Category: PlayStation

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This week voice actors Jennifer Hale and David Hayter stop by to discuss their roles in Synapse. The team also does a quick deep-dive into Synth Riders’ Experience levels, with a bit of Final Fantasy XVI and Diablo IV talk along the way.

Stuff We Talked About

• Killsquad on PS5 and PS4
• Oaken on PS5 and PS4
• July PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics
• Synth Riders 5th Anniversary/new DLC
• TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC – PlayStation Underground
• Interview w/ Jennifer Hale and David Hayter (starts at 21:00)
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Diablo IV

The Cast

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Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE

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Tim Turi –  Manager, Content Communications, SIE

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Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

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.]

Last week, we asked you to share your favorite gaming heroes using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s heroic highlights: 

wingsforsmiles shares Cal from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

sorathluna shares Rivet from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

cold_desktop_4k shares Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West

ScudmanVP shares Sam from Death Stranding

Comput_ART shares Selene from Returnal

KenKenVega1 shares Jin from Ghost of Tsushima

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: Noir

SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 19, 2023

Next week is all about mystery, intrigue, and dramatic lighting. Share noir-style moments from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

For the past five years, we’ve been on a journey with accessibility organizations and experts to create a versatile controller kit that enables gamers with disabilities to play more comfortably and for longer periods, empowering more players to share in the joy of gaming. Today, I’m thrilled to announce that the Access controller for PS5 will be available globally on December 6, with preorders kicking off on Friday, July 21.

Available for a suggested retail price (SRP) of SGD 128.90 / MYR 449 / IDR 1,649,000 / THB 3,090 / PHP 5,090 / VND 2,599,000, the Access controller lets you customize your layout with different button and stick caps in various shapes and designs, operate the controller from any 360° orientation, and connect third-party accessibility accessories using its four industry-standard 3.5mm expansion ports.

On your PS5 console, there are many settings for the Access controller that you can configure to meet your needs. You can map buttons to create up to 30 control profiles, adjust stick settings, toggle commands on/off, or disable buttons altogether to stop accidental pressing. You can even pair up to two Access controllers and one DualSense wireless controller together and use them collaboratively. Check out the video below for a sneak peek at the countless ways you can craft your own gaming experience through the Access controller:

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Product Specifications & Contents

Let’s take a look at the product specifications and what’s included in the box:

And, here’s a visual breakdown:

You can read more about the Access controller’s features on our webpage and sign up for email updates to stay up to speed on the latest news.

Preorders kick off on July 21 in Select Southeast Asia Countries

Starting Friday, July 21, players in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam will be able to preorder from select retailers. For Singapore, the pre-order will happen at a later date. The Access controller will launch globally on December 6.

Thank you to the wonderful organizations, accessibility experts and PlayStation Studios teams who’ve been on this journey with us. We’re especially grateful to all the players who continually share their passion for the games and products we make. We truly believe gaming should be accessible to everyone, and the Access controller is our latest step toward living up to that promise.

Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to launch!

When it was time to brainstorm brand new content for Shredder’s Revenge, we immediately wanted to add something new to complement the fast-paced arcade gameplay we’ve already created.

A new survival mode was like Krang’s empty android body: a no-brainer! We already knew that fans wanted it, but it became obvious that a survival mode would become a new arena for multiplayer fun. A mode where players could drop in and out, fight new enemies, collect strange power-ups and discover new worlds.

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What the shell is going on?

Interrupting a pizza party, Dimension X’s raddest rebels – the Neutrinos – call on the Turtles for help.The Foot Clan has been stomping across dimensions and only the mutant martial artists can stop them! Always ready to squash the bad guys, the Turtles agree to hit pause on the party and jump into the multiversal melee.

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In Dimension Shellshock’s new survival mode, the Turtles battle across worlds collecting shards in order to assemble dimension crystals. Once assembled, the multiversal gems allow the rambunctious reptiles to go deeper within dimensions to face off against Shredder.

Entering the dimensional gauntlet, you’ll be battling across a wide variety of arenas, facing off against adversaries both old and new.

After collecting enough crystals, you’ll be able to fight Shredder within the void. If you’re able to defeat him, you’ll either return home to the Neutrinos or be given the option to keep fighting through the harshest challenge of them all: rising atop the leaderboards.

The fight stuff

The survival mode is no walk in the inter-dimensional park: Players will face off against over 100 unique combat challenges including a plethora of different enemy waves, each of them adapted for single or multiple players. 

Watch out for new Foot Soldier variants – armed with punishing weapons – looking to make turtle soup out of you!

For the ferocious fighters, mastering the enemy waves can become even more difficult: The Foot Clan has been issuing soldier variants and thus, your adversaries evolve to become tougher versions of themselves.

Foot Soldiers aren’t the only obstacle on your way to the Shredder. The Foot Clan’s multiversal travel has made the dimensions susceptible to extreme conditions. Powerful gusts of winds might send you flying straight into the enemy’s hands while low gravity could allow you to leap even higher than before. Beware of danger from above: Crystalline stalactites shoot straight into the ground, risking your shell if you’re not careful.

Perks and recreation

If you’re strong enough to defeat a whole horde, two rewards portals will appear. They both lead you to your next fight but also offer game-changing bonuses. You might be presented with helpful pizzas for your ailing ninjas, large amounts of shards, or even mysterious canisters of ooze. Should you choose the ooze, you have access to special mutation perks, transforming your hero.

Will you make your hero faster by picking the Turbo Teen perk? Become a Rude Dude, doubling your attack power but risking double damage? You could even select the Boss Mutations perk, transforming you into Bebop, Rocksteady or even the nefarious Shredder for a few rounds!

Dimensional Shellshock’s survival mode is aptly titled: Your pan-dimensional adventure starts with your base abilities and only one life! Assembling new crystals becomes the only way to gain more life energy, boosting your Ninja Power bar, adding precious extra lives but also the ability to choose your preferred challenge level.

Across the multiverse

The new game mode moves beyond the regular campaign’s levels into a carousel of fight arenas, inspired by TMNT’s rich history. You’ll start your journey in an Usagi Yojimbo-inspired Edo dimension, jump into an 8-bit battleground and fight through Omnichannel 6 and beyond!
You might start to feel homesick, but old friends and some enemies have tagged along to cheer your victory or applaud your defeat.

Creating Shredder’s Revenge was the dream of a lifetime and a career high for all of us at Tribute Games. We’re very proud to have the chance to go back to the well and add to the video game legacy of the Turtles. 

We hope to have you join us for another round in the TMNT toy box when the Dimension Shellshock DLC comes out later this year on PlayStation 4.

“You’re not the only one who wants payback.” – Billy Butcher, The Boys (Ep. 306)

The members of Task Force 141 remain in captivity, Vondel is under constant attack, and the appearance Supes from of The Boys adds a new superpowered element to the fight.

It’s about to get wild in Season 04 Reloaded for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone, launching July 12 on PlayStation 4 and PS5. Read on for a glimpse at the new content coming to all three modes in the midseason update.

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Warzone brings Battle Royale to Vondel, plus a New Gulag and more

Following Vondel’s debut with Resurgence mode at the start of the season, the midseason update brings the classic Battle Royale experience with support for up to 72 players.

New Gulag: Fight for reentry to the map in a new Gulag that’s exclusive to Vondel. Inspired by a certain prison complex showers, this wine cellar and dungeon beneath the Castle features a three-lane design with a circular center suited for 1v1 combat.

New Resurgence Playlist Rotation: Starting with Season 04 Reloaded, a map rotation system will go live in Resurgence Playlists, switching between Vondel and Ashika Island to add variety to your play sessions.

New Event — Occupation Scan: This in-match event is coming to Vondel. When the event activates, go prone or dive under the water to avoid being scanned. Operators who fail to do so in time will be identified and marked for all to see on the Tac Map and minimap for a limited time.

The Special Ops Raid Finale, new 6v6 Core Map

Multiplayer brings the action to cooperative and competitive modes with the finale to the Special Ops Atomgrad narrative and introducing a new 6v6 Core map.

Special Ops Raid Episode 04: The members of Task Force 141 have been captured and imprisoned by Al-Qatala asset Hadir. In this epic conclusion to Atomgrad, it’s up to you and two other Operators to get out and finish what you started.

Vondel Waterfront (6v6): Deploy to the southwestern portion of Vondel in a small-sized 6v6 map optimized for Multiplayer matches. Battle in and between the various pontoon homes, including the major Red and Blue House power positions facing each other across the center of the map. Traverse the deck from locale to locale, or dive into the waterways to stealthily reposition for the flank.

General overview

Guardian MX: The previously classified Season 04 Battle Pass Sector will be open to access. Its HVT reward is the new MX Guardian Shotgun base weapon. Unlike a traditional Battle Pass Sector, all items here are earned by completing the following in-game challenges:

• Dependable Emblem: Get 10 ADS Operator kills with Shotguns.
• Gunfire Calling Card: Get 10 Hip-fire Operator kills with Shotguns.
• Fanning Hutch Loading Screen: Get 10 headshot Operator kills with Shotguns.
• 1-Hour Double Weapon XP Token: Get 10 one-shot Operator kills with Shotguns.
• MX Guardian: Earn All Sector Rewards.

The Boys join the fight

The Supes are here to save Vondel, Al Mazrah, and the rest of the Modern Warfare II universe, for good, bad, or worse. Based on The Boys TV show, their arrival adds a new dimension to Warzone.

New Powers: With help from Vought International’s Temp V superpower-activating drug, Operators are reporting access to special abilities.

The first power is the Charge Jump, allowing Operators to move across the map in leaps and bounds. Just like Queen Maeve, an Operator will not suffer any fall damage when they land from a Charge Jump as well as deal splash damage to anyone or anything within a short radius of the Operator’s landing spot.

The second power, Electric Shockwave – To put it simply, “electricity goes in, blast comes out.” This shockwave sends a powerful electrical explosion that injures Operators and AI Combatants and destroys vehicles and equipment.

The third power, Laser Vision, grants levitation alongside the ability to fire a laser beam wherever the Operator is looking. It’s just like one of many powers that Homelander has (don’t tell him you think you are as good as he is), but it does leave the user open to backfire.

And lastly, Teleport: Forget taking steps across Vondel’s mists; Teleport jumps an Operator forward in whatever direction they face, which is extremely helpful when trying to escape a fight or move unexpectedly to higher ground. And unlike when Hughie Campbell does it, your Operator Skin isn’t affected in any way – no lost clothing, in other words – whenever this happens.

These abilities are considered Field Upgrades, meaning they are of limited use; get your timing right and reap the rewards of superpowered abilities. Temp V will exist in all Warzone playlists except Ranked Play.

Operators versus Superheroes: When deploying to Vondel, keep your eyes open for indications that The Boys are in town by way of murals and billboard ads. Even the strongest among us understand the importance of publicity.

Diabolical Camo Challenges

Complete the Diabolical Camo Challenges to earn a Vought-approved grey camouflage that can be used on every weapon in a specific class once earned by completing that classes’ challenge. Each weapon class features different elimination requirements, some requiring that you specifically eliminate other Operators, with others requiring that you simply eliminate “Enemies,” meaning Operators or AI combatants.

Complete all ten to unlock a superbly diabolical universal camouflage, which can be used on all weapons once unlocked, and a Weapon Charm, which proves mastery of this event.

Store update: Limited-time The Boys bundles, and more

Become Starlight, Homelander, or Black Noir with these limited-time Store Bundles: Priced at 2,400 COD Points each.

The Boys: Starlight — Shine brighter than the others with the Starlight Operator, bundled with three Weapon Blueprints with Tracer Rounds and Dismemberment, the “Necessary Evil” Finishing Move, plus a Weapon Sticker, Emblem, Loading Screen, and Weapon Charm.

The Boys: Homelander — Make them love you and fear you as the Homelander Operator, paired with three Weapon Blueprints with Tracer Rounds and Dismemberment, the superpowered “Laser Everyone” Finishing Move, as well as a Weapon Decal, Emblem, Loading Screen, and Weapon Charm.

The Boys: Black Noir — Suit up and take down the enemy with deadly precision using the Black Noir Operator Skin plus three Weapon Blueprints, two with Tracer Rounds and Dismemberment and the third being a Black Noir-inspired melee Weapon Blueprint, plus the “Shhh” Finishing Move, and a Weapon Sticker, Emblem, Loading Screen, and Weapon Charm.

On top of The Boys Bundles, don’t forget to check out these.

Other midseason Bundle highlights include the Pro Pack 6: Graffiti Tactical, Whisker Tango, and the Tracer Pack: Soulless.

Season 04 Combat Pack

Don’t forget that PlayStation Plus members can download the Season 04 Combat Pack, headlined by the Oni Operator’s Skin “Hydro” featuring a carbon fiber armor-enhanced wetsuit.

Social and community — In-Game LFP — Party Browser

The overhauled LFP (Looking for Party) system helps players find parties with similar communication styles and playstyle preferences. The following changes were made to improve player experience based on community feedback:

Dynamic Preferences: In addition to communication types, an expanded preference list includes primary and secondary playstyle options (e.g., focus on faction missions or competitive versus casual playstyles).

Advertise Your Party: Party leaders can broadcast your existing party and attract individuals who share similar preferences. Fill up your squad with compatible teammates before diving into the action for more collaborative and team-based play.

Browse Parties and Join: No more waiting around! Players can now explore a list of available parties with matching preferences to join them immediately. Note: Exact matches only.

Quality-of-Life Improvements: Bugs were fixed, and the overall user interface was improved to ensure a smoother experience.

To access Party Browser, click “Find a Party.” After selecting a mode and entering the lobby, the player can either advertise their existing party or browse available pools.

World Series of Warzone Global Final

The World Series of Warzone Global Final will be held at the legendary Copper Box Arena in London on September 19. Stay tuned for info on where to stream the final, or, if you’re a Call of Duty fan in the greater U.K. or European competitive community, consider attending to support the teams.

For Warzone Ranked Play fans, consider grabbing the midseason’s WSOW Designated Driver Pack in the Store. This Bundle will feature the “Speed Demon” Operator Skin for the official Call of Duty League (Male) Operator, as well as the “Take the Wheel” Weapon Blueprint and more.

Season 04 Reloaded launches July 12

For the best midseason experience, purchase Modern Warfare II on PlayStation today, giving you access to additional content across three modes, including the ability to unlock 14 exclusive Operators for use across both games. Modern Warfare II owners also get awarded Premium XP at the end of every match while playing Call of Duty: Warzone.

Stay frosty.

This week, with the launch of Synthwave Essentials 3 on PlayStation VR & PlayStation VR2, we’re celebrating five years of riding the rails in Synth Riders, our freestyle dance rhythm game. Join us as we look back at the biggest development milestones, and reveal the special birthday gift for all the players.

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Synth Riders was the brainchild of Creative Director Abraham Aguero and Lead Developer Jhean Ceballos and is a “love letter” to Synthwave music and rhythm games like the Hatsune Miku series all wrapped up in a retrowave art style to match.

With constant feedback and support from the community, we’ve delivered many gameplay improvements and new features with cross-platform at the heart:

• In 2020, Synth Riders was the first mainstream VR rhythm game to offer cross-platform multiplayer for up to 10 players and was also the first VR rhythm game to offer cross-platform multiplayer at launch on PlayStation VR2.

• Always looking for ways to put a new spin or twist on our gameplay, we’ve added features like Power-Ups for Multiplayer and Spin Mode in 2020 and Spiral Mode in 2021.
• We aimed to explore the potential and make good use of special features of the PlayStation VR2, such as headset feedback for wall collisions and improved haptics for notes and rails. Thanks to its inside-out tracking, we were also able to bring the full 360+ Spin Mode to PlayStation VR2 with Synth Riders Remastered.

• Taking advantage of our cross-platform leaderboards, the PlayStation VR 2 community has joined the global Synth Riders ranks, with more than half a million personal best scores recorded by PlayStation VR2 players since launch.

We’ve come a long way with the amazing Synth Riders community on a five-year journey of music discovery, from indie artists to industry heavyweights:

• From humble beginnings with just 13 songs in 2018 reflecting a single music genre, the game’s soundtrack has expanded to more than 125 available tracks (68 included plus 57 Add-Ons) from indie artists and labels, introducing players to a wide variety of genres, including synthwave, EDM, electro swing, pop, rock, funk, ska, k-pop, and punk.

• The Add-On music packs paved the way for Synth Riders to attract incredible artists to the game – such as Muse, The Gorillaz, Bruno Mars, The Offspring, Parov Stelar, Lindsey Stirling, Caravan Palace, and more.

Here are the top five most popular Add-On songs among PS VR2 players:

1. Muse – “Starlight”
2. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc”
3. League of Legends – “Legends Never Die”
4. Lindsey Stirling – “Underground”
5. Muse – Algorithm (Alternate Reality Version)

We’ve also managed to redefine the game’s look with five years of bigger, bolder, and brighter visuals and Experiences:

• Synth Riders Experiences first appeared in 2021 with Muse’s “Algorithm.” These highly-regarded immersive “music videos” surround the player with unique, artistically driven visuals crafted to match perfectly with the song, providing a special blend of sight, sound, and movement.

• We treat each Experience as a work of art, from creative direction to animation by our 3D artist. These take 2-3 months from concept to completion.  The result of that care is something we are very proud of, and we’re delighted that they are now considered a “must-play” VR experience by many.

• With the launch of Synth Riders Remastered for PlayStation VR2 in 2023, every visual for the game was remastered, meaning the best fidelity experience available for Synth Riders today remains the PlayStation VR2, with its stunning displays and deep blacks.  At the launch of the PlayStation VR2, Synth Riders Remastered was offered as a free upgrade from the original PS VR, including all Add-Ons purchased, in appreciation for the support of the PlayStation VR community since 2021.

In celebration of our five-year anniversary, on July 11, we’re adding the 14 music pack, Synthwave Essentials 3, which pays homage to the game’s aesthetic and musical roots.  This pack includes five free songs as a birthday gift and five paid add-on tracks. We’ve also gone “Back to the Synths” and included a revamped version of our classic default stage for you to enjoy in-game now. We hope you will enjoy it.

From the Synth Riders team at Kluge Interactive, we thank all the players in the PlayStation VR community for their support over the years.  From its humble beginnings to today, we are so glad to have you on this ride with us!

Everything you do in your playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 affects the course of your journey. And it starts at the character creation screen.

Each class, race, background, and Origin character has rippling effects on the world around you, triggering subtle permutations that change the Forgotten Realms in big, small, good, bad, exciting, and sometimes very bad ways.

What is an Origin character? They’re essentially playable heroes, each with their own stories, desires, and attitudes toward the world around you. If you don’t play as them, they each become companions, who you may (or may not) recruit throughout your journey.

You may have already met Shadowheart, Wyll, Gale, Astarion, Lae’zel, and Karlach – heroes with their own tales to tell, driven by your choices as the player. Of course, you can also customize your character and create an entirely new avatar, weaving their story through your actions with the same amount of depth & reactivity.

Today, however, we’re looking at an entirely new way to play Baldur’s Gate 3. The Dark Urge. A completely new customizable Origin, The Dark Urge can be created as any of the 11 races you’d like, but with their own Origin-like Dark Urge story as the backbone of your adventure.

Bringing forth a trove of malevolent reactivity to Baldur’s Gate, let’s talk about The Dark Urge.

Become The Dark Urge

The Dark Urge embodies the darkest recesses of the moral spectrum. With alabaster skin and a hulking dragonborn frame, The Dark Urge’s preset design is an imposing one, glaring back with the piercing gaze of a predator. However, this is also a fully customizable character. Its class, appearance, species, and gender are completely up to you. After all, evil can reside within anyone, irrespective of how they appear.

If you’ve been following our community-driven murder mystery Blood in Baldur’s Gate, you’ll be familiar with the Dark Urge’s simple but effective modus operandi: to murder brutally and indiscriminately. The Dark Urge is driven to commit some of the most lurid acts of violence that you’ll encounter in the game, and playing as this character, you’ll either indulge your most depraved impulses or resist them. We hope this character will whet the appetite of horror fans and those who seek a more sinister character to inhabit during their playthrough.

Stepping into the role of the Dark Urge, you begin Baldur’s Gate 3 with your memory lost after an unfortunate encounter between a parasitic tadpole and your brain. Now all that’s left is an insatiable urge. An urge that makes itself known in your subconscious, through your deepest thoughts, and in your dialogue options. Dark Urge gives players the opportunity to explore their dark side and let their subconscious urges bubble to the surface in the form of sinister responses and permutations.

The Dark Urge customizable Origin holds many secrets, but it’s for you to discover what they are and where this brutal new darkness hails from.

Just as an innocent squirrel, propelled with full force off a cliff, meets a tragic end, so too do the fragile hopes of those unfortunate enough to encounter you on the road. The Dark Urge is guided by Sceleritas Fel, your vile and loyal servant who lives only to see you return to your rightful bloodstained path. His words of encouragement are like poison in your mind, fueling your impulses. But it’s a poison that tastes like honey if you’re so inclined.

Despite your impulses as The Dark Urge, you are still a member of the party facing an arduous journey to Baldur’s Gate. Your party – in spite of your urges – will do its best to be there for you, and for those you grow closest to, you can still form relationships & romances. How they manifest compared to the others, however, is a tale only you can tell when Baldur’s Gate 3 releases on September 6 on PlayStation 5.