Commander Fury

Last week, sent you back in time to share epic moments from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. While exploring the world of Ancient Greece and fighting alongside Athens or Sparta, you shared your best moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: Kassandra and her trusted eagle Ikaros stand strong in this share from@louisylou. Alexios takes in the view from atop this statue of Posiedon shared by @lunar9p. Alexios takes in the night sky in this share from @s_Rosapexa. Alexios swings against an Athenien soldier in battle, shared by @fwniightmare. @IxionVII captured this scenic moment of tranquility. We had to spotlight this epic shot riding Pegasus–uh, we mean Phobos, shared by @tehgreenflare. 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: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Landmarks Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, October 17 Next week, we continue to explore Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and focus the lens in on the landmarks of Ancient Greece. Whether you’re climbing iconic statues or the columns of the Pantheon, share your best moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Activision is proud to announce that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is now available worldwide. Treyarch’s latest installment in the world of Black Ops returns players to the most-played series in Call of Duty with new ways to play in a game-changing experience. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | PlayStation Store Black Ops 4 features the most tactical, team-based Multiplayer experience in the series, the biggest Day One Zombies offering with three different adventures, and of course Blackout, the all-new battle royale mode that brings the Black Ops universe to life with fan-favorite characters, iconic locations, and the biggest map in Call of Duty history. In fact, it’s so big that it includes land, sea and air vehicles! For Multiplayer, the Pick 10 system is back, along with innovations with weapons, combat flow, player movement, and health regeneration. Specialists, both new and returning operators, are back and they each have their own unique weaponry and equipment. Be sure to check out the Specialists HQ in Multiplayer where you can learn about each Specialist and get hands-on intel about their special equipment and weapons. Black Ops 4 will debut the biggest Day One Zombies offering in franchise history. Players will have access to three fully-featured Zombies experiences at launch: IX, Voyage of Despair, and Blood of the Dead. With immersive new adventures and a brand-new cast of characters, Black Ops 4 Zombies features the deep gameplay and easter eggs that the community is so passionate about. Additionally, it is more customizable than ever before, with new systems for creating and completing challenges, social systems designed to connect players, adjustable difficulty levels, and an in-game tutorial to help onboard players who are new to the Zombies universe. What a way to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the original Call of Duty Zombies, we can’t wait to play! And for the first time ever in Call of Duty, Black Ops 4 introduces an all-new, battle royale mode that brings together characters, locations, weapons and gear from across the Black Ops universe… Blackout. This sprawling, intense experience features the signature Black Ops gameplay they players know and love. Load your squad into a truck, zoom across the map on an ATV, or take to the skies in a helicopter while you fight in iconic locations inspired by Black Ops locales like Nuketown, Firing Range, Raid, Cargo, and more. And you can play as classic characters like Mason, Reznov and Woods, Specialists like Crash, Battery and Seraph, and Zombies characters like Richtofen and Takeo while you loot, shoot, and survive. This is just the beginning, with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, players can look forward to an active calendar of events, content and more. Remember, all new playable content comes first to PlayStation 4, including new Specialists and maps. Here is just a sampling of what’s in store for free following launch: Nuketown: This fan-favorite map returns in November in an all-new take. Specialists: The first of several new characters will debut in December. Blackout: Launch day is only the start; Blackout will continue to evolve after launch with regular map updates, expansions and new Blackout modes. Events: Seasonal, weekly, and time-limited events bringing new game modes and content to players. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available now, and your hardest decision may be figuring out where to go in the game first. Whatever choice you make, we hope to see you on the field! View the full article

Ghost Mode is a brand-new game mode coming to Hitman 2! It’s a 1v1 competitive multiplayer mode done our way, with our rules and promises to put all of your assassination skills to the test. What is Ghost Mode? Your mission in Ghost Mode is to kill targets faster and cleaner than your opponent. You’ll race to eliminate the same target to earn a point and then you’ll both move on to the next target. The first to earn five points will win. So far, so good. The twist with Ghost Mode is that you and your opponent will hunt targets in separate realities. You both play in the same location, for example Miami, and have the same target to hunt, but the status of your reality is only affected by your actions. To add to the fun (and tension!), you can see a Ghost version of your opponent in your reality, so you can see how close they are to the target, what disguise they have on and any items they’re holding. Stay in the Game When your opponent eliminates a target in their reality, you’ll have a short time window to successfully kill your own target to equalize the score and stay in the game. But don’t panic because if you kill non-targets, your score will decrease. Next time, you’ll want to put the pressure on your opponent by getting that first kill and starting that countdown timer. Ghost Mode is not always about being the fastest – you also need to be smart and precise. Your target kills need to be unnoticed to earn points and start with a limited loadout. To find more items, you’ll need to find and open Ghost Crates that are located within the location. Each Ghost Crate contains a selection of items, which are the same for both players. If you’re the first one to open it, you’ll be able to choose the item you want and stop your opponent from taking it. If you choose to run straight for a Ghost Crate, that might mean your opponent gets the first point, but you’ll be prepared for the next one. Countdown to Launch You’ll be able to play Ghost Mode and test your assassination skills when Hitman 2 launches on November 13. The game will invite you into a world of assassination, where Agent 47 will travel across the globe to multiple continents as he hunts the mysterious Shadow Client. Hitman 2 will also include the brand-new Sniper Assassin game mode at launch for all players. Sniper Assassin allows you to complete a sniper mission in online co-op, a first for the Hitman franchise, and anyone who pre-orders the game will get early access to Sniper Assassin, available to play now! As we move closer to our November 13 launch, it’s a genuine thrill to talk more about our game and reveal details to our players. Everyone on the team at IOI has worked extremely hard to make Hitman 2 the best game possible, and we look forward to hearing what you think of Ghost Mode! View the full article

For Honor Marching Fire is set to release on October 16 on PlayStation 4. The expansion is bringing with it a host of updates including four new Wu Lin faction Heroes and a new Arcade mode that offers unlimited PvE content. Additionally, Marching Fire will introduce a 4v4 Breach mode and a graphical remaster with enhanced lighting and textures that will be free for all players. The remaster will update all multiplayer maps in the game as well content in the story mode. To learn more about the graphical changes coming to For Honor, including updates specific to the Temple Garden map, we spoke with Christian Diaz, Art Director on For Honor. How did you decide to take on this remaster project? Christian Diaz: It actually started early in 2017, just before the game launched. I had thought of a few things that I was hoping we could improve down the line and spoke with some team members before we decided to try to make it happen. We knew that if the art team could utilize the new and improved features from the 3D programming team that we could improve the visuals of the game. What impact do you think this remaster will have on For Honor players? CD: We’re not expecting players to look at these enhancements as brand new maps. I think the goal of these changes is really to give players a better feeling of what they are already playing. I find the overall image to be more harmonious and players will definitely see more details. What part of these graphical improvements are you most proud of? CD: The whole thing really. The amount of work that went into this remaster was huge. Usually when you ship a game, you don’t have a chance to rework the stuff you just shipped, but since the beginning we knew we were a platform, and if we wanted this platform to be alive then we needed to do anything we could to improve the game on every level. It’s an opportunity you don’t get often. I’m still so happy that we were able to do it at all, because it’s so rare to get to immediately improve on your work. Have the remasters allowed you to do anything new from a visual storytelling perspective? CD: I think we can convey a better sense of what you’re supposed to be feeling at any given point with the remaster. If you’re playing a Valkenheim map and it’s supposed to look and feel cold, we can convey that sense of temperature much more now. Similarly, the warmth of a place like Ashfeld will be more apparent now. The campaign and the cinematics have receive a refresh as well so players looking to revisit the campaign will also notice new visual aspects. What do you feel the team has changed the most in Temple Garden? CD: I think it’s the Valkenheim mood lighting of the map that gives it a different feeling. We added a lot more snow and I think it’s the location that’s changed the most. In Temple Garden, when you take a look at the rooftops or the ground, you’ll see a lot more snow, it really feels like a cold winter. Not only is there more snow, but we’ve enriched the textures so it looks better than ever before. What specific changes did you make to the lighting to make the map shine? CD: One thing that really pops for me are the details and the volumes. Right now, the updated lighting tech gives you more directionality with the lighting and allows you to read details in the map more easily. These elements bring the details of the map to light. There’s suddenly a filter of color that comes out much more in the map. I feel like the image becomes more harmonious, smooth, and richer. Is there a particular aspect of the map that you’re excited for players to experience? CD: I think there are a few in this map, but the one that interests me most is indoors next to the defender’s spawn point. I think the lighting in the L-shaped corridor nearby shines really well. The propagation of lighting is super convincing. This area is in the dark, but you have some lighting coming through the windows and it makes the area very rich compared to how flat it felt before. Do you think the remaster will make people feel better about getting thrown into the pond? CD: I hope so, if you get pushed into the pond, you’ll get to see the reworked textures of the Koi fish in the water! All players will have access to the graphical remaster and new 4v4 Breach mode when For Honor Marching Fire launches on October 16. Those who pick up the For Honor Marching Fire expansion from PlayStation Store will receive immediate access to the four new Wu Lin Heroes and PvE Arcade mode. All other players can unlock the Wu Lin Heroes on October 30 for 15,000 Steel each. View the full article

If you’ve played our games before, you know that they aren’t exactly your “standard” party games. Players connect to the game using their mobile device as their controller while the game is hosted on your PS4. You can play these games with anyone from your college dorm suitemates to your Grandma Rose. Our latest group of games, The Jackbox Party Pack 5, is coming to PS4 players on Tuesday, October 16. Pushing the boundaries of how you play party games has always been our deal, and this new pack is no exception! You Don’t Know Jack: Full Stream is the latest in a 23-year-old comedy trivia franchise that has hundreds of thousands of die-hard fans. This modern update is the first to support eight players, and includes a bigger crazier Jack Attack as its final round. You better hope you’re smarter than your fellow players. But if you’re not, the all-new Screws let you mess with your friends’ devices, making it harder for them to answer and giving you an edge. In Split the Room, we transcend space and time by giving players a weird hypothetical question that’s missing one crucial detail. Your objective is to complete the scenario so that it splits the room’s response. It’s designed to spark lively discussions about ridiculous situations. Oh, and it’s hosted by an omniscient cat. In past Jackbox Games, we’ve seen the power of sound in making people laugh. In the robot rap battle game Mad Verse City, you can take it to the next level by using text-to-speech to create sick(-ish) rap verses for your android avatar. It’s all the fun of being in a rap battle, but you can blame the robot if you lose! A lot of our games ask you to create ridiculous drawings, but only Patently Stupid uses those drawings for the betterment of society. Doodle bizarre inventions to solve problems submitted by other players, then pitch your product to get “funding.” It even creates an opportunity for you to get up, pitch, and channel your inner salesperson. Zeeple Dome is one of our most ambitious party games yet. This slingshot physics game (set on an evil alien game show) requires you to fling your alien avatar at bloodthirsty enemies. Earn Zubabucks to unlock better power-ups and harder challenges. Slinging on your phone while keeping your eyes glued to the screen will quickly become second nature… if you want humanity to survive. In addition to these features, here are a few more you can enjoy in The Jackbox Party Pack 5: You Don’t Know Jack: Full Stream, Split the Room, Mad Verse City, and Patently Stupid all support an audience of up to 10,000 people! Desire a quiet night in? Both You Don’t Know Jack: Full Stream and Zeeple Dome can be played single player! Streamers now have the ability to limit the maximum number of players in a game so that they have more control over who in their community is able to join. We hope you enjoy The Jackbox Party Pack 5. Don’t forget to pick up the game when it’s released on Tuesday, October 16, or be forever doomed to party drudgery! View the full article

Here at Firesprite Games we have been toiling away on some great new features for The Persistence, and we are delighted to announce that it will be coming to you as a free update on October 18. The update has four brand-new game modes, a whole host of accessibility features, and even the screen display is sharper! New Game Modes Right now, the game has the main Campaign, plus Survival Mode where you are challenged to play through Campaign again using only 10 clones. The new modes add a massive amount of variety to the game. GLASS CANNON: This is an all-action challenge mode which proved really popular at EGX last month. In it, you need to make it through 24 increasingly difficult rooms to get to an escape pod at the far end of the Deck. You get to select a gun at the start of each attempt, which comes with infinite ammo – the downside is that you only have one hit point, and there are no health pickups! Each time you enter a room, the doors lock and the mutants attack. You need to take them out as quickly as possible as the game is against the clock. How quickly can you get to the escape pod? CAMPAIGN+: In Campaign+ you keep all your Gear and Upgrades from your previous Campaign playthrough, and are now challenged with an ultra hardcore difficulty mode. The rules of the game have been changed to make it feel different too. You can no longer use SuperSense to spot enemies hiding in cover, and you will notice that a Bloodhound just keeps following you! To combat this, there are all-new character upgrade levels, and ‘Platinum’ rarity Gear items to give you a fighting chance. FIRST BLOOD: First Blood is a stealth based challenge mode where you need to make your way through another huge procedurally generated deck to the escape pod. Only equipped with a Peacekeeper knife and totally outnumbered, can you sneak your way through to the escape pod? PERMADEATH: As the names suggests, in this mode once you die, that’s it. You’re dead! The challenge is to complete the entire campaign on a single life (it’s not for the faint-hearted!). However, there is a big change that makes a big difference. There are Deck Porters in this mode that take you instantly between all Decks, and to Recovery, to quickly upgrade and buy Gear. All-New Accessibility Features We really focused on designing The Persistence to be a tough challenge, but we also believe that games should be fun and inclusive for players of different skill levels, and also for players with disabilities. It’s because of this we have included a comprehensive suite of accessibility features with this update. You can check some of them out in this video. Assist Mode You can turn on Assist Mode in the Pause Menu at any time, in any Mode or Playthrough. It gives you fine tuning of the game’s difficulty to help you get through parts of the game that are proving too challenging. Game speed. Slows down the game speed to assist players with less ability to react quickly. Damage. Reduce the damage taken to help survive longer. Infinite teleport. Get around more quickly with less reliance on the Sticks. Infinite ammo. Ideal for players with less ability to aim with their head. All enemies ‘tagged’. See enemies through walls at all times, to reduce the need for quick reactions. Auto shield. Automatically deploy the shield reducing the need for fast twitch reactions. Assistance For Hearing Impaired Gamers For hearing impaired gamers there are several features to make the game more inclusive, most notably, the visual representation of key audio events. A lot of the strategy in The Persistence comes from hearing where the danger is and reacting to it, so displaying this information on screen gives that vital communication to all players. View the full article

Look out! Here come the download chaaaarts. Marvel’s Spider-Man was the most-downloaded PlayStation 4 game last month, and I’d say it’s well-deserved — Insomniac’s take on the wise-cracking web-slinger has been widely hailed as one of the hero’s greatest adventures yet. Bravo! Tactical team shooter Firewall Zero Hour tops the PlayStation VR chart, followed by Superhot VR and Survios’ new challenger Creed: Rise to Glory. Warface couldn’t quite dethrone Fortnite in its first month on the Free-to-Play list, but it did nab a respectable #2 debut. Read on for the full chart, head to PlayStation Store to snag any titles you might have missed, and let us know in the comments what you think October’s charts will look like. PS4 Games 1 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 NBA 2K19 3 FIFA 19 4 Battlefield 1 5 Destiny 2: Forsaken – Legendary Collection 6 NHL 19 7 Madden NFL 19 8 Grand Theft Auto V 9 Shadow of the Tomb Raider 10 The Last Of Us Remastered PS VR Games 1 Firewall Zero Hour 2 Superhot VR 3 Creed: Rise to Glory 4 Job Simulator 5 Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality 6 Batman: Arkham VR 7 Moss 8 PlayStation VR Worlds 9 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood 10 Catch & Release Free-to-Play Games 1 Fortnite Battle Royale 2 Warface 3 H1Z1: Battle Royale 4 Brawlhalla 5 Warframe 6 Defiance 2050 7 Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 Lite 8 Paladins 9 Fallout Shelter 10 DC Universe Online Free-to-Play PS Vita Games 1 Hyperdimension Neptunia ReBirth3: V Generation 2 Hyperdimension Neptunia ReBirth1 3 Hyperdimension Neptunia ReBirth2 4 Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory 5 God of War: Collection PS Vita 6 Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection PS Vita 7 Stardew Valley 8 Assassin’s Creed III Liberation 9 Jak and Daxter Collection 10 Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition PS4 Themes 1 The Last of Us Outbreak Day Theme 2 The Last of Us Part II Ellie Theme 3 Infinite Space Travel 4K Dynamic Theme 4 Hypnotizing Wolf Theme 5 Skeleton Dance HiQ Dynamic Theme 6 Legacy Dashboard Theme 7 Hipster Laser Cat HiQ Dynamic Theme 8 Tropical Skeleton Dance HiQ Dynamic Theme 9 80s Synthwave Remix Dynamic Theme 10 Jungle Waterfall HiQ Dynamic Theme PS Classics 1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 2 Bully 3 Destroy All Humans! 2 4 The Warriors 5 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy 6 Destroy All Humans! 7 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 8 Psychonauts 9 Red Dead Revolver 10 Metal Slug Anthology View the full article

Darksiders I and II introduced players to the unforgettable characters of War and Death, the first and second Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Their larger-than-life forms and weaponry became the signatures for the franchise. In these first two installments of Darksiders, players’ discovery of new gadgets within the game world helped fuel player progression. Darksiders III represents a giant leap forward for the franchise in terms of character progression. Like War and Death, our central character Fury, the third Horseman of the Apocalypse, is a force in battle! Her primary weapon of choice: a powerful whip comprised of 347 blades! Unlike her brothers, Fury is a mage, her weapon progression tied to actual changes in her physical form. For example, in Force Fury form, she has a new weapon – The Hammer – and her new traversal move is in ball form. Force Fury is one of the four different forms Fury will unlock as the story progresses. The result of these various sets of forms, weaponry, traversals and powers is more tactical combat. Players can look forward to more meaningful battles and fewer mass battles. Fury will endure major boss fights with formidable opponents including each of the Seven Deadly Sins. Each Sin boasts his own style and presents unique challenges in battle. Sloth, for instance, commands an army of monsters while he leisurely lobs globules of poison. Another important gameplay difference in terms of player progression is that gameplay in Darksiders III is non-linear. Players can decide which bosses to take on at various points in the story. We believe these changes in gameplay progression create a more sophisticated Darksiders player experience. They serve as a reflection of how complex and defining a character Fury will be for the entire franchise. View the full article

We’re happy to announce that we will soon begin testing the long-awaited feature that will allow users to change their PlayStation Network Online ID from their PlayStation 4 system. The PSN Online ID Change feature beta will be a part of the PlayStation Preview Program, and will become available to select users that have pre-registered as testers for previous PS4 system software betas. During the preview program, you will be able to change your online ID as many times as you want. The first change is free, and changes after that will cost $9.99 USD / CAD. For PlayStation Plus members, it will cost $4.99 USD/ CAD after the first change. Changes to online ID can be made through the Settings menu or via the Profile page of your PS4. When you change your online ID, you will have the option to display your previous ID with your new ID, so your friends can recognize you. Once you decide to display your old ID or not, you won’t be able to adjust this after completing the online ID change process. This feature is compatible with PS4 games originally published after April 1, 2018, and a large majority of the most-played PS4 games that were released before this date. However, please note not all games and applications for PS4, PS3 and PS Vita systems are guaranteed to support the online ID change, and users may occasionally encounter issues or errors in certain games. If for any reason you experience issues after changing your ID, you can revert back to your original ID for free at any time (you will only be able to revert once during the preview program). Reverting back to an old ID will resolve most issues caused by the ID change. In addition, when this feature officially launches, a list of compatible games published before April 1, 2018, will be provided on PlayStation.com for reference before you make a change. The preview program for this feature is scheduled to conclude at the end of November 2018. The full rollout of the feature to all PS4 owners is planned for early 2019, so stay tuned for updates down the road! View the full article

Start your week off right with PS Store’s Only on PlayStation Sale. Find deals on all sorts of PlayStation exclusive titles, with savings up to 60 percent on games like Nioh, Uncharted 4, Ratchet and Clank and more! PlayStation Plus members save up to 70 percent. What are you picking up? Browse through the lineup below, then head over to PS Store, this sale ends October 16 at 8 a.m. PT. Games <-- Swipe left on mobile for full table Platform Title Sale Price PS Plus Price Original Price PS4 ALIENATION $5.99 $3.99 $19.99 PS4 AVANT-GARDE BUNDLE $24.99 $19.99 $49.99 PS4 BOUND $7.99 $5.99 $19.99 PS4 CLASSICS PS4 BUNDLE $7.99 $5.99 $19.99 PS4 FANTAVISION (PS2) $3.99 $2.99 $9.99 PS4 FAT PRINCESS ADVENTURES $2.99 $1.99 $9.99 PS4 FLOW PS4 $2.39 $1.79 $5.99 PS4 HELLDIVERS SUPER-EARTH ULTIMATE EDITION $19.99 $15.99 $39.99 PS4 HOHOKUM $3.99 $2.99 $9.99 PS4 INFAMOUS SECOND SON $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 PS4 INFAMOUS: FIRST LIGHT $8.99 $7.49 $14.99 PS4 JAK & DAXTER: THE PRECURSOR LEGACY (PS2) $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 PS4 JAK AND DAXTER BUNDLE $19.99 $15.99 $39.99 PS4 JAK II (PS2) $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 PS4 JAK III (PS2) $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 PS4 JAK X: COMBAT RACING (PS2) $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 PS4 JOURNEY $5.99 $4.49 $14.99 PS4 JOURNEY COLLECTOR’S EDITION $9.99 $7.49 $24.99 PS4 KILLZONE SHADOW FALL: INTERCEPT $2.49 $1.49 $9.99 PS4 KILLZONE: SHADOW FALL $4.99 $3.99 $19.99 PS4 LOCOROCO REMASTERED $7.49 $5.99 $14.99 PS4 MATTERFALL $9.99 $7.99 $19.99 PS4 NIOH – THE COMPLETE EDITION $37.49 $34.99 $49.99 PS4 NIOH $27.99 $23.99 $39.99 PS4 RATCHET & CLANK $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 PS4 RESOGUN $4.49 $2.99 $14.99 PS4 TEARAWAY UNFOLDED $7.99 $5.99 $19.99 PS4 THAT’S YOU! $3.99 $2.99 $9.99 PS4 THE LAST GUARDIAN $14.99 $12.99 $19.99 PS4 THE ORDER: 1886 $4.99 $3.99 $19.99 PS4 THE RHYTHMIC BUNDLE $5.99 $4.49 $14.99 PS4 UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END $11.99 $9.99 $19.99 PS4 UNCHARTED THE NATHAN DRAKE COLLECTION $9.99 $7.99 $19.99 PS4 UNTIL DAWN $5.99 $4.99 $19.99 PS4 UNTIL DAWN: RUSH OF BLOOD $11.24 $9.74 $14.99 PS4 WAR OF THE MONSTERS (PS2) $3.49 $2.49 $9.99 PS3 HELLDIVERS SUPER-EARTH ULTIMATE EDITION $19.99 $15.99 $39.99 PS3 HOHOKUM $3.99 $2.99 $9.99 PS VITA HELLDIVERS SUPER-EARTH ULTIMATE EDITION $19.99 $15.99 $39.99 PS VITA HOHOKUM $3.99 $2.99 $9.99 Note: All pricing is for U.S. only and subject to change. View the full article

Hoo boy! I think it’s safe to say PlayStation.Blog readers were impressed by Insomniac’s new spin on Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The sprawling new open-world adventure swung away with a vast (vast) majority of reader votes, handily securing the number one spot in the Players’ Choice poll for September. Runners up included Shadow of the Tomb Raider, FIFA 19, and Destiny 2: Forsaken. September 2018 Players’ Choice Winner: Marvel’s Spider-Man As an extra bonus, since it’s been three months since we last gathered a selection of Editor’s Choice picks from around PlayStation HQ, we’ve got a fresh new batch below. Editor’s Choice selections are hand-picked by editors of PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store, and we can heartily recommend that you add any or all of them to your collection. Enjoy! Editor’s Choice: July – September 2018 Dead Cells Sid Shuman // PlayStation.Blog Motion Twin’s action-platformer weaves an addictive web that will quickly entangle you. Buttery smooth controls, crunchy combat, and bountiful secrets make Dead Cells one of 2018’s best games, period. But take caution: This game will haunt your dreams. Donut County Kristen Titus // PlayStation.Blog If you told me one of my favorite games this year would involve playing a quippy racoon controlling an ever-growing hole in the ground, I wouldn’t believe you. Donut County hits all the right buttons with eye-catching graphics, therapeutically fun gameplay and an unforgettable soundtrack. Destiny 2: Forsaken Justin Massongill // PlayStation.Blog Destiny 2: Forsaken shoots for the stars… and just nails it. Introducing an addictive new PvEvP mode alongside a gripping story of vengeance, Forsaken is a treat for dedicated fans and lapsed players alike. Just wait until you see the Dreaming City! This is Bungie at their best. Hollow Knight Voidheart Edition Justin Massongill // PlayStation.Blog Hollow Knight walks a thin line. Simultaneously gorgeous and grotesque, it rewards exploration of its vast world but punishes those who don’t tread carefully, starring an adorable little insect who will not hesitate to MESS YOU UP. This one’s special, and a definite must-play. Marvel’s Spider-Man Andy Yen // PlayStation Store Everything about this game just brings a smile to my face. From exhilarating open-world web swinging to fast and fluid combat to an authentic story blending humor and humanity, Insomniac Games’ latest creation is easily the best Spider-Man game — and perhaps the best Super Hero game — of all time. Shadow of the Tomb Raider Kristen Titus // PlayStation.Blog Lara Croft’s latest adventure doubles down on the engaging environments, intense combat and thrilling puzzles of previous entries, while layering on an intriguing new exploration into our heroine’s moral psyche. Her final transformation into the titular Tomb Raider is a compelling adventure. The Persistence Sid Shuman // PlayStation.Blog A survival-horror shooter mashup of Bioshock, Dead Space, and Dark Souls, The Persistence ups the ante with an outstanding VR interface, impressive procedural level design, and an arsenal of deadly experimental weapons. Highly polished, endlessly replayable, and scary as hell. View the full article

We’re excited to announce that Left Alive is coming to PS4 on March 5, 2019! You may be thinking: “The game is called Left Alive huh? I’m guessing I’ll have to… survive?” The answer… is yes. Left Alive takes place in the fictional location of Novo Slava in 2127 after a devastating surprise invasion leaves the city swarming with enemy troops, towering mechs, and in burning wintery ruins. If that description isn’t painting a picture yet, take a look at this: You’ll play as three different characters with three different paths, all seeking salvation from war that has erupted in the city. As each of those characters, you will have to make difficult choices in your escape that sometimes are a matter of life and death. The choices you make and the routes you take will all have an effect on how the story unfolds. What does that mean? Let’s say you’re avoiding enemy patrols and trying to sneak your way out of the warzone, but you come across a pair of soldiers who are holding a group of refugees at gunpoint. What do you do? You have a few options. The heroic thing to do would be to run in, take the soldiers out and save the civilians, but that comes at the cost of risking your own safety and supplies. You also have the option to take a more strategic stealth approach, or even to bypass the confrontation in order to not to risk your life or your resources on a deadly rescue mission. Your choice will affect your characters’ story in different ways. Speaking of characters specifically, we’ll dive into each character’s story and how they were caught up in this war in due time. For now, we can relish in the fact that the look and feel of these characters come from the great mind of Yoji Shinkawa from Kojima Productions! A couple more things we’re excited to share: The Wanzers (mechs) were designed by Yoji Shinkawa and Takayuki Yanase (Xenoblade Chronicles X). The game is directed by Toshifumi Nabeshima (Armored Core series). We’re also excited to announce a Square Enix e-Store exclusive “Mech Edition” that includes some pretty sweet items. We’re selling extremely limited quantities of these so you’ll definitely want to grab one if you’re into having awesome, limited things that people will be jealous of. The “Mech Edition” includes: Day One Edition: Includes the full game and the Day One ‘Survival Pack’ DLC containing: Ammo Pack Light Body Armor Recovery Pack Klyuch Weapon (exclusive) Grenade Pack (exclusive) Volk Action Figure: Specially designed by Takayuki Yanase, this Wanzer figure features interchangeable accessories, weapons and hands Hardback Art Collection: An 80-page art book featuring character & mech designs, and concept art for the game Steelbook Case: Featuring mech designs from Yoji Shinkawa and Takayuki Yanase Collector’s Box If you miss out on the Mech Edition, you can still pre-order to receive the Day One box edition which will have the same “Survival Pack” DLC items. If you’re of the digital persuasion, or enjoy theming out your home screen, you can preorder the digital Day One Edition now at PlayStation Store to receive: Full digital version of the game PS4 Static Theme (exclusive) The Tactical DLC Pack which includes: Ammo Pack Light Body Armor Recovery Pack Slava Weapon (exclusive) Material Pack (exclusive) There’s a lot more information about the game we’re excited to share in the future, but for the time being, let’s breathe deeply and take in the awesomeness thus far. Left Alive is something brand-new for Square Enix and we’re thrilled to see how fans will embrace the challenge of surviving the deadly war in Novo Slava. Until next time! View the full article

Hello, travelers! Today marks the first day that we can finally talk about Borderlands 2 VR! It’s a moment we think will have fans joy-puking their faces off. It all starts December 14, when Borderlands 2 VR launches on PS VR. And we didn’t just cram Borderlands into a headset and call it a day – we did copious research into how VR plays best to update the experience so you can now fully sink your eyes into the wild and mayhem-filled world of Pandora with new VR-specific mechanics and skills! As soon as we brought the game to PS4 as part of The Handsome Collection in 2016, our brains immediately began cranking on how we could bring the experience to VR and take advantage of PS VR’s capabilities. We all have spent years immersed in the world and these characters, so we were excited to utilize the PS VR to bring everyone in even deeper. The biggest new feature of Borderlands 2 VR is our take on bullet-time, called “BAMF Time” (or “BadAss Mega Fun Time” if you’re not into the whole brevity thing). Activating BAMF Time will give you the speed and reflexes of a rabid skag, allowing you to dodge bullets, pull off 360 no-scope headshots, and even use your Action Skill to fight off hordes of bandits, bullymongs, and whatever else Pandora might throw at you. The original four playable Vault Hunters from Borderlands 2 are back, along with their special abilities and BAMF-modified skill trees. We added in BAMF Time upgrades to previous abilities, like Zer0’s “Death Mark,” which marks targets for additional damage but now also restores two seconds of BAMF Time per marked kill. And since Borderlands 2 VR is a single-player experience, we updated previous skills that relied on a co-op partner, such as Maya’s “Res” ability, which now is called “Empathy” – causing Phaselock to deplete half your current health, damaging enemies based on how much health you lost, and doubling healing during BAMF Time. Another new twist you’ll find in Borderlands 2 VR is the fact that for the first time ever, you’ll be driving vehicles and racking up the roadkill count from a first-person perspective. While accelerating and steering with the PlayStation Move motion controllers, players will be able to aim the vehicle’s guns with their headset. Experience firsthand the sublime exhilaration of driving one way and looking another! Lose yourself in the roar of the engine, the Pandoran landscape, the wind and viscera in your hair as you mow down your enemies—all from the comfort of your own home! We first introduced the lawless and chaotic world of Pandora with Borderlands in 2009; and with Borderlands 2 in 2012, we set out to deliver more guns, more action, and even more awesome. The response from the community was overwhelming and humbling. We think it’s that mix of action, humor, style, and heart that added up to Borderlands’ own brand of fun. To now bring that spicy special sauce up-close-and-personal in a VR world is beyond what we could have ever hoped for all those years ago. Borderlands 2 VR launches on December 14! We’re excited to go back home to Pandora for the holidays, and we hope you are too. All aboard the poop train! View the full article

This October 13 marks the 2nd Anniversary of PlayStation VR! To commemorate this special event, we have some exciting news to share for PlayStation VR fans, and those who have been waiting for a chance to jump into the experience. First, we have collaborated with a few studios to highlight new details on our quickly growing line-up of immersive titles, ranging from the reveal of a new blockbuster game, to add-on content, demos, pre-orders and more! These include: Borderlands 2 VR Launching December 14, 2018, Available for Pre-Order Today This December 14, PlayStation VR fans can look forward to the latest blockbuster experience to come to the platform with Borderlands 2 VR. Developed by Gearbox Software, Borderlands 2 VR brings the iconic shooting-looting world of Pandora to life like never before, as you virtually become a treasure-seeking Vault Hunter facing off against the galaxy’s most charming psychopathic dictator – Handsome Jack – with nothing but your arsenal of 87 bazillion guns. Pre-order today at PlayStation Store. Tetris Effect Launching November 9, 2018, Available for Pre-Order Today Experience Tetris like you’ve never seen, heard, or felt it before: Tetris Effect is an incredibly unique, and breathtakingly gorgeous reinvention of one of the most popular puzzle games of all time, from the team who brought you the award-winning Rez Infinite and legendary puzzle game Lumines. Tetris Effect is fully playable on a standard display, or optionally in mind-blowing 3D on PlayStation VR. Pre-order starting today at PlayStation Store and unlock a PlayStation 4 theme, seven avatars, and an original soundtrack sampler! New Astro Bot Rescue Mission Free Demo Available October 16, 2018 If you haven’t already tried SIE WWS Japan Studio’s latest title Astro Bot Rescue Mission, developed exclusively for PlayStation VR, this game is a must! Starting this October 16, you can demo the epic platformer that has been hailed as one of the best PlayStation VR titles of all time, as it takes you on an adventure through space for free through PlayStation Store. You’ll accompany Astro as he jumps across high-rise buildings and help him battle a boss! New Firewall Zero Hour DLC Launching October 16, 2018 After recently launching to critical and community acclaim, First Contact Entertainment’s Firewall Zero Hour is a PS VR exclusive team-based multiplayer shooter you just can’t miss. Starting October 16, you can also enjoy a new DLC pack that unlocks new items and skins to customize your character and weapons for a completely new style of play. Purchase today through PlayStation Store. Megalith Officially Launching on January 8, 2019 Pre-Order & Free Trial Kick off November 13 Use your massive size and powerful abilities to compete against other Titans for control of the earth. Disruptive Games’ Megalith is an exciting VR hero shooter that will launch on January 8, 2019, with a free trial version available exclusively at PlayStation Store starting November 13, alongside its discounted digital pre-order. Pre-order at PlayStation Store to immediately unlock all Titans available during the trial, exclusive epic skins and an Avatar pack for each of the starting five Titans, and one additional DLC Titan included at launch. As we eagerly await these amazing titles and updates, be sure to check out a special PlayStation VR Anniversary sale, kicking off today through October 23 at PlayStation Store. Here, you can continue to build out your library of VR content, with games such as Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality, Firewall Zero Hour, SUPERHOT VR, Torn and more, all discounted up to 40% off (and up to 60% off for PlayStation Plus subscribers). Lastly, if you haven’t already purchased a PlayStation VR system for yourself, we recently launched two bundles that showcase the range of unique VR experiences available on the platform: Get dropped right into the heart of action with PlayStation VR Creed: Rise to Glory and SUPERHOT VR Bundle. Currently available in the U.S. and Canada for $349.99 USD (MSRP) / $449 CAD (MSRP). For a more family-friendly experience, check out the PlayStation VR Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Moss Bundle. Currently available in the U.S. and Canada for $299.99 USD (MSRP) / $379.99 CAD (MSRP). Have you had a chance to play with PlayStation VR yet? Share your favorite experiences on the platform with us in the comments below! View the full article

Resonance of Fate, originally released in 2010, has been remastered to a 4K/HD Edition. You can now immerse yourself in stunning graphic details while traversing this devastated earth and engaging in acrobatic gun battles. With the 4K resolution, you’ll be able to better experience how the fate of the world has changed, a theme of humanity that may be at their twilight. The acclaimed battle system that lets you take control of layered strategies with dynamic movement. All this while listening to the fantastic score created by Sakuraba and Kohei Tanaka. This was a challenging project for us since not only did we remaster it as an HD version, but we fully committed to taking it to 4K resolution. In order to make the pre-rendered movies 4K, we had to utilize ‘deep learning’ our proprietary technology in order to up-rez. We also strived to maintain 60 frames per second at 4K resolution. We took special care with the textures to improve their quality. Take a look at the hair carefully to get a sense of this. Not only did we make Leane better, but check out Vashyron’s silky locks as well. We also all really enjoyed being able to see the expressions on the characters as they are traversing the environment. While working on the remaster, it really brought back how atmospheric the original game was, so we really made an effort to retain that by showing how the passage of time affects the backgrounds, fog effects, light sources and shadows, and reworking the camera angles. The stellar quality of the original movies really shine through with the improved resolutions. We also fixed made sure to fix some old bugs and improved the load times to make for a better game playing experience. It’s a remaster that still has over 100 hours of gameplay with a dynamic engaging battle system that we hope you’ll enjoy. We’ve enjoyed remastering a game that allows players to have their own play style, customization and ingenuity to get through the game. View the full article

Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here This week, Kristen and Zac sing the praises of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Kristen sits down with game director Scott Phillips to discuss Ubisoft’s epic new open-world adventure. Enjoy! Stuff We Talked About Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Astro Bot Rescue Mission Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Hitman 2 Life is Strange 2: Episode 1 Indie music that speaks to Kristen’s soul The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Kristen Titus – 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

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the newest thrilling installment in the genre-defining first-person shooter series. Developed by Treyarch, Multiplayer serves as the center of the game’s narrative and includes a variety of new weaponry, maps and modes. Zombies returns for multiplayer co-op, and Black Ops 4 also introduces Blackout, a new battle royale experience that combines Black Ops’ signature combat with the biggest map in Call of Duty history. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 10/12) Black Ops is back! Featuring gritty, grounded, fluid Multiplayer combat, the biggest Zombies offering ever with three full undead adventures at launch, and Blackout, where Black Ops comes to life in one massive battle royale experience. Disgaea 1 Complete PS4 — Digital, Retail To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Disgaea series, the groundbreaking game that started it all returns for modern consoles in beautiful HD. Relive the expanded adventures of Laharl, Etna, and Flonne in Disgaea 1 Complete! Evasion PS VR — Digital Experience the next generation of VR combat with Evasion, an intense sci-fi bullet-hell shooter. Run, dodge, and unleash devastating Surge Attacks. Play solo or team up to save an embattled colony from swarms of lethal Optera. The Exorcist: Legion VR, Episodes 4 & 5 PS VR — Digital The Exorcist: Legion VR is a fully interactive, multi-chapter story set in the world created by horror maestro William Peter Blatty. Delve deep into the heart of the supernatural and uncover secrets leading toward a terrifying final confrontation. Home Sweet Home PS VR — Digital Inspired by Thai mythology and beliefs, Home Sweet Home throws players into a dark and twisted labyrinth, where a miasma of fear fills the air, dread bleeds through cracks in the ceiling and seeps down through broken floorboards. Mark of the Ninja: Remastered PS4 — Digital In Mark of the Ninja Remastered, learn what it is to truly be a ninja. You must be silent, agile and clever to outwit opponents in a world of gorgeous scenery and flowing animation, with cursed tattoos giving you heightened senses. My Memory of Us PS4 — Digital My Memory of Us is a reminiscence of a friendship between a boy and a girl. A friendship made during tough times. Times of terror, pain, and exclusion in a world where people were forced to live in two artificially detached worlds. Space Hulk Tactics PS4 — Digital, Retail Space Hulk: Tactics is a faithful adaptation of the board game Space Hulk, bringing a unique twist to the cult classic formula. Battle as either a squad of Terminator Space Marines or the deadly alien Genestealers. Super Blackjack Battle II Turbo: The Card Warriors PS4 — Digital Invited by the owner of the largest Casino in Las Vegas and Godfather of the local most influential crime family, each character will face the others in a game of cards. Only the best will challenge the Godfather himself in a final match! WWE 2K19 PS4 — Digital WWE 2K19 is the latest entry to the flagship WWE video game franchise, showcasing a massive roster of popular WWE Superstars, Legends and Hall of Famers. Experience authentic WWE gameplay, creation options, and more! The information above is subject to change without notice. UFC 229: Conor McGregor’s Picks and More Playlist Venom Soundtrack T.I. – Dime Trap Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Constantine: City of Demons Season Premiere Sunday, October 7 at 1:45PM ET/ 10:45AM PT on BBC America Season Premiere Sunday, October 7 at 9/8c on AMC PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. View the full article

Last week, we asked you to head into the jungle with Lara Croft in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. While solving puzzles and stopping the apocalypse, you shared your most daring shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: @Rooby_xx showed Lara shifting through the shadows. @louisylou capured Lara moments before loosing an arrow. Lara rises from the murky water in this share from @leofongtv. Lara moves her way through a decrepit tomb in this share from @lebkuchenbaer. @DpDwarf captured this moving portrait of Lara. Lara faces an unknown foe in this share from @senseisnapshots. 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: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, October 10 Next week, we head to Greece to choose our fate in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. While fighting for Athens or Sparta and taking down cultists, share your epic shots using #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

The countdown is on! We’re just seven days away from the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. It features a gritty, fluid multiplayer combat*, the biggest zombies offering ever, and a battle royale experience on the largest map in Call of Duty history. And don’t forget – if you pick up a copy of the game for your PS4 system, you’ll get first access to all new playable content, including free community content, such as new Specialists, and Blackout Updates in the Black Ops 4 universe seven days early**. To kick off the PlayStation Store Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Countdown to Launch event, we’ve got lots of great rewards and giveaways in store, so let’s check it out. Launch Live Stream Join us for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Countdown to Launch livestream on October 11. We’ll chat with special guests from Treyarch including Dan Bunting, David Vonderhaar, Jason Blundell, and Craig Houston. We’ll be taking a deep dive on Zombies with Jason and Craig, and checking out multiplayer and Blackout mode with Dan and David. What: PlayStation Store Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Launch Livestream Where: PlayStation.com/bo4 When: October 11, 2018 @ 10AM PT Why: New Gameplay! Sweepstakes! Giveaways! Digital Rewards – Wallpapers, Avatars and a Theme Snag some Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 digital rewards during our countdown to launch event starting today! Just log on with your PlayStation Network account between October 5, at 8AM PT through December 31, at 11:59PM PT and get the following rewards, available for users with a PSN account in the U.S., Canada and LATAM. Wallpapers featuring Blackout and Zombies artwork Avatars featuring key Specialists: Ruin, Battery, Torque, Ajax, Crash Dynamic Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 theme Just a reminder, you can get a $15 credit by purchasing two or more select games highlighted in the Countdown to Launch grid at PlayStation Store. This applies to gamers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. You can find all the details on our Countdown to Launch page. Shield Tin and PlayStation 4 Pro Sweepstakes Between October 5, 8AM PT and October 11, 9PM PT, we’re giving you a chance to win a PlayStation 4 Pro system and a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 that comes in a tin designed as a shield with the Black Ops 4 logo. Check our PlayStation Store Countdown To Launch page for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 during this time and log on with your PSN ID for a chance to win. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Pro Edition Sweepstakes Join us for our livestream on October 11 for a chance to win a copy of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Pro Edition. This bundle comes with lots of goodies, such as the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Pro Edition game, a collectible steelbook, a Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 PopSocket, 10 Specialist patches, three Zombies-inspired collectible art cards, a Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) calling card, and more. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Mystery Box Sweepstakes Looking for more swag? Tune it for a chance to get your hands on a Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Mystery Box during our livestream. The bundle includes a collectible Mystery Box, four Zombies Figpins, a Zombies puzzle, a Darkhorse Zombies comic with an exclusive cover, three Zombies lithographs, and more. For more information on PlayStation Store’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Countdown to Launch please visit the Countdown To Launch page for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. For information on sweepstakes, please visit the official rules. *Internet connection required. PlayStation Plus membership required to play online with friends (sold separately). **New playable content, when available, will launch on PS4 7 days prior to launch on other platforms. Content may be sold separately. View the full article

It’s been about a week since we launched the PS4 game download feature, and we’re adding 10 new PS4 games to the library this month, including Elder Scrolls Online and Sniper Elite 4, bringing the total to over 220 games. The game download feature gives subscribers the option to download almost all of the 220+ PS4 games in the service to play locally with full audio and visual fidelity and DLC and add-on support (DLC and other add-ons sold separately), including Bloodborne, WWE 2K16, Until Dawn, Project Cars, NBA 2K16, and God of War 3 Remastered. All of the PS2 games in the service are downloadable as well. See here for more information on downloads and transferring save data between the PS Now save cloud and your PS4. As of this week we have also reset the 7-day trial, so anyone not subscribed to the service as of October 2 can try out downloads for most PS4 games in the service, as well as streaming for all 650+ games in the PS Now library. Even if you previously had a paid subscription or used a 7-day trial for PS Now, you can now access the 7-day trial again to see how easy the new download feature works. The 7-day free trial (credit card required) auto-renews at $19.99 per month at the end of the trial period, unless you cancel or subscribe to a different subscription plan. So now’s the perfect time to come back and give PS Now a try! Leading this month’s batch of new PS Now games is Elder Scrolls Online, the award-winning MMORPG with an ever-expanding story in a persistent online Elder Scrolls world. This is the base version of the game, and when downloaded, is compatible with all available expansions and add-on DLC (sold separately). Also available new this month is Sniper Elite 4, with an expansive campaign for 1-2 players, co-op for 2-4 players, and competitive multiplayer for up to 12. And with your PS Now subscription, you can stream or download games in the PS Now library (not all games available for download) and play online without a PS Plus subscription. Its predecessor, Sniper Elite 3, is also available for streaming and download as part of the PS Now library. Other new games this month include the beautiful Bound, acclaimed science-fantasy RPG Torment: Tides of Numenera, and unique titles like Styx: Shards of Darkness and 100ft Robot Golf. A complete list of all the new games available to stream on PS4 and PC, and download to PS4, includes: 100ft Robot Golf Asdivine Hearts Bound Bridge Constructor Carmageddon: Max Damage Ducati: 90th Anniversary Elder Scrolls Online Sniper Elite 4 Styx: Shards of Darkness Torment: Tides of Numenera PS3 > PS4 upgrade titles: Costume Quest 2 Machinarium Here are the most popular games in PS Now during September: Red Dead Redemption WWE 2K16 Bloodborne Fallout New Vega Mortal Kombat NBA 2K16 Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution The Last of Us Mafia 2 God of War 3 Remastered If you haven’t tried PlayStation Now yet, check out the 7-day free trial for PS4 and PC to experience the streaming service today. PS Now provides unlimited on-demand access to a growing library of over 650 games, with streaming for all games and download access to most PS4 games. Stay tuned for more updates on PS Now. Happy gaming! View the full article

Hi folks! With the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 just weeks away, we wanted to share first details around some of PlayStation’s 30 days early-access content coming to Rockstar Games’ deepest and most expansive world to date. Both Red Dead Redemption 2 and its multiplayer experience, Red Dead Online, will come with exciting PlayStation 4 benefits right from launch. In Red Dead Redemption 2, PS4 players will be able to customize Arthur Morgan with the Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit. Come November with the launch of Red Dead Online, PS4 players will get 30 days early access to the versatile Arabian horse featuring a custom Alligator skin saddle, and the High Roller double-action revolver. Make sure that you have an active PS Plus subscription so that you can access Red Dead Online and check out these awesome items! But with October 26 almost upon us, read on for a closer look at PlayStation’s 30 days early access content offering for Red Dead Redemption 2. Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit – available day one in Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode and at the launch of Red Dead Online A slick but rugged look, the Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit is perfect for exploring the forests of Ambarino. Featuring a wool-lined, long coat with custom, hand-tooled leather accents, a leather vest with ornate pattern details, stand wing-tip collar with black neckerchief, and custom ornate buckle with matching boot tips, the Grizzlies Outlaw Outfit pays homage to the “boss” of the Northern States, its real-world inspiration. Red Chestnut Arabian Horse – available at the launch of Red Dead Online Known for its speed and handling, the Red Chestnut Arabian Horse is in a class above most horses you would find in the wild, with performance a step up from the first tier of available horses. Alligator Skin Ranch Cutter Saddle – available at the launch of Red Dead Online In addition to its stylish look, the Alligator Skin Ranch Cutter Saddle provides a number of benefits when equipped including core Health and Stamina boosts, which increase speed and acceleration for the horse. This saddle is an enhanced version of the basic saddle that comes stock for players when starting Red Dead Online. High Roller Double-Action Revolver – available at the launch of Red Dead Online Looks could kill: The High Roller Double-Action Revolver features a polished steel body with unique period-inspired, beautifully detailed engraving work. The deadly, quick draw revolver comes complete with unique playing card and skull elements carved into the grip. Its superior, quick rate of fire over all other revolvers makes it a great choice for mounted combat. See you October 26! View the full article

The critically acclaimed Laser League hit PS Plus this week, and we’ve squeezed Sam Brayley, QA Manager at developer Roll7, for expert strategies to help you hit the arena floor running. For the uninitiated, Laser League can be a nerve-frying experience. We’ve covered the gameplay basics in a previous blog, and here we’ll lift the lid on how to get the best from each of the game’s six classes and challenge for position at the top of the leaderboards. Smash Smash relies on your team controlling laser nodes, so grouping up with a Thief is always a good idea. Smash isn’t just for taking opponents down, every hit also suspends and resets an opponent’s ability charge! Smash’s ability can be utilised for pure speed increase, allowing it to beat other players to nodes and power-ups. This can be just as lethal as hitting the opponent itself. Expert tip: A knocked-down opponent becomes Smash-able in the last few frames of their recovery animation. Master the timing, and enemies become sitting ducks. Ghost Ghost can pass through and dodge both Lasers and offensive abilities, pairing this with great wall-wrapping makes Ghost the ultimate evasive Class. Ghost’s evasion also makes it great for fearlessly Reviving teammates and activating advantageous power-ups – even in the most dangerous situations. Always be aware: Different Modifiers provide different invulnerability durations – don’t get caught out by over-extending. Expert tip: Territory control ebbs and flows in a Laser League match. In 3v3, Ghost is critical for keeping teammates alive until nodes time out and you can start to reclaim them. Thief Thief thrives in Laser-busy maps and can effortlessly control the largest and most central Lasers. Laser nodes often pass by, or near each other – finding and stealing groups of nodes in a single ability use can be the key to dominating the field. Pairing up with a Shock or Smash can make for a lethal team, increasing the chances their hits eliminate an opponent. Expert tip: Steal a laser just after an opponent activates it, ambushing them with a laser that unfurls in a deadlier colour than they were expecting. Snipe Snipe can eliminate multiple opponents with a single ability use, making it the most constantly threatening Class in play. Dragging its Snipe Teleslice line through walls is the best way to co-ordinate surprise, long-range attacks. Hint: Horizontal space is wider than vertical! Snipe’s Guard modifier is useful for getting out of tough spots and evading unknown dangers: Double-tapping with this equipped gives a similar but shorter Ghost ability effect! Expert tip: Activate Snipe next to a wall and wrap through it to quickly trace your snipe line across the full width of the screen. You don’t even need to make the kill: the presence of the line cuts down opponent space and panics them into mistakes. Shock Shock is the support offense of the team, lethal when paired with a Thief or Blade and perfect for those that haven’t played before. As with Smash, every hit suspends and resets an opponent’s ability charge, Shock can even catch multiple opponents when timed right! Due to Snipe’s constant wall-wrap tendencies, Shock is great at consistently shutting it down with its area-of-effect. Expert tip: A well-timed Shock will protect you from a Blade swipe or a Smash attack, sending your assailants spinning into danger. Blade Blade requires a degree of accuracy but can take out opponents on the spot with no assistance from other Classes. Similar to Smash, Blade’s attack can be used purely as a speed boost to grab a vital, point-winning node. Blade’s ability range can even be used for surprise attacks by aligning with opponents on the other side of a wall, they’ll never see it coming! Expert tip: The Reflex modifier is risky, as it takes a while to charge up. But hunt in pairs with a Shock and mop up their knocked-down targets to maximise the benefit. Hopefully with these tips, you’ll be ready and prepared to take on opponents out on the pitch. Don’t forget you can team up online with friends too, so be sure to invite them along, then mix and match your classes to stand the best chance of taking down the opposition. Remember, team work makes the dream work, right? View the full article

Hello! The new Scuf Vantage (Paddles! Adjustable thumb sticks! Removable vibration modules! Sax buttons! More!) is shipping now, so we decided to snag the controller and snap a few photos of it for your perusal. Take a look and let us know what you think! All photos taken with a Sony a7R II fitted with a 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens. Scuf Vantage | PlayStation.com Scuf Vantage | Full Gallery For more info on the Scuf Vantage, or to customize and order your own, visit playstation.com. View the full article

Hello everyone, I’m René from NGDEV, a small video game development team based in Germany. We’ve been making 2D arcade games for more than 10 years. Perhaps some of you know us from our games such as Gunlord or the upcoming Kraut Buster. Today we’re very excited to announce our partnership with eastasiasoft to bring our retina-scorching vertical 2D arcade shoot ’em up Fast Striker to PS4 and PS Vita. Fast Striker will launch at PlayStation Store on October 16 for $6.99 and supports Cross-Buy. Like many of our games, Fast Striker features nice CGI graphics and a strong emphasis on scoring. The console port is based on the latest 1.5 update, which contains four different game modes (Novice, Original, Maniac and Omake) and six stages, including more than 40 unique enemy types and huge boss battles. Fast Striker is very accessible to both expert and beginner shoot ’em up fans. The novice game mode provides a good entry level to learn enemy and bullet patterns. The longer you play, the more credits you earn, which makes the game easier to complete. Once you feel more comfortable with the game, we recommend you try out the other game modes, which are not only more difficult but also feature different spaceships and scoring systems. As soon as you feel like a pro, try to complete the game on a single credit (the ultimate test!) and defeat the hidden boss to see the true ending of the game. We’ve also added a large variety of Trophies to the game, including Platinum Trophy support. Performance is hugely important in arcade games, especially shoot ’em ups, which is why we’ve put a lot of effort into the PS4 and PS Vita ports. As a result, both versions run at a silky smooth 60 frames per second. Furthermore, we’ve added a couple of new features, including fully customizable button controls and adjustable screen settings, such as scanline and screen-scaling support. With six stages, over 40 unique enemy types, super smooth 3D-scrolling backgrounds and huge bosses, we hope you’re as excited about the Fast Striker PS4/PS Vita release as we are. Make sure to look for Fast Striker at PlayStation Store on October 16. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. View the full article

The Mega Man series is famous for its challenging, precise platforming action. Even though newly accessible difficulty modes are available in Mega Man 11, the game’s default level of challenge requires some finesse. Get ready for perilous pitfalls, treacherous spikes, and Robot Master boss battles that will put your skills to the test. Sometimes we need a little help conquering that first boss to get the momentum going, so I’m here to help you master Mega Man’s new abilities and make it through Block Man’s stage. Mega Man 11 | PlayStation Store Mastering Mega Man’s New Powers The Blue Bomber’s new Double Gear System offers players several options for how they approach the variety of stages in Mega Man 11. Speed Gear – Toggling this ability enhances Mega Man’s speed, making him move so fast that it appears as if the world around him has slowed down. In essence, it slows time so that players can better dodge falling blocks, battle quick enemies, and more. Power Gear – This Gear powers up Mega Man’s arm cannon, enabling rapid-fire shots and a double-charge shot blast for huge damage. It also powers up boss weapons, which we’ll cover in a minute. It’s great for battles against the spikey mid-boss in Block Man’s stage and for taking down the Robot Master himself. Be careful about overusing either Gear, as the Double Gear System can overheat and you’ll have to wait for it to cool down before you can use it again. Double Gear Technique – Try pressing R1 + L1 at the same time when Mega Man’s health is critically low to unleash the Blue Bomber’s hidden power. Mega Man will trigger the Power and Speed Gears simultaneously, giving him a heavy advantage in combat. Busting Through Block Man’s Pyramid Mega Man’s core abilities and exciting new powers are crucial for making it through Block Man’s stage for a showdown with the Robot Master himself. Block Man’s stage is filled with tricky platforming challenges, falling blocks, auto-scrolling mazes, and tons of pits, all ready to claim one of Mega Man’s lives. Here are some stage-specific tips to keep in mind if you’re having trouble getting through the level: Speed Gear, Speed Gear, Speed Gear! – This tip bears repeating, as Mega Man’s new time-slowing Speed Gear works wonders on this stage. The Conveyor Belt Block Maze of Death – Block Man’s stage features a couple of sections where Mega Man walks onto a conveyor belt that feeds him backwards towards a spinning tower of blades. Meanwhile, huge block mazes fall from the ceiling on to the conveyor belt, forcing Mega Man to break his way through to escape instant destruction. Use the Mega Buster to blast cracked blocks out of the way and navigate through the openings that are created, and use the slide ability (Down + Jump) to squeeze through some of the smaller gaps. Mid-Boss Battle Tactics – Just like the classic games, Mega Man 11 is packed with memorable mid-bosses, and you’ll face off with a tower of power in Block Man’s stage. This four-story pillar is covered with spikes, so try to dodge them when it flings its segments across the room. Use the Speed Gear to slow the boss down and find safe spots to stand more easily. Block Man Transformed – Reaching the boss in any Mega Man stage is an achievement in and of itself, so make sure to congratulate yourself whenever you reach those iconic hallway shutters. Part way into the battle with Block Man, he will go berserk and use his own Power Gear to transform into a giant robo-golem. Unleash charged shots into his glowing red weak spot, and avoid taking damage by studying behavioral cues for his punch, slap, and rock toss attacks. These tips – along with your own determination and skill – will help you defeat Block Man’s stage and acquire his Block Dropper ability. This nifty weapon allows Mega Man to drop a ton of blocks on the heads of foes (try powering it up with the Power Gear!), and will offer a huge advantage in the rest of the stages. Now sit back and ponder at the Stage Select screen, thinking hard about which Robot Master might be weak against Block Dropper. Defeat all eight bosses, master the Double Gear system, and stop Dr. Wily in Mega Man 11 – available now for $29.99! View the full article