Now, PS Blog readers, if you could just place both fingers lightly on the planchette of the spirit board in front of you, we can begin.

We’re very excited to reveal that there’s not long until you can join Vivian and Amy for a séance in Fear the Spotlight. But before you enter Sunnyside High, we wanted to dive into how we’ve been inspired by classic PlayStation experiences to bring our modern horror adventure to life. As you may have just seen in the recently released trailer, the aesthetic style, gameplay mechanics, and tone all come from a deep nostalgia over the games of the past.

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Our studio name, Cozy Game Pals, actually came about long before we decided to make a horror game, but we do think there is something exceptionally comforting about the classic, original PlayStation art style. It’s nostalgic and reminds us of playing our first horror games, in bedrooms around the TV with siblings, daring to brave the original Silent Hill. We feel like Vivian’s journey in Fear the Spotlight is actually a welcoming one in a world of high fidelity horror graphics. 

There might not be 4K gore running down the walls of Sunnyside’s halls, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to be on edge. Another gift of this particular art style and the purposeful dithering (the name of that grainy retro look) is the fact that it gives you just enough to let your imagination run away with you. Was that a shape between the stacks in the library? Did a head just appear around the corner and disappear? Or are your eyes playing tricks on you? 

In Fear the Spotlight, all of the above might be true but, like the best horror movie experiences, we want to make sure you paint horror pictures in your mind far scarier than anything we could ever show you.

Not only is the original PlayStation art style comforting, nostalgic, and allows for seriously atmospheric scares, but it also suits us on a practical level. Cozy Game Pals is just the two of us, Bryan and Crista (hi!). A lo-fi approach to visuals has meant that we can be efficient and really lean into crafting the atmosphere and pacing throughout the game. We love playing with your expectations an

We are excited to share with you the latest look from Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In this new gameplay slice, captured on PlayStation 5, watch Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero, fighting alongside two companions, Taash and Lucanis, that we brought along specifically for this battle.  There are seven companions in total in the game, and these make up the Veilguard – who are tasked with Rook to take on corrupt ancient gods who are hellbent on destroying the world.  

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As seen in the trailer, the blighted gods have unleashed a fearsome dragon on Thedas.  It will be up to you, as Rook, to use all your tactical skills and abilities in the fight – whilst commanding your companions in battle with the ability wheel – to fight smart and strategically deliver the most devastating attacks and combos to bring the gigantic beast down.

The Rook featured in this battle is a Mage – one of three classes you can choose when you create your character.  Mages rain down fury with spells that incinerate, freeze, electrocute and crush. Some cast from afar, while others prefer close quarters combat. 

The mage class can switch between two weapon sets – a Staff for ranged attacks, or an Elemental Orb and Dagger for close quarters combat.  Eagle eyed players might be able to see Rook is facing off against an ice dragon in the trailer, which is vulnerable to fire.  Because of this, the player has equipped an Orb that enhances Burning damage, alongside supplementary skills that complement the equipped weaponry. 

Throughout the fight, Rook commands her companions to utilize abilities that set up powerful damage combinations.  For example, when the dragon is staggered, Rook primes the target by commanding Lucanis to use the “Debilitate” ability.  This applies the “Sundered” status, which is then detonated by Rook’s “Dark Squall” ability.  This Primer + Detonator combo produces massive damage, getting the group closer to victory.

To end the battle, Rook uses the equipped ultimate ability “Thunderous End”, unleashing a massive amount of damage, shocking enemies in a wide radius.  This is perfect against a large target like the ice dragon you’re facing off against.

UPDATE: PlayStation 5 Pro will launch in Singapore and Malaysia on November 7, 2024 with Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of SGD 1,069 / RM 3,849. Pre-order will begin from September 26, 2024 in participating retailers

Over the last four years since the launch of PS5, we’ve worked hard to continuously evolve the console experience and deliver the great games our players expect from us. Today, I’m incredibly proud to announce the next step in that evolution and welcome PlayStation 5 Pro to the PlayStation family – our most advanced and innovative console hardware to date.

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We developed PS5 Pro with deeply engaged players and game creators in mind – as many have asked for a console that runs even higher fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates at 60FPS. We achieved this on PS5 Pro with several key performance features.*

• Upgraded GPU: With PS5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
  
• Advanced Ray Tracing: We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.
  
• AI-Driven Upscaling: We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

PS5 Pro provides gamers with amazing graphics at high frame rates. You can hear Mark Cerny, lead architect for PS5 Pro, discuss the key innovations from PS5 Pro in the following video presentation. This presentation provides a deep dive into the key performance features that make PS5 Pro truly special.

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Embark on a journey to claim the throne and change the world

After the king’s assassination, an election for the next monarch unfolds and thus begins your fight for the throne.

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State of Play is back on September 25! Tune in live for news and updates on more than 20 upcoming PS5 and PS VR2 games from studios around the world.

The 30+ minute show begins September 25 at 5:00am (Bangkok / Jakarta) / 6:00am (Singapore / Kuala Lumpur / Manila) YouTube and Twitch, and will be broadcast in English and Japanese. See you tomorrow!

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Regarding co-streaming and video-on-demand (VOD)

Please note that this broadcast may include copyrighted content (e.g. licensed music) that PlayStation does not control. We welcome and celebrate our amazing co-streamers and creators, but licensing agreements outside our control could interfere with co-streams or VOD archives of this broadcast. If you’re planning to save this broadcast as a VOD to create recap videos, or to repost clips or segments from the show, we advise omitting any copyrighted music.

State of Play is back tomorrow, September 24! Tune in live for news and updates on more than 20 upcoming PS5 and PS VR2 games from studios around the world.

The 30+ minute show begins September 24 at 3pm PT / 6pm ET | September 25 12am CEST / 7am JST on YouTube and Twitch, and will be broadcast in English and Japanese. See you tomorrow!

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Regarding co-streaming and video-on-demand (VOD)

Please note that this broadcast may include copyrighted content (e.g. licensed music) that PlayStation does not control. We welcome and celebrate our amazing co-streamers and creators, but licensing agreements outside our control could interfere with co-streams or VOD archives of this broadcast. If you’re planning to save this broadcast as a VOD to create recap videos, or to repost clips or segments from the show, we advise omitting any copyrighted music.

Last week, we asked you to take Astro Bot’s new abilities for a spin using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

Evo_Pixel shares Astro packing a punch with the Frog Gloves.

shimo_ps shares Astro blowing up to new heights with the Octo-Balloon.

kanon06 shares Astro shrunken down with the Mouse ability.

AutomotiveVP shares Astro blasting upwards with the Chicken rocket.

Doodlesgtm shares Astro pausing the scenery with the Time-Stopper ability.

KTKomedy2813 shares Astro soaking up in size with the Sponge ability.

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Astro Bot – VIP Bots
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 25, 2024 

Next week, we’re rescuing some familiar faces in Astro Bot. Share moments with your favorite VIP Bots using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

September 20, 2024 – SEGA is thrilled to unveil Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, a brand-new action-adventure title launching for PlayStation^®5, PlayStation^®4 on February 28, 2025. Starting from today, pre-orders are now available on each platform.

Details about the game’s cast, story, and combat system have also been revealed, along with a world premiere trailer.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii places Goro Majima at the center of a story set after the events of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Set on the tropical waters and islands of Hawaii, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii offers an unpredictable assortment of high seas thrills. Sail aboard the Goromaru and enjoy hot-blooded battles, a treasure trove of minigames, and a colorful cast of characters performed by an all-star cast!

Story

After losing his memory, Goro Majima, a once-feared legend in the yakuza world, sets sail in search of treasure.

Half a year after teaming up with Kiryu for a massive battle in the Millenium Tower, Goro Majima washes up with the wreckage of a boat on the shore of a remote, sparsely populated island. With no memories—not even his own name—Majima joins forces with Noah, the young islander who saved his life, and embarks on a search for clues to his forgotten past. However, what waits for them is a powder-keg world where scoundrels vie for a legendary treasure.

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BioWare’s lore-rich fantasy RPG series makes its long-awaited return when Dragon Age: The Veilguard comes to PS5 on October 31, after nearly a decade since the last installment. The Veilguard takes place across the northern region of Thedas, giving players a chance to finally explore the magical city of Tevinter. As a first-time visitor to Thedas’ world of magic, my recent hands-on with the game was an enlightening introduction to the deep storytelling of the series grounded by the game’s intuitive real-time combat and enchanting visuals. 

Customize everything

My hands-on journey began by thoroughly exploring The Veilguard’s extensive character creator, following an opening animation highlighting where the story left off in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The Dragon Age series is known to offer highly detailed character customization, but I was surprised to see just how in-depth The Veilguard went with options to customize nearly every physical aspect of your character, from diverse head and body shapes to tattoos (options for face and full body), make-up, and facial scars. In particular, the various hair textures shown in the selection of close to 100 hairstyles look so detailed and realistic that you can see the care developers put into each hair follicle.

Once I finished customizing my character for nearly half an hour (I could have spent hours on this), I played around with the new lighting preview feature. The new feature allows you to see your character in up to four different lighting settings to ensure your creation is faithful to your vision before you commence your journey through Thedas.

Similar to past games in the series the character creator is where you choose your combatant’s race and class. Additionally, The Veilguard adds a feature to pick between six Factions, including options for Grey Wardens, Veil Jumpers, Shadow Dragons, Lords of Fortune, the Mourn Watch, and Antivan Crows. Be sure to select carefully as a chosen Faction directly influences a character’s unique backstory and even future dialogue choices.

Combat with companions

The fast-paced and intuitive combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard was the cherry on top of my experience with the game. As a self-described beginner when it comes to most game genres, the combat controls were easy enough to pick up while providing a high ceiling for the more advanced players to put together combo attacks with companions.

As we continue our celebrations leading up to the 30th anniversary of the first PlayStation console launch, we have a special treat to reveal today that brings the past together with the present.

Introducing our PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection to celebrate this wonderful milestone.

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The new limited edition designs pay homage to 30 wonderful years of gaming, a journey made possible by the passion and support of our fans and talented game developers. Reminiscent of the very first PlayStation console to launch on December 3, 1994, this limited edition offering utilizes the original PlayStation color design and integrates it into the latest line of PS5 hardware products.

The PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection will be sold in highly limited supply in the following options:

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