Dive deeper into Mafia: The Old Country gameplay ahead launch on August 8

Hey everyone, Game Director Alex Cox here again to break down another look at Mafia: The Old Country, following the Gameplay Trailer breakdown back in May. As with every Mafia title, the team at Hangar 13 has been hard at work ensuring that this all-new entry set in 1900s Sicily elevates and honors the classic gameplay pillars fans know and love. 

In this video series (stay tuned for more updates soon), we’re showing off several key aspects of this updated gameplay through the lens of Enzo’s experience as a newly enlisted member of the Mafia. Each entry will be narrated by a different figure in the Torrisi crime family, beginning with the Don himself.


Dive deeper into Mafia: The Old Country gameplay ahead launch on August 8

Family responsibilities 

Being part of the Torrisi crime family comes with certain obligations. In this video, you’ll get a taste of what’s expected from those who join, especially new soldatos who have yet to prove themselves. We begin with the Don asking Enzo to “send a message” that says “Torrisi takes care of his family and affairs.” How you carry out duties like these will vary throughout the story, as next we see Enzo collecting a protection payment at gunpoint before fearlessly enacting the Don’s will in a bloody knife duel. 

Each task Enzo undertakes on behalf of the Family will show off his unflinching tenacity and the range of his abilities, whether he’s leaping across rooftops on foot, pursuing cars through the country on horseback, or skulking into hostile territory to dispatch enemies silently or guns-blazing.

We then glimpse Enzo openly strolling through a bustling San Celeste and striking at enemies from the shadows underground; this section also gives you a look at Instinct mode, which lets you detect foes through environmental obstacles. Cut to Enzo continuing to lethally stalk and doggedly pursue enemies across the Valle Dorate, giving us a sense of the many high-stakes jobs he’ll undertake for the Family. 

I’ll have to stop there to avoid giving too much away, but as always, it’s a thrill to unveil more of this gripping Sicilian crime drama as the team refines all the finishing touches. Stay tuned for more deep dives into the game soon.

We can’t wait for Mafia: The Old Country to be in your hands soon when it launches on August 8. The game is available for pre-order now on PlayStation 5.

MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls debuts at Evo 2025

Dearest fighting game aficionados, tag-team warriors, Marvel fans, and everyone in between,on behalf of the teams at PlayStation XDEV, Arc System Works and Marvel Games, it is our pleasure to announce that the very first playable experience for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls will be at Evo Las Vegas 2025 at the Arc System Works booth! 

Attendees will be able to duke it out with their friends and construct their very own 4-character team from a roster of 6 playable Marvel legends, including Captain America, Iron Man, Storm, Star Lord, Ms. Marvel, and of course, Doctor Doom. All players who step into the ring will also walk away with an amazing collectible pin based on our fighting souls – you won’t want to miss it! 

In addition, we are thrilled to be hosting a Developer Combat Panel with key members of the Arc System Works and Marvel Games Development teams, taking place on Friday August 1st at 8pm PT on the Evo Showcase Stage. We will be shedding new light on the core gameplay mechanics, so we really hope to see you there! 

And if you can’t make it in person you will be able to watch the Panel livestreamed at youtube.com/@evoevents 

Lastly, we’d like to end with a message from the MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls Game Director: Kazuto “Pachi” Sekine:

“This is Sekine, Director of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls. I’d like to express our thanks on behalf of the entire development team for the incredible response to the State of Play trailer. The game is still under development, but we’re really looking forward to sharing more in our Evo panel, and especially for fans to try it out for themselves with the very first trial version at the event. My hope is to “Assemble” with all of the players and create an amazing game together. We’re trying out many new things to offer a fresh experience. I can’t wait to hear your feedback and thoughts.”

Get ready to assemble your team, and we will see you at Evo!

Keep up to date over the weekend by following our socials @MarvelTokon.

Announcing Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival – horror that doesn’t hold back

Hi, I’m Tim Willits from Saber Interactive, and we are excited to announce Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, coming to PlayStation 5!

As lifelong fans of the legendary Hellraiser franchise, it’s been an honor to bring this terrifying universe to life in a way that is true to the franchise.

Hellraiser: Revival is a single-player, first-person action survival horror experience that will put you into the dark world of Clive Barker’s twisted imagination. From the moment we started this journey, our team has poured every ounce of passion, creativity, and determination into crafting what we believe will be the definitive Hellraiser gaming experience.

Ready to take a peek into the horrors that await? Watch the announcement trailer here:


Announcing Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival – horror that doesn’t hold back

You will play as Aidan, the protagonist in the story who must fight with various melee and ranged weapons, and use the mystical powers of the Genesis Configuration to take down unholy enemies.  Finding a way to survive your bargain with the infamous Pinhead and help your girlfriend Sunny escape is never as simple as it seems in a world filled with Cenobites, cultists, deviants, and the realm of torture and pain that is the Labyrinth.  

Speaking of the story, we have been greatly privileged to consult with Clive Barker himself to make sure this new chapter in the Hellraiser storyline is authentic to the vision of his iconic Hellraiser films. 

Hellraiser stands as one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time, and we fully understand the legacy we’re stepping into. From the very start, we’ve committed to holding nothing back.

The Hellraiser universe is defined by its unflinching exploration of pain, pleasure, and the thin and terrifying line that separates the two. That essence is at the heart of our game. 

We are embracing everything that makes Hellraiser unforgettable and weaving it into an experience designed to leave you shocked, exhilarated, and, yes, just a little bit disturbed.

Because let’s face it—what is a horror game if it doesn’t leave a mark on you, body and soul?

We can’t wait to reveal more in 2025. Come with us, for we have such sights to show you!

Monster Hunter Wilds Festival of Accord: Flamefete Seasonal Event starts July 23

Hot on the heels of Free Title Update 2 comes the next seasonal event in Monster Hunter Wilds: the Festival of Accord: Flamefete, running from July 23 to August 6. In this summer-themed event, the Grand Hub will be decorated to match the season. Hunters can collect tickets to obtain special equipment, take on special Event Quests, and enjoy some fun in the sun in the Grand Hub.


Monster Hunter Wilds Festival of Accord: Flamefete Seasonal Event starts July 23

The Grand Hub heats up for Summer

Visit the Grand Hub – your space to hang out and gather with fellow hunters – decorated to celebrate summer. Listen to a new song performed by the Diva, chow down on a special meal, and make some fun summer memories.

Forge Special Armors

Special armor sets only obtainable during the Festival of Accord: Flamefete can be forged with tickets earned through Event Quests and just for logging in. 

Here’s a breakdown of what you can earn during the event:

  • Special Login Bonuses
    During the seasonal event, you’ll receive daily rewards such as tickets just for logging in. Use these to forge special equipment and use meal vouchers to eat the special summer-themed meal in the Grand Hub. 
  • Enhanced Regular Login Bonuses
    Throughout the event period, the usual login bonuses will be boosted:
    • Lucky Vouchers will be doubled to 2 per day
    • Barrel Bowling Vouchers will be increased to 3 per day
  • Daily Limited Bounties
    Special tickets and items can be earned through daily bounties. Additionally, the Provisions Stockpile will be running an extended sale for the duration of the event.

Special Barrel Bombs, perfect for the beach

Get the Beach Barrel Bomb as a login bonus.

Forge the Afi Armor Set

Collect the special tickets to forge the Afi α series for your Hunter and Felyne Afi α series for your Palico. Having the Afi α series equipped will reward you extra seasonal event slots for certain quests. Make sure to have the armor equipped so you can stock up on tickets and Beach Barrel Bombs.

Additional Limited Contents

Those who claim login bonuses during the event will also receive limited contents. Here’s a look at some exclusive items you can obtain.

Blaze through the Forbidden Lands with the Firebird Caparison Seikret decoration. 

You can also get special Titles, as well as a Nameplate, Background, and Pose to use in your Hunter Profile.

Show off your summer spirit by customizing your pop-up camp with special items. 

Cool off from the hot weather with a new additional Water Gun gesture to cool down Hunters from all over the world.

By selecting the Water Gun gesture, your Hunter will equip and raise their water gun, ready to cool off anyone in the line of fire. You can rapidly shoot, as well as run around and dodge. How about having a water gun fight with your fellow hunters in between quests? 

Enjoy the new Flamefete Felyne Teddy pendant and additional music (BGM).

During the event, you will also be able to have Fabius join the hunt.

New and returning Event Quests

Here’s a look at the new Event Quests debuting alongside the Festival of Accord: Flamefete.

Event Quest: “Pick Your Poison”

Collect special materials to obtain the Diver α series and Felyne Aloha Set α for your Palico. 

Event Quest: “Putting Up a Stink”

Every summer BBQ is better with corn. If you agree, you’ll want to take on this Event Quest to obtain the corn-styled gunlance: Cornpopper. The Half Rim Glasses and Lovely Shades headgear for your hunter and Alma are also available to forge by completing this quest. 

The Handlers and the Smithy get a new look for the Seasonal Event

During the seasonal event, Alma, Erik, and Gemma are getting in the summer mood with special new outfits. 

They’ll wear these outfits during the seasonal event, and can be purchased as paid DLC to be worn after the event ends

The Flamefete DLC Pack will become available when the event starts, including the festive special outfits, “Alma Outfit: Summer Poncho, Gemma Outfit: Summer Coveralls,” and Erik Outfit: Summer Hat. In addition, the pack will also include special pendants, gestures, sticker sets, and Seikret decoration. The contents included in the DLC pack can also be purchased individually.

Happy Hunting!

*Please note that it may take some time for the contents to be reflected in the store.

The secrets behind Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles’ makeover

An updated version of the classic 1997 PlayStation strategy RPG, Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, is on the way. And better yet, it’s being worked on by some members of the original’s team.

“It was Final Fantasy Tactics that inspired me to dedicate my life to becoming a game designer,” reveals Kazutoyo Maehiro, who was an Events Planner for the original, and now Director of The Ivalice Chronicles. “Even now it serves as an emotional underpinning for me, so it’s very dear to my heart.”


The secrets behind Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles’ makeover

With other members of the development team, such as Yasumi Matsuno (Original Script, Scenario Writer, and Editor), present from the PlayStation original, there’s little doubt that this remake is in safe hands. For newcomers it means you can experience an engaging and rich tale of conflict in a troubled land, with updated and added dialogue, voice acting, and new features including a streamlined and optimised user interface.

Rebuilding Ivalice

Maehiro revisited the game a few years ago, a replay that reminded him of how awe-inspiring it continued to be. “[It was] no less impressive even compared to modern games with its excellent game design and deep storyline.” But with it came awareness that the game had become inaccessible on modern platforms within the console landscape. “I strongly felt that I wanted to revive this amazing game so that new players of the current generation could experience it. That was what began the development of this game.”

The process wasn’t without its challenges. Purists have the option to choose the Classic version, recreating the original as faithfully as possible, but crafting both it and the Enhanced version came with its challenges given the original master data and source code no longer exists. “This was simply the norm at the time,” explains Maehiro. ”We didn’t have the kinds of effective resource management tools available today, and we developed games by essentially overwriting the previous code each time we fixed a bug or added a new language.”

The best way to ensure the game met modern playability standards while staying true to the original was to rebuild it.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

“Since the classic version was intended to recreate the original game, we did have the option to implement using an emulator,” he continues. “However, this method wouldn’t have allowed us to make granular refinements even if the objective was to recreate the original game. After our analysis, we felt the best way to ensure the game met modern playability standards while staying true to the original was to rebuild it.”

That rebuild of the original produced the Classic version, which was then updated to create the Enhanced version. The hard work paid off, giving the team a solid foundation that all improvements and changes could stand on, allowing for granular quality of life refinements, such as an auto-save function, as well as adding elements that had to be dropped from the original, due to time.

“One of the things we had to cut the first time around was character dialogue,” reveals Maehiro. “This was disappointing for me, as it was for Matsuno, who worked on the script additions and refinements for The Ivalice Chronicles. So this time we added dialogue while making overall story additions and refinements.

“Even if the game design is excellent, people won’t appreciate it if the controls aren’t great.” – Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

“For example, in the original game certain characters rarely spoke once they were recruited, but here we added conversations that play during battles. When sending them into specific battles, characters like Agrias, Cid, and Mustadio speak considerably more. Some of these dialogues aren’t just exchanges between characters, but also complement the narrative, or touch on the heart of the story, such as why war veteran Marquis Elmdore chose the path he did.”

The UI also received scrutiny, with the Enhanced version receiving a complete graphical overhaul. “The goal was to create ‘the optimal solution to playing Final Fantasy Tactics today’,” summarises Maehiro. “Even if the game design is excellent, people won’t appreciate it if the controls aren’t great.” 

Giving Tactics its voice

While the story remains one of the biggest benefactors of the remaster, it’s interesting to discover why this was such a focus. “One of the biggest reasons we decided to add to and refine the story was because this game features voiceovers,” says Maehiro. “If we simply added voiceover without adjustments it would have sounded unnatural. So we adjusted the lines so they could flow as a conversation, greatly enhancing their immersion, while the additions clarify the characters’ thoughts, goals, and backgrounds.

“Once the characters’ voices played on-screen, I felt that the actors had truly brought them to life with their powerful performances. I may have felt this way because I worked on the original game, but I’m sure that both fans and newcomers alike will be able to relate to this feeling.”

Fans will also likely appreciate the introduction of the State of the Realm, a high-level summary of information and incidental lore that plays between battles, similar to how the feature was used in Final Fantasy XVI, which was also designed by Maehiro. 

“We wanted to give a way for players to appreciate the story further, however we made it so this information can be viewed chronologically according to the protagonist’s actions. So if you want to check the broader flow of the story, you can through the State of the Realm, whereas if you want to learn even more details, you can through rumors in the taverns or from the other features.”

One such feature is Errands, which reveals the smaller problems faced by Ivalice’s populace through a series of mini-games. “I’m very attached to [Errands] because back [during the original’s development], I was assigned its direction as a rookie and worked frantically on its implementation,” explains Maehiro. “Errands were initially something akin to rumors, but I thought it was a waste for them to be a mechanic solely to acquire information about the story. So, I proposed that we make errands something that could allow players to enjoy unit progression. As a result, I think we were able to create something that could coexist within the game as a nice break from the storyline, allowing players to take on the small problems faced by the inhabitants of Ivalice as if they were quests.

“In the classic version, these errands can be played just as they were back then, and in the enhanced version, they’ve been recreated with higher definition artefacts and wonders alongside graphically overhauled UI for a more approachable experience, so we hope you enjoy them.”

Tactical tips and tricks

With the additions of Stratagems for Battle, which compiles tips on strategy, it only felt right to ask if the team had any tips for players new to Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. “At the start, I recommend combining Archer with the Knight’s Arts of War,” suggests the game’s Producer, Shoichi Matsuzawa. “Especially with Rend Weapon. Break your opponent’s weapon before they come into contact from high ground.

“If you’re unsure about your sub-character’s action abilities, just use Item for the time being. Having them learn Potion and Phoenix Down alone can enable them to take action immediately.”

“It’s generally easier to have two melee damage dealers, such as Monks, Ninjas, and Dragoon; two ranged damage dealers, such as Black Mages and Archers; and one healer, such as White Mages or Chemists,” adds Maehiro. “But it’ll likely serve you well to have each character individually progress their respective paths—such as being a damage dealer or a healer—rather than mindlessly trying your hand at them learning everything.

“My personal preference is improvising my strategies on the spot, such as raising or lowering parameters, or persuading enemies to become an ally using Speechcraft. This requires knowledge and the ability to improvise, so I encourage advanced tactical RPG players to give it a try.”

“Our greatest source of pride is the fact that the game is still beloved by so many fans, even after 28 years since its original release.” Kazutoyo Maehiro, Director, The Ivalice Chronicles

Regardless of whether you’ll take the valuable pointers on hand or build your party your own way, we’re all excited for seeing this masterpiece find an entirely new audience while satisfying its old fans. It’s a sentiment echoed by the game’s team. “Our greatest source of pride is the fact that the game is still beloved by so many fans, even after 28 years since its original release,” says Maehiro. “My chest swells with pride knowing that I had a chance to be involved with both the original version of the beloved game, as well as this newest iteration.”

“Final Fantasy Tactics incorporates many series staples of Final Fantasy, such as the Jobs and Summons, but it’s also a complete, standalone story,” continues Matsuzawa. “This is a great game to start with if you’re new to the Final Fantasy series, so I hope you will give it a go.

“Some of you may have avoided the game because it is a tactical RPG, but the enhanced version lets you adjust the difficulty to make the game more accessible. We hope you take this opportunity to experience the rich world of Ivalice.”

We’ve not got long to wait before our dreams are realised. Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles launches September 30 on PS5 and PS4.

Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 519: Ghost in the Canvas

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here


Hey, everybody! Kristen, Tim, and I are back this week to discuss the Ghost of Yōtei State of Play that featured an in-depth look at gameplay, the moral ramifications of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s ending, and our current gaming adventures.

Stuff We Talked About

  • Next week’s release highlights:
    • Monument Valley 3 | PS5, PS4
    • Wildgate | PS5
    • Wheel World | PS5
    • Killing Floor 3 | PS5
    • Wuchang: Fallen Feathers | PS5
  • Ghost of Yōtei State of Play — A gameplay deep dive with over 20 minutes of new footage, modes, and two new hardware bundles.
  • Bye Sweet Carole — Reveals the new mysterious character “The French” and the inspirations for this narrative-horror title that features hand-drawn visuals.
  • Killing Floor 3 — A look at the new launch trailer followed up by a grizzly Q&A with the devs.

The Cast

Kristen Zitani –  Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE

Tim Turi – Content Communications Manager, SIE


Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.

[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Killing Floor 3 devs talk new weapon customization, Zed Time mechanic, and more

It’s almost Zed Time again. The gore-drenched co-op FPS, Killing Floor 3, is exploding its way onto PS5 on July 24. In preparation for launch, Studio Creative Director Bryan Wynia and Design Director Leland Scali from Tripwire Interactive took me through what to expect in this big, brutal and bloody sequel to one of the best blasters on the block.


Killing Floor 3 devs talk new weapon customization, Zed Time mechanic, and more

PlayStation Blog: In terms of gameplay, what was the main focus for Killing Floor 3? And what sets it apart from its previous titles?

Leland: It really was adding depth to existing systems. So, in Killing Floor 1 and 2, you could progress the player and add skills. You essentially have passive, throwable, and gadget skill sets. It’s much more robust and there’s more choices the player can make. Depending on what you choose, you could end up synergizing early skills with later skills, or you could find better mixes later.

Bryan: There’s also the new player hub, where you can adjust those skills, weapon mods, and other elements. But we wanted to find ways to keep it as immersive as possible. So these skill trees aren’t just numbers under the hood, but things you can actually see and feel when you play the game.

Leland: And we’ve modernized player movement. You can now do things like slide and clamber. But once we did that, we knew we needed to improve how the enemies moved, too. So instead of them walking around objects to get to you, they jump and climb over things. No matter where you go, they can go too.

How has the Zed Time mechanic been reworked?

Leland: When we started testing KF3, some of the early feedback we got was that this feature is cool, but what causes it? So there’s a bar at the top of the screen that you’re filling by doing different actions like destroying Critical Zones or killing enemies. And once it’s about to trigger, the whole team can take advantage at the same time. Also each Perk has two unique skills that increase as the player increases their proficiency level. This increases the effectiveness of the Perk during Zed Time as the player progresses. These are just some ways in which we’ve enhanced Zed time to be more of a meaningful tool in the player’s arsenal, rather than a random event.

Bryan: We hired a former SWAT team leader and weapons expert, and I remember him saying that in combat there’s this clarity that becomes present. That’s a huge source of inspiration for Zed Time. You can feel overwhelmed in the moment, but when it kicks in we put the power in your hands.

Can you tell us more about the new Critical Zone system?

Leland: So when you damage certain enemies enough, their armor breaks off and exposes a Critical Zone. Destroying that puts them in a state where you can perform this gory [explosive] execution on them, and by using Zed Time you can get them in that state quickly.

Bryan: I think players enjoy communicating that they’re skillful at something, so that was one of the biggest driving factors for implementing the Critical Zone system. You have multiple ways of killing enemies: you can unload rounds, go for headshots or you can look for Critical Zones to really take advantage.

Leland: For example, the Impaler boss has a ton of Critical Zones. If you destroy the ones on his arms, you’ll be able to disable him from firing rockets, while destroying the Zones on his back stops him from firing smoke grenades. Being able to disable abilities is really cool because you quickly realize if we fight him in a certain way at the beginning of the match, it’ll benefit us later in the following phases.

Are there any new updates to the weapon mods system that you can reveal?

Bryan: With a first-person shooter you experience and interact with the world through your weapons, so it was important to give players more than cosmetic ways of customizing their guns. For example, in the sharpshooter class I keep my distance and do really precise high damage. So, I’m going to craft weapon mods that are various types of sights and grips for when I aim down the sights. I can then combo those with skills, like taking a knee when I shoot does increased damage. We still want the identity of these weapons to be kept – we’re not turning a shotgun into a sniper rifle – but you can use mods to play with it the way that you like.

Leland: And you can modify ammo. So you can craft something like fire ammunition for a gun that’s not normally fire based. Which is useful for a new system called Wave Mutations, which randomly changes certain properties of the upcoming wave. A certain enemy may be more susceptible to freeze damage, for example, and instead of normally having to focus on a different enemy if you’re not a suitable class, you can craft a modded weapon to deal that freeze damage.

Are there any particular things you want players to pay attention to when they boot it up for the first time? And do you have any tips for them?

Bryan: I’d love for players to dive into some of our outer loops, looking at skill trees and weapon mods, and learning about Critical Zones. It’s about showcasing your skill and taking advantage of new features like movement and dynamically fighting your way through a wave to show you’re the best Zed hunter on the internet.

In terms of tips, the biggest thing that helps you survive is prioritizing targets. Just because that Zed is the closest one to you doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the one you should shoot first. There could be a Husk or a Siren at the back of the battlefield that’s lining up a shot that can take you out.

Leland: And when you hit the Critical Zone of some of the bigger Zeds they essentially turn into a bomb, which is super useful when you’re surrounded by low-level enemies – that big guy’s explosion will take out all the little guys. So even if you take a bit of damage focusing on that Critical Zone, that’s tactically a better move.

Killing Floor 3 launches on July 24.

PlayStation’s Summer Sale arrives on July 16

PlayStation’s Summer Sale is almost here! Kick off the season with a wide range of offers on digital PS5 and PS4 games and add-ons at PlayStation Store starting July 16 at 00:00am PDT/BST/JST. 

The promotion includes the likes of EA Sports FC 25 Standard Edition for 79% off (PS5, PS4), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle for 45% off (PS5, PS4), Assassin’s Creed Shadows Digital Deluxe Edition for 25% off (PS5), Forza Horizon 5 Standard Edition for 25% off (PS5) and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for 10% off (PS5) for a limited time.*

But there’s many more titles included! You can preview just some of those games below, while the full list of PlayStation Store offers will be revealed when the sale begins – visit the PlayStation Store page here once the sale is live to browse available games and discover the next gaming adventure to embark on.

*Sale refreshes at 00:00am PDT/BST/JST on July 29 and some deals will be replaced by new offers. Sale ends on August 13 at 23:59 PDT/BST/JST. Certain deals end before August 13. Check PlayStation Store for details of individual deals.

The story behind narrative horror Bye Sweet Carole’s gorgeous hand-drawn animation

Hello PlayStation readers! I’m Chris Darril, creator of Bye Sweet Carole and founder of Little Sewing Machine.

Bye Sweet Carole is a special project, one that reimagines the animation that inspired me in childhood, interwoven with homages to video games that today’s players can relate to. Before the game launches on PlayStation, it’s my pleasure to introduce the first and exclusive look at The French, a mysterious character found sneaking into Bunny Hall by Lana. They seem to have an interest in heat and flames — could this be a clue to Carole’s disappearance?

Introducing The French

As mysterious as they look, this is clearly someone who has shared proximity with Carole. Eyes cast down, but what did they see? What intentions do they hide? Is there a secret in the burning flames they hover around? Players will find out alongside Lana soon enough.

Drawing inspiration for a modern fairytale

Shifting from making films to video games has been a life-changing experience. Carole started off as a mistake: one day, while playing with my unfinished Remothered prototype in RPG Maker, I created a dreamy, cell-shaded protagonist. Instantly, the image reminded me of those early popular animated films featuring pastel-coloured princesses against dark backdrops. 

Connecting this visual concept to video games was the first hurdle: titles like Resident Evil on the first PlayStation, Clock Tower, and Gris were all foundational sources of gameplay inspiration. Their slow, measured approach to storytelling and unique atmospheres informed our initial development, refined with modern messaging designed to evoke the same child-like awe in a now fully-grown video game player today.

Moving pictures to interactive pictures

As game designers, we are already directors, and the “cinematography” of video games is equally important. The presentation of a world makes an impact on the audience, and in both cinema and games, technology brings the storytelling to life. You’ll always meet technological limitations, so remaining fluid is absolutely critical in the development stage. 

You start with the concept, then jump to the storyboard, then the rough animation, clean-up, and then the colors. Exporting animation happens differently if it’s a cutscene, a video, or eventually a game scene, so you have to find people just to export each animation. As with filmmaking, collaboration is key.

The art & artists behind Bye Sweet Carole

The animation of Bye Sweet Carole was hand-drawn, frame by frame. Sacrificing even just one frame means the magic of the old-fashioned animation style is lost. Computers made the production much smoother, but we made certain that the tangible expression of the animation style is always felt when playing the game. PlayStation players will be able to see the true labour of love in full 4K display.

We’ve also ensured that the visual and audio components work in harmony. The soundtrack was composed by Luca Balboni, a frequent collaborator. The large cast of characters will be fully voiced by Rossa Caputo in the Italian dub, Lani Minella (voice of the iconic Infected of The Last of Us), and Elsie Lovelock as our protagonist Lana.

Conclusion

Doing something that by today’s standards is considered “old school” wasn’t easy, and required a huge learning curve. On behalf of the entire team, we hope all players will enjoy meeting The French and experiencing Bye Sweet Carole later this year by purchasing the game from PlayStation Store or at their favourite retailer. We aspire for the game to be a modern fairytale, one that feels like a deep-seated memory: sad, yet peaceful, and long-lasting. It’s the best, most ambitious game I’ve ever worked on, and for those that missed it, our most recent trailer is a fantastic place to start.

There is one more mystery I can shed light on today, and that is confirming that Bye Sweet Carole is available from major retailers on discs. Today, players who want to experience the nostalgia of physical pieces of media inspired by nostalgia can pre-order a copy now in many regions and storefronts. Of course, the PlayStation Store is always open for those that appreciate modern accessibility of digital copies.

We still have several surprises to reveal about Bye Sweet Carole, so stay tuned—we’re incredibly excited to bring this love letter to life.

Share of the Week – Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Traversal

Last week, we asked you traverse the world of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, and share different ways that Sam gets around using using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

ChristianNOTJay shares Sam ziplining in front of a massive moon cresting over mountains

call_me_xavii shares Sam pausing his tri cruiser in the desert to let a kangaroo pass by

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Chescone shares Sam riding a coffin board across the water

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Milz_VP shares Sam hitching a ride with a launchable cargo catapult

F1Str4nd shares Sam getting some air after driving the truck off a ramp

MohdNazif shares Sam riding along with the monorail

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Ghost of Tsushima – 5th Anniversary
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 16, 2025 

Next week, Ghost of Tsushima is turning 5! To celebrate Jin’s journey for honor and justice, share your best captures using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.