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Outriders dev reveals new lore video, reacts to demo reception

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On February 25, the Outriders demo landed on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The demo is a huge slice of the full Outriders game, offering the opening chapter and first three hours or so of the game, with all four classes available to try out, single-player, co-op, and the option to transfer progress to the full game. It’s a hefty appetiser for the full course, which arrived on April 1.

As it’s the start of the game, there’s a good focus on story, as the world of Enoch – and humanity’s struggle to colonise it – is introduced to the world. But what were the events that lead to the start of the game?

In a brand-new animated trailer, we can see how the Outriders journey began, as we follow their expedition to Enoch from Earth.

Outriders dev reveals new lore video, reacts to demo reception
 

And this is where the demo – and start of the game – picks up.

The Outriders demo is tremendous in terms of its scale and scope, and so we wanted to talk to Bartek Kmita, Creative Director at People Can Fly, about how it went down and how it’s helping in the run up to the game’s full release on April 1. 


Toby Palm: At the time of writing, the Outriders Demo has had over two million downloads. What’s been your reaction to the reception of the demo?

Bartek Kmita: It was a real rollercoaster of emotions to be honest. At first, I was excited that so many people wanted to play as soon as the demo was live, but this was followed by a brief panic-moment when servers were not scaling fast enough. When the server situation was resolved we started to see first impressions of the game itself, and the whole team has been watching as many streams, Let’s Plays and think-pieces as we can – it’s been amazing to see what everybody thinks so far. In the end, I’m extremely happy that so many people played the demo and that they are enjoying it.

TP: Some players have managed to rack up, 20+ hours in the game. Several players on the Outriders Discord have played for over 100 hours! Does this surprise you, and what does it say about the size of the full game?

BK: It’s very encouraging for us because a huge, sprawling RPG journey was in essence of our designs. To give people a game with almost endless possibilities around how to build your character and make the whole process of character development as satisfying as possible. And looking now at how people are playing the demo, and how they experiment with all the loot they found gives us a lot of satisfaction. I hope that after the full release, when our players get their hands on all our toys, they will stay

I’m Your GPU – Crafting the digitally-infused pop of Astro’s Playroom

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Hi folks! To mark the release of the official digital soundtrack for Astro’s Playroom later this week, I thought it’d be fun to take a wee “behind the scenes” look at the creative process for the track that players have responded to the most enthusiastically – the GPU song.

Most of the music featured in this post doesn’t actually appear in the game or on the soundtrack – it consists of excerpts from top secret, slightly embarrassing sketch material that was never intended to be heard by anyone’s ears other than those of my Team Asobi collaborators. But hopefully that’s also what makes them interesting!

The GPU Jungle was the first area of the game that I tackled – whilst it was still a work-in-progress at that point, the gameplay felt the furthest along so it seemed like a sensible place to start. My first attempt was quite a traditional approach to scoring a jungle stage, complete with the requisite panpipes:

The feedback from the team was that this was a little too predictable. However, it did have a catchy melody, which is something we strive for in the Astro Bot games because they are, at their heart, ‘old-skool’ platforming experiences. So, before moving on, I had a go at making it a little more “digital” or synthetic sounding:

That certainly felt more appropriate for Astro, but we were still concerned that folks unfamiliar with video game music culture might not “get it.” So, I started exploring something a little more contemporary sounding and began playing around with the idea of writing a song.

Before I’d even started working on the game I had been thinking about personifying the PlayStation 5 console by giving it a voice. This tapped into the idea that perhaps you’ve always known PS5 or somehow encountered it before, as if it were your true love. But I had been saving this idea for the CPU Plaza area as it felt like the most appropriate spot. But now that I was starting again on the music for the GPU Jungle, I saw an opportunity to introduce this concept to the team. Here’s my first sketch:

Worlds of Sound

The first version of the theme was a simple collection of melodies, inspired by previous Sackboy adventures, which we shared with the team of composers. We really wanted the theme to represent the cornucopia of musical sounds that were explored in the game, so we took elements from each of the worlds to help create a musical jamboree. We came up with a general music palette for each of the worlds, which also helped inspire our choice of composer that would look after that world . These included:

Th

Genshin Impact version 1.4 celebrates love and life with the Windblume Festival

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Greetings, Travelers! Genshin Impact’s dev team here once again with exciting news and previews of the game’s upcoming version 1.4 update, launching March 17. We hope you’ve all had a wonderful time exploring and taking part in Liyue Harbor’s Lantern Rite. As the chill of winter begins to fade across Teyvat to make way for spring, we’d like to share an inside look at a traditional annual festival in Mondstadt — the Windblume Festival. As the beauty of spring fills the city, we hope that everyone will join the citizens of Mondstadt in a heartfelt celebration of freedom and life.

All Travelers who are at Adventure Rank 20 or above and have completed the Archon Quest “Song of the Dragon and Freedom” will be invited to join the cordial celebration of the Windblume Festival. Throughout the festival, there will be numerous mini games to play with tons of rewards and prizes. Players will even have a very special chance to spend time hanging out with Barbara, Noelle, Bennett, and Chongyun, with the possibility of experiencing different endings and memories depending on your choices and interactions with each character.

A time for special memories

As swirling dandelions begin to fill the warm spring air, the people of Mondstadt gather together to celebrate the Windblume Festival. The festival’s origin can be traced back to the liberation of Mondstadt two thousand six hundred years ago.

However, as the traditions of the Windblume Festival were passed down through the generations, the festival has gradually come to signify a cultural celebration of romance and passion. Couples and love birds alike will use the occasion as a chance to spend a lovely time together, and Mondstadt locals will often recommend Cape Oath as the perfect spot to confess one’s feelings and pledge romantic vows. During this time of love and freedom, Travelers will also have a unique chance to spend a special time together with Barbara, Noelle, Bennett, and Chongyun. Choices and interactions that players make with the characters may lead to different endings, with each actual ending awarding players with a Hangout Memory illustration.

Festive challenges await

In preparation for this year’s festivities, the Knights of Favonius and the Adventurers’ Guild have assembled the most festive mini games the city has ever witnessed, with a variety of activities awaiting both Travelers and Mondstadt locals alike. The majority of the Windblume mini games will support both single-player and co-op mode, so whether you’re playing solo, with a group of buddies, or together with that special someone, the games are sure to leave fun, lasting memories for all that participate. 

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Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 390: Fully Immersed

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Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here


Welcome back y’all! This week we dive deep into some recently announced PS VR titles, and share short and sweet games that can be beat in one night.

Stuff We Talked About

  • Doom 3: VR Edition
  • Song In The Smoke
  • Fracked
  • Zenith
  • I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar
  • After the Fall
  • Hitman 3
  • Maquette
  • When The Past Was Around
  • Outriders

The Cast

Tim Turi –  Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE

Share of the Week: Vertical

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Last week, we asked you to turn your lens 90° and share some vertically angled moments from your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. From carefully crafted portraits to well-framed action shots, here are this week’s highlights: 

Eivor’s golden armor gleams in this Assassin’s Creed Valhalla share by Amianan_NiRaGuB

Dante is ready to unleash hell in this Devil May Cry 5 share by schokoshake17.

GameonFocus shares the stark landscape of Metro Exodus.

A battle fit for the gods plays out in this green-soaked Immortals Fenyx Rising share by Wishful_Flowers

PatmanVP gets up close and personal with a Freaker in Days Gone.

The moon rises over this archer in Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, shared by galaxyb0nes_vp.

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: Inspiring Women

SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on March 10

Next week, in honor of International Women’s Day we’re spotlighting inspiring women in gaming, with a twist. Alongside the share of your favorite heroine (or villain!), share the story of how or why the character inspired you in using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured!


Want to share more of your epic photo mode moments? U.S. players can enter the Red Bull Capture Point competition* for the chance to win some thrilling prizes. See full details at redbull.com/capturepoint

Two Point Hospital: Jumbo Edition delivers a healthy dose of absurdity

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The PS4 launch of the Two Point Hospital: Jumbo Edition is here, and we can’t wait for you to experience the huge amount of new content coming your way. This is by far the biggest release we’ve ever done, including four huge expansions, two massive item packs, and a free update with some of the most popular community requested features. There’s never been a better time to grab a stethoscope and start building your very own healthcare empire!

Head to the Pointy Mountains with local celebrity, Bartholomew F Yeti, in the Bigfoot expansion, blaze a sterilised trail through the tropical islands with Wiggy Silverbottom in Pebberley Island, or take on the latest and greatest challenges in the two newest expansions to hit consoles: Close Encounters and Off the Grid.

We know, we know… “Aliens in a hospital game?!”, “eco-warrior politicians in a hospital game!?” It’s probably fair to say you might have some questions before you jump in to solve mysterious alien conspiracies, or help the Mayor make the county green again… for the very first time. So why not grab a packet of the cheesiest gubbins you can find and put your feet up while some of our lovely designers, Harry Puttock and Sam Webley talk you through the new adventures that await you in our beloved little Two Point County.

Close encounters

Harry Puttock: Alien conspiracies might sound a little “out there” for a hospital sim game, but we really wanted to go for something a little more fantastical and push the boat out, which is exactly what we did for Close Encounters. The basis of the idea came from our Creative Director, Gary Carr after watching far too many conspiracy TV shows on Roswell, Area 51 and the like. 

Sam Webley: Close Encounters has three brand new areas: there’s Goldpan, a small town where rumours of a UFO crash landing began, Camouflage Falls, a town that doesn’t really exist, housing a massive military base, and Chasm 24, a secret government facility. The levels really do go from strange happenings to full-blown government cover-ups as you get deeper and deeper into this crazy conspiracy.

Harry:Throughout the DLC you’ll be encountering lots of different space-themed illnesses. My personal favourite being Lack of Humanity, where you’re actually turning these aliens into people so they can integrate with society in Two Point County. It’s quite a nice twist, because the DLC starts by exposing these aliens that are trying to infiltrate your hospitals, and by the end of it you’re helping them stay here rather than sending them home. 

Sam: You can’t talk about illnesses in Close Encounters without mentioning Bowhine though. Patients with this illness ha

PlayStation Store: February 2021’s top downloads

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Whether in the US, Canada, or Europe, it looks like players on both sides of the Atlantic spent a lot of time with FIFA 21 this past month. The title topped both PS4 and PS5 charts, with Black Ops Cold War, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Grand Theft Auto V also appearing prominently across the lists.

Read on for the most downloaded titles across PS4, PS5, and PS VR: 

PS5 Games

US / CanadaEU
1FIFA 21FIFA 21
2Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold WarAssassin’s Creed Valhalla
3Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles MoralesMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
4Madden NFL 21Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
5NBA 2K21Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
6Assassin’s Creed ValhallaMortal Kombat 11
7Mortal Kombat 11Hitman 3
8Hitman 3Demon’s Souls
9Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six SiegeBorderlands 3
10Demon’s SoulsMadden NFL 21
11Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete EditionImmortals Fenyx Rising
12Immortals Fenyx RisingWRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship
13Werewolf: The Apocalypse – EarthbloodNBA 2K21
14Borderlands 3No Man’s Sky
15GodfallWerewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood
16Sackboy: A Big AdventureNioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition
17No Man’s SkyGodfall
18Watch Dogs: LegionSackboy: A Big Adventure
19Dirt 5Watch Dogs: Legion
20Dead by Daylight: Special EditionDirt 5

*Naming of products may differ between regions.
*Upgrades not included.

PS4 Games

Bloodstained’s Miriam joins 3D arena battler Mighty Fight Federation

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Today I’m excited to announce – and take a first look – at a new guest character joining our 3D arena battler Mighty Fight Federation: Miriam from action platformer Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night! Miriam will be a free addition to the main game and available to everyone later this spring. As a reminder, Mighty Fight Federation is available now on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Like our other licensed character guest stars such as Yooka-Laylee and ToeJam & Earl, Miriam comes with her own level and remixed music track. She will have one the largest movesets in Mighty Fight Federation, focusing on weapon and shard synergy, with many moves inspired by the entirety of the Bloodstained franchise. See her in action in the below trailer:

We worked with Bloodstained’s famed creator, Koji Igarashi, and his team to ensure we did Miriam justice, from her unique design to her wide breadth of weapons and Shard abilities. Both myself and the game’s creative director, Jullian Spillane, are incredibly excited to see what fans of technical-style combatants are able to achieve come her debut later this year. You can take a closer look at the in-game model below, and Igarashi-san himself found the time to share his excitement as well.

“Hello, this is Iga. I am pleased to announce that Miriam has been included in Mighty Fight Federation! Miriam is the protagonist of my exploration-heavy side-scrolling action game Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. I am very excited to see what kind of fighting style she’ll bring to the table. Oh, and if you haven’t heard of Bloodstained, please check it out as well~ I wish you all have tons of fun playing both works.”

  • Koji Igarashi

Mighty Fight Federation is playable with up to four players, and console crossplay ensures that epic, chaotic clashes can take place locally or online. Comprehensive tutorials and training modes mean players of all abilities and fighting game backgrounds can hit the ground running, while veteran fighters can be sure they are landing every punch in this balanced and highly-competitive brawler thanks to its rollback netcode. 

Whether it’s one-on-one, a triple threat, or a fatal four-way, competitors can jump into the action and join the foray 24/7. The game boasts 13 outlandish characters (and more to come), each with their unique play-styles, combos, and special moves. It also has a killer soundtrack featuring music by Tee Lopes (Sonic Mania), James Landino (RWBY, No Straight Roads), Vince DiCola (Rocky IV, Transformers), and Manami Matsumae (Mega Man, Shovel Knight).

Mighty Fight Federation is available now on PS5 and PS4, so you can join the action while waiting for Miriam’s debut later this year.

RSS
US / CanadaEU
1Grand Theft Auto VFIFA 21
2Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold WarGrand Theft Auto V
3MinecraftMinecraft
4NBA 2K21Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
5Little Nightmares IIThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
6Red Dead Redemption 2Tekken 7
7FIFA 21Red Dead Redemption 2
8Persona 5 StrikersLittle Nightmares II
9Call of Duty: Modern WarfareArk: Survival Evolved
10Ark: Survival EvolvedTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
11Need for Speed HeatCall of Duty: Modern Warfare
12Mortal Kombat 11Jump Force
13Assassin’s Creed ValhallaGran Turismo Sport
14UFC 4Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
15God of WarUFC 4
16Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six SiegeNeed for Speed Heat
17Star Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
18Ghost of TsushimaThe Forest