Category: PlayStation

Last week, we asked you journey to the world of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn and share epic moments using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

secondcapture shares a detailed look at the back of Nor Vanek, including her tattoos, hair, and gun holster

m_nt_13 shares Nor Vanek leaping upward, leaving behind a trail of purple sparks

spec_arc shares Nor Vanek standing in a cave, ax drawn

GioWayne86 shares an image looking up at Nor Vanek in a red outfit, ax drawn and in focus

Horizon_VP shares Nor Vanek standing in a stone archway that frames a fortress in the distance

VivaceVivianV shares Enki the fox standing to the right of a glowing red obelisk

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Games within Games
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 31, 2024

Next week, we turn the spotlight on games within a video game. From sports to cards, or challenges to races, share your favorite characters taking part in an in-game game using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

With each of the Freegunners in Concord, our team has focused on taking a holistic approach to development by working across all disciplines–from gameplay design to narrative to art and beyond–to ensure that they’re not just fun and engaging to play, but that they feel like fully formed characters. From their core gameplay to the way they move and the performances of our cast, every detail is meant to feel like extensions of their personalities, backstories, and journey through the Concord galaxy.

This past weekend during the Open Beta and with the Early Access Beta earlier this month, you were able to experience a small slice of the game and each of our characters for the first time.

As we look ahead to launch in August, we’re excited to further unpack our launch roster of 16 playable Freegunners, including a limited animated series called Concord: Freegunner Adventures. The first episode drops today with Concord Freegunner Adventures: Crew First, which features Teo, Jabali, and It-Z taking a high-stakes job and going up against a rival crew: 

In the days and weeks ahead, we’ll also be launching new gameplay trailers for each Freegunner in the launch roster, giving you a deeper look at their abilities and gear. Each episode of Concord Freegunner Adventures and gameplay trailer will launch on the official PlayStation YouTube channel.

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For all the latest on Concord, be sure to follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as by joining the community in the Official Concord Discord.

Evo 2024 is down in the books, and what an event it was. When the eyes of the entire fighting game community are in one place, it’s also the ideal location to showcase new information about updates: gameplay balances and additions, character DLC, and much more — and the announcements at Evo this year packed one heckuva punch. 

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising elevates its game even higher

GBVSR had a very strong showing at Evo this year, but it looks like it’s only the beginning of this game’s run as a community favorite. The beautiful yet terrifying Versusia was unveiled near the start of Evo, and she was playable at the CyGames booth. Versusia exudes an aura of raw power, with attacks that look and feel downright cataclysmic. She will be released on August 20, and it will be interesting to see how she affects the game’s dynamic. She’ll be accompanied by various gameplay adjustments, a new Grand Master rank, and additions to the game’s single-player story mode. 

Also announced but not playable was Vikila, whose bubbly personality and smaller stature stand in stark contrast to Versusia’s chaos. She’ll be available in October of this year, with a gameplay reveal almost certainly coming before her debut. Vikila and Versusia round out the Season 1 DLC characters, but a season 2 teaser — along with a brief glimpse of beloved character Sandalphon — was enough to get the Evo arena jumping with excitement over what’s to come.

Guilty Gear Strive brings us something old, something new, and something very different

Guilty Gear Strive continues to thrive as one of the most beloved fighting games out there, and this year’s Evo grand finals were a perfect showcase of why this game brings so much passion from its players. Those fans have plenty to look forward to in the near future, as developer and publisher Arc System Works announced their full slate of upcoming DLC characters for Guilty Gear Strive’s fourth season.

Returning to the arena will be longtime series staples Dizzy and Venom, with new looks and, in Queen Dizzy’s case, a proper royal title. Details are sparse on the brand-new addition, Unika, but she’s a character that will prominently feature in the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers anime.

Perhaps the most surprising announcement, however, was that of Guilty Gear’s first guest character from a completely different franchise. Lucy from Cyberpunk Edgerunners will step into the arena next summer, and it’s going to be interesting to see how she fits in among Guilty Gear’s famously eclectic cast. 

Also coming to GG Strive: a 3-on-3 battle mode. It’s still under development, but you’ll be able to try out the open beta of the mode today, July 25. New stages and character colors will also be added into the mix, so fans have plenty to look forward to over the next year.

Hunter X Hunter Nen Impact packs a punch

The upcoming anime-based title from Marvel vs Capcom 3 developers Eighting and publisher Arc System Works was playable and received quite a warm reception. While the inputs for special attacks are simplified compared to other team-based fighters, the feel of the gameplay is still as frantic and strategic as ever, and the over-the-top personalities and techniques of the beloved Hunter X Hunter cast shine through beautifully. Merurem, the fierce insectoid warrior, was both announced and playable at Arc System Works’ booth. Who else will be revealed before Hunter X Hunter Nen Impact’s debut this winter? Only time will tell.

SNK showcases Fatal Fury: City of Wolves and continues King of Fighters XV support

SNK’s flagship franchise fighter King of Fighters XV, had another excellent year at Evo with a strong cross-national turnout, and they’re still working to keep the game fresh and fun. Two beloved characters were announced to be returning to the arena in December: the beautiful and deadly Vice and Mature.

Fatal Fury: City of Wolves had a huge showcase at the event. A booth offering demos of the game proved to be very popular throughout the weekend, and an exhibition featuring top players from the community showcased just how exciting and explosive the game could be, even at this early stage in development. A new but familiar character for FFCOW was also revealed at the event: Kevin Rian and his young buddy Marky make their return to the ongoing Fatal Fury storyline in their hunt for justice.

Finally, SNK had one more surprise: A re-release of the famous Capcom crossover fighter SvC Chaos is now available on PS4 and PS5 with rollback netcode.

Street Fighter 6 gives us a taste of Terry

Speaking of crossovers, Capcom gave fans a sneak peek of famous SNK and Fatal Fury fighter Terry Bogard’s look and gameplay in Street Fighter 6 right before Top 6. Terry’s coming from the streets of his native South Town to tackle the fiercest combatants in Metro City, and if this trailer is any indication, things are going to get quite rowdy indeed!

Tekken 8 reveals Heihachi Mishima… is alive.

By the time you read this, you might already be playing as Lidia in Tekken 8, who featured prominently at Bandai Namco’s Tekken stations on the Evo show floor. Lidia’s announcement at Evo Japan was met with a lot of fanfare, but things are about to get even wilder in the world of Tekken.

You didn’t think Tekken 8 would actually kill off its eternal patriarch, did you? In a stunning trailer, the Tekken Project team revealed the next DLC fighter: Heihachi Mishima, a man so powerful and unkillable that he has once again re-emerged to wreak havoc on all of his accursed bloodline. 

Supporting Heihachi’s re-emergence from the fires of hell will be a new, free single-player story DLC that adds the DLC fighters into the ongoing saga — however, this DLC will be free for all players, so there’s no need to buy the DLC to enjoy it. Both Heihachi and the new story content are tentatively scheduled to be released this fall. Also announced were the dates and location of the 2024 Tekken World Tour finals, which will have its culminating event in Shibuya, Japan. 

Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes delivers a creepy new combatant

Uzuki, the be-hatted and be-spectacled young lass, is the first DLC character from UNI2’s season pass. She will be available today, July 25 for all players. Uzuki was playable at publisher Arc System Works’ booth, where I got to try her out. She’s brimming with personality: besides having a host of macabre normal attacks packed with range and strength, she’s also got a bunch of tricks up her sleeve for special moves: a random item toss, a coffin full of chaos, and oh-so-many skeletons. Expect further information on the next two DLC characters, Ogre and Izumi, later this year.

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With more Evo events planned globally in the coming years, the hype won’t be stopping, and you can expect plenty more announcements and surprises to accompany the competition.

How do you make a second act spectacular? Turn the volume up even higher.

This summer, World of Tanks Modern Armor gets loud as Motörhead and Rob Zombie take the stage for Metal Fest, the central event of our new Heavy Metal season!

Just like all the best music festivals, Metal Fest has become an annual event. Anyone who missed our 2023 headliners (Sabaton, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden) is in luck; for a limited time, we’ll be bringing back last year’s content in all of its guitar-shredding glory.

But you don’t want to just relive last year’s epic moments. You want to hear about the new stuff. So let’s talk about what it took to make this year’s event happen with the legendary Motörhead and Rob Zombie!

Motörhead

Motörhead blasts its way into battle with new content that includes:

• The Thunder Chief Object 452K tank
• The “Bomber” Skin for the FV107 Scimitar
• 2D Commanders representing band members Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Campbell, and Mikkey Dee
• 3D Commanders modeled after Lemmy and the band’s mascot, Warpig

Motörhead is one of the true vanguards of heavy metal. Their lifestyle and legend remains fiercely popular, and founding father Lemmy (who passed away in 2015) continues to be revered in the community.

But as well as leading Motörhead to deafening global popularity, Lemmy was also an avid gamer, and the band was actively involved with concepts and ideas for Tanks’ new content. Talking about the Lemmy 3D Commander, the band states, “Modern technology has enabled us to have Lemmy fully integrated into the game, which felt appropriate given that this is exactly the sort of game he played and avidly enjoyed.” 

It’s a legacy that the Motörhead superfans in Tanks’ design and development crews took seriously. “We did a ton of visual research to make sure we were making the most authentic version of Lemmy seen in any video game ever, and I think we achieved that,” says Andy Dorizas, Tanks’ art director. “I wanted to make sure we honored him as the amazing guy he was.” 

This dedication is reflected not only in the Commanders but in the Motörhead tank and skin (“the back of the tanks, the amps—you will know if you know,” says Dorizas) as well as the Warpig 3D Commander. According to Dorizas, “We even have Warpig carrying the bomb from the Bomber album cover into the game when you choose him in the UI.”

In fact, this marks the first time that fans will get to hear Warpig’s voice, a responsibility that fell to another Motörhead fan: Brendan Blewett, Tanks’ audio director.

“Motörhead provided clear goals and direction for Warpig in that they wanted a character that was a cross between a wild, free-wheeling-no-rules biker and an English bulldog,” Blewett explains. “I had to think about how to achieve this, and I decided that interpolating recordings, in combination with modulating a human voice recording against a different recording of dog vocalizations, was going to be my method.”

So, who was chosen to assist with this iconic role? “My sister-in-law has a puggle named Ollie, and he is a legendary vocalizer when it comes to snorting and breathing and grunting and whatnot, so the solution presented itself,” says Blewett. “The whole of every line is a human voice being directly modulated by dog vocalizations.”

Sometimes you go to great lengths to make rock and roll happen.

Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie thunders onto the battlefield with new content that includes:

• The Dragula T-55AGM tank
• The “Superbeast” Skin for the M53/55
• 2D and 3D Commanders modeled after the man himself

Zombie is an unmatched creative force who, with the 1998 release of Hellbilly Deluxe, solidified his status as a ruler in the realm of shock rock. The Dragula T-55AGM acknowledges this with a design that pays tribute to the album’s lead single.

But Zombie’s career extends far beyond that, which meant that his 3D Commander in particular had to reflect all his accomplishments and interests.

“We made two designs of his 3D commander,” says Dorizas. “Rob chose the one that was more authentic to Rob and not tied to any one album theme … a bad-ass tanker with evil style and some serious menace.”

No matter which act is your favorite, this year’s Metal Fest aims to thrill. Motörhead and Rob Zombie were among players’ top five most requested acts, and we’re honored to bring them you.

So crank it up. We’ll see you on the battlefield for Metal Fest starting July 30 on PS5 and PS4!

The world of Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure takes place on a sprawling, interconnected gameplay grid, on which characters, objects, puzzles, and exploration all follow the same logic: when player character Jemma moves, the world moves too. And when you step off the edge of the grid in any direction, you “loop” around to the other side. With these mechanics in mind, and being a game without a failstate, we certainly had our work cut out for us when it came to designing our boss fights!

We started by laying down some structural ground rules about the game world, to keep our scope in check and put a rough template in place to design around. Each town has two roughly delineated dungeon areas, which at some point introduces the elements required to solve a larger puzzle at the end of the town, which we frame as our boss fights. Though they may (and should!) feel intimidating, our bosses are ultimately just larger puzzles that have more at stake in the context of the story.

Some early sketches of the second boss by our artist David Hellman. Featuring eyes, monsters, water, and a small identity crisis.

In a more traditional game, you’d have to worry about losing health if you get hit, or even dying and having to restart the fight. That’s not the case in Arranger, but your progress will still be limited until you can find a way to solve the challenge.

The dangers – or rather, the obstacles – that Jemma has to face are always connected to a strange force we call “the static,” which we represent in the game with a glowing purple aura around objects. The static objects aren’t affected by Jemma’s powers, and stay in place when she moves. This is true for all puzzles in Arranger, but it’s expressed in the most explicit way in these boss battles: the raw form of the static becomes a static beast, and Jemma has to find creative ways to defeat them, using all sorts of strategies introduced in earlier puzzles throughout the game.

The final stage of the first boss may look complicated, but you’ll develop all the skills required to defeat that long static boy by the time you get there!

Finding different ways to represent these beasts was a real challenge. We really wanted to express how the scale of the bosses was getting larger and larger as you progressed through the story, to convey that the risks were larger and that you were getting closer to the source of the problem.

Given the nature of the design and our primary goal of keeping the game experience breezy, a lot of these elements are represented not by the difficulty of the puzzle, but instead emphasized through the story context and art. 

One of our comic-style cutscenes that introduces the first boss!

The first boss is something Jemma can work out herself – a worm getting larger and larger, with more static debris appearing after each phase, making the usable grid smaller each time. Whereas the second and the third bosses are actually the opposite: the grid becomes larger, giving more room for movement, but the steps to damage the boss become more complex, so you have to use everything you’ve learned (and Jemma may even have to get some help from other characters!). So it’s always a balance between giving players the right amount of space to maneuver around, depending on how much complexity and constraint we want to introduce.

You’d better use those birds if you want to poke all those eyes at the same time..!

It’s been really interesting for us – and we hope for players as well – to see how these elements evolve throughout the game. It may feel like a natural evolution, but it took a lot of (exhaustive) iteration and (fun!) exploration to get it feeling like we wanted it to. Just like Jemma, we had to go through a lot of chaos and make a big mess, before the dust settled on the other end to reveal the game’s true nature.

Thanks so much for checking out Arranger. We hope it slides right into your heart!

Gran Turismo players! This month’s Update 1.49* for Gran Turismo 7 will be available as of July 24 at 11:00pm PST / July 25 at 7:00am BST / 3:00pm JST.

Let’s dive into what’s new.

Updated physics simulation model

A major update has been introduced for the car physics simulation model. This update mainly affects the suspension physics model and tire physical calculation model resulting in much more natural weight shifting during cornering. Tire response has also been improved, along with more realistic tire heating and wear. Look forward to more dynamic car movement and a further polished driving feel.

French tire maker Michelin has been added.

6 new cars added this month

BMW M3 ‘97

*Can be purchased from Used Cars

From race car to luxury grand tourer, the 3.2L second generation M3.

The 2nd generation M3 was introduced in 1992, 2 years after the introduction of its base model, the 3rd generation ‘E36’ 3-Series. The original ‘E30’ M3 was a racing homologation model made by heavily modifying the standard 3-Series, in a stark contrast, the E36 M3 took the line in the direction of a grand tourer. It featured a more mature look, with understated aero parts. Performance, however, was still very much at the forefront of the design. The 3L inline-6 engine produced 282.1 BHP with 32.7 kgfm torque. With this engine at its heart, the car was able to accelerate from a standing start to 62 mph in just 6 seconds and could continue to accelerate up to 155 mph before hitting the speed limiter. 

A minor model change in 1995 brought with it a 3.2L engine producing 316.6 BHP and 35.7 kgfm torque, and replaced the 5-speed manual transmission with a 6-speed unit, along with several changes to the chassis to sharpen the overall handling. 1997 saw the introduction of a 6-speed semi-automatic transmission.

Ferrari 430 Scuderia ‘07

*Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars

A road-going racer that greatly improved upon the performance of the F430.

The 430 Scuderia was announced in September 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, introduced as a high-performance version of Ferrari’s V8 series ‘F430’. It also served as the successor to 360 Challenge Stradale, a road-legal version of the 360 Challenge one-make race car that appeared in the 360 Modena era. 

It is powered by the same 4.3L V8 DOHC engine as the standard F430, further tuned to produce an extra 19.7 BHP / 0.5 kgfm to produce a total 502 BHP / 47.9 kgfm. A streamlining of the interior fittings allowed for a roughly 100 kg weight reduction to 1,350 kg. These improvements resulted in a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.48 kg/BHP. The transmission is a 2-pedal manual ‘F1 Superfast 2’ which allows for gear changes as fast as 0.06 seconds. The running gear itself also has a direct impact on driving and lap times, and a number of F1 derived technologies have been implemented here as well, such as the F1-Trac combined traction and stability control system, and the electronically controlled ‘E-Diff’ differential.

Genesis X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo Concept

*Can be purchased from Brand Central

The racing version of the Gran Berlinetta adorned with aerodynamic parts.

The Genesis X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo Concept is the most emotional expression of Athletic Elegance in the Genesis portfolio. It is a racing derivative of the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Vision Gran Turismo Concept, with increased downforce achieved by the impressive wings, active aerodynamic flaps, flat floor, front and rear diffusors, canards and gurneys. While the drag coefficient increases according to wing configurations, the increased downforce allows better lap times. 

The X Gran Racer Concept is powered by a front mid-mounted race-spec Lambda II V6 engine, electrically assisted by Genesis E-SC technology. The hybrid race-spec drivetrain delivers a combined 1,540 HP (1,539.4 BHP) and 1,015 ft-lb (140.3 kgfm) of torque. The V6 screams at 10,000 rpm while delivering a maximum output of 870 HP (869.8 BHP) and 790 ft-lb (109.2 kgfm) while the front E motor generates an additional 670 HP (669.6 BHP) and 225 ft-lb (31 kgfm).

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 ‘08

*Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars

No longer the baby Lambo; the Gallardo outgrew its nickname with top-tier performance.

Debuting in 2003, the baby Lambo ‘Gallardo’ underwent many improvements over the course of a five-year span, including several high-performance evolutions. Then, at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, a model debuted that would outshine all of its predecessors. On the surface, the new Gallardo, or ‘LP 560-4,’ looked as if it had simply taken stylistic cues from the limited-edition Lamborghini Reventón. But in truth, it had undergone some major modifications. The most prominent of such modifications was the enlargement of its V10 engine displacement, from 4,961 cc to 5,204 cc. With additional intake and exhaust upgrades, and increased compression, the engine produced 552.3 BHP and 55.1 kgfm of torque, which was a 39.4 BHP and 3.1 kgfm improvement from the original Gallardo model. 

The drivetrain employed the same full-time 4WD transmission and viscous coupling as its forebearers. As for the car’s name, the ‘560’ was taken from its maximum engine output, and the ‘4’ stood for its 4WD system. The car also inherited a 6MT, or ‘6-speed, 2-pedal manual transmission,’ the E-gear in particular being greatly upgraded, its shifting speed shortened by 40% in the sporty ‘CORSA’ mode. Many thorough weight-reduction efforts were also made, resulting in the vehicle weighing in 20 kg lighter than previous models, at 1,410 kg.

RUF RGT 4.2 ‘16

*Can be purchased from Brand Central

The ultimate naturally aspirated flat 6. A meticulously crafted machine made by RUF.

RUF is a company that continues to create unique sports cars based on Porsches, infused with their own philosophy and craftsmanship. One of their continuing model lines include the “RGT”, based on various 911 GT3 models. At the very core of the RGT is a concept to polish the performance of the GT3 model even further, while miraculously bestowing it the comfort of a road car. And at the 2015 Geneva show, RUF added a new model to this family tree: The RGT 4.2, based on the type 991, 911 GT3. 

As the name implies it is powered by a 4.2L flat 6, increasing the displacement from the stock 3.8L of the type 991, 911 GT3 by 400 cc. But the increased displacement is not the only point of note. The RGT 4.2 engine is not just a tuned 911 GT3 engine, but uses the “Mezger engine” with the GT1 crankshaft as a base; an engine that has seen many successes in racing since the air cooled days of the flat 6. The car produces 123.3 BHP per litre, for a maximum power output of 517.7 BHP. On the exterior it is equipped with aggressive riveted overfenders, and the interior sports the integrated roll cage that the RGT series is known for. Combining competition blood with the grace of a road car, this is another fine example of a RUF, the ultimate car for a gentleman driver who enjoys both the track and daily use.

Subaru Impreza Rally Car ‘98

*Can be purchased from Legend Cars

Subaru’s triple race winning Impreza World Rally car from the 1998 season.

Subaru’s Impreza had been competing in the World Rally Championship since 1993 and had claimed the Manufacturers championship title in 1995 and 1996 under Group A regulations. Then in 1997, under ‘World Rally Car’ regulations, they were able to win the Manufacturer’s championship title again, making for a stunning 3- consecutive season run. The 1997 ‘World Rally Car’ specification Impreza, dubbed the WRC97, used the 2-door coupe model as a base, tuning the existing engine to produce 295.9 BHP and 48 kgfm torque. 

The suspension geometry was also reconstructed and body widened as far as regulations would allow to 1,770 mm in order to provide maximum handling ability. The WRC98, introduced in 1998, implemented further modifications upon the previous model, adding a computer controlled active differentials in the front, rear and centre couplings. In the 1998 season, Subaru unfortunately missed out on the championship title and a chance to extend their winning streak. However, the car was more than able to prove its worth as a World Rally car as Colin McRae took it to victory in Round 4 Portugal, Round 6 Tour de Corse, and Round 8 Acropolis.

New GT Circuit

The return of Eiger Nordwand

Return to the Kleine Scheidegg, in this revival of a classic GT Original Circuit, situated just below the north face of Eiger, one of the most famous locations in the Swiss Alps. Running past the Jungfrau Railway station at 2,016m above sea level, this technical layout features a series of tight hairpin corners twisting left and right. With very little room to maneuver, and constant elevation changes, running a clean lap will require the utmost concentration and driving technique. A pit area in the tunnel at the end of the course means this track is also set up for full-scale races.

GT Mode Updates

Café / Extra Menus

• The following Menu has been added:
  • Extra Menu No. 40: McLaren (Collector Level 50 and above)

GT Auto

• New Pokal wheel brand added.

World Circuits (Event)

• The following new events have been added to ‘World Circuits’:
  • European Sunday Cup 500 – Eiger Nordwand
  • Jimny Cup – Eiger Nordwand
  • World Rally Challenge Gr.B – Autodromo Nationale Monza
  • World Touring Car 600 – Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

Gran Turismo Sophy

The next-generation racing AI agent, ‘Gran Turismo Sophy’ is now available on the following courses. Look for the Sophy icon in the ‘Quick Race’ menu on each track to test your skills against Sophy.

Nurburgring 24h

Autodrome Lago Maggiore – Full Course

Scapes

The Eiger has been added as a featured Curation in Scapes.

 We hope you enjoy the updates and best of luck on the track.

*Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.

Welcome to the Escalation of Freedom, Helldivers. We’ve taken the time to gather feedback from our players on the front lines, and we’re bringing greater variety to our content. From missions and objectives to enemies and planets, we’re delivering lots of new content for both our veteran players and brand-new Helldivers on the battlefield. Get ready for our biggest update yet!

Our community continues to show us how strong we all are when united against the mindless Automatons and the scourge of the Terminid. As we stand here, on the eve of the Escalation of Freedom, we reflect on the 6 months since launch. We could never have predicted how far this game would go and how many Citizens would answer Super Earth’s call to arms!

We’ve watched our forces expertly handle every conflict and challenge we’ve thrown their way, from flying enemies to the Terminid Control System, to saving the children of Super Citizen Anne’s Hospital. Now for this major update, it’s time for us to give back something big to the community and welcome in even more players to the Helldivers universe.

Helldivers, this is escalating quickly.

Go on a Super Helldive

Go up against the new supersized bot fortresses.

Something that continues to amaze us is our players’ insatiable desire for more bugs, more bots, more liberation, and more destruction. We thought nine levels of Helldiving difficulties would be enough, but in the Escalation of Freedom we’re turning it up to 10… Combat Rating 10 that is.

CR 10: Super Helldive is our most challenging, most relentless dive difficulty level yet, and we hope that this is going to give players the intensity they’re looking for on the battlefield. And with a great challenge comes greater rewards.

The larva retrieval mission has the Helldivers babysitting a bug.

But a new difficulty level isn’t the only thing the community wanted. We’ve also heard your desire for mission variation, which is why we’re bringing you new mission objectives and bigger enemy outposts for both bots and bugs that offer brand new Super Sample rewards. These outposts will be heavily fortified, and require players to coordinate and strategize in order to take them out.

And if you’re new to Helldivers 2, you don’t have to worry about missing out on all the fun until you unlock Super Helldive, because many of our new mission objectives will be playable on other difficulty levels.

New Enemies & Dangerous Swamps

The Impaler returns!

Escalation of Freedom is unleashing some new threats to our liberty that will take some serious strategizing from the Helldivers to take down. 

Back by popular demand: the Impaler! This big guy from the original Helldivers creates some new challenges. No longer can you run from the bugs when the Impaler is around–big, imposing, and destructive, it demands to be dealt with.

Also new among the Terminid ranks is the Spore Charger. As if the regular old Charger wasn’t scary enough, the Spore Charger is shrouded in fog to obscure its location until it’s right up on you, Helldiver.

The new Spore Charger in the fog.

Lastly, the Terminid Alpha Commander, which is a supercharged Brood Commander that’s bigger, meaner, and doesn’t hesitate to call in other bugs for backup.

You thought the regular old Brood Commander was bad? Think again.

Don’t think we forgot about the Automatons. Their ranks are growing, too, with the addition of the formidable Rocket Tank, as well as some other bot surprises we’ll be throwing your way.

The Automaton uprising continues.

Explore the swamps but not as you know them, with rolling fog and the untamed flora, the blackened trees obscure the light and the air itself feels haunted. Keep your flashlight handy, as visibility is limited and light is key. The enemy could be hiding anywhere amongst the undergrowth.

Get spooked, Helldivers.

Under the Hood

The last addition I want to highlight about the Escalation of Freedom update is that we’re making changes to mitigate the problem of grief kicking in Helldivers 2. While it’s our hope that players engage with the game in good faith and sportsmanship, we do recognize that some players are using the team kicking to grief others.

To help improve this we have implemented a system where if a player is kicked, they will spawn into a new session as the host with all of the team’s loot from their previous session. All items can now be picked up by the player before extraction. The squad doing the kicking will see a message in the chat widget that a player has been kicked, yet their loot remains unchanged.

With these changes, all players have the opportunity to leave with all loot collected on mission, with no one Helldiver losing out. We’re committed to making changes that will improve the player experience and encourage healthy, cooperative gameplay.

Along with this, we’re also releasing other quality of life upgrades with Escalation of Freedom, including major fixes to the social menu to make diving with your friends easier.

Overall, we think this escalation is going to be packed full of awesome additions, long-awaited improvements, and a ton of surprises to discover! Helldivers 2: Escalation of Freedom is launching on August 6!

Hello, everyone. I’m Sky, the lead designer from Perfect World Games’ Hotta Studio. It’s hard to believe that Tower of Fantasy launched on PlayStation nearly a year ago. We are immensely grateful for your support and love for the game.

To celebrate this significant milestone, we are thrilled to announce the upcoming Version 4.2 update, packed with exciting new content. And, of course, we have special anniversary rewards! By participating in in-game events, you can earn up to 299 draws, 1,000 Dark Crystals, free vehicles, Shirli’s Haute Couture, and more. We can’t wait for you to join in the festivities.

Seaside summer bash

Summer is here, and we’ve got exclusive summer events just for you, set to launch soon. 

Cheers! Summer Dance Off!: Join the yacht party where DJ Miss Anka will keep the energy high with her electrifying music. Stay long enough, and you’ll be treated to random gifts as a special guest!

Fruit Attack: The scorching sun has driven the fruits mad, and they’ve started diving into the sea, terrifying the nearby beachgoers! Head to the beach, hunt down these crazy fruits, and save the day while collecting refreshing fruit slices.

A Song of Water: Engage in a thrilling survival battle, dodging water balloons and showcasing your strategic skills.

Aesperia Volleyball Match: Get ready for intense volleyball matches that will rival the blazing sun and crashing waves.

We’ve also prepared plenty of event rewards. Authorizers can earn the Rocktooth Shark Vehicle, accessories, name cards, and more by participating in these events.

Brand new simulacrum: Nola

In the previous plot, Authorizers encountered the phantom thief group, Wednesday. In Version 4.2, you’ll dive deeper into Nola’s story.

Nicknamed Fang, Nola has swiftly dismantled various underground gangs in Aesperia, causing surrounding forces to be on high alert. Her sharp judgment has been crucial to the success of the “Wednesday” Phantom Thief group, establishing her as the undisputed boss. However, she has a significant void in her life—besides her name, Nola, she has no previous memories. Finding out about her past has been her primary pursuit.

Nola wields a unique weapon called Rumble, which has an Altered Damage attribute and combines a motorcycle and a greatsword. In non-combat situations, Rumble can change its elemental type, allowing Nola to choose from five different attributes, offering great versatility in team compositions. Additionally, in the open world, using the dodge skill Sonic Skyrider, Nola can instantly kill non-boss monsters after a certain time, greatly facilitating exploration.

Nola’s Haute Couture Swimsuit, Windswept Coast, will debut on August 20. Her long hair flows in the sea breeze, and the sheer fabric on her body flutters in the wind, making it seem as though she is dancing with the sea waves.

Anka’s swimsuit, Whimsy Fruit Punch Night, and the Authorizer’s swimsuit, Summer Special, will also be available starting from August 6, adding an extra touch of summer coolness to Astra Coast.

New interactive system: Dorm Gameplay

After the version update, Authorizers can enter a specific room via the Dorm option in the simulacrum interface, immersing themselves deeply in her daily life. By actively participating in the Dorm gameplay and the accompanying Splendid Residence activities, Authorizers can use rewards to accelerate unlocking Dorm features, ensuring intimate and unforgettable moments with the simulacrum.

Bustling Central District ready to open

The Aesperia Central District map is coming soon. This area embodies administrative, commercial, and residential functions. Aesperia’s largest commercial hub, Sylvia Business Street, the vibrant Azure Coast with its abundant water activities and tourists, and the renowned company Schuder Electronics famed throughout Aida, are all located here, awaiting your visit. More importantly, it boasts the tower-shaped energy-guiding device, Tower of Fantasy, which has brought a bright future to Aesperia. Let’s explore the heart of this sci-fi metropolis together!

After the August 6 update, the main storyline Behind the Neon Lights will officially launch! Interactive devices will be available across the entire map, and the new world boss, Ground Controller, is ready to challenge the Authorizer.

Anniversary rewards

We’ve prepared a variety of free rewards as well! By participating in in-game events, you can earn up to 299 draws, 1,000 Dark Crystals, and even Nemesis Haute Couture Shirli and weapon appearance White Dwarf, Jetpack Skin Neon Mech Wings, Head Accessory Tata’s Ultimate Support Blue Dolphin Sunglasses, and more. We are looking forward to your participation.

Tower of Fantasy version 4.2 will bring even more exciting content. We look forward to meeting you in the new version and exploring a brand new world of adventure together.

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here

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Hey y’all! This week the PlayStation Podcast crew sits down with Firewalk Studios Lead Gameplay Designer Claude Jerome and Lead Character Designer Jon Weisnewski to talk all things Concord. Plus, the team dives into their experiences with the Concord Early Access Beta and discusses Tekken’s 30th anniversary.

Stuff We Talked About

• Upcoming releases:
  • Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure | PS5
• Evo 2024 Blog
• Mortal Kombat 1 Takeda Brutality Blog
• Tekken’s 30th anniversary
• Interview w/ Firewalk Studios (begins at 20:13)
• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess | PS5, PS4
• Elden Ring | PS5, PS4

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The Cast

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Thanks to 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.]

Last week, we asked you to share moments sailing through your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

shimo_ps shares sailing on a schooner in Windbound

WarDaddyPlatine shares Nathan sailing through chaos in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Dario_OtherEyes shares an aerial view of Bayek and his skiff in Assassin’s Creed Origins

MrioMoreno5 sails through the skies in The Artful Escape

spec_arc shares Jin tossing a grappling hook from the deck of a ship in the rain of Ghost of Tsushima

RhodWulfLeon shares Kratos and Freya rowing in God of War Ragnarök

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 24, 2024

Next week, humanity makes their last stand. Share epic moments exploring Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.