This is Lindsey, game director at Timberline Studio. Today, I’d like to tell you more about how the concept of flavor is integral to how we built our cooking and gameplay systems in Beastro, our upcoming crunchy-cozy deck builder, coming to PS5 in Spring 2026.

We know that’s a lot to unpack up there, so let’s get into it.

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This month, stalk the streets of ancient Baghdad in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, cut down demons across a fallen empire in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, shred through hell’s underworld in Skate Story, or soar among the clouds in Granblue Fantasy: Relink. All these titles and more are available in December’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*. Meanwhile, Soulcalibur III brings arcade action to PlayStation Plus Premium. All of these will be available to play December 16, aside from Skate Story, which released into the service December 8.

 *Digital PS5 games available to stream from your library will vary over time, region, and country.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog 

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Each year brings unforgettable memories for our PlayStation community across the globe, and 2025 was no different with the launch of memorable games like Ghost of Yōtei, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Blue Prince, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. To reflect on another momentous year in gaming, we’re launching PlayStation 2025 Wrap-Up starting today.

From today through January 8, 2026, PS5 and PS4 players can access their PlayStation 2025 Wrap-Up experience* to view their gaming achievements for the year, including most played games and genres, total hours played across single-player and multiplayer titles, a personalized PlayStation Plus playlist, and trophy milestones. There’s also insights around gameplay with accessories like PlayStation VR2, PlayStation Portal remote player, as well as your most used DualSense wireless controller design.

The 2025 Wrap-Up experience will continue to update through the end of the year, so be sure to check back again before January 8 for your full 2025 summary. Players who complete the experience can redeem a unique glass-themed avatar as well as access their summary card – check out my 2025 summary below:

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Two iconic franchises have come together to combine the authenticity and realism of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 with the exciting, mysterious world of Stranger Things.

An adrenaline-packed journey into the universe of the cult series awaits fans and simmers alike, led by Murray Bauman, from the original cast, and his team! Enter the world of Netflix’s Stranger Things to help Hawkins, a town under lockdown, heavy patrols, and supernatural threats. 

Think you have what it takes to fly a Bell UH-1H Huey and help the residents of Hawkins in their latest encounters with the dangers that destroyed their hometown? Try your hand at five exhilarating missions, shady supply ops, close-call chases, and high-stakes rescues… all of it pulling you deeper into the city’s worst fears. No spoilers, but “Yeah, it gets intense!” as Murray would say.

And, if you’re ready to visit Hawkins, Indiana, even after the credits roll on the crew’s last strange adventure, you will be able to explore a highly detailed map and re-creation of the town with more than 40 iconic locations made famous by the show.

Starcourt Mall

Hawkins Middle School

Hawkins National Laboratory

Hawkins Junkyard

The legacy of Hawkins will live on, long past the airing of the final episode. Come see for yourself in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: Stranger Things expansion available December 9 and watch Stranger Things Season 5 only on Netflix.

The sky is calling!

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!

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Hey, y’all! Sid, Tim, Brett, and Kristen are back this week after the Thanksgiving holiday, and diving right into Arc Raiders and Ghost of Yōtei NG+.

Stuff We Talked About

• Next week’s releases:
  • Skate Story| PS5
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | PS5
  • Terminator 2D: No Fate | PS5
• PS Blog 2025 Game of the Year Polls — The polls are now open! Make your voice heard by casting your vote in 19 categories before Monday, December 8
• DualSense Wireless Controller – Genshin Impact Limited Edition – Pre-orders begin December 11, with launch starting from January 2026.
• What we’ve been playing:
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Ghost of Yōtei New Game+
  • Ball x Pit
  • Arc Raiders
  • System Shock remake

The Cast

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Last week, we asked you to share snow-filled views from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here’s this week’s snowy highlights:

SheikhSadi80 shares Atsu riding out to a shrine on a snowy hill in Ghost of Yōtei

rorottino shares Sam snowboarding on a carrier in Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.

RhodWulfLeon shares Kratos on the ice with a wolf in God of War Ragnarök.

secondcapture shares a student riding a Hippogriff over snowy grounds in Hogwarts Legacy.

treeblazah shares Aloy overlooking a snowy vista in Horizon Forbidden West.

discophotomode shares a glamorous snow-themed outfit from Infinity Nikki.

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Zoomed Out
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on December 10, 2025 

Next week, zoom all the way out and share panoramic shots using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Hi, this is Emeric Thoa, creative director at The Game Bakers, and I’m joined by Art Director and Writer Mathieu Bablet. Today, we’d like to tell you a bit about the story of Cairn and its main character, Aava.

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Hello, everyone! We’re Chaos Manufacturing—an indie development team on a mission to combine combat, story, and music so that they work in harmony to create game experiences that players will never forget. We’re excited to reveal our debut game, SOL Shogunate, a single player third-person action RPG that brings fluid, spectacle-driven combat to a sci-fi universe that pays homage to the majesty of feudal Japanese tradition. The game unfolds across a striking alternate future where the way of the sword is law.

A shattered heir, a stolen legacy

Players step into the role of Yuzuki, the lone survivor of a once-powerful samurai family. After a rival clan massacres her family, she becomes a ronin, carving a bloody path of vengeance through the moon’s gleaming megacities. These “Lunar Glass” cities create artificial gravity for their inhabitants, enabling sustained lunar life and a variety of ecosystems. Shogunate infrastructure also features wonders such as space elevators, high speed rail, and districts that maintain the veneer of Earth’s cultural comforts. Beneath the bright skylines lie sprawling industrial zones where workers toil unseen to sustain the shogunate’s influence.

Yuzuki’s story leads her deeper into the heart of the lunar frontier, revealing the forces that shaped her past and threaten her future.

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The gods created man, and man created stories.

In the beginning there was Romancing SaGa, the first entry in a classic 16-bit RPG trilogy. The beloved adventure was later remade on PS2, titled Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song-. On December 9, Red Art Games will release an enhanced version of the PS2 game on PS5 and PS4, titled Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered International.

This new International version is the most comprehensive, featuring new characters, tougher challenges, as well as numerous QoL improvements including French, Italian, German and Spanish localization, the ability to switch between English and Japanese voices and more, making it perfect for longtime fans and first-time SaGa players.

Before we head back into the world of Mardias, I was honored to have the opportunity to interview Akitoshi Kawazu, the original creator of the SaGa series and both producer and director of the 2005 version. Kawazu-san was kind enough to answer a few questions we had about the game, the SaGa series’ grand 36-year history, and his personal thoughts in the process.

Could you tell us how the idea of the first Romancing SaGa title came into being? 

I had always wanted to make a grand fantasy RPG in the style of The Lord of the Rings. With our previous experience and the new hardware available, I knew that now was the time to take on that challenge.

And then came Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song-. What were the challenges associated with the development of the 2005 version for PlayStation 2 ?

The biggest challenge was figuring out the limits to which we could push the PS2’s expression capabilities. New team members wanted different expressions than those found in the original version, but if we strayed too far it wouldn’t be faithful to the original. Development was all about striking a balance.

In the PS2 version, the original 2D pixel art was completely remade into a full 3D game. In terms of battles, new systems such as BP management and combos were introduced, adding greater strategy and drama to each encounter. The music, composed by Kenji Ito, was also boldly rearranged, giving players a fresh and powerful listening experience even if they were familiar with the original. In addition, features such as the class system and proficiencies were added, reflecting the trends of the time and making the game more accessible and comfortable to play.