The recent NBA offseason captured headlines with some of the league’s biggest stars shining overseas and others taking their talents to new teams via trade and free agency; as a result, you may be itching to play with your new-look squad in NBA 2K25’s Play Now mode. When you hit the court in the latest iteration of the NBA 2K franchise September 4, 5am PST on PS5 and PS4, experience a bevy of enhancements across all of NBA 2K25’s competitive game modes, including Play Now Online* featuring the return of Leagues, an overhauled leaderboard and ranking system, and more! 

We also have first details on the PS5 Digital Edition – NBA 2K25 Bundle**, coming soon on September 4.

Whether you’re playing solo or with a friend, the classic Play Now mode is the quickest way to jump into the action and start throwing down thunderous dunks in a traditional head-to-head format. Choose from current NBA teams updated with active rosters, or pay homage to basketball’s legends with iconic rosters from the past. While you’ll immediately have the pick of the litter in offline Play Now, the rules of Play Now Online are slightly different.

The biggest change to Play Now Online is the return of Leagues, a five-level ranking system with Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and GOAT to determine your skill level. Every player will begin at the Bronze level and have all 30 current NBA teams to choose from, but in order to gain access to the expanded list, you’ll need to level up.

• Bronze to Silver: Unlocks ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s eras teams
• Silver to Gold: Unlocks 2000s era teams
• Gold to Platinum: Unlocks 2010s era teams
• Platinum to GOAT: Unlocks a GOATED Team (new GOATED team each Season)

To advance from Bronze to Silver and so on, you’ll need to accrue enough Victory Points by winning to move on. But there’s a catch: in NBA 2K25, you’ll only be able to use the same team once every five games, or until you level up to the next League. As much fun as it would be to dominate every game with the Boston Celtics, there’s an added incentive for using a lesser-ranked squad.

Leagues use overall ratings to group teams into three tiers to quantify how the Victory Points are awarded. Take a look below:

• Tier 1 – Win with one of the top 10 overall-rated teams in the NBA to receive the smallest amount of Victory Points
• Tier 2 – Win with teams ranked 11-20 overall to receive the medium amount of Victory Points
• Tier 3 – Win with teams ranked 21-30 overall to receive the largest amount of Victory Points

The pursuit of victory is the ultimate goal in Play Now Online, but leveling up comes with its own set of bragging rights. Players who accrue enough points in the GOAT League will receive a VC prize, an All-time Team, and Prestige for completing the GOAT League. In addition, players who rank in the Top 100 players will receive an in-game logo, visible to all players, to show off their achievement.

Unbeatable is a stunning hand-drawn anime-inspired rhythm adventure game. Experience what it means to be a band on the run – music is illegal in this world, but you won’t let that stop you. Follow Beat & her bandmates through their journey of self-discovery blending live song performances, spectacular set pieces and quirky rhythm challenges.

Explore a detailed open world and engage in branching conversations with several unique characters. Featuring a 100% original soundtrack alongside guest tracks and musical collaborations.

After revealing the game this summer with the memorable track “Memorize” (You see what we did there?) We are now excited to highlight a brand new track here on the PS Blog.

Introducing “Future People”

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How do we even come up with new songs like this? Well, best to ask Clara Maddux, who is one half of the band Peak Divide who provides all the music for the game.

Has anyone seen Clara?

Oh there she is!

“Hi hi!! I’m Clara! I focus on a lot of the songwriting for Unbeatable. Since the music for the game is inherently intertwined with the narrative, the sound team has made an effort to squeeze as much emotional juice as we can from our collective musical brains to compliment it.

For me personally, I’ll try to find something in my life that parallels a story beat I’m writing music for. Most of the noodling I do before a song takes form is honestly just figuring out what that connection is, but once I’m able to picture it in my head, it’s much easier to relate to a character and tap into what they might be feeling.

Sometimes I’ll even just make a song to process emotions and then suddenly, oops, it’s an Unbeatable song because we’ve found a way to tie it into the story. Hopefully that just means the songs turn out all the more meaningful!!”

– Clara Maddux, Composer & Musician, D-Cell Games

See! Clara knows about this stuff.

Anyway, Unbeatable isn’t just about cranking up the tempo and shredding through tracks—it’s about getting you into the rhythm. The new

Silent Hill 2, a remake of the iconic 2001 PS2 survival horror game, takes players on a journey as the main protagonist, James Sunderland. Venture through the mostly deserted town of Silent Hill, a place filled with memories of his late wife Mary, as he comes to terms with these memories while encountering monsters and a cast of characters. The remake launches on PS5 October 8.

I recently had the opportunity to play the highly-anticipated remake. Join me for a chilling recap that stretches from the opening scene to the imposing boss encounter with Red Pyramid Thing (a.k.a. Pyramid Head).

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The story begins in a grimy public restroom

The game begins with James recollecting the content of the letter he received from his deceased wife in the dimly lit public restroom of the observation deck at the outskirts of Silent Hill. Back in 2001, the level of dirt and detritus in this bathroom was a high-watermark for realistic, atmospheric visuals in games.

At first glance, I noticed that although the public restroom was almost proportionally identical to the original, it looked more detailed and realistic, with graffiti and scribbles on the walls, dirty floors, and a filthy toilet bowl. This instilled eeriness as if to foreshadow the grueling journey that James was about to embark on.

A new, immersive over-the-shoulder perspective

The first thing that struck me when I started the game was the new over-the-shoulder perspective. While the original’s overhead perspective felt like I was watching a movie, the remake’s updated view put me closer to James’ point of view, supporting greater immersion and the feeling of being in Silent Hill. 3D Audio also deepens the immersion, making swishing leaves and James’ footsteps feel audibly real.

Thickening fog shrouding James’ state of mind

In the original game, the observation

Last week, we asked you to dive into your inventory to share essential items from your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

call_me_xavii shares Alan holding the angel lamp light clicker from Alan Wake II.

laya_photo shares a detailed close up of Kratos’ weapons in God of War Ragnarök.

sorathluna shares Jin’s katana blade held out near a butterfly in Ghost of Tsushima.

Valkyrion126 shares Eve holding a master core from Stellar Blade.

RhodWulfLeon shares a close up shot of Aloy’s Focus being used in Horizon Forbidden West.

horace0816 shares the P-Organ from Lies of P.

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: Teachers
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on August 21, 2024

Next week, we’re going back to school and shining a light on gaming mentors. Share moments with characters that teach or impart knowledge from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Greetings, Travelers! As Genshin Impact approaches its fifth year, we are excited to welcome the sixth major nation of Teyvat — Natlan, in the upcoming version 5.0 Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn going live on August 28. Known as the Nation of War or the Nation of Pyro where Saurians have lived alongside humans since time immemorial, Natlan and her people are distinguished from other nations not only by their unique tribal traditions and natural environments, but also by their agility and their unparalleled movement capabilities blessed by the power of Pyro. Today, we’ll share some useful tips to help you explore this new region like a local or in the form of a Saurian!

We would also like to invite all Travelers who have completed Archon Quest Prologue: Act III Song of Dragon and Freedom in Mondstadt to visit Natlan using an unlocked Teleport Waypoint located at its entrance. Travelers who reached Adventure Rank 28 or above who have completed the Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III A New Star Approaches in Liyue can move on to the Archon Quests in Natlan without having to first complete the prerequisite quests of other nations.

Become a Saurian

The dragons in Natlan are called Saurians, and they are the result of a long evolution and coexisting with humans. Located west of the Desert of Hadramaveth in Sumeru, Natlan has a varied panorama ranging from canyons and cliffs to flowing waters and hot springs, and even dangerous volcanoes. Version 5.0 will offer the opportunity to meet three of the six local tribes, the Children of Echoes, the Scions of the Canopy, and the People of the Springs, to discover how their members move in steep and difficult-to-cross landscapes thanks to their respective Saurians.

For reasons that are still unclear, Travelers are unable to unlock the power of the Pyro element upon their arrival in Natlan, but you will be able to transform yourself into a Saurian temporarily by indwelling them or their Spiritsconce to roam around during your adventure!

The first Saurian you may indwell is a Tepetlisaurus. They are faithful companions taken in by the Children of Echoes, the tribe known for its expert miners and talented dancers inside the canyon. Transforming into a Tepetlisaurus allows you to burrow underground and climb cliffs. By indwelling a Yumkasaurus, you will be able to move travel through mid-air swiftly, reach high places with ease, and experience for yourself why the Scions of the Canopy that hang fr

Marvel’s diabolical despot Doctor Doom has seized a foothold on the Battle Royale Island after obtaining the devastating power of Pandora’s Box. Whatever it takes, Doctor Doom and his army of loyal henchmen must be defeated! Join Marvel Heroes Gwenpool, the Wakandan royal Shuri, and War Machine to defend against Doctor Doom’s legions in Fortnite Battle Royale Chapter 5 Season 4: Absolute Doom available today!

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Battle against Doom’s domain

Take on Doctor Doom’s domains, and the legions guarding them, in new POIs stationed around the map.

Castle Doom emerges

Castle Doom casts dark shadows over the island, with its forge burning hotter as Doctor Doom’s empowered armor inches closer to completion. Time is of the essence, Heroes.

Battle at The Raft

Doctor Doom has summoned The Raft to the Island, in a bid to recruit like-minded allies amongst a prison of extraterrestrial threats and supervillains.

Explore Doomstadt

Doctor Doom governs over the Latverian village of Doomstadt from his castle on high, surveilling all within his dominion.

Ready your gear, check your ammo count and prepare to head Into The Radius on PlayStation VR2 on September 19. We at CM Games are immensely proud to be bringing our hit VR survival shooter to the PlayStation platform for the first time ever.

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We believe VR is a powerful medium that allows you to immerse yourself further into the gaming experience. And, like many of you, we want deep experiences with rich gameplay, intense action, and smart interactions that get the best out of VR. Our goal with Into The Radius was to deliver exactly that kind of experience.

But, wait, what is Into The Radius? We’re glad you asked!

An intense survival FPS, built for VR

Into The Radius is a grueling, hardcore VR survival shooter set in a mysterious, supernatural wasteland known as the Pechorsk Anomaly. This desolate, surreal landscape is filled with mysterious and deadly anomalies. To explore its mysteries and return home with loot, players must carefully manage their inventory, and use their tactical skill and situational awareness to overcome, outsmart or outrun various dangers in the Radius.

Besides using a variety of weapons with realistic handling, different ammo, attachments and upgrades, you need to clean and maintain firearms in order to ensure they work well in the field. Neglect this maintenance and you’ll be putting yourself at risk, so make sure to check in on their status between missions.

Physical interactions with items are also core to the Into The Radius experience. We’ve gone to great lengths to make players feel like they’re really stepping into the harrowing world we’ve created. You’ll interact with a paper map and compass, audio cassettes and food as if you were really using them in the physical world. Never has survival gameplay felt so real!

New features for PS VR2

The PS VR2 version of the game will feature the entire original experience with 20+ hours of gameplay, but we’re also working hard to make sure this edition really reaches its full potential. That means a smooth, native 90FPS experience that uses the power of the PS5 console, combined with eye-tracked foveated rendering, to get the best balance of performa

I hope everyone’s been having a fantastic summer filled with many hours of great gaming! Today, we showcased three indie titles coming to PlayStation that we hope will encourage players to try something new. I hope you try everything from classic adventures to fast-paced action and imaginative worlds. 

The Plucky Squire | Coming to PS5 September 17

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This world filled with imagination from All Possible Futures will be a day one PlayStation Plus title on Game Catalog, available to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members, so don’t miss your chance to jump into this story literally. Join Jot in this platforming adventure on his quest to save his storybook fantasy and the world beyond. Switching between the 2D worlds found on items throughout the 3D environment of the desktop creates wonderful platforming challenges that use the creative powers you acquire on your journey.

Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged | Coming to PS5 September 19

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Adventure games are the foundation of many titles we enjoy today, and the original release of Broken Sword is a timeless classic brought back to life by the people at Revolution Software. The new enhanced version features over 30,000 animation frames and over 50 times the resolution than the original PlayStation version, with the graphics redrawn in 4K. It delivers a modern experience that brings its puzzles and adventure to new generations with updated modern controls. 

Sul

Welcome to the wonderfully twisted world of Sulfur – where every weapon is a canvas, and each modification adds a new layer of strategy and chaos. Today, we’re thrilled to dive into our FPS Roguelike’s weapon modification system – a feature as unpredictable and exciting as the game itself.

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In Sulfur, weapon customization isn’t only about tweaking stats – it’s about creating your own combat experience. Our system is designed to let you experiment with a wide range of modifications, including attachments, magic scrolls, changing the caliber of guns, and a staggering variety of oils. Each choice can dramatically alter your weapon’s performance and how it fits into your playstyle. Expect to experience the action on PS5 and PS4 in early 2025.

Attachments: The basics

Let’s start with attachments. These can be added to any weapon at any time, without needing to unlock special slots. Attachments come in different main types:

• Scopes: Enhance weapons and improve long-range targeting, hopefully providing precision in your shots.
• Suppressors: Reduce the spread of your shots, helping you maintain accuracy during rapid fire.
• Barrel Extensions: Barrel extension and manage recoil, making your weapon more stable during sustained fire.

In addition to these there is a Gun Crank, making any weapon semi-automatic, and red-dot-sights providing precision even when aiming from the hip. Each attachment modifies your weapon’s stats, such as spread, recoil, and critical chance, allowing for a more personalized combat experience.

Improving Your Weaponry

As your weapons gain experience and rank up, they unlock additional slots for enchantments and oils. These modifications provide deeper customization, letting you tailor your arsenal to match your unique playstyle.

• Enchantment scrolls add elemental effects to your weapon, such as fire or ice, or other magic enchantments making your bullets explosive, or into flying rockets, making e

Many of the Broken Sword fans that I meet today first discovered the series in 1996 when a demo of ‘Broken Sword – the Shadow of the Templars’ was included on the Official PlayStation magazine’s cover-mounted CD. I am thrilled that subsequent Broken Sword games have continued to be hugely popular on PlayStation platforms. 

A year or two ago, encouraged by enthusiastic fan communications which have continued over the thirty years since then, I decided that the time was right to undertake a substantially enhanced version of the game for PlayStation 5. We would redraw all the graphics in 4K – over 50 times the resolution of the original PlayStation version, and I was determined to ensure that the adventure gameplay felt utterly contemporary for a modern PlayStation audience.

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With over 100 backgrounds, and 30,000 sprites (animation frames) creating this enhanced, or Reforged, version was always going to be a huge undertaking. 

The original backgrounds were hand drawn in pencil on A5 (or larger) sheets by extraordinarily talented layout artists who had worked for most of their lives at the Don Bluth animation studios in Dublin. I decided that the game’s ‘canon’ should be those original pencil layouts, and where the game screens varied for whatever reasons, we would base the new high resolution art on the pencil layouts. This allowed us to digitally repaint over the original linework in 4K, which we had scanned at very high resolution, with confidence using the original game screens as reference.

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