Commander Fury

We’re incredibly excited to announce the April 19th PS4 release date for our new indie music game, Loud on Planet X, featuring Tegan and Sara, Purity Ring, METZ, Metric, Lights, July Talk, F*cked Up, Cadence Weapon, Austra, and many more! (We will be announcing three more top international artists the week of release.) Loud is a strange mash-up of two genres we love — rhythm tap and tower defence. Choose from a cross-section of top indie music artists, then defend your stage from hordes of quirky aliens by tapping to the music and using a fun assortment of makeshift weapons like speakers, strobe lights, fog machines, amplifiers, bouncers and custom special attacks! The original idea for Loud on Planet X sprang out of obsessively playing old arcade classics with the sound down, listening to our own music instead. Patapon and Rhythm Heaven are big influences, and there’s an obvious splash of the awesome Plants vs. Zombies baked into our core mechanic. Our Lead Developer Andrew brings a lot of background in rhythm games and was part of the team on Sound Shapes, the great PS3 and PS Vita rhythm game featuring Beck, deadmau5, and Jim Guthrie, among others. We started by reaching out to bands we love within our vibrant local Toronto scene, helped by some generous introductions from Mike and Jonah of F*cked Up, and Brendan and Justin from Broken Social Scene, who each also contributed original tracks to the score. We’ve ended up with 14 great and emerging musical artists that are all excited to be on board, each with their own in-game special attack. It has really helped that most of the bands are big gamers (though possibly none more than Lights, who also has some pretty great World of Warcraft tattoos). After getting a solid response to our alpha build of Loud at Indiecade East, GDC, PAX East, and SXSW in 2015, we ended up running a successful Kickstarter campaign last summer that garnered some solid media coverage and helped get us here — finally ready to launch! It has been a busy year for our small but fierce team working out of Bento Miso in Toronto, and we’re excited to show you what we’ve been up to! Loud on Planet X will launch April 19 on PS4. We’re also hoping to add PS Vita soon. Look for more news to come! View the full article

The greatest sci-fi JRPG returns! The next installment in the Star Ocean franchise, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, comes to PS4 on June 28. Yes, it’s a mere three months away! This year actually marks the 20th anniversary since the release of the very first Star Ocean, so it’s a very special time for us at the office. We’re celebrating our fifth dive into a universe we all know and love, and we can’t wait for you to experience it with us. New to Star Ocean, you say? Well here’s a couple of things you should know. All the titles in the series share a rich history and universe, but you should know that you don’t have to play the previous games to enjoy the story of this one. It’s not like watching the third movie in a trilogy without watching the first two — you won’t get lost. Apart from the story, the battle system is really a driving factor in why players return to the series. Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness will actually boast the ability to have up to seven ally characters on screen and battling simultaneously. (Clears throat) Seven! To give you some perspective on that, imagine seven characters from your favorite fighting game banding together using their flashy abilities all on one screen simultaneously and obliterating enemies. Excited much? Oh, you’re a series veteran? Well, as you know it’s been five years since the launch of the last Star Ocean. So there’s been an itch to bring the franchise back to the top of the JRPG echelon. This was producer Shuichi Kobayashi’s mission from the start, and that passion has been contagious between our offices in Japan, Europe, and here in the United States. He asked me to deliver this special message to Western fans: “It’s been a while since our previous title, but the time has come for us to share the ‘story of the sea of stars’ with everyone once again. I am personally really happy to be able to take part in the revival of the series that I truly love. I believe that there is significance in announcing this title at a time when there aren’t many JRPG consumer titles being released compared to before. “The series’ traditional exhilarating action battle has evolved with a party of a maximum of 7 characters, with easier-to-create combos. We have also prepared many elements that let you play for hours on end, so I hope you give it a try. “I hope for your continued support so that the story of the sea of stars can continue even more.†–Shuichi Kobayashi, Producer of Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness To give you a bit of background on the story. Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness revolves around a blue-haired swordsman named Fidel. Look at that hair. Can we all please live in a galaxy where our hair looks that good all the time? Anyways, Fidel and his crew, which includes the pink-haired healer named Miki, embark on an adventure that will transcend space to protect a mysterious girl, Relia, from dark forces. A few more things we’re excited to share: The game will have dual audio options, meaning you can switch between English and Japanese voice over. If you prefer Japanese voice over, you can select to have English subtitles. The characters were designed by “akiman†(Street Fighter series). The score was composed by Motoi Sakuraba (Tales of series, Dark Souls series). I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is yes! There is a Square Enix e-Store exclusive collector’s edition and it’s made up of some pretty sweet items. We’re only selling 7,500 of these so you’ll definitely want to grab one if you’re into having awesome, limited things that people will be jealous of. A special collector’s edition box featuring the main cast of characters. A special collector’s edition steelbook. An 80-page hardcover art book featuring artwork from the entire Star Ocean series. A music sampler with 16 tracks chosen specifically from composer Motoi Sakuraba. Eight art cards featuring character illustrations by akiman. A Pangalactic Federation ID Card. In-Game DLC items to give you an edge in beginning your journey. Six music themes to customize battle BGM to music from the Valkyrie Profile & Star Ocean series. If you miss out on the collector’s edition, you can still pre-order to receive the Day One edition which will have the same DLC items, as well as two BGM themes from the Valkyrie Profile series you can play during battle. Personally, I’m very proud to say that Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is my first title here working at Square Enix, and I’ve been blown away by how many fans of the series and JRPG fans in general are showing their support for the game. I sincerely hope you’re all as excited as I am for launch, but until then, be sure to keep up to date with all of the new Star Ocean content through our “Star Log†live streams, which air on the Square Enix Twitch and YouTube channels. The TLDR message of all this: Star Ocean is back. View the full article

Anticipation and excitement… this is what we felt after our announcement of Nioh at PlayStation Experience. Now, we’re back with even more exciting news — an Alpha Demo arriving this month! This is your chance to experience first-hand the deep and authentic samurai combat that’s coming exclusively to PS4. Developed under the direction of Kou Shibusawa, Hisashi Koinuma, and Team Ninja, Nioh will challenge your skill, your patience, and your strategy — can you survive in the demon-plagued land of the samurai? “Ten years have passed since Nioh was originally announced. Even during all that time though, gamers would always ask about it at events like E3 and Gamescom. We always felt support from the gamers around the world for this title. “Now, finally, Nioh — a game created with the entire power of Koei Tecmo — will be released in 2016. In appreciation to all the fans who have waited so long, and in order to have gamers everywhere try Nioh as soon as possible, we will release the Alpha Demo this month. We hope you enjoy overcoming the challenges in this masocore take on samurai action — Nioh.†–Kou Shibusawa, General Producer “Set in a time of civil war in Japan, Nioh not only incorporates classic elements such as samurai and supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore, but also offers the exhilaration of an authentic samurai sword fight straight from Team Ninja, the team that defined brutal action games. “We will give gamers a taste of this all-new experience in the Alpha Demo releasing this month. But it will only be available for a limited time so play it while you can! Players who manage to clear a stage of this the Alpha Demo will be able to download The Mark of the Conqueror DLC. This will entitle you to some special DLC in the full game. “We also want to hear your feedback on the game! We will hold an online survey while the demo is available so let us know what you think and how we can make it even more fun.†–Team Ninja The Alpha Demo will be available from April 26 through May 5 only. We hope you enjoy this first glimpse into the world of Nioh, and look forward to hearing what you think about our game! View the full article

Hello, PlayStation gamers! I’m Jeff Kaplan, the game director of Overwatch at Blizzard Entertainment. A few weeks ago I stopped by PlayStation.Blog to let everyone know that we’ll be holding an Overwatch Open Beta for PS4 players in early May. Today, I’m excited to tell you a little more about the game — and share a bit more about some of the heroes in the Alive animated short that you can watch today right here on PlayStation.Blog. If you’re not familiar with Overwatch, it’s a team-based shooter that pits two teams of six larger-than-life heroes against each other on objective-based maps that span the globe. Imagine engaging in a sniper duel atop the walls of an ancient Egyptian temple while a gorilla scientist fights a shape-shifting robot in the rubble below. Picture teaming up with a hammer-wielding knight to assault a robotics facility located deep within the wintery heart of Russia, or dueling a cybernetic ninja as you escort an EMP device through the winding streets of King’s Row in London. Overwatch is a game about jumping into the shoes — or giant mechanical boots — of a hero with incredible powers, and then teaming up to do amazing things. You can blink forward and backward in time, return your fallen comrades from the dead, and freeze your enemies into helpless humanoid ice cubes. Each character in our cast comes with a unique set of special abilities that can change the course of battle in the blink of an eye. Take Widowmaker, the merciless and deadly sniper from the Alive animated short. She’s a great character for players who like to use a bit of stealth and deception to the get the job done. As any seasoned sniper player knows, staying perched in one spot for too long is a great way to get yourself killed — so after headshotting an unsuspecting enemy or two, you can use your Grappling Hook to whisk you away to the next vantage point. Of course, Widowmaker isn’t without her weaknesses. Remember Tracer, the hero Widowmaker tangled with in the “Alive†short? Tracer can blink around the battlefield so quickly that even the most experienced Widowmaker will struggle to line up a shot in time to stop her from jumping in, dropping a devastating explosive charge at your feet, and then warping backwards in time and away from the blast. But a cunning Widowmaker also knows how to defend herself. Her noxious Venom Mines can alert her to the presence of enemies who dare to get too close, and poison them in the process. If she loses track of an enemy Tracer (or any opponent), she can also trigger her ultimate ability, Infra-Sight, to reveal where every enemy hero is currently located — not just for you, but your entire team. And if Widowmaker’s tactics simply aren’t working, you can switch characters at any time in-game and turn the tables on that troublesome Tracer. These kinds of plays and counter plays are at the heart of the Overwatch experience — and with 21 heroes to choose from, there’s a character for every situation and every player. Even though you might know Blizzard primarily as a PC-game developer, a lot of us love gaming on consoles (myself included), so we know how important it is to provide an experience that feels great from the couch and holding a controller. We’ve been developing Overwatch from the beginning with consoles in mind, which gave us the opportunity to make sure the PS4 version of the game was tuned specifically for the platform — not just in terms of the technology, but also the interface and gameplay, ranging from how turrets track their targets to providing console-specific options like aim assist. We’re psyched for you to check out all of this for yourself and start playing with your friends during the Open Beta from May 5 to May 9. You’ll have access to all 21 heroes and every map during the Open Beta, meaning you’ll be getting the complete Overwatch experience. We’re also offering early access for players who pre-purchase — check out our original announcement for more details. Thanks, and we can’t wait to hear what you think! View the full article

As ships push further into the debris-littered field of stars, bulbs of energy and spinning missiles light up space as a new battle erupts. Two teams clash for control with a dying star as their backdrop. Dead Star launches this week on PS4, and it’s free for PlayStation Plus members! Dead Star fuses the action-oriented play of twin-stick shooters with the rich strategy of team-based competition. Taking cues from action RPGs and MOBAs, Dead Star pits two teams against each other in a battle of resources, weaponry, and wit. Select a suitable ship and punch through asteroid fields, battling the opposition, upgrading defenses, and securing a strategic victory among the stars. For a full list of the incredible games coming to PlayStation this week, read on! And enjoy the Drop. New Releases: April 5, 2016 A Virus Named Tom PS Vita — Digital (Free with PS Plus) A perfect place. A city without traffic. A dog that doesn’t poop. All products of the brilliant mind of Dr. X, but hell hath no fury like a mad scientist fired by a giant corporation. In this unique action-puzzler you take control of Tom, a virus created for one purpose: revenge. Hack your way through brain scrambling puzzles while maneuvering through a thumb-cramping maze of enemies. Amplitude PS3 — Digital (Cross Buy with PS4) Amplitude is the long anticipated, crowdfunded reboot of the 2003 cult classic rhythm action game from Harmonix. The experience you know and love has been updated with a new soundtrack and fresh visuals, rebuilt from the ground up. Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Trilogy PS Vita — Digital, Retail Explore three distinct civilizations and periods throughout history including the Ming dynasty’s downfall in China, the Sikh Empire in India, and the aftermath of the Red October revolution in Russia. Embody Assassins Shao Jun, Arbaaz Mir, and Nikolaï Orelov in a 2.5D reimagining of the Assassin’s Creed universe. Battleborn Open Beta PS4 — Digital (Begins 4/8) A tremendous band of badass heroes fight to protect the universe’s very last star from a mysterious evil in this next-gen shooter by the creators of Borderlands. Slash and parry, run and gun, cast and dash, or simply obliterate foes while building and growing your personal team of heroes. Bounce Rescue! PS4 — Digital The Evil Devil has landed on earth with the intention of taking over the world. He manages to capture two members of the team and escape to Darkland. Outraged by this, the team goes on a mission to save their captured members from the Evil Devil. Dead Star PS4 — Digital (Free with PS Plus) Dead Star is an online multiplayer space shooter, combining the fast-paced feel of arcade classics with modern RPG elements. Fight in procedurally generated battlefields, earning loot and levels to further customize your experience — including a massive warship used to invade live player matches. Dirt Rally PS4 — Digital, Retail Dirt Rally is the most authentic and thrilling rally game ever made, road-tested over 80 million miles by the Dirt community. It perfectly captures that white-knuckle feeling of racing on the edge as you hurtle along dangerous roads at breakneck speed. Enter the Gungeon PS4 — Digital Enter the Gungeon is a gunfight dungeon crawler following a band of misfits seeking to shoot, loot, dodge roll, and table-flip their way to personal absolution by reaching the legendary Gungeon’s ultimate treasure: the gun that can kill the past. Green Game: Timeswapper PS Vita — Digital (Out 4/4) A highly addictive 2D puzzle game bearing the one-more-try-and-I-quit syndrome. You control time to activate and deactivate various mechanisms in a mysterious green world. Find one of many ways to the end of 50 levels. Lovely Planet PS4 — Digital With boots of speed on your feet, an infinite supply of bullets for your semi-automatic, and the ability to jump over twice your own height, you’re well equipped to go up against any enemy on your quest to reach Lovely Planet! Mega Man Legends 2 PSone Classic — Digital Join Mega Man on another exciting adventure in search of a mysterious girl and a legendary treasure. Explore more environments and plenty of dungeons to find the Sealed Key to unlock the Great Legacy — a mystery that could either boon or curse mankind. Skullgirls 2nd Encore PS Vita — Digital (Cross Buy with PS4) Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a beautiful, fast-paced 2D fighter that puts players in control of fierce warriors in an extraordinary Dark Deco world. Each of the 14 wildly original characters features unique gameplay mechanics and plenty of personality. Stikbold! PS4 — Digital Stikbold! is a groovy 70s-themed multiplayer dodgeball game with intense, quirky arenas and chaos-inducing random events that change the outcome of each round. Skizzy Mars — Alone Together Krizz Kaliko — Go Deftones — Gore Ip Man Trilogy Batman: Bad Blood – 3 Film Collection Joy iHeartRadio Music Awards – April 3 at 8/7c (TBS, TNT, truTV) The Powerpuff Girls – April 4 at 6/5c (Cartoon Network) Adult Swim Golf Classic – April 8 at 11:30/10:30c (Adult Swim) The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

I’m often asked — where did the idea of Powers come from? Back in the summer of 1938, Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster created Action Comics #1 and introduced the world to Superman. By doing so, they also introduced the world to the superhero archetype. Of course, there have been characters with mythological powers in literature ever since man learned to tell stories. But Superman was something new and different, sending stylized concepts of morality and biblical mythology on a collision course… it gave birth to something completely new. Siegel and Shuster created a genre. Creating a new genre is probably the most difficult thing a storyteller can do. Seriously, try it. Try inventing a genre. It’s impossible. After Superman, the floodgates opened and other creators jumped into the fray, crafting armies of superheroes and pulp heroes. Costumed characters with very specific moral agendas. Characters whose entire being is wrapped around a coda. Ideals like “with great power comes great responsibility†and “Truth, Justice and the American way†not only defined the characters but eventually became embedded in the wider popular culture. As the years passed, the genre, the craft of comics, and the characters all matured. Creators from all walks of life, from all over the world, brought all of their imagination and talent and craft to the pages of these comics. And for decades, the genre and characters and storytelling evolved and evolved and evolved. In time, not only did we have hundreds of new mythological heroes, but countless new sub-genres, too. Early in my career, I focused almost exclusively on writing and drawing crime fiction graphic novels like Jinx and Goldfish. Though I loved superheroes, I had never attempted to write a superhero comic. I started analyzing why that was, and realized that it wasn’t just me. Many of my peers working on their own comic books were avoiding the genre that they loved. But why? I soon figured out that many in my generation grew up with The Dark Knight Returns from Frank Miller and Watchmen from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. These two deconstructionist masterpieces of the superhero genre kind of screwed it up for the rest of us. Who could top them?! It seemed like everything worth saying about superheroes had already been said. So I just stayed in this other genre, crime fiction, where I thought I had something to say. Years later, after meeting and falling in love with the work of Powers co-creator Michael Avon Oeming, I started thinking about superheroes and crime fiction. A lot. I began to analyze what I truly love about the genre and what I would have to say with it. I started thinking about the private lives and private desires of superheroes. I started mashing together my love of crime fiction — specifically, my growing love of the police procedural — and superheroes. I started thinking about what the police procedure would be in a world of… Powers. I had just read the impeccably researched true crime book Homicide by David Simon. The book that inspired the classic TV show. If superheroes really existed, how would they affect us psychologically and sociologically? Hell, how would they affect the sexual spectrum? I started spending a lot of time in the local police department and doing police ride-alongs, all the while absorbing all the details I could. I started to vividly imagine what this already exciting world would be like if there were people outside with powers. I told Mike the idea, and Mike started doing what he does best… drawing. At the same time I was reading Janice Joplin’s biography Pearl. It tells the story of this genius singer-songwriter who lived a self-destructive and sometimes lonely and sad life. A queen on stage and a sometimes tragic figure off stage. I thought of the superhero version of that… and that became the inspiration for Retro Girl. For some reason Janis Joplin and David Simon made it all click. You never know where inspiration will come from, I guess. One thing that makes Powers unique as a comic book, and a show, is that the story begins at the homicide. It starts when the superhero dies. Sure, other comics have killed off major characters, creating events that rippled through pop culture. Usually that death is the end of the story. Or, maybe, a countdown to the hero’s miraculous resurrection. Not here. Not us. In Powers, these superhero murders are a chance to analyze the superhero genre and our culture of celebrity, from a candid perspective that the big publishing houses will never be able to do. It gives us that angle I was looking for back in my crime novel days. In this case, a unique perspective on superheroes from the point of view of a homicide police officer who actually used to be one of them. We live in a world where the death of the famous and the powerful can affect us all. It is amazing to watch a culture come together around a fallen hero, be it David Bowie or Steve Jobs or John Lennon. Uncover the truth. Stream the first three episodes of the second season of POWERS May 31st on PlayStation Store. Posted by Powers The Series on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 Or Retro Girl. In the world of Powers, Retro Girl is a hero so powerful, so legendary, that her existence alone created societal order. With her gone and her killer at large, will society tear itself apart? And that is where the second season of Powers begins. And that is why we can’t wait for you to join us on May 31. In other news! The Powers crew is headed to a potent panel showing at Emerald City Comic-con in Seattle next Saturday, April 9th! Myself, the celebrated Powers comic artist and co-creator Michael Avon Oeming, showrunner Remi Aubuchon, and stars Susan Heyward, Olesya Rulin, and Logan Browning will be there to give you a sneak peek at what’s in store for season two. Hope to see you there! View the full article

We may only be a few months into 2016, but already it’s shaping up to be an incredible year for Call of Duty esports. In January we launched the Call of Duty World League, presented by PlayStation 4 — a new global esports league operated by Activision that takes competitive Call of Duty to a whole new level with regional LAN events, live-streamed competitions throughout the year, and a combined $3 million prize pool. Now, the first major stage of the CWL Pro Division is drawing to a close with the North American finals. Beginning today, Friday, April 1 at 10:00 AM Pacific and running through Sunday afternoon, April 3, the top teams in North America will face off and fight for a piece of a $250,000 prize pool, including heavyweights like OpTic Gaming and FaZe. Whether you’re a devout fan or just dipping your toes into the waters of Call of Duty esports, here is everything you need to know about this weekend’s North American CWL Pro Division finals. The Competition So FarSince launching in January, pro teams from North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand have been facing off each Tuesday and Wednesday live in-game via the Live Event Viewer as well as online at CallofDuty.com/CWL, Twitch, YouTube, and MLG.tv. The stage has been home to some incredible performances and upsets. Fan-favorite OpTic Gaming has dominated with 20 total match wins and only two losses to date. However, the Green Wall hasn’t been without rival — Rise Nation and FaZe have followed closely in the number two and three spots, respectively. We’ve also seen exceptional plays from the likes of Elevate and EnVyUs. Of the 12 teams that entered Stage 1 in North America, only eight have advanced to the finals. The remaining four Pro Division teams must fight their way back to qualify for Stage 2 through relegation matches against the top contenders from the Challenge Division; the CWL’s amateur league where any fan can compete for a chance to advance to the Call of Duty Championship. Can they overcome up and comers from the Challenge Division? Find out with today’s relegation matches, beginning at 10:00 AM Pacific. Teams to Watch This WeekendOpTic Gaming: The runaway number one seed in Stage 1, OpTic Gaming enter this weekend with a 13-win streak. OpTic has one of the most balanced rosters in recent memory, from Scump’s aggressive Sub-Machine Gun tactics to Formal’s precision Assault Rifle play. They’ve dominated the last two months of competition; can OpTic bring it home this weekend? FaZe Clan: It hasn’t been the easiest Stage 1 for FaZe Clan, but they’ve shown in recent weeks why they are a top team in Call of Duty. FaZe has been led by the big plays of Attach, who may just be the best player currently in Call of Duty. This is a team that expects a lot from themselves and will definitely be gunning for that first place spot. Rise Nation: What they may lack in name recognition, Rise Nation has made up for with skill and determination. This team of underdogs has been a force in Stage 1, having already claimed two LAN event wins, including the most recent tournament at UMG South Carolina. Can they prove the doubters wrong yet again? Event ScheduleWe’ll be broadcasting live matches all weekend long, beginning today at 10:00 AM Pacific. Here’s when the action begins: Friday, April 1 Relegation Matches begin at 10:00 AM Pacific Saturday, April 2 Stage 1 Playoffs begin: 10:00 AM Pacific Sunday, April 3 Stage 1 Finals begin: 12:00 PM Pacific Where to WatchCallofDuty.com/CWL: Visit the home of the Call of Duty World League to watch live matches, find the latest stats and match schedules, and get ongoing coverage of the big event. The Live Event Viewer: Last month, the team at Treyarch introduced the Live Event Viewer — a live stream player built right within Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 on PS4. Now you can catch all of the action from your in-game menu. On Your PS4: Alongside the Live Event Viewer, you can also watch streams elsewhere on your PS4, whether it’s via the Live from PlayStation panel or native apps like Twitch or YouTube. Twitch, YouTube, and MLG.tv: The CWL Pro Division Stage 1 Finals will be broadcast simultaneously across Twitch, YouTube, and MLG.tv. View the full article

Today marks a special day in the long history of PlayStation with the official formation of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE). As you may remember from my last note, this new organization will combine the strengths of both Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Sony Network Entertainment LLC into one global interactive entertainment powerhouse. So what does this day mean for you, the gamer? If I’m honest, probably not a whole lot — at least not in the short term. But in the long run, it will mean everything. The formation of SIE will allow us to forge a unified PlayStation organization that can adapt more quickly to meet the needs of the gaming community, innovate with digital services like PlayStation Vue and PlayStation Now, and — above all else — drive consistent and constant innovation in the dynamic medium of videogames. You’re already seeing the early fruits of that effort with PlayStation VR, and the work will continue across a number of fronts. Our full integration won’t happen overnight. But the work is well underway and I’m delighted to report that we are tracking ahead of schedule. In addition to my role as President of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, I’m also honored to be taking on additional responsibilities supporting our excellent first party game development teams as Chairman of Worldwide Studios. Working with the inimitable Shu Yoshida, leaders like Scott Rohde, Michael Denny, and Allan Becker, I am committed to building upon our strong heritage to deliver ever more innovative and epic titles. That includes Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End from Naughty Dog in just a few weeks, and extending through Horizon: Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games, The Last Guardian from Japan Studio and genDESIGN, and beyond — and that doesn’t even include the powerful line up of VR titles we are developing worldwide. As Blogcast listeners may already know, I have history with Worldwide Studios — in fact my PlayStation career began in game development in Japan and latterly Europe. I have enormous respect, and limitless devotion, for the creators, artists, and engineers within our Worldwide Studios, and I’m eager to be back in the business of helping developers realize their dreams. And to our faithful and discerning PlayStation community, I thank you for your dedication, your enthusiasm, and your trust as we embark on a new journey as Sony Interactive Entertainment. The future is surely bright. View the full article

It’s been a long time coming, but Skullgirls 2nd Encore is finally launching on PS Vita next week on April 5! We previously expected this to launch last summer, for which we apologize — Skullgirls features a huge amount of hand-drawn animation (averaging around 1,500 frames per character), so balancing performance and image quality on the handheld proved trickier than expected. And just when we thought we were close, we had to change gears to focus on deadlines for Arc System Works’ release in Japan. Anyway, we’ve put a lot of effort into the PS Vita version of Skullgirls 2nd Encore, and we hope you’ll find the wait was worth it! In addition to making sure the basic controls and gameplay are responsive, we’ve also added front-screen macros. Tapping these sectors on the front screen will activate a customizable macro, letting you call an assist, switch characters, or whatever else you can think of. For those who haven’t been keeping up, 2nd Encore is the ultimate edition of Skullgirls, containing: All 5 DLC characters Fully voiced story mode New Challenges — including playing as the Skullgirl herself, Marie! New Trials New Survival Mode Full Platinum Trophy set The PS Vita version also features: Cross play with the PS4 and PS3 versions Local multiplayer support via PSTV And, as we noted above, Skullgirls 2nd Encore on PS Vita is one of a handful of games to support local multiplayer on PSTV. Just sync a second DualShock 3 or 4 controller and you’ll be able to play with a friend next to you, just like the PS3 or PS4 versions! On top of that, Skullgirls 2nd Encore is cross buy — buying the PS Vita version will get you the PS4 release, and vice versa. PS4 Theme and Avatars Coming SoonBy popular demand, we’ll also be releasing the PS4 theme for sale soon! The theme features two beautiful new pieces of art, icons featuring Skullgirls characters, and a soothing instrumental arrangement of Michiru Yamane’s “In a Moment’s Time.†We think it’s one of the best PS4 Themes out there, and we’re confident you’ll agree. And while we’re talking about Themes… keep an eye out for a free Dynamic Theme from our new project, Indivisible, coming soon! In addition to the Theme, we’ve begun releasing the Skullgirls avatars on PS4 store. There are 39 in all, which we’ll be trickling out over the next couple of weeks. If you’ve already purchased them on PS3, there’s no particular reason to upgrade, but now they’ll be more accessible and easier to find if you haven’t. The Final Patch: LobbiesWith the PS Vita version complete, we’ve moved onto completing the final Skullgirls patch, which will bring multiplayer lobbies to the game. We had to wait until all the PlayStation versions were complete to fully focus on this, because all must be released simultaneously so as not to fragment the online community. And once the patch is all ready to go, we then need to coordinate and release nine patches simultaneously in three regions from three different publishers so as not to break everything for everyone worldwide. If it wasn’t obvious, this is a pretty big lift for a small independent developer like Lab Zero. Skullgirls’ multiplayer lobbies allow eight players to gather and fight or spectate, but also have a feature we like to call “All Play.†In most fighting game lobbies, eight players will queue up, and six players will wait while the first two players fight. When those two are done, the next two will fight, and so on. With All Play, eight players enter the lobby, and all eight can be paired up to fight at once. And as they complete their matches, they’ll be paired up again as soon as they’re out. This means less time waiting your turn and more time playing, something we think the genre has needed for quite some time. The first pass on the PS4 and PS Vita versions of the lobby code are nearing completion, so we’ll begin preliminary testing and bug-fixing shortly. While that goes on, we’ll be working on the PS3 lobby patch, as well. And that’s all I’ve got for you! We’re excited to finally get Skullgirls on your PS Vita and in your hands! View the full article

Subscribe via iTunes or RSS, or download here In the wake of massive Final Fantasy XV news this week, Nick and Ryan record an intimate show with all the fixings: new releases, news you can use, 16 inch Iron Giant statues, and so much more. Special thanks to the minds behind Severed on PS Vita and Wayward Sky on PS VR for the incredible interviews featured on today’s program. So sit back, relax, and enjoy your sonic flight through the internet. Stuff We Talked About Severed on PS Vita Wayward Sky on PS VR Final Fantasy XV Dead Star Enter the Gungeon Favorite PS Vita games Sid as a human Hot Shots Golf character Iron Giant Daredevil Kissin’ Recent Episodes 202: There’s No Time to Explain 201: Music, Magic, and Marvel 200: PS We Love You Too The Cast Nick Suttner – Lead Account Manager, SCEA Ryan Clements – Social Media Specialist, SCEA 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

I’ve been looking forward to making this announcement for a long time. When I announced Axiom Verge for PlayStation 4, I also said that not only was it coming to PS Vita as well, but that it would be Cross Buy. It took far longer than I expected to make good on that commitment, but that day is finally near. I’d like to give a little bit of context on what took so long. When I started development of Axiom Verge, I was using a development framework called XNA. Support for XNA was abandoned, so the community created an open source version of XNA called MonoGame. Sony told me they were working to get MonoGame supported on both PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. I knew that Axiom Verge would be great on a handheld, so I jumped at the opportunity. Tom Spilman from Sickhead Games was in charge of the porting process. Porting an engine to a new platform is an incredibly complicated task, yet he was able to pull it off easily for PlayStation 4. After the PlayStation 4 version was done, however, porting it to Vita turned out to be a lot more challenging. Optimizing an engine is slow and painstaking work. As the months ticked by, Tom was feeling a great deal of pressure to get MonoGame working. One analogy that I like to use when describing getting Axiom Verge working on PS Vita is that of a lightbulb. For months, Tom Spilman was putting in all of the wiring, but until it was fully connected, the light bulb just couldn’t turn on. And finally, about a month ago, Tom Spilman was able to make the final connection. The build went from not running at all on Vita to running almost perfectly. There were a few bugs here and there that needed to be tweaked, but most of that was fairly minor and easily handled. We discussed with Sony, and we have settled on a launch date of April 19! And as promised since the beginning, it will be Cross Buy, so if you already own the PlayStation 4 version you’ll get the PS Vita version for free. Oh, and one more thing – just to thank everyone for their support and patience, both versions will be 10% off for the first week after the PS Vita version launches. Axiom Verge – 1 Year LaterI remember exactly where I was and what I was doing one year ago today. I was sitting in my living room, continually logging into the PlayStation Store to see if it had refreshed, backing back out, and repeating. The reviews for Axiom Verge had come out the day before, and they surpassed all of my hopes. USgamer’s Jeremy Parish, whose writing I had followed for over a decade, called it the best game he’d played in years. Jeff Gerstmann, the famously tough critic from Giant Bomb, gave it his first 5/5 score in about 2 years. In all, I think it got about 25 separate review scores of 9/10 or better! And when I saw the Axiom Verge box art I had drawn up on my TV screen, I knew it was all real. (Well, to the extent there is such a thing as objective reality, but I suppose I digress.) My life has changed quite a bit from that day, but not necessarily in the way that people might expect. The period leading up to and following Axiom Verge’s release was a challenge, starting with the loss of my longtime canine companion Max just days before launch. I had to sell my car to pay for his treatment, and losing him right before launch put a dark cloud over everything. My son Alastair was born after the game launched, but he was afflicted with a severe case of jaundice that may leave him permanently disabled. The silver lining here is that, thanks to the success of Axiom Verge and the support of its fans, I’ll be able to be there for my family. I wrote more about Max and Alastair over at AxiomVerge.com, if you’d like to read more. I know many people have been waiting a long time for the PS Vita version of Axiom Verge. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and support. It has meant the world to me and my family. View the full article

Get ready, PlayStation nation: the next DLC map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is called Eclipse* and it’s launching first on PS4 April 19. Eclipse will give you four new multiplayer maps to flex your skills on — including a modern reimagining of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai — as well as the next chapter in the Black Ops 3 Zombies saga: Zetsubou No Shima. For multiplayer fans, Eclipse will introduce four new maps that cater to a variety of playstyles and transport you to new destinations. Here’s a quick rundown of what to look forward to on April 19: Spire: Spire takes Multiplayer combat to a futuristic sub-orbital airport terminal set high in the clouds. Multiple levels and open areas promote intense, mid-range combat around a clean, high-tech civilian environment. Watch your step, because one wrong move could send you plummeting back through the stratosphere. Rift: Head to the core of a harsh futuristic military complex, set high above an active caldera. Rift funnels and forces tight, intense engagements, where the only way through is forward. Utilize the unique core movement opportunities to outsmart and outplay enemies as you traverse the suspended rail system. Knockout: Housed in a traditional Shaolin Temple with a retro twist, Knockout sets the stage for a bloody Kung Fu tournament. This mid-sized map showcases a sharp contrast between the mid-range engagements of the traditional exterior architecture and the tight close-quarters of an eclectic 1970’s-styled interior. Verge: In this re-imagination of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai, Verge drops Multiplayer combat into the center of a distant post-apocalyptic future, where two warring factions are entrenched in constant battle. Take control of the key bridge, fortresses, tunnel systems and waterfalls as you engage in high-speed action through this medium-sized map. If battling the undead is more of your thing, don’t worry; Zetsubou No Shima is sure to satisfy. Continuing their fight to stop the zombie apocalypse, Treyarch’s Origins characters will face new threats on a World War II-era Pacific island. But don’t let looks fool you — this is no tropical paradise. Experiments with Element 115 have had horrifying effects on human, animal, and plant biology, and you’ll have to fight them all. Zetsubou No Shima also introduces new transport mechanics, devastating traps, and classic Zombies side quests. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 — Eclipse will launch on April 19, but in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for more intel here on PlayStation.Blog and on the Activision Games Blog. Until then, see you all online! *Eclipse DLC content not available on PS3. View the full article

Hatsune Miku is the world’s most famous digital singer, and now she’s coming back to PlayStation bigger and better than ever in Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X! The core rhythm gameplay is back, but there’s a whole host of new additions to this game that separate it from previous Project Diva titles — if you’re new to Miku, it’s the best Project Diva game to get into yet. And if you’re a Miku veteran, there’s plenty of new content to keep you going through the game’s 30-song soundtrack! First, 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. Each Cloud has its own unique aura — Classic, Cool, Cute, Elegant, and Quirky — and everything from the songs to the modules (costumes) and accessories that Miku and her friends wear fit one of those auras! Each of the Clouds has special requests that challenge players. And as a series first, modules will all have a random chance to drop during a song! Traditionally they were purchased with currency earned based on completing a song, but now they’re more similar to a random loot drop. Second, the game now lets you interact with Miku and her friends as they discover what it’s like to live in the world of Project Diva X. Miku and her friends talk and forge relationships as the players progress through the game… and they may wind up revealing the secret of the eponymous “Xâ€! Finally, there’s the newly added Concert Editor, which lets players mix and match the game’s 30 new songs/arrangements and medleys, 300 modules, and accessories to produce custom live concerts starring Hatsune Miku and her friends! The game is getting a physical and digital release in the Americas, and you’ll be able to play it on your PS4 and PS Vita this fall! View the full article

Hi PlayStation.Blog! This is Yoshinori Ono from Capcom. It’s been a busy month with the launch of Street Fighter V and the start of the 2016 Capcom Pro Tour season. A game without a community is a game that won’t last, and I’m always proud to tell people that Street Fighter has one of the most passionate communities out there. As a game creator, what we ultimately want is to see fans have a blast and enjoy the product that we pour our hearts and souls into. I was very happy to be able to participate in the Makers & Gamers: Street Fighter documentary and feel it truly shows how the love for Street Fighter can bring together people from all different backgrounds around the world. The director, Lucy Walker, demonstrated the pedigree she earned from working on other acclaimed documentaries, such as The Crash Reel and Waste Land, and has done a superb job of telling my story as a game creator, as well as Snake Eyez as a game player. Snake Eyez has an amazing story and his journey to overcome all the odds against him is truly inspiring. As long as Street Fighter exists I look forward to seeing our community grow! Rise Up! View the full article

Welcome to the world of Stikbold! It’s dodgeball with a dose of 70’s style and handsome moustaches and set in wild arenas where anything goes. Throw bees at your opponents, squish them with a whale, or pursue them with a minivan — it’s all allowed. We’re pleased to tell you that Stikbold is coming to PS4 on April 5th. To prepare you for that special date we’re going to share some secrets with you. This info will not only let you get one up on your friends from launch, but it will also let you peek into the inner workings of our blazing-fast gameplay. ThrowingThrowing is the most fundamental mechanic in Stikbold. It’s how you knock other players out of the game, and ultimately how you score points. Press and hold R2 to build up power, and release when the meter underneath your character is flashing to throw a power ball. As your friends become familiar with the timing of the build-up, you will need to get more creative to avoid getting caught when attacking over longer distances. To mislead rivals try flicking the right stick immediately after releasing the ball. This puts a deceptive curving arc on your throw that can catch unsuspecting players off guard. Bonus tip: Curving shots have a slightly higher chance of turning into a one-hit-kill critical hit (Stinger). CatchingDiving out of harm’s way is your best chance to avoid getting tagged by the ball. There’s an old saying that “If you can dodge a wrench… yada yada yada.†However, as you gain experience and internalize the timing of the game, catching the ball instead becomes a reliable and powerful countermeasure. Catching is performed automatically when a character is hit by the ball while dodging. However, you can’t hurl headlong at every ball. There’s is a slight delay after initiating the dodge before your player can successfully catch. You’ll need to anticipate your opponent’s attacks rather than just react to them if you want to catch like a Stikbold pro. Bonus tip: After a successful catch, you can instantly throw a power ball without building up power by simply tapping R2. PushingSometimes offense is the best defence — if the player holding the ball gets close to you try knocking it out of their hands and stealing it for yourself. Pushing goes further than just ball stealing, though. Try shoving opponents into hazards or out of the arena entirely. Move quickly though — in Stikbold the tables can turn in the blink of an eye. Bonus tip: With a little practice you can do a “secret†trick. Press R2 to initiate a push and then immediately press L2 to dodge. This will override the animation of the push, but not the underlying logic. The result is that your character will leap forward and immediately shove your opponent when they connect, effectively increasing the range of your push attack. Take these tips and go forth on your very own dodgeball adventure. The world needs a Stikbold champion, and it could be you when we launch on April 5. View the full article

Hello PlayStation fans! My name is Daniel Leaver and I’m delighted to be posting here once again. You may have heard of Dreadbit’s previous game, Ironcast, but today I’m proud to announce something entirely different: Seraph, coming to PS4 in 2016. Seraph is an acrobatic platforming shooter with a unique twist: all weapons are automatically aimed by Seraph, our title character! That’s right, Seraph will aim at the demon-spawn of hell for you while you focus on snapping off controlled bursts of gunfire as you backflip from walls and tumble through the air. It’s high-octane platforming action without the limitations of aiming. “But, Daniel, what is this madness? How can you possibly have a skill-based shooter without aiming?†I hear you cry. Well, having grown up with mind-blowing action films such as The Matrix, Christian Bale’s Equilibrium and, of course, anything directed by John Woo, I’ve always dreamt of playing a video game that could truly deliver on the promise of the player becoming a dual-handgun-wielding-badass! There have been some games that came close, but it always felt to me that the slick acrobatic choreography often came second to the player having to aim at the same time. A task made even more tricky if aiming two weapons at different enemies! So, I thought, why not ditch the requirement for the player to aim altogether and instead let them focus 100% of their attention on acrobatic evasion and, of course, accurately landing Seraph’s divine special powers? Seraph effortlessly aims her dual pistols at the oncoming demon hordes while the player shoots, flips, and dodges the rapidly moving unholy spells and attacks. The thought turned into a playable prototype within a few days… and we were utterly convinced. “But, Daniel, if you don’t aim isn’t the game just easy-mode-auto-win casual fodder?†Another excellent question from our astute PlayStation fans! The answer is of course not. Because the player doesn’t have to aim we instead allow them to focus on all of the stuff that matters more: evading exploding pillars of flame, sliding down a wall firing an SMG one-handed, and cartwheeling over a boss whilst simultaneously unloading a shotgun shell into its demonic face. Because the player doesn’t have to aim we have room to make this kind of gameplay really challenging! This is what playing Seraph is all about — looking and feeling amazing. In addition, Seraph also features an on-screen, dynamically scaling difficulty rating, so it will always match your ability level. The better you play the harder the game becomes! But don’t worry, the higher the difficulty rating the greater the rewards dropped by slain demons for our crafting and upgrade systems. There are tons of unlocks, daily challenge modes, and special Twitch streamer features we’d love to talk about more but I’m out of time. Thanks for having me, PlayStation fans! Why not drop some questions in the comments section below and I’ll get right back to you? View the full article

Hi Tankers! TJ here with an all-new game mode to try out on PS4 this weekend only. If you haven’t played World of Tanks — download the game today, it’s free with no PlayStation Plus account needed. Although we frequently develop one-off events and game modes, we are doing something we have never done before in World of Tanks on any platform; we are launching tanks onto the water and heading to sea! For this weekend only, take one of the most well-known and loved armored vehicles in the game to the seas in the newest specialty game mode for World of Tanks: TOG Boat. The illustrious and slow TOG II tank has been fully converted into the sea-ready HMS TOG II, an all-out assault tugboat unique to the TOG Boat game mode. The HMS TOG II is breaking waves in a special-event version of seven-on-seven ocean warfare. Fortified with the latest in tank floatation technology and tank-boat physics, the HMS TOG II* is equipped with AP and HE ammunition to ensure your TOG Boat can turn the tide against your opponent in a variety of enemy encounters. The TOG II has been referred to as “The Boat†by World of Tanks players for years. We’re always looking for ways to give back to the community and turning the TOG II into the HMS TOG II and giving it a special game mode was an incredibly fun way to do that. It’s also a nod to our sister studio in St. Petersburg who makes World of Warships. We actually imported some of their islands into our engine to create the map. The “Boat†physics were done with an incredibly cheap trick by one of the designers that really sells the HMS TOG II as a boat. We gave it a unique multi-shell gun and secondary firing mode reminiscent of the Artillery in World of Tanks to allow you to shoot over islands. I know the development team is looking forward to this weekend and playing many TOG Boat battles with you all. The HMS TOG II will be embarking on its maiden voyage April 1 through April 3 only. *The TOG will appear in your tank reel in a special garage dock automatically if you have ever played a battle — and if not, simply play a battle first, then you can head off to the high seas. Download World of Tanks now to join in on the tank… err, boat action! View the full article

Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV is a wrap! For months we’ve been teasing what we were going to do with a mysterious “March Event†with the hope that we would announce the release date for the next Final Fantasy. With Final Fantasy XV we had to bundle things down into 15 items… so if you missed it, here’s the quickest recap of all time! Hironobu Sakaguchi — the man, the myth, the legend — took center stage to open up the show to talk about how he’s looking forward to Final Fantasy XV becoming a challenger yet again. A brand-new trailer titled Reclaim Your Throne showed off new combat and a new rendition of the classic song Stand by Me, which is the theme song to Final Fantasy XV. Yoshitaka Amano, legendary Final Fantasy artist, designed a brand-new animated project titled Big Bang! Stand by Me was revealed to be sung by none other than Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine. All-new gameplay was unveiled featuring chocobo riding, updated battle mechanics, magic, and how Titan is summoned. World of Wonder: Environment Footage brought a soothing tone to showcase how vastly open-world the game is looking to be. A brand-new surprise, Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV was announced! A five-part anime series telling the backstory of all of the friends — the announcement trailer and episode 1 are available to watch here. Download the FFXV Platinum Demo Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy, a fully CG movie was announced! Blurring the lines between animation and reality, Kingsglaive tells the story of Nyx — a member of the elite armed forces, the Kingsglaive.A partnership between Audi was uncovered to show a one-of-a-kind exclusive Audi R8, themed after the world of Kingsglaive .An all-star voice cast for Kingsglaive was revealed! Aaron Paul, Lena Headey, and Sean Bean headline this star-studded affair.Justice Monsters Five, a brand-new mobile game was showcased to the world for the first time — a brand-new pinball mini-game will be available on smartphones later this year. A completely free and quirky demo, Platinum Demo — Final Fantasy XV was shown. Set in a whimsical dreamscape, you play as a child Noctis traversing the world with your new pal, Carbuncle. Two blockbuster editions were announced! The deluxe edition which contains both Final Fantasy XV and the Kingsglaive movie will be available in limited quantities. And in even more select quantities is the ultimate collector’s edition (which contains more content than this entire blog!) — pre-order your edition of choice here! The release date was finally uncovered and confirmed! September 30, 2016 worldwide!Lastly, the Uncovered Extended trailer debuted even more gameplay and dove deeper into the story.We have a solid six months to make 2016 the year of Final Fantasy XV, so we hope you’re just as excited for Final Fantasy XV as we are! Now more than ever, please be excited. What were you most surprised by? View the full article

Hi everyone — we’re happy to announce the PS4 Plus games for April. Pilot a warship escaping from a dying star in Dead Star or survive a zombie-infested London in Zombi on PS4. First up we have Dead Star, a team-based shooter with RPG influence that we are excited to have launch as a Plus game. Dreamed up by the folks at Armature Studio (Founded by key members of the Metroid Prime team!), Dead Star is the result of a “Wouldn’t it be cool if…†process that started with a space shooter foundation and includes elements of strategy and MOBA-like titles. The result is a 20-player online experience that’s easy to pick up and play, but also offers a great deal of depth (skill trees, ship upgrades, team strategy, and more). Dead Star has been a big hit at shows like PlayStation Experience and PAX South where players are finding something really special. The second PS4 game this month is Zombi, a first-person survival-horror experience. Zombi really was at the forefront of the resurgence we’ve seen in recent years of genuine survival-horror games. The London setting combined with well-paced gameplay sets Zombi apart from more action-oriented titles. Add in the extra challenge of permadeath and it’s easy to see why this game became a cult hit. In the last several years we’ve seen a lot of experimentation with the blending of genres. This month’s PS4 titles are shining examples of the kinds of mashups that create a lot of rich and layered gaming experiences. So, in addition to your opinions on this month’s PS Plus titles, I’d also like to hear about your thoughts on game genres, what you find appealing, and why. Full Lineup: A Virus Named Tom, PS Vita Dead Star, PS4 I Am Alive, PS3 Savage Moon, PS3 Shutshimi, PS Vita Zombi, PS4 See you in the comments section. Enjoy. View the full article

We’ve finally reached a critical point in development and we’re excited to share some good news with our beloved PlayStation fans. Shadow of the Beast will launch in North America on May 17th, 2016! Please stay tuned for pre-order details. Our small team has been using their time to the fullest and we’ve made significant changes in the last few months. Fans of the fighting genre will be excited to hear that we’re now targeting 60 frames per second and we’ve fine-tuned the combat experience from top to bottom, honing in on optimal response times. And we haven’t forgotten about Aarbron! The game’s protagonist received upgrades to the full extent of his abilities and we’ve equipped him with some of the mystic artefacts that add much more depth to gameplay. Shadow of the Beast feels quite different to other combat-adventure games, but hopefully people will find it very rewarding! And before we go we’d like to share a new screenshot from the game, one that reveals a feature we haven’t talked about yet — the gun! The game will be available for pre-order soon in the US and Canada on PlayStation Store and will include a fantastic dynamic theme to let you fully immerse yourself in the world of Shadow of the Beast. That’s all for now! Our team is busy making final tweaks to combat, ironing out a few bugs, and burying those Easter eggs for the most dedicated players. We can’t wait for launch in a couple of months. All the best, Matt and the Team at Heavy Spectrum View the full article

Hidy ho, PS Bloggerinos! It’s Alex Nichiporchik here ready to tell you about yet another new tinyBuild game coming to PS4. We already told you about Party Hard and No Time to Explain, and now it’s time for Lovely Planet. We know you love your first-person shooters on PlayStation (So do we!), so we’re excited to be bringing our own… unique brand of shooter. What a lovely day!Lovely Planet is what we describe as a first-person shooter gun ballet. Yes, you read that correctly. This planet may look lovely, with a colorful palette of bright, abstract shapes and sounds, but the inhabitants here are anything but. In each of Lovely Planet’s fast-paced levels, your aim is to shoot all the nasty dudes, save the innocents, maybe defuse a bomb or two, and reach the goal in the fastest time possible. Then you’ll notice that thousands of other players reached the goal before you on the leaderboards, and you’ll think “Okay, fine, I can do it quicker.†Then several hours later, when your eyeballs are dry and your knuckles are clenched, you’ll break down in tears, screaming about how it’s impossible that someone called “tehmast3r449†has managed to beat the level faster than you. Welcome to Lovely Planet. I’ve got a lovely bunch of bullets.Here’s the thing about Lovely Planet: it’s a back-to-basics first-person shooter. There’s none of these fancy medpacks, or regenerating health, or gritty realism to be found here — you shoot, you jump, you get hit, you die, you try again. And just to top it off, Lovely Planet is easily one of the trippiest first-person shooters you’ve ever played — don’t take our word for it, that’s what Kotaku called it! In fact, one of my favorite descriptions of the game came from a writer at Gamasutra. They described Lovely Planet as “If Katamari creator Keita Takahashi made Turok.†We should hire that guy for marketing! And you’ll be trippin’ for quite a while too, with 100 levels to master over five worlds and online leaderboards crammed into every single one. There are also tons of secrets to discover, stars to unlock, and a storyline so packed with subtlety that you’ll start to wonder whether it… doesn’t actually exist. How lovely.This is Lovely Planet, then: a trippy first-person shooter gun ballet with five worlds to explore, one hundred leaderboards to top, and an approach to shooters that will take you back to the golden days of classics like Doom and Wolfenstein. Except with less blood and more rainbows. And if you thought this was all you’d see from tinyBuild, you’re so very wrong! You can expect to see a lot more from us in the coming months. View the full article

Hello there! I’m Gareth Noyce, the developer of Lumo. Lumo is an isometric arcade adventure game that’s coming soon to PS4 and PS Vita. “Isometric arcade adventure game? What’s that, then?†Well, I’m glad you asked! Back in the mid 80s — when computers made beeping sounds and color TVs were wheeled into your home — 3D was a bit tricky, so clever programmers used to fake it using isometric projection. You’d explore their worlds room by room, completing the odd puzzle along the way and engaging in some proto-platforming gameplay. Simple stuff by today’s standards, but massively popular and often stunning to look at back then. In fact, the isometric craze spawned some stone cold classics — games that are fondly remembered to this day: Knight Lore, Head Over Heels, Amaurote, Chimera, Solstice & Equinox, to name just a few! One of these games, Head Over Heels, was the first game that I ever owned. It had a massive effect on 10-year-old me, so much so that I used to scribble down ideas for new rooms on paper! In a sense, it started me down the path of becoming a game developer. So when the opportunity to make my own game came around — spurred on by Ste Pickford, co-developer of some of the best isometric games ever made — it seemed like too good an idea to pass up! If only I’d kept those scribbled room ideas from when I was a kid, though… Lumo (Finnish for “enchantmentâ€) isn’t a remake of those classic 8-bit games. Instead, it’s my attempt to answer the question: “What would those games be like today?†We can do things with physics, light, and sound that just weren’t possible back then, not to mention being able to auto save (!), so Lumo smooths off some of those old-school edges and brings the genre bang up-to-date. It’s a much bigger game than its predecessors, clocking in at nearly 450 rooms split across four different zones, including secret paths, tons of hidden rooms, ducks to rescue, coins to collect and spend, and 6 mini-games to find and unlock! It’s not just about getting from start to finish. Instead, it’s going to reward your exploration skills. Try and jump out of rooms and bend the game mechanics. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the first person to find all the cassettes and complete the mini-games? If you do, be sure to try it against the clock in Old School Mode, Lumo’s Time Trial setup. I’ve had so much fun making Lumo over the last two years that it’s turned into a bit of a love letter to gaming in the 80s, capturing the feelings I had as a wide-eyed 10-year-old falling in love with his first computer game. Retro-gamers will chuckle at some of the references to 80s magazines and developers that I’ve snuck in (keep your eyes open), while players new to these games will be able to experience a fresh, modern take on a genre that’s just as fun today as it was 30 years ago. (But if you decide to scribble down your own ideas for new rooms, please take a photo of them and upload them to the cloud. You never know when they’ll come in handy!) Lumo launches April 22nd on PS4 and PS Vita as a cross-buy title. View the full article

PlayStation Store is bringing the best in tactical action to week five of the Franchise Sale series. Starting now through Monday, April 4, save up to 75 percent on select Metal Gear games and Transformers movies. Since Metal Gear Solid redefined the stealth genre in 1998, the series has been a mainstay of PlayStation platforms. Step into the sneaking suits of Big Boss, Solid Snake, Naked Snake, Punished Snake and Raiden across titles from PS4, PS3, PS Vita and PSP. Games PlatformTitleSale PriceOriginal PricePS4Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes$4.99$19.99PS4Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain$40.19$59.99PS3Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – Ultimate Edition$7.49$29.99PS3Metal Gear Solid (PSOne Classic)$4.99$9.99PS3Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty$7.49$14.99PS3Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater$7.49$14.99PS3Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots$9.99$19.99PS3Metal Gear Solid HD Collection$19.99$39.99PS3Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker – HD Edition $9.99$19.99PS3Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes$4.99$19.99PS3Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain$33.49$49.99PS3Metal Gear Solid VR Missions (PSOne Classic)$2.99$5.99PS VitaMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty$7.49$14.99PS VitaMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – HD Edition$7.49$14.99PS VitaMetal Gear Solid: HD Collection$14.99$29.99PSPMetal Gear Solid Peace Walker$9.99$19.99PSPMetal Gear Solid PSP Bundle$12.49$24.99PSPMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops$4.99$9.99PSPMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus$4.99$9.99Join Optimus Prime and the Autobots as they thwart sinister Decepticon plots across four films. But don’t wait too long – these deals will “transform and roll out†in just one week! Movies TitleSD Original PriceSD Sale PriceHD Original PriceHD Sale PriceTransformers$9.99$7.99$17.99$9.99Transformers CollectionN/AN/A$39.99$29.99Transformers: Age of Extinction$7.99$7.99$9.99$9.99Transformers: Dark of the Moon$9.99$7.99$17.99$9.99Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen$9.99$7.99$17.99$9.99Check back next Tuesday when Tom Clancy and Harry Potter join the Franchise Sale lineup. View the full article

PS4 Games Adam’s Venture (Out on 4/1) $49.99 Arcade Archives Life Force $7.99 Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus $14.99 Gryphon Knight Epic $9.99 MLB The Show 16 $59.99 Nights of Azure $59.99 No Time to Explain $14.99 Organic Panic $14.99 Piecefall $2.49 R.B.I. Baseball 16 $19.99 Resident Evil 6 $19.99 Unepic $12.99 PS3 Games MLB The Show 16 $59.99 PS Vita Games Knight Solitaire $4.99 Maliya $2.99 Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution 2 Plus $19.99 Trillion: God of Destruction $39.99 Unepic $12.99 Trials Unravel – PS4 BundlesConsoleBundlePricePS4 MLB The Show 16 – Digital Deluxe $99.99PS4MLB The Show 16 – MVP Edition $69.99 See this month’s full PS Plus lineup Sales PlatformProduct NameSale PriceOriginal PricePS4Dead or Alive 5 Last Round – Hot Summer Costume Set$13.29$18.99PS4Dead or Alive 5 Last Round: Core Fighters – Female Fighters Set$22.49$37.49PS4Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes$4.99$19.99PS4Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain$40.19$59.99PS4WWE 2K16$40.19$59.99PS4WWE 2K16 Digital Deluxe Edition$49.49$89.99PS4WWE 2K16: WWE 2K16 Season Pass$19.99$24.99PS3Dead or Alive 5 Last Round – Hot Summer Costume Set$13.29$18.99PS3Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Ultimate Edition$7.49$29.99PS3Metal Gear Solid (PSOne Classic)$4.99$9.99PS3Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty$7.49$14.99PS3Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater$7.49$14.99PS3Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots$9.99$19.99PS3Metal Gear Solid Hd Collection$19.99$39.99PS3Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker – HD Edition$9.99$19.99PS3Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes$4.99$19.99PS3Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain$33.49$49.99PS3Metal Gear Solid VR Missions (PSOne Classic)$2.99$5.99PS3The Cursed Crusade$2.99$19.99PS3WWE 2K16$29.99$59.99PS3WWE 2K16 Digital Deluxe Edition$39.99$79.99PS3WWE 2K16 Season Pass$19.99$24.99PS VitaMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty$7.49$14.99PS VitaMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – Hd Edition$7.49$14.99PS VitaMetal Gear Solid: HD Collection$14.99$29.99PS VitaSuper Blackout$1.99$4.99PS VitaThe Quiet Collection$2.99$4.99PSPMetal Gear Solid Peace Walker$9.99$19.99PSPMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops$4.99$9.99PSPMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus$4.99$9.99PSPMetal Gear Solid PSP Bundle$12.49$24.99PSPShin Megami Tensei: Persona 2: Innocent Sin$14.99$19.99PSPShin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable$14.99$19.99PlayStation Plus SalesPlatformProduct NameSale PriceOriginal PricePS4Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Trilogy$17.49$24.99PS4Gryphon Knight Epic$8.99$9.99PS4Layers of Fear$14.99$19.99PS4Lego Marvel Avengers$47.99$59.99PS4Lego Marvel’s Avengers Deluxe Edition$55.99$69.99PS4Not a Hero$9.09$12.99PS4Orange Eyes Avatar$1.59$1.99PS4Pro Gamer Skull Avatar$1.59$1.99PS4The Witness$35.99$39.99PS4Tron Run/r$10.00$19.99PS4Tron Run/r Deluxe Bundle$15.00$29.99PS4Unravel$15.99$19.99PS3Lego Marvel Avengers$39.99$49.99PS3Lego Marvel’s Avengers Deluxe Edition$47.99$59.99PS VitaAtelier Escha & Logy Plus ~Alchemists of the Dusk Sky~$31.99$39.99PS VitaLego Marvel’s Avengers$23.99$29.99PS VitaMaliya$2.09$2.99Price ChangesPlatformTitleNew PriceOriginal PricePS4Omega Quintet$39.99$59.99PS3Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Bundle$19.99$29.99PS3Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare Gold Edition$49.99$59.99PS3Call Of Duty: Black Ops Complete Bundle$74.99$94.49PS3Call Of Duty: Black Ops with First Strike$39.99$49.99PS3Call of Duty: Black Ops & Black Ops II Game Bundle$79.99$109.99PS3Call Of Duty: Ghosts Digital Hardened Bundle$79.99$99.99PS3Call Of Duty: Ghosts Gold Edition$44.99$59.99PS3Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with Stimulus Package$19.99$29.99PS3Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Digital Pro Edition$89.99$99.99PS3Call Of Duty: Black Ops II with Revolution Map Pack$49.99$59.99PS3Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Season Pass Bundle$79.99$99.99PS3Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 with Dlc Collection 1$29.99$39.99PS3Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Ultimate Edition Bundle$69.99$99.99PS VitaCall of Duty Black Ops Declassified$39.99$49.99PS VitaHyperdimension Neptunia Rebirth3: V Generation$29.99$39.99PS VitaHyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed$29.99$39.99 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Original Soundtrack Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL K Michelle More Issues Than Vogue Domo Genesis Genesis Follow PlayStation Music on Spotify Norm of the North Justice League vs. Teen Titans WWE: Fastlane 2016 For more new movies and TV shows visit PlayStation Video PS4 Add-onsArslan: The Warriors of Legend Scenario Set 9 ($5.99) Scenario Set 10 ($7.99) Scenario Set 11 ($5.99) Skill Card Set 7 ($4.99) Skill Card Set 8 ($4.99) Skill Card Set 9 ($4.99) Dead or Alive 5 Last Round Samurai Warriors Mashup – Leifang ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Gen Fu ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Apha 152 & Oichi ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Ayane & Nene ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Bass & Ieyasu Tokugawa ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Bayman & Tadakatsu ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Brad Wong & Ujiyasu Hojo ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Christie & Masamune Date ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Ein & Mitsunari Ishida ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Eliot & Hanbei Takenaka ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Hayate & Yukimura Sanada ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Helena & Aya ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Hitomi & Protagonist ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Honoka & Kunoichi ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Jann Lee & Naomasa II ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Kasumi & Oichi ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Kokoro & Okuni ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Leon & Kenshin Uesugi ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Lisa & Yoshitsugu Otani ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Marie Rose & Gracia ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Mila & Ginchiyo Tachibana ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Momiji & Ina ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Nyotengu & No ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Phase 4 & Ranmaru Mori ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Rachel & Kai ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Raidou & Yoshihiro Shimazu ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Rig & Masanori Fukushima ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Ryu Hatabusa & Hanzo Hattori ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Tina & Koshosho ($1.99) Samurai Warriors Mashup – Zack & Keiji Maeda ($1.99) LEGO Marvel Avengers Classic Captain Marvel Pack ($2.99) The Masters of Evil Pack ($2.99) Minecraft: Storymode Adventure Pass ($14.99) Episode 5: Order Up! ($4.99) Season Pass Deluxe ($39.99) Nights of AzureGust-Chan The Servan ($0.00)Primal Carnage: ExtinctionScientist Pack 01 ($4.99)Rock Band 4 Blown Away – Carrie Underwood ($1.99) House Party – Sam Hunt ($1.99) That’s My Kind of Night – Luke Bryan ($1.99) Rocksmith 2014 Eddie Cocharan – Summertime Blues ($2.99) Edgar Winter – Free Ride ($2.99) Hoobastank – The Reason ($2.99) The Cars – My Best Friend’s Girl ($2.99) Senran Kagura Estival Versus Ayame ($3.99) Baggy Shirt ($1.99) Balloon ($0.99) Camisole ($1.99) Cherry ($0.99) Dual Blooming Hearts ($4.99) Loose Socks ($0.99) Mask ($0.99) Pajamas ($1.99) Pit Girl ($2.49) Scrunchie ($0.99) Sexy Maid ($1.99) Sexy Miko ($1.99) Shinobi Scarf ($0.99) Shinovi Versus BGM ($4.99) Shuriken ($0.99) Tengu Mask ($0.99) Wooden Doll ($0.99) The Walking DeadMichonne – Episode 2: Give No Shelter($4.99)WRC 5 FIA World Rally Championship ESports WRC Pack 2 ($4.99) PS3 Add-onsArslan: The Warriors of Legend Scenario Set 9 ($5.99) Scenario Set 10 ($7.99) Scenario Set 11 ($5.99) Skill Card Set 7 ($4.99) Skill Card Set 8 ($4.99) Skill Card Set 9 ($4.99) LEGO Marvel Avengers Classic Captain Marvel Pack ($2.99) The Masters of Evil Pack ($2.99) Minecraft: Storymode Adventure Pass ($14.99) Episode 5: Order Up! ($4.99) Season Pass Deluxe ($39.99) MLB The Show 1,000 Stubs ($0.99) 5,000 Stubs ($4.99) 11,000 Stubs ($9.99) 67,500 Stubs ($0.99) 24,000 Stubs ($19.99) 150,000 Stubs ($99.99) Rocksmith 2014 Eddie Cocharan – Summertime Blues ($2.99) Edgar Winter – Free Ride ($2.99) Hoobastank – The Reason ($2.99) The Cars – My Best Friend’s Girl ($2.99) The Walking DeadMichonne – Episode 2: Give No Shelter($4.99) PS Vita Add-OnsKnight Solitaire 1,000,000 Coins ($19.99) Bag of Gold ($4.99) Chest of Gold ($9.99) Golden Coin ($0.99) Handful of Coins ($1.99) Purse of Coins ($2.99) Senran Kagura Estival Versus Ayame ($3.99) Baggy Shirt ($1.99) Balloon ($0.99) Camisole ($1.99) Cherry ($0.99) Dual Blooming Hearts ($4.99) Loose Socks ($0.99) Mask ($0.99) Pajamas ($1.99) Pit Girl ($2.49) Scrunchie ($0.99) Sexy Maid ($1.99) Sexy Miko ($1.99) Shinobi Scarf ($0.99) Shinovi Versus BGM ($4.99) Shuriken ($0.99) Tengu Mask ($0.99) Wooden Doll ($0.99) ThemesConsoleThemePricePS43D Asteroid Field Dynamic Theme$2.99PS4American City New York City HD Theme$3.49PS4Guns Gore And Cannoli Theme$0.00PS4MLB The Show 16 Dynamic Theme$3.99PS4Nights Of Azure: Custom Theme 1$0.00PS4Nights Of Azure: Custom Theme 2$0.00PS4Nights Of Azure: Custom Theme Gust-chan$0.00PS VitaAnne Stokes: Realm Of Enchantment Theme$2.99PS VitaRainfall Theme$2.99AvatarsConsoleAvatarPricePS4Double Avatar$0.49PS4Lizard – Avatar$0.99PS4Marie Avatar$0.49PS4Orange Eyes Avatar$1.99PS4Painwheel Avatar$0.49PS4Peacock Avatar$0.49PS4Pro Gamer Skull Avatar$1.99PS4Skullgirls – Cerebella Avatar$0.49PS4Skullgirls – Filia Avatar$0.49PS4Skullgirls – Ms. Fortune Avatar$0.49PS4Skullgirls – Parasoul Avatar$0.49PS4Skullgirls – Valentine Avatar$0.49 View the full article

The 11th season of MLB The Show is underway! The Major League Baseball season is about to start, which means it’s time to see how you fare when taking control of all the action in MLB The Show 16. With the numerous improvements and new features we’ve added to MLB The Show 16 we are confident this is the best MLB game we’ve ever shipped. Just a few of our improvements in The Show 16 include: The introduction of ShowTime Significant improvements to Road to the Show and Franchise modes New physically-based rendering Over 1,000 new animations Career stat tracking Two brand new game modes With the return of Year-to-Year saves, you’ll also be able to experience all the great new additions to ’16 without losing your progress from last year. As an added bonus for launch day we thought it would be cool to put together a short bloopers video from all the content we captured over the past two months. Digital Deluxe and MVP Edition InfoFor those who purchased the MVP or Digital Deluxe editions, redeem and open your stubs and packs by heading to: “My Locker†> “Show Shop†> “Purchase or Redeem†to redeem your items and add them to your inventory.Reminder: if you have multiples of an item to redeem (i.e. 3 Opening Day Packs) you will need to redeem it 3 times. Then head to ‘My Locker’ > ‘Inventory’ > ‘Open Packs’ to open and reveal your item. We’ve tried to put full instructions in one handy place (along with a host of other tips). Let us know in the comments or via Twitter (@MLBTheShow) if you still have questions/issues! Bug ReportsSome of you may not be aware, but we have an easy-to-use Bug Reporting system build into TheShowNation.com. We’re grateful for those in the community who consistently bring something to our attention as soon as they come across it; sometimes it takes thousands of people playing for an issue to arise and nothing helps us have a shot to quash a bug faster than having it flagged ASAP. If you’ve encountered an issue, please visit the Bug Reports page. Note: We greatly appreciate if you can check to see whether the issue you’ve come across has already been posted. There’s a handy search feature! On behalf of the team at San Diego Studio, thank you for your continued support and passion for our annual labor of love. Welcome to The Show! View the full article