Star Ocean The Divine Force will soon touch down on PS5 and PS4! This action-packed science-fiction RPG presents a bold new vision for the beloved RPG series, with a powerful story, innovative traversal mechanics, and a combat system that’s just… *chef’s kiss.

That said, we suspect that some of you may still be wondering what this game is all about. Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know:

It’s the sixth mainline entry in the Star Ocean series…

You may have played a Star Ocean game before – or at least heard of it. The series has been around since 1996 and has won many fans thanks to distinct science-fiction trappings. While many RPGs lean into fantasy tropes, the Star Ocean series embraces space opera wholeheartedly – think spaceships, interplanetary travel, advanced technologies, and the like. Even now it feels very unique in the genre.

Star Ocean The Divine Force is the sixth mainline title in the series and brings with it excitingly fresh ideas, including unparalleled freedom of movement and a blisteringly fast combat system.

…but it’s completely standalone

Similar to other RPG series like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, each entry in the Star Ocean series works as a standalone adventure. There’s no need to have played through the previous games to work out what’s going on – the entire narrative from start to finish is contained within the game. Of course, if you are a fan of the previous games, you may spot a reference or two…

It’s an epic adventure that fuses science fiction and fantasy

The adventure begins when starship captain Raymond Lawrence crash lands on the planet of Aster IV. This dangerous world is like stepping into a long-forgotten past for the young spacefarer – people still live in castles, wear plate armor and kingdoms wage war against one other. Joining forces with a warrior princess named Laeticia, he sets off to find the rest of his crew and get off the planet… unaware that he will soon find himself embroiled in a conflict that threatens the entire universe.

The dual protagonist system returns from previous games

At the beginning of your adventure, you’ll be able to choose between two main characters: Raymond or Laeticia. This isn’t just a cosmetic decision – the events that transpire and the allies you can recruit will differ depending on who you play as.

You can play as Raymond …

Raymond is the captain of the merchant vessel Ydas, operating under Lawrence Logistics – a company run by his family. He’s a friendly guy with big hair and a bigger heart. He can be brash and reckless, which often gets himself into trouble – but he’ll throw himself into the heart of danger to protect his friends. He’s a protagonist who’s easy to love.

…or Laeticia

Laeticia is Princess of the Kingdom of Aucerius: a large territory located on the underdeveloped planet of Aster IV. She’s a knight and highly skilled with the dual blades, something that makes her greatly admired by her people.   Laeticia is insatiably curious and her encounter with Raymond opens her eyes to a bigger world than she knows… but more than anything she loves her kingdom and will do whatever she can to protect it.

Hello, I am Konami producer Motoi Okamoto. When it came to reviving Silent Hill, what we saw as most important was to do so together with those who love the series. Silent Hill had been, if you will, ”silent” for many years. Yet, even during that silence, we had been receiving proposals for new entries and remakes. This is truly a franchise that is beloved by so many fans.

Bloober Team was one such team with the most passionate of proposals. They are a studio that truly loves and specializes in horror games. Together with creators who love Silent Hill, for fans who have a special place in their heart for Silent Hill, we have decided to remake Silent Hill 2. To explain more, I will hand it over to Mateusz Lenart, Creative Director & Lead Designer at Bloober Team. 

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The classic returns anew

Silent Hill 2 is a beloved and timeless classic – it’s almost a cliche to say it out loud, but it’s just so true for many of the Bloober Team members. This is also the reason why we approach working on the remake with such great care and respect for the original game. 

With that in mind, one of our primary goals is to preserve the atmosphere that made Silent Hill 2 so exceptional, while also modernizing many aspects of the game’s overall gameplay. We are working closely with the original creators, including Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito, to ensure we’re keeping that unique Silent Hill feel intact.

One of the new elements that you could spot in the reveal trailer is the adoption of an over-the-shoulder camera. With that change we want to immerse players even deeper into the game, make them feel like they are a part of this unreal world, and deliver them a more visceral experience across the board.

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The release of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC is an important one for Naughty Dog, as it lets us celebrate our past and introduce a new, meaningful audience to the world of Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer. But it also represents a pivotal moment for us, a chance to look ahead and expand the way we develop games, all while ensuring the level of quality our audience expects.

To achieve that, we partnered with Iron Galaxy Studios to bring two of the most emotional and thrilling Uncharted adventures to a new platform with PC-centric quality-of-life features. We’re so thrilled new players can experience these two incredible stories, all in one great package. So with its launch, let’s reflect a bit on why this release is so meaningful to Naughty Dog, and how we hope it will continue to showcase our commitment to delivering unforgettable games, now to more players than ever.

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Bringing Uncharted to PC

While PlayStation 5 remains our primary platform, we saw the possibility of bringing our games to PC as a great chance to reach a new massive, worldwide audience. When considering what to debut on PC with, we looked through our catalog and decided the beautiful, globetrotting stories of the Uncharted series felt like a natural fit to introduce to players all around the world. Now, you may be wondering why we didn’t start with the original Uncharted. We felt that, while Nathan Drake’s first three adventures from the PlayStation 3 console still stand the test of time narratively, they would require a major overhaul visually to stand-up to modern PC releases and the expectations players may have.

The Uncharted franchise comprises standalone adventures that players new and old can jump into, and so while there’s still incredible stories and character development in those first three games, we felt players could easily dive into Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and pick up Nathan, Elena, and Sully’s stories. Especially with the introduction of new characters like Sam Drake, Rafe Adler, and Nadine Ross, A Thief’s End offers so much to players regardless of their history getting into and out of trouble as Nathan Drake. And Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which is also included in the collection, offers a new playable protagonist in Chloe Frazer. Fans who know the original trilogy will be delighted to see her return, but newcomers will have no trouble understanding her wonderful story by starting with the collection.

And so, these two games, both developed on more modern hardware, and also receiving a remaster for the PlayStation 5 console, felt like perfect candidates to introduce the franchise, and Naughty Dog, to mode

Gran Turismo players! The 1.25 update for Gran Turismo 7 arrives today October 19 at 11:00pm PDT* (October 20 at 7am BST / 3pm JST). We’ll take a closer look at what’s included, but first, check out the launch trailer. 

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Four new cars join Gran Turismo 7: 

Maserati Merak SS ’80

This high-output model of the Merak has been tuned for even sharper performance. 

The Maserati Merak was a mid-engine sports car introduced in 1972. It was developed to be a sister model to the Bora which had debuted a year earlier. The exterior stylings were very similar to the Bora, both having been designed by Giugiaro. However, while the Bora had been a fastback, the Merak was a notchback with a fastback style pillar. This allowed it to retain the same silhouette while making the car feel lighter and improving engine cooling. Similarly, while the Bora housed a V8, the Merak was equipped with a 187 BHP 3L V6 taken from the Citroen SM. With this more compact engine, the seating arrangement changed to a 2+2 layout which allowed for some luggage space. A high-performance model was later released in 1975 as the Merak SS. The compression ratio was increased and other adjustments were made to tune the engine to 216 BHP, increasing the top speed from 139.8 mph to 155.3 mph.

Mazda Roadster NR-A (ND) ’22

This motorsports base model epitomizes the core concepts of the Roadster. 

Released in 2015, the 4th generation ‘ND’ Roadster received worldwide praise for its return to the Roadster’s original concept of ‘Jinba Ittai’ (“horse and rider moving as one”). The essence of the ND was most purely expressed in the NR-A grade, a motorsports oriented base model. The NR-A first joined the line-up on the 2nd generation ‘NB’ model, where it was introduced with the idea of providing an easy way for anyone to experience the joy of circuit racing. 

These ideas are carried on in the ND version which has been modified with a particular focus on sports driving. The power plant frame that connects the transmission to the rear differential has been upgraded, along with accompanying parts such as the driveshaft, LSD and differential case. 

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Sharpen your senses, warriors – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is just around the corner. 

Let’s dive into more details on a special new Operator while we wait for launch on October 28 (MWII Campaign Early Access* also available starting October 20 to those who pre-order digitally).

Announced at last month’s Call of Duty: Next showcase event, PlayStation players who pre-order any digital edition of the game at PlayStation store will receive the Oni Operator Pack** at Modern Warfare II’s launch, which includes the Hiro “Oni” Watanabe operator as well as a high-end weapon blueprint both playable in Multiplayer, Special Ops, as well as the soon to launch Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.

It wasn’t only creativity that led to the development of this special operator, it was a great sense of collaboration between Infinity Ward and PlayStation to develop an operator that PlayStation players will want to make their main on day one. Below are some details of how Oni came to be.

Hiro “Oni” Watanabe

One concept that stood out early on was the idea of creating a samurai-inspired operator. A name that came to the fore amongst the Infinity Ward team was “Oni”, meaning “Demon”, and that helped kick start a unique narrative around the operator.

When developing the narrative background for Oni, it was important for the narrative team at Infinity Ward to develop a unique character story that they could continue into the future.

Oni descends from an ancient samurai clan, one that was well respected and lived by a code of honor. As the decades passed and the samurai disbanded, Oni’s family fell on hard times. These hardships eventually forced them to live by less than honorable means. By the time Oni was born, his father had already become well established in the criminal underworld.

Yet Oni’s grandfather worked to remind him that his family wasn’t always about this criminal enterprise.  Oni learned his family used to have a very high standing within the community and had a noble name.

To escape his father’s path, Oni left home and joined the military. He was very proficient, quickly rising through the ranks and even earning a spot in an elite multi-national special forces unit with missions across the globe. He learned how to protect himself and how to efficiently wield weapons.

In time, he returned home, eager to come back to Japan and do what his ancestors had done all those years ago – – protect and fight the threats on the home front – – all the while trying to reestablish his family’s good name.

At this point, Oni’s father had become a respected fixture in the criminal underworld. He harnessed his corrupt influence to have Oni discharged from the military.

Now, Oni acts as a gun for hire, vowing to continue the fight against his father and anyone who should cross the samurai code. 

Since the very first moment of development on God of War Ragnarök, our team at Santa Monica Studio has made hundreds of decisions each day that have shaped this game into the experience and story that we are about to share with you on November 9.

Over the course of this journey, every single team member who has touched God of War Ragnarök in one way or another has left their mark, each with their own perspective that has given life to everything you will see, hear, and interact with at launch.

The story of God of War Ragnarök is not only that of a father and son who must confront the coming tides of war, it is also the story of the individuals who chose to devote their time, skill, and passion to build this game together in the face of unprecedented uncertainty during a global pandemic.

In the God of War Ragnarök Behind the Scenes series, we will be taking you to all Nine Realms – from Midgard to Asgard (and perhaps a pitstop along the way). With each episode, we hope to provide you not only a unique perspective on the years long endeavor of creating this title, but also bring you insights from many of the team members who have made this possible.

Starting today, on every Tuesday for the next nine weeks we will be diving into one aspect of the game – from shaping the story and elevating combat, to creating the score and crafting cinematics.

Our first episode begins much like our story does, in Midgard, where we’ll be discussing the key narrative beats from the last game that will come back into play in God of War Ragnarök, as well as how our team approached taking on a sequel that will conclude the Norse saga.

We’ll keep these spoilers free until launch, so don’t worry about us spilling every secret! Unless you’re the All-Father himself, you’ll have to wait for November 9 to figure out everything we’ve got hidden up our sleeves.

Without further ado, we hope you enjoy God of War Ragnarök Behind the Scenes Episode 1: Shaping the Story!

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Next week on October 25, we’ll depart the from the icy cold of Midgard and head to the land of the Elves, Alfheim, as our team gives a glimpse into the refined, brutal combat of God of War Ragnarök, alongside some of the fearsome enemies who will test your skills in battle.

We hope you’ll tune in each week as we lead up to launch and beyond to learn more about the making of God of War Ragnarök.

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For the latest updates around God of War Ragnarök, make sure you follow Santa Monica Studio on Twitter,Read more

Today, we’re pleased to share that the DualSense Edge wireless controller – the first-ever ultra-customizable controller developed by PlayStation – will launch globally on January 26. Built with high performance and personalization in mind, the DualSense Edge wireless controller for PS5 invites you to craft your own unique gaming experiences through custom controls tailored to your playstyle.

Here’s a closer look at the DualSense Edge wireless controller features:

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The DualSense Edge wireless controller will be available for a recommended retail price (RRP) of $199.99 USD/¥29,980 (including tax)/€239.99/£209.99. In addition, the replaceable stick modules will be available globally on January 26 for a recommended retail price (RRP) of $19.99 USD/¥2,680 (including tax)/€24.99/£19.99.

Pre-orders for the controller and replaceable stick modules will be available starting as early as next Tuesday, October 25 at select retailers, so be sure to check your local retailer.

The DualSense Edge wireless controller features a host of hardware and software-based personalization options, including button remapping, the ability to fine-tune stick sensitivity and triggers, options to swap between multiple control profiles, and a unique on-controller user interface. It also sports the signature comfort and immersive features of the DualSense wireless controller, like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.*

You can make the DualSense Edge wireless controller uniquely yours with the included three changeable sets of stick caps and two changeable sets of back buttons. Everything will come bundled in the included carrying case, and you can even charge the controller via USB connection while it’s stored in the case to make sure you’re always ready for your next play session.

Here’s a breakd

Prepare for adventure–we’re thrilled to celebrate this week’s launch of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC!

We’ve previously equipped aspiring treasure hunters with the PC features and specs so you can enjoy Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy optimized for PC by Iron Galaxy Studios.

Whether the series is, well, Uncharted territory for you, or if you’re a seasoned spelunker who’s survived crushing encounters, we thought the Uncharted series’ PC debut offered a chance to look back on how these two adventures pushed the franchise forward. We unearthed some details about how Naughty Dog took a core pillar of Uncharted gameplay to brand new heights.

Climb time

With Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End marking the franchise’s first original PlayStation 4 outing, the team saw a chance to push the franchise forward. Climbing is a prime example of that next-gen evolution; Uncharted 4 introduced a level of control players never had before while grounding Nathan Drake’s movements with stunning animations.

“With Uncharted 4, we wanted to add more depth to the climbing and look at it more realistically,” Animation Director Jeremy Yates explained.

A trip to an indoor climbing gym and lessons from an instructor early in production helped ground that endeavor. That trip resulted in some pretty meaningful lessons for Uncharted 4’s new climbing system. The team was equipped with firsthand experience and visual references to understand balance and weight placement, as well as the thoughtfulness that has to go into each movement.

“When we climbed on the wall ourselves, one of the first things we noticed was how much your weight is on your feet. That really translated into how the animations work,”  Lead Game Designer Emilia Schatz said.

The team tried out a host of potential routes to take the system, from including a stamina bar to free-climbing that would allow players to scale a mountain in a route of their own choosing. There was a lot of fun and tension to be had, but the team needed to consider how climbing fit into the overall game.

“It almost became too complex. The important thing about any of our systems is we layer them with other systems. So while climbing itself may have been really amazing, we had to remember Uncharted 4 is not only a climbing game,” Schatz said.

With some of those systems stripped away, the focus came more clearly into view: leveraging climbing in Uncharted 4 to connect the player to Nathan Drake and eventually Chloe Frazer in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. And that meant giving players more control over Uncharted’s climbing than ever before.

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Asobo Studio once made its name from its knack for developing Disney Pixar game adaptations. Three years ago, this small French development team evolved and rose to greater heights with its hit release, A Plague Tale: Innocence.

After gaining a passionate community of fans with this cinematic action-adventure experience, Asobo Studio is venturing out to evolve its breakout series with a sequel. A Plague Tale: Requiem aims to overcome and surpass the limitations of the original. The key behind this evolution is the push toward being able to play Requiem the way you choose.

In anticipation of the sequel’s PS5 release on October 18, we spoke with its director, Kevin Choteau, about the direction of the title, its development, new gameplay philosophies, and a lot more.

PlayStation Blog: What did you and the rest of Asobo want to accomplish with this sequel to the original Plague Tale?

Kevin Choteau: Everything, honestly. The first thing that comes to mind is our work on the first game. We had no experience at all in this genre of game. We’re not known for these kinds of cinematic experiences. So we started with the action-adventure on Innocence and did so as noobs, not knowing what we were doing.

When we started Requiem, the idea was to take everything we failed with or did wrong in the first one and try to tackle them. We’ve read all the feedback from the players and critics and tried to do something about it. So the first and biggest thing is the gameplay. Innocence was quite narrow, with only one way to approach a situation, and we wanted to address that. We’ve created much wider open areas where you can play as you want. It was the key by the law of the level design. Now you can play Plague Tale any way you choose.

How do you ensure that the player still has a streamlined journey where they can recognize objectives, assets, and everything else while keeping their options open?

There are two things for me regarding that. The first one is the point of view. When you arrive in a situation, you often arrive above the situation or with a clear point of view so you can understand how they are shaped and where you can go. What tasks you can choose, if you want to go this way or this way, or go through a behind this cart, etc.

The second thing is the systemic approach of the gameplay. We set up some rules, and those rules are always true. So when you learn that, you can use it in any situation. For example, as in the first game, if you see a metallic object, you can use it to distract enemies. In Requiem, there’s also a greenish tar that you can use against enemies. Those things and opportunities attract the player and say, “Y

No weaves or crafting required! Horizon Raw Materials and ASOS are bringing fashion to the Forbidden West. 

While Aloy’s in-game outfits are aimed at her protection and survival, our unique partnership with ASOS is focused on ready-to-wear comfort for our fans. This unisex collection of gaming and streetwear apparel features a variety of joggers, hoodies and shirts, which work as either co-ords or individual pieces.

Though heavily inspired by the game — you might recognize elements and details from Aloy’s look, our Horizon graphic novels, or our key art — we took great care to translate this inspiration into streetwear fashion that can be styled in a variety of new and exciting ways. 

Super-soft tees and comfortable joggers will make for a perfect marathon gaming session outfit as you explore the Forbidden West (on New Game+ maybe?).

This collection will be released under our very own merchandise brand called Horizon Raw Materials, and ranges between £26 and £38*. It launches in EU, UK, Japan and Asia regions today, and in the US in early 2023. 

Rather than dropping your shards at your nearest merchant, you can find the whole collection on ASOS here.

Check out Guerrilla’s Instagram and Tiktok pages over the next period to join in on styling challenges and other fun activities related to the collection’s launch!

*Recommended Retail Price. Actual Retailer Price may vary.