Each week Sony brings PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR, and PlayStation Plus owners new content, add-ons, games, and more. Here is the complete global PlayStation Store update. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

North American Update

August’s PlayStation Plus Essential Lineup

• Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (PS4)
• Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach (PS5, PS4)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (PS5, PS4)

PSVR Games

• Horror Adventure (PSVR2)
• Horror Adventure : Zombie Edition (PSVR2)

PS4 & PS5 Games

• Axe Ace
• Baby Boomer 2: 35 Years Too Soon PS4 & PS5
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Cafe Master Story
• Castaway
• Cat’s Request
• Crazy Goose Simulator
• Dadish 3D
• DUSTBORN
• Friendly Fire
• The Great Fleece
• House of Golf 2
• HUNT: SHOWDOWN 1896
• Hypermarket Simulator Empire 2024
• Lunar Nightmare
• Murder Is Game Over: Streaming Death
• Mute Crimson DX
• Overboss
• Parking Masters
• Phantom Spark
• Pilot Flight Simulation PS4&PS5
• Pneumata
• Rewind or Die
• Rooftop Rascal: The Midnight Cat
• Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse
• Space Explore (PSVR2)
• Street Survival: Homeless Simulator
• SunnySide
• Tiny Pixels Vol. 1 – Ninpo Blast
• Tiny Whaley 2
• Tower
• Tower Hover
• Tribe: Primitive Builder
• Truck Simulator Cargo Driver 2024 – EURO
• Turn to Mine
• Vikings Pinball
• Visa Control: USA Border Simulator
• White Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies – Complete Edition

Next Page: European Update

The post PlayStation Store Update Worldwide August 20, 2024 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Final Fantasy XVI will soon be getting a new weapon on PS5 in the form of the Brave Blade. The weapon, which was first seen in Final Fantasy V, is currently available as a pre-order bonus for the PC version of the game, although PS5 players have been reassured that the weapon will also be available for them in the future.

When will the Brave Blade come to Final Fantasy XVI on PS5?

The Brave Blade will be available for PC players when the game is released on September 17. Square Enix has said that “it will be added to the PS5 version at a later date,” although they haven’t clarified exactly when that “later date” will be.

Other PC pre-order bonuses include the Cait Sith Charm (Gil Boost Accessory) and the “Sixteen Bells” Orchestrion Roll. Both of these are already available in the console version. The charm was available to PS5 players who pre-ordered the game. Meanwhile, the Orchestrion Roll was available as a promo code from a Taco Bell promotion.

The PC version of Final Fantasy 16 will finally be available more than a year after the game’s release on PS5. However, staggered releases may become consigned to history as Square Enix aims to “aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy that includes Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs.” The aim is that more players can enjoy its major franchises and AAA titles.

FF16 director Hiroshi Takai also told GamesRadar+ that “I think it’s possible – probably even likely” that future Final Fantasy games could see a day-one release on multiple platforms. However, he did add that “the team in charge of each project gets to decide its own policy, so this is just my personal opinion.”

The post Final Fantasy XVI Brave Blade Coming to PS5 Later appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

PS Plus members have renewed calls for more notice on games leaving the service. This has been a recurring complaint since the revamp because Sony often gives players as little as one week to wrap up their progress, which isn’t enough when it comes to lengthy games. There have also been occasions where Sony didn’t announce a departure until the very last minute.

When does Sony typically announce the list of games leaving PS Plus?

Sony provides a preliminary list of games leaving the service shortly after a catalog refresh. As an example, September 2024’s departures were announced today after new games were added to the service this morning.

However, as emphasized above, these are preliminary lists. Sony may remove games without a warning — like it has done so in the past — or give as little as a few days notice.

Players refreshed their demand for more notice after they discovered that Sea of Stars and Lost Judgment — both lengthy games — were added to PS Store’s ‘Last Chance to Play’ section with barely two weeks’ notice. Forums like Reddit and ResetEra saw members asking fellow players if there was a way to expedite their progress before the games left the service.

Given that there are hundreds of games in the catalog, Sony should endeavor to provide one-month notice for departures. We don’t see a good reason why this isn’t possible or why this shouldn’t be the case. Random updates with little notice are quite a nuisance.

The post PS Plus Users Continue to Demand More Notice for Games Leaving Service appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

A new leak suggests that Ubisoft is making a spiritual successor of sorts to I Am Alive — its 2012 action-adventure survival game. Released on the PS3 before The Last of Us was a thing, I Am Alive earned a mixed reception and has since been largely forgotten. However, a leaked casting call suggests that Ubisoft hasn’t given up on a post-apocalyptic adventure.

Ubisoft’s leaked project ‘Iridium’ has I Am Alive vibes

Spotted by MP1st, Ubisoft held a casting call for something called “Iridium” in March 2023, and this seems to be the first time it has been discovered. Accompanying plot details were also uncovered, which mentions “ruins of Highpoint City” as the game’s setting.

Iridium apparently takes place after a “terrible” war between humans and some kind of an outside force, severely damaging civilization. Highpoint City is now occupied by said force, and has been turned into a prison of sorts where humans are more of a science experiment.

“Intense radiation prevents organic humans from operating inside the war zone, so human minds are copied into mechanical Shells, allowing them to explore this hostile landscape,” the synopsis reads. And of course, there’s a struggle between various factions for resources, complete with a daring protagonist.

The above sounds like a standard post-apocalyptic game, but there’s certainly an appetite for those. Whether Iridium is still in development or not is anybody’s guess.

The post I Am Alive Spiritual Successor Could Be in Development at Ubisoft, Leak Suggests appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Black Myth: Wukong PS5 performance has been the subject of debate ever since it emerged that Game Science only allowed reviewers to play the PC version before launch. We’re reserving our judgment until we play the full game but have been monitoring livestreams and forum chatter regarding console performance, and surprisingly, it’s a very mixed bag.

Black Myth: Wukong is off to an excellent start but PS5 needs performance improvement patches

The good news is that Black Myth: Wukong isn’t a repeat of Cyberpunk 2077. The game is playable and seems to hold up well… provided you stick to the Balanced Mode.

Those who have been attempting to play on the Performance Mode for some 60 fps goodness have complained of constant stuttering, poor image quality, and texture issues. The Quality Mode offers 30-35 fps whereas the Balanced mode can go up 45 fps. The general consensus is that Performance Mode isn’t the best way to play right now.

Interestingly, Black Myth: Wukong’s console performance has bizarrely polarized players. On one extreme, we’ve seen folks swear that there are absolutely no performance issues whatsoever (spoiler: this isn’t true), and on the other hand, some folks swear that the game is unplayable (spoiler: this also isn’t true).

If you’re not fussy about a lower frame rate and can make compromises in the graphics department, Black Myth: Wukong’s current PS5 performance shouldn’t be an issue for you. However, if you’re in the opposite camp, we suggest waiting for a patch or two.

The post Black Myth: Wukong PS5 Performance Polarizes Players appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Sony has announced the preliminary list of games leaving PS Plus Extra and Premium in September 2024, which includes 12 titles. As we previously speculated, five of the games are Star Ocean titles. Additionally, Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden West is departing the catalog.

Full list of games leaving PS Plus Extra, Premium in September 2024

The following games are set to leave the catalogs in mid September.

• Horizon Forbidden West
• Star Ocean: First Departure R
• Star Ocean: The Divine Force
• Star Ocean: The Last Hope
• Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
• Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
• NieR: Replicant
• Marvel’s Midnight Suns
• Alien:Isolation
• Cloudpunk
• Spiritfarer

Do note that this list isn’t final because Sony updates the PS Store’s ‘Last Chance to Play’ section randomly during the month. This means that you may have as much as a one-month notice or as little as a one-week notice of departures.

This is particularly bothersome when lengthy games are suddenly added to the list. This month, we saw numerous complaints about the sudden announcement of Sea of Stars and Lost Judgment leaving the catalogs with little notice as both games are pretty chunky.

We’ll update the list above if/when more games are added to ‘Last Chance to Play.’

The post Games Leaving PS Plus in September 2024 Include Big PlayStation Exclusive appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Disney Dreamlight Valley Dapper Delights update patch notes

The Disney Dreamlight Valley Dapper Delights update will also introduce new content for the main game and A Rift in Time DLC. All players will get Tiana (The Princess and the Frog) as a new character, as well as Tiana’s Palace restaurant and Tiana’s Meal Stall. There’s a new Star Path inspired by the Roaring Twenties, new content in Scrooge McDuck’s Store, and more additions to the Premium Shop.

Those who have purchased the A Rift in Time DLC will be able to finish the storyline with the release of Act III – “Treasures of Time” while Jafar will finally be added to the valley as a new character.

The Dapper Delights update will go live on August 21, 2024, complete with crossplay for all platforms. Now PS5 and PS4 players will be able to visit their friends’ valleys on other platforms. You can see the full patch notes below:

• A new character! Revel in the magic of cooking as you welcome Tiana from Disney’s The Princess and the Frog to the Valley, alongside new Friendship Quests and unique new items.
• A new restaurant! Tiana’s Palace is open for business, providing villagers a new spot to grab a meal with friends.
• A new stall! Visit Tiana’s Meal Stall to purchase delicious meals, rotating daily.
• A new Star Path – also named Dapper Delights! – makes a statement with a new Dream Style for Donald Duck and clothing, hairstyles, makeup, and furniture, inspired by the Roaring Twenties.
• A new Signature Bundle in the Premium Shop! Ariel’s Royal Bundle offers a wide range of customization items inspired by Disney’s The Little Mermaid, including a Dream Style for Ariel, a House Style inspired by Prince Eric’s village, and clothing items and furniture that exudes opulence.
• Weekly rotations to look forward to! Keep an eye out for new optional items in the Premium Shop (alongside some returning favorites), as well as new, weekly DreamSnaps challenges and rewards.
• New shipment alert! Scrooge McDuck’s Store has received a new batch of goods for sale, including new clothes!
• A new type of furniture! Keep an eye out for future furniture that allows you to interact with it to gather random villagers for a photo op.
• If you previously purchased the Nefarious Tool Set or Skeletal Tool Set from the Premium Shop, you will receive a complimentary, matching Royal Hourglass skin for these sets. These Royal Hourglass styles will be included as part of these two tool sets, moving forward.

NEW CONTENT (EXPANSION PASS OWNERS):

• Return to Ancient’s Landing for Act III – “Treasures of Time” – which is the final act of Disney Dreamlight Valley: A Rift in Time!
• Jafar makes his way from Eternity Isle to the Valley, opening the door to new Friendship Quests and new unique items!
• Bring a touch of unpredictability to Scramblecoin with the new Jafar figurine, which changes its movement with each turn it spends on the board.

IMPROVEMENTS (AVAILABLE TO ALL PLAYERS):

EDIT MODE, FURNITURE & WARDROBE:

• Added a search filter to the Furniture and Wardrobe menus.
• Added the ability to mark items as “Favorites” or “Hidden” in the Furniture and Wardrobe menus, adding these items to relevant new categories and surfacing favorite items to the top of these menus.
• Added the ability to save custom outfit presets, making it easy to switch between full outfits.
• Added a “new item” tag to items in the Wardrobe and Furniture menus.
• Added new sorting options to the Wardrobe and Furniture menus.
• Added the ability to remove all furniture from a room at once, resetting a room.

PHOTO MODE:

• Added 2 new full body Avatar poses to Photo Mode.

ACTIVITIES:

• Added a toggle to the Settings menu that replaces fishing and timebending button presses with a “hold button” prompt.
• Added a toggle to the cooking menu that turns off the “results” screen and animation while cooking, speeding up the cooking process.

REMY’S SPECIAL DELIVERIES:

• Increased the base number of Wrought Iron rewarded for requests to 6, while increasing the max reward to 15.
• Reduced the amount of Wrought Iron required to craft certain tables and chairs.
• Increased the amount of Wrought Iron rewarded for completing Stitch’s big order.
• Reduced the number of pies needed for the pie-eating contest.
• If you’ve unlocked Remy’s Special Deliveries, keep an eye out for a message in your mailbox from Remy, detailing the above changes and gift you some Wrought Iron for your troubles. This will be available until mid-September.
• Adjusted the “Wrought Iron -> Iron Ingot” crafting recipe to appear only after the completion of the first Remy’s Special Deliveries quest to limit confusion.

PREMIUM SHOP:

• Implemented various UI improvements.

OTHER:

• Belle’s character model has been reworked to better capture the magic of her character!
• Cross-platform play is now supported on PlayStation consoles.
• Continued optimizations to reduce crash rates on all platforms.
• Reduced loading times on player profiles, with a particularly pronounced effect on Valleys that have a high number of placed objects.
• Adjusted the schedules of critters in the Valley to provide more accessible windows for finding some of the rarer animal companions.
• Adjusted villager schedules to allow players to visit their favorite characters any time of day. During periods when villagers would have been previously inaccessible, they will now be found taking it easy at home.
• Adjusted the default sprint button on gamepad to Left Bumper to allow for more comfortable use of the game camera. We are investigating further improvements to gamepad user experience for a future update, so please stay tuned!

TOP CHANGES AND BUG FIXES:

• “Village Project: Timeless Treasures” quest: Fixed an issue in which the Timebending Table would be missing from the player’s inventory.
• “What’s Left Behind” quest: Fixed an issue in which some players were unable to pick up the Orb of Remembrance.
• “Diamond in the Rough” quest: Fixed an issue in which some players were unable to pick up the Jewel of Time.
• “My Kingdom for a Scroll” quest: Fixed an issue in which Scrooge McDuck’s chest would not spawn.
• “A Deal with Ursula” quest: Fixed an issue in which some players were unable to place the fourth crystal on its pedestal.
• “A Restaurant Makeover” quest: Fixed an issue in which some players were unable to enter Chez Remy during this quest.
• “The Sundial” quest: Fixed an issue in which the required gears would not register as found.
• “The Sundial” quest: Fixed an issue in which players on Apple Arcade platforms were unable to catch the sun core item if they had no gamepad connected.
• “An Alarming Development” quest: Fixed an issue in which players on Apple Arcade platforms were unable to catch the alarm clocks if they had no gamepad connected.
• “The Tower” quest: Fixed an issue in which removing the final Swirling Sand would not be properly registered.
• “Does Not Compute” quest: Fixed an issue in which the required beach area would be inaccessible.
• “Flying Metal Nuisance” quest: Fixed an issue in which sandstones could block the player from progressing in this quest.
• “Trouble in Paradise” quest: Fixed an issue in which flowerpots could block the way into Daisy Duck’s house.
• Fixed instances in which a small portion of game progress could roll back after a crash.
• Fixed an issue in which a visual bug would show an incorrect Moonstone value until the player rebooted the game.
• Fixed an issue which would occasionally cause Vanellope to appear as invisible.
• Fixed an issue in which doors would occasionally disappear when placed in the player’s house.
• Fixed an issue in which the player would be unable to glide while the energy bar is yellow.
• Fixed an issue in which some players did not receive Gold Edition or expansion pass rewards in their in-game mailbox.
• Fixed an issue in which some macOS users would encounter online services errors.
• Fixed an issue which caused coffee tables to be difficult to grab in Edit Mode.
• Fixed an issue in which multiple different versions of the Oswaldian Trolley Tracks had the same name.
• Fixed an issue in which it was unclear what tasks needed to be completed to satisfy daily challenges in The Boutique.
• Fixed an issue in which a bookshelf could become stuck if placed in front of the interior door of the Avatar’s house.
• Fixed an issue in which some players were unable to pick up books dropped from their inventories.
• Fixed an issue in which some memory orbs could become unreachable under the sink in Remy’s house.
• Fixed an issue in which the Miracle Fishing Bait buff would last for longer than intended.
• Fixed an issue in which placed popcorn buckets would occasionally disappear.
• Fixed an issue where some clothing would not resize to character’s Avatar.
• Fixed an issue in which the “remove the small night thorns” duty would not progress.
• Various additional bug fixes relating to audio, visual, localization, gamepad control, and user interface issues, in addition to stability improvements.

The post Disney Dreamlight Valley Dapper Delights Update Introduces PlayStation Crossplay appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Until Dawn‘s PS5, PC price leaked over the weekend, earning sharp and unanimous rebuke from players. Ballistic Moon’s enhanced version of the 2014 Supermassive Games title will launch on October 4th, and reportedly has the same price tag as Astro Bot: $60 (£60 / €60 / AU$110 / CA$80).

Until Dawn’s PS5 and PC price isn’t justified, players say

The aforementioned leak comes from none other than Dealabs user billbil-kun, who has a pretty stellar track record. According to them, Until Dawn’s PS5 version will also get a disc release but regardless of the format players purchase and what platform they make a purchase on, the price is the same.

If this leak is accurate (we hope it’s not), this is a baffling move by Sony. For comparison purposes, The Last of Us Part II Remastered cost $50 and, as previously mentioned, a brand-new full-fledged Astro Bot costs $60. With Silent Hill 2’s remake releasing just four days after Until Dawn, we’ll be surprised if Sony manages to sell many copies at this price.

I personally loved Until Dawn, but it’s pretty much a one-and-done game, so I can’t imagine people will be paying $60 for it regardless of how “enhanced” it is. As one player said it, “Until Sale,” then.

The post Sony Blasted Over Until Dawn PS5, PC Price Following Leak appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The list of new PS5 and PS4 games for the week beginning August 19, 2024, has gotten shorter this week but does include a couple of bigger AAA releases. The catch is that only PS5 owners get to enjoy them. The highlight of the week will be action RPG Black Myth: Wukong, although there’s also multiplayer shooter Concord

All PS5 and PS4 August 19 to 25, 2024 game release dates

Here are all of the PS5 and PS4 games currently set to be released throughout the week of August 19 to 25, 2024.

PS5 Games

• Tribe: Primitive Builder (August 19)
• Black Myth: Wukong (August 20)
• Dustborn (August 20)
• Predecessor (August 20)
• Cyber Mission (August 21)
• Mangavania 2 (August 21)
• Naive Boy Super Lash (August 21)
• Wheel Riders (August 21)
• Long Yard Run (August 22)
• Rise Eterna War (August 22)
• Tales from Toyotoki: Arrival of the Witch (August 22)
• TIEBREAK: Official game of the ATP and WTA (August 22)
• Concord (August 23)
• The Jumping Donut (August 23)
• Learn to Play Vol. 5 – Break the Blocks (August 23)
• Magnus Trilogy (August 23)
• Operation: Polygon Storm (August 23)
• Pixicharm – Dinoluship (August 23)
• Supermarket Simulator Pro (August 23)

PS4 Games

• Dustborn (August 20)
• Predecessor (August 20)
• Cyber Mission (August 21)
• Mangavania 2 (August 21)
• Naive Boy Super Lash (August 21)
• Wheel Riders (August 21)
• Long Yard Run (August 22)
• Rise Eterna War (August 22)
• TIEBREAK: Official game of the ATP and WTA (August 22)
• Aery – Ancient Empires (August 23)
• The Jumping Donut (August 23)
• Learn to Play Vol. 5 – Break the Blocks (August 23)
• Operation: Polygon Storm (August 23)
• Pixicharm – Dinoluship (August 23)
• Supermarket Simulator Pro (August 23)
• A Bibelot: Prototo (August 24)

A total of 19 games are coming to PS5 this week, while PS4 players get a slightly shorter list of 16 titles. Black Myth: Wukong, the action RPG based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, is making its console debut exclusively on PS5. The game is supposed to come to Xbox Series X|S later but has been delayed due to optimization issues.

Meanwhile, PS5 exclusive multiplayer shooter Concord makes its debut at the end of the week, although early access begins tomorrow, August 20. The game is available to preload right now.

Finally, PSVR 2 players miss out this week as there are no new games due to be released this week.

The post PS5 and PS4 Releases: Every Game Release Date for Week Beginning August 19, 2024 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The list of new PS5 and PS4 games for the week beginning August 5, 2024, has grown bigger again but is filled with indie games. There’s not a AAA game to be seen, although the highlights of the week will likely be the high-sea adventure SteamWorld Heist II and childrearing simulation game Princess Maker 2 Regeneration.

All PS5 and PS4 August 5 to 11, 2024 game release dates

Here are all of the PS5 and PS4 games currently set to be released throughout the week of August 5 to 11, 2024.

PS5 Games

• Bleak Faith: Forsaken (August 6)
• Cygni: All Guns Blazing (August 6)
• Eden Genesis (August 6)
• Pepper Grinder (August 6)
• Volgarr the Viking II (August 6)
• Cattie (August 7)
• Color Dodge (August 7)
• I Want To Go To Mars (August 7)
• Love is all around (August 7)
• Arcade Paradise VR (August 8)
• Cat Quest III (August 8)
• Cultist Simulator (August 8)
• Darksword: Battle Eternity (August 8)
• Dead Age 2 (August 8)
• Deathbound (August 8)
• HoneyLand (August 8)
• Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony (August 8)
• Princess Maker 2 Regeneration (August 8)
• SteamWorld Heist II (August 8)
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles (August 8)
• Bowling In A Skate Park (August 9)
• Gravitators (August 9)
• Rolling Wheels (August 10)

PS4 Games

• Bleak Faith: Forsaken (August 6)
• Eden Genesis (August 6)
• Pepper Grinder (August 6)
• Volgarr the Viking II (August 6)
• Cattie (August 7)
• I Want To Go To Mars (August 7)
• Love is all around (August 7)
• Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona (August 7)
• Cat Quest III (August 8)
• Cultist Simulator (August 8)
• HoneyLand (August 8)
• Princess Maker 2 Regeneration (August 8)
• SteamWorld Heist II (August 8)
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles (August 8)
• Bowling In A Skate Park (August 9)
• Gravitators (August 9)
• Mondealy (August 9)
• Rolling Wheels (August 10)

A total of 23 games are coming to PS5 this week, while PS4 players get a slightly shorter list of 18 titles. The sequel to Steamworld Heist sees players trying to avert a water crisis on the Great Sea through real-time naval combat and turn-based Steambot combat. A slightly different pirate adventure is also available in Cat Quest III, with the Pi-Rats and the Pirate King trying to halt your 2.5D open-world adventure.

Elsewhere, Princess Maker 2 sees a father trying to make his daughter’s dreams of becoming a princess come true. The game celebrates its 30th anniversary with a release on newer generation consoles. On the other hand, Volgarr the Viking returns in another 2D action-platformer that has kept its unforgiving 1980s-arcade level of difficulty.

Finally, PSVR players get a couple of choices this week. Arcade Paradise VR offers the chance to transform the decrepit King Wash laundromat into a thriving arcade mall, while Darksword: Battle Eternity is a fantasy RPG set in the world of the Twisted Corridors.

The post PS5 and PS4 Releases: Every Game Release Date for Week Beginning August 5, 2024 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Calls for a new SOCOM game have been renewed by fans after a screenshot purportedly from former Sony developers’ new shooter leaked. The image in question is from a “AAA shooter” being developed by That’s No Moon — a new studio comprised of former Naughty Dog, Santa Monica Studio, and Call of Duty devs.

Leaked screenshot looks like SOCOM, but it isn’t a new SOCOM game

The screenshot in question was unearthed by MP1st, who is choosing to protect the source. We’re not going to embed it here to avoid a copyright strike, but a brief description is as follows.

That’s No Moon previously said that it’s working on a game based on a “popular IP.” The screenshot — allegedly from a 2022 reel — confirms that the project is a military shooter. A soldier can be seen in what looks like a desert environment, shooting at random pieces of furniture. This is likely to be the game’s training portion.

MP1st also published a screenshot from the profile of an unnamed motion capture artist, which reveals that they worked as a “stunt soldier” for That’s No Moon. The leak further reveals that the shooter is being developed with Unreal Engine 5.

Although the screenshot reminds fans of SOCOM, it’s unlikely to be a new game in the franchise. That’s No Moon previously said that it’s working on a single-player game so unless Sony commissioned it to work on a single-player SOCOM, this isn’t what franchise fans are hoping for.

The post Fans Want SOCOM Back After Image From Ex Sony Devs’ New Shooter Leaks appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

A new God of War game from Santa Monica Studio is almost a given, but it looks like the studio’s next release will be its new IP. Sony Santa Monica has been a single-project studio for almost the entirety of its existence (not counting external projects), but the developer has been working on its mystery new IP for quite some time.

Why fans think Santa Monica Studio will release a new IP before a new God of War game

Santa Monica Studio has been hiring for its new IP for a while, but over the weekend, a ResetEra user spotted evidence of major recruitment activity. Sony veteran Glauco Longhi, who has previously worked for both Naughty Dog and Santa Monica, returned to work for the God of War developer in April.

On his LinkedIn, Longhi confirms that Santa Monica Studio offered him an opportunity to return, and he’s now overseeing the entire character development pipeline of the new IP. From the sound of things, the studio is firing on all cylinders now and its next release is likely to be this project.

Rumor has it that the mystery game’s development is being led by Cory Barlog, and it will be a sci-fi game possibly with RPG elements.

The post New God of War Might Not Be Santa Monica Studio’s Next Release appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Over the weekend, PS5 game Phantom Blade Zero made headlines for all the wrong reasons. A Brazilian outlet accused an unnamed S-Game developer of bemoaning Microsoft and saying that “nobody needs an Xbox,” which further fueled rumors that Sony had moneyhatted the game. S-Game has since issued a public clarification on the matter, and — you’ve guessed it — the whole report seems bogus.

Phantom Blade Zero is only confirmed for the PS5 and PC… for now

The Brazilian outlet’s article didn’t contain any source or information that would make its report look even remotely convincing, but it was picked up by some major websites and simply reproduced via Google translate. Meanwhile, Redditors traced the origin of the comments back to Tencent in Chinese.

Some natives have explained that the Chinese comments would roughly translate to, “there isn’t much interest in Xbox in this region,” which changes the context entirely.

In a statement on X, S-Game has reiterated that there’s no PS5 console exclusivity deal for Phantom Blade Zero, and the comments attributed to an unnamed developer does not reflect its position. S-Game has also hinted that it will work on an Xbox Series X|S version in the future, but didn’t outright confirm anything.

The post Phantom Blade Zero PS5 Exclusivity, Anti Xbox Comment Denied by Dev appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Just one week after Valorant entered open beta testing on PS5, the game leaves beta testing behind. Version 1.0 has been released on the PlayStation Store and the full game is now available in the US, Canada, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In typical Riot Games style, there was no announcement before Valorant’s full release, but the studio has now explained how the team will be approaching the game’s updates.

The Valorant post-launch update plan

Riot Games currently updaters Valorant every two weeks on all platforms. These patches sort out issues with game balance, fix bugs, or add QoL improvements. In addition to these, larger updates are released “a few times per year” that change an Agent’s entire kit, either nerfing their abilities or increasing their strength. Larger updates are only released at a time “that won’t affect active Pro play schedules.” Both of these types of updates look set to continue into the future.

One thing the developer did make clear was that “parity between PC and console isn’t necessarily guaranteed.” This is because PC and console platforms have unique needs. Different input methods mean players come up with different playstyles. Some agents are also better on one platform than they are on the other. These reasons are likely part of why Xbox and PS5 players can compete with each other but they cannot compete against PC players.

Valorant can now be downloaded from the PlayStation Store for free. Any progress players had made during the open beta period will be transferred to the full game. There’s also the opportunity to play on PC too as players keep their progress between all platforms with the exception of ranking.

Several Valorant Points packages are also available from the PlayStation Store. The premium currency can be used to purchase cosmetics, Radionite Points, and the premium tier of the Battle Pass.

The post Valorant Leaves Open Beta on Console, Update Schedule Revealed appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

A damning new report claims that Bungie mislead Sony about its financial position ahead of its acquisition by PlayStation. The studio’s management has come under scrutiny following a second round of mass layoffs within a year that didn’t even spare long-time senior executives. Now, many former employees are laying the blame solely on CEO Pete Parsons.

Sony spent $3.6 billion acquiring Bungie — was it worth it?

The aforementioned report comes from veteran journalist Stephen Totilo, who spoke to former Bungie employees to get to the bottom of things. At least one of them addressed what many analysts and the gaming community have been left puzzled by: Sony spending $3.6 billion to acquire the studio.

The employee reckons that Sony overpaid for Bungie after the studio misled the PlayStation maker by selling “things they were just not able to deliver.” While Destiny 2: The Final Shape has been widely praised, Totilo has been told that the latest cuts were being planned long before the expansion released.

What’s even more interesting is that it seems Bungie was a bit desperate to strike a deal with Sony. One of Totilo’s sources said that if Bungie hadn’t been acquired, it may have gone bankrupt. “The alternate history is insolvency,” they said.

Bungie had thousands of employees at one point, which have now been reduced to 850 following the latest round of cuts. The studio hasn’t released anything outside of Destiny and its sequel over the last decade, and has gone through high-profile splits with both Microsoft and Activision in the past.

It has also emerged that senior Destiny executives Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy have been let go. Suffice to say, the common denominator here is Bungie’s management.

The post Bungie Misled Sony About Its Financial Position Ahead of Acquisition – Report appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Astro’s Playroom August 2024 update has gone live, bringing with it special bot #3. Players have to find a total of four special bots in the lead up to the release of Astro Bot. Doing so will pop five additional trophies in Astro’s Playroom, with players being able to carry the bots over to Astro Bot on September 6.

How to unlock Astro’s Playroom special bot 3 (August 2, 2024 update)

Two of the four special bots in Astro’s Playroom have already been found. The first one is Hunter from Bloodborne, and can be found in GPU Jungle’s first stage, Renderforest (note: players need to complete 1994 Throwback first). The second special bot is Selene from Returnal, who can be found in the Deep Dataspace section of the SSD Speedway.

The third bot, which is out today, is related to Gran Turismo and can be found in Cooling Springs. Rescuing the bot, which is trapped on the beach, will net players the Grand tourist trophy. As for how to find the bot, here’s the solution courtesy of PSNProfiles user Computer_Cat:

Step on the teal stars in this order:

1. Under the pier at the beginning
2. On the beach to the left
3. Under the palm tree to right
4. Then go all the way forwards to the left

Happy hunting!

The post Astro’s Playroom Update Adds Special Bot 3, Here’s How to Unlock It appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The Last of Us Multiplayer game’s cancellation may have partially been triggered by some ‘helpful’ and honest feedback that Bungie provided Naughty Dog. That’s according to journalist Jason Schreier, who had previously said that Bungie’s internal review of the multiplayer project led Naughty Dog to re-evaluate things.

Bungie didn’t demand the cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer

Schreier made his comment in response to a follower on X who had misconstrued his original report. The user claimed that Bungie “told” Naughty Dog to cancel TLOU multiplayer, and bemoaned that a studio with few acclaimed games would dictate Naughty Dog, a developer known for making highly-rated games.

In the conversation that followed, Schreier clarified that Bungie provided “helpful” feedback to Naughty Dog, who then made the “smart” decision to cancel TLOU multiplayer.

It’s hard to disagree with Schreier here. Naughty Dog’s expertise certainly isn’t live service, and dedicating resources to the project may have backfired and bled money. Although TLOU fans would have liked an online aspect similar to TLOU 1, that was never supposed to be the series’ main attraction.

Times have changed, and slapping on multiplayer portions to primarily single-player games is mostly a thing of the past.

The post The Last of Us Multiplayer Cancellation Was Triggered by Bungie Feedback appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.