Huge, possibly day-altering news: It’s nearly time for the 4th Annual Impy Awards! The Impys is our yearly event where we celebrate the very best things made in Dreams over the past year, as well as the lovely coMmunity in and around it. Back in November, we opened up nominations – and loads of you submitted your favorite creations, creators and coMmunity members for awards consideration across a whopping 23 categories. Cheers for doing that!

We’re currently in the middle of putting together a fabulously over-the-top awards show on Sunday March 26 at 9am PT / 5pm GMT to announce the winners of this year’s Impy Awards – some judged by us with the help of friends from across the creative industries, with others voted on by the CoMmunity. (More on how to vote in a bit!)

How fabulously over-the-top, you ask? Well, we couldn’t seem to find the perfect venue for our awards show this year, as some places have very strict safety rules around fire and giant flesh-monsters (honestly, you can’t have any fun these days). So we simply created our own in Dreams! A whole archipelago, in fact. Here’s a cheeky little peak at some of the virtual sets we’ll be livestreaming from:

‘Peak’? Eh? Because of the mountain? …Wow, tough crowd. Fine, here are some more:

We thought we’d take advantage of all this extra space by turning this year’s Impys season into a multi-day festival – and combining our real-world selves with the virtual world. In the lead-up to the main awards show on March 26, we’ll be hosting several livestreams from the beautiful Nomi Nations on our Twitch channel. We’ve got all sorts of events on the schedule, from behind-the-scenes interviews with our developers and coMmunity artists, to musical performances, highlights reels from the past year and much more.

Our first stream on the road to this year’s Impys kicks off today. Join us at 9am PT / 5pm GMT over on Twitch, where we’ll be celebrating Dreams’ 3rd birthday with a look back at the year just past – and a very special coMmunity quiz.

Meanwhile, if you’d like to secure some coveted real estate of the Nomi Nations for yourself, why not get involved in our latest coMmunity challenge in Dreams by customizing your very own floating island? Imagine what you could build on your very own piece of paradise. A frog pond filled with lemonade! Seventeen cars! Another identical, but much smaller, island! The possibilities are truly endless. Head to the front page of DreamShaping in game to get started with one of our handy island templates. We’ll be featuring your creations in–game and, of course, checking them out on our Impys livestreams.

Time to bring you out of the clouds and back down to Earth, though. Let’s reveal which amazing Dreams creations and creators made the final shortlists for the 4th Annual Impy Awards.

Before we get into it, a reminder: the following categories are coMmunity–voted, meaning the winner is decided by all you arbiters of good taste out there.

• Community Collaboration
• Most Helpful Dreamer
• Breakthrough Dreamer
• Curation Star
• Contribution Beyond Dreams
• Evolving Experience
• Innovation in Create
• Community Star

Don’t forget to vote for your winners via this survey by 23:59 GMT on Tuesday February 21 for your vote to be counted!

And now, without further ado… the nominees.

Creation of the Year

• HeliTaxi – atheistsw, arepera, Zodira
• DreamsFest 22 – The DreamsFest Team
• Bo’s Island – byvsen, Fr0d0_FragginS79
• Trip’s Voyage – Eupholace, Aevox23, actualjimmyjam
• Friend_Request – Frostadoodle
• RID – Memories of the Elders – LordBruce, Camian
• SWORD OF AKAANA: Final Demo – luke_972, rukkurt
• GAIA HAWK – talc33
• ZED EXODUS II – TRIX9, shandyboy1975, oLiamS47o, RAKeogh, talc33, Joeycutts83
• Tides – venwave

Creator/Team of the Year

• Bohalaa
• The DreamsFest Team
• Eupholace
• The InfiniDreams Team
• RedSeikatsu-
• Todu
• Tricobalt
• The ZED EXODUS Team
• venwave
• willow_the_bob

Community Star

• MrCaseyJones
• NotreDamin
• Nephrendil
• Yah_Deh
• InfiniDreams
• KeldBjones
• Elca_Gaming
• UglySofaGaming
• xMightyViciousx
• RedSeikatsu-

Community Collaboration

• Community Garden Events – Nephrendil
• GIBLETS 2 – TRIX9
• DreamFlix Season 2 – KeldBjones
• Il était une fois… – Infinidreams
• DreamsFest 22 – The DreamsFest Team

Most Helpful Dreamer

• TAPgiles
• VYZiUM-
• OgTheEnigma
• Intrattackout
• LucidDreamChaser

Breakthrough Dreamer

• MarshallsAccount
• BOOMAN_2284
• franzeboy
• PickleWickle0
• Orue223

Curation Star

• UglySofaGaming
• Orue223
• FlashMedallion
• LadyLexUK
• FluffynSassy

Contribution Beyond Dreams

• xMightyViciousx & James_Wilson11
• Elca_Gaming
• Keduko_
• The InfiniDreams Team
• Kimerakii

Excellence in Sculpture

• Introducing: Fly-Million! – dinox11
• Giga Bust – iDexTiGer
• Imp – lillouakola81
• Sooty’s Flower Shop – SootyPinions
• Portraits – ZIIQ

Excellence in Art Direction

• Trip’s Voyage – Eupholace, Aevox23, actualjimmyjam
• WEB OF METAL – Intrattackout
• Jungle Bill 2 – NibblersBox
• The Quest For Self Confidence – Todu
• Housewave (+ TreeHouse) – venwave

Excellence in Environment Art

• Somewhere Between, Part 1: A Walk in the Park – BADROBO82
• Epsilum – Jaavaa, MultiMoo, IansaneArtist
• Vineland 2 – ZIIQ, VitaminG_90
• Into the Mist – Parkderk
• SWORD OF AKAANA: Final Demo – luke_972, rukkurt

Excellence in Animation

• AstroThumb Stories 2 – arseny3d
• Duet II – bvysen
• Scraps – MitterMak
• Caféwave (Animated Painting) – venwave
• Animals Gone Missin’ – willow_the_bob

Excellence in Gameplay

• HeliTaxi – atheistsw, arepera, Zodira
• Trip’s Voyage – Eupholace, Aevox23, actualjimmyjam
• Friend_Request – Frostadoodle
• Housewave (+ TreeHouse) – venwave
• Chip Off The Old Block – VinceKully, ghostfruit64

Most Original Gameplay

• metA Innocence – FeyzPS
• R.I.F.7 (Spot the difference) – KabarudonphaN18, xMorpheuus
• A Kid’s Journey to One-Shot Everything Idle – Nicco555, Computer_Cat
• STRAIN | DreamsCom22 demo – Orksom
• Cubus – StinoAlpino, DeDefourkes

Music Track of the Year

• goth egg | slip and fall – Cfulljames, KaTMalenjamz
• THE INVENTOR’S MACHINE – Gianni_no_Mitaka, I–AURA–I
• Let the Real You Reappear – Prince_Tahra
• The Voyage for Golden Anchors – VinceKully, ghostfruit64
• DarkSide [Live @ DreamSounds Amphitheater] – WileyisCOOL, Tricobalt

Musician of the Year

• Asian-Roro
• CFulljames
• duckenomics
• Helekosi
• M-molecul

Excellence in Audio Design

• Trip’s Voyage
• NOGUCHI’S BELL EPISODE 2
• Facility
• Touch Everything
• Tides

Excellence in Voice Acting

• ApesOnFire in Ye Olde Opposite Daye
• Zodira in HeliTaxi
• RedSeikatsu- in Red and the Phantom Castle Remake
• Elfiooh in Il était une fois…
• kimerakii in Cosmic Tale 3

Excellence in Character Design

• Introducing: Fly-Million! – dinox11
• Agatha Grindel (MODEL SHOWCASE) – kaifraz4048
• Scraps – MitterMak
• Nuhlm the Harold – Suthurnur, chelsea_mb712
• Dragon Slayer – Tinydiorama

Excellence in Narrative

• Scelerophobia – Grothraw
• Ye Olde Opposite Daye – MrCaseyJones
• Epsilum – Jaavaa, MultiMoo, IansaneArtist
• The Quest for Self-Confidence – Todu
• Tides – venwave

Excellence in VR

• Base VR Template for Moves/Dualshock – gauffreman
• THE RANGE – KarstenStaack
• N0 WAY HOME – ZERO GRAVITY (VR) – PIXELTUNER_92
• Jungle Bill 2 – NibblersBox
• A strange encounter in the forest – Orksom

Innovation in Create

• LOOKING THROUGH – A Visual Puzzle Game – Todu
• Endless Crowd Experiment – olit123
• Bendyman (VyzPaint) – VYZiUM-
• Pic Importer Templates (Dreams Picture Importer) – coynem
• Mine’A’Day – oooDORIENooo

Evolving Experience

• Trip’s Voyage – Eupholace, Aevox23, actualjimmyjam
• The Backrooms – MarshaIIsAccount
• liminal mystery box – JohnnyBiscotti, MrCaseyJones, mattizzle1
• R.I.F.7 (Spot the difference) – KabarudonphaN18, xMorpheuus
• TricoBiddy Bus Company – Tricobalt, blackcat_tracks

We saw an incredible number of submissions from Dreams coMmunity members this year, played a lot of quality creations during the shortlisting process – and read so many heartfelt messages from people explaining why particular creations and creators were the highlights of their year. Regardless of whether you made it to the final shortlist or not, a huge congratulations to everyone who received a nomination: You really made an impact on your fellow dreamers this year.

Right – back to the Nomi Nations we go. Fortunately, the phone signal up there is quite good: why not get in touch via our social channels? We’ll be checking out the hashtag #ImpyAwards, so pop that on your Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok posts if you’ve got any questions/comments/loud noises about the upcoming livestreams.

See you on the islands very soon!

In case you didn’t notice, it’s Valentine’s Day today — and while some people are using this opportunity to go on boring dates with other humans, others have more grand ambitions. They’re going full-hilt and dating weapons!

Boyfriend Dungeon is shockingly out today for PS5, and that means today is the first time many people are exploring the unique pleasure of sword smooching.

To be fair, I don’t actually judge people who date humans. My own husband is a human. That being said, there’s something uniquely thrilling about first defeating some monsters together, and then taking that hot sword out on the town. Work hard, play hard, right?

But you have to be careful! Swords are dangerous if handled without respect. Follow these handy tips when dating your weapon, to avoid hurting yourself or others.

DO: Respect your weapon’s boundaries and range

Keep an open mind. Daggers like to be up-close and personal. Polearms need a bit more space. It sounds like common sense, but it can be confusing when weapons either pull you in or push you away, especially if you’ve just come out of a long-term wieldership.

Similarly, some weapons are fine with being picked up by any wielder, while others need a bit longer to build trust and commit to a sheath. When in doubt, ask whether it’s OK to grab someone’s hilt. It’s also worth briefly double-checking your assumptions about how deep into the dungeon they want to go that night, so you’re both on the same page.

DO: Plan around your weapon’s interests

Many beginning wielders assume that since they’re in the driver’s seat in combat, they should also make the decisions about when and where to go for fun. Know that weapons appreciate being considered in the planning, and may even have ideas of their own!

There’s nothing wrong with a dungeon-dinner date as a starter, but after that, you’ll probably find more success in romance by playing to your combat partner’s hobbies and personality. If they’re a dancing sword, maybe they’d prefer going to the club or a salsa night. If they’re an axe, maybe they’d like a hike in the woods. A lasersaber might want a cozy night in, to recharge their batteries. Get creative!

DO: Respect weapon-blacksmith confidentiality

If your weapon gets chipped, dinged, or just plain broken, don’t panic. From a young age, weapons usually develop a unique and personal relationship with their blacksmith, who helps them with repairs as needed. It’s normal for a wielder to get insecure once they realize the intimacy a blacksmith has with their weapon, but just remind yourself that everyone needs a doctor sometimes. The heat of their forge has no influence on the heat in the bedroom!

DON’T: Compare your weapon to famous swords

We all know and love the Masamune or Excalibur, but it can be awkward and off-putting for your new armament to feel they have to measure up to these legendary weapons! Besides, not all weapons are even bladed. Hammers, brass knuckles, and maces for example might never have the same mass appeal as swords, and they shouldn’t have to feel embarrassed or apologetic for their blunt natures.

DON’T: Surprise-gift a whetstone

Whetstones are a deeply meaningful gift reserved for lifelong commitments between wielders and weapons. Always talk about choices like whetstones together long before you act on it to avoid any misunderstandings.

Now go, wielders! The relationship that slays together stays together. Boyfriend Dungeon is waiting for you at PlayStation Store!

At the turn of the new millennium, Sega made a game called Cosmic Smash. It came to select arcades in Japan and Europe before a Japan-only release on console. 

Set in refreshingly minimalist spaces brought to life by music and graphic design, the game was a unique blend of sports and puzzle action. Think low-gravity squash meets block breaker. A real trip to the edge of space and time.

Versus. Concept by art director Rob Davis. (Copyright, RapidEyeMovers 2023)

The game seemingly came out of nowhere but quickly distinguished itself as a design and style icon for the ages, one of those rare games that look, sound and feel unlike anything you’ve ever played before.

While the game felt like it came from an alternate universe, it wholly embraced the most fundamental part of what makes games great: it was a blast. If ever I wanted to travel to a virtual world, it would be this one: a place where I can relax while moving, in inviting spaces that are uncluttered and effortlessly stylish, devoid of the stresses, the noises and the garishness of our daily grind.

Cosmonauts. Concept by art director Rob Davis. (Copyright, RapidEyeMovers 2023)

This world just had to come to VR, but building beautiful worlds takes great people. 

While our planet was locking down, I teamed up with a dream team of people whose work I admire. From VR pioneers Wolf & Wood, who I’ve been building the PS5 and PSVR2 game The Last Worker with, top designers Cory Schmitz (Rez Infinite, Sound Shapes) and Arkotype (Polytron), musicians Ken Ishii (Rez Infinite) and Danalogue (The Comet is Coming, Soccer 96), art director Rob Davis (The Motherless Oven) and sound designer Dan Pugsley (Alba: A Wildlife Adventure).

Together, we set out to reimagine the beloved classic for VR and online gameplay. Amazingly, Sega trusted us. 

Here is the first look at our game, C-Smash VRS. 

VRS stands for VR and Versus. On March 23, you can sample both when we release a C-Smash VRS demo for PS VR2 on PlayStation Store, which you can enjoy with another player online or in a solo training mode. I cannot wait to show you a virtual reality we could have only dreamed of until now.

C-Smash VRS (Copyright, RapidEyeMovers 2023)

We’ll be sharing our release date soon, at which point you’ll be able to pre-order the game at PlayStation Store, so make sure to wishlist it today to be notified when that and the demo are live!

Last week, we asked you to embark on a journey to record the past in Season: A letter to the future using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

shimo_ps shares Estelle riding her bike up an inclining road

MrNeverNeverman shares a portrait of Estelle with her headphones on

Sarokeye shares Estelle sitting in a field with a friend

oolongchafun shares Estelle riding through a lantern-lit grove

call_me_xavii shares Estelle walking her bike along a mountainside 

sparkling_Port9 shares Estelle approaching a cobblestone bridge. 

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: Romance
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on February 15, 2023

Next week is all about romance. Share romantic characters or settings from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Since PS5 launched in 2020, millions of players have soared over the Forbidden West, broken the cycle on Atropos, faced the gods of Midgard, and saved Astro’s friends across the Playroom. PS5 owners have guided their team to glory, faced down their opponents in enormous battles, and discovered unbelievable worlds across hundreds of games.

And now, with more PS5s available than ever before, those looking to explore these worlds will have a much easier time doing so. New players will join the community with a wealth of adventures to choose from and there’s even more games on their way.

But where to start?

For some new players, that question could be a daunting one. To help guide these players, we’re looking to you, the gamers who are already with us, to highlight some of PS5’s best games, use of DualSense Wireless Controller and more to date. 

Cast your vote in the Players’ Choice: Best of PS5 polls, and we’ll put together a list of your  must-try games and features for new PS5 owners to get started with. The lists below are a starting point, but you can add your own comments in each category if you think we’ve missed anything.

Votes can be cast until February 16, 2023 at 6:00am PT / 2pm GMT, and we’ll reveal the most popular choices across our social channels over the coming weeks.
While you await the results, take a look forward to what you can expect on PS5 in 2023.

It’s good to be back in the Zone! I’m Blake from Ironwood Studios, and I’m here to show you a little more of what’s happening out in the wilderness of Pacific Drive.

Life inside the wall is extremely dangerous, you’ll have to rely on a trusty station wagon when you venture out from the old auto shop. Be sure to fill up on gas before you head out on each trip into the Zone: letting your tank run dry out there is a good way to meet a bad end. Explore twisted landscapes and long-abandoned facilities as you scrap and scrounge for resources to keep your car running long enough to make a safe return. Make it back in one piece and use your haul of collected materials to repair and upgrade your wagon before you head back out for more.

As shown in our newest trailer, you’ll encounter all sorts of strange Anomalies, most of which aren’t too friendly. There are warped towers that arc out heavy bolts of electricity at anything that accidentally wanders too close, and underground hunks of metal ripping across the ground, shredding both earth and your tires. When collecting supplies you’ll want to stay close to your car, one of those menacing flying junk piles could sneak away with it without you noticing. You’ll need to closely observe and understand these Anomalies to figure out what you need to build to survive the next encounter. Kit out your car with gear to resist their attempts at ending your runs, and upgrade car panels from bare sheet metal all the way up to specialized armor plates that protect against the worst of the Zone’s elements.

When it comes to modifying your car, it’s not just about the fortifications. Add new racks to your car and strap them down with extra gear for the road: fuel tanks, wind-power generators, and automatic parking brakes. You’ll want every little edge you can get when you’re out in the Zone. Everyone needs extra space to store their junk on the roof rack, but you can also mount a controllable spotlight, a lightning rod to keep your battery charged when it gets a little extra stormy, or classified gadgets based on the experimental tech you find out on your runs.

As you chart the Zone, each expedition brings you deeper and deeper behind the walls. Your journeys will take you across challenging terrain, each area home to its own suite of nightmarish Anomalies. With these new risks come new rewards: certain resources can only be found in dangerous places. Just make sure your car is equipped for the task: if you’re heading into the muck of the marshes, you’ll want to change to some wheels that can handle mud and water. If you’ve got to cross an eternally-dark valley, some roof-mounted lights to illuminate the way forward are going to be pretty important. And if you’re like me, maybe you find yourself getting caught by lightning a few times too often – a high-tech engine upgrade solves that ‘can’t get out of here fast enough’ problem pretty quick.

Speaking of terrible weather and strange cataclysmic events in the Zone, we need to talk about the Zone Storms. These sweeping maelstroms rip apart the map, re-shaping the wilderness, and doing massive damage to anything (or anyone) caught out in them. Radiation is a common concern while trundling through the forest but once a full-force Zone Storm hits, it’s better to try and outrun it completely than to be blasting through the trees, hoping your car holds up as you watch your dashboard melt to pieces around you. Keep that gas pedal floored and the car pointed at the Gateway—each successful return is one step closer to escaping the Zone.

Scavenge resources, explore abandoned facilities, upgrade your garage and your ride — then go deeper into the wilderness to solve the mysteries and urban legends of the Zone. The utopian hope of strange new technologies might be gone, but their remnants still linger.

Pacific Drive is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2023.

The Wizarding World beckons when Hogwarts Legacy launches on PS5 and PS4 February 10. Crafting the magical grounds of everybody’s favorite magical school is a labor of love by the dedicated team at Avalanche.

Explosions of color and light erupt from students’ wands across Hogwarts, harnessing the graphical potential of the PS5. Players can soar through the open world atop their sturdy broom or loyal mount, tapping into the super-fast SSD loading in the fantastical environment.

Starting this year, it’s now easier than before to find a PS5 thanks to increased console supply, which is great news for prospective Hogwarts students. To help players get a sense of what’s in store, Hogwarts Legacy Jose Villeta, Director of Software Engineering, shares some developer insights on how the Avalanche team tapped into the PS5 to enhance the magical journey.

We’re also excited to announce a brand new, limited edition Hogwarts Legacy DualSense wireless controller coming to the US and UK to celebrates the game’s launch on PS5. Artists Vanessa Palmer and Jeff Bunker at Avalanche Software talk about the design inspiration behind this magical DualSense controller.

Making magic with PlayStation 5

What were your first impressions when first learning about the power and capabilities of the PS5, from a developer perspective?

Since the first day I got early disclosure about the PS5, I knew we had on our hands a great gaming console. My video game career started with the launch of the original PlayStation and to know how much technology advancements have occurred since then was a dream come true. The DualSense controller felt next-generation right away. The fast accessing of assets through super-fast SSD combined with stunning 4K graphics and visuals set a foundation of what we will be able to deliver for our game.

What are the most significant ways that developing the PS5 version of Hogwarts Legacy enhances the overall experience for the player?

As we designed our game, we built it around the following five tech pillars.

• DualSense controller
• Fast loading times
• 3D audio
• 4K graphics and visuals
• Activities and Game Help

Each of these pillars contributed to the development of a complete, groundbreaking, gaming experience. We invested and leveraged the power of PS5 around them. From controlling our player avatar on foot or flying on broom to fast traveling to multiple game locations in a large open world to an audio sensory 3D experience to stunning, great looking environments and characters to the mission tracking and immersive gameplay, the PS5 version of Hogwarts Legacy allows the player to be the wizard or the witch wants to be on the Wizarding World universe.

Visually-stunning magic is a cornerstone of the Wizarding World. How does Avalanche tap into the PS5’s capabilities to create visual effects that “sell” the fantasy of the game’s spells?

From the early development days, we wanted to make sure we deliver amazing visual effects for all the spells and magic around the Wizarding World. Leveraging Unreal Engine, next-generation Niagara visual effects system combined with large computing and rendering capabilities of the PS5, Hogwarts Legacy delivered dozens of unique spells, each one with its own casting, impact and area of effect graphical presentation and treatment. We built a visual language for each spell and as you gain experience you get access to more powerful and advanced visual effects.

The DualSense wireless controller offers a unique level of immersion thanks to its haptics and adaptive triggers. What implementation of the DualSense wireless controller are you most excited about in Hogwarts Legacy?

The DualSense wireless controller enabled us to build a unique gaming experience leveraging key technologies like adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, LED light feedback, touchpad usage, speaker audio and tilt controls. The most exciting part of our game is the amazing combat experiences controlling your wand and casting all kind of unique spells. The combination of adaptive triggers with haptic feedback made our combat encounters felt authentic and totally immersive. You feel like you are in total control of your avatar and as you perform combos and finishers you get rewarded with stunning visual effects and enemy reactions.

Hogwarts Legacy DualSense wireless controller

We’ve said it before: The PlayStation 5 DualSense wireless controller is an extension of your wand in Hogwarts Legacy, seemingly putting the magic of the game directly in your hands. We’ve also detailed the DualSense features that will connect you with that magic, from haptic feedback providing unique sensations throughout the game to adaptive triggers that enhance spellcasting. Extending well beyond just spells, the DualSense wireless controller immerses you in Hogwarts Legacy’s 1800s wizarding world like never before, letting you feel the flap of a hippogriff’s wings and sense whispers of the mysterious Ancient Magic.

With that in mind, we were really excited at the prospect of creating a limited edition Hogwarts Legacy DualSense controller. We knew we wanted something special that looked as good as it felt to hold. But when it came time to land on a specific design, that was a much more difficult process to parse.

The Wizarding World franchise has so many elements to pull from, how could we possibly distill this game down into a single controller design? Do we go with a wand motif to represent that connection with the controller? Perhaps we lean into Hogwarts Legacy’s unique Ancient Magic themes? What about drawing inspiration from the four Hogwarts houses, or even “light” and “dark” to represent the choices you can make? But through the many ideas we had to choose from, we always came back to the thing that lies at the center of this whole experience: Hogwarts itself.

With so much consideration and thought being put into this design, I went directly to Avalanche Software Artist Vanessa Palmer and Art Director Jeff Bunker to get some insight into how the design of the limited edition Hogwarts Legacy DualSense wireless controller came to be:

Vanessa Palmer: “We wanted the controller design to combine magic with the decorative elements of the Victorian period. The sweeping magic and stars draw you to Hogwarts itself, creating a blend unique to our game and time period.”

Jeff Bunker: “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with the PlayStation team on the creation of this new DualSense controller for the upcoming game, Hogwarts Legacy. Our goal was to bring a hint of the in-game experience into the player’s hands…literally. Many themes were considered, from the representation of the different houses, magic wands, beasts or even the sorting hat. But it was clear very early that we should focus on the star of the game, Hogwarts itself. So we centered the iconic castle and incorporated swirling motifs of Ancient Magic into the design, highlighting the player’s special role within the story.

“From the beginning, we had a vision of a simple, clean and sophisticated aesthetic. White, blue, and aqua, amongst a number of other colors, were tried but in the end, we chose matte black as the primary color for the controller, not only because it contributed to our desired aesthetic, but also because it hints at the darker themes that players can expect in the game. To add a touch of authenticity, we incorporated old-gold Victorian intaglio etching into the designs of the castle and Ancient Magic swirls, highlighting the era in which the game takes place.

“It was an exciting and fun process to bring a piece of the virtual world of Hogwarts Legacy into the real and interactive physical world of the controller. We can’t wait for players to get their hands on it and fully immerse themselves in the game.”

At Avalanche, our passion for the Wizarding World is poured into everything we do, whether it’s bringing fans an authentic Wizarding World video game experience or creating a custom controller with which to play it. We hope fans love the limited edition Hogwarts Legacy DualSense controller as much as we do.

Get it directly from PlayStation

The DualSense Wireless Controller – Hogwarts Legacy Limited Edition will be available in limited quantities and exclusively on direct.playstation.com in the US and UK only.

In the U.S., starting at 10AM PT on Friday, February 10, 2023, DualSense Wireless Controller – Hogwarts Legacy Limited Edition will be available for pre-order (while supplies last) on direct.playstation.com with a US launch date of February 28, 2023.

In the UK, starting at 10AM GMT on Friday, February 10, 2023, DualSense Wireless Controller – Hogwarts Legacy Limited Edition will be available for purchase (while supplies last) on direct.playstation.com with a UK launch date of February 10, 2023. Stay tuned to direct.playstation.com for more information.

Hogwarts Legacy launches on PlayStation 5 February 10.

Forge your path and create a legacy in Season 2 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. In addition to a new map that will be featured in Resurgence and DMZ game modes, the new season brings Ranked Play, additional Multiplayer maps, and a handful of franchise-favorite game modes like Infected, Gun Game, and Grind.

Unlock five new free functional weapons, test your skills in the Path of the Ronin Challenges, and dominate with the new Operator, Ronin.

Season 2 launches on PlayStation on February 15.

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 — Introducing Ashika Island

Ashika Island is a centuries-old village under siege by Shadow Company forces. Navigate an ancient shipwreck and ruins, a modern town center, a beach club, a port, an organic farm, or the fortified castle standing over the island. Ashika Island has its own secrets to uncover, often rewarding intrepid explorers. Its points of interest include:

Ōganikku Farms – The majority of the northwestern sector of Ashika Island is comprised of mixed agricultural, residential, and industrial use, along with old shoreline defenses.

Town Center – Impressive sea wall defenses, a Ferry Terminal, tourist facilities, a semi-circular City Hall structure and more highlight this point of interest.

Beach Club – Further southwest of the Town Center, and east of the Port is an aquarium and Beach Club and open-air swimming within the southwestern ocean beach.

Tsuki Castle – The higher ground in the center of Ashika Island is dominated by an ancient castle with multiple fortifications, cherry blossoms in bloom, and a natural defensive hill along the southwestern side of the structure.

Port Ashika – The southwestern edge is dominated by rocky bluffs, and a port named after the island. Expect a variety of industrial warehouses, offices, a comms tower as you venture towards the ocean.

Residential – On the lower ground below the castle battlements to the north, and east of the Farms and allotments sits some residential housing between a couple of industrial structures.

Shipwreck – The inclement weather and hazardous shoreline spelled doom for two cargo tankers. Both vessels have run aground here, and the Shipment containers they were carrying have been mostly saved and stacked in a pleasing manner.

Resurgence Returns: Available for all squad sizes – Solos, Duos, Trios, and Quads – within regular Playlist updates throughout the season, Resurgence Mode allows for multiple respawns, as long as one squad member is still standing. If a squad member is eliminated while one or more squad members are still alive, a countdown will appear beside their name. When this countdown hits zero, they will redeploy to the Drop Zone.

This countdown can be shortened by your squadmates performing specific in-game actions such as eliminating enemies. This countdown grows longer with each circle collapse until the final few circles — where all redeploys, save for those bought through a Buy Station — are disabled. The last squad standing wins.

Exclusive features to Ashika Island

Restore Honor (Launch, Resurgence): Every Operator on Ashika Island will drop a dog tag upon death, which can either be picked up by a squadmate or themselves after redeploying. Doing so grants a small Cash reward and a single UAV ping that marks both enemy threats and nearby Supply Boxes.

Search and Seizure (In-Season, Resurgence): Reclaim a stolen vehicle from Shadow Company forces on the island. Operators must neutralize any guards near the vehicle, then grab the dropped key and get the vehicle to its designated drop-off point. Expect heavy resistance en route to your destination.

Data Heist (In-Season, Resurgence): A new Public Event, the Data Heist occurs during the second circle collapse, when three uplink stations come online around the map. Squads can hack into and remain near the uplink station to gain intel. Eliminate incoming Shadow Company forces to speed up the download process.

Enemy Operators can halt progress by contesting the station area directly or by using a DDoS Field Upgrade. Squads that successfully download the intel from two or three uplink stations will receive increased rewards, such as a random Killstreak or even an Advanced UAV.

Redeploy Drones (In-Season, Resurgence): Redeploy Drones are the high-risk, high-reward way to reposition around Ashika Island. Simply hook a cable up to the drone via interaction, then launch up and parachute to a distant location. Drones occasionally change position during the match and can be targeted by lock-on missiles.

New Rusher Combatant (In-Season, Resurgence): What they lack in defense, the Rusher makes up for in agility and a deadly short sword. This adversary also packs a pistol in case a target is unreachable for a melee attack, as well as mini smoke bombs for distraction and repositioning.

DMZ expands to Ashika Island

As part of the new season, Ashika Island will be a new Exclusion Zone accessible in DMZ. This new area continues the mode’s narrative and other new features like Boss Hideouts.

Season 2 Combat Pack for PlayStation Plus members

Available on February 22, the Season 2 Combat Pack grants Hiro “Oni” Wantanabe a new Operator Skin that suits the journey of those living the Samurai Code.

PlayStation Plus members will also receive the following: the “Oni Carver” SMG Blueprint, the “Oni Slasher” Assault Rifle Blueprint, the “Yoroi” Weapon Charm, the “Crimson Oni” Animated Calling Card, the “Golden Dragonfly” Weapon Sticker, and the “Grinning Oni” Emblem.

Modern Warfare II — Ranked Play, Additional Maps and Modes

Ranked Play: Prove your skills in this feature-packed Multiplayer mode using Call of Duty League (CDL)-approved rules, restrictions, maps, and modes. Earn exclusive items and display your public skill rank with pride.

Ranked Play includes seven Skill Divisions — Bronze through the Top 250, where your name will be displayed on a special Top 250 leaderboard. Earn Skill Division Skins based on your highest rank for the Season, including rewards for finishing in the Gold Division or above for the first time, along with other unique rewards given out each season.

New Multiplayer maps at launch

Dome (Core Map): Located at the highest point in Al Mazrah, Dome is a recreation of one of Call of Duty’s most iconic Multiplayer maps. This small- to medium-sized map is built for fast-paced combat in and around its three main buildings, including the iconic domed structure.

Zaya Observatory (Battle Map): The Battle Map version of Dome expands to fit the entire mountaintop area.

Al Malik International (Battle Map): This modern airport located at the southern tip of Al Mazrah features traditional and modern architecture. Use the skills you’ve applied here in Battle Royale and DMZ to secure victory.

The other Core map launching at the start of Season 2 is Valderas Museum, returning since first appearing in the Modern Warfare II Beta.

New Multiplayer modes

Infected (Launch): Operators must avoid the chosen Infected player at all costs. Eliminated survivors join the Infected until none remain, or the timer runs out.

Gun Game (Launch): Each ranged elimination awards the next weapon, while melee eliminations put your opponent one weapon back on the 18-weapon rotation.

Grind (Launch): Kill Confirmed with a twist: Enemy dog tags are stackable and must be banked at one of two fixed locations. Bank multiple dog tags at once to maximize point gains.

Drop Zone (In-Season): A derivative of Hardpoint, Drop Zone sends a Care Package down into occupied zones every 15 seconds. Perfect for those looking to ramp up their Killstreak elimination numbers or who just love pure chaos.

All or Nothing (In-Season): Operators start the match with Throwing Knives and a pistol with no ammo, plus additional perks with each elimination starting with Scavenger, granting ammo after each elimination.

One in the Chamber (In-Season): Every Operator gets a handgun with one bullet in the chamber for this Free-for-All variant. Each elimination awards an additional bullet, and Operators have only three respawns. 

Raid Episode 2 Coming Mid-Season

Atomgrad was just the beginning. Price, Farah, and Gaz will be back later in Season 2 with Episode 2 of the Raid, a continuation of the Modern Warfare II Campaign.

Path of the Ronin Season Challenges

The Path of the Ronin Event presents seven challenges to be completed in Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare II based on the themes of Integrity, Respect, Courage, Honor, Compassion, Sincerity, and Loyalty. Complete every challenge to unlock the new Crossbow functional weapon.

Five New Weapons at Launch

Get three of these new weapons through the Season 2 Battle Pass and the other two weapons through seasonal challenges:

ISO Hemlock Assault Rifle (Launch, Battle Pass): This powerful and enhanced rifle from Expedite Firearms is designed to take both 5.56 and subsonic .300 BLK ammunition, providing battlefield-advantage in any situation.

KV Broadside Shotgun (Launch, Battle Pass): Bringing the power of 12 gauge to the Kastov Platform, the KV Broadside is the fastest-firing semi-auto firearm in the shotgun class. Destroys targets at close range with impunity.

Crossbow (Launch Window, Challenges): Silent and agile, this high-performance crossbow fires 20.0” bolts with exceptional lethality. Exclusive customization, distinct functionality, and unique ammunition types put this weapon in a class of its own. Standard 20.0” bolts are recoverable and are undetectable by Trophy Systems. Unlock this new functional weapon by completing The Path of the Ronin challenges.

Also coming to Season 2 is the Dual Kodachis Melee Weapon as part of the Battle Pass, as well as a new Marksman Rifle to be available at midseason.

New personal watercraft vehicle

Complementing the armored Patrol Boat and the midsized RHIB, the Personal Watercraft (PWC) is a nimble seacraft capable of swiftly carrying up to two Operators through waterways.

New Operator

Daniel “Ronin” Shinoda (Launch): Returning from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Ronin is an ex–Special Forces fighter known for his mastery of multiple fighting styles. He is an accomplished saboteur who can pick apart defense systems like no other Operator can. 

Season 2 Launches February 15

Purchase Modern Warfare II on PlayStation for the premium Warzone 2.0 experience — access up to 14 additional Operators, earn Weapon and Level Progression, and more. As a Modern Warfare II owner, receive bonus XP at the end of each match when you play Warzone 2.0.

Stay frosty.

With only a few weeks away from the release of Destiny 2: Lightfall, we’re excited to announce that starting today, the critically acclaimed Beyond Light expansion is available to PlayStation Plus members until March 6. This primer will help Guardians prepare for Lightfall by getting the most out of Beyond Light’s Stasis subclass, powerful Exotics, and more.

Not only does Beyond Light unlock an entire frost-themed subclass called Stasis, the expansion also includes a thrilling campaign filled with ice-cold cosmetics, Legendary gear, and powerful Exotic armor and weapons.

Wield Powerful Weapons

Weapons like No Time to Explain, the Exotic Pulse Rifle belonging to the iconic time-traveling Stranger.

No Time to Explain: Precision hits and hits against enemies affected by Stasis will return ammo to the magazine. Stack this effect to summon a portal which will fire bullets from an alternate timeline of the weapon.

And because of how Destiny 2 enables you to increase the strength of the weapons and armor you collect, the gear you love in Beyond Light can be as powerful as you want it to be as you embark on your Lightfall adventure. That means you can immediately start building your Guardian into a frost-slinging monster-shattering machine that will leave the Tormentors on Neptune shivering in their boots.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; Lightfall doesn’t launch until February 28. Today we’re heading to Europa, a cold and treacherous moon of Jupiter. So, let’s start with the power that Eramis, the Kell of Darkness, is chasing—the same power you’ll be mastering as you play through the campaign.

The First Darkness Subclass: Stasis

Beyond Light is significant for several reasons, but first and foremost, it marked the first time a new subclass was added to the original trio of Arc, Solar, and Void. And it’s the only subclass that draws its power from the Darkness as opposed to the Light. Diving into Beyond Light today is your opportunity to get a head start with Stasis in preparation for the threats of Lightfall.

At its core, Stasis is a power that unlocks the ability for Guardians to slow, freeze, and shatter their foes; and each class gets their own way to wield the new element:

Warlock Shadebinder: The Shadebinder can summon a Stasis staff that fires projectiles which can freeze opponents, immediately rendering them immobile. Their Penumbral Blast melee is a quick burst of Stasis energy that erupts from the staff and instantly freezes anyone it hits.

Hunter Revenant: They can’t kill what they can’t hit. Hunters use the power of Stasis to slow down foes, doubling their effectiveness on the battlefield. The Hunter’s Super features a pair of Kama blades which explode when thrown at opponents, summoning a Stasis storm that chases down stragglers.  

Titan Behemoth: If getting up close and personal with the bad guys sounds like your style, may we introduce you to the Titan Behemoth? The Behemoth takes the most direct route to conflict resolution: forming a massive Stasis crystal gauntlet around their fist and punching their way to peace.  

Destination: Europa

It’s on Jupiter’s moon of Europa that you’ll uncover Stasis as well as Eramis, the Kell of Darkness, and her Fallen army. As you play through Beyond Light’s story, you’ll discover her motives and a dark plot unfolding right at humanity’s doorstep.

In addition to the campaign which will take you all across Europa, through Empire Hunts and Exo Challenges, there’s also a new three-player strike and six-player raid.

The Glassway: Within the Asterion Abyss on Europa lies a Braytech facility holding a unique Vex portal. Eramis has ventured here intending to use this long-dormant gateway for an unknown purpose.

Deep Stone Crypt: Deep beneath the surface of Europa lies a facility created during the Golden Age. The knowledge of what it holds was lost to time… until now. Something within this hidden cavern whispers to Eramis. As she struggles to gain access, Guardians will intervene, and in the process, learn the dark truth about what happened here.

Up for the challenge? Ready to stand face to face with the power that whispers to you from the dark cold wasteland? Then we should probably upgrade your weapons and armor…

Exotic Power

From a Sniper Rifle that summons lightning to Warlock gauntlets that corrupt enemies with poison, here’s a look at three of the over ten new Exotics you can start collecting today for your mission to Neomuna in Lightfall.

Cloudstrike: Precision final blows will generate lightning bolts at the target location. Rapid precision shots will summon an entire storm at the point of impact.

Necrotic Grip: Melee attacks corrupt combatants with increasing damage over time. Defeating a corrupted combatant spreads the corruption to nearby targets and restores melee energy.

The Lament: Block with The Lament to rev the blade, then shred through shielded combatants. At its peak, damaging a combatant will heal the wielder.

Some Exotics (like Necrotic Grip) are so powerful that you can create entirely new builds around them, and others easily slot into whatever playstyle you’re into at the moment.

Beyond Lightfall

This is all just the tip of the iceberg. Once Lightfall launches and introduces the world to Strand (Destiny’s second Darkness subclass—that has a grappling hook, by the way), you’ll have brand new ways to approach Europa with a completely different build. Including mixing and matching Beyond Light Exotics with Strand abilities and vice versa.

Just imagine suspending enemies with Strand and revving up your Lament for a power attack, or freezing a Tormentor in its tracks with Stasis. Once you’re a grappling-hook pro, how cool would it be to fly through the platforming sections of the Deep Stone Crypt using Strand? The possibilities are only limited by your creativity.

In fact, you should probably just keep track of everything you think a grappling hook would be cool to shoot at.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light is available for all PlayStation Plus members to redeem until March 6, 2023, and keep for the life of their membership. It requires the base Destiny 2 game to play, but the good thing is that it’s available with no additional charge from PlayStation Store.*

Download and start playing today. We hope you enjoy your time on Europa and get ready for the next chapter coming in Lightfall. Our end is just beginning, and humanity needs every available Guardian to answer the call.

*PlayStation Plus membership may be required to access some features.