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Ten years ago, I helped co-found Day of the Devs alongside my good pals at Double Fine and iam8bit. The aim was to create a festival for games that put developers at the forefront, spotlighting the most unique, creative, and artistic indie games we could find from around the globe. It’s a celebration of what games can be and the creators behind them.
Since then, we’ve helped promote over 500 titles through both our tentpole free public event in San Francisco as well as our digital showcases, including standouts from last year such as Death’s Door, Toem, and Axiom Verge 2. Today we’re back with our latest crop of games for Day of the Devs: Summer Game Fest Edition. It’s another incredible lineup of games of all shapes and sizes. Here’s a look at some of the highlights coming to PlayStation.
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Time Flies
This whimsical game is part open world and part flight simulator – and you play it as a fly! You are provided with a bucket list that you can complete before you die. But the life of a fly is short – and the list is long! Go ahead and learn an instrument, become rich, read a book, go on tour, find yourself, get drunk, make someone laugh or enter the art world! And if you don’t feel like pursuing your life goals, just hang, clean your wings and watch television. Make the best of the time you have! Because we are all going to die. – Michael Frei & Raphael Munoz, Playables
Release Date: 2023 | Developer: Playables | PS4, PS5
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Naiad
Whether you’re here following our Summer Games Fest announcements or just catching up on the latest news from the studio, we’re excited to share what’s in store for the future of The Last of Us. Many of you have expressed how strongly The Last of Us series resonates with you, and we’re humbled by the community’s outpouring of passion and excitement towards the series’ growing and evolving world and characters.
We’re happy to share that The Last of Us Part II has sold through more than 10 million copies globally, as of this Spring. Knowing the support we have, our studio continues to see exciting, new avenues to introduce curious audiences and galvanize fans. With those opportunities in mind, let’s talk about the immense future of The Last of Us.
Standalone Multiplayer
It’s no secret that many of you are not only drawn to The Last of Us’ stories but also the game’s original Factions multiplayer. Since The Last of Us Factions’ release almost a decade ago, dedicated players have been vocal about an expansion upon that offering.
However, we can finally announce that we’re creating something much larger than a mode. We’re thrilled to share a piece of concept art from our upcoming multiplayer experience, which is an extremely ambitious undertaking. We’re growing our studio significantly to ensure we build this full-scale, standalone game, with its massive scope and immense world, in a way that fans have come to expect from The Last of Us and Naughty Dog.
We aim to make our newest entry into multiplayer inviting to new players while still a thrilling challenge for more of our seasoned fans. There will be more news to come next year, and we cannot wait to introduce you to the team behind this new experience!
The Last of Us on HBO
From the onset, our original vision for The Last of Us’ story was cinematic and character driven, and HBO enthusiastically continued the spirit of that same vision to bring this story to TV screens worldwide. Helmed by Craig Mazin, Creator and Writer of Chernobyl, in tandem with Executive Producer Carolyn Strauss and Neil Druckmann, the incredible cast and crew strove to ensure a faithf
Ever since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Shredder’s Revenge was announced, fans across the world wondered: “What about Casey Jones?”. We can now reveal that the goalie-masked crimefighter will be slashing and bashing his way through New York starting June 16!
Casey Jones is available as an unlockable playable character for you and five other friends.
That’s right, for the first time, 6 players can take on the Foot Clan!
Casey Jones joins the roster
Since Shredder’s Revenge is a true-blue beat-em-up it was unthinkable for us to work on this game without bringing in New York’s premier sports-themed vigilante.
Even though the athletic ace is mostly absent from the 1987 animated series, Casey is one of the Turtles’ most memorable allies, beloved by fans of all incarnations.
It was a true honor to bring ‘87 Casey Jones into the 2020s!
Always ready for crime-busting, Casey carries a sports bag filled with tricks, granting him a wide variety of offensive maneuvers. Shredder’s Revenge game designer Fred Gemus tells: “He might be slower than other fighters but his repertoire of sticks and clubs gives him not only a variety of attacks but also a whole lot of range and power.”
Like a good goon, Casey Jones enters the game ready to put the hurt on his adversaries!
First concept sketch of Casey Jones with his weapon arsenal
Whether it’s on the street, in the field or on the ice, Casey Jones is ready for action!
Animation supervisor for Casey Mathieu Godet tells us: “We quickly arrived at the idea of Casey’s almost “magical” Golf bag, where he can pull any sports equipment from, whether it’s a club, metal baseball bat or a hockey stick.”
2D animator, Aaron Manzano explains: “Casey’s mask posed a challenge for his expressions at first, so we had to make him more expressive throughout his gestures and I feel we’ve done a good job of that! We also wa
When Marvel’s Midnight Suns launches on October 7, players from around the world will get to dive into the darker, supernatural side of the Marvel Universe alongside the Midnight Suns. As Earth’s last line of defense, this team of legendary Marvel heroes must band together to stop Lilith, Mother of Demons, from resurrecting the elder god Chthon.
To prepare for the fight ahead, the team at Firaxis were excited not only to design updated suits for the iconic heroes, but also to give them a signature, supernatural Midnight Suns look.
When creating these new suits we obviously wanted them to look unique, but it was also important to retain certain characteristics so that the heroes are easily recognizable even during intense combat sequences. Our early designs for the Midnight Suns combat suits had a somewhat Arthurian medieval look, but ultimately we opted for a sleeker combination of old and new that speaks to the potent combination of Stark technology and Doctor Strange’s magic.
Strange’s glyphs appear on golden filigreed armored plates that are used alongside sections of black ballistic plastics from Stark. On top of that, the new suits emanate magical Hellfire! Our goal was to make them look as though they’re radiating supernatural power—a modern twist on the traditional superhero suits.
Below are examples of how we approached designing suits for some of the Midnight Suns, along with hints at the abilities that the new Stark- and Strange-powered suits unlock in-game.
Spider-Man
Our color blocking of red and blue sections goes a long way to ensuring that Spider-Man is instantly recognizable. We also made sure to get the webbing design just right; it has a certain shape, design, and rhythm. This applies to his animations as well, which have a distinct acrobatic style and incorporate amazing, extreme poses.
To fit the Marvel’s Midnight Suns aesthetic, we added sharp, dagger-like designs to the chest, back, and arms of Spider-Man’s suits and used similar shapes when designing his spider symbol. Even in his black-and-gold combat suit, Spider-Man is unmistakable as he uses his signature Midnight Suns ability—buffing himself while leaping into the air and hitting iconic poses with a burst of Hellfire behind him.
Magik
For Magik’s suit, which has a punk style, we looked to comics like 1992’s Ghost Rider & Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance series for inspiration.
America’s hero is back! Guile returns in Street Fighter 6 when it launches in 2023 – and brings his endless swagger with him. As a U.S. Air Force pilot who fights for his country, Guile succeeded in dismantling Shadaloo and avenged his friend Charlie Nash. Although he enjoys living the family-man life, a new mission now awaits.
Guile’s move set in Street Fighter 6 combines his signature moves with fresh additions. He is one powerhouse of a character who retains his ability to keep opponents at a distance. Splatters of green and yellow paint cover the stage when Guile utilizes the Drive System, harkening to the colors of his classic look.
 
Guile’s Sonic Boom and Somersault Kick (Flash Kick) are set to make their triumphant return in Street Fighter 6. What would Guile be without them, right? Sonic Boom is Guile’s main projectile ability and travels across the stage while Somersault Kick is an instant upwards move that can protect from airborne attacks.
Guile’s Sonic Blade from Street Fighter V returns as a Special Move rather than a V-Skill and sees him placing a stationary aerial slash in front of him. Sonic Blade can then be turned into a two-hit projectile if combined with Sonic Boom.
Let’s go over all three of Guile’s Super Arts, which reflects his journey as one of the most well-known World Warriors!
Sonic Hurricane (1 Stock) – Introduced in Street Fighter Alpha 3, Guile fires a massive aerial slash directly ahead. If used with a Heavy Punch, the aerial slash fires diagonally upwards as a good anti-air option. An extremely versatile move that can be used in combos, to counter projectiles, or as a way to turn the tables when being pressured.
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No good hitman retires forever. Pistol Whip Contracts is here to make you an offer you can’t refuse, just sign on the dotted line and let the hunt for your targets begin.
Your assignment: elimination. Explore a whole new way to take down your enemies and reap the rewards with Contracts, a rotating daily, weekly, and monthly challenge system built to keep even the most experienced assassins on their toes.
Want to rack up some quick kills and get out of dodge? Step up for the Daily Bounty; a single scene that refreshes every day. For those looking to boast about completing a more dangerous mission, the Weekly Raid is available; a multi-scene operation that refreshes once a week. And for the veterans, experts, and those who have no fear, there is nothing more deadly than attempting the Monthly Ultimatum; a gauntlet of up to five scenes that refreshes at the beginning of every month.
Endless gameplay customization options are available through Pistol Whip’s Styles System, providing players with an extensive list of weapons and modifiers. But we hire you to kill, not to think, and sometimes a mercenary just wants to grab a gun to finish their assignment without a fuss. Enter Contracts. It’s never been so easy to jump directly into the action.
The nature of Contracts is to provide pre-arranged combinations of styles, weapons, enemies, and scenes so that a shooter of any skill level can experience a wide, ever-changing variety of challenges.
“Contracts use our wide variety of gameplay ingredients, plus a few new surprises, to serve up delicious layer-cakes of revenge, every day.” Says Joel Green, Game Director. “The optional multi-scene endurance contracts are something we’ve long wanted to add, and the designers are thirstily anticipating the inevitable suffering of our more audacious players.”
When a contract deadline is up, players will receive an emblem marked with their ranking, prominently displayed for others to see. There may even be a rare coin payable to those assassins who achieve the number one position – but will they try to dominate one board or rule them all?
Also included in this update are several Styles menu adjustments to provide smoother user accessibility, as well as new modifiers for faster bullets, slower bullets, and reinforced player armor.
Pistol Whip Contracts is slated for release on PS VR on June 16, bringing rotating daily, weekly, and monthly assignments into the pulse-pounding action of the Pistolverse. Mercenaries all over the globe will be getting back into the game, and we expect you’ll be among them. No compromise. No mercy. Just get the job done.
Calling all PlayStation players! The sequel to 2019’s blockbuster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is almost here. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will kick off a new era for the franchise when it releases worldwide on October 28 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
PlayStation players will witness and experience what made Task Force 141 become the legendary squad that it is as the action picks up following the harrowing and breathtaking action from the 2019 game.
Developer Infinity Ward has left no stone unturned to create a new heart-pounding experience for players.
Task Force 141’s next global Campaign. Immersive, world-class Multiplayer. An evolved Special Ops experience. All carefully crafted with gameplay and technical innovations that will introduce PlayStation fans to the new era of Call of Duty.
Campaign and Special Ops
Task Force 141 faces its greatest threat yet — a newly aligned menace with deep, yet unknown, connections.
In a direct sequel to Modern Warfare (2019), familiar heroes return and new allies are formed as the globe-trotting operation spans Europe, Asia, and the Americas..
This Campaign is set to be an incredible experience on numerous levels: offshore sieges with underwater combat, all-out explosive assaults from 30,000 feet above enemy strongholds, and high-stakes, low-profile stealth missions.
Deploying alongside you are iconic squadmates: Team leader Captain John Price; seasoned sergeant Kyle “Gaz” Garrick; the lone wolf himself, fan-favorite Simon “Ghost” Riley; fearless Sergeant John “Soap” MacTavish; as well as the newest team member, Colonel Alejandro Vargas, an incorruptible Tier 1 Operator and member of the Mexican Special Forces.
After the Campaign, PlayStation players can join up with their duo for an evolved Special Ops experience, the tactical co-op mode that advances your team-building skills and sets the table for the near endless hours of gameplay you can experience in Multiplayer.
Multiplayer: Next Generation Innovations
Those who drop into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Multiplayer at launch will be the first to try out and level up multiple base weapons, explore a wide range of maps and modes, meet an international cast of Operators, and mor
With 29 years of experience in game development, Bend Studio has had a rich legacy in video games. From the iconic Syphon Filter series to Resistance: Retribution, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and Days Gone, we strive to provide our players with high-quality experiences that create a lasting impact. As we reflect on our past and look toward the future, we are thrilled to unveil the new Bend Studio logo to you all.
“The wordmark and symbol were designed to be graphic and bold, so that we utilize numerous variations in colorways and stylised treatments of the symbol (exampled below), while still maintaining an identifiable brand identity. Because the Bend Studio logo is split into a symbol and a workmark, we have more flexibility with the symbol.” – Shay Casey
Our new Bend Studio logo represents an abstract and modern interpretation of the studio’s history, location, and lifestyle. Located at the base of the beautiful Cascade Mountains in Central Oregon, Bend provides us with a unique lifestyle where we can work in tech, but live life analog. After a day in the office, we like to plug into adventure and use our extra life to shred the slopes at Mt. Bachelor, drag a line in the Deschutes River, or take a long hike in the wild.
“We set out to create a new identity that would be cutting-edge, abstract, and minimalist. It should feature simple, high-tech geometry but also represent the constant motion of creativity. Ideally it would be the kind of logo that is recognizable to gamers on the street without the need for a wordmark. Over time it should be easily identified as a symbol of gaming just like a certain swoosh is of sportswear.
With those objectives in mind, we are illustrating Bend Studio’s technical innovation with a forward directional look. The letterforms are cut to run parallel to the leading edge of the outer symbol triangle but still maintain the stability of our mid-weight non-italicized font. The Cascade icon in the center of the symbol is an abstract representation of the many mountain peaks that are the center of our lives in Central Oregon and define our skyline. Additionally, there is a small break in the “I” that represents one of the lumber mill smokestacks that speaks to Bend’s history as a logging town before its current existence as an outdoor enthusiast destination.” – Shay Casey
Associate Art Director (Branding & UI)
“The new logo allows us to be creative with stylised treatments. We had a lot of fun concepting the above.” – Shay Casey
1993: Origins of Bend Studio
Bend Studio traces its origins to 1993, under the name of Blank, Berlyn and Co. The company released several puzzle games for the Apple Newton, including Columbo’s Mystery Capers, Dell Crossword Puzzles, Motil, and Notion (List Maker). Shortly after, we hired Christopher Reese, the current Studio Head at Bend Studio, who helped release the first of a series of sports games, starting with Live Action Football in 1993 on PC. Following these releases, the company had the ambition to evolve and push into the w
With Yurukill: The Calumniation Games less than a month away from release, we’re happy to announce that the demo is available for free download starting today at PlayStation Store. Given the unique blend of genres, we wanted to shed some light on how everything flows together to create a cohesive and exciting experience.
Also, if you pick up Yurukill: The Calumniation Games on PS4, you can upgrade your copy to the PS5 version digitally for free.
What are the Calumniation Games?
Calumniate (verb): to utter maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about.
ca·lum·ni·ate | kə-ˈləm-nē-ˌāt
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games centers around Sengoku Shunju, a man who wakes up in a prison cell with no recollection of how he got there. A masked woman named Binko suddenly appears before him and explains the situation at hand: “Prisoner, Sengoku Shunju: convicted of murder! He’s serving a 999 year sentence! That’s far and away the longest sentence out of all our Prisoners!”
You must survive the various “attractions” in a certain “amusement park.” If you succeed, your crimes will be pardoned.
“No, you’ve got it all wrong, I’ve been falsely accused! I’m innocent!”
Sengoku asserts that he is innocent of the crimes he’s accused of, but what complicates matters is the appearance of the victim of one of his alleged crimes: a woman named Rina Azami.
“Sengoku Shunju. A name I will never forget. You killed my entire family. For that, I will never forgive you.”
Sengoku is charged with arson and murder—for the death of 21 people by immolation, including Rina’s family. And now he finds himself in Yurukill Land, the aforementioned ‘amusement park’ where accused criminals (Prisoners) and the victims of their crimes (Executioners) must pair up to face its twisted attractions and trials.
Besides Sengoku, there are four other groups of Prisoners and their respective Executioners who find themselves in Yurukill Land: the Death Dealing Duo, the Crafty Killers, the Sly
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