Commander Fury

We’ve put you in the pilot’s seat for the ride of a lifetime as you’re launched into space with cutting edge visuals and silky smooth controls. There’s no pre-flight checklist, no fuel tanks to fill — only instant adrenaline as you full throttle into battle, line up your first target, and squeeze the trigger. Since March 2016 we’ve been refining and updating our combat to make it as intuitive, comfortable, and edge-of-your-seat thrilling as possible. We’ve learned a lot about what works (and what doesn’t) in VR. We’ve balanced and tuned our ships and abilities with help from a very active community of players. As part of that process we’ve helped to define some of VR best practices that are ensuring a deeper immersion and greater sense of presence. The whole team here at CCP Newcastle are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the PlayStation community. As gamers, we can’t wait to welcome you to our virtual worlds. Here’s a very brief overview of what you can expect to see when you take that giant leap into the future… Chronicles (Single Player)These are an interactive archive of virtual memories reconstructed from the clone data of fallen pilots. Chronicles can be summarized into four gameplay categories: Recall memories are narrative missions that provide some of the backstory to the events before and during the current Valkyrie timeline. They also introduce new players to the features and gameplay they will be experiencing during multiplayer combat. Scout mode allows you to freely explore any of our game maps without fear of attack from the enemy. While cruising around you’ll be able to locate and listen to Echoes, which provide more backstory and Valkyrie lore. We’ve also hidden some Salvage containers within the maps. If you find one, shoot it and scoop the loot! Survival mode pits you against increasing waves of enemy AI to set a high score as you practice against a range of ship classes and squad combinations. It comes in two selectable levels of intensity: Novice and Pro, and is available on all our game maps. Training modules are also available to help you brush up on your flight skills. Race through obstacle courses, try out the different ship class abilities, or put any of your ships through its paces in our AI filled Test Arena. Multiplayer CombatTeam based multiplayer shooting is the beating heart of the Valkyrie experience. It’s here that you will earn XP, increase your pilot’s Rank, and gain access to a wider range of ships and upgrades. You can fly solo, or form a squad with up to five players to properly coordinate your attacks. You can also play in co-op mode and face off against AI pilots that are match-made to complement your skills. There are three core ship classes in Valkyrie: Fighter (assault), Heavy (tank), and Support (healer). Each class has its own progression and class specific XP. As you earn XP in a particular class it will unlock new ships and upgrades for you to craft. Crafting uses Silver — an in-game currency given as a reward after each battle, and Salvage — materials that are collected from destroyed enemies during a battle. At the end of a battle the total salvage accumulated by the team is shared between all players on the team. Coordinating attacks and objectives within a balanced team is the key to success. There are no end-game ships that will give you significant advantage. The ships, upgrades, and abilities are all tuned to offer tactical choice and variety over firepower alone. There are three main multiplayer game modes: Team Deathmatch is dogfighting in its purest form. The objective is simple — wipe out the opposing teams’ clone resources by raking up the kills! Control is an objective-based game mode in which teams fight for dominance over three capture points. To scoop a point, players must deploy a drone near the objective, leaving them free to continue fighting and defending. Carrier Assault is an epic game of base attack/defend. Teams fight to gain control of three objectives. If two out of three objectives are completed, the shield defences on their opponents Carrier will be disabled for a short period of time. With the shields down, the attacking team must destroy the Carrier’s cooling nodes. If these nodes are all demolished the Carrier’s core will be exposed and the attackers must rush into the trench at the center of the mothership to deliver the killing blow. Stand back for an explosive finale! It was always our intention to build Eve: Valkyrie from solid foundations. You join us on this journey — with the launch of PlayStation VR, console gaming will take a giant leap forward into a brand new and exciting paradigm. Games as we know it are evolving. At CCP, we’re all incredibly excited to be a part of that story, both as creators and as players. So light your engines and prep for lift off… it’s time to go into battle. Or as the Valkyrie say — “fly together, die together!†View the full article

We at Phosphor are huge fans of survival horror, going back to the original Resident Evil and Silent Hill games on Playstation. Virtual reality seemed like the perfect medium to express the sense of terror and helplessness you feel in the best moments of survival horror games! There really is no comparable feeling to having to literally look up at a monster that is twice your height, which is something traditional screen games could never make you feel. We thought this kind of terror would be a very memorable first experience for many people in VR, and the countless videos of players screaming in fear and fun as they played the Brookhaven Experiment demo proved us right! Of course, VR as a new medium presented us with a number of challenges to solve in making a fun and immersive survival horror game. Strip It DownThe Brookhaven Experiment came out of a number of different prototypes and demos that various Phosphor developers were working on late last year. We tried different styles of gameplay, various kinds of interaction, and what came out of that was a demo for a very immersive monster shooter that grabbed everyone that tried it. Once we had this, the first thing we asked ourselves was: what is the purest full-game version of this demo experience? This lead to two other questions: What is the essence of a compelling survival horror experience? Given the newness of the medium, what VR problems do we not want to try solving? The answers to these questions helped shape the direction of The Brookhaven Experiment. Combining the helplessness of not being able to run from the enemies, the worry of limited ammo, the terror of the darkness, and the awesome feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when a photorealistic drooling mutant is looming over you turned out to be the crux of the game, and so we opted not to try and make it any more complex than it needed to be. You start the game feeling helpless and afraid, and as you get better with the realistic shooting, you start to feel more powerful… but always watch your back! New LessonsWhen it comes to satisfying and immersive gameplay, VR comes with a whole new rulebook that we had to learn very quickly. We decided early on that the player camera for our game should be entirely controlled by the head-mounted display, so as to eliminate disconnect and not disturb immersion. This is now a common choice for VR games, but it does put limits on the bag of tricks we developers have come up with over the years in terms of player animation and camera effects communicating important information to the player. Having a true first-person experience also meant that a lot of fancy graphical tricks we’d grown accustomed to that make games look like high-end movies, like lens flare, bloom and motion blur, had to be disabled — not only for performance, but because they’re things you don’t see with your eyes. Screen games can feel like watching a great movie, but VR games are about feeling like you are in the character. Along these lines, we discovered that the perspective on virtual objects around you is totally different than on a flat screen, and suddenly even more important. Tiny imperfections in the environment details like scale of objects, resolution of textures, etc., become extremely noticeable when you are perceiving these elements as though you were really in the room with them. Although we did some very interesting prototypes of inventory management, in the end we decided to keep our inventory as simple as possible so we could focus on the real core of our experience: shooting, explosions, and cool monsters scaring the heck out of you! In the final version of the game, inventory management, including choice of gun, attachments, buffs, and throwables, is done between waves. We decided to use the gun as the primary UI controller, since it’s already the primary game tool, so making UI choices is as simple as shooting at options. The limitation of only being able to change your loadout between waves means you have to plan carefully and think about what you choose — exactly the kind of tough decision making we wanted in a survival horror experience. Our ExperimentWhen we showed off our demo at GDC and SXSW, people were lined up all day to play it. Soon, videos of people playing our game started going viral: people so scared they tried to run out of the room with their headsets still on, or cowering on the floor in abject fear. Our original hunch was that a simple, polished, and fun experience, combining fear of the dark with truly scary monsters would be an unforgettable first virtual reality experience. We turned out to be right, and we are excited for all the soon-to-be PSVR owners out there to have this experience and share it with their friends and family! And when you do get everyone trying The Brookhaven Experiment, be sure you grab your phone and record them playing… that will be a vid worth sharing. View the full article

My name is Darren Gladstone here at 2K and I’m here to ask you a question: “Is a game developer not entitled to the sweat of his brow?†Sorry, couldn’t resist. Sometimes it’s necessary to go back to the drawing board. You may not realize all of the restarts that happened before BioShock as you know it got off the ground. Or the thoughts that came out of focus groups playing early builds of the game. Those are the sorts of insights you’ll get from watching “Imagining BioShock.†PlayStation.Blog’s own Sid Shuman recently came by the 2K offices to check out our remastered take on Rapture in the upcoming BioShock: The Collection. One thing we didn’t go into is the “Imagining BioShock†documentary series that you will only be able to watch by playing the game. Here’s how it works: You’ll make your way through Rapture in the remastered version of the first BioShock game, hunting for Golden Reels. As you find them, you’ll unlock episodes of this never-before-seen video series. You’ll sit down for some insightful conversations with BioShock Creative Director Ken Levine and Lead Animator Shawn Robertson. One clip, for example, sheds light on how the focus groups for BioShock affected some of its development before the game came out. Enjoy revisiting Columbia and a remastered Rapture when BioShock: The Collection comes to PlayStation 4 on September 13! View the full article

Grab your Omni-directional Mobility Gear — the global phenomenon Attack on Titan is coming to PlayStation! Based on the critically-acclaimed anime series, Attack on Titan pits players against the menacing Titans and their unending hunger for humans. Suit up and swing into battle for death-defying acrobatics, stylish swordplay, and the constant threat of being Titan brunch. If you haven’t seen the anime or read the manga, friendly reminder: this story is not for the faint of heart! For a closer look at the absolutely massive new games lineup coming to PlayStation this week, read on. And enjoy the Drop! New Releases: August 30, 2016 Assault Suit Leynos PS4 — Retail A classic reawakens. Assault Suit Leynos is back and in high definition! Get ready for all-out robotic war as the fan-favorite Genesis classic is reworked with all new HD visuals for the ultimate alien-blasting experience! Assetto Corsa PS4 — Digital, Retail This is not just a game. This is sim racing. In collaboration with the most prestigious car manufacturers, Assetto Corsa ups the simulation stakes with a focus on pure driving realism, with pin-point accuracy across every aspect of the game. Includes legendary laser scanned tracks and official data augmented car physics. Attack on Titan PS4, PS3, PS Vita — Digital, Retail The international hit anime Attack on Titan is coming to PlayStation! Battle is joined between the man-eating Titans and Eren and his companions. Experience the illusion of being in the anime, and controlling the flow of the story. Prepare for battle! Batman — The Telltale Series: Episode 1 PS3 — Digital Enter the fractured psyche of Bruce Wayne and discover the powerful and far-reaching consequences of your choices as the Dark Knight. In this gritty and violent new story from the award-winning creators of The Walking Dead, you’ll make discoveries that will shatter Bruce Wayne’s world and the already fragile stability of a corrupt Gotham City. Bears Can’t Drift!? PS4 — Digital Put your paw to the floor and power slide between the pines as you face-off against up to three friends in multiplayer split screen. Includes twelve tracks spread across three worlds and three game modes with up to eleven computer-controlled opponents. Bears Can’t Drift!? is retro karting action with a modern look and feel. Binaries PS4 — Digital Test your skills and reflexes as you simultaneously guide two lovable(?) balls through more than 100 controller-smashingly tough platform challenges. Control both at exactly the same time as you try to avoid the death and danger that awaits their every move. And there are jokes. Claire: Extended Cut PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross Buy) While visiting her sick mother, Claire takes a wrong turn and stumbles into a dark passage of echoing doors and abandoned rooms. Lost, and attempting to find her way back, Claire encounters an over-protective dog and a few denizens who are seemingly uninterested in Claire’s plight. Did they block the doors and windows to keep something out, or is a malevolent force stopping Claire from leaving? The Final Station PS4 — Digital Travel by train through a dying world. Look after your passengers, keep your train operational, and make sure you can always reach the next station. Make your way through swarms of infected at each stop. Explore mysterious and abandoned stations looking for supplies and survivors. Four Sided Fantasy PS4 — Digital Four Sided Fantasy is a game about pushing the limits of your screen, where you can wrap from one side of the screen to the other. Discover a strange world where a man and woman journey through four seasons in a year, constantly separated by the boundaries of the screen. God Eater 2: Rage Burst PS4, PS Vita — Digital (PS4 at Retail) Three years after the events of God Eater: Resurrection, a mysterious red rain sparks a fatal pandemic called the Black Plague. With no established cure, this scourge has a mortality rate of 100% once infected. Take control of the newest recruit as you master incredible weaponry, challenge enormous monsters, and cooperate with an iconic cast of characters fighting for humanity in God Eater 2: Rage Burst. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X PS4, PS Vita — Digital, Retail Hatsune Miku is back and bigger than ever in the upcoming rhythm game, Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X. Project Diva X is driven forward through a narrative which centers on Miku and her friends undertaking various requests as they explore the five Clouds that make up their world. Project Diva X has 30 songs and nearly 300 modules! Hue PS4 — Digital Hue is a vibrant, award-winning puzzle-platformer where you alter the world by changing its background color. You explore a dangerous grey land, unearthing colored fragments on a journey to find your missing mother. As obstacles match the background, they disappear, creating new and exciting puzzles full of peril, mystery, and colors unseen. Livelock PS4 — Digital Livelock is a cooperative top-down shooter where you play solo or with up to two allies to break the cycle of infinite war between machines. As one of the remaining Capital Intellects, your role is to unlock Eden and revive humanity. Nebulous PS4 — Digital Nebulous is a physics-based puzzle game where you must help guide Commander Dash Johnson, a trapped astronaut, through maze-like levels, seeking the next wormhole to his eventual freedom. Arrange the pieces of the puzzle so that when he falls, gravity and momentum guide him safely (and probably painfully) to the end. One Way Trip PS4 — Digital After an attack on the water supply leaves much of the nation poisoned, you and your brother have six hours left to live, during which you will hallucinate as you die. How will you spend your final hours? Will you stay at home, rest, introspect? Or throw caution to the wind and chase wild rumors of a cure? What happens next depends on your choices. Resident Evil 4 PS4 — Digital, Retail Resident Evil 4 arrives on PS4 in full HD with an increased frame rate. This revolutionary masterpiece represented a turning point for the series as it brought the gameplay to a third-person over-the-shoulder perspective for the first time. Featuring a thrilling storyline taking place after the destruction of Umbrella Corporation, Resident Evil 4 not only changed the course of Resident Evil, but influenced countless other titles as well. RocketsRocketsRockets PS4 — Digital RocketsRocketsRockets is a game where you fly rockets that rocket rockets at other rockets! The ultimate rush of arcade arena action, with the fluidity and amazing feel of soaring through space. Space Hulk PS4 — Digital Space Hulk is a turn-based strategy game that recreates the classic claustrophobic board game experience for single-player and multiplayer. Space Hulk is set in the isolated corridors and tomb-like chambers of an ancient vessel lost in the graveyard of space. Players lead a small army of fearless Space Marine Terminators to battle in a ferocious fight for survival against hordes of predatory alien Genestealers. Star Hammer: The Vanguard Prophecy PS4 — Digital (Out 9/1) Star Hammer: The Vanguard Prophecy is a game of 3D tactical space battles. Play your part in the Second Contact War in a campaign with a branching story and more than 60 missions, or create your own scenarios in skirmish mode battles. Give your orders, and watch the results in explosive real-time. Strike Vector Ex PS4 — Digital Strike Vector EX is a competitive first-person aerial-combat game that satisfies every gamer’s dream of waging dizzying dogfights with super-powered aircraft. Bursting with mech-inspired ships, Ragequit’s game brings a story-based single-player campaign to consoles complete with characters, cutscenes, and deadly AI. Verdun PS4 — Digital Verdun is the first multiplayer FPS set in a realistic First World War setting. The merciless trench warfare offers a unique battlefield experience, immersing you and your squad into intense battles of attack and defense. Verdun takes place on the western front between 1914 and 1918, in one of the bloodiest conflicts in world history. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail Become a monster slayer for hire and embark on an epic journey to track down the child of prophecy, a living weapon capable of untold destruction. The Complete Edition includes The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, all 16 DLC packs, and two Expansion Packs: Hearts of Stone & Blood and Wine. K Camp – Lyric Ave A Day To Remember – Bad Vibrations Devin Townsend Project – Transcendence Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Captain America: Civil War (Available 9/2) The Conjuring 2 2016 MTV Video Music Awards- August 28 at 9/8c (MTV) The Strain- August 28 at 10/9c (FX) You’re the Worst- August 31 at 10/9c (FX) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Since getting PlayStation Vue, I’ve been a lot more interested in catching up on new shows. From time to time, I’m going to check in with the creators of some of my favorite shows here on PlayStation.Blog — starting with The Strain, an unusual take on the vampire mythos created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan that was one of my favorites in 2015. To mark this Sunday’s season three premiere, I spoke with Chuck Hogan, co-creator, to learn more about the show’s origins and where we’re headed in season three. Enjoy! PlayStation.Blog: What inspired the original concept of a worldwide vampire apocalypse? Chuck Hogan: It was Guillermo’s original vision. We started working on this in 2006, before the “Twilight†phenomenon and the current apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic trend. We wanted to set a story against the potential fall of humanity. PSB: And the vampires themselves — or strigoi — couldn’t be further from the debonair depictions stretching back to Dracula. What sparked that concept? CH: Again, this was Guillermo’s original concept, and the one that excited me the most. We’ve taken the vampire myth back to its pre-Dracula origins. These are brutal, nasty creatures that live in the dirt. PSB: The Strain began as a series of novels — but I was surprised to learn that it was originally intended as a TV series all along? CH: Guillermo originally pitched it as a show, but the networks in the mid-2000’s didn’t get it at all. He decided to do it the way he wanted to, and we met and started working together. The novel version has evolved quite a bit due to many factors, primarily because television is a completely different medium. The books are there for us to borrow from, but not to follow. PSB: Did you encounter any difficulties in adapting from the page to the screen? CH: Creative challenges occur daily, but few are major or require capitulation. We have terrific partners in FX. I feel that any problems we’ve encountered in the storytelling have been turned into opportunities. PSB: At the end of season two, the situation was looking dire — where will Season 3 take us? CH: Those shockwaves continue to be felt across the season. We pick up about two weeks later, as the plague is deeply entrenched in New York City. It’s now-or-never time for our heroes. PSB: Do you play games? What do you think of them as an emerging narrative medium? CH: I wish I had more time to play. Uncharted 4 is sitting next to my PS4, just waiting for me to dive in. PSB: del Toro has a lot of interest in games. I’m curious if you’re interested in working in the gaming medium? CH: I’m interested in storytelling at every level, having written novels, TV shows, and movies. I would love to add videogames to that list. I’m adapting one for film now, and the process has definitely got me thinking in terms of game story. Season 3 of The Strain premieres August 28 on FX. Watch on PlayStation Vue this Sunday starting at 10/9c. The Strain Season Pass is available now at PlayStation Store — own every episode the day after it airs. View the full article

We’re excited to announce that Claire: Extended Cut is coming to PS4 and PS Vita (cross buy) on Tuesday, August 30. Two years in the making, our small team has put in countless hours and extra love into the Extended Cut on PlayStation. The most exciting feature is our upgraded engine and ability to pull in dynamic lighting and real-time shadows into this retro-styled game. We’ve created an amalgam of old-world pixel art techniques with new-world technology. The game’s been overhauled with false depth and 3D objects to create a 2.5D result. The world is alive and moving, Claire’s not just being chased by shadow creatures, but by her own shadow and everything around her! Extended Cut is a lot closer to our original vision of what Claire could be. While the environment of Claire is dark, brooding, and somewhat sarcastic, we didn’t want to make the standard grungy, grey, bloody type of horror game. We really wanted to balance horror with a bit of beauty. Those moments of respite where Claire can relax for a few minutes before reality kicks back in again. If you’re unfamiliar with Claire, it’s about a teenage girl struggling to make her way through high school because of her constant nightmares and dreamscape. Failing out of school and trying to take care of her sick mother, the stress gets to her. As she tries to hold it all together, the past, the present, and something else entirely mesh together. Claire constantly shifts to and from her younger self, reliving moments without realizing anything’s changed. But Claire’s not alone in the darkness — she’s accompanied by a dog wandering the grounds, and a few other people that could use assistance as well. It’s up to the player to put the pieces together. Extended Cut goes a little deeper into Claire’s history, bringing up more questions and more answers. We hope PlayStation gamers love playing it as much as we loved making it! View the full article

Greetings from Qurare! The long awaited card battle RPG is coming to PS4 as a free-to-play game on September 6. Explore the world of Qurare, full of gorgeous illustrations, catchy background music, and tons of stories! Download now and get a free, limited Qurare theme for PS4. Qurare: Magic Library is one of the most successful card battle RPGs on mobile platforms in Korea. Along with stunning gameplay that really sticks with you, many popular artists contributed to the game’s huge success with their top quality illustrations. Feast your eyes on a rich variety of dazzling card illustrations in Qurare: Magic Library. You’ll find yourself immersed in the vast sea of stories that span multiple dimensions, enjoying exciting adventures with charming librarians, and much more. The story so far: the Library of Babel held all known information in the world. One day, it exploded for reasons unknown. The Kodices stored in it were scattered throughout the dimensions. Three librarians have gathered in the Qurare Magic Library to rebuild the Library of Babel. And they need your help. Qurare: Magic Library is a unique RPG that will blow your mind! See you in the Magic Library! View the full article

Blast off to the year 1959B! Set your video terminals to AMAZEMENT! (channel 3 on VHF) Jazzpunk: Director’s Cut, first developed by allied gaming scientists during the Great Transistor War, is the only first-person comedy adventure game that stays crunchy in milk, dry in martinis, and removes those stubborn grease stains from pets and carpets alike. A marvel of technology by any stretch of the canine imagination! Here at Necrophone Games, we’ve been toiling away in the workshop- tinkering, honing, spit-polishing, spitting, play-testing, bug-playing, and player-bugging, all in an attempt to iron-out the kinks in our Warez. For a two-person team it’s been a long road, but the time is nearly upon us to share our latest work with the outside Worldtrix. Let’s be honest, we’ve always been a bit leery about giving away too much info as to what our new content may entail. After all, jokes only work if you don’t know they’re coming. BUT! Suffice to say, our Jokes-Per-Minute meter is at an all time high! Some of the new content was resurrected from our faithful cutting-room floor, while others tidbits were decompressed fresh, straight out of our Brain.zip files! In either case, by distilling reams of precious User Data we’ve been able to strategically shoe-horn in the smattering of new content we’d always dreamed of– but didn’t know was scientifically plausible! Another component of Jazzpunk: Director’s Cut that we really wanted to finesse was its couch-friendliness. It’s been clear for a long time that the subjects in our Test-u-Boratory best enjoyed our game whilst Jazzpunking™ along with a friend or two (or three?!). Laughs are often amplified with a co-pilot pointing out details, double-entendres, or catching obscure references. So to Up The Auntie of friendship, we’ve developed a top secret Wedding-themed deathmatch mode, with split-screen support of up to four friend (or enemies, gerbils, etc). It includes a generous helping of unlockable characters from the single player campaign, along with a variety of Honey Moon Destinations (ie: Deathmatch Maps). A gaggle of bizarre gadgets and deadly marital aids will help you tie the matrimonial noose with your friends! We’re hoping you do the right thing this holiday season and vote Jazzpunk: Director’s Cut for captain of the cheerleader squad. Thanks to all those who have helped us get this release out into the wild! Here’s some more ad-copy to fill-out this paragraph length, such that we appear more professional. Save the date! Jazzpunk: Director’s Cut is coming to PlayStation Store September 20th for PlayStation 4. Suppository and Eye Drop forms delayed until 2045. We now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast: S.S. Horsemanship V: Saddle Down, You Foals! View the full article

Are you ready for some football? We are! Starting today, NFL Network will launch nationwide on PlayStation Vue, so you can access NFL coverage 24/7 using PlayStation Vue’s unique streaming features. Also starting today, users who subscribe to a PlayStation Vue plan that includes NFL Network can also subscribe to NFL RedZone. Available as part of PlayStation Vue’s Core and Elite plans, NFL Network provides coverage straight from the field, team headquarters, league offices, and everywhere the NFL is making news. Fans can watch NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football games, popular shows, wall-to-wall news and fantasy coverage from NFL and more. Users who subscribe to PlayStation Vue’s Core or Elite plans will have the option to sign up for NFL RedZone as an add-on for $39.99 for the entire regular season games. Every Sunday afternoon, the NFL RedZone channel brings fans every touchdown and all the big moments from every game across the NFL. Produced by NFL Network, NFL RedZone cuts from stadium to stadium and delivers the most exciting plays as they happen, live and in high definition. Sign up begins today, so go ahead and lock in your subscription before NFL RedZone coverage starts on September 11. Coming soon, users with a Core or Elite plan will also have access to watch NFL Network via NFL.com, the NFL app available across TV-connected devices, and via NFL Mobile at no extra cost. Core and Elite includes many of the most popular networks available on television today. Core: Starting at $34.99 monthly ($44.99 monthly in cities with major live local broadcast stations*), Core provides 70+ channels, including live national and regional sports networks, along with all the live cable TV, movies, and sports channels from the Access plan. Elite: Starting at $44.99 monthly ($54.99 monthly in cities with major live broadcast stations*), Elite offers 100+ channels, including all the channels from Core, plus top movie and entertainment channels. Remember, you can simultaneously stream content from PlayStation Vue on multiple devices, including PS4, PS3, Amazon Fire TV devices, Roku devices, iOS and Android mobile devices. You can also access the service via Google Chromecast with a compatible iOS or Android device. PlayStation Vue’s cloud-based DVR also allows you to easily record multiple games at once for viewing later. For more information, visit www.psvue.com. So tell us, which NFL team are you rooting for? *Cities with major live local broadcast stations: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, and Miami View the full article

After more than a year of demoing I’d say that seeing people play Battlezone — many of whom have never experienced PlayStation VR before — is the best feeling. We love seeing the “wow†smile on players’ faces as they enter the cockpit and take in the scale of Battlezone’s cyberworld. That never gets old! Well, after last week’s news the whole studio has a big smile on its face, because we revealed that PlayStation will be partnering with Rebellion to publish Battlezone on PlayStation VR. It’s a huge honor, and their help throughout development has been invaluable, so we’re delighted. Particularly because it means boxed copies of Battlezone will be available in retail games stores! When PlayStation VR launches this October, Battlezone will be one of the limited number of games available to buy both physically and digitally, and our thanks go out to everyone at PlayStation for making that happen. To celebrate the news, we’ve got a brand new trailer for Battlezone to get you in the mood for October. And, well, there’s an ulterior motive… If you watch closely, you’ll see a ton of things we’ve never shown before. Like the tanks in Battlezone, there’s a lot more going on underneath the hood of our game! Because as much as Battlezone will make you go “wow,†we’ve always said it’s a game at its core, not just an experience. We’ve still got a fair bit to reveal before October, but to give you a taste of what’s to come, here are five secrets from our latest trailer. 1.) New Enemies Bring New Challenges Battlezone features a diverse roster of mechanized adversaries, from the iconic Heavy Tanks to the shoal-like flying Swarms and the smaller, nimble Scout, which packs a nasty rapid-fire laser machine gun. And did you spot the cameo by the Minelayer? Some of our enemies have some clever tricks up their sleeve — this isn’t your grandfather’s Battlezone! 2.) Your Tank Is Your Castle If you watch the trailer closely, you’ll spot a number of different chassis appearing beyond the bounds of your cockpit. We haven’t talked much about it yet, but you’ll have worked it out by now; yes, you can drive different tanks! Not only do they feature varied, customizable load-outs, but they also have different attributes: some tanks are more heavily armored, others speedier or more maneuverable. You’ll find some tanks better suit your play style or particular missions, so we encourage you to experiment! 3.) Bring Lots of Guns to a Gunfight Until now we’ve only shown you using one or two weapons. But the eagle-eyed among you will see that’s no longer the case. Our arsenal has been designed to befit the super tanks that carries it! Look out for the devastating multi-lock-on launcher and booming artillery gun — they’re just a taste of the many weapons in Battlezone. And as you progress through our procedurally generated campaign, you’ll earn credits that you can use to upgrade them. 4.) Purple Haze In addition to regular weapons, your Cobra tank can also deploy what we call “special equipment.†There are plenty of these in Battlezone, offering everything from area of effect attacks to helpful buffs… You may have seen the EMP in a previous trailer, which takes out all nearby enemies with an electrical pulse attack. In this trailer, we feature the purple-glowing “Rot†special item, which gradually corrodes any enemies caught in its radius. Like regular weapons, special equipment can be upgraded too and we’ll have more to reveal soon. 5.) “Destroy the Shield Generators!†Okay, you probably spotted this one from the rather explosive end to the trailer! As you progress through the game’s campaign, you must choose “hexes†from your map to explore — each hex represents a mission, location, or event. Some hexes offer special missions that have a huge tactical impact in the long run, but the trade off is they might be harder or require a riskier approach. Players have to consider their whole campaign strategy, not just the moment-to-moment first-person shooting. For now, we’ll let you speculate about the role of the Shield Generators and how taking them down might help or hinder you in combat later in the game… In the meantime, keep an eye on PlayStation.Blog for more from us, and for every last bit of Battlezone news, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. And thank you so much for all your great support so far! We’re so excited to be developing for PlayStation VR, and we can’t wait to show you Battlezone in all its glory on October 13. Not long to go! View the full article

Hello everyone, my name is Joe Thwaites and I’m the composer for PlayStation VR Worlds. The audio team has just finished doing the final mix of the game and it’s sounding amazing! I’ve been working with PlayStation VR for nearly three years now and it’s been a lot of fun. Virtual reality is a really exciting new medium, and as a composer it’s thrown up all kinds of interesting opportunities that haven’t been possible in the past. VR gives access to a whole new dimension of immersion, but also challenges some of the approaches we take for granted in traditional game development. When we first started making PlayStation VR Worlds there were lots of discussions about the importance of simulating the real world and that threw up concerns about the relevance of non-diegetic (off-screen) music. But as it turned out, we needn’t have worried. Virtual reality is a powerful medium to create immersive experiences that come in many different forms. Abstract worlds can be equally as convincing as more realistic 3D environments. The player will suspend their disbelief and become immersed in a game as long as the content being delivered is both audibly and visually consistent and presented in a believable way. Writing the music for PlayStation VR Worlds has probably been one of the most difficult and fun projects I’ve worked on to date. At the start of the game development I spent a lot of time with the Creative Director Russ Harding and Audio Lead Joanna Orland working on a style guide that would encapsulate the vision of the project. The game features five very different experiences, from controlling a gangster in London’s East End, to playing the futuristic face-paddle sport Danger Ball. At the beginning of the project, this seemed like a gargantuan task! The biggest challenge was creating distinct styles that complimented each experience whilst also maintaining a consistency that brought everything together as a whole package. Among other things, one key element in achieving this was to use a single theme throughout. This gave a sense of togetherness by musically linking all the experiences even though each of them use very different sound pallets. Here are a few things that you can look forward to hearing when you play the game: Ocean Descent uses a combination of synthetic and orchestral colors to create a sense of awe and excitement as you descend through the underwater environment. Listen out for the jellyfish that play binaurally positioned tones when you look at them! Electronic tones are used to create an arcadey feel of Danger Ball; they’re also used to help build a sense of tension as you score more points. Scavenger’s Odyssey is a full-blown orchestral epic, using Wagner tubas and a big string section to capture both the alien nature of the environment and the drama of the combat. VR Luge is primarily percussion, bringing out the raw adrenaline of the sport as you speed down the mountain dodging between cars. The faster you go the more percussion you hear! The hub brings everything together, with elements of each experience adding to the mix as you scroll through the games. After demos of each track in the game were created, the immensely talented orchestrator Jim Fowler turned them into scores to be performed at Air Studios London. Using world-class musicians we spent four days recording with a 60-piece orchestra and a four-piece punk band. Enjoy! View the full article

Hello, PlayStation.Blog! Corey here from Klei Entertainment with some exciting news. We are extremely happy to announce that Don’t Starve Together is coming to PS4 on September 13 along with a brand new bundle, the Don’t Starve Mega Pack, which will be 60% off for players who already own the original Don’t Starve! Since the launch of the classic single-player Don’t Starve on PS4, we’ve gone on to release two expansions, various themes, and now the multiplayer focused Don’t Starve Together. The Mega Pack will include the entire current Don’t Starve PS4 catalogue in one snazzy bundle full of survival and savings. The Mega Pack includes: Don’t Starve Together: Console Edition Don’t Starve: Console Edition Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked Don’t Starve: Reign of Giants Don’t Starve: Console Edition: Shipwrecked Theme Don’t Starve: Console Edition: Autumn Theme On September 13, PS4 fans will be able to get everything shown in the list above via the the Don’t Starve: Mega Pack for $26.99. As a special thank you to PS4 Players who already own the original Don’t Starve, you’ll be able to get the Don’t Starve Mega Pack for 60% off it’s normal price at $10.79. This way you can save on the brand new multiplayer expansion and get any themes or single-player expansions you may not have yet. Thank you! One of the most exciting parts of this bundle is undoubtedly the release of Don’t Starve Together. This new entry in the Don’t Starve collection will support up to six players online and for the first time ever, support split-screen couch co-op both locally and online! We loved hearing stories about friends and families finding creative ways to share the controller while playing the original single-player Don’t Starve. From passing the controller every in-game day, every death, or simply at random, it was clear this was a game many people wanted to enjoy “Together†(See what we did there?), on a couch. Now players will be able to survive together on the same couch, and even take their split-screen game online if they want and create or join an existing game to play with others. Thank you to all the Don’t Starve players who have been patiently waiting for an official release date on Don’t Starve Together. We’re really excited for everyone to jump in on September 13, and hopefully not starve. View the full article

Behold, 2D titans! Aksys Games and Arc System Works proudly announce the BlazBlue: Central Fiction Limited Edition and launch DLC details! Exclusive to PS4 and PS3 and set to release simultaneously alongside the standard edition this November, the limited edition of the latest BlazBlue entry boasts a gaggle of great content. What’s in the booox?! Let’s take a closer look… Deluxe Hardcover Art Book — Contains 100 pages of BlazBlue art celebrating the history of gaming’s flashiest 2D fighting series! Mini Noel Vermillion Nendoroid Figure — Supervised by Toshimichi Mori and forged by the masters at Good Smile. Noel strikes an iconic pose, sure to mesmerize collectors and fans alike! BlazBlue Song Interlude III Soundtrack — Ten tracks of in-game goodness bound to up your fighting drive! A new challenger approaches! The mysterious Es of Xblaze fame joins the fray, ready to lend her brawly talents to eager fighters. Es, Guardian of the Azure and sometimes known as the Mediator, carves out her own unique spot on the roster. A cursory glance at Es reveals her suite of standard normals and specials which form the foundation of her attack arsenal. While Es can be played as a straightforward beat stick, she has the ability to enhance her special moves, offering inventive fighters strategic flexibility. Her drive, “Crest Artsâ€, transforms the trail of her sword into a massive avalanche of doom which gives her devastating attack power during offensive strikes. More hits = more pain. Tricky players can also utilize her drive’s time lag to put opponents in sticky defensive situations and force them to make hasty decisions. Es will be available for download for free on PlayStation Store for the first two weeks after launch day and available for purchase beyond the promo window. She’ll be available for both the PS4 and PS3 versions. Don’t miss out on Es, the limited edition, and the final chapter of the BlazBlue saga! View the full article

Hello once again Gravity Rush fans! We’re back to give you another taste of what’s in store for Gravity Rush 2, so read on to find out about some of the interesting people and places Kat will encounter in her new adventure! Following the events of the original Gravity Rush, Kat and her friend Syd find themselves caught in a gravity anomaly and transported far away from the peaceful town of Hekseville and into the mining settlement of Banga. Banga’s a mobile town – an odd mixture of residencies and boats that are home to miners and their families who make their living collecting gravity ore from the floating reef area below. Under the strict command of their leader Lisa, they regularly dock at other ports in order to stock up on supplies and conduct business. Gravity Rush 2 | PlayStation.com Powerless without Dusty by her side, Kat and Syd begin working to earn their keep in Banga, and meet a host of interesting characters that will set a new adventure into motion. Lisa is the strong and short-tempered leader of the Banga Settlement. Ever the realist, she inspires both fear and respect in the villagers but always prioritizes the safety of the settlement. Vogo is a merchant, and head of “Sun Shipping.†He regularly does business with a variety of clients, and is rumored to be involved with the illegal buying and selling of military supplies. His plans for Banga are less than noble. Cecie is a quiet and reserved girl who works as a herder within Banga. As Lisa’s adopted daughter, Cecie is usually on the receiving end of her mother’s strict teachings. When she runs away from home, Kat is asked to track her down. Fi is Vogo’s bodyguard and close aide. His quiet and cold demeanor is accompanied by a proficiency in martial arts, and he regularly intimidates those who resist Vogo’s demands. Misai is the top miner in Banga, and one of Kat’s biggest critics. His stubbornness leads him into dangerous mining missions in order to prove his worth. In case there was any doubt, Gravity Rush 2 retains the beautiful open world structure and gorgeous comic-book presentation that fans fell in love with in the previous game. A wealth of story missions and challenge missions (over 50!) are marked by icons on the map, and completing them will reward players with various types of rewards. As a final glimpse of things to come, let’s take a look at one final new location: The Rift Plane. A fordbidden land with a wealth of high quality ore, Kat will encounter a number of new Nevi, (or “scarabs†as the Banga Settlers call them) as she makes her way across the Rift Plane. Giant Stone tablets will provide clues on how to proceed, and successfully satisfying their conditions will lead Kat to mysterious new rewards… And that’s it for now! Remember to preorder Gravity Rush 2 at participating retailers or the PlayStation Store for bonus content, and get ready to rush when the game launches December 2nd. View the full article

In the last 18 months we’ve been thrilled to share with you so many details about our forthcoming PlayStation VR title PlayStation VR Worlds. You’ve probably already heard a lot about our gangster thrill-ride The London Heist and our nerve-shredding diving experience Ocean Descent. So, today, we’d like to tell you a little more about one of games you might not have heard so much about. Here’s what you can expect when you enter the action-packed world of Scavengers Odyssey. When playing the game, players take on the role of an alien treasure-hunter searching for a long-lost artifact in uncharted space. This treasure-hunter has a unique symbiotic relationship with the scavenger craft that it pilots — it is linked to the craft in both body and mind. As developers, our vision is to make players feel like they are immersed in the role of the alien. For example, little things as simple as looking down and seeing those blue four-fingered hands moving in time with your own go a long way towards creating a feeling of immersion. These are the kinds of details we fought for in setting out to provide a sensation of presence only possible in an experience built from the ground-up for PlayStation VR. The sense of scale in Scavengers Odyssey is something that we think players are really going to be impressed by. There are huge alien space-hulks and mammoth asteroids which the player’s craft is uniquely capable of exploring. Seeing a huge space-hulk off in the distance and then feeling the enormity of it towering above you as you navigate towards it is really something special and, for us as developers, watching as players realize that they can actually climb up the sides of these gigantic objects and find a way inside is extremely exciting! Creating these kinds of moments is what we had in mind when we made freedom of movement one of the core features of Scavengers Odyssey. The scavenger craft is capable of leaping huge distances, climbing walls and ceilings, and strafing in any direction. The movement system allows for some compelling navigational gameplay, such as leaping from rock to rock as you cross an asteroid field. When experienced in VR, these moments are viscerally thrilling and we’re happy with how much fun can be had just in navigating around the visually stunning environments our art team has created. Of course, no action adventure game is complete without combat, and Scavengers Odyssey is no exception. The craft’s twin laser cannons can target enemies the player selects simply by looking at them. It won’t be easy though, as enemy cryptomorphs take full advantage of zero-gravity and can move on walls and ceilings to surprise you. Players have to keep their eyes peeled and their trigger-fingers ready for threats as they can come from just about anywhere. Luckily, the scavenger craft also has an energy grapple which can be used to scavenge pieces of space debris and hurl them towards targets with great force. It’s extremely satisfying to hurl a piece of space debris into a group of unsuspecting enemies as you leap over them. We can’t wait for players to experience the beauty, peril, and wonder of Scavengers Odyssey as they explore the Forbidden Nebulae. We would absolutely love to share more, but some surprises will just have to wait until we launch. Thank you so much for all your support, and we’ll see you on PlayStation VR Worlds launch day, October 13! View the full article

Hey there, PlayStation.Blog pals! Panzer and I have some exciting news: on October 10, you’ll be able to enjoy 100ft Robot Golf in your own home! If you’re new to our wonderful large robot sports game, 100ft Robot Golf is literally what the title says: it’s a golf game where your golfer is a huge, 100ft robot that can destroy cities. You can play for par with four people on your couch, or destroy cities online with pals around the world. If you have PlayStation VR, you can even activate the PS VR mode to ride on top of these robot golfing behemoths while you play! Over the past few months, we’ve been revealing the Robot Golf Tour Association pilot roster over on the 100ft Robot Golf Developer Blog. From Vahni, the “Beyonce of Robot Golfâ€, Suzume’s brilliant bio-mechanical research, Aveline and Uncle’s dual-pilot pompadour skating robot prowess, or even Ernie’s modest used vehicle salesman ways, we’ve been working hard to make sure that each robot and pilot combination plays and feels unique. We do however have one very special robot boy we’d like to reveal here, just for our PlayStation.Blog pals. Please Welcome Project CProject C is a special project put together by Team NGBL, a secret underground organization specializing in unconventional golfing robots. Whereas most robots have one (or occasionally two pilots), Project C is actually made up of five separate robots, each piloted by an adorable puppy. These five dogs piloting five small dog robots form together to create a golfing megadog that may actually be taller than one hundred feet tall. Surely five dogs can beat one human at the robot king’s game that is 100ft Robot Golf? To help with this dog-based robot golf domination, Project C has a secret weapon. At any time, you can press L1 to summon the Freesword, a mysteriously cheap light-powered broadsword that can cleave any building in half instantly. Is there a building far away that’ll block your shot to the green? Just tap L1 again to throw the sword at it! You can find out more about Project C in 100ft Robot Golf’s campaign mode! It’s a fun and campy anime story that you can play through, filled with intrigue, love, suspense, and golfing action. You will also find out if these five robot golfing dogs are good dogs. Don’t forget: 100ft Robot Golf arrives October 10 on PlayStation Store. Also, be sure to follow us at @100ftrobotgolf for all the latest robot golfing news in the leadup to launch. See you on the fairway! -Dan and Panzer View the full article

PS4 Games ABSOLUTE DRIFT: ZEN EDITION $11.99 ALONE WITH YOU $9.99 ARMIKROG $9.99 BIG CITY STORIES FREE DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED $59.99 INSIDE $19.99 MADDEN NFL 17 $59.99 METRICO+ $9.99 PROMINENCE POKER FREE THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV $59.99 VALLEY $19.99 WORMS W.M.D $29.99 PS3 Games MADDEN NFL 17 $59.99 PS Vita Games ALONE WITH YOU $9.99 See this month’s full PS Plus lineup Sales PlatformTitleSale PriceOriginal PricePS4BALD HIPSTER SKULL HIQ AVATAR$0.99$1.99PS4BLACK CAT EYES HIQ THEME$0.99$1.99PS4CHILLOUT AT THE BEACH HIQ THEME$0.99$1.99PS4CITIZENS OF EARTH$7.49$14.99PS4GANGSTA AFRO DOG AVATAR$0.99$1.99PS4GRATEFUL DEAD DYNAMIC THEME$3.19$3.99PS4GRATEFUL DEAD DYNAMIC THEME AND AVATAR BUNDLE$5.59$6.99PS4GRATEFUL DEAD ULTIMATE AVATAR BUNDLE$4.79$5.99PS4HELL FIRE TIGER HIQ AVATAR$0.99$1.99PS4LOOT ACTION-PACKED BUNDLE$11.99$19.99PS4LOOT STRATEGY-PACKED BUNDLE$17.49$24.99PS4LOOT THEMES BUNDLE$8.99$17.99PS4LOOT ULTIMATE GAMES & THEMES BUNDLE$20.99$34.99PS4MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS DYNAMIC 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GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: LOS ANGELES RAMS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: MIAMI DOLPHINS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: MINNESOTA VIKINGS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: NEW YORK GIANTS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: NEW YORK JETS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: OAKLAND RAIDERS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: PITTSBURGH STEELERS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: SAN DIEGO CHARGERS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: SEATTLE SEAHAWKS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: TENNESSEE TITANS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99PS4NFL: WASHINGTON REDSKINS GAMEDAY AVATAR$0.99 View the full article

Capcom is teaming up with PlayStation to bring you the Humble Capcom PlayStation Bundle (NA PSN regions only), making this the first time games on PSN have been available through Humble Bundle! This bundle will feature $178+ worth of awesome games and will run through September 5, 11:00 AM Pacific, so act fast! Not only are a bunch of great games up for grabs, but a portion of proceeds will go to Save the Children, American Red Cross, and Rettsyndrome.org. If you’re not familiar with how Humble Bundles work, you choose how much you want to pay, with higher tiers unlocking more games! However much you decide to pay, you can go with the default split of proceeds and charities or you can choose exactly how much of what you pay goes to charity. It’s a win-win for everyone! Now, on to the games: Pay What You Want Tier Strider (PS4 or PS3. Select your platform.) — The original assassin from the arcade and 8-bit console era returns to slice and jump through this intense side-scrolling action platformer! Explore a variety of locations in Strider Hiryu’s quest to take down Grand Master Meio. Final Fight: Double Impact (PS3) — Revisit two classic brawlers with Final Fight: Double Impact. Clean up the streets of Metro City and rescue Mayor Haggar’s daughter in Final Fight, or ascend the Dragon Keep to stop the evil wizard Drokmar in Magic Sword! Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 (PS3) — The spiritual successor to the beloved classics Commando and Mercs, this classic top-down shooter brings things back to old-school arcade tactics as you blast your way through waves of enemies. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3) — Don’t let the chibi art style fool you — this classic head to head puzzle game is intense! Build up massive power gems, then shatter them with a crash gem to put the hurt on your opponent. 45% off Street Fighter V PlayStation Store Coupon (Valid until 10/1/16) Beat the Average TierGet all the above plus: Resident Evil (PS4 or PS3. Select your platform) — Enter the doors to the infamous mansion once again with this remastered version of the critically acclaimed survival horror masterpiece. Mega Man 9 & 10 (PS3) — It’s time to jump and shoot your way through classic platforming, vibrant stages, and 16 robot masters that await you in this two-pack of Mega Man action presented in old-school 8-bit style. Okami HD (PS3) — Save the countryside as the legendary goddess, Amaterasu — reincarnated as the white wolf Shiranui — in her quest to bring beauty back to the world and defeat ancient evil. Remember Me (PS3) — The hunter becomes the hunted in the dystopian future setting of Neo-Paris, 2084. Elite memory hunter Nilin’s journey unfolds with a diverse mix of combat, boss fights, and platforming alongside exploration, puzzles, and unique memory remix sequences. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3) — Shoryuken! The arcade classic comes home again with updated visuals redrawn by the artists at UDON! No need to put a quarter on the machine with this HD remix. Lost Planet 3 (PS3) — Survive an extreme and unpredictable environment as you navigate brutal landscapes on foot and in your Utility Rig, while combating both Snow Pirates and the insect-like Akrid. If You Pay $15 or MoreGet all the above plus: Resident Evil 0 (PS4 or PS3. Select your platform) — Before S.T.A.R.S. set foot in the Spencer mansion, the team’s rookie member, Rebecca, finds herself trapped on a train and working with escaped convict Billy Coen to survive. Devil May Cry HD Collection (PS3) — Let’s get this party started! All three PS2 classics (Devil May Cry, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening Special Edition) are together in one high-definition package, a chronicle of some of the best character action games of the era. Stay stylish! 50% off Mega Man Legacy Collection PlayStation Store Coupon (Valid until 10/1/16) View the full article

We’re excited to announce that PlayStation Now is making the jump to Windows PC. The app launches overseas in parts of Europe soon and will come to North America shortly thereafter. This will bring a wide selection of PlayStation exclusive titles to Windows PC for the very first time, including entries in the Uncharted, God of War, and Ratchet & Clank franchises, as well as beloved PS3 games like The Last of Us and Journey. Current subscribers have a new way to access PS Now’s library of over 400 games, and the PC app provides a new way for even more gamers to discover and play the service. We’re also introducing a new device, the DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adaptor, which launches in early September for a suggested retail price of $24.99. This adaptor will let you connect a DualShock 4 to PC and Mac wirelessly, and will enable every feature of the controller you know and love: buttons, analog sticks, touch pad, light bar, motion sensors, vibration, and stereo headset jack – as long as the gaming application supports these features. The adaptor is a great match for playing PS Now on a computer, but you can also use it for PS4 Remote Play on PC and Mac. If you haven’t yet downloaded Remote Play on your PC or Mac, grab the installer here. Of course, owning the USB Wireless Adaptor isn’t required, as you can connect a DualShock 4 using a USB cable. Here are the recommended specs for running PS Now on your PC: Windows 7 (SP1), 8.1 or 10 3.5 GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 or faster 300 MB or more; 2 GB or more of RAM Sound card; USB port A minimum 5Mbps connection is required to use PS Now on any device. We recommend a wired Internet connection for the optimal experience. We’ll be in touch to confirm the exact launch date of the PlayStation Now Windows PC app in North America, and stay tuned for some exciting games that will be added to the library. For more info on PS Now, including the full library of games, visit: PSNow.com. View the full article

Hi everyone. My name is Joel Smith and I’m the Art Director on PlayStation VR Worlds. I’ve been working on the game since the very beginning, and as we finally approach the launch, I’m excited be able to tell you more about the project and how it was brought to life. In virtual reality, art really comes into its own: it’s engrossing and compelling and it allows us to push the boundaries of what art can do. In VR, the art direction is about much more than simply what the game looks like — it’s about how it makes the player feel. With this in mind, I wanted to dial the artwork up to 11; to make it more exciting and compelling than simple reality. Instead of a strictly “virtual†reality, think of PlayStation VR Worlds as an exaggerated, “theatrical†reality. Like all good drama, the result has to be a believable, engrossing world, but one that’s also more dramatic and exciting than real life. This exaggerated reality allows us to shape the player’s experience in a number of ways: Firstly, it leads the player on an emotional journey. To take Ocean Descent, for example: a schematic chart was developed in pre-production and plots not only the player’s physical journey, but also their emotional journey. The artwork plays a key part in shaping this. In the shallows — the beginning of the journey — the shapes, color, and lighting are soft and painterly, making the player feel calm, relaxed, and allowing them to wonder at the new world they’ve entered. But as the player dives deeper, their descent and their emotional journey becomes — both literally and metaphorically — much darker. The soft, painterly aesthetic becomes increasingly angular, dark, and twisted. Sharp aggressive shapes, dramatic lighting contrasts, and violent bursts of red punctuating the darkness: all the things combine to increase the tension and set the player’s nerves on edge. In Scavengers Odyssey this journey is reversed. The world around you is fractured and destroyed to begin with, colors are vivid and punchy before the world becomes harmonious and structured towards the end. Having said the artwork should be theatrical, it might seem contradictory to say it should also be believable. But think of Pixar’s animated features and the worlds they create. They’re definitely not realistic — but they’re absolutely believable. VR Luge’s more simplistic, pared down style contrasts with the detail found in The London Heist, its strong silhouettes and bold forms aiding the exhilaration of a downhill race. Looking at the composition as a whole, at high speed, it becomes a believable world. DangerBall is the most arcade-style game in the suite, but it too still exists in a believable world. Its real world materials with physical properties give you a sense of being totally immersed. For example, when the ball hits the wall, the wall breaks up. Despite its arcade style, the theatrical sense of excitement is also maintained by placing you within a colossal future sport arena — a dynamic environment, where bright colors burst against the dark space beyond. I’ve enjoyed looking back on the project in order to share this brief insight into the art direction of PlayStation VR Worlds. Our aim was to give you an extraordinary reality, that gives you experiences like no other. As an art director, it’s been a great experience and I’m certain the end result will be a great experience for players. View the full article

Hi there, it’s Tommaso from Housemarque again. At the beginning of July, Alienation saw the addition of two widely requested features: local co-op and ranked leagues, among a variety of novelties such as extra weapons, bullet colors, and other minor improvements. The next update hitting PS4 today unleashes an array of new, exciting features. Let’s start with the stuff every Alienation owner will get free of charge: Weekly Missions! These are missions to be played with unusual rules for an additional challenge — beat them within seven days and you’ll get a reward! And since we’re talking about rewards, it’s definitely worth mentioning that we heard you loud and clear: you can now loot and collect armors with different modifiers (for example, an armor that recharges your Rush faster, but makes Reload slower), and even customize their colors provided you collect enough of the 42 different paints available… Other free additions to the game include an extra difficulty level (named “Legendâ€), six new Trophies, and increased Hero Level cap. Along with the free content we’re also releasing more paid content: new arsenal, with the secondary weapon Devastator and the heavy Collapser, respectively resembling a sort of deadly laser ray and a cannon with bouncing projectiles, the Armor Paint Pack featuring three exclusive armor paints, and the Veteran Heroes pack (which allows you to start with characters at Level 15 and access to World Level 2). You’ll be able to purchase the Weapon Pack for $4.99, the Armor Paint Pack for $0.99, and the Veteran Heroes pack for $4.99, or buy each individual item separately. Needless to say, owners of the Alienation Season Pass get all of the above without spending a single extra dime. So, what are you waiting for? Head to PlayStation Store and grab one right now! View the full article

I’m Simon Hermitage and I’m the Lead Designer on PlayStation VR Worlds. It’s a product from us here at London Studio as we’ve explored what makes the best possible VR experience. The result is five purpose-built, awesomely immersive VR experiences which will have you diving with a shark, playing futuristic sports, hurtling down a mountain road on a street luge, pulling off a diamond heist, and exploring space wreckage in a mechanical spider. We know you will want to play it again and again, and show it off to your friends and family, so we added a load of features you might not yet be aware of to keep you coming back for more. You have probably seen videos of people playing The London Heist: Move controller-wielding journalists reloading their virtual guns and firing at enemy bikers on London’s streets — it’s manic and action packed. But, we also added a mode for you to show to people who are less familiar with traditional gaming. It adds laser sights to the guns to help with aiming and reduces enemy damage. With this mode enabled, you can experience The London Heist as more of an interactive story and still get to the dramatic finale. We had so much fun with the gunplay that we created four shooting ranges for you to have a little target practice before you play the story mode. Our favorite British thug Mickie will put you through your paces taking pot-shots at shop mannequins, rough-cut wooden shapes, and bouncing car tires. There are even a couple of Molotov cocktails thrown in for good measure and a little constructive criticism, care of Mickie himself! The shooting ranges have laser-sighted and unassisted versions, with leaderboards for each one. So you can compete with the whole PS VR community or invite your friends round, log in, and pass and play to see who is best (we’ll even track your scores on a friends-only leaderboard). Dangerball and Luge also have leaderboards to bring out your competitive side. Dangerball’s Score Attack is an endurance VR game where players must hit the highest scoring tiles and maintain combos to push for the high score. Here at the studio, the competition between QA and dev team scores has been fierce during development, so we can’t wait to see what gamers can do. Dangerball also features Tournament and Quick Play modes where you can play against AI opponents with various special moves, such as power shots, swerve balls, and ball splitting. Test your nerve in a VR Luge time trials, again with leaderboards for each course, and you’ll be able to refine your own performance by comparing it with the ghosts of other online players that appear on-track. We also have a fiendishly difficult VR Luge Tour, where players must complete all four tracks consecutively within a difficult target time before they can post their time to the exclusive Champion’s leaderboard. Ocean Descent is far from being a passive VR experience. There are three different versions of the dive, allowing for gentler experiences for VR newcomers and building up to the terrifying Shark Encounter for VR veterans. The ocean is filled with reactive wildlife for you to discover and the longest of the three dives has a mysterious story running through it. Scavengers Odyssey is our epic space adventure where you become an alien whose quest is to find a mysterious artifact. The story sees you taking control of a spider-like craft which can walk on the walls and ceilings of giant derelict Space Hulks and jump huge distances through floating wreckage. As the name suggests, Scavengers Odyssey has an intriguing backstory to discover as you quest through bug-infested wreckage. Your agile Spidercraft means you can explore and discover the scattered Blackbox recordings and unearth details of what happened to these giant space wrecks. So that you get to fully experience PlayStation VR Worlds, we have wrapped up the five experiences with a challenge and Trophy system which will give you tricky gameplay targets to achieve, special actions to perform, and new places to visit. You’ll see everything we have to offer and Platinum the game if you can complete them all. We really hope you enjoy the PlayStation VR Worlds experience when it launches on October 13. We have loved making it! View the full article

An iconic fighting competition returns alongside a legendary action RPG. How can so much good stuff get packed into a single week? Science. The King of Fighters XIV and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided launch this week on PS4. Intense three-on-three battles come to PS4 in The King of Fighters XIV. The latest in the classic SNK series packs in 50 fighters, new special moves, a refined Max Mode, online party battles, and so much more. Prepare for the next chapter of the King of Fighters tournament and (mandatory catch phrase incoming)… burn to fight! Then, return to the masterfully crafted future of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Guide Adam Jensen through dynamic missions with a host of possible solutions. Harness a range of new augmentations, wield incredible weapons, and stealth through enemy facilities in this visually spectacular vision of a world divided. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation, read on. And enjoy the Drop! New Releases: August 23, 2016 Absolute Drift: Zen Edition PS4 — Digital Journey from apprentice to master drifter as you hone your skill in a gorgeous minimalist world. Travel from airports and docks to a floating metropolis in search of new cars and ever greater challenges. Your driving skills will be challenged at every turn until you finally become a master drifter. Alone With You PS4, PS Vita — Digital You’re the last survivor of a doomed space colony, trying to repair your ship and escape a planet before it implodes around you. Spend your days searching for clues and parts you need with your troubled AI companion, and your nights in the colony’s holo-sim chamber, experiencing some surprising, story-defining relationships. Armikrog PS4 — Digital Armikrog is a unique stop-motion clay animated point and click adventure game from the creators of Earthworm Jim and the Neverhood. Unravel the mysteries of the fortress that holds Tommynaut and his blind alien talking dog Beak-Beak captive through exploration and puzzle solving! Big City Stories PS4 — Digital Design, build, and rule your own city! Big City Stories puts you in charge of your own city where you can meet your citizens and staff, race around in vehicles you commandeer, and invite friends to admire your creation. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided PS4 — Digital, Retail In 2029, mechanically augmented humans have been deemed outcasts and segregated from the rest of society. Adam Jensen, an experienced covert agent, must take advantage of state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations to unravel a worldwide conspiracy. Doodle Devil PS3 — Digital Embrace your dark side! While Doodle God was creating the universe, Doodle Devil was also having some fun. The same addictive, puzzle gameplay that made Doodle God a hit is back but with an evil twist. Inside PS4 — Digital Hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project. The King of Fighters XIV PS4 — Digital, Retail The world-famous “KOF†series is back in a new chapter on PS4. 50 characters are ready to clash in three-on-three team battles. With its numerous user friendly game modes, refined online features, and epic story mode, get ready to discover the new King of Fighters generation! Madden NFL 17 PS4, PS3 — Digital, Retail Take your team all the way in Madden NFL 17 in Franchise mode, delivering all-new ways to play and more decisions to make. Driven by the most balanced gameplay yet, the deepest commentary in Madden NFL history, along with fun and fresh ways to play, Madden NFL 17 is the most complete Madden ever. Metrico+ PS4 — Digital Metrico+ is an input-driven game in a world of infographics. All the bar charts, line diagrams, and pie charts react to what you are doing. You have to rethink all you know in order to solve all the puzzles and explore every part of the world that is Metrico. Prominence Poker PS4 — Digital Built around unsuspecting and seedy locations, Prominence is a gambling utopia ruled by crooked goons that are determined to keep you from cashing out. Only here can you find the thrill of high stakes poker while risking everything to take over this underground empire from “The Mayor†— the mysterious town founder. Valley PS4 — Digital Explore the vast and beautiful world of Valley using the power of the L.E.A.F. suit: a fierce exoskeleton that grants exceptional speed and agility along with the phenomenal ability to manipulate the life and death of all living things. Worms W.M.D. PS4 — Digital The worms are back in their most destructive game yet. With a gorgeous, hand-drawn 2D look, brand new weapons, the introduction of crafting, vehicles and buildings, plus the return of some much-loved classic weapons and gameplay, Worms W.M.D is the best worms experience ever. Big Gigantic – Brighter Future FUTURISTIC – As Seen on the Internet De La Soul – and the Anonymous Nobody… WWE: Battleground 2016 The Darkness Empire | Season 2 Fear the Walking Dead – August 21 at 9/8c (AMC) Talking Dead – August 21 at 10/9c (AMC) Adam Ruins Everything – August 23 at 10/9c (truTV) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Subscribe via iTunes, Google or RSS, or download here When I say we have a packed show, I mean we have a packed show! Today, we talk with the creative director of Watch Dogs 2 about how the upcoming open world improves on the original. Plus, let’s hear the second part of Justin’s detailed Titanfall 2 interview on the game’s white-knuckle multiplayer modes. And that’s not all! Sid shares his impressions on BioShock: The Collection — an amazing assortment of modern classics. Plus: new releases for August 23, tons of PlayStation news, and so much more. Enjoy the show! Stuff We Talked About Watch Dogs 2 Titanfall 2 Multiplayer BioShock: The Collection The King of Fighters XIV Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Inside Recent Episodes Episode 219: Clash of the Titans Episode 218: Abzulutely Fabulous Episode 217: …And I Feel Fine The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Ryan Clements – Sr. Social Media Specialist, SIEA Send us questions and tips! blogcast@playstation.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

Hi, I’m Jeff, president and co-founder of Hellfire Games. We’re an indie studio in Austin, Texas, and I’m excited to announce the launch of Big City Stories on August 23. For the past eighteen months we’ve been working on Big City Stories, a new type of console game. We like to think of Big City Stories as the fusion of some of our favorite genres: city-building, open-world, and MMO. City Building and a Whole Lot MoreWe’re big fans of city-building simulators, but we wanted Big City Stories to be more than that. We wanted you to have the power to interact with and enjoy the city you created via third-person. This was an incredibly challenging task. Most city-builders give you a bird’s-eye view of your city, which is relatively straight-forward. Our game, on the other hand, lets you drop down to street level with the touch of a button and no load screen. Besides the inherent art and engineering difficulties of moving between two very different modes of gameplay, our approach also required us to add much more functionality. There are many systems necessary for a third-person game that are not present in traditional city-builders, and we saw this as an opportunity to redefine a genre we love so much. Here’s a short list of the additional systems that we had to design and engineer for our unique game: Highly customizable avatars with a large selection of clothing items and emotes/animations. A vehicle system that lets you commandeer and drive vehicles. Interactive objects such as stunt ramps and air jets that you can place anywhere. Action-packed mini-games. With the Social Element of MMOsI was one of the original developers of Ultima Online, and I’ve always wanted to take the MMO experience to PlayStation consoles. We accomplish this in Big City Stories by adding multiplayer features normally not found in city-builders. For example, we’ve made cities persistent spaces so your friends can hang out with you; they can even check out your city when you’re offline. We’ve also added public spaces like a train station where you can make new friends. Like MMOs, Big City Stories is designed to grow and evolve. We intend to constantly update and improve the game, adding more content and features. As you can tell from this description, Big City Stories is much more than just another city-builder! Big City Stories gives players the tools, freedom, and control to build their dream cities, and we can’t wait to see what you do with it! Big City Stories is free-to-play, we are launching on August 23 first in the USA, but we will expand to other regions soon. View the full article