Commander Fury

Betrayed and broken, former street racer Tyler Morgan is ready to take on the House and reclaim his former life in a world of glitz, glamour, and crime. Need for Speed Payback launches November 10 on PS4. The next entry in the long-running arcade racing series, Need for Speed Payback tells a personal story revolving around Tyler, his crew, and their white-knuckle exploits. Take on ferocious street races, evade the police, and pull off dangerous heists in Ghost Games’ latest. Offering a massive open-world of on-road and offroad racing, deep car customization, and robust multiplayer support, Payback has a little something for every adrenaline junkie. For the full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! New Releases: Week of November 7, 2017 Ace of Seafood PS4 — Digital (Out 11/9) You can now openly admit to the desire we all share to become seafood. Because Ace of Seafood is an action game where you scavenge the depths of ocean while battling other life forms and increasing the strength of your own forces. ATV Drift & Tricks PS4 — Retail Abandon two-wheeled dirt bikes in favor of a more intense, fun, and extreme racing experience! ATV Drift & Tricks is the essential quad game for thrill-seekers looking to own the road in rugged all-terrain vehicles. Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX) PS Vita — Digital (Out 11/9) Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX) is an arcade action platformer full of creatures from medieval myths from Spain and the rest of Europe, as well as from chivalric romances. This game is an extended version of the renowned classic arcade Maldita Castilla, originally created by the indie Locomalito. Discovery PS4, PS VR — Digital Explore a giant world made of blocks and modify it with your own creations. Construct houses, build entire villages, cities, monumental constructions, or dig deep underground. Ghosts in the Toybox: Chapter 1 PS VR — Digital (Out 11/6) Help! Professor Milestone’s latest experiment has gone disastrously wrong. He’s accidentally trapped a fright of playful poltergeists inside toys which are scattered around his home. You need to destroy the toys to free the spirits from their patchwork prisons! Hand of Fate 2 PS4 — Digital Hand of Fate 2 is a dungeon crawler set in a world of dark fantasy. Master a living board game where every stage of the adventure is drawn from a deck of legendary encounters chosen by you! Jeopardy! PS4 — Digital America’s favorite quiz show, Jeopardy, makes its long-awaited return to home consoles in full HD. Master your lightning-quick reflexes with new streamlined controls to solve more than 2,000 clues. League of War: VR Arena PS VR — Digital League of War: VR Arena is a hands-on, fast-paced war game the likes of which you’ve never seen! Deploy your tanks, choppers, and infantry onto a virtual battlefield, swiftly countering your opponent’s units as you drive towards destroying their base. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series – Episode 5 PS4 — Digital In the aftermath of an unbearable sacrifice, the Guardians finally fracture. With her opposition in shambles, Hala renews her campaign of death and devastation, carving a path of indiscriminate destruction en route to Knowhere. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood PS4 — Digital (Out 11/8) A warm Summer day, Max comes home from school and finds his room in a mess. His little brother Felix is playing with his toys again! In anger, Max turns to his laptop and makes a search: “How to make your brother disappear.” Minecraft Story Mode: Season Two – Episode 4 PS4 — Digital After narrowly escaping from the Admin’s twisted prison, Jesse and the remaining fugitives discover not just a forgotten city, but an entire hidden world buried beneath the bedrock. Need for Speed Payback PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 11/10) Need for Speed returns with a vengeance in the new action-driving blockbuster Need for Speed Payback. Set in the underworld of Fortune Valley, you and your crew were divided by betrayal and reunited by revenge to take down The House, a nefarious cartel that rules the city’s casinos, criminals, and cops. Nioh: Complete Edition PS4 — Digital Steel your mind and ready your blade for an intense action RPG experience set in bloody Sengoku era Japan. Combining real life historical events with dark fantasy and folklore, face off against bloodthirsty warlords and otherworldly demons. Professional Construction – The Simulation PS4 — Digital Immerse yourself in the sprawling and fascinating world of road construction! Experience life on the construction site like the pros, and use heavy equipment and massive machinery. Sonic Forces PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 11/10) Join Sonic as he tries to take back the world in Sonic Forces, the newest game from the team that brought you Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations. Way of Redemption PS4 — Digital If you have a passion for eSports and you want to test your skills, your time has arrived: Way of Redemption was made for you. Wheel of Fortune PS4 — Digital Spin the wheel with America’s Game, Wheel of Fortune, the most-watched program on television. Solve up to 4,000 unique puzzles as you compete against friends, family, and online players around the world. Wuppo PS4 — Digital (Out 11/10) After losing its home, one lonely Wum must travel the length and width of the world to find a new place to live. Maroon 5 – Red Pill Blues Sam Smith – The Thrill of It All Kygo – Kids in Love The Hitman’s Bodyguard (plus Bonus Features) Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (plus Bonus Features) Wind River (2017) Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge- November 6 and 7 at 9/8c (HBO) Drop The Mic- November 7 at 10:30/9:30c (TBS) AMC Visionaries: Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics- November 12 at 11/10c (AMC) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

hen Shadow of the Colossus made its memorable debut back in 2005, it managed something refreshingly different in modern games at the time – it changed the narrative. During an era where visual fidelity was going through a seismic shift on PlayStation 2, this title kept its story minimalistic and its gameplay pure: hunt the looming colossi one-by-one. But when it was announced at E3 2017 that Bluepoint Games and JAPAN Studio were remaking the game for PlayStation 4, the excitement was tangible. Because even though Shadow of the Colossus thrives on minimalism, the power of PS4 Pro makes a suitably colossal difference to just how affecting this already emotional game is. 1. It’s big on detail You’ve likely already seen the beautiful new opening cut scene – but it’s something else to witness the in-game visuals when Shadow of the Colossus starts. At Paris Games Week I was given the chance to track down and battle three colossi to get a good idea of how some of the different environments look. From battered ruins, to a barren sea shore, to a dusky desert, each location is rich with detail. Pebbles crumble under Wander’s hands as he clambers up fragile rock faces. His faithful steed Agro leaves footprints in the sand which eventually disappear in the wind. Blue butterflies dance between the leaves of a sun-dappled woodland. All the while you gallop through to the target: a magnificent, intimidating colossus that (for the most part) wants nothing more to be left alone. 2. The colossi pack an almighty punch And if you thought each colossus was impressive on the PS3 re-release, then wait until you see these magnificent beasts on PS4 Pro. Their fur rustles in the wind and deforms as Wander does his best to cling to it, while each movement is slickly animated to further convey the sheer size and power bearing down on you. Smart use of lighting, motion blur and depth of field effects only help to completely throw you into the desperate and frightening battles you’re in. 3. Streamlined controls make it easier to play Bluepoint Games hasn’t just settled on a visual make over, either. The controls have cleverly tweaked to improve the gameplay experience. The PS4’s touch pad handily lets you bring up a map, while jump has been moved to the X button instead of the triangle button. The dodge roll is also now mapped to the circle button, making it easier to deploy than the previous R1 + triangle combo. 4. But you can still play with classic controls Although purists still have the option to go back to the classic controls, these changes show the developer’s willingness to make the game as accessible as possible, while retaining familiar quirks for veterans. And as such, it all feels natural and intuitive. Crucially, although moved, Wander’s grab button (which you’ll be using a lot – no, seriously) is still located on the Dualshock 4’s shoulder (R2), meaning clinging to a colossus for dear life is still as terrifyingly intense as it always has been. 5. It’s every bit as beautiful as you remember Which is all to say, the restrained core of Shadow of the Colossus remains, but the considered controls and restructured visuals have underlined the unforgettable beauty of it. When Wander and Agro tenderly look at each other in a brief respite when you leave the Dualshock 4 controller alone for moment, it’s hard not to just let them linger a bit longer in peace. And as each colossus falls and those emotive strings strike up, it’s all the more haunting. If you’ve played Shadow of the Colossus before, the power of the unaltered original story will still make sure you feel the gut-wrenching remorse of every act of violence… but now it’s even more heightened on PS4. After our battle with the 13th colossus, staring at Wander’s dirt-stained clothes and haggard demeanour, I was instantly brought back to the feelings that made the original so memorable. Shadow of the Colossus has found a perfect partner in Bluepoint Games, where the title’s elegance has only been elevated by a stunning visual overhaul. The only real question is whether your soul can handle the emotions of what awaits on 7th February 2018 when the game releases on PS4. View the full article

With the launch of The Frozen Wilds approaching faster than a charging Thunderjaw, we’re extremely excited to share gameplay footage of the brand-new expansion for Horizon Zero Dawn with you. In the video, Guerrilla Principal Quest Designer Tim Stobo and Quest Designer Blake Rebouche demonstrate one of the quests from the expansion called The Survivor. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds takes place in the Cut, an icy wasteland where clans of the Banuk tribe known as Weraks seek to prove their worth against the elements and the machines. At the start of the quest Aloy meets with the Chieftain of the White Teeth Werak, who informs her that two White Teeth hunters have gone missing. Aloy decides to investigate their fate — and in the process, crosses paths with a dangerous new machine… Horizon Zero Dawn veterans will want to keep an eye out for a few things in this new footage. First of all, you’ll notice new weather effects in the Cut. We really wanted to bring across how bitter and relentless the cold is through the dynamic nature of the wind and snow particles, and the way in which they can affect visibility. Additional immersion comes from the interaction between the characters and the deformable layer of fallen snow. Also, if you see Aloy doing something you don’t remember her being capable of in the main game, that’s probably because she has new skills she can learn as she levels up. Discovering and unlocking those skills will be greatly satisfying for players who hit the level cap in Horizon Zero Dawn and craved more room to grow. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds will be available at PlayStation Store on November 7, but you can pre-order a copy today and receive an exclusive PlayStation 4 avatar. To stay up to date on all things Horizon Zero Dawn and The Frozen Wilds, keep an eye on PlayStation.Blog. View the full article

What a week! This past Monday saw PlayStation’s Media Showcase divulge a mountain of new game reveals, updates, and other announcements. Because there was so much to take in, I wanted to offer a “cheat sheet” of the very biggest trailers from the show. If you want an even more comprehensive list of all announcements, see our roundup post here. What was your favorite trailer? Guacamelee 2 This ambitious sequel brings in four-player co-op, tons of new combat and traversal abilities, and greatly upgraded chicken mechanics. Seriously. Read more here. The Hong Kong Massacre The developers cite serious action-movie inspirations, but on the gameplay side I’m seeing a healthy dose of Hotline Miami and Max Payne. Sign me up! Read more here. Bow to Blood This procedurally generated PS VR action game puts you in control of a huge airship. As a contestant on a fantasy reality show, you’ll need to make tough choices about your fellow contestants. Ally with them? Betray them? Whichever you do, they’ll remember. Due out on PS VR in 2018. Star Child A gorgeous new trailer for this PS VR gem from Playful Corp. I got a quick play session at Paris Games Week, and it’s shaping up to be a real standout! Read more here. Oure This visually lush, emotionally rich game just launched on PlayStation Store, moments after its announcement at Paris Games Week. Read more here. Spelunky 2 I have so many questions. Will the eggplant return? The jetpack? The black market!? Only Derek Yu knows. Read more here. Ghost of Tsushima So this is what Sucker Punch has been up to: A heart-stoppingly gorgeous open-world samurai epic. Read more here. We also had a chance to grill Sucker Punch on their ambitions and artistic vision for Ghost of Tsushima. This new conversation adds interesting details to the Paris Games Week reveal. Concrete Genie Developer Pixelopus returns with a beautiful new game that sees your drawings come to life thanks to an enchanted brush. Read more here. We also got a few minutes with the Pixelopus team to talk about their inspirations and vision for Concrete Genie. Plenty of backstory here, so don’t skip it. God of War A new look at the unflinching, intense new combat in God of War, which developer Santa Monica Studio has confirmed for an “early 2018” release. Read more here. Marvel’s Spider-Man Take control of an experienced Peter Parker who is more masterful at fighting crime. Read more here. PlayStation VR Lineup This cool “sizzle” trailer revealed several new upcoming PS VR games and looked just plain cool to boot. Detroit: Become Human David Cage and Quantic Dream return with a powerful new trailer starring Kara, the subject of a 2011 tech demo by the studio. Read more here. The Last of Us Part II Naughty Dog showed off a brutal new glimpse of The Last of Us Part II starring… well, a bunch of characters we’ve never seen before. Any guesses? Read more here. I also got a few minutes to regroup with Neil Druckmann, creative director on The Last of Us Part II. He doesn’t reveal much, but there are a few more glimpses of what may be in store. Blood & Truth From the creators of The London Heist sequence in VR Worlds comes this slick PS VR FPS. Definitely down to try dual-wielding in VR. Read more here. London Studio’s PS VR epic is shaping up nicely, and I sat down with the team to learn more about how they’re building off the learnings of The London Heist from VR Worlds. Shadow of the Colossus A gorgeous new look at this rebuilt gaming classic. I played it on PS4 in dynamic 4K and the results were fantastic. Read more here. View the full article

The true nature of the Clockwork City has long been a mystery to The Elder Scrolls Online players, but with the upcoming release of the Clockwork City DLC game pack, you’ll be able to explore Sotha Sil’s mechanical replica of Tamriel like never before. To celebrate the launch of this new adventure, we’re excited to announce that PlayStation Plus subscribers can get a PlayStation-exclusive pet in the PlayStation Store, totally free. Meet the Brassilisk, your new mechanical companion: You can claim your free in-game pet when the Clockwork City DLC game pack launches on November 7. To do so, navigate to The Elder Scrolls Online PlayStation Store listing and find the Brassilisk in the Add-ons section. You’ll even find an all-new Clockwork City Dynamic Theme there as well, featuring a gorgeous statue of Sotha Sil himself. The Clockwork City DLC game pack features an all-new zone unlike any you’ve seen before in ESO. Explore a unique mechanical world, continue ESO’s epic story, take on new challenging group activities, and — of course — score some awesome new loot along the way. Upon release, you will be able to enjoy the Clockwork City DLC game pack as part of your ESO Plus membership, but it will also be available via the in-game Crown Store for 2,000 crowns. Alternatively, you will also be able to acquire the Clockwork City Collector’s Bundle for 4,000 crowns. This bundle will include the DLC game pack, the Kagouti Fabricant mount, the Skeevaton pet, and Five Crown Experience Scrolls. Aside from The Elder Scrolls Online base game, you do not need to own any other DLCs or The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind in order to enjoy this new zone and adventure, and you can explore the mechanical realm with new and old characters alike. Want to know more? The Clockwork City DLC game pack brings all-new adventures and challenges to The Elder Scrolls Online, including: A mechanical world to explore — The Clockwork City zone: Discover a world entirely crafted by the Tribune Sotha Sil in mechanical miniature. In this bizarre location, creatures, buildings, environment, and even some inhabitants are complex mechanical constructs. This clockwork world has its own wonders, but also its own unique dangers in the form of long-abandoned experiments. This new zone features two new World Bosses, two Delves, and a host of unique standalone quests and daily activities that will reward you with exotic new gear and items. A Daedric Conspiracy to unravel — The Story Quest line: Something is amiss deep within the heart of the Clockwork City. Hidden away for centuries, Sotha Sil’s creation is under siege by unknown forces, and it’s up to you to discover the mystery behind it all! This all-new story builds upon the larger shadowy conflict between the Daedric Princes of Oblivion (first teased in the Orsinium DLC game pack and uncovered in ESO: Morrowind), but it is a stand-alone adventure in its own right, meaning you can jump in without having played any of the previously-released content. A new customizable group challenge — The Asylum Sanctorium Trial: Both new and veteran 12-player groups alike will find a challenge in the Clockwork City’s new Trial. This new group activity allows you to select how difficult the final boss fight will be. Depending on what you choose, you’ll receive unique rewards that reflect the challenge! Enter the Asylum Sanctorium and deal with the unruly Saints — monstrous constructs long-abandoned by Sotha Sil. The Clockwork City DLC game pack is available November 7. You will be able to get access to this new content with ESO Plus membership (acquired from the PlayStation Store) or via the in-game Crown Store. We’ll see you in Sotha Sil’s realm! View the full article

Next week sees the release of The Frozen Wilds, an expansion for Horizon Zero Dawn that adds a dangerous new environment for players to explore. The expansion is set in the icy wasteland known as ‘The Cut’, where the bravest hunters of the Banuk tribe test themselves against the elements and the machines, but only few live to tell the tale. Their tales, however, are of great interest to Aloy… For the team at Guerrilla, Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds was an opportunity to go back and delve into the culture of one of Horizon Zero Dawn’s most mysterious tribes. Although the Banuk didn’t feature prominently in the base game, the tribe’s rugged individuality, nomadic existence and harmonious relationship with natural and machine life set it apart them from all of the other tribes. The developers went to great lengths to create tribes that would feel believable and at home in the environments they inhabited, and the Banuk tribe was no exception. In the video interview above, Studio Art Director Jan-Bart van Beek, Narrative Director John Gonzalez, Lead Concept Artist Roland IJzermans and Lead Writer Ben McCaw talk about the development of the Banuk tribe, and the ways in which Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds builds on the foundations laid in Horizon Zero Dawn. You’ll be able to explore the Cut and discover the unique culture of the Banuk tribe for yourself when Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds launches on November 7th. If you pre-order your copy from the PlayStation Store today you will also receive an exclusive PS4 avatar! To stay up to date on the latest developments related to Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds, keep an eye on the PlayStation Blog and remember to follow Guerrilla on Twitter and Facebook. Coming up tomorrow morning, new characters, environments and enemies will be shown off in the first The Frozen Wilds play through video. See you then! View the full article

On November 14, For Honor enters Season Four with the launch of Order & Havoc – a new update that adds two new Heroes, two new maps, new modes, and more to the war between Samurai, Vikings, and Knights. And if you haven’t yet jumped onto For Honor’s battlefields to outwit other players with its innovative Art of Battle system, PlayStation Plus members can play for free from November 9-12, giving you a chance to hone your skills ahead of Season Four’s launch. Headlining Order & Havoc are its new Heroes: the Aramusha, a ronin-like Hybrid for the Samurai faction; and the Shaman, a lightning-fast Assassin for the Vikings. Inspired by historical samurai Miyamoto Musashi, the Aramusha wields dual katanas and is capable at offense and defense, able to chain together fast attacks and counter when the enemy least expects it. “The Aramusha is like the sea,” says Game Director Damien Kieken. “He can be very calm, nearly static, and then go mad and stormy and unleash a very fast mix-up on you if you upset him.” The Shaman, meanwhile, looks similar to the Berserker, but has the ability to stalk opponents and strike quickly for massive damage. Carrying a hatchet and a dagger, the Shaman’s bestial fighting style is inspired by predatory animals. Also, stabbing her enemies with her dagger can deal bleed damage, which in turn triggers her Blood Trance, enabling her to pounce on her opponent to deliver a potentially deadly strike, or to attack with multiple smaller strikes that each heal the Shaman. Both new Heroes will be available immediately to Season Pass holders on November 14, while other players can unlock them for 15,000 Steel (For Honor’s in-game currency) each starting November 21. New fighters are just the beginning of what Season Four adds. Two new maps, Gauntlet and Market Town, will be available free to all players on November 14. Gauntlet is a Viking stronghold designed to channel attackers directly into the defenders’ fortifications, with a massive trench built to funnel invaders into a Killing Field where they can be picked off by attacks from above. Market Town, meanwhile, is based on a campaign level with rooftop playing fields, and adds a new gameplay feature: the zipline, which lets you quickly traverse the map or drop down to attack other players below. Finally, there’s Tribute, a new 4v4 multiplayer mode in which players battle to claim three Offerings and bring them to a Shrine. Each Shrine imparts a different buff when given an Offering, which is granted to the entire team and adds a new dimension of strategy to the battle. “In this mode, more than in any other modes, the final outcome is up in the air until the match is over,” says Kieken. “Even if you’re down 3-0, you can still come back if your team plans and executes a comeback plan correctly. I’ve been in many matches where we were in Win Confirmation, a short time period during which the winning team must maintain their win, only to steal an Offering with one or two seconds left, and go on to win the match. It’s the best feeling in the world, really.” Season Four also brings new gear and gameplay updates – including the ability to equip up to four executions – as well as a Ranked Dominion mode, which will be added later in the season. Before Season Four’s launch, new players will get a chance to test their mettle during the free weekend, which begins at 12:00 a.m. PT on November 9 (with pre-loading available starting at 9 p.m. PT on November 6), and runs through 12:00 a.m. PT on November 13. That gives you four days to play all of For Honor’s standard-edition content, including its campaign and multiplayer modes, all while earning gear and building up any of its 16 Heroes – including the recently added Shinobi, Centurion, Gladiator, and Highlander, who are unlockable for 15,000 Steel each. If you want to keep your momentum going after the free weekend is over, For Honor will be on sale for up to 60% off until 12:00 a.m. PT on November 20. Nine months of updates and player feedback have honed For Honor into a fast, feature-rich experience, making this the perfect time to dive in. So grab your weapon of choice, grit your teeth, and get ready to storm the battlefields for free. View the full article

Get ready to put yourself in the driver’s seat with the PlayStation VR Gran Turismo Sport bundle, which starts to hit shelves in the next few days. The bundle will include the PS VR system, PlayStation Camera, a physical copy of GT Sport, and an updated version of the PS VR Demo Disc, featuring 13 PS VR demo experiences. The PS VR GT Sport bundle will be available in retailers across the U.S. for $399.99 USD (MSRP) and in Canada for $499.99 CAD (MSRP) – so you’re getting GT Sport at no extra charge with the core PS VR bundle, which is already available at a great value. And just a quick reminder that you’ll also need a separately sold PlayStation 4 system to play PS VR. GT Sport represents Polyphony Digital’s most ambitious undertaking to date, utilizing the latest technology to deliver a true “Real Driving Simulator.” VR heightens the GT Sport driving experience with thrilling one-on-one racing with select cars in the dedicated VR Drive mode in Arcade Mode. Turn your head and aim towards the apex as you enter the corner, and confidently throttle down as you look ahead at the exit to a blind corner. When you’re not racing down those tracks, take some time to admire the details of the interior of select cars in virtual reality. Are you ready to challenge yourself in the ultimate racing experience? View the full article

We’re back, baby! Sorta. Apologies for the lack of a Blogcast recently; we’ve been busy prepping for our big Paris Games Week Showcase! We hope you’ll agree that the wait was worth it. Sid, Zac and I crashed a meeting room shortly after the show ended to record our impressions while they were still fresh in our minds. Please enjoy this special bonus episode of PlayStation Blogcast — we’ll be back with a new, farm-fresh numbered episode soon, promise. Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Stuff We Talked About Everything from PGW! Ghost of Tsushima Spelunky 2 Guacamelee 2 The Last of Us Part II Detroit: Become Human Concrete Genie Lots, lots more Recent Episodes 266: On the Outside, Looking In 265: Spoiler Room 264: The End is Nier The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Zac Minor – Sr. Social Media Manager, SIEA Send us questions and tips! blogcast@sony.com Leave us a voicemail! (650) 288-6706 Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

After 10 years of development, Owlboy is finally launching February 13, 2018 on PS4! Working on Owlboy has been a highly personal journey for us. Each year of delay was a new blow to our hope of ever seeing the game released. You guys are the sole reason why we’ve finally been able to push through! We decided early to start showing the game around. The first appearance of Owlboy was in 2008, when we launched the initial trailer. We are still humbled by the response we got. It changed our lives, and we decided to start traveling to show as much as we could of our work. Each time we witnessed someone pick up the controller and start playing our game, we forgot about all those years of fading hope. Owlboy was created with the previous generation of consoles in mind, and once the PS4 was announced, we had to make sure that the game still looked brilliant. About half-way through development we decided to up the resolution of the game, so it will still look great in full HD and even 4K. One thing that has stuck with us is the great feedback we’ve gotten while on our travels. You can look at the old footage of Owlboy and easily spot the changes it’s been going through over the years. Each time we visit a new convention or an expo, we return home with a scrapbook full of useful feedback. This is exactly what we hope to gain more of when we launch our game to console for the first time ever. Owlboy would have never been what it is today without your feedback. Without the kick you guys gave our morale, we might have never finished a project like this at all. When the game launches on February 13, we hope you will let us know your thoughts on it. View the full article

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is an expansion for Horizon Zero Dawn that adds an additional chapter to Aloy’s journey. Taking place in the icy wastelands to the north, it includes a brand new environment to explore, a new mystery to uncover, and dangerous new machines to hunt. Among the latter is the wolflike ‘Scorcher’, a fast and tenacious machine with a damage output close to that of the Thunderjaw. We asked four members of the Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds development team – Principal Designer Dennis Zopfi, Lead Animator Richard Oud, Lead FX Artist Marijn Giesbertz and Audio Lead Bastian Seelbach –to provide details on the creation of the Scorcher, as well as tips and tactics for dealing with the machine and its ferocious attacks. Watch the video above for their insights. It can take months to develop a single machine from concept to final in-game creature. The process usually begins with a concept art and ideation phase, where the developers figure out the most important questions: What does this machine look like? Why does it look the way it does, what is its personality and purpose? How does it move, and how does it behave when angry or alerted? Some Guerrilla artists have engineering backgrounds, which means they don’t stop at just the look or feel of the machines. They work out how their designs could interact with the laws of physics, and how locomotion is determined or constrained by limbs and appendages. Their efforts, combined with many other disciplines like animation, AI, and Visual FX, ultimately make it possible for a machine like the Scorcher to leap off the concept board and into the Cut, to challenge Aloy on her adventures. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds launches on November 7, but you can pre-order a copy from the PlayStation Store today to receive an exclusive PlayStation 4 avatar. To stay up to date on the latest developments surrounding Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds, keep an eye on the PlayStation Blog and remember to follow Guerrilla on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure to come back tomorrow morning, when we’ll reveal the creation process behind Horizon Zero Dawn’s most enigmatic tribe. At the same time on Friday, new characters, environments and enemies will be shown off in the first The Frozen Wilds play through video! View the full article

Greetings, PlayStation Plus members. November is another huge month, so strap in and get ready! As we continue to celebrate the one year anniversary of PS VR*, we are giving PlayStation Plus members another bonus PlayStation VR game. From November 7 through January 2, PlayStation Plus members in the U.S., Canada, and most of Latin America can download Until Dawn: Rush of Blood as a bonus game. Get ready for the most disturbing roller coaster ride you’ll ever take in this trigger-happy arcade shooter. Now, let’s move on to your Playstation Plus free games lineup for November. First up, Worms Battlegrounds brings friends and family together in the noble pursuit of mayhem! Join multiplayer matches where each turn is full of questionable decisions, high-powered weaponry, and exploding sheep. Next up — Bound. This platformer transports you into a beautiful, fantastical world that exists in the mind of a woman revisiting the memories of her childhood. Bound combines a unique visual style with a powerful story and gameplay mechanics infused with modern dance. As the game progresses, the introspective story unfolds through powerful metaphor and imagery. This month’s PlayStation Plus lineup also includes: R-Type Dimensions, PS3 Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic, PS3 Dungeon Punks, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS4) Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse (Episodes 1 & 2), PS Vita Lastly, we have hundreds of games on sale right now at PlayStation Store — and PS Plus members get double the discount. The three we are most excited for are Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (20%; 40% off for PS Plus members), Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (15%; 30% off for PS Plus members), and Horizon Zero Dawn (22%; 44% off for PS Plus members). Stock up on some new games for the holidays, but grab ’em before the sale ends on November 7 at 8AM Pacific Thanks, and see you next month! *PlayStation 4 system, PlayStation VR, and PlayStation Camera are required to experience VR functionality.. View the full article

September’s Call of Duty WWII beta confidently demonstrated Sledgehammer Game’s vision and gameplay goals. Most notably, a return to the gritty and grounded setting of World War II. But Sledgehammer’s ambitions extend far beyond a mere change in tone and scenery. With its new War Mode, the studio is looking to contribute a fresh chapter to Call of Duty’s competitive legacy. War Mode pits two teams against each other in a mission with shifting objectives that plays a bit like an FPS tug-of-war, with one sides digging in to hold ground and the other pushing forward relentlessly. I enjoyed my time with War Modes, so I caught up with Multiplayer Designer Sean Soucy to learn more about the genesis of Sledgehammer’s gritty new gem. Read on, and get ready for November 3! PlayStation.Blog: What drove your decision to develop an asymmetrical, objective-based mode like War? Sean Soucy, multiplayer designer, Sledgehammer Games: Each year we look to bring fresh new experiences to our players and especially with the return to World War II, War was a great fit. It gave us, in partnership with Raven, the opportunity to bring a little World War II history into the mix in new ways for MP, and implement various new mechanics like buildable walls and MG nests, and the mix of unique objectives and objective sequences you’ll experience from map to map. We also wanted to take team play to a new level, and in War, team coordination is much more critical to your success. It really matters what Division you select relative to your teammates, what role you choose to play, whether that’s getting up close on the objective as an Airborne soldier, or hanging back and providing some ranged cover with Mountain Division. There are so many layers and tactics and it’s something the team is really excited about this year! PSB: What other interesting new dynamics are you bringing to War maps in the final game on 11/3? SS: There are a number of things we’re excited about that players will see for the first time in our three War Mode maps at launch. We’ve got some multi-part objectives which allow a nice layer of player/team choice and tactics. For example, in your first objective in Operation Neptune, our D-Day-based War Mode map, you’ll have to capture two cliff-side bunkers that are being defended by Axis soldiers trying to mow you down with their MG42 machine guns from atop the cliffs as you try to advance up the beach. You can take them in any order, but you must take both in order to advance. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is plenty more in store for players. PSB: Do you think it’s important to experiment with new ways to encourage different types of teamplay? SS: Absolutely! All aspects of team coordination are much more important in War than many of our other modes. Your Division selection is important, calling out enemy locations, building up defenses, where you choose to attack and defend and at what time, and more. There are many ways to achieve victory and you’ll find the most success with good coordination and team play with your allies. PSB: What about the narrative possibilities for modes like War? The tug-of-War dynamic brings a very different dynamic to competitive multiplayer. SS: It does! The narrative is the context for the action. In each War Mode map, there is a primary mission objective – a reason why you’re there doing what you’re doing, and they’re all inspired by real World War II battles. Each step along the way is meaningful towards completing your primary mission objective. For example, in Operation Breakout, the map players got to experience in the Beta, you’re capturing a command post to acquire intel on German defenses, building a bridge so that your tank can push forward, and then finally destroying an enemy ammo supply and escorting your tank to destroy a series of Flak 88’s. The narrative is key to the experience in that sense – it ties all of the action together. PSB: During development, were you ever tempted to go with huge player counts and bigger, more sprawling maps? SS: We wanted to ensure the best gameplay experience with a high level of team coordination. Our goals were to strike a balance where you feel like you’re really in a World War II battle, while also keeping the gameplay experience tight and fun. PSB: Some fans have pointed out apparent similarities between War Mode and missions from the Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2 campaigns. Was this conscious, or a happy coincidence? SS: We draw inspiration from a variety of mediums and from a ton of different standpoints across the team, but our primary consideration when it came to mission selection for War Mode was that we felt that we had to put players in the middle of some of the most iconic World War II battles. It’s something our players haven’t experienced before in Call of Duty multiplayer – to be immersed in those iconic battles and do the things that actual soldiers did during World War II. It all came together and we could not be more excited for fans to jump in and play all three War Mode maps themselves. View the full article

Hey everyone! To close out the month of October, PlayStation Store has put together a little treat to go along with your Halloween tricks. Starting now PS Plus members can score up to 60 percent off select titles (30 percent for non-members) during the Double Discounts Sale. Make your way to Playstation Store and pick up games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2, Kingdom Hearts HD and so much more! Check out the full lineup below – Playstation Store’s Double Discount Sale ends November 7 at 8AM Pacific. Games Platform Title Sale Price PS Plus Price PS4 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 2 $3.24 $1.49 PS4 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 3 $3.24 $1.49 PS4 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 4 $3.24 $1.49 PS4 88 HEROES $8.99 $2.99 PS4 ABZU $14.99 $9.99 PS4 ADVENTURES OF PIP $11.24 $7.49 PS4 AGATHA CHRISTIE – THE ABC MURDERS $17.99 $5.99 PS4 ALIEN SHOOTER $5.59 $3.19 PS4 ANOMALY 2 $8.24 $1.49 PS4 ANTIQUIA LOST $12.74 $10.49 PS4 ASSAULT SUIT LEYNOS $11.99 $3.99 PS4 AVEN COLONY $23.99 $17.99 PS4 BARD’S GOLD $3.34 $1.69 PS4 BB2 – LEGENDARY EDITION $33.74 $22.49 PS4 BB2 – OFFICIAL EXPANSION + TEAM PACK $29.99 $19.99 PS4 BIG BUCK HUNTER ARCADE $12.99 $5.99 PS4 BLACK THE FALL $13.04 $11.09 PS4 BLOOD BOWL 2 $13.99 $7.99 PS4 BLOOD BOWL 2 – OFFICIAL EXPANSION $18.74 $12.49 PS4 CARTOON NETWORK: BATTLE CRASHERS $12.99 $5.99 PS4 CHIME SHARP $6.49 $2.99 PS4 CONGA MASTER $5.99 $1.99 PS4 CONSTRUCTOR $31.99 $23.99 PS4 DANGEROUS GOLF $12.39 $4.99 PS4 DARKEST DUNGEON $17.49 $9.99 PS4 DAYD TOWER RUSH $4.89 $2.79 PS4 DEAD RISING TRIPLE PACK $41.64 $23.79 PS4 DEADPOOL $29.99 $9.99 PS4 DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED $35.99 $11.99 PS4 DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED – A CRIMINAL PAST $7.19 $2.39 PS4 DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED – DIGITAL DELUXE EDITION $53.99 $17.99 PS4 DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED – SEASON PASS $17.99 $5.99 PS4 DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED – SYSTEM RIFT $7.19 $2.39 PS4 DIGITAL VALUE PACK $22.79 $7.59 PS4 DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN – ENHANCED EDITION $25.99 $11.99 PS4 DON’T STARVE: CONSOLE EDITION $9.74 $4.49 PS4 EARTH’S DAWN $17.99 $5.99 PS4 FARMING SIMULATOR 15: COMPLETE EDITION $34.99 $19.99 PS4 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 – BIG BUD DLC $12.74 $10.49 PS4 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 – KUHN EQUIPMENT PACK $12.74 $10.49 PS4 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 – PREMIUM EDITION $52.49 $29.99 PS4 FARMING SIMULATOR 17 – STANDARD EDITION $34.99 $19.99 PS4 FATAL FURY: BATTLE ARCHIVES VOLUME 2 (PS2 CLASSIC) $9.74 $4.49 PS4 FINAL FANTASY XV $37.49 $24.99 PS4 FINAL FANTASY XV DIGITAL PREMIUM EDITION $56.24 $37.49 PS4 GUILTY GEAR XRD REV 2 $31.99 $23.99 PS4 GUILTY GEAR XRD REV 2 CHARACTER COLORS – FULL SET $14.39 $10.79 PS4 GUILTY GEAR XRD REV 2 SYSTEM VOICE SET $15.99 $11.99 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE 1ST ENCORE PACK $7.99 $5.99 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE 3RD ENCORE PACK $7.99 $5.99 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE BUNDLE $43.19 $32.39 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE COLORFUL TONE $23.99 $17.99 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE FUTURE SOUND $23.99 $17.99 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE SEASON PASS $19.99 $14.99 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE UNLOCK KEY $10.39 $7.79 PS4 HATSUNE MIKU: PROJECT DIVA FUTURE TONE: 2ND ENCORE PACK $7.99 $5.99 PS4 HONOR AND DUTY: ARCADE EDITION $3.98 $0.97 PS4 HORIZON ZERO DAWN $38.99 $27.99 PS4 HUE $9.74 $4.49 PS4 JAZZPUNK: DIRECTOR’S CUT $11.99 $8.99 PS4 JOTUN: VALHALLA EDITION $10.49 $5.99 PS4 KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 +2.5 REMIX $39.99 $29.99 PS4 KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 FINAL CHAPTER PROLOGUE $47.99 $35.99 PS4 KLAUS- $11.99 $3.99 PS4 KONA $15.99 $11.99 PS4 LIFE IS STRANGE COMPLETE SEASON $12.99 $5.99 PS4 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 5 $3.24 $1.49 PS4 LUMO $11.99 $3.99 PS4 MAFIA III $29.99 $19.99 PS4 MAFIA III DELUXE EDITION $44.99 $29.99 PS4 MAFIA III SEASON PASS $22.49 $14.99 PS4 MATTERFALL $14.99 $9.99 PS4 MEGA MAN LEGACY COLLECTION 2 $16.99 $13.99 PS4 MONSTER JAM: CRUSH IT! $12.99 $5.99 PS4 MORDHEIM: CITY OF THE DAMNED $25.99 $11.99 PS4 OCEANHORN – MONSTER OF UNCHARTED SEAS $11.24 $7.49 PS4 OMEGA QUINTET $20.99 $11.99 PS4 OVERCOOKED $11.89 $6.79 PS4 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2017 $26.79 $13.59 PS4 PUZZLE SHOWDOWN 4K $5.99 $1.99 PS4 RESIDENT EVIL TRIPLE PACK $44.61 $29.73 PS4 ROBOTRIOT HYPER EDITION $5.99 $3.99 PS4 ROCK BAND 4 RIVALS BUNDLE $41.99 $23.99 PS4 ROYAL DEFENSE $4.89 $2.79 PS4 SHIFTLINGS $9.89 $4.79 PS4 SHINESS: THE LIGHTNING KINGDOM $20.99 $11.99 PS4 SIRALIM $5.99 $1.99 PS4 SIRALIM 2 $8.99 $2.99 PS4 SLAYAWAY CAMP: THE BUTCHER’S RECUT $14.44 $11.89 PS4 SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR 3 $42.59 $25.19 PS4 SPACE HULK $22.49 $14.99 PS4 SPACE HULK: ASCENSION $26.24 $17.49 PS4 SPEEDRUNNERS $6.99 $3.99 PS4 SPEEDRUNNERS DELUXE BUNDLE $11.89 $6.79 PS4 SPELLSPIRE $6.99 $3.99 PS4 STIKBOLD! $6.99 $3.99 PS4 STREET FIGHTER V – DELUXE V2 $59.99 $39.99 PS4 STYX: MASTER OF SHADOWS + STYX: SHARDS OF DARKNESS $41.99 $23.99 PS4 STYX: SHARDS OF DARKNESS $34.99 $19.99 PS4 SUBJECT 13 $4.19 $1.39 PS4 SUBMERGED $12.99 $5.99 PS4 SUPER DUNGEON BROS $12.99 $5.99 PS4 TABLE TOP RACING: WORLD TOUR $8.99 $2.99 PS4 THE FLAME IN THE FLOOD: COMPLETE EDITION $11.24 $7.49 PS4 THE JACKBOX PARTY PACK 3 $18.74 $12.49 PS4 THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2000 $6.49 $2.99 PS4 THE LAST BLADE 2 $9.74 $4.49 PS4 THE METRONOMICON: SLAY THE DANCE FLOOR $16.99 $13.99 PS4 THE METRONOMICON: SLAY THE DANCE FLOOR – DELUXE $21.24 $17.49 PS4 THE METRONOMICON: SLAY THE DANCE FLOOR: THE METRONOMICON – SEASON PASS $6.79 $5.59 PS4 THE SURGE $41.99 $23.99 PS4 THE TOWN OF LIGHT $15.99 $11.99 PS4 TONY HAWK PRO SKATER 5 $39.59 $19.19 PS4 TORMENT: TIDES OF NUMENERA $34.99 $19.99 PS4 TRANSFORMERS DEVASTATION $24.79 $9.59 PS4 TRANSFORMERS RISE OF THE DARK SPARK GOLD EDITION $37.19 $14.39 PS4 TYPOMAN $8.44 $3.89 PS4 UTAWARERUMONO: MASK OF DECEPTION $42.49 $34.99 PS4 UTAWARERUMONO: MASK OF TRUTH US $44.99 $39.99 PS4 VALKYRIA REVOLUTION $35.99 $31.99 PS4 VALLEY $11.99 $3.99 PS4 WARHAMMER 40K: DEATHWATCH $29.99 $19.99 PS4 WE ARE THE DWARVES $10.49 $5.99 PS4 YOOKA-LAYLEE $29.99 $19.99 PS4 ZOTRIX $5.99 $1.99 PS3 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 2 $3.24 $1.49 PS3 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 4 $3.24 $1.49 PS3 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 5 $3.24 $1.49 PS3 ALIEN SHOOTER $5.59 $3.19 PS3 DEADPOOL $23.99 $7.99 PS3 DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION THE MISSING LINK $3.59 $1.19 PS3 DON’T STARVE: GIANT EDITION $9.74 $4.49 PS3 LIFE IS STRANGE COMPLETE SEASON $12.99 $5.99 PS3 LIFE IS STRANGE EPISODE 3 $3.24 $1.49 PS3 PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2017 $14.99 $9.99 PS3 SPACE HULK $13.99 $7.99 PS3 THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIII $17.99 $5.99 PS3 TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER 5 $19.79 $9.59 PS3 TRANSFORMERS DEVASTATION $24.79 $9.59 PS3 TRANSFORMERS RISE OF THE DARK SPARK – GOLD EDITION $24.79 $9.59 PSP MYST $7.79 $3.59 PSP STREETKIX $7.79 $3.59 PSP TAC HEROES: BIG RED ONE $7.79 $3.59 PS VITA AMNESIA: MEMORIES $17.99 $5.99 PS VITA ANTIQUIA LOST $12.74 $10.49 PS VITA BARD’S GOLD $3.34 $1.69 PS VITA DARKEST DUNGEON $17.49 $9.99 PS VITA DON’T STARVE: GIANT EDITION $9.74 $4.49 PS VITA MEIQ: LABYRINTH OF DEATH $17.99 $5.99 PS VITA SIRALIM $5.99 $1.99 PS VITA SIRALIM 2 $8.99 $2.99 PS VITA SPACE HULK $13.99 $7.99 PS VITA SPELLSPIRE $6.99 $3.99 PS VITA THE CALIGULA EFFECT $31.99 $23.99 PS VITA UTAWARERUMONO: MASK OF DECEPTION $33.99 $27.99 PS VITA UTAWARERUMONO: MASK OF TRUTH $35.99 $31.99 PS VITA VALKYRIA REVOLUTION $35.99 $31.99 Movies Title Sale Discount PS Plus Sale Discount 10 CLOVERFIELD LN 20% 40% 127 HOURS 25% 50% 22 JUMP STREET 10% 20% A CURE FOR WELLNESS 20% 40% ALIEN 6-FILM COLLECTION 20% 40% ALIEN: COVENANT 20% 40% ALIEN: COVENANT / PROMETHEUS BUNDLE 20% 40% ANNABELLE: CREATION 10% 20% ARRIVAL 20% 40% ASSASSIN’S CREED 20% 40% BAYWATCH 20% 40% CHAPPIE 20% 40% DRAGON BALL Z RESURRECTION F (DUBBED) 25% 50% DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF GODS – UNCUT 25% 50% FURY 10% 20% GHOST IN THE SHELL 20% 40% JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK 20% 40% KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD 25% 50% KONG: SKULL ISLAND 25% 50% LIFE OF PI 25% 50% LOOPER 20% 40% MAZE RUNNER 25% 50% MEN IN BLACK 3 20% 40% OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY 20% 40% ONE PIECE FILM: GOLD 25% 50% PHOENIX FORGOTTEN 20% 40% PINEAPPLE EXPRESS 10% 20% RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE 20% 40% RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION 20% 40% RINGS 20% 40% RUROUNI KENSHIN – PART I: ORIGINS 25% 50% RUROUNI KENSHIN – PART II: KYOTO INFERNO 25% 50% RUROUNI KENSHIN – PART III: THE LEGEND ENDS 25% 50% STAR TREK (2009) 20% 40% STAR TREK BEYOND 20% 40% STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS 20% 40% STEP BROTHERS 10% 20% TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3, THE (2009) 20% 40% THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 10% 20% THE EQUALIZER 10% 20% THE INTERVIEW 10% 20% THE MARTIAN 25% 50% THE OTHER GUYS 20% 40% THE REVENANT 25% 50% TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT 25% 50% XXX: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE 20% 40% Note: All pricing is for U.S. only and subject to change. 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Sledgehammer is bringing a fresh new perspective to its new Nazi Zombies mode that will ship alongside Call of Duty: WWII on November 3. Like its spiritual predecessors, this Zombies experience is cloaked in mystery and mystique. Luckily, Sledgehammer’s Cameron Dayton and Jon Horsley are giving us a peek behind the curtain. The basic premise — a four-player co-op battle against waves of murderous zombies — remains intact, but Sledgehammer is intent on adding its own unique fingerprint to the celebrated co-op series. What most struck me was Sledgehammer’s focus on generating fear in the player. Watch our new video interview to learn more about Sledgehammer’s plans. This week marks the launch of Call of Duty: WWII, and there are a ton of ways to score an exclusive theme, avatars, and other giveaways on live.playstation.com. Visit the site, complete the quests, and you can earn one entry to the PlayStation Store Call of Duty: WWII Sweepstakes, which includes a Call of Duty: WWII DXRacer Gaming Chair, Call of Duty: WWII Strategy Guide Deployment Kit, or FPS FREEK Call of Duty: WWII DS4 accessory. Visit live.playstation.com for full details and rules. View the full article

The recent hurricanes have impacted many lives and destroyed countless communities. Partnering with Feeding America, we invite the PlayStation community in the U.S. to help those impacted through our Natural Disaster Relief page available on PlayStation Store. Your generous purchase will help these communities by providing much needed support, and you will receive a bundle of all-new and exclusive PlayStation Themes to show your support on your PS4 home screen. Our PlayStation community has demonstrated a commitment to helping others in times of need, and your assistance will help those who, at this time, need your support the most. Please join us today by lending a helping hand to those most impacted by the recent natural disasters. All proceeds will be donated to Feeding America relief efforts. View the full article

Welcome to Smash Hit Plunder, the single and multiplayer PlayStation VR game you’ve been waiting for. Allow us to plunge you and your friends straight into a medieval castle that’s yours to explore – or is it? Alas, you were supposed to inherit the castle from your loving Grandma – but it’s been locked down by a ghostly spirit who says you owe him money! Apparently your incompetent ancestors accumulated quite a bit of debt… How to pay him back?! You need to re-mortgage your castle to get it back! It seems like the only option is to loot your very own new home. Use the immersive VR surroundings to gather as much treasure as you can. Smash items, shake expensive-looking pots, and destroy everything you can see – just do all that you can to get your hands on that loot. The more coins you collect, the more of the castle you can unlock! But it’s just not that simple – the ghostly inhabitants of the castle don’t always want you there. How can you stop them? Luckily, you’re not on your own, because Smash Hit Plunder has cooperative local multiplayer! There are two multiplayer modes that let friends help you out via your TV. If you fancy some friendly rivalry instead there are two manic versus multiplayer modes where the TV buddies can take on the VR player – who will win the treasure this time?! So who are we? Triangular Pixels is an independent micro-studio based in Cornwall, UK- we specialise in virtual reality. You might have heard of our BAFTA-nominated hit Unseen Diplomacy – if you haven’t, go try it! We love to create multiplayer games that cross the boundary between a player wearing a VR headset and letting friends in the same room get in on the fun too. Smash Hit Plunder is a perfect way to introduce, for example, your Gran to the exciting world of VR – but still allows more experienced VR players to go for those high scores! With the help of PlayStation’s Strategic Content team, we’ve been working really hard since 2014 to bring this fun game to as many people and with as many spooky dungeons as possible – it’s been a long journey but who doesn’t want to smash up their very own castle? So, let’s get plundering! View the full article

Hi, I’m Jack Attridge, Creative Director at Flavourworks, a digital entertainment studio based in London. We’ve spent years crafting our first title, and now I’m thrilled to work with the team at PlayStation to unveil Erica. Erica is an interactive live-action drama, with no 3D graphics at all. That means you are interacting with a film that has no visible interruptions so it feels utterly cinematic. It has the pace, flow, and production value of a Hollywood movie. The difference in Erica is that you are an active participant, guiding the namesake protagonist in her journey. During the making of Erica, we strove to ensure that anyone would be able to play. With PlayLink, we opened the experience up to touchscreen devices as a controller, making the game even more tactile, allowing you to feel immersed in her story. Erica is all about touching the world – for example, you can delicately wipe a tear from Erica’s cheek, or flip through pages in a book to dig a little deeper into her world. Erica is a young woman dealing with a traumatic childhood experience that continues to haunt her into adulthood. An old family friend contacts Erica believing her memories may be key to identifying a killer on the loose. It’s not long before the killer attempts to contact Erica too. Caught between different versions of the truth, you must decide whom to trust and what to believe. The fact that it is live action means that you can look someone right in the eyes and decide whether you believe them. The performances can be so nuanced and the world’s details so intimate that we knew we wanted to tell this story in live action. All player choices have an impact on the story and in addition, all the physical actions have consequences on how the scene unfolds. Let me give you an example: if you open a door forcefully instead of gently, Erica might attract unwanted attention. In this game, actions are often louder than words. We’ve seen groups of players engage with Erica, and it’s amazing how social the experience can become. The cinematic live action aesthetic draws in new audiences as the story of Erica invites conversation. It was always our dream to make something not only for seasoned gamers, but also loved by their friends and family who have never played a game. To achieve this, we had to rethink the way we approach design in the tiniest of details, and avoid assuming that players know anything about the conventions of games. That’s all from me today – this is just a glimpse into what Erica has in store… we will have much more to share in the coming months! View the full article

Hello, I am Erik Odeldahl, Creative Director at Fast Travel Games. We have just announced our first game for PS VR: Apex Construct, an action/adventure title built from the ground up for VR that we believe will raise the bar when it comes to extensive and engaging VR gaming experiences. It takes place in a shattered but beautiful post-apocalyptic future filled with merciless robots, where two powerful AIs are locked in a drawn-out conflict. As the last remaining human, you’ll explore this world and use your wits and combat skills to survive, while discovering why almost all organic life has become extinct. Apex Construct is played in first-person. You’ll control both hands using your PS Move controllers: You can pick things up, move around freely in the world via seamless teleportation, fight using your upgradable bow and block incoming attacks with your shield while throwing a grenade. The world contains secrets to uncover, which let you level up your equipment in your homebase. From there, you can replay any mission to find secrets you might have missed the first time. Exploration is a big part of Apex Construct, and we’ve tried to create a deep and mysterious world that you want to stay in and marvel at all the hidden details. The action-based gameplay is something we are especially proud of — the bow mechanics are very similar to real life archery and require skill and precision. Sometimes you’ll face multiple enemies at once and will need to move, attack and defend at the same time. You will also find different kind of arrows — some might work better against certain type of enemies, while others can be used to open up secret entrances otherwise not accessible. After working as Design Director for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst at DICE, I founded Fast Travel Games in 2016 together with other industry veterans from studios like Rovio and Avalanche. Together, we embarked on a mission: To create qualitative VR games with true sense of immersion, that you want to continue playing for a long time. We believe we have done exactly this with Apex Construct, a game we have worked on through ups and downs (which can always be expected in creative processes). We’ll beready to share it with you soon, and the team and I are SO excited to hear what you think! View the full article

Eden-Tomorrow is a fantastic journey through an unknown world in virtual reality, taking the player on an odyssey full of wonders and horrors. The idea for Eden-Tomorrow was born when I tried a VR headset for the very first time in 2014. It was one of these rare moments in life where you feel like “that’s it!”. I always dreamed of a medium which beams the player right into the story, right into the action! PlayStation VR gives us the opportunity to take the player out of their daily life and let them dive into a new world. Seeing a foreign world through the eyes of a character is great, but seeing this world through the eyes of two completely different characters is even better: a man and his drone, named Newton. For me, as a passionate video game player, virtual reality is a revelation and a chance to create the game I always wanted to play: Eden-Tomorrow. It is a new, story-driven sci-fi VR game with easily understandable yet challenging gameplay where the player has to prove their skills both in unravelling mysteries and timing. Eden-Tomorrow catapults the player right into the heart of a strange cosmos: frightening creatures, cryptic riddles, abandoned places and the ever-present question: “what happened here?” Over the course of the game the player finds more and more clues to answer this question and what role they and their drone have in all of this. The game was planned for VR from the beginning. It’s a classic sci-fi story with action, thrills and mysteries, featuring two contrasting protagonists why haven’t any recollection of who they are and why they crash-landed on this strange planet. Their only chance to survive is to combine their skills. Our studio set out to make a cinematic adventure that’d offer many haunting moments, bizarre creatures and events, and levels each with their own unique challenge. Everything combines to push the player deeper and deeper into Eden-Tomorrow – a mystery that you’ll have to explore, discover the secrets behind… and survive. View the full article

Hey everyone, My name is Bryan Intihar and I’m the Creative Director for Insomniac Games working on Marvel’s Spider-Man. This past summer was a very exciting time for our studio as E3 and D23 served as great avenues to showcase the unique Spider-Man game universe we’re building. Since then we know you’ve been anxiously awaiting another look at the Web-Slinger, which is why we were thrilled to unveil a new trailer at the PlayStation Media Showcase at Paris Games Week. The trailer includes your first glimpses at the man behind the mask – Peter Parker. We also introduce you to Peter’s very close friend Mary Jane Watson, his beloved Aunt May, his longtime nemesis Wilson Fisk (AKA Kingpin), and much more. As Spider-Man asks at the trailer’s conclusion, “anyone else need a breather?” Well, don’t take a break for too long because there’s a lot to go through here! First off, our 23-year-old Peter finds himself trying to juggle his career and personal life with being a Super Hero. And while he’s more experienced and masterful at fighting crime (including finally taking down the Kingpin), can Peter finally find balance? Or will Spider-Man’s responsibility to protect the city take priority if Kingpin really was the “one who kept order in this city”? In the past, we’ve talked a lot about how the best Spider-Man stories happen when Spider-Man and Peter Parker’s worlds collide. So to understand Peter’s world a bit, players will also play as Peter during parts of the game. Not only that, Mary Jane has a significant role here too. MJ is a smart, savvy reporter with The Daily Bugle and she’s investigating the suspicious activity happening throughout the city. She won’t be just a bystander either, so yes, players will even play as MJ for key moments. MJ, however, isn’t the only intersection between Peter and Spider-Man’s worlds. His own Aunt May is a longtime employee of philanthropist Martin Li at his F.E.A.S.T. shelters. Peter even introduces a young Miles Morales to his aunt as a new shelter volunteer. Unfortunately, Peter makes the terrible discovery that May’s employer is secretly Mister Negative (you can see that moment in our E3 2017 Gameplay Demo). Mister Negative and his Inner Demons’ reign of terror on New York City pose the most serious—and personal—threat that our Spider-Man has faced in his eight years of web-swinging and crime fighting. We couldn’t be more excited to be bringing Spider-Man to PlayStation 4 in 2018. To celebrate the trailer, we are hosting a special livestream this Friday, November 3rd, at 2pm PDT. We’ll be doing a rewind of the trailer, giving away rare development team swag, and answering your questions. If you have something you’d like to ask, we’ll be putting out a call for questions on Twitter and you can tweet us your question. Join us this Friday at www.twitch.tv/insomniacgames. And in the interim – be sure to visit the game’s official page for more details and brand-new screenshots – as well as follow Insomniac Games on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for the latest news and info. View the full article

The Gardens Between is a homage to friendship, the kind from our childhoods that felt so impossibly large, when we made bonds that we thought could never be broken. Arina and Frendt, the two protagonists, are inseparable friends who shape one another markedly as they grow up. They fall into a mysterious world of beautiful garden islands, where cause and effect are malleable. As you follow them on their journey, a story about friendship, childhood and growing up unfolds. In this game, you don’t control the characters; in this game, you control time. I’m Matt, and at The Voxel Agents we’ve been working on this wild game idea for some time. Back in 2011, we had a concept for a game based on that scene in Minority Report where Tom Cruise is scrubbing backwards and forwards within a memory trying to uncover clues. We built several prototypes around the idea, and one of those prototypes blossomed into The Gardens Between. The game follows two best friends, Arina and Frendt, who find themselves in this strange and surreal world of garden islands. As a player, you follow the pair and manipulate time to solve puzzles and uncover the gardens’ secrets. As you control time, moving it backwards and forwards, the characters can manipulate the world around them, changing the flow of cause and effect. One of our driving principles during development was to build a game that anyone can play. We wanted The Gardens Between to have simple controls, to encourage stress-free exploration, and to tell a genuine story without text or dialogue. We strongly believe that games are for everyone, and The Gardens Between fits that perfectly. At its core, the game is about exploring, but unlike most games, where you explore space, in The Gardens Between you explore time. In some ways this is simpler. On a timeline you can only move forwards and backwards, but time travel is full of its own complexities, and that’s where the puzzle elements come in. Building a game where you control time is full of challenges. It’s very hard to separate time and space as concepts – but that is also part of what makes the design (and gameplay!) so exciting. At The Voxel Agents, we’re all about beautiful, simple, crafted experiences — the kinds of games that we played growing up. It’s no coincidence that our game is packed full of 90s childhood nostalgia. We’re super excited to be launching The Gardens Between on PS4 next year, and we can’t wait for everyone to play it. We’ve poured our souls into this, and we think you’re going to absolutely love it! Find out more at thegardensbetween.com or shout out below if you have any questions or comments! View the full article

Hello! I’m Christina McGrath, the Senior Community Manager over at Codemasters – and I’m super excited because it’s finally time to start talking about our new title: Onrush. Just in case you missed our announcement trailer at Paris Games Week – or even if you just fancy another look – you can watch it above. Now you’ve seen that, I imagine you might want to know a bit more about our awesome new arcade racer coming summer 2018 – so without any further ado, here are the need-to-know facts! We’re bringing back the magic of arcade racing It’s been too long since there was an awesome, all-out arcade racing game! It’s great that there’s so much choice for those of you who love choosing tyres and tweaking set-ups, but what happened to the love for physics-defying, fast-paced, all-action racing? Onrush is a brand new game that celebrates everything you loved about the iconic arcade titles of yesteryear, but in a visually stunning, phenomenally fun and fresh take on what it means to race. Onrush is a contact sport You don’t get any penalties for hitting competitors in Onrush – you get rewarded! Onrush isn’t just about fighting for the win; it’s about racing with style and flair, earning boost from pulling daring stunts and powering up your RUSH bar by taking huge risks (more on that later). Whether you’re performing ridiculously audacious barrel rolls or slamming down from above to takedown a rival, the focus is always on doing something spectacular. The ultimate rush Onrush is all about thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping, grin-inducing fun. To those of you familiar with the arcade racing genre, the concept of ‘Boost’ won’t be a new one – but we’re bringing something new to the party: RUSH. What’s RUSH, we hear you cry? Well, it’s an injection of explosive speed and unstoppable force that always packs the possibility of being your best moment in the game. RUSH is the ultimate manifestation of power and speed, and when used at the right moment can wreak absolute havoc on the competition. There’s so much more to come Since the incredibly talented team formerly known as Evolution Studios joined Codemasters, they’ve been quietly getting their heads down and working on Onrush. Now that it’s time to talk, we want to say a huge thank you for everyone’s support. You’ve been asking us so many questions that we haven’t been able to answer – but now the time has arrived, we’re so happy to finally share with you what we’ve been working on. Head over to www.onrushgame.com to stay in the loop with the latest news. Oh, and one last piece of advice? Get ready for the rush! View the full article

Hello again, PlayStation Nation! We’re at Paris Games Week to talk about the next destination on your journey. If you saw the livestream, you know that we just revealed ‘Curse of Osiris,’ the first Expansion to Destiny 2. If you missed it, check out the trailer above for the next story we’re telling with your Guardian as the hero. ‘Curse of Osiris’ sends you back to the stars to solve a new mystery. The Vex are on the march, and our only hope to stop them may lie with Osiris, the notorious heretic and most powerful Warlock in the history of the Last City. On your quest to find him, you’ll meet new characters, explore new places, tackle new challenges, and earn some sweet new loot. Here on the convention floor in Paris, the first wave of Guardians will face each other in battle on a brand new Crucible map that you’ll find only on PlayStation. After the show is over, we’ll make our way home and continue the conversation in a series of three livestreams that will reveal more about the mysteries that await. We’re just getting started. We hope you’ll join us for this exciting new story. -DeeJ View the full article

Monster Hunter: World is rapidly approaching its release, and we’re bringing you a taste of the thrill of the hunt even sooner with our online Beta for PS4 coming up in December, exclusively for PlayStation Plus users! From December 9 to December 12, you and up to three friends can start getting your feet wet in the dangerous locales of the new world. In this Beta, you’ll be tasked with hunting a Great Jagras and an Anjanath in the Ancient Forest, and a Barroth in the Wildspire Waste. While these are your main quest targets, be on the lookout for other deadly monsters roaming each ecosystem. Aside from your robust arsenal of 14 unique weapon types, we’re also equipping you with a variety of new Mantles to try out, a full stock of healing, buffing and trapping items, and one of the most powerful tools introduced in Monster Hunter: World — the environment itself! As you explore each unique location, take a moment to note entangled vines, rock formations and even water leaks, as these may be clues for potential natural traps you can use in your hunt. Speaking of expert hunting tactics, we are very proud to reveal a special collaboration with Horizon Zero Dawn, which will bring Aloy’s bow and armor into Monster Hunter: World! This hunter armor set, along with machine-themed armor for your Felyne Palico will be available for free and only on PlayStation 4, though you’ll have to prove your worth by completing a unique Event Quest and gathering the required resources. We’ll have more info on this exclusive content soon. In the meantime, take a look at this gear in motion, along with a brand new ecosystem and its deadly inhabitants in the Rotten Vale trailer at the top of this post. Monster Hunter: World will be available on PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro on January 26, 2018, and you can already pre-order the Digital Deluxe edition to get an exclusive Dynamic Theme and Weapon Icon avatars for your PlayStation 4, as well as the Samurai Set and Origin Set of armor for your hunter. We’ll look forward to hunting with you online in the Beta this December! View the full article