Greetings Mercs! This is Daeron Katz, Senior Community Manager for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. I’ve been a huge fan of the BattleTech franchise and MechWarrior games since the 1984 BattleDroids tabletop game. Despite the wealth of board games, novels, and MechWarrior games that bring the world of BattleTech to life, PlayStation fans haven’t had a proper MechWarrior experience since the time-tested classic, MechWarrior 2: 31^st Century Combat, released for the original PlayStation in 1995.

All that changes today.

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I feel honored to be able to formally announce that both MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries and the Heroes of the Inner Sphere DLC will be heading to PS4 and PS5 on September 23.  In terms of differences, the PlayStation 5 version supports adaptive triggers and advanced haptics with the DualSense controller. This will also be the first time MechWarrior will be on a PlayStation console in over 20 years!

For strangers to the world of MechWarrior, here’s the TLDR: The year is 3015 and humanity has colonized thousands of systems across space. The battlefields of the future are dominated by MechWarriors (that’s you!), elite mercenaries for hire who pilot gigantic engines of war known as BattleMechs. As the leader of a growing mercenary company, it’ll be up to you to take on assignments from various factions across the universe — and expand your team of MechWarriors and BattleMechs over the course of the game.

Whether you’re more of a solo player and want to focus on building up your mercenary squad of AI-controlled MechWarrior mercenaries in the single-player PvE campaign or are looking for more teamwork focused Instant Action with 4-player co-op, there’s lots to enjoy and discover as you level cities and lay waste to rivals on your own or with friends.

The dev team at Piranha Games is already super excited about how MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is shaping up for its PlayStation debut. The base game benefits from over a year’s worth of additional development work and comes stacked with tons of gameplay, systems, and quality of life improvements – many of which are based directly on fan feedback.

One of the more noteworthy features PlayStation players can look forward to is the ability for players to switch between any of the AI Lance BattleMechs during a mission. For the initial release, manual control was limited to the player’s main BattleMech. This seemingly small update makes a huge impact, allowing players to instantly bounc

In Call of Duty: Vanguard’s gripping Campaign, PlayStation players will witness the birth of Special Forces. In Multiplayer, you are the Special Forces. Prepare for tactical combat with a focus on a global cast of Operators, all deeply integrated for a new era of Multiplayer.  We’re excited to give you a view of the massive offering that Call of Duty: Vanguard is bringing to Multiplayer on November 5.  You won’t want to miss it, and fortunately PlayStation players won’t have to wait long to squad up and dive in.

Call of Duty: Vanguard Multiplayer is ready to rise on every front. Here’s your first look at the action ahead:

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Call of Duty: Vanguard Beta dates

Before the game launches on November 5, you’ll have the chance to play Multiplayer through the Call of Duty: Vanguard Beta, and for PlayStation players that chance is right around the corner. 

The Beta takes places over two weekends:

Weekend 1 – PlayStation Early Access

Available to those who pre-order Call of Duty: Vanguard  for PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 4, this first weekend takes place from Friday, September 10 at 10 AM PT / 6 PM BST to Monday, September 13 at 10 AM PT / 6PM BST.* That’s this weekend, so to make sure you’re ready you can head to the PlayStation Store to pre-load now.

There’s a robust MP experience waiting in weekend one: play the new Champion Hill tournament mode or go classic with Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Kill Confirmed. Also try Patrol, a new Multiplayer mode featuring an objective that’s constantly on the move. Weekend 1 features three Multiplayer maps: Hotel Royal, Red Star, and Gavutu, which span three different fronts of WWII and three distinctly different environments.  

Weekend 2 – PlayStation Open Beta

Then, keep the action going during Vanguard’s second Beta weekend, which is completely Open for PlayStation players**.  This second weekend lasts from Thursday, September 16 at 10 AM PT / 6 PM BST to Monday, September 20 at 10 AM PT / 6 PM BST. Stay tuned to the Call of Duty social channels for more info as we get closer to those dates.

In addition to being among the first to try out the core Call of Duty: Vanguard MP experience, those who participate in the Multiplayer Beta (either in the Early Access weekend and/or the Open Beta weekend) and who reach a Level of 20 will rec

 Hello, People of the Fog!   

If one were to create a Mount Rushmore of 80s horror icons, you’d be hard-pressed not to include Hellraiser’s Pinhead on the side of that cliff. Even though, let’s face it, he’d be an absolute nightmare to sculpt.  

Few villains can claim to be as memorable, prolific, and downright original as this staple of horror cinema. All the more reason it was so important to do Pinhead justice as we welcomed him into Dead by Daylight.  

We tapped our creative team to shed some light on the process, the pleasure, and the pain of taking everything that makes Pinhead unique… and translating it into a video game. 

The Hellraiser Chapter is available now in Dead by Daylight!  

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That Cenobite vibe 

Calling Pinhead “recognizable” is an understatement, and no matter how fun the apex Cenobite might be to play, if the look and feel isn’t right, the fans’ connection to the character is lost. Getting it right starts with the source material.  

“We watched and rewatched that original movie again and again to try and make sure our movements and behaviors in-game rang true with Pinhead,” shared Animation Director, David Prenoveau. “After discussion with the design and art teams, we tested these movements on an existing Killer – The Trapper – to make sure we could actually feel that very specific Cenobite vibe coming through even on another character model.” 

It’s said that during production of the original Hellraiser, explicit direction was given to Pinhead to subdue his movements and gestures. The goal was for the character to maintain an aura of complete control at all times. The challenge then fell to David and his team to translate that same essence into Dead by Daylight, where Killers need to be very mobile.  

“Pinhead is very stoic in the first two movies. His movements are restrained and effortless,” explained David. “We just couldn’t imagine him doing things like kneeling down to pick up Survivors and tossing them over his shoulder.”  

“In DbD we have a basic set mechanics that are common to all Killers like picking victims up and tossing them onto hooks. For every single one of these we asked ourselves ‘how can we make sure this really feels like Pinhead?’ Our answer ended up being to use his chains and hooks as an interaction tool. As the player you control Pinhead’s chains and use them to manipulate Survivors in ways other Killers need to do by hand. We’re hoping this touch makes the player feel even more powerful when they’re playing as Pinhead!” 

Many aspects of Deathloop have gone through changes since we started this project, but through this entire process, we’ve had our main characters, Colt and Julianna, to serve as our guiding lights. From the earliest stages of the development, we knew who we wanted them to be and how we wanted them to act and react. We created their personalities, quirks and flaws. And, of course, we crafted absolutely badass designs for them. 

Remembering where we come from

The first thing we think about when starting research on a new project is what we want to retain from our previous titles and what we want to push in other directions. Many people know us for the Dishonored franchise and its unique and identifiable art style. We strive to constantly keep our artistic style evolving and maturing, while still maintaining what makes it unique and “Arkane-y.” 

In the case of Deathloop we wanted to keep some stylized cloth and anatomy, but we also wanted to introduce more realistic proportions and push the realism of our anatomy. We want our characters to feel like part of the world. They have a past and carry some heavy stories. Our style aims at highlighting our characters’ personalities, while idealizing certain proportions. We maintain clear shapes and readable lines and avoid visual noise, high frequencies and unnecessary details. We usually invest several months in the early stages of the project into finding the right balance between stylized and realistic when it comes to volumes, textures and materials. We want the characters to be readable from a distance, yet detailed and rich when you get close to them. 

Viewing the 1960s through the Arkane lens

When Art Director Sebastien Mitton suggested grounding Deathloop in the 1960s, the idea resonated with the team straight away. We had spent a decade in the Victorian era with the Dishonored series, and this was a refreshing change for the studio. We saw the 1960s as a fantastic playground to develop new visual ideas. However, each of us have our own visual culture and understanding of the 1960s. It took some time and absorbing conversations to grasp how we wanted to design an Arkane take on the 1960s. 

We gathered hundreds of references and looked at important figures from the fashion world of the 1960s. Courrèges’ clothing, Pierre Cardin’s vibrant colors, Vidal Sassoon’s distinctive hair styling, and many, many more. We developed some specific types of materials representative of the 1960s, like the glitter material you can see on certain weapons and characters, or the translucent plastic from some of the sculptures present on the island. 

The birth of Colt and Julianna

Julianna and Colt were conceived as a stylish fighting duo. We knew from the beginning that the characters would have tons of dialogue and interaction with one another, and we wanted them both to look equally elegant and engaging. 

Epic adventures, fantastical lands, daring heroics and thrilling combat awaits PlayStation Now members this month, with a mammoth new selection of titles available to play starting tomorrow, Tuesday, September 7.

Let’s check out each of the games in turn.

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Tekken 7*

Discover the epic conclusion of the Mishima clan and unravel the reasons behind each step of their ceaseless fight. Tekken 7 features stunning story-driven cinematic battles and intense duels that can be enjoyed with friends and rivals alike through innovative fight mechanics. Love, Revenge, Pride. Everyone has a reason to fight. Values are what define us and make us human, regardless of our strengths and weaknesses. There are no wrong motivations, just the path we choose to take.

●  Tekken 7 available until February 28, 2022

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Killing Floor 2

Combat vicious threats solo, or team up online in this first-person shooter. A failed experiment has given rise to monstrous creations that have torn through Europe. With governments collapsing, volunteers and mercenaries have banded together to protect the populace from the growing bio-threat,called Zeds, heading into hot zones to wipe them out and save civilization. 

Hey everyone, I’m Pete Bottomley, Designer at White Paper Games, and I’m excited to be back on PS Blog with some big news. We’re thrilled to announce that Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View is launching on PS5 and PS4 on November 2!

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For those of you unfamiliar with our latest game, Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View is a gripping observational thriller set in 1950s England. When 8-year-old Charlotte May is reported missing from Dahlia View, retired detective Robert Conway searches for the truth behind her disappearance, observing his neighbours from his apartment window and questioning their behaviour. As suspicions escalate, Conway launches his own investigation into Charlotte May’s disappearance, following leads, uncovering new evidence, and piecing the case together on an unpredictable path to the truth.

We designed Conway around three core gameplay loops to observe and profile suspects: Observation, Search and Evidence Review. During the Observation sequences, Conway observes the Dahlia View estate through the lens of his camera to watch his neighbours and photograph suspicious activities. With the DualSense Wireless Controller’s adaptive triggers, you’ll be able to feel the satisfying snap of a 1950’s camera as you photograph evidence and search Dahlia View for clues.

When the investigation leads Conway into his neighbours’ homes to follow up on leads and search for evidence, the DualSense’s haptic feedback will let you feel the texture and bumps of different surface types, like old cobblestone streets and creaking floorboards, adding to the immersion and suspense of Dahlia View.

The PS5 version will include two visual modes: a native 4K resolution mode for pin-sharp image quality and a Ray Tracing mode to experience the world of Dahlia View with enhanced fidelity.

Like they say, “you can never have too many skills”, and it’s the same in Torch City. The All Fur Society recently renovated a batch of the Legion terminals and gave furtizens access to learn mechanical skills. Just a small fee to pay for running costs. Extra Data Disks are also required to learn Advanced skills. You should pick up a few moves from these terminals when you see them, because they’ll definitely come in handy later on. You can even try to come up with your own style of combos.

3. Build up SP to unleash SP Skills

By the way, there are some special mechanical powers called “SP Skill.” SP skills are very powerful and can be mixed in with combos to add more variety to your fighting style. SP skills use up SP, but you can build SP up again by performing combos against the enemy. Collect Data Disks and use your SP skills with pride!

4. Don’t forget to grab some Carrot Juice

You are bound to get roughed up along the way. Take a drink of Carrot Juice to be right as rain again!

Thursday was to be a celebration of Horizon Forbidden West and the amazing team at Guerrilla working to deliver it on February 18, 2022. However, it’s abundantly clear that the offerings we confirmed in our pre-order kickoff missed the mark.

Last year we made a commitment to deliver free upgrades for our cross-gen launch titles, which included Horizon Forbidden West. While the pandemic’s profound impact pushed Forbidden West out of the launch window we initially envisioned, we will stand by our offer: Players who purchase Horizon Forbidden West on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version for free.

I also want to confirm today that moving forward, PlayStation first-party exclusive cross-gen titles (newly releasing on PS4 & PS5)–both digital and physical*–will offer a $10 USD digital upgrade option from PS4 to PS5. This will apply to the next God of War and Gran Turismo 7, and any other exclusive cross-gen PS4 & PS5 title published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

— Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment

*To upgrade an eligible PS4 game on disc to the digital PS5 version, you will need a PS5 console with a disc drive. PS4 game discs can’t be used with the PlayStation®5 Digital Edition.

Horizon Forbidden West is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles on February 18, 2022! We were ecstatic to finally be able to share the release date with you last week during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, and to see everyone’s reactions to our news. 

Pre-orders for the game are available now across the globe, so we wanted to share more details about the various editions that you can get your hands on. 

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Horizon Forbidden West continues six months after the events of Horizon Zero Dawn. Aloy, a machine hunter, has travelled west to investigate a mysterious and deadly blight. In these uncharted lands, she will meet strange new tribes and encounter ever more deadly machines. Together with old friends and new companions, she must brave this new frontier to find the answers she needs to save life on Earth.

Now, let’s take a look at the pre-order options you have available for Horizon Forbidden West. By the way, if you pre-order any physical edition from participating retailers (region specific*) or any digital edition anywhere, you will receive the Nora Legacy Outfit and Spear to use in the game. You will be able to redeem these items vi

Last week, invited you to explore the sights of Iki Island in Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut using #PSshare #PSBlog. From flowering vistas and harrowing mountain peaks, here are this week’s highlights from the new region: 

We wouldn’t mind sharing a day on these beachy shores, shared by CDAsebastien203.

The sun frames a younger Jin in this red-strained shot by calisarah1998.

Jin stands beneath a beautiful blooming tree, shared by photomodeoftsu1.

An enemy is thrown through the air in this stormy shot by justinphotomode.

record_photo shares one of the Iki Island monkeys.

Jin climbs to a mountain peak, shared by posts_ghost.

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: Ghost of Tsushima: Legends
SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on September 8

Next week, we’re celebrating the standalone launch of Ghost of Tsushima: Legends. Gather your clan and share daring moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. 

The Outlast Trials was one of the more surprising announcements made during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live Show. Reconfiguring the horror thrills of the first-person survival series into a cooperative multiplayer experience may be an unexpected direction for the series’ third entry, but according to developer Red Barrels – behind every game to date – it’s in keeping with the studio’s drive to challenge itself with each new iteration. Here, it sheds some more light on the upcoming title, coming to PlayStation in the future. 

What is the Tweet-length elevator pitch for this game?

In The Outlast Trials, you’ve been abducted by the Murkoff Corporation to go through unethical experiments that will modify your psyche and behavior. Whether you go through the trials by yourself or in teams, if you survive long enough, Murkoff will happily let you return into society… but will you be the same?

What would you consider the new key gameplay innovation for this title, and what sets it apart from other games in the team-based multiplayer horror genre as well as the previous Outlast entries?

This time, you can choose to survive with friends. If the previous games could be compared to movies, The Outlast Trials is more like a TV Series. Your journey to freedom will be a long one.

Why is now the right time for this reveal?

We simply wanted to give our fans an update and the unfortunate news that we have to delay the release into 2022. We’re getting closer than ever, but we need more time to refine the game. With each game, we try to give ourselves a new challenge and The Outlast Trials is no exception.

“There are a dozen warehouses, connected by underground tunnels. Inside the warehouses, Murkoff has constructed heightened lift-sized models of real-world environments.” 

What do you hope players will feel when playing this game?

Whether they play alone or with friends, we want players to feel like they’re fighting for their lives and their right to freedom. But can you have freedom of the body without freedom of the mind?

How would you describe the game’s art design, and what were some of the inspirations behind it?

The approach used is the same as the previous Outlast games… twisted realism, decadence, and in-your-face gore.  

How are you designing the main characters in a way that will appeal and connect with players?

Iconic nemeses are part of the Outlast DNA, and this time we have more variety than ever. Players will get to know many weird, dangerous, and violent characters. Although they’re also victims of Murkoff, most of them are definitely more than happy to prevent you from completing the program.

What game engine is this being built in, and what advantages does that give you?

Outlast 1 and 2 were made in Unreal Engine 3. This time, we’re using Unreal Engine 4. UE4 definitely played a big part in our prototyping phase. We were able to test new ideas and iterate pretty quickly.

“In between the trials, Reagents return to the Sleep Room, where Murkoff takes good care of them. Reagents can interact with Murkoff employees to