece games? We wanted to create a unique experience that is true to One Piece’s theme of adventure and exploration. Unlike other One Piece games, you are now able to freely explore a new setting with an all-new original story, and original character designs by Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the One Piece series. Why did the development team focus on making One Piece World Seeker an “open field experience”? I’ve always dreamt of being able to explore an island in the One Piece universe, and I imagine fans have as well. So, I wanted to make those dreams come true for the fans and myself. What better way to do that than on a new island and as the captain of the Straw Hats, Luffy! How did you make sure Luffy’s movements and abilities were accurate to the original source material? Through discussions between the licensor and dev team, we were able to ensure that Luffy’s actions were replicated straight from the manga and anime. We were confident we could do a good job in making Luffy’s abilities come to life, but it didn’t come without trial and error. We constantly tested his different actions to make sure it would translate into a fun experience. We believe that we succeeded in this task. Is there anything you’d like the fans of One Piece know before they start the game? We’re beyond thrilled to be able to share this all-new One Piece story and can’t wait for fans to get their hands on the game to experience Luffy’s abilities while they explore this brand-new world. One Piece World Seeker is now available for pre-order for PS4 at PlayStation Store. Pre-order your copy now to receive the Strange Island Rocks Mission, Military Costume and Swimsuit Costume when the game launches. That’s all for now, you scallywags — fly your sails high on March 15! View the full article

Are you ready, Freelancers? The time has come to suit up in your javelin exosuit and take flight in Anthem. BioWare’s latest sci-fi adventure lets you and up to three friends fight ferocious enemies by land, air, and sea. This world is teeming with otherworldly monstrosities like ghastly Swarm tyrants, so you’ll need to customize your javelin to overcome the odds. Anthem’s blistering gameplay, co-op missions, and sprawling environments arrive this week. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Almost There: The Platformer PS4 — Digital Sprint between saw blades while dodging homing missiles. Duck under lasers while the floor crumbles beneath you. Almost There was designed specifically for fans of the hardcore platforming genre – you’ve been warned. Anthem PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 2/22) On a world left unfinished by the gods, a shadowy faction threatens all of humankind. The only thing that stands between these villains and the ancient technology they covet are the Freelancers. Join with up to three other players and assemble high-tech, hand-crafted, uniquely powerful exosuits. Chromagun VR PS VR — Digital Welcome to ChromaTec’s test lab! You’re here to test our state-of-the-art military-grade color-technology: The ChromaGun (patent pending)! Use it to solve our meticulously designed test chambers by painting the walls and droids. Remember how to mix colors from pre-school? Congratulations, you qualify! Daggerhood PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross-Buy) Daggerhood set his sights on stealing the King’s gold. Every man should have a skill and for Vincent S. Daggerhood, that skill was thieving. Armed with a dagger he can throw and reclaim by teleporting to its current position, he’s going to need your help! Death end re;Quest PS4 — Digital, Retail Video game programmer Arata Mizunashi discovers his missing colleague Shina Ninomiya is trapped in the virtual video game world they created. How can Shina escape? Complete the game and unlock the perfect ending – a success rate of 1%. Dreamworks Dragons Dawn Of New Riders PS4 — Digital, Retail Join Scribbler and Patch in an epic battle to save dragons and defeat the villain Eir’s evil plans. Clash against fierce enemies and meet many DreamWorks Dragons characters in this fun and fiery action adventure. Farm Together PS4 — Digital (Out 2/20) Grow your own farm all by yourself, or cooperate with your friends in this unique, relaxing farming experience. Start from scratch, with a small plot, and end with a huge farm that extends further than the eye can see! HackyZack PS4 — Digital You are Zack. Juggle balls, bounce off walls and avoid fatal falls as you try to make it through more than 100 levels of precision puzzle-platforming. Collect stickers along the way to unlock optional time-trial challenge levels as well as extra playable characters (who are also extra cute!). Hell Warders PS4 — Digital (Out 2/21) Hell is at our gates! Rise up as one of the mighty Hell Warders, an ancient order, to resist the demon hordes head-on. Push back wave after wave of Hell-spawn with an arsenal of weapons, and deploy your army to bring the fight back to Hell! Hexa Maze PS4 — Digital (Out 2/21) Exciting brain twisters for puzzle fans! Tricky puzzles to test your brain power: work your way from level to level by cleverly fitting the colorful hexagonal blocks into the templates. With four different levels of difficulty, this puzzle will be enjoyed by beginners and experts alike. Pode PS4 — Digital Pode is a co-op puzzle exploration game about a rock and a fallen star working together to solve ancient puzzles in a stunning environment inspired by Norwegian art and culture. Queen’s Quest 2: Stories of Forgotten Past PS4 — Digital When the king asked a famous alchemist to look into the murder of his most trusted agent, the last thing the alchemist expected was to discover an intricate network of criminals working from the shadows to bring chaos to the land. Rym 9000 PS4 — Digital Save an island in peril on a childhood holiday. With restless spirits threatening the safety of Toromi Island’s inhabitants, Tai must venture through dangerous dungeons and across a variety of environments to put the spirits to rest. Steins;Gate Elite PS4 — Digital, Retail Ready to play the anime? Experience a fully animated adventure with brand-new scenes in Steins;Gate Elite! Follow a group of young, tech-savvy “lab members” who discover how to change the past via e-mail using a modified microwave. Unexplored: Unlocked Edition PS4 — Digital Descend into the depths of the Dungeon of Doom and complete your quest: steal the Amulet of Yendor from the fearsome dragon and make it out alive. Unexplored is an accessible yet challenging action RPG that has won praise for its revolutionary level generation tech. The information above is subject to change without notice. Far Cry New Dawn Playlist Alita: Battle Angel Soundtrack Avril Lavigne – Head Above Water Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald Creed II Bohemian Rhapsody (Plus Bonus Features) Series Premiere Friday, 2/15 at 9PM PT on FOX PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. View the full article

Ah, love. Sometimes fickle and fleeting, other times true and everlasting. Some of our favorite moments in gaming involve romance, and this week we’re spotlighting some of your favorite video game Valentines. After searching through your shares in #PS4share and #PSBlog, here are this week’s heartfelt highlights: Markus and North share an intimate moment of vulnerability in Detroit: Become Human, shared by @cali_ocelot. Love can be found even in the wild west, like this shot from Red Dead Redemption, shared by @_sasta_. Sometimes love hurts, like in this emotional moment between Inquisitor Lavellan and Solas from Dragon Age Inquisition, shared by @lebkuchenbaer. Even Witchers can find love, like in this The Witcher III share from @taajkaa. Aloy might not have any official love interests, but she knows how to share the love in Horizon Zero Dawn, shared by @nightmareknigh1. Love is in the air in this Final Fantasy XIV share by @Bianca_X23. 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: Far Cry New Dawn Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, February 20 Next week, travel back to Hope County in Far Cry New Dawn. While fighting to survive in the post-nuclear superbloom, share your best shots with #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

As the name suggests, there is a lot to be discovered in Unexplored: Unlocked Edition. The fun is, of course, making those discoveries for yourself, but it doesn’t hurt to be pre-equipped with some sage advice before embarking on your first adventure in this acclaimed roguelite action-RPG. Here then, are seven things you need to know before descending into the Dungeon of Doom… 1. Make the first 100 or so deaths really count Unexplored is a roguelite, so you’re going to be dying a lot, particularly when you first get started. But, if you’re smart, those deaths needn’t be in vain. After every death, you’re presented with a list of ‘Rewards’ – pay attention to these as completing the criteria for a reward will in-turn make things easier for future runs. Completing specific rewards is also the way to unlock different character classes (there are eight classes in total). Rogue is probably one of the easiest to unlock — pick a lock on a door or chest successfully — and comes with some decent perks, such as improved stealth, ability to spot hidden traps, and pick locks. Wizard is a personal fave as he’s adept at identifying potions and scrolls, which can be a great help. And he wears a hat. 2. The map is your ticket to survival If you have any aspirations of escaping the dungeon alive, you need to pay close attention to the map. Unexplored uses cyclic dungeon generation, which means no two runs are ever the same i.e. you’re always going into the unknown. The map can be seen on the HUD and marks the position of doors, levers, chests etc. For a closer look, press L1 to expand the map — this allows you to better see areas on the current level that you haven’t explored yet. It also reveals a secondary vertical map of the dungeon (top-left in the image above), which shows if there are multiple paths leading down to the next level. 3. Forges can really help you forge ahead If you’re carrying a ring or sigil and you come across a forge, don’t be shy — get busy forging. You can combine rings and/or sigils with weapons and armour to enhance or enchant them, producing some very useful results. There are loads of combinations, so experiment with what you’ve got. Also, using a forge for the first time unlocks a Trophy. Nice. 4. The Dungeon of Doom has its own visual language — learn it While the dungeon layout is different for every run, there are visual consistencies that you should familiarize yourself with. The tops of doors, for example, indicate whether a door is unlocked, locked, or barred — see the different door designs in the annotated screenshot above. Levers are marked with a specific icon to indicate whether it controls a door, turret, spikes, vent, or bridge. And then there are altars, pedestals, and even rugs marked with shapes and symbols that can offer a clue to… something. Color-coding is also used, most evidently in the inventory and can be particularly handy for determining the effects of a potion or scroll that hasn’t been fully identified yet (i.e. Red = bad. Blue = good). 5. Pay attention to any advice the game gives you While Unexplored never holds your hand, it does give a steady drip-feed of tips and clues — you just need to be observant and not miss what’s in front of you. Whether it’s basic tutorial stuff — use left-stick to move, right-stick to look/aim — or hints about puzzles or future encounters given via books scattered around the dungeon, you need to pay attention to all of it. Two handy tips: If you’re not sure what something is, pause the game and use the right-stick to hover over the relevant point of interest (be it an object, enemy, or whatever) and you’ll be given a brief description. Press Circle on any item in your inventory to inspect it. This will provide descriptions and other relevant info, such as stats and enchantments. 6. You can learn a lot from your journal As previously mentioned, the information that books impart can be vital for successful adventuring — being forewarned is forearmed. Anything you read in a book is automatically logged in your journal, so check it often — it’s accessed via the inventory screen. Once you’ve opened the journal, you can select a ‘Filter for current level’ option and that shows the information/clues relevant to the level you are currently on. So, checking your journal at the start of every new level is a strategically prudent habit to get into. 7. Be curious and cautious in equal measure The urge to explore and discover is driven by curiosity, but you also need to exercise caution if you want to avoid a premature death. For example, if you’ve got an unidentified potion, instead of quaffing it recklessly, maybe wait and you’ll come across a scroll of ‘Detect Magic’ (and if you can be even more patient, wait until you’ve got several unidentified magic items before using the scroll). And if something seems suspiciously like a puzzle of sorts, chances are it probably is. But before rushing to solve it, bear in mind that attempting to randomly solve a puzzle (i.e. without having any clues to the solution first) can lead to it breaking, consequently leaving it in a forever unsolvable state. Also, make sure you’re prepared for the possibility of a bad outcome. In the screenshot above, you can see that when I light the four braziers, rather than showering me with gold, it spawns a powerful enemy. Boo. We hope you enjoy exploring the Dungeon of Doom when Unexplored: Unlocked Edition launches February 19. In the meantime, feel free to give the trailer a watch: View the full article