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.

Last week, we asked you to share the bright sights of rainbows and colorful corridors in the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s colorful shares: 

Sarokeye shares Chloe and Nadine driving the jeep past a rainbow in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

call_me_xavii shares Aloy wading in a pool of water filled with colorful oil in Horizon Zero Dawn.

coalabr14 shares Sam riding past a distant rainbow in Death Stranding.

ForgottenJasmin shares a hug against a soft rainbow-colored backdrop in Gris.

scottoka1 shares Ellie walking down a rainbow paved street in The Last of Us Part II.

Sefwick shares the dancer in Bound posing against a muted color-striped background.

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: Ghostwire Tokyo
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 19, 2022

Next week, we’re headed back to the spooky streets of Ghostwire Tokyo, which just got a major Photo Mode update. Share thrilling moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Isaac Clarke tapped into a deep well of courage and engineering skill to survive the waiting horrors aboard the Ishimura. Similarly, the talented team at Motive are showcasing a bold and technically impressive approach with its remake of Clarke’s fraught mission aboard the doomed spaceship in sci-fi horror masterpiece Dead Space. In addition to visual and performance enhancements, Motive is incorporating subtly expanded gameplay elements to draw players deeper into the nightmare.

Even with thoroughly exploring the corridors of the Ishimura on original release, my recent hands-on with the remake – incorporating Chapters 1 through 3 as Isaac attempts to reactivate the tram system and repair the ship’s engines – was full of unexpected discoveries. Reconfigured gameplay shocks, difficult choices, new locations. Let’s dig in. 

New gameplay features

Isaac is fully voiced: Isaac speaks up this time around, like yelling his teammates’ names when they’re in trouble or explaining his plans to fix the Ishimura’s Centrifuge and fuel lines. Hearing him take an active role in the team’s mission makes the entire experience feel more filmlike and authentic.  

Interconnected immersion: There are no loading sequences when Isaac hops aboard the Ishimura’s tram to quickly travel between destinations like Cargo and the Medical areas. This is all part of Motive’s goal for an immersive, connected setting.

Zero G freedom: In the original Dead Space, zero-gravity sections let Isaac leap across platforms using special boots. In the remake, you have the freedom to float in 360 degrees, lending to the spacewalk fantasy. Isaac also now has a propulsion boost, which is handy for dodging necromorphs lunging through space.