Launching September 24 on PlayStation 5, Silent Hill: Townfall marks the latest entry in the iconic psychological horror franchise. In this article, we bring you insights from Motoi Okamoto, producer for the Silent Hill series at Konami and Jon McKellan, writer and director at Scotland-based developer Screen Burn Interactive.  

Could you share why you chose Screen Burn as the development team for this title?

Motoi Okamoto: We were introduced to Screen Burn by Annapurna Interactive, who co-published the title with us. Annapurna has an incredible track record of success with narrative and art-driven indie games, so we fully trusted their taste. I had personally played Screen Burn’s previous titles Stories Untold and Observation, and both were fantastic, so I felt confident leaving the project in their hands.

When asking Jon to handle the narrative, were there any specific requirements or guidelines regarding what makes a game “Silent Hill?”

Okamoto: While Konami does have an internal “bible” or storyline guidelines, I believe the most crucial part of the process is for the developers and writers themselves to analyze the Silent Hill series and build their own bible. Handing over a thick manual from our end wouldn’t necessarily resonate with a team. That’s why we ask every development team we collaborate with to go through that personal discovery process.

What were your thoughts on setting the game in Scotland?

Jon McKellan: Scotland is where we grew up; it’s the environment most familiar and natural for us to depict. To create a meticulous, persuasive setting, we felt it was essential to build a world we knew inside and out. That’s why we chose Scotland. On top of that, Scotland is naturally a very foggy region, making it a perfect fit for Silent Hill. There were times when we’d take photos outside and think, “We’re literally standing in Silent Hill right now…”

Okamoto: Silent Hill frequently collaborates with development studios worldwide. Through these partnerships, we can blend diverse regional cultures and perspectives to deliver fresh, innovative horror experiences.

This title marks the first full-length Silent Hill game to adopt a first-person perspective. While Silent Hill: The Short Message (released in 2024) also used first-person viewpoint, it was a smaller standalone experience. Despite being developed by different teams, did that title influence Silent Hill: Townfall?

Okamoto: Beyond having different developers, the production timelines were completely different, so there was no direct exchange of technical know-how. The fact that both Silent Hill: Townfall and Silent Hill: The Short Message ended up in first-person was purely coincidental.

McKellan: Since there was no overlap, our team at Screen Burn was able to play Silent Hill: The Short Message with a completely fresh persp

The line between supernatural horrors and the psychological struggles of characters is often blurred between Silent Hill games, but it might never have been as hazy as it is in Silent Hill: Townfall. I recently played about four hours of the first-person survival-horror game, in which protagonist Simon finds himself in a foggy Scottish town full of horrors, but seemingly can’t quite make out what’s real and what’s only in his mind.

My preview began at the start of Townfall, with Simon apparently responding to a letter asking him to return to the mysterious town of St. Amelia. One moment it appears Simon is drifting towards the dock aboard a boat. The next, he bursts out of the water and pulls himself ashore as if he’s just awoken there. The details of Simon’s arrival to St. Amelia seems intentionally ambiguous.

He sets off into St. Amelia, trying to find out what’s going on, but it seems to be abandoned. As you make your way down the city streets, he hears shouting and sees flashes, implying there’s a protest or a riot — only to discover the town square is empty of people.

Is Simon hallucinating, or are dark forces leading him on in St. Amelia? It’s impossible to say, especially after Simon answers a ringing pay phone and hears a cryptic voice pushing him to find a woman named Zoe. He’s suddenly transported into an underground structure hued in red light, which indicates it as part of Silent Hill’s twisted version of the real world, known as the Otherworld.

Hello PlayStation Blog community! I’m back for the last time (…maybe) to share what to expect in the latest and final, free Ball x Pit update. Titled The Naturalist Update, players can expect more of what they love when it releases next week on August 6 and I’m here to share a brand new trailer, gameplay clips, and give you some content details of what to expect in the next update.

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Be fleet of foot to survive a post-apocalyptic cityscape alone or with pals, buddy up to walk and talk your way through a pleasant puzzle-filled world, or take a solo trip into a dystopian future for a brooding slice of psychological survival horror with the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for August. Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, Big Walk and Signalis will all be available to PlayStation Plus members* from Tuesday August 4 until Monday August 31. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of the games. 

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Hi, PlayStation community! I’m Matt from Monster Couch, and I’m super excited to share that Flamecraft is coming to PlayStation 5 later this year. In the meantime, if you’re curious to see what awaits you in Flamecraft’s whimsical town, the demo is available today on PlayStation Store!

The demo lets you visit a selection of the town’s unique shops, meet some of the cheerful Artisan and Fancy Dragons you’ll encounter in the full game, play against bot opponents across three difficulty levels or gather up to five players for local multiplayer. To help you get started, we prepared a tutorial that will walk you through the basics of being a Flamekeeper. 

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Last week, we asked you to share swashbuckling moments from Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

kerplaaaah shares Edward swinging off the Jackdaw by rope

artenpixels_ shares the Jackdaw getting drawn into a waterspout tornado

_GenieCrazy_ shares Edward overlooking some ships with his cutlass drawn

gh_holy_mash Edward steering the Jackdaw away from a sunken ship

Photomode_Raro shares Edward cuddling an island cat

fbcarlos.vp shares Edward wading through alligator infested waters

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: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced – Jackdaw
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on August 5, 2026 

For the next two weeks, hoist the sails and share shots aboard the Jackdaw in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Hello everyone, I am Takeshi Yamanaka, producer of MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Earlier today at San Diego Comic-Con, we hosted the panel MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls — Behind the Battle. where we shared several new announcements and updates about the game. Today I would like to recap those reveals here on PlayStation Blog.

Phoenix Cyclops confirmed as the first year 1 additional character

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Today, we revealed tons of new story details about Marvel’s Wolverine at San Diego Comic-Con, including our exciting new Story Trailer! But we know that not everyone can make it to SDCC in person, so let’s catch you up on everything that went down during our panel.

Insomniac Games’ Creative Director Marcus Smith, Game Director Mike Daly, Sr. Project Director Jess-Reiner-Reed, and Narrative Director Walt Williams were joined by the game’s cast, Liam McIntyre (Logan/Wolverine) and Krizia Bajos (Jean Grey), and Eric Monacelli, Executive Producer on Marvel Games on stage. We dove deep into our game’s story and characters, and teased what’s to come for fans in September.

Get the full scoop! 

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Halo: Combat Evolved is a landmark game that helped define the experience of early console first-person shooters. But with Halo: Campaign Evolved, Halo Studios has introduced a number of changes to bring the game into the modern era. Halo’s debut on PlayStation uses new mechanics, tweaked controls, haptic feedback, and adjusted weapons to make this a fresh spin on a shooter icon.

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Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero made its mark in 2024 as the latest installment of the Budokai Tenkaichi series after 17 years. The game launched with more than 180 characters on day one and currently has over 200 playable characters! 

However, what is Dragon Ball without surpassing your limits? The Sparking Zero team decided to take it further with the upcoming Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero – Super Limit-Breaking Neo DLC. This new DLC is jam-packed with new characters, stages, a solo mode, and more. 

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