Category: PlayStation

To all sports and VR enthusiasts, here’s why you’ll enjoy playing Tennis On-Court – coming October 20 to PS VR2 whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned player.

2v2 is still better

Playing 1v1 is fun enough, but the action is multiplied tenfold when you share the great moments of a 4-player match.

Grab your racket, call your friends or other players from around the world to join you in a doubles match. It’s the perfect time to perform your best volleys, smashes and passing-shots.

Spectator mode

Maybe you’re playing an important match and want your friends to watch, or you’d like to analyze the game of one of your next opponents.

Spectator mode is for you. At any time, you can view the list of live matches and join them with a simple click. You’re teleported into the stadium like a real spectator in the real world.

Dynamic Assists

Right from the start of development, we thought about how virtual reality could help players progress in a different way than academic learning. We set up several assists that the player can activate or deactivate according to their mood or level.

By knowing your height, thanks to the headset tracking, we can, for example, calculate the ideal height for striking a service…

… or when to trigger your stroke during a point. So you can learn the right rhythm for successful strokes every time.

Rhythm is important, but so is placement on the court. We help you position yourself on the court in relation to the ball’s trajectory.

Because tennis can be a frustrating sport when two people of very different skill levels are playing together, we’ve introduced a ball trajectory correction feature that, when activated, will correct your ball trajectories to bring them into the court. In this way, both players can enjoy the game and bridge the gap between them.

Physics

A sports game is too limited without physics as close to reality as possible. That’s why our physics simulation is a key part of the game. We developed this part of the game with top tennis players to achieve a natural sensation. The team knows that it’s crucial for an enthusiast to be able to play with different effects such as the slice, the dropshot, the lift, etc.

But we don’t want to be an exclusive game. All tennis fans should be able to enjoy the game, whatever their skill level. To this end, a second arcade gameplay mode is available, in which trajectories and effects are close to reality, but corrected to stay on court. Players can focus on the fun of the game and forget about the demands of the movements.

We’re working hard to deliver a fun and enjoyable experience for all in Tennis On-Court. Feel free to wishlist the game if you want to have fun alone or with friends when Tennis On-Court serves its way to PS VR2 October 20.

Greetings, PlayStation Stars members! With the arrival of September, a fresh wave of campaigns and collectibles is upon us. Get ready to conquer new challenges, earn rewards, and expand your digital collectibles to refresh your display case. Stay connected throughout the month on PlayStation App for more. 

Let’s jump right into some of the offerings that await you.

PlayStation & You: Wireless Keyboard

Available September 1

Attention, past owners of the PS3 wireless keyboard! Your gaming journey deserves a nod of appreciation. Activate the PlayStation & You: Wireless Keyboard Campaign and unlock an exclusive digital collectible – the classic PS3 wireless keyboard.

Simply start the campaign and this nostalgic piece will join your digital collectibles collection.

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog: Must-play this Month

Available September 5

There are hundreds of games in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium/Deluxe members. The catalog is regularly refreshed, so we’re highlighting monthly gems to play. When you play any one game in this campaign, you’ll earn 50 points.

For this month, experience some of the Best Hits from Japan. Play any one of these iconic Japanese titles below to earn 50 points.

• Dynasty Warriors 9            
• Lost Judgement  
• Devil May Cry 5   
• Death Stranding  
• Ghostwire: Tokyo

PlayStation Plus Monthly Games Campaign

Available September 5

New month, new PlayStation Plus Monthly Games. For this campaign, PlayStation Plus members can play any one of the September Monthly Games and earn 50 points. See the games announced here.

Hard Game Club: Cuphead

Last Chance: If you haven’t seen it yet on PS App, we have a Hard Game Club campaign for Cuphead available now until October 14^th. Earn the “A Day at the Fair” trophy to unlock the Cuphead Hard Game Club digital collectible.

If you’ve already earned this trophy, simply start the campaign, play any PS4 or PS5 game, and this Hard Game Club Balloon is yours.

Unlock games with your PlayStation Stars points

As a reminder, your PlayStation Stars points are a ticket to an array of incredible games and more. Dive into the “PlayStation Store rewards” section of your PlayStation Stars Rewards Catalog and explore a selection of titles that you can redeem your points for right now. Here are just a few examples of the games waiting for you:

Cuphead 

Moss

Dredge

Not a PlayStation Stars member yet? Learn more about PlayStation Stars and join here.

* PS Stars campaign is not available in Indonesia.

Hi Eternights fans! Jae here, creator of Eternights. I’m hyped to show you a deep dive into the gameplay of one of my favorite bosses… The Infected Hacker. Spoilers ahead.

For some context, The Infected Hacker is a monster that has hacked Yuna’s social media (our popstar companion) and used it to lure thousands of her fans by promising safety and shelter. As a sick form of trophy, the hacker asked Yuna’s fans to bring their Yuna plushies with them, resulting in mountains of her blood-stained merch, each one of them representing a fan killed by his hand. When Yuna is faced with all of this, she isn’t even given time to grieve or process, before the monster that killed her fans approaches her with a sword made out of different body parts – eager to add another hand or two.

I designed this boss around the theme wrath, which I think you can tell by his furious attack patterns. The key to Eternights combat is timing – you need to dodge at just the right moment, right before an attack, to get a perfect dodge and slow down time, which allows you to get more attacks in against the boss. Not only that, but doing this also charges up your elemental gauge that when filled allows you to do a powerful elemental fist attack.

Completing a combo doesn’t just feel super satisfying, it also allows you to press R1 to inflict extra damage on enemies. Once you complete a combo, if you manage to keep on attacking without getting hit, you can end up fully charging your death blow meter, which is a sword skill that allows you to deal a devastating amount of damage to your enemies. Another favorite sword skill of mine is the Stinger, which is an attack that allows you to quickly close the distance between you and your target. Very useful when your target moves around a lot. 

To get a bit deeper into elemental attacks, you unlock and upgrade them by forging a closer bond with Yuna. The higher level you have, the more layers of shield you can destroy in one go. Now Yuna, specifically, has the fire elemental ability that can be used to destroy ice barriers, which this boss has three layers of. So it pays off to be close to your companions.

Yuna’s elemental fire isn’t the only trick up her sleeve. Every confidant has a set of confidant skills you can unlock, upgrade and use in combat. Yuna’s skill here is the ability to create a temporary pool of healing that you can stand in–in order to replenish your health. Of course, if you can avoid enemy attacks in the process. These confidant skills can only be upgraded by collecting or earning a specific collectable called White Essence. So make sure to be on the lookout. 

Now, you’ll need as much healing as you can get, The Infected Hacker is a tough opponent. He attacks from all directions as well as has an arsenal of different area of effect attacks ready to deal damage to you. Not only that, halfway through the battle, he unlocks his sword’s true form while also throwing out moves you’ve never seen before. 

It’s a tough fight, but if you use all of the skills I’ve given you, I know you’ll be able to beat it. But what’s this? After the battle there is a mysterious little girl? What’s that about? Well, you’ll have to play the game to find out!Eternights is releasing September 12 on PS5 and PS4. Pre-order is available now with a 10% discount for PlayStation Plus members.

Last week, we asked you suit up and share epic mech moments in Armored Core VI using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: 

TheFourthFocus shares a blue shaded mech with its arm gun outstretched and smoking

DotPone shares a mech blasting at an airborne enemy

marka_game shares a mech flying up towards a hexagon honeycomb shaped tower structure

AgentDuck99 shares a mech taking in a fiery sunset sky

shimo_ps shares a back view of the jetpack propelling a mech forward

UkkoVP shares a mech on a cliff overlooking a destroyed bridge and cityscape.

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:  Sea of Stars

SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 6, 2023

Next week, we’re taking in the colorful world of turn-based RPG Sea of Stars. Share beautiful moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Greetings, PlayStation Stars members! With the arrival of September, a fresh wave of campaigns and collectibles is upon us. Get ready to conquer new challenges, earn rewards, and expand your digital collectibles to refresh your display case. Stay connected throughout the month on PlayStation App for more.  

Let’s jump right into some of the offerings that await you.

PlayStation & You: Wireless Keyboard

Available September 1

Attention, past owners of the PS3 wireless keyboard! Your gaming journey deserves a nod of appreciation. Activate the PlayStation & You: Wireless Keyboard Campaign and unlock an exclusive digital collectible – the classic PS3 wireless keyboard.

Simply start the campaign and this nostalgic piece will join your digital collectibles collection.

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog: Must-play this Month

Available September 5 

There are hundreds of games in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium/Deluxe members. The catalog is regularly refreshed, so we’re highlighting monthly gems to play. When you play any one game in this campaign, you’ll earn 50 points. 

For this month, experience some of the Best Hits from Japan. Play any one of these iconic Japanese titles below to earn 50 points. 

• Dynasty Warriors 9
• Lost Judgement
• Devil May Cry 5
• Death Stranding
• Ghostwire: Tokyo

PlayStation Plus Monthly Games Campaign

Available September 5

New month, new PlayStation Plus Monthly Games. For this campaign, PlayStation Plus members can play any one of the September Monthly Games and earn 50 points. See the games announced here. 

Hard Game Club Campaign: Slay the Spire

Available September 7

It’s time to conquer Slay the Spire and earn the “Shapes” trophy. Achieve this feat, and the exclusive Hard Game Club Balloon digital collectible is yours.

For those already boasting the “Shapes” trophy, your reward is waiting for you. Simply start the campaign, play any PS4 or PS5 game, and the Hard Game Club Balloon is yours.

Hard Game Club: Cuphead

Last Chance: If you haven’t seen it yet on PS App, we have a Hard Game Club campaign for Cuphead available now until October 14^th. Earn the “A Day at the Fair” trophy to unlock the Cuphead Hard Game Club digital collectible. 

If you’ve already earned this trophy, simply start the campaign, play any PS4 or PS5 game, and this Hard Game Club Balloon is yours.

Unlock games with your PlayStation Stars points

As a reminder, your PlayStation Stars points are a ticket to an array of incredible games and more. Dive into the “PlayStation Store rewards” section of your PlayStation Stars Rewards Catalog and explore a selection of titles that you can redeem your points for right now. Here are just a few examples of the games waiting for you:

Exit the Gungeon 

Cuphead  

Moss 

Dredge 

Not a PlayStation Stars member yet? Learn more about PlayStation Stars and join here. 

Greetings readers. I’m Mårten, the Game Design Director at Hadoque, a collective of creatives in Sweden. I co-created the core concept of the game and oversee the game design. We’ve been working on Ultros – our first game together – for the past few years, and today, we’re thrilled to show you the core gameplay and a new boss.

To recap from our reveal at the PlayStation Showcase earlier in the year, Ultros is a mystical and poetic adventure where you fight dangerous space insects and plant seeds to create an alien garden. Our protagonist, Ouji, wakes up stranded on an overgrown sarcophagus in space. She has no memory of who she is and how she got here. But the world feels familiar, and it seems to react to her – like she has some sort of connection to it. Naturally, this is when you start to explore the depths of the sarcophagus.

As part of this exploration, platforming becomes vital. Ouji is nimble, swift, and can build momentum to create a natural feeling flow of movement. You’ll have to do your fair share of jumping, climbing, crawling, and breaking surfaces to reveal secret areas.

Revealing the Ultros gameplay loop

Not so long into your venture, you’ll discover insect-like aliens that are generally very territorial and can get agitated if you get too close. They’re all part of the game’s cryptic ecosystem that you’ll take part in as you progress. The first ones seen in our gameplay first-look trailer are some of the weaker enemies called Puppaluppas. When you defeat them with your sword, they drop body parts or different organs. Ultros has a reward system for finishing off enemies with finesse – the more variety in my attacks, the better the creature parts. As you collect these, you’ll enter a more detailed inspection view of the parts, accompanied by a bit of lore behind the part of the creature. You can then consume these parts to increase your variation nutrition levels.

Also revealed in our gameplay is a friendly, whimsical character named Gärdner, and as you might guess from his name, he teaches us about some of the planting mechanics in the game. These plants usually produce some sort of fruit. There are many types of seeds to find and plant in the game. Fruits can also be eaten to gain health and nutrition. Different creature parts and fruits have different nutritional benefits – it’s good to keep an eye on this detail, as there’s a strategy for finding the food with the proper nutrition you need.

When you reach a rest point, you can unlock new abilities on a skill tree (or cortex, as we call it) depending on your nutritional requirements and what you consume. This gets used on another enemy species, PomPoms. They can have shields that you must break with a charged attack. You can also juggle smaller enemies after a combo and hit them into the environment or other enemies, which feels almost too satisfying.

Ouji collects The Extractor in the latter half of the gameplay. The Shamans used this tool in their ritual on this space station. So, it’s important for the main plot of the game. But it also provides some cool power-ups. This first one grants us a double jump. We also encounter another major character, Qualia, a mysterious figure you’ll learn more about when you play the game. Still, she has some form of link to and influence on the ecosystem in the game.

This leads us to follow Qualia, chasing her into the new boss fight we’re revealing today. It’s a huge, grotesque, worm-like creature. Like most bosses in the game, the key is to avoid getting hurt while learning patterns in their attacks, finding their weak points, and striking back when the time is right.

Following this, Ouji kills a Shaman in a chamber, revealing many more Shamans to find to break the seal that has trapped Ouji in this world. Tracking down these Shamans will now serve as the main objective in the game. This disturbance awakens Ultros, a demonic being, which effectively restarts the loop of Ouji’s journey as she awakes in a familiar place again. This will be the main mystery to solve throughout the game – you must explore different directions as you try to figure out how to break the cycle.

We hoped you enjoyed this new look at the game. Ultros will release in 2024 for PlayStation 5 & PlayStation 4 and is available to wishlist now.

Double, double coil and trouble. A.K.I., the maniacal mistress of poison will slither her way into Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub in Street Fighter 6 starting September 27 on PS5 and PS4. Feeding off orders from her master, A.K.I. injects poison into enemies that dare stand within striking distance–all with a smile. You can’t fix her, but she will fix you.

A new character to the Street Fighter series, A.K.I. snakes through life only to please her outstanding and phenomenal master F.A.N.G from Street Fighter V. Under orders to dig into the remnants of Shadaloo, she finds herself infatuated with the powers that be.

 

In World Tour, help A.K.I. find her herbal medicine in Tian Hong Yuan, a new area where you can increase your bond with her and learn her deadly moves. Put those moves to use in the Battle Hub in the ever popular and always wacky Avatar Battles. Explore how the addition of poison improves your custom combos.

Game Director Takayuki Nakayama spoke on the team’s inspiration on designing a visually striking character like A.K.I.

“The character design we landed on was a pale-skinned disciple with her fighting style being a combination of the Poison Hand and the Fanged Snake Style martial arts. Therefore, we decided to proceed with A.K.I. being a white snake that carries poison.

Her snakeskin Chinese dress has a beautiful sheen like a black mamba with material that looks ominous when it shines and animates. The serpentine pattern you see from her chest to her stomach was meant to resemble the belly of a snake.

Her distinctive hairstyle was an idea that came from outside of the design team, which incorporates the symbol of an assassin: “kasa” (umbrella in Japanese) through her hair. Based on this concept, we tweaked the way her eyes hide behind her hair and the overall silhouette. We took extra care in making the silhouette of the collar and the way her eyes are hidden to look alluring when viewed from the side.”

A.K.I. has learned from her master about the best uses for poison, but her nails offer a twisted reminder that she is a different creature altogether. Excelling at long-range combat and with the ability to poison enemies through her cauldron of tricks, A.K.I. controls the stage waiting for her prey to blink.

Like F.A.N.G, once A.K.I. poisons an enemy, their vitality will slowly deplete as long as the effect remains. If A.K.I. gets hit, the poison will dissipate. From a distance, she can use Serpent Lash, sending her nails flying forward like a chain, poisoning enemies she hits. The OD version of Serpent Lash hooks on to enemies, allowing A.K.I. to hop forward to close the distance. When she strikes an opponent who is already poisoned with moves like Serpent Lash, a Toxic Blossom triggers where the resulting explosion can open enemies up to follow-up attacks.

Her fireball–Nightshade Pulse–sends a bubble forward that also poisons enemies on hit. She can strike the bubble with Nightshade Chaser to pop it in advance, increasing the area of effect. A.K.I. can also use Orchid Spring to place a puddle of poison in front of her, which affects opponents who step in it.

Snakes always lurk where their prey can’t see them. A.K.I. can use Cruel Fate to flip backwards toward enemies, sending her nails to strike from above. Like a contortionist, she can instantly coil to the ground and under enemies with Snake Step.

A.K.I. takes this even further with Sinister Slide, where she can slither from full screen to avoid threats while stalking forward. From Sinister Slide, she can perform three actions: Venomous Fang sees her leaping forward to poison enemies, Heel Strike starts combos on a successful hit, and Entrapment wraps her body around enemies to constrict them.

A.K.I.’s Level 1 Super Deadly Implication launches enemies in the air with a kick and traps them in a gigantic poisonous bubble, leaving them across the stage. Her Level 2 Super Tainted Talons extends multiple talons forward and leaves a large pool of poison in its wake that lasts for a significant amount of time.

During A.K.I.’s Level 3 Super–Claws of Ya Zi–she pierces various pressure points on the enemy’s body and injects a poison that detonates from within. Getting tied up in these chains will see you screaming in agony.

A.K.I. will be unlocked for owners of the Year 1 Character Pass, Deluxe Edition, or Ultimate Edition on September 27. Get a taste of her poison for an hour with a Rental Fighter ticket, which can be obtained in a Fighting Pass. Don A.K.I. in an elegant additional outfit, which is also available when she unlocks.

Speaking of, the A.K.I. Arrives! Fighting Pass will release on September 1 and contains cosmetic items to help prepare for A.K.I.’s incoming concoction.

Whether it’s from her tongue or the brewing poison, the soft hissing grows ever louder approaching the end of September when A.K.I. is introduced in Street Fighter 6 on PS5 and PS4. 

Tekken 8 for PlayStation 5 is the latest entry in the Tekken series, a legendary 3D fighting game series that has sold more than 55 million copies worldwide. The visuals have been completely overhauled from Tekken 7 with all-new, high-resolution playable character models. Small details like the way water droplets run down the characters’ skin and the subtle movements of their hair and muscles are also highlights of the game.

We spoke with Kohei Ikeda, Director of Tekken 8, about how the game taps into the power of PS5 while pushing the limits of the console’s capabilities and technology.

The high-res character models and the overall details are major game highlights. How did you take advantage of the power of PS5 to achieve those visuals?

With Tekken 8, our goal was to replicate the intricacies of the human body, such as the stretching and contraction of muscles and sweat trickling down the skin. For example, the bone structure required to move a playable character in Tekken 8 is more than double that of the previous game. The PS5’s processing performance made these implementations possible and was successful in replicating more natural muscle movements.

Furthermore, not only the sweat but flushed skin, dirt, and the blood vessels on strained muscles are rendered in real-time and transition seamlessly depending on what is happening in-game. These effects enable a more authentic and immersive gaming experience. The advanced visuals are achieved through smooth 60 fps that fully utilize PS5’s GPU processing power.

How did you leverage the game’s unique PS5 features, such as haptic feedback?

One of our key pillars during the development of Tekken 8 was the phrase: All-Out Force x Destruction. Haptic feedback plays an important role as a means of providing an exciting experience that brings the idea of all-out combat and destruction to life.

For example, during battles, players can fully experience the sensation of heightened concentration when activating the new Heat System, the power of Rage Arts, and the feeling of the stage being destroyed through the rumbles and haptics of the controller.

In addition, Story Mode delivers dynamic fights and experiences that allow the player to directly feel the clashes of immense power, as well as the subtle vibrations of characters riding their motorcycles. These elements all work together to heighten the immersion of the story itself.

How did you utilize 3D audio?

Tekken 8 utilizes 3D audio formats like Ambisonics and object-based audio to create an immersive soundscape. We leveraged these methods for everything, including sound effects during battles, stage ambiance, various gimmicks, and even reverb. This provides players with a more realistic and lifelike sound experience.

In addition, all the cutscenes in Story Mode are produced in 7.1.4ch, which dynamically ties the sound and footage together. By enabling 3D audio, players can feel like they’re inside the story.

In addition to the traditional Arcade Style that requires command inputs, Tekken 8 introduces a new innovative control method called Special Style, which makes the game feel more like an action game designed for casual players. During Tekken 8’s development, what elements did you intentionally choose to change or not to change?

The thrill and excitement players feel through controlling their characters and performing tactical moves are constant throughout the series. On top of that, to achieve our concept of aggressive battles, we introduced a variety of new elements to Tekken 8. One of the elements that we focused on is the Special Style. This control method was designed so all players can experience the thrill of playing Tekken.

Special Style assigns each button with a recommended move and combo for each character, selected from more than 100 available move sets. This allows players to enjoy battles with easier controls that feel more like an action game. For beginners, it lowers the barrier for entry and allows them to easily enjoy the unique fun of the Tekken series.

This feature also allows intermediate and advanced players to try their hand at characters they’re unfamiliar with, as they can seamlessly switch between the traditional Arcade Style and Special Style with a single button press during battles.

What are some of your favorite PS5 games that have been released so far? From a developer’s perspective, how do you feel that the game takes advantage of the capabilities of PS5?

I’d say Final Fantasy XVI. The stunning visual quality, attention to detail, fantastical story, and seamless transitions between the intense Eikon battles culminate into an epic experience that draws in both players and viewers.

The game’s action sequences were also excellent, with beautiful VFX combined with the character animations. You can feel the game directly through the controller, and the magnificent background music was also spectacular.