Category: PlayStation

Since its very first announcement in 2019, Diablo IV has ignited infernal anticipation among players worldwide. In the past couple of weeks, we’ve had the chance to immerse ourselves in a preview build of the game and were ensnared by its exhilarating gameplay, sinister lore, and boundless replayability. Below is an interview we’ve conducted with the minds behind the game, shedding light on the depths of this highly anticipated hellish adventure.

Can we share any features or gameplay mechanics in Diablo IV that you believe will excite some of the longtime fans of the series?

Dorottya Kollo, Lead UI Designer, Diablo IV: I always like to kick it off with the classes, because of how in-depth we went with them. We created a lore to make sure that they’re not just classes, but you actually believe in what class you’re playing as. Like Druid, this is probably one of my favorites, they can talk with animal spirits, they can actually make an offering and get something in return so there’s that transaction. And I love the fact that other players if you are not a Druid, then you cannot actually see them and interact with them. Apart from classes the skill tree is something that we’re really proud of as we put a lot of effort into it. It looked extremely different six months ago. In general when it comes to lore and gameplay, giving players the opportunity to explore the world, to explore dungeons and strongholds.

Adam Z. Jackson, Lead Class Designer, Diablo IV: There’s a series of progression systems that I think a lot of long-term fans will enjoy. You start out with the skill tree, you start out with some very simple itemization, and then as you go through the campaign, you get more and more layers on top of ways to customize your character. Late in the game, you get unique powers that give you even more ways to customize your player, and then the Paragon board comes online. So we start gentle and then there’s more systems and ways to make your character really special and powerful.

How has the studio reapproached its design philosophy for activities outside of the main story campaign in consideration to Diablo IV being an open world?

Jackson: One of the things we did that’s very unique to Diablo IV is the Codex of Power. Normally, in other games it’s a bit random, you’re just killing enemies and hoping to get the gear that you want. The Codex of Power marries two things together, we want to get you invested in this open world that we’ve created, and we also give you some deterministic ways to create the character fantasy that you want. Every dungeon that exists has a Codex of Power legendary aspect attached to it. When you defeat that dungeon for the first time, you get the essence of a legendary power. Then you can take it to a crafter called the Occultist to imbue that power onto your items. You own that power indefinitely. There are still other legendary powers that you’ll have to find through the traditional way of going and killing monsters and hoping that you get the one that you want, but this is one of the ways the open world and our systems interact with each other, to hopefully create an even better experience that we don’t have in our previous titles.

Kollo: Yeah, and with the open world, it was definitely a feel of like, how do we handle the Diablo front when it comes to the actual gameplay, how do we engage players as they explore the world? The team did awesome because you never really know what you’ll find. You start going somewhere, it’s like, oh I’m going to pin this quest, and I really want to do it. But then you constantly get distracted, because there’s so many things going on. You might hear villagers screaming somewhere and now you want to check it out. So it’s all about that unpredictable element in creating the world.

Diablo games, as we’ve discussed, are known for their replayability. What efforts have been made in Diablo IV to ensure that players can enjoy the game over and over again, and are there any new systems or improvements in this regard?

Jackson: We kind of have a path that we expect players to go on, where it starts off a little bit narrower. We present ideas and fantasies to chase, then it gets broader and broader as more and more systems come online for you to interact with. As a simple example, let’s say you’re playing as Sorcerer, we give you very simple, easy to understand fantasies. Right when you log in the first skills you pick from, there’s a fire one, a cold one and a lightning one, right. So we kind of lead you down that path as you go through the campaign. It’s fairly linear. There’s customization within them in the Skill Tree but your general fantasy is straightforward. But then when you get legendary powers coming online and you get your class mechanic coming online, there’s now a lot of nuances like what kind of fire Sorcerer do I want to be because you can be like an incinerate one that burns enemies with a beam, firewall where you spawn things on the ground, a fireball one where you shoot them with fireballs, or a meteor one where you shoot down meteors. Though they’re all fire, they’re very different ways of playing in fantasy. And then even within those as you go further in the game, there’s different legendary powers that make those skills change in different ways and do different things and the nuances of how you play. Being a live service game also just changes a lot of what we’re able to offer to people, there’s going to be ever growing things coming into the game and ways that even the existing pieces are changing and shaping, so that there’ll be a lot for people to do for a very, very long time.

Kollo: Just to add to that, we’ve been doing a lot of testing and got some amazing feedback, and that’s something that we constantly like working towards to improve the game and to consider what else we can offer to players. As Adam said, the Skill Tree is also built in a way that is quite flexible in terms of starting with a certain path, let’s say the fire Sorcerer, and then you were like, okay, I’m bored with this, I want to try something else. Also if you want to try a new class at some point, instead of forcing you to replay the campaign, we give players the option to skip the campaign with that new character. Then they can just literally jump into the final elements of the game and play around with the payouts. It’s a flexible way for fans to enjoy the different classes.

Player versus player (PvP) interactions are a new addition to Diablo IV, could you elaborate on how PvP will work in the game? And what kind of experiences players can expect?

Kollo: Originally, we wanted to create these very obvious areas on the map to make sure you know it’s a dangerous area to enter. We wanted to make it into almost its own thing. The idea is that you can be hostile, but you don’t have to be. There’s two elements to it, one element is that let’s say I’m not going hostile, and I’m just going to kill monsters. There is a specific boss in the area that you can kill. You pick up these unclean shards and you have to go to this ritual area. Now when you do this ritual area, you need to spend x amount of time to convert these unclean shards into actual currencies. Once you get these currencies, it’s yours and you cannot lose them anymore. Then you use this currency to buy some really unique items in town, specifically PvP vendors that nobody else can have. But there’s obviously a chance that while you’re doing this ritual, someone can just come in and kill you, and then you can’t drop shards or spawn from the town so you’ll have to pick them up again. A lot of people end up becoming hostile to avenge themselves, which is fun. Then we have this additional aspect, if you kill a player 10 times without you dying, you’ll obtain the Vessel of Hatred title. If you can hold it for x amount of minutes then you get a special reward for it. But then the problem is that you get marked on the map, and everybody knows about your presence, and they’ll want to hunt you down. So there’s different elements and challenges we’ve brought to PvP. There’s also monsters too, plenty of them.

The resurrection of the demon, Lilith has set the stage for the story in Diablo IV. Without revealing too much, can you provide some insights into the narrative direction? And what elements of the story should players be excited about?

Jackson: The team is very excited about what Lilith represents, and how she has a huge history in the game. Lilith has been around since the beginning of time in this world, but also, we haven’t really interacted with her yet as players. It’s really cool to kind of bring a character like that, that is so influential and important, but we haven’t really seen (we’ve only heard whispers of) and now we actually get to see them be a main focal point. So we’re really excited for players to explore Lilith’s story, as well as to see how everyone else is reacting to the events that happened too. One of our pillars for the team is a return to darkness. We’re really trying to go back to kind of our old roots of seeing Sanctuary as a dark and scary place, and we reflect that in a lot of ways, the story being one of them.

Kollo: I also love how we have this strong female character with Lilith. Like, she’s scary. And I love the impact she had on the game, even if it’s more subtle. For example, the UI and what you actually see with the Gothic style of the game and the materials we use, our research was very heavily affected by the return to darkness theme that Adam mentioned. Originally, for UI we wanted to use materials like leather and paper, but based on how the story was developing on the side, we ended up looking at burn materials and lava rocks, almost reflecting burnt monster skins and stuff like that. So it’s just the idea of really bringing that fantasy into it.

What new options and choices will players have in Diablo IV when it comes to developing and evolving their characters? Maybe there’s something that’s specifically exciting for you and the way you like to play that you can discuss?

Jackson: One I can delve into a little bit more that we didn’t before is the Paragon system. This is our end game progression system that comes online a little bit post-campaign. We’ve got these giant boards, as you level up you still get experience from 50 to 100 and you get to move across these boards. We have different types of nodes: rare nodes and glyphs you can put in that empower nodes around it, and then legendary nodes that give you almost the equivalent of a legendary powers worth the power. You can choose multiple different boards and even rotate/change how they’re oriented to move across them and get stats in the way that you think is optimal for your character. You can chase the different rare glyphs and level them up. There’s a lot to do there, and it’s really meant for players who have been playing this game for a while, that’s why we don’t introduce it at the very beginning of the game.

Kollo: To me the character customization is something that stood out and that I’m personally very proud of. It’s the first Diablo game that has such in-depth customization and gives players the option to create characters that speak to them, to create something they can relate to. We’ve conducted a bunch of testing sessions and to see videos where people tear up or get really touched by the characters they created makes it worth it. Like this is the point of all our work.

With its dark atmosphere, highly customisable combat, and immersive storytelling, Diablo IV promises to deliver a highly replayable and satisfying entry in the series for both newcomers and long-time fans.

This interview has been edited and condensed for brevity and clarity. 

Diablo IV launches June 6. Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners can enjoy Early Access of the game from today. 

Last week, we asked Guardians in Destiny 2 to share epic moments wearing the PlayStation collaboration armor. Here are this week’s highlights: 

Jake__Bellamy shares a Guardian wearing Ghost of Tsushima-inspired armor standing strong.

xelastarkly shares a Guardian wearing Horizon-inspired armor holding up their hand.

xenobitz shares a Guardian wearing Ghost of Tsushima-inspired armor kneeling beside a tree.

piyopiyopop shares a Guardian wearing Ghost of Tsushima-inspired armor using a bird calling emote. 

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: Tropical
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on June 7, 2023

Next week, we’re headed somewhere warm. Share moments spent in tropical locations from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Hi, my name is Erik Odeldahl and I’m the Creative Director at VR game developer & publisher Fast Travel Games. We have just revealed our next game to the world! It is a PS VR2 adventure RPG set in the rich story world of Vampire the Masquerade. In it, you play Justice, a vampire of clan Banu Haqim, who travels from New York to a dark and mysterious Venice, Italy to hunt down the perpetrator of their sire’s final death.

Be a stealthy vampire 

With Vampire the Masquerade: Justice, we set out to make a game that fully immerses you in the role of a stealthy vampire, taking advantage of all the strengths of the PS VR2. One thing that truly excites us about the PSVR2 is the adaptive triggers and the haptic abilities available in both the controllers and the headset itself. As a vampire, you have access to all kinds of tools that help you stay hidden from your enemies, or when necessary, surprise and dispose of them with lethal force. You get to sneak up on your victims to drink their blood, unleash powerful disciplines and tear them to pieces, or fade away into invisibility before their very eyes. You decide how to take on each scenario, and we make full use of the wide range of haptics to fully immerse you in the experience.

Become the apex predator

As a vampire, you do have superhuman strength and speed, but you are not safe from harm. The enemies you encounter will put up a great challenge for you, forcing you to take advantage of your powers. A combination of stealth and fast attacks will take you far, but you can also rely on your powers of persuasion as well. Sometimes in a dialog with an NPC, the threat of violence will unlock new paths for you.

A dark and mysterious Venice 

The Venice we’re inviting you to is not the city of love you see on postcards, but a dark, mysterious place where unseen things happen in the shadows, where plans are hatched and vast conspiracies are perpetrated among the undead. The last few years, there has been unrest among the Hecata, a vampire clan that has Venice as one of its bases of operation. Justice, played by you, is cast into a conflict between fierce vampires who fight for power … and their souls.

Regardless of your strategy, every step you take and undertaking you complete, will bring you closer to the center of the mystery, and allow you to grow in power to eventually become the most powerful vampire.

This title, like all of our games so far, focuses on delivering a strong narrative, but also rewards exploration and experimentation. Me and the team are looking forward to seeing you meet the characters of vampire Venice, and sneak along its dark streets. The game is built from the ground up with an original story and characters, and is a welcoming experience for those of you unfamiliar with Vampire the Masquerade and the World of Darkness, but we hope that we’ve created something special for those of you that have lived and breathed Vampire for a long time too!

We will share more as the game approaches release. 

When we first started with game creation at Frictional Games, we knew we wanted to make immersive horror experiences. We threw in everything we could think of: puzzles, physics, combat, creepy dream sequences – you name it. Those of you who played Penumbra: Overture will remember these elements well. Now, as we approach the launch of Amnesia: The Bunker – coming to PS4 on June 6 – we wanted to take a look back at how we’ve further refined our formula and approach to games.

The real breakthrough arrived with Amnesia: The Dark Descent. We started focusing on key aspects that led to a much more engaging experience. We cut away combat and all other aspects that didn’t directly fuel the horror experience. This led to players noticing more about their environment and becoming more deeply engaged. A simple sound effect, for instance, could trigger intense reactions, causing players to run and hide. Players become immersed with the happenings in a way we hadn’t seen before.

One of the only relatively safe places in Amnesia: The Bunker – the administration office. Check the map carefully, planning your next move is crucial to your survival.

This revelation showed us that we could use such techniques to propel the narrative in new ways. Few games at the time were doing this, and we felt we could still push the boundaries. This is how SOMA was born. We asked ourselves: Instead of scaring players, could you evoke similar immersion in more complex topics? In the case of SOMA it became: can you make them question the nature of consciousness? Five years of work later – turns out you could.

In Amnesia: The Bunker, the revolver is used to shoot off a padlock, showcasing how it can be used as more than just a weapon.

We then aimed to expand our studio into a two-project operation, splitting our team in two. One group worked on Amnesia: Rebirth, where we sought to intertwine gameplay and narrative more tightly, introducing mechanics (like simulating a belly rub) that carried significant story implications. We were proud of the result but felt we could have pushed further. A clear sign of this was that, once players knew the game, they would approach each section in a predictable manner. The gameplay simply wasn’t pushing far enough to truly empower the player.

The lighter. A very important item used to craft various tools, such as a torch that can be used to fend off rats.

With Rebirth launched, and our other project – let’s call it the Super Secret Project – still underway, Fredrik Olsson, who was the creative lead on Rebirth, proposed a simple idea: Why not have one monster, give the player a gun, and unleash them in an open world? This was a smaller, more focused project we could finish before the Super Secret Project. The Bunker was born.

This concept diverged significantly from our recent games, but if we trace back to our origins with Penumbra: Overture, it’s not that far off. In Overture, players tackled monsters in a freeform manner, using weapons, setting traps, and igniting canisters. The Bunker aims to do the same, but to take it up a notch.

Concept of the revolver, first usable firearm ever in a game by Frictional Games.

At a similar time when Bunker was conceived, it was becoming clear that the Super Secret project wasn’t heading in the right direction. Things felt too linear, not open-end enough. Inspired by The Bunker, we decided to steer our other project towards a more open-ended, gameplay-focused direction as well.

When you run out of options, using brute force to gain entry may be the only choice. Careful though, it makes a lot of noise and might attract unwanted attention.

As a narrative-focused company, we strive to create stories in which the player feels like an active participant – it’s a core part of our DNA. The common thread in all our games is the exploration of something (be it the nature of the mind or the experience of pregnancy) from an active, first-person perspective. The Bunker needed to uphold this ethos, despite the project’s limited time and resources. We went with a simpler, more straightforward narrative: “It’s WWI. You’re a soldier trapped in a bunker, and a deadly beast lurks in the shadows. Escape!” The entire game is dedicated to telling this story as effectively as possible. While not as complex as previous entries, it is still very much a story-driven experience.

This marks a new trajectory for us as a company. Or perhaps more accurately, it’s us revisiting an older path and exploring what we can do with it. Starting with Amnesia, we began stripping away gameplay elements to see how far we could push that approach. Now, we’re bringing systems, mechanics, and player agency to the forefront. We’re curious to see how far we can take this. The Bunker is an intriguing first step, being smaller in scope and aiming for a very specific experience.

Despite being small and specific doesn’t mean it was a breeze to create – quite the opposite. A host of interesting challenges arose during development. For instance, the open-ended nature of the game means that there are always multiple ways to get through doors. In our previous games, passing through a door would be carefully scripted with one, or occasionally two, specific solutions available. 

In The Bunker, we simply endow doors with certain properties, provide some tools, and then let the player figure it all out. In a game where we want to curate a certain holistic experience, this is quite tricky. There are certain high-level notes, and this must occur regardless of how the player chooses to play. Solutions include making these beats more system-based (e.g., changes in monster behavior) or setting up obstacles in such a way that there’s always a way to overcome them, no matter what resources the player has.

It will be fascinating to see how players approach the game. We’ve already learned numerous lessons that we’re incorporating into the next project, and even more insights will emerge as we release this game into the wild. We’re eager for you all to try out The Bunker, not just as a new entry but also as the first step in a fresh direction for us as a studio.

One thing that has made Street Fighter such an enduring, legendary game series is its iconic characters. Players fondly remember their first time hitting an opponent with Ryu’s Shoryuken, sending out a Sonic Boom with Guile, or mashing out Chun-Li’s lightning kicks. Many of the series’ favorite characters return in Street Fighter 6, but with fresh designs that still convey the cast’s long-established personalities and skills. We sat down with Capcom to talk about giving old Street Fighters a new look.

Takayuki Nakayama is the game director of Street Fighter 6. He’s been with Capcom since 2012, starting his Street Fighter journey with work on Ultra Street Fighter IV. “Since we’re working on a new numbered series title, this was the chance to redesign all the characters,” he said. “We wanted to give all the legacy characters striking new designs as something of a challenge and make them look significantly different from the past designs of the characters that we’ve seen before.”

Some characters, like Chun Li, were especially challenging: “It took multiple years to land on her final design. Chun Li has been around for a long time as one of the key standout characters. And everyone’s ideal look for her is a little bit different. Because she is such a loved character, folks really have strong feelings about how Chun Li should look in a modern Street Fighter game.”

The RE Engine makes every character model pop on screen. But study them closer and you’ll note each of the 18-strong starting roster have distinct muscle tones. This is the result of experimentation, including 3D photo scanning of people, by a small team at the studio dedicated to more accurately portray muscle definitions factoring in age, gender and fighting style. For example, a sumo wrestler like E. Honda will have a completely different muscle definition to a pro wrestler like Zangief.

But the fighter from the Street Fighter II era whose redesign got a lot of buzz on social media was Cammy White, the blonde bombshell British brawler first introduced in Super Street Fighter II, and who has been a fan favorite for decades.

When Cammy first hit the streets, she was clad in a bright red beret and matching gloves, accenting a distinctive green leotard that showcased her legs–fitting for a femme fighter who could crush opponents with her mighty thighs. This has become her classic look, known as Delta Red, named after the elite special forces unit Cammy was part of in Street Fighter lore.

When X-Men vs. Street Fighter debuted in 1996, she sported a thicker, long-sleeved baby-blue onesie and cap but kept her big red gloves and, most strikingly, her thick pointed bangs, long blonde ponytails, and facial scar. This “Killer Bee” outfit represents the period when she was under the sway of supervillain M. Bison as one of his “dolls”–and, as was later revealed, a female clone bearing most of his DNA.

A lot has changed in the world of Street Fighter 6. Shadaloo is no more, and Cammy’s quest for vengeance against Bison seems to have reached its conclusion–but she’s still out there fighting and doing it with a new outfit. Gone is the slinky leotard, replaced with a bright sky-blue jacket and midriff-baring crop top. Her legs are covered with stretch-fabric workout pants: a sensible choice for an athletically-minded woman.

“Cammy feels that Shadaloo’s end is a new milestone that allows her to chart her own path and live a more normal life. This new look is her civilian outfit, while her old leotard is more of a battle-type outfit,” Nakayama-san explains. “When you first meet her in World Tour, she’s in London. We realized seeing her in her classic outfit might look weird in that context. So we tried to keep things like that in mind when designing the new costumes.”

The most striking change is Cammy’s hairstyle. Gone are the long braids that came with her other standard outfits, replaced with a sprightly new short trim. She’s still got those big sharp bangs, though, and they look surprisingly menacing as accents to her short haircut.

Nakayama-san described the thought process behind her drastic new ‘do. “We thought it would be an interesting challenge to give her a short hairstyle–she doesn’t have her classic braids, which seemed to be a defining point of her design. During the development of Street Fighter V, we had an opportunity to change it–we thought fans might react negatively, but the idea seemed to be positively received, so we decided to go for it in Street Fighter 6. Her hair may be short, but the straps from her jacket are intended to be reminiscent of her classic braids–that’s our creative callback touch.”

So how do you change something so big as an iconic hairstyle and keep a character recognizable?

“The silhouette of the character is very important,” says Nakayama-san. “As you may know, Cammy is rather petite compared to some of the other large-scale characters in the game. So we wanted to keep that essence of the character.”

The design team also kept some recognizable traits, like her gloves and boots, to remain faithful to previous designs and aid in gameplay. “It needs to be obvious when certain attacks hit the opponent. That’s why we maintained her gloves. When an attack connects, it’s easy to tell what happens. The rings on her boots are like an indicator of hit detection points. So it makes it visually more easily discernible when playing the game.”

But if you’re super-attached to the old look, don’t despair: many of the longtime legacy characters have classic costumes available in-game, Cammy included. Get a first look at the outfits below:

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The team also took the opportunity to add many clever little touches. “Whenever a character uses up all their Drive Gauge, they go into Burnout mode. And then, while in that mode, their stance slightly changes. For Cammy, her pose changes to one reminiscent of an in-development sketch of her neutral pose from Super Street Fighter II.” 

There’s a lot more deep-cut fanservice, too. “If you see her win pose after a match or in her Character Select Screen, you’ll notice a little cat that walks by her. That references the ending illustration from completing her arcade mode in Super Street Fighter II Turbo.”

Since Cammy has a new look, it’s only logical that she’s changed up her gameplay a little. “Cammy is historically a hard character to develop. It’s hard to give her new moves because she lacks supernatural powers. Giving Cammy a projectile kind of kills the essence of her character. One idea we toyed around with was using the Street Fighter II anime movie as a reference.” While eagle-eyed players will notice one particular move that plays homage to her appearance in that movie, the studio did deliberate on giving her a projectile attack that fitted with her background.

“We considered, ‘What if we gave her grenades she could throw?’ But that’s not really Cammy’s style, plus it would overlap with another SF series character, Rolento.  Ultimately, we were able to make enhancements to her existing move set in Street Fighter V. We’ve continued that with Street Fighter 6, making it so that she “holds” her specials to apply different attributes to those moves.”

The love that’s gone into the characters of Street Fighter 6 is evident, not only from Nakayama’s words but also from what you see onscreen. Look forward to seeing all of your old favorites–and making your own legendary Street Fighter–when Street Fighter 6 enters the ring on June 2, 2023.

Hey there, PlayStation Stars members! It’s almost June, and we’ve got new campaigns and digital collectibles coming your way. Get ready to put your skills to the test again and make some new memories. Keep an eye out for more updates on PlayStation App throughout the month. Now let’s jump into the featured lineup for June.

Score points with NBA 2K23 on PlayStation Plus

Available June 6 for all PlayStation Plus members

Starting on June 6, PlayStation Plus members can get 50 points by playing NBA 2K23. Check out the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games announcement for June to discover the exciting titles available this month.

Get rewards for playing selected titles on PlayStation VR2

Available June 1

PlayStation Stars members can get 50 points by playing any one of the following games on PlayStation VR2:

• Horizon Call of the Mountain
• Resident Evil Village
• Gran Turismo 7
• No Man’s Sky
• Tetris Effect: Connected
• Kayak VR: Mirage

These games for PlayStation VR2 have thrilled and chilled us to the core. From heart-stopping horror to pulse-pounding racing, there’s something for everyone.

Hard Game Club | Dead Space 

Available June 1

Join the Hard Game Club by completing difficult in-game challenges in some of PlayStation’s toughest games to get exclusive digital collectibles.

This month’s featured game is Dead Space. To get the June Hard Game Club Balloon digital collectible, members must complete the “Untouchable” trophy challenge in Dead Space. Take on the challenge and once completed, you will receive this month’s digital collectible. Good luck!

PlayStation & You Limited Release Digital Collectibles

“PlayStation & You” is a recurring campaign that celebrates players who have been with us over the years. Here are two of the campaigns we’ll have in June.

PlayStation & You: PlayStation 3D Glasses

Available June 1

We’re celebrating owners of the PlayStation 3D Display, a 3D TV/glasses combo that supports SimulView. If that’s you, unlock the PlayStation 3D Glasses digital collectible by playing any game on your PS4 or PS5 and get ready to add this unique item to your collection.

PlayStation and You: PlayStation 3 Scarlet Red

Available June 15

For PlayStation Stars members who owned the PS3 Scarlet Red. Play any PS4 or PS5 game to unlock this digital collectible. 

New PlayStation Stars Digital Collectible Display Cases

Starting June 2

Check out the new selection of five iconic display cases to store your favorite digital collectibles releasing throughout the month soon. You can update your display case by selecting the “Scenes” option located at the bottom right corner of your current display case. 

As a reminder, PlayStation Stars members can get digital collectibles or points by completing monthly campaigns. PlayStation Plus members enjoy additional opportunities to get points through exclusive campaigns and PlayStation Store purchases. Points received can be redeemed in your Rewards Catalog for PlayStation Network wallet funds, select games, and limited-release digital collectibles.  Learn more about PlayStation Stars and join here. 

Hey everyone, the intergalactic adventurers Ratchet & Clank are making their debut on PC this summer! At Nixxes Software, we are all very excited to announce our next project in collaboration with Insomniac Games.

The Ratchet & Clank franchise recently celebrated its 20^th anniversary. We are thrilled and honored to bring this iconic franchise to a new audience. If you haven’t played a game from this series before, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is an excellent one to start with. The game is a visual spectacle that is perfectly suitable for newcomers thanks to a standalone storyline and the introduction of two brand new characters: Rivet & Kit.

We can’t wait for you to meet these intergalactic heroes and start your multidimensional adventure when the game launches on July 26. Today I can share the first details on the PC features for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart that our team has been working on and tell you more about the pre-purchase bonuses.

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The PC version of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart features ray-traced reflections with a variety of quality levels to choose from and newly added ray-traced shadows for natural light in outdoor areas. This enables realistic shadows with natural gradients in softness*.

We know many PC gamers enjoy playing on ultra-wide monitors. For those, we added support for 21:9, 32:9 and up to 48:9 resolutions for triple monitor setups. Both gameplay and cutscenes are optimized for ultra-wide screens. This is possible thanks to our engineers, artists and QA team who have analyzed the game and adjusted all cinematics to ensure compatibility with panoramic aspect ratios.

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The game supports unlocked framerates and includes the latest performance enhancing upscaling technologies. You’ll be able to choose from NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 2, Intel XeSS and Insomniac Games’ Temporal Injection. NVIDIA Reflex and image quality enhancing NVIDIA DLAA are also supported.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PC offers full mouse and keyboard support with customizable controls. Controllers are also fully supported, and when using a DualSense controller on a wired connection, you can feel in-game actions coming to life in your hands with haptic feedback and dynamic trigger effects. 

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be available on Steam and in the Epic Games Store, head over there now to Wishlist or pre-purchase the game. If you pre-purchase ahead of launch, you’ll get access to the following in-game items early in your playthrough:

·   Pixelizer Weapon

·   Carbonox Armor set

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The PC version includes the five armors of the Digital Deluxe Edition and the 20th Anniversary Armor Pack, with another five armors inspired by previous games in the series.

In the coming weeks we will reveal more details about the PC features of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest news.

*Compatible PC and hardware required for enhanced graphics.

This year, we are celebrating an incredible milestone of 30 years at Bend Studio! Time sure does fly by when you’re having fun. Since 1993, we’ve had the privilege to develop video games for three decades in beautiful Central Oregon. From the early days of puzzle games to the iconic Syphon Filter series, Resistance: Retribution, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Days Gone, we are motivated to continue the evolution of Bend Studio with our next game to go another 30 years and beyond.

Before we reveal our new official merchandise to celebrate our anniversary, read a few words from various members of our studio that have played a critical role over the years in creating the games we all know and love. To every past and present developer that contributed to a Bend Studio game, thank you for your hard work:

“As we celebrate Bend Studio’s 30th Anniversary, I am filled with a profound sense of accomplishment and pride. Reflecting on the remarkable journey over these past three decades I am truly grateful for the opportunity to witness the growth and success of the studio that has allowed me to work with an incredibly talented cast of team members that have all, in their own individual way, created the formative DNA that is the foundation of Bend Studio today.”

– Christopher Reese, Head of Bend Studio

“From Syphon Filter to Days Gone, Bend Studio has always excelled at creating compelling adventures in realistic worlds.  Bend Studio applied vision, grit, ingenuity, and technical innovation to bring a city to life around the subway station in the original Syphon Filter, and that same alchemy produced an entire ecosystem in Days Gone. I can’t wait for the world to see what this ambitious team has in store for us next.”

– Connie Booth, SVP Head of Internal Production, PlayStation Studios and Executive Producer, Syphon Filter

“As much I love the games that I’ve been fortunate enough to work on, Bend Studio to me has always been about the people I’ve met on this journey.”

– Darren Yager, Manager, Design

“I have been at Bend Studio for 19 years now, and while it has tripled in size, and some of the faces have changed, its strength remains in the talent and passion of its developers. We have accomplished more than anyone could have expected from a team our size, and it’s because we love what we do and we have a fierce desire to make memorable experiences for our players.”

– Darren Chisum, Tech Director, Gameplay

“After shipping titles on PSP, such as Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow and Resistance: Retribution, we rose to the challenge of adapting the Uncharted series to PS Vita as a launch title in Japan and the US. Being able to take an iconic franchise to create a new game with new characters on a new platform as a launch title was very rewarding and memorable.”

– Gerald Harrison, Director, Art 

“When I joined the Bend Studio team over 17 years ago, I was moving back to Bend, my home town. I feel lucky to be living in the town where I grew up–to have the privilege of working with such a smart, experienced, and creative team and at the same time being able to ski, bike, and enjoy the quality of life that Bend is famous for.  While developing Days Gone, I’ll never forget the first time I drove the bike along a ridge, stopped, and watched a spectacular sunset over the mountains where I grew up skiing and backpacking–it was a truly incredible experience to recreate the natural beauty out my office windows in a game!”

– John Hoffman, Director, Programming

“Happy 30 years (three decades)! I feel so incredibly honored and proud to be a part of this studio.  I’m looking forward to what we’re going to accomplish and wow the world in the next 30 years. There’s something truly special about Bend Studio and I am truly grateful to be on this journey with our dedicated, passionate, and extremely talented team!”

– Julie O’Leary, Senior Producer

“I feel honored to have spent the last five years at Bend Studio as it holds a special place in my heart, being the first game studio I’ve ever worked at. Everyone here has drive, compassion, and hospitality that has made my move across the country well worth it. Happy 30th Bend! I’m so excited about the direction we’re heading, and I can’t wait to keep growing as a dev here.”

– Laura Reilly, Programmer

“Thank you for celebrating this 30-year milestone with us!  For three decades, Bend Studio has strived to deliver memorable experiences through both thrilling adventures and captivating stories.  Our games represent our commitment through rich worlds, heartfelt characters, and immersive gameplay. As we embark on this next chapter of our journey, we promise to continue pushing the boundaries of gaming, and use our passion and dedication to bring you the best games we can.  Here’s to the exciting adventures that lie ahead!”

– Marlena Hanne, Senior Narrative Designer

“With more than a decade here at Bend, I am extremely humbled by the talent and ability of this team as well as the commitment of the studio leadership and PlayStation to the well-being and happiness of each one of us throughout the years. We are a family that is working towards a unified goal to create rich and rewarding experiences for both our fans and the members of the team. Happy 30th Anniversary to Bend Studio, I can’t imagine being anywhere else and I look forward to the next 30!”

– Nate Weikert, Supervisor, Design

A milestone of this magnitude deserves new official Bend Studio merchandise for our players to rep our new logo for the first time! Good news, it hits the PlayStation Gear Store today!

First, we have an original poster by Oliver Barrett featuring multiple characters across all Bend Studio games. Third person action-adventure games have been the bread and butter for our team across this amazing journey, so what better way to encapsulate our past games than with a poster featuring the characters that impacted us along the way. We are very proud of each game we’ve created during our 30 year journey, and this poster is a perfect way to highlight our games in one epic presentation that represents the history of Bend Studio.

Caption: Print size: 18” x 24”

Our main goal for this poster was to develop a concept that players will want to proudly display in a prominent spot on their wall, while providing that Bend touch. Oliver’s style and approach immediately drew us back to his work to provide a special poster to highlight the 30th Anniversary. If you remember, Oliver was also the one who designed the vinyl cover for the Days Gone – Original Video Game Soundtrack.

You’ll notice Deacon St. John speeding toward us on his Drifter bike with a trail of smoke behind him made up of characters from Syphon Filter, Resistance: Retribution, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Days Gone. If you look closely, you may see some nods to our unique location in Bend, Oregon too, but we won’t spoil it yet. On the left-hand side is a subtle timeline including all the games we’ve developed over our 30 years. This is a must-have if you’re a fan of any of our games!

Next up is an original Days Gone t-shirt design created in-house at Bend Studio. This unique design features Deacon St. John on the back of a black t-shirt next to the 30th Anniversary logo all in one slick look. Represent Bend Studio with a red colorway logo stamped on the front! Our new Days Gone t-shirt is a thank you letter to our community for the love and support you have shared for our game since we launched in 2019 on PlayStation 4. Like Deacon and Boozer with their Mongrels cuts, we hope you will wear this shirt with pride!

Pre-orders for both the poster and t-shirt are available today on the PlayStation Gear Store with an expected ship date of July!

If you’re looking to experience some of Bend Studio’s legacy titles to see where it all began, you can play Syphon Filter, Syphon Filter 2, Syphon Filter 3, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, and Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow on PlayStation Plus via the Classics Catalog right now!

Thank you for 30 years of playing our games and sharing your love for our worlds! Whether you’ve been with us from the Syphon Filter days, or recently joined our community from Days Gone, we hope you will continue to embark on this remarkable journey with us as we head into an exciting future at Bend Studio.

If you pick up the new merchandise we announced today, let us know on Twitter and Instagram by using #Bend30 to join the celebration with us!

Today, we are thrilled to announce that Backbone One – PlayStation Edition, an officially licensed smartphone controller, is now available for both iOS and Android users internationally.

The reception we received when we recently announced Backbone One – PlayStation Edition for iOS has been incredibly exciting. We’ve seen many gamers take advantage of the PS Remote Play app feature, enabling gamers to play PS4 and PS5 games streamed from the console with the Backbone One – PlayStation Edition while they are out and about or anywhere in the home.* It has quickly become one of the most popular gaming features on the BackBone platform.

We’ve heard repeatedly from Android users asking for the same best-in-class gaming experience, so we’re excited to now offer Backbone One PlayStation Edition for Android  as well.

We’ve closely collaborated with the PlayStation team on the look and feel of Backbone One – PlayStation Edition for Android. The colors, materials and finishes are all inspired by the design of the DualSense wireless controller, including the transparent face buttons. It matches the look of the PS5 console, and if you already own the Pulse 3D wireless headset, you can connect it directly to your Backbone One via its 3.5mm headphone jack.

The latest update to the PS Remote Play app on Google Play allows for easy setup and play with Backbone One – PlayStation Edition. If you have access to broadband internet and a PS5 or PS4 console, plug an iPhone or Android device into the Backbone One and instantly start playing your PS5 and PS4 games with the power of the PS Remote Play app — whether that’s out and about or even elsewhere in the home*. See the PlayStation Remote Play website for more information.

When using the PlayStation App, players can double-tap the Options button on Backbone One – PlayStation Edition to easily access the app. Additionally, the latest PlayStation App update will also support controller-based navigation in landscape orientation to optimize the user experience.

Available games may differ by region.

Backbone One also works wonderfully with Google Play and App Store games as well as other game streaming services that support controllers, and may be used with games like Call of Duty: Mobile, Fortnite, Diablo Immortal, and more.

Players can download the Backbone App for a customized PlayStation experience. Inside the app, you’ll see various PlayStation integrations such as custom glyphs representing the iconic PlayStation shapes, and the ability to browse hundreds of game titles. The Backbone app on Android brings all your games into one place, including app store games and supported game streaming services. Players will also find a dedicated row inside the Backbone App with new releases and updates from PlayStation.

Finally, Backbone One PlayStation Edition will soon be available in Japan. For Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, it will be available two weeks after Japan release date, in addition to existing availability in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.

Here is the Backbone One PlayStation Edition recommended retail pricing for the following territories:

• Malaysia : MYR 495.00
• Philippines: PHP 5,759.00
• Korea: KRW 149,000
• Taiwan: TWD 3,590.00

We hope Android owners will enjoy the PlayStation App, PS Remote Play experience and mobile native games with the Backbone One – PlayStation Edition. Visit PlayStation Support to find out more about how to set up Backbone One – PlayStation Edition for Android for use with PS Remote Play on Android and other compatible devices.

*A PS4 or PS5 console, the PS Remote Play App and an account for PlayStation Network are required to stream your games to other devices. PS Remote Play can be used with a mobile data connection or Wi-Fi. Broadband internet with at least 5Mbps is required. For a better PS Remote Play experience, a high-speed connection of at least 15Mbps is recommended using either Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. Titles that require PS VR, PS VR2, or other peripherals such as PlayStation camera are not compatible with PS Remote Play. Availability of DualSense features such as audio output and haptic effects vary when using PS Remote Play on Android, PC, Mac, iPhone or iPad, and some features may not be available.

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