Two new women’s competitions are ready to kick-off in FIFA 23 just as their real world counterparts are heating up. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) joins the Barclays Women’s Super League and Division 1 Arkema as the third women’s football league on the eve of the 2023 season, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League brings European nights and four new clubs to the The World’s Game in anticipation for this year’s knockout stages.

Both competitions will be powered by the same dedicated Hypermotion2 driving the Barclays Women’s Super League and Division 1 Arkema in FIFA 23, with authentic match capture and machine learning technology creating authentic animation informed by the movement of real-life women’s players.

The NWSL and UWCL will be available and free for those with FIFA 23 starting on March 15, 2023.

NWSL

The NWSL goes live in FIFA 23 just in time for the start of the new season out on the pitch. New headscans for select players across the competition bring the faces of NWSL to The World’s Game and new celebrations that bring the energy of the league to every goal. Take the pitch at four authentic stadiums with all 12 NWSL teams in a variety of game modes including Classic Kickoff and Co-op Seasons. You can also vie for the title in Tournament Mode with a full home and away season that culminates in an authentic shield and trophy presentation, or go online to challenge others to Friendlies with your favorite club.

UWCL

The world’s most prestigious women’s club competition joins The World’s Game on March 15th—the UEFA Women’s Champions League—just as the real-world knockout stages get underway. Welcome four new iconic clubs joining Chelsea Women, Manchester City Women, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, and Paris Saint-Germain Féminine in FIFA 23, along with new faces from across these top European teams. Embrace the energy of European nights in a variety of game modes, ranging from Kick-off with each of the eight UWCL clubs and Co-op seasons with friends to Tournament modes that let you lead your team to glory. And experience it all in authentic UWCL environments complete with the anthem as you walk out, branded UWCL broadcast overlays as you play, and the iconic trophy as you crown your club champions of Europe.

Overwatch 2 is teaming up with the world-renowned One-Punch Man anime to bring a set of collectible cosmetics to the game, available for a limited-time from March 7 – April 6! Overwatch 2 Associate Director Aimee Dennet and Art Director Dion Rogers share their thoughts ahead of the ground-breaking collaboration, which marks a first for Overwatch 2 and paves the way for other exciting potential IP crossovers for the game in the future. The team is excited to reveal the Genos – Genji skin from the collaboration here, for the first time, today on PlayStation Blog.

What led to the idea of specifically bringing One-Punch Man into the world of Overwatch?

[Aimee Dennett, Associate Director, Overwatch 2] We’re obsessed with anime on the Overwatch team! Much like our player base, we have fun thinking about crossovers and similarities shared between characters from our favorite shows. Doomfist and Saitama were a very natural fit in our minds, given their abilities. They’re also both bald. It doesn’t hurt that our game director Aaron Keller is also a big One-Punch Man fan.

Both Genos and Genji have tragic backstories in common, can you discuss whether these shared experiences made for a perfect crossover, as well as any other inspiration that led to the Genos-Genji character?

[Aimee] The similarities between Genos’s and Genji’s backstories were certainly an inspiration. They are both humans who were pushed to the brink of death, only to be rescued and transformed into cyborgs by doctors from their respective universes. We also liked the fact that both Genji and Genos have a strong relationship with their mentors. In fact, there was an idea that Zenyatta would make for an excellent Saitama given this relationship (he’s also bald!) but Doomfist was always the clear choice for us.

Which aspects of Genos’s aesthetic and ability were most important to capture in the world of Overwatch?

[Dion Rogers, Art Director, Overwatch 2] Genos was a perfect fit for Genji. The two characters are essentially cyborgs, and both have very serious and intense attitudes. We wanted to make sure players recognized that our characters are essentially cosplaying the OPM heroes. Genos’s spiky blonde hair was an interesting challenge, the closer we matched the style the more we lost Genji in the process. Our concept artists were careful to combine the two heroes’ main aesthetics without losing either character in the process. 

What was the thought behind creating a hybridized Genos-Genji crossover skin, rather than trying to create a fully 1-to-1 Genos skin?

[Aimee] Blizzard games have very detailed lore and universes, and Overwatch is no exception. From a canon perspective, Overwatch takes place on Earth. One-Punch Man is an anime that exists on Earth, so it’s not immersion breaking if you see the existence of One-Punch Man in the game. For our firs

Last week, we asked you to return to the mall and share moments from Ellie and Riley’s adventure in The Last of Us Part I’s Left Behind chapter. Here are this week’s highlights:

LukeKasinger shares Ellie smiling while riding on the carousel

call_me_xavii shares Riley and Ellie dancing on a store counter

ForgottenJasmin shares a portrait of Riley facing Ellie

justinphotomode shares Ellie holding her joke book

Paquiteau shares Ellie standing in the entrance of Raja’s Arcade

spm_vp shares a portrait of Riley deep in thought.

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: Heroines
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on March 8, 2023

Next week, we’re turning the spotlight on heroic women from our favorite games. Share your favorite gaming heroine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Hello folks, I’m Ryan Bousfield, founder and director of Wolf & Wood Interactive, and I’m here today to announce that our upcoming game, The Last Worker will be launching on PlayStation 5 and on PS VR2 on March 30!

For people who may not be familiar with the game, let me give you a quick run-down. The Last Worker is a first-person narrative adventure we are creating with Jörg Tittel (writer, director) and Wired Productions (publisher) that balances light work simulation tasks with stealth gameplay and a deliciously dark and satirical story, performed by a star-studded cast (featuring the likes of Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jason Isaacs, Clare-Hope Ashitey, David Hewlet, Zelda Williams, and Tommie Earl Jenkins).

You are Kurt, the very last human worker for Jüngle – the most profitable company in the world. Kurt is responsible for “delivering dreams” along with his co-bot assistant SKEW,  navigating a huge distribution centre (larger than the sunken island of Manhattan) on a gravity defying pod, and then using your “Jünglegun” to retrieve, analyse and then tag products appropriately before dispatching or destroying them.  Kurt is pretty happy with his lot, all things considered – that is until a contact from a shadowy organisation disrupts his day to day work and offers him the chance to peek below the surface of Jüngle and the dark secrets that built an empire…

The Last Worker will be playable in both traditional “flat mode” and PS VR2 compatible, with both versions of the game built independently to make the most of the strengths of each version of the game, and of course make the most of the unique features that PlayStation 5 and PS VR2 hardware brings to the table.

Hybrid game and Saves

The Last Worker will be available as a PS5 and PSVR2 title, but you won’t need to pay for an upgrade, when you buy the game you receive both versions – and the save files and progress carry over between them. This means if you spend the morning fully immersed in the PS VR2 world of JFC-1, but want to quickly get a shift in later without putting on your headset, you can simply play on your TV.

4K HDR PS VR2 visuals

The Last Worker features a gorgeous stylised world, that blends custom shading and art from concepts drawn by comic artist legend Mick Mcmahon (known for his work on 2000 AD characters such as Judge Dredd and Sláine) that have been lovingly adapted by our team hand drawing each and every pen stroke in 3D! This has led to a vibrant, colourful world that is brought to life in spectacular fashion with the PS VR2’s two 2000×2040 OLED screens.

3D audio

Wolf & Wood have previously released PS VR titles, and understand the importance of audio in crafting a believable immersive world, this is no different for The Last Worker, with crisp 3D audio implementation allowing every explosion, piece of dialogue from the cast or track from the OST (Which was created by Olver Kraus, known for his collaborations with Adele, Sia, Florence and the Machine, and others) to come through crystal clear regardless of your position.

Adaptive triggers and haptic feedback

As Kurt’s story progresses, so does the selection of tools available to him, from using the Jünglegun as a makeshift hacking tool to a powerful EMP gun – each tool you’ll use to complete your day job (or perform espionage) includes unique feedback through use of the adaptive triggers and powerful haptic feedback – whether you’re labeling a package or flinging rats into the face of a pursuing security bot.

PS VR2

HELL-A can be dangerous since the zompocalypse happened and the locals got so bitey. Luckily, Slayers in Dead Island 2 have their own customizable skill decks to help level the playing field against the undead Angelinos trying to feast on them.

But, “what exactly is a skill deck, and how is it going to help me maximize my zombie slaying potential?” you ask. Well, first, we need to talk skill cards.

Skill cards

Gained from leveling up, found hidden around the city of LA and scavenged from slain zombie foes, skill cards are collectible items that, once equipped, grant Slayers special powers, abilities, and boons to aid them in combat situations.

Some of them make you faster, more agile, or stronger; some reward you with buffs each time you pull off that perfect decapitation, and some will set fire to zombies you drop kick, turning them into flying, flaming sacks of rotten flesh. No, we aren’t kidding; there is a card that does that.

Whether you’re out to pump up your stats to become the ultimate slaying machine or want access to an arsenal of acrobatic attack move so you can slaughter zombies with maximum style points, there’s a skill card to suit your needs.

We want you to have total freedom in how you play, regardless of which of the six Slayers you choose to battle through HELL-A. That’s why we’ve made the vast majority of skill cards applicable to everyone.

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The right deck for the job

The skill deck is where you can browse your collection of skill cards and choose which ones you want to equip.

Say you’ve come across a zombie posing a bit more of a challenge than the typical shambling husk – maybe they look like they’ve been hitting the gym and eating their greens. Or they have blades coming out of their arms, yikes.

It’s time to make sure you’re working with the right skills to get the job done, which is why we made the skill deck in Dead Island 2 fully remappable, at any point.

If you wish to tweak a single card or completely change your playstyle – say from a tanky brawler to an agile assassin — you can do so at any given moment with total ease.

Part of the magic of building your skill deck is experimenting with all the different perks and abilities skill cards grant you to find wickedly fun and effective synergies that suit your playstyle.

But, to help get you started, here are a couple of the Team at Dambuster’s favorite combinations.

Coming in hot

Combine the Dash Strike ability with the Slayer skill Hammer Fist to unleash a s

Today we’re happy to reveal the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for March. As announced at last week’s State of Play, the Monthly Games lineup of Battlefield 2042, Minecraft Dungeons and Code Vein will be available to PlayStation Plus members on Tuesday, March 7 until Monday April 3. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of the games in turn. 

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Battlefield 2042 | PS4, PS5 

Battlefield 2042 is an exhilarating first-person shooter that marks the return of the iconic all-out warfare the franchise is well known for. Set in a near-future world transformed by disorder, you’ll have to adapt and overcome dynamic battlegrounds with the help of your squad and an arsenal of cutting-edge weapons and vehicles. With support for 128 players on PlayStation 5*, Battlefield 2042 brings unprecedented scale on vast battlegrounds across the globe. Participate in massive experiences, from updated multiplayer modes like Conquest and Breakthrough to the all-new Hazard Zone.

*Up to 64 players supported on PlayStation 4.

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At PlayStation, we always relish the chance to collaborate creatively with cultural leaders who redefine what it means to play – and live life – without limits. That’s why we recently unveiled our new PlayStation Playmakers program, which you can read more about here. Today, we’re humbled to announce a limited edition PlayStation 5 console cover and DualSense wireless controller collaboratively designed with PlayStation Playmaker, sports icon, philanthropist, entrepreneur (and part-time God of War), LeBron James.

These specially-designed PS5 accessories, which feature elements inspired by LeBron and his love for gaming and community, will be available as a limited release in select countries globally. As a PlayStation Playmaker, LeBron co-designed the PS5 console cover and DualSense wireless controller with personal imagery and adages that have been meaningful throughout his journey.

Design and specifications are subject to change without notice

Here’s a word from LeBron about what this collaboration means to him:

“It’s still crazy to think a kid from Akron who grew up playing games is getting to create something like this. Designing a console cover and controller with PlayStation that gives a nod to my I Promise students and where we come from is a pretty cool thing. I hope it’s something that continues to inspire everyone who touches it, and that they have a little fun finding meaning in every detail.”

– LeBron James

From his record-breaking achievements in basketball to his extraordinary efforts to lift his community, LeBron is an inspiration to many of us at PlayStation. We couldn’t have asked for a more ideal partner to be the first-ever collaborator to design limited-edition PlayStation products. It was great to see LeBron’s vision for the design come to life and showcase his passions for gaming and community. We hope PlayStation fans will love this design as much as we enjoyed helping create it.

Fans in select markets will be able to preorder the accessories exclusively through direct.playstation.com later this year. 

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February has come and gone, and with it came some spectacular new games, including new PS VR2 releases. Which new game will take the Players’ Choice crown? The polls are open now, place your vote below to help decide! 

How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation.Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. Soon thereafter, we’ll close the polls, tally your votes, and announce the winner at PlayStation.Blog. PlayStation Store will also showcase some top Players’ Choice winners throughout the year.

What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? In keeping with our long tradition in the Game of the Year Awards, remastered or re-released games won’t qualify. Ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds and remakes like Demon’s Souls and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will.

How are nominees decided? The PlayStation.Blog and PlayStation Store editorial teams will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. Write-in votes will be accepted.

PlayStation Store’s Mega March promotion commences March 1. For a limited time* enjoy discounts on a wide range of PlayStation games, including The Callisto Protocol, FIFA 23 and Dying Light 2 Stay Human.