Pearl Abyss‘ Will Powers has revealed during a chat with the Gaming Interviews YouTube channel that the open world featured in Crimson Desert is “absolutely massive,” going so far as to reveal it stacks up favourable against genre titans Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

I don’t think numbers really do it justice because, how big is that in terms of scope and scale? But what we can say is that the world’s at least twice as big as the open world, the playable area, of Skyrim. It’s larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2.

The continent of Pywel is absolutely massive, but size doesn’t really matter if there’s nothing to do. Open-world games are about doing things, having activities, having distractions. So we wanted to create a world that’s not only massive, but is also incredibly interactive.

You choose the type of character you want to play as in terms of your progression within the systems in the game. And then through head canon you’re having this very different experience than other players because of the scope and scale of the game. You’ll be distracted by something, you’ll go on this quest line, you’ll have an experience that’ll be radically different than someone else, even though they’re playing the same game and the same canonical storyline that you both are going through.

Crimson Desert is currently in development for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, and was originally pitched as a prequel to Black Desert Online. The game takes place in a medieval fantasy world known as Pywel, where players follow a hardened mercenary who is plagued by burdens of leadership and past memories.

The narrative focuses on Greymanes Kliff, Oongka, Yann, and Naira, during a period where Pywel is experiencing great tension and conflict among its people. This already fragile period is disrupted further by an attack by the Black Bears, a rival faction to the Greymanes, killing many of its members. In the aftermath, Kliff and the survivors are scattered, and so it’s up to him to reunite with his comrades and rebuild the Greymanes, before confronting the Myurdin, the leader of the Black Bears.

Crimson Desert launches on March 19, 2026. We went hands-on with the game back in April 2025, so be sure to read our impressions of some of the Crimson Desert’s bosses here.

[Source – Gaming Interviews YouTube via IGN]

The post Crimson Desert Features An Open World At Least Twice As Big As Skyrim; Larger Map Than Red Dead Redemption 2 appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Industry tipster Shinobi602 has claimed that the upcoming Xbox Developer Direct 26 will feature a fourth game in addition to the previously-confirmed lineup of Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and Beast of Reincarnation.

Referred to only as “a ‘secret’ fourth game” by the insider, VGC followed up this report with news that it will take the form of a “promising indie title from a third-party publisher.” So, make of that what you will, but it looks like we’re getting another reveal at the event.

Beyond that, VGC also mentions that Fable is “also in development for the PlayStation 5,” reiterating earlier reports that the upcoming fantasy-RPG is coming to Sony’s current-generation console. Back in January 2025, a report on Vadal claimed that Fable was among a number of Xbox-exclusives headed to PS5, which also included Killer Instinct and Starfield.

Following Fable’s delay to 2026, it was also claimed by NatetheHate that the title would come to Sony’s platform day-and-date with PC and Xbox.

Forza Horizon 6 is already confirmed to be coming to the PS5, although it won’t be arriving alongside the PC and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game. Beast of Reincarnation is also in development for Sony’s console.

Xbox Developer Direct 22 will take place on January 22, 2026.

[Source – Shinobi602 on ResetEra, VGC]

The post Fable Reportedly Also Coming To PS5, Xbox Developer Direct 26 To Feature ‘Secret Fourth Game’ appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Capcom has given the spotlight to Alex, Street Fighter 6‘s upcoming DLC character, in a new teaser trailer.

Check it out below. Alex joins the fray in Spring 2026.

Alex hails from New York and first appeared in Street Fighter III: New Generation , and specialises in Westling and kickboxing. Alex enjoys a friendly rivalry with Ryu and his interests include military fashion, city life, and training, although isn’t too fond of people who prey on those wearing than them, annoying people, and…broccoli? To be fair, I can’t blame him on that last one.

Street Fighter 6 launched in June 2023 for PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. A Nintendo Switch 2 version arrived in June 2025 as a launch title for that system. You can read our full review of Street Fighter 6 here.

The post Street Fighter 6 Reveals Alex In Punchy Teaser Trailer appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

The developer behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has admitted that the final boss of the game was a little too easy for some players, who had been busy grinding away on the various side quests on offer and thus levelling up their character to massive proportions.

As a result, by the time they did come up against the final boss of the game, many Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 players were able to dispatch their adversary easier than Sandfall Interactive had perhaps intended. Elaborating on this, Michel Nohra, Lead Game Designer on the critically acclaimed title, told EDGE magazine:

The only thing I regret is not making it clearer that if you want the intended difficulty for the boss, you have to go beat it now. Often, people don’t want to finish the game, so they do all the side content before finishing it, because once the story is over, you’re usually less motivated to do the side content. And that’s something I underestimated, which made people that wanted a challenging end boss fight feel a bit disappointed. I don’t regret doing it the way we did it, but [we could have] had more explanation about your choice [in Act 3].

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S in April 2025, and was one of the biggest success stories of last year, garnering critical acclaimed and vastly exceeding Sandfall’s expectations. The RPG also picked up numerous Game of the Year accolades, including PSU’s Game of the Year gong. You can read our full review here.

[Source EDGE Magazine via GamesRadar]

The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Final Boss Was Easier Than Planned As Players Were Busy Grinding In Side Quests appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Is Avowed coming to PS5? The latest RPG from Obsidian Entertainment launched for PC and Xbox formats in February 2025, and was among the most anticipated titles to hit Microsoft’s system. Given Obsidian’s history with RPGs, we’re starting to see a lot of questions online about will Avowed be on PS5.

Is Avowed Coming To PS5?

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UPDATE – January 9, 2026:

Yes, Avowed is coming to PS5! Obsidian has confirmed that the title will launch for Sony’s console on February 17, 2026, and will be accompanied by the game’s Anniversary Update.

Obsidian has released an update to its roadmap for Avowed that extents into 2026, which will include a large update next month. There has been speculation that the game will arrive on PS5 to coincide with this patch, but nothing official has been revealed yet.

There is no current announcement about Avowed coming to the PS5, but it could still happen at a later date. With Microsoft having now released some of its first-party titles for PlayStation and Nintendo formats, as well as stating that there’s no red line as to what may come to PS5, we could see Avowed eventually released for Sony’s console. We’ll keep you updated!

Related Content – Sony PS5 Complete Guide – A Total Resource On PlayStation 5

What Is Avowed?

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Avowed is a first-person RPG set within a sprawling fantasy world known as Eora.

You can catch the full synopsis and view the latest trailer for Avowed below.

Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands – an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?

The Weird and Wonderful Living Lands
The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.

Visceral Combat to Play Your Way
Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance.

Companions as part of your journey
Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.

The post Is Avowed Coming To PS5? appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Elden Ring Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has revealed during an interview with Game Informer that much of the game world in the fantasy epic had evolved during development that collaborator George R.R. Martin would be surprised by how it turned out.

The Game of Thrones author helped craft the world and characters of Elden Ring during its planning stages, although these were largely shaped by FromSoftware’s narrative team. As such, Miyazaki-san feels that Martin would be surprised by some of the changes as they were quite significant compared to what was originally planned out.

The Dark Souls creator explained the reason for taking over is because “as a player walks through this world, […] they have a very fragmented understanding of the lore, the surroundings, and the type of monsters, whereas I don’t.” He added that it’s important Elden Ring’s biggest moments “aren’t lost,” which is achieved by bringing “the map and level design” together “to serve as a guide, to help players pick up more information and piece together what they think that world is.”

Publisher Bandai Nasco Entertainment announced in April last year that Elden Ring had reached 30 million shipments and digital sales globally, and in May 2025 received a spinoff in the form of Elden Ring: Nightreign. Elsewhere, a movie adaptation of the franchise is currently in the pipeline with Alex Garland set to direct, who revealed that he provided a 160-page draft script to gain Miyazaki’s approval to helm the film.

Elden Ring was released in February 2022 for PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. You can read our full verdict on the game here.

[Source – Game Informer via GamesRadar]

The post Hidetaka Miyazaki Reckons George R.R. Martin Would Be Surprised How The World Of Elden Ring Evolved From Its Starting Point appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Actress Sophie Turner, who is set to strap on Lara Croft’s hiking boots for the upcoming Amazon Tomb Raider live-action series, has revealed she’s been busy preparing for her role by playing the games and reading the comics. Curiously, she admitted she hasn’t been watched the previous movies in the series.

Speaking with SiriusXM, Turner, who made a name for herself in Game of Thrones and the latter-day X-Men movies, stated that while she’s a fan of the Tomb Raider films, she wants to “create my own thing” and as such isn’t watching them as part of her role prep.

I’m playing the games, I’m reading the comics. I’ve got the Colossal Collections, which are 500 pages. I’m kind of doing all of it, but not really focusing on the previous iterations, because I don’t want to imitate, I’ve gotta create my own thing. So, as much as I love those movies, I can’t watch them right now.

For the record, there’s been three major Hollywood Tomb Raider movies to date. The first two starred Angelina Jolie as Croft, and comprised 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, and 2018’s Tomb Raider, which featured Alicia Vikander in the role.

Amazon recently confirmed a slew of new cast members to feature in the Tomb Raider series, including Jason Isaacs and Sigourney Weaver. Beyond that, the video game series celebrates its 30th anniversary later this year, and is getting two new projects: Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider Catalyst, the former a reimagining of the 1996 original.

Tomb Raider originally released for the Sega Saturn in October 1996 and was developed by Core, with the game ported to PC and PlayStation the following month.

[Source – SiriusXM via GamesRadar]

The post Tomb Raider Star Sophie Turner Is ‘Playing The Games, Reading The Comics’ To Prepare For Her Role As Lara appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliot has said during an interview with Eurogamer that the Call of Duty franchise has been “underperforming” this year due to various reasons, among which includes “community burnout, questionable creative and business decisions by Activision/Microsoft, and strong competition.”

Battlefield 6 is obviously one of the main competitors that Call of Duty has faced this year, with Elliot also name-dropping Arc Raiders and Fortnite as games that have been turning attention away from Activision’s shooter franchise. Elliot says Call of Duty’s “lack of innovation” has been a major sticking point with some fans, and said before the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 7 that players would fort out for the game despite the series failing to innovate.

Related Content — Upcoming PS5 Games 2025: The Best PS5 Games Coming Soon

Elsewhere, the analyst noted that “Fortnite-like cosmetics” and “non-military character skins” have “alienated a significant portion of the fanbase who prefer a more grounded military aesthetic,” pointing to Call of Duty’s dabbling with Beavis and Butthead and Nicki Minaj. Black Ops 7 itself has toned down this side of things, but that game’s co-op campaign was a “major point of criticism” as was its use of “AI slop.”

Player reception was [also] largely negative, with a mostly negative Steam user score and review bombing galore. Long-standing player frustrations, like the perceived impact of skill-based matchmaking–and the focus on heavy microtransactions (skins and bundles) over core gameplay quality, continue to drive players away from the franchise.

Our estimates have signaled time and time again that Game Pass cannibalizes game revenues–and Call of Duty is no different.

Call of Duty is now owned by Microsoft after the Xbox format holder purchased Activision for a record-breaking sum of $68.7 billion, but still continues to be released on multiple formats. Call of Duty Black Ops 7 was released last month for PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One, and you can read our full verdict here.

[Source – Eurogamer]

The post Analyst Says Call Of Duty Is ‘Underperforming’ In 2025 Due To Multiple Reasons, Including Strong Competition & Community Burnout appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

A new trailer for Christophe Gans’ upcoming Return to Silent Hill has hit YouTube, offering the most detailed look yet at the upcoming big screen adaptation of Silent Hill 2.

The trailer definitely isn’t short on atmosphere, with the foggy town in all its spine-chilling glory looking just as you would imagine, as protagonist James Sunderland explores its empty streets. Speaking of James, we see him interacting with Maria and encountering a number of iconic creatures from the film’s source material, notably the Lying Figures and Bubblehead Nurses. Pyramid Head is also seen lugging his massive knife along the floor, and the Lakeview Hotel appears in flames, something we didn’t actually see happen in the game.

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The synopsis for Return to the Silent Hill is more or less identical to Silent Hill 2 from what we know, with James called to the town by Mary to meet her in their ‘special place.’ However, there appears to be no mention of Mary having died from a mysterious illness three years prior, as it says James was merely ‘separated’ from her. Still, we’ll just have to wait and see how things play out in cinemas.

Check out the trailer below.

This will be the third Silent Hill movie to hit the big screen, following on from the 2006 original starring Sean Bean and Radha Mitchell that was also directed by Gans. That movie loosely adapted the story of the original Silent Hill, although an original character, Rose, replaced Harry’s role from the game as she searched for her missing daughter in Silent Hill. Following this came the M.J. Bassett-directed Silent Hill Revelation in 2012, which used the story of Silent Hill 3 as the basis for its narrative.

Return to Silent Hill is set to launch in cinemas on January 23, 2026.

The post New Return To Silent Hill Trailer Is Dripping With Atmosphere And Features Iconic Creatures appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Warhorse Studios has dropped off a fresh update for Kingdom Come Deliverance II, which comes equipped with a number of key stability improvements and fixes that are based on community feedback. There’s a number of quest-based fixes that have been implemented for the game, including All’s Fair, Civic Duty, and Damsel in Distress, and more. Beyond the main campaign, the latest update also rolls out various bug fixes for the Legacy of the Forge DLC. You can read the full Kingdom Come Deliverance II update 1.5.2 patch notes below.

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Following directly on from the original Kingdom Come Deliverance, this sequel takes place in the Kingdom of Bohemia in the year 1403, and finds the land in the “turmoil of a civil war.” Kingdom Come Deliverance II features a number of characters that are based on real-life people from the medieval period, with players following the story of the fictional blacksmith, Henry of Skalitz, who leads a resistance in favour of the imprisoned King of Bohemia Wenceslaus IV. Warhorse Studios announced in mid-November that the game had sold four million units globally.

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FEATURES

Audio

– Fixed rain incorrectly being heard in several interiors all over the game.

Barber

– Fixed barbers not working if previously killed when loading saves from version 1.3 or older.

– Fixed the Bone Dome haircut clipping into view while reading a book when seated.

Combat

– Fixed an issue where the player could lose quest weapons if knocked out while holding them.

Crime

– Fixed certain crimes not clearing after loading a pre-crime save.

Cutscenes

– Fixed occasional cutscene crashes.

Daily life

– Fixed several NPCs in Peter of Pisek’s house sleeping during the day.

Environment

– Fixed multiple safe spots and possible stuck spots in the Trosky and Kuttenberg regions.

– Fixed a missing texture on a certain Sigismund army tent.

– Fixed a LoD model of one of the rock formations.

Horse

– Travelling between regions no longer unequips horse items.

Inventory

– Fixed a rare crash when player inserted a weapon into a belt slot.

– Fixed outfit-restoration logic on first inventory open after NPC-triggered equipment changes, which caused issues such as quest-reward items disappearing or outfits being pulled from other save files.

Map

– Fixed the map opening as a black screen in Hardcore mode.

Visuals

– Fixed bocky sun shadows when using certain graphics settings.

– Fixed prolonged black screens when starting the game after changing auto-detected PC specs.

Platform-specific

– SteamLink – Implemented controller support.

– XBOX – Fixed distant terrain textures and nearby vegetation flickering.

Quests

All’s Fair…

– Fixed the ‘Fine shoes of cobbler Vejmola’ dissapearing from player’s inventory when travelling to another region.

Civic Duty

– Quest now correctly fails when the player completes the The Thieves’ Code.

Damsel in Distress

– Fixed a possibility of the quest not properly starting when loading a save made on version 1.1 or older in the Trosky region.

Hunger and Despair

– Fixed player equipment logic in the final dialogue with Capon.

Invaders

– Fixed music getting stuck on a single melody after leaving the Cuman camp.

Materia Prima

– Fixed the quest failing to start on saves from version 1.3 or older in the Kuttenberg region when Miller Kreyzl is dead.

Popinjay Shoot

– Fixed the contest ending prematurely due to the opponent switching to open-world behaviors.

So it begins…

– Fixed the quest becoming unprogressable if Mikesh failed to appear.

The Blacksmith’s Son

– Fixed receiving an incorrect recipe when loading saves from version 1.0 in the Kuttenberg region.

The Devil’s Pack

– Fixed the quest sometimes having no active objective.

The Fifth Commandment

– Fixed Gotzlin sometimes levitating or teleporting while he’s supposed to lie still.

The Magic Arrow

– Fixed bandits not reacting properly if player got into a fight with them and surrendered.

[DLC] LEGACY OF THE FORGE

– Adjusted death protection of Father Frantishek.

– Added gestures and facial animations throughout the storyline.

– Improved seated dialogue cameras with Master Eichner.

– Fixed the objectives for finding the bandit camps sometimes not completing correctly.

– Fixed the activity being unavailable under certain conditions despite an active Quest Giver marker.

– Fixed an incorrect Activity Giver marker on Ragman.

– Fixed the activity not being available in certain stages of The Fifth Commandment quest.

– Fixed the Knight’s cabinet not repairing stored items.

– Fixed an issue preventing conversations with the Leech after skipping the race via time-skip.

– Stashes in stables and alchemy cabins are now connected with the player’s chest.

[DLC] mysteria ecclesiae

– Added gestures and facial animations across the storyline.

– Adjusted cameras when talking to the dice-playing monks.

– Updated clothing of certain workers to better differentiate them.

– Updated death protection of several quest-related NPCs.

– Adjusted gestures and cameras when showing Librarian Crispin the Jerusalem cross.

– Adjusted Henry’s dialogue upon entering the hidden room in Anamnesis.

– Improved transitions between cutscenes and music in The Time Has Come.

– Crayfish-counting objective no longer appears if the quest wasn’t accepted.

– Blazhena’s neighbours now only talk about her after Henry learns of her significance.

– Cathedral windows no longer dissapear in the distance.

– Confessor Stephen now correctly lies in bed during his dialogues.

– Disabled inappropriate optional dialogue with Albich in Silent Witnesses.

– Disabled the option to begin taking Bavor’s sword while stile chatting with the incoming bandits.

– Fixed failing objective after Denes is killed.

– Fixed Anamnesis not responding correctly after fleeing combat with Zdenyek.

– Fixed Constantine’s daycycle after returning back to monastery.

– Fixed Henry’s skin clipping through the plaque outfit.

– Fixed NPCs twitching after epilogue dialogues.

– Fixed Zdenyek not having an axe in hand after one of his dialogues in which he’s waving it.

– Fixed lingering “extra supplies” dialogue after Silent Witnesses is completed.

– Fixed a possible infinite fader when committing crimes and reentering the monastery repeatedly.

– Fixed a technical placeholder ID appearing in a Silent Witnesses dialogue.

– Fixed a incorrect ingredient in the recipe for St. Roch’s Potion.

– Fixed dialogue innitiation with Monk Vincent while he is still asleep.

– Fixed dialog initiation with dice-playing monks while they are reacting to Henry’s crimes.

– Fixed Librarian Crispin not starting his monologue while reading notes.

– Fixed an issue where dialogue lines with sitting monks could not be skipped.

– Fixed an issue where duelling with the knights in their encampment being replayable from the start.

– Fixed an issue where initial chat with Albich would repeat when player is far away.

– Fixed an issue where moving player’s head around while investigating Bavor’s body caused snappy camera.

– Fixed candlelights not being visible from the chapel scaffolding.

– Fixed bright, cloudy water in the monastery cellar.

– Fixed missing buff icons for Anti-inflammatory and St. Roch’s potions.

– Fixed Brother Petromil incorrectly mentioning if Sigismund is present or left the monastery during the guided tour.

– Fixed multiple safe spots and possible stuck spots.

– Fixed placeholder text appearing in a cutscene.

– Fixed player being able to sit on Vincent’s bed while he is occupying it.

– Fixed player sitting down much faster while wearing a habit.

– Fixed rain audio between cutscenes and gameplay in The Time Has Come.

– Fixed rain appearing in certain monastery interiors.

– Fixed Albich’s spectacles being a stolen item.

– Fixed the incorrect descriptions on Teutonic items.

– Fixed the player levitating when investigating the mural.

– Fixed various visual glitches on the murals.

– Henry can now inform the Abbot about the monastery wine getting diluted.

– Henry no longer mentions the blessed die to the dice-playing monks if he never learned about it.

– Improved ledges around the monastery and in the cellar.

– Dialogue with Confessor Stephen about flowers is now blocked without flowers.

– Knights of the Order now properly fight in the arena during their free time.

– Objective to talk to the herbalist is no longer started after delivering the message about Constantine to Athanasius.

– Optional objective to get shown around the monastery now fails if Brother Petromil dies.

– Polished wounded monk conversation animation.

– Polished shadows in the the monastery closing cutscene.

– Removed the option to mention the barking dog in front of the hops storage even after completing the quest.

[Source – Kingdom Come Deliverance II Patch Notes]

The post Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Update 1.5.2 Adds Stability Improvements, Quest Fixes & More; Full Patch Notes Listed appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Fresh gameplay of Resident Evil Requiem has surfaced online from a Japanese TV feature on the franchise, which depicts heroine Grace Ashcroft fighting against shambling undead in what appears to be a new location not previously showcase by Capcom.

The footage features the game’s third-person camera and sees Grace popping a few rounds in a zombie before her lumbering adversary manages to grab her for quite bite. She manages to escape, although there appears to be another zombie on the prowl and so the player quickly makes a beeline for the stairs. Insider Dusk Golem noted that this clip is “100% the censored Japanese version” as the program aired in Japan.

You can watch it here.

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Resident Evil Requiem is set around 30 years after the events of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, which resulted in the destruction of Raccoon City to contain the T-Virus outbreak. Grace, daughter of Alyssa from Resident Evil Outbreak, is now an FBI agent investigating a series of grisly murders in the same location that her mother was brutally killed some years before.

Capcom will publish Resident Evil Requiem is due out for PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S on February 27, 2026. Dusk Golem previously stated that he has heard of at least one DLC set to launch for the upcoming survival horror title, although nothing official has been confirmed yet.

[Source – Dusk Golem on X]

The post Resident Evil Requiem Gameplay Reveals Zombie Combat In Creepy New Setting appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Judas developer Ghost Story Games has delved into the creation process behind the game’s main protagonist, noting the significance of the game being named after its lead.

Speaking at length about the creation of Judas, which is being masterminded by BioShock creator Ken Levine, Drew Mitchell, the Lead Narrative Designer for Judas, commented:

Where I think Judas differs the most from BioShock or BioShock Infinite is right there in the name. The game is named after her. Booker and Jack were strangers in a strange land, just like the player. Judas is a native of the Mayflower. In fact, she’s at the center of the events that set the story in motion. She’s got history with this world and the people in it—most of it very, very bad. Her story is about so much more than getting off a sinking ship, and it gives the player so many ways to determine how her journey plays out.

It’s always a risk to hand the player a really defined, really vocal character to control. You always worry about creating dissonance between them. So, it’s been great to see testers stop and ask themselves, ‘What would Judas do here? How would she react?’ It shows they’re in conversation with the character and taking her and the journey seriously.

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Levine spoke about Judas earlier this year during a chat with Nightdive Studios, where he described the project as an “old school” and “traditional” single-player game, which in many ways echoes the type of gaming experiences he had while growing up. There’s also no online component or live service elements, and made it clear that “you buy the game and you get the hole thing.”

Judas has yet to attract a release date.

The post Ghost Story Games Dives Into Judas’ Protagonist: ‘She’s Got History With This World, And The People In It — Most Of It Very, Very Bad’ appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced plans to host a free online multiplayer weekend for PS5 & PS4 users, allowing those of you who have yet to fork out for one of the three PlayStation Plus tiers to take your favourite games online without dropping any cash.

The free multiplayer weekend will kick off at 0.01am local time on December 6, 2025 and will wrap up on 23.59pm local time on December 7. During this time, PS Plus membership won’t be required at all for whatever online gaming activities you get up to, and there’s plenty of titles to take advantage of.

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While we’re on the subject of PS Plus, Sony recently launched the PS Plus Essential December 2025 free games lineup, which features five games for you to nab. The format holder announced earlier this year that PS4 games will only be offered occasionally for PS Plus’ monthly games, as the company looks to put its focus on PS5 from January 2026 onwards.

PS Plus recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, having originally launched in June 2010 during the PS3 era. Prior to that, it wasn’t necessary to pay for online gaming on a Sony console, although the freebies awarded with PS Plus more than make up for that.

[Source – PushSquare]

The post Sony Is Hosting A Free Online Multiplayer Weekend For PS5 & PS4 Users Beginning Dec. 6 appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the PS5 system update 25.08-12.40.00 is now rolling out for users in what is described as a ‘phased release,’ so you may not have it in your region just yet. Fortunately, there’s nothing to get too excited about with this latest PS5 firmware update, as it’s another one of those ubiquitous stability updates. Read the PS5 system update 25.08-12.40.00 patch notes below.

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The PS5 recently marked its fifth anniversary on the market, having launched in November 2020 during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Initial stock sold out fast, and the console was not readily available at retailers for nearly two years as a result of a shortage of manufacturing components brought on by the pandemic.

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• We’ve improved the messages and usability on some screens.
• We’ve improved system software performance and stability.

[Source – Sony PS5 on X]

The post PS5 System Update 25.08-12.40.00 Is Now Rolling Out For Users In ‘Phased Release’ appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund will own 93% of publishing giant Electronic Arts once the the $55 million buyout deal has been completed.

While it had previously been confirmed that a group of private investors would be acquiring EA, which included PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, it has now emerged that the Saudi Arabia PIF will control 93% of the Battlefield 6 publisher, according to filings with Brazil’s antitrust regulator.

In regards to the other companies involved in the buyout, it is reported that Silver Lake and Affinity will hold a 5.5 and 1.1 percent stake in EA, respectively. According to a previous report on the Financial Times, Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, was a key figure in facilitating a deal between EA and the PIF, despite not being mentioned in SEC filings that detail the timeline of the transaction.

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Back in September during the announcement of the buyout, EA confirmed that the deal had been approved by its board of directors and is expected to close during the first quarter of the publisher’s fiscal year 2027. Following its completion, Andrew Wilson will remain in his role as CEO and EA will maintain its Redwood City headquarters.

[Source – The Wall Street Journal via Kotaku]

The post Saudi Arabia’s PIF Will Own 93% Of EA Once The $55 Billion Buyout Is Complete appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy developer Eidos Montreal has been hit by more layoffs, as a number of former employees have taken to social media to confirm that they have lost their jobs with the company.

Samuel Daher, who worked as a gameplay director at Eidos Montreal, confirmed that they were laid off in a post on LinkedIn: “Hey there!” Was working at Eidos, loved it and would have stayed, but times are difficult.”

Earlier this year, Eidos Montreal revealed that it had laid off 75 staff following completion of a support role for a project at one of its sibling studios within Embracer. In early 2024, Embracer revealed that it had let go 97 staff members at EIdos Montreal and had cancelled development of a Deus Ex project that had been in the pipeline.

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A report in April 2025 had claimed that Eidos Montreal is keen to resurrect the Deus Ex franchise and is regularly pitching new ideas without a publisher having committed to a series revival.

[Source – LinkedIn via Insider Gaming]

The post Eidos Montreal Hit By More Layoffs As Staffers Take To Social Media To Confirm Job Losses appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

The director behind the upcoming The Blood of Dawnwalker at Rebel Wolves has revealed during an interview with Eurogamer that the RPG doesn’t have a traditional main quest, with the studio instead wanting to bring video games “closer to pen-and-paper RPGs.”

“No, there’s no main quest,” said Konrad Tomaskiewicz. “You build your experience from the quests you encounter. You know where your [enemy is]. You can attack this place anytime you want to. It’s up to you if you want to do it by yourself, or if you want to build yourself, find the powerful items, develop your character, or do some quests and find allies to help you do it.”

We want to bring video games closer to pen-and-paper RPGs and give you the freedom to experience what you want to experience.

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It’s important to note that The Blood of Dawnwalker does have an overall narrative beating at its heart, namely the fact the main character Coen, has to save his family in 30 days and 30 nights. How you go about this is up to you then, but precious time is cost deepening on what you get up to in the game world.

“We wanted to take a step forward with the evolution and bring something new, and create our own area in the genre,” said Tomaskiewicz.

The Blood of Dawnwalker is slated to launch at some point in 2026 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

Back in February, the game’s creative director revealed that the development team are looking to replicate this same quality with The Blood of Dawnwalker as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and is aiming for the main story to last around 30-40 hours — a smaller figure than The Witcher 3 as the team is not as big.

For those who are wondering about all the comparisons to The Witcher 3, it’s important to remember that Rebel Wolves is made up of a number of ex-CD Projekt RED staffers, including Tomaskiewicz, who directed the 2015 fantasy-RPG epic.

[Source – Eurogamer]

The post Rebel Wolves’ The Blood Of Dawnwalker Doesn’t Have A Main Quest: ‘You Build Your Experience From The Quests You Encounter’ appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, has revealed during an appearance on British TV series Sunday Brunch that he’s working with AI for his next game, but believes the technology is “not as useful as some of the companies would have you believe.”

Houser, who is now fronting Absurd Ventures after departing Rockstar Games five years ago, was promoting his novel A Better Paradise, which plucks inspiration from the AI revolution, video game development, and the growth of technology during the coronavirus pandemic.

With all things [the games industry] can either go somewhere really interesting or somewhere that gets overly focused on making money. There’s always that danger with any commercial artform that [companies] get distracted by money. But I think there’s still a big ceiling creatively to make these kinds of living narrative experiences. I think that’s what we were always trying to do [with the GTA games].

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With all these technology companies, people get rich and powerful on a scale almost nobody’s ever seen before. They’re give or take the richest people who ever lived and in some ways the most powerful people who ever lived in terms of influencing the world. And all the companies start out the same way: ‘we’re here to make things better, we’re here to help people, we’re here to fix the world’. And then they get this kind of Faustian moment where ‘we’re also going to get extremely rich and extremely powerful’. And things get corrupted.

In the story yeah there’s lots of AI characters. We are dabbling in using AI. The truth is a lot of it’s not as useful as some of the companies would have you believe yet. It’s not going to solve all of the problems.

Speaking during an interview with Lex Fridman earlier this month, Houser revealed that Rockstar Games’ Agent, which was in development as a PS3-exclusive around 2009, failed to see the light of day as he believes the spy genre isn’t suited to an open-world template. He also said during the same chat that he believes Red Dead Redemption 3 will eventually happen, but feels the series was best suited to its two-game arc (not counting the spiritual predecessor Red Dead Revolver, that is).

[Source – Sunday Brunch via Eurogamer]

The post Dan Houser ‘Dabbling In Using AI’ For His Next Major Project At Absurd Ventures appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Black Friday is now in full swing at major retailers (who now typically run the sales across an entire week rather than the Friday itself), and that means you can now grab some solid deals on the PS5 Pro, which is retailing for over £100 off the usual asking price.

On Amazon, the PS5 Pro can be snapped up with a 16% discount off its usual RRP, bringing the price down to £589.99. If on the other hand you are in the market for a PS5 Digital-Only Edition you can grab it for £289.99, which is 33% off the usual asking price. Meanwhile the PS5 Standard Edition is currently available on the Black Friday sale for £379.

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Sony previously announced last week ahead of Black Friday that it would be discounting a range of products in the sale, including hardware, accessories, games and PS Plus memberships via PlayStation Direct. For example, PlayStation Portal is now available for £179.99, the PULSE Elite Wireless Headset can be snapped up for £109.99, and the DualSense Edge Wireless Controller is discounted at £169.99.

[Source – VGC, PlayStation Direct]

The post Black Friday Deals Cut PS5 Pro Price By Over £100 appeared first on PlayStation Universe.

Udo Kier, the German actor who portrayed Yuri in Command & Conquer: Red Alert II and starred in films such as Blade and End of Days, has passed away aged 81. In wake of his passing, Hideo Kojima has paid tribute to Kier, who was set to star in the Metal Gear creator’s upcoming horror title, OD.

It all happened far too suddenly. Because of the strike, we weren’t able to shoot OD for a long time, and we were forced to reschedule to next year. Even during that time, Udo and I exchanged emails frequently. We stayed in close contact.

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When we met in Milan at the end of September, he told me how much he was looking forward to the shoot starting up again next year. He was full of energy then too, making me laugh with his usual ‘Udo-isms.’ I still can’t believe this. Udo wasn’t just an actor. He was truly an icon of his time. We’ve lost a great icon. There will never be another like him. Udo, rest in peace. I will never forget you.

Kier appeared in more than 220 movies throughout his career and also worked extensively as a voice actor, having appeared not only in the aforementioned Red Alert 2 and its expansion, but also Call of Duty: WWII, Martha is Dead, and various TV shows including Beware the Batman, Axe Cop, and Hunters.

Back in April, Kojima-san revealed that phase 2 of Kojima Productions would kick off following the completion of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (which has since released for PS5) and Project OD.

[Source – Hideo Kojima on X]

The post Hideo Kojima Pays Tribute To Udo Kier, Who Has Passed Away Aged 81 And Was Set To Appear In Kojima’s Horror Game OD appeared first on PlayStation Universe.