Welcome to another blog about our forthcoming game—House of Ashes! I’m Will Doyle and I’m a game director here at Supermassive Games. Today I am going to talk to you about monsters and what they mean in our game. 

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House of Ashes takes place at the close of the Iraq war in 2003. High in the Zagros Mountains, an elite military unit searching for chemical weapons comes under fire from holdout Iraqi forces. During the firefight, sinkholes open in the ground beneath them, plunging both sides into the ruins of a long-lost Sumerian temple. Our soldiers are not alone down there—they have woken a nest of unearthly creatures, which are hungry for blood! Across the course of one night, our survivors must learn to evade, adapt and strike back against the horde of creatures hunting them. To survive the night below, our soldiers must forge a brotherhood with their enemies from the world above. 

In the most classic sense, “monsters” are grotesque creatures that violate our notions of humanity and the natural order of things. We fear them because their existence shatters our understanding of the world—such things should not be, yet here they are, in the flesh. Monsters don’t obey our rules, they kill, they terrorize, and they corrupt. Of course, not all monsters are supernatural—the term “monster” can also be applied to people who abandon their own humanity. When a human behaves like a monster, are they even human anymore?    

We wanted to explore all these themes in House of Ashes. The underworld creatures you’ll face in the game are brutal, relentless killing machines. They are real, but they are not human. We purposefully wanted them to be as inhuman as possible—they don’t think like we do, they don’t show mercy like we do, they just want us dead. We knew that the more inhuman we made them, the more humanity they’d bring out in our human soldiers. Unfortunately, the characters you control are not all friends, and you’ll be presented with some very difficult choices around who to trust, who to help, and who to leave behind. Setting our game in a war zone immediately gave us thorny tensions between our characters: a mix of prejudices, rivalries, and mistrust. With such strong tensions running within the group, you’ll sometimes question if the creatures aren’t the only monsters down there. To defeat their inhuman enemies, your

As a developer, watching people play your game can be a nerve-wracking experience. It seems like an age ago (it was only 2018) that I was on a busy showfloor at the EGX Expo, peering over the shoulders of players getting to grips with Valfaris, the 2D action-platformer that myself and fellow Steel Mantis dev, Andrew Gilmour, were working on at the time.

Luckily, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The demo we had prepared was no pushover, and I remember seeing players dying over and over. But most were determined to push forward, and they eventually made it to the end with a big grin on their face. It showed me there was something about Valfaris that made people want to persevere and conquer it. Seeing this was an incredibly rewarding experience, and it made me feel we were making something worthwhile.

Fast forward to today, and we’re excited to be revealing Valfaris: Mecha Therion. Anyone familiar with Valfaris will immediately notice a major difference in the sequel – it’s not a platformer, but a shoot ‘em up. New ideas and features are, of course, entirely expected in a follow-up, but switching genres? Not so much.

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Despite knowing players enjoyed the platforming action of Valfaris – as I’d seen first-hand at EGX and was reinforced post-launch by positive user and critic reviews – we both decided we wanted to do something new with the sequel.

Before we arrived at that decision, however, our original plan was to make a sequel to Slain: Back From Hell, a 2D hack-and-slash platformer we released in 2016. It was going to be a 2.5D platformer and we got as far as making a bit of gameplay with some 3D elements. We had a section with the character walking around a spiral staircase, and it looked pretty cool. Even at that point, though, I was already feeling that making another entire platformer was going to be a drag.

It was then Andrew suggested something totally crazy: that we abandon the project and make a shmup sequel to Valfaris instead. It was completely out of the blue, but I grew up playing games such as Thunder Force, R-Type, Gradius, and Raiden, and had already made a shoot ‘em up around 2008 called Cy-Clone, so I was very into the idea!

I was immediately enthused by the change in direction, and – as there are plenty of differences between a platformer and a shmup to consider – straight away started to think about the game from a design perspective. Most notably, a platformer generally allows the player to go at their own pace (rising water/lava levels not withstanding

It’s been six months since the release of Little Nightmares II. Whether you’ve jumped into Mono and Six’s adventure from day one or are still new to this universe, the Enhanced Edition – out today – is a good opportunity to (re)discover these little nightmares on PS5. 

PS5 enhancements 

Thanks to the power of PS5, you can now play Little Nightmares II with ray-traced reflections, increased volumetric shadows and particles, improved loading times and a new immersive 3D soundscape mix when using a 5.1 / 7.1 audio system.

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Thanks to the Graphics mode option, you will also be able to choose between Beauty and Performance modes. The first one emphasizes the resolution and the ray tracing; the game runs at 30fps with 4K resolution and optimized ray tracing. The second one locks the game at 60fps with a dynamic resolution up to 4K and ray tracing.

Owners of the PS4 version of Little Nightmares II can upgrade to the PS5 Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition for free.  

An eye on the development process

Because Little Nightmares II has such a unique atmosphere, we have been very cautious with the enhanced features we decided to use. Each one of them has been chosen and balanced for each room in order to keep the ambiance and push the visual quality to another level. 

When it came to choosing which features to add, one important criteria was also to improve player immersion. We wanted players to feel like they are diving into their little nightmares. This focus on immersion implies an important attention to details. Adding more particles which are dynamically affected by Mono in the air but also on the ground with dust on the old carpets. To make the player’s senses more alert, the 3D audio gives a hint on the direction of the danger but it doesn’t mean that it will be easier to escape. 

Zoom in on the Hospital chapter 

All the chapters in the game had great improvements, but the Hospital might have had the most important changes. Since the beginning of the development of the PS5 Enhanced Edition, it was essential for us to process each room individually to maintain their unique atmosphere. In the Hospital, we quickly decided to try to add ray-traced, real time reflections on the ground of all the indoor environments. This made the Hospital corridors come to life and reinforce the desired feeling of uneasiness while discovering its not-so

NBA 2K22 is about to tip off. We’re thrilled to share the strides we’ve made and the unique Challenge Activities available to our PlayStation fans.

In NBA 2K21 we introduced seasons, an all-new way to level up and earn rewards within MyTeam, and we’re expanding it even further in NBA 2K22. Seasons will play an important role throughout NBA 2K22 and the best part is whether it’s MyCareer, MyTeam, or The W Online*, you’ll be able to access new content and earn rewards simply for playing with no additional costs.

Explore all there is to do in the City (on PS5) and the Neighborhood (on PS4). Leveling up will earn you more rewards, which are refreshed every six weeks at the start of a new season. All year long, seasons will offer fresh new content for you to enjoy.

PS5 MyTeam Challenge Activities

If the plethora of new MyTeam Challenges we’ve got lined up for all players wasn’t enough, PlayStation 5 players will once again have their own unique set of Challenge Activities to earn rewards from. Introduced in NBA 2K21, Challenge Activities are available exclusively to PS5 players through the PS5 Activities feature. NBA 2K22 will refresh these at the start of each season, giving PS5 players new opportunities to unlock rewards by completing special objectives within set game scenarios. Bring your A game, though, because once again players will be ranked against each other through the Activities leaderboard.

To kick things off in Season 1, we’ve got “Assists against Dirk & Luka”. This Dallas Mavericks duo have established themselves as two of the best in franchise history, and it’ll be up to you to build the ideal MyTeam lineup to beat them on PlayStation 5 and earn a Playmaker Award Pack as your reward.

MyCareer

Last year, seasons were exclusive to MyTeam, but not anymore! In NBA 2K22, seasons are coming to MyCareer. Within the City (on PS5) and the Neighborhood (on PS4), you’ll earn highly coveted rewards such as apparel, new Banners for your MyPlayer, and a new Grand Prize each season.

Start your engines, Season 1 is set to take players for a ride, unleashing go-karts in the City and Neighborhood as the Grand Prize. We’re thrilled to introduce go-karts as a fun way to cruise and adventure through unexplored regions – available once you’ve reached Level 40. In addition, inline skates can be used as a mode of transportation once you crack Level 30.

There will be plenty to explore and see within the Neighborhood, but we want to broaden your horizons in more tropical destinations as well. For PS4, NBA 2K22 will set sail to the Caribbean in Season 1, where you’ll showcase your skills topside on a cruise ship, and on some of the world’s most picturesque island courts.

The crown jewel for players in NBA 2K22 will be reaching Legend status, but to do so, you’ll need to reach Level 40 in four different seasons. That doesn’t mean you have to do it consecutively, but you’ll have to put in the work to earn the bragging right of an all-time great.

New Beats and Fresh Swag

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Calling all PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 owners! Coming off of the reveal of Call of Duty: Vanguard just a few short days ago, we’re excited to bring more good news: from August 27 at 10 AM PT to August 29 at 10 AM PT, you will be able to participate in the Call of Duty: Vanguard PlayStation Alpha which will feature Sledgehammer Games’ innovative new game mode, Champion Hill.

This PlayStation-exclusive Alpha isn’t only the first chance at playing the newest Multiplayer mode in the Call of Duty franchise, but also the first opportunity to play Call of Duty: Vanguard before its November 5 release. This will be just a small slice of the overall Multiplayer offering coming to Call of Duty: Vanguard when it launches, but is a great chance for PlayStation players to get their hands on the game and provide valuable feedback to Sledgehammer Games.

For most PlayStation players, a PlayStation Plus Subscription is not required*. Only a console and an internet connection are needed to participate, and no preorder is required.

Before diving into details about how you can access the Alpha, we wanted to give you some background on what Champion Hill is all about as well as some tips for making sure you end up on top.

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Champion Hill Primer

Sledgehammer Games is proud to introduce Champion Hill, a multi-arena survival tournament where tactics and strategy combine with quick-action, close-quarter gunplay. The mode is all about impactful gameplay, from the intense periods of combat to the decisions made in-between. 

In Champion Hill, your squad — which during the Alpha will be either a Duo (2v2) or Trio (3v3)— will compete in a round-robin tournament against seven other squads, with each squad having a set number of lives to start with. The mission is to reduce all other squads’ life count to zero in a series of timed Combat rounds, before the same happens to you.  Do that, and claim victory on Champion Hill.

In this mode, everyone starts with the same Loadout, but you will collect  cash by taking enemy lives and picking up drops scattered around the map. This  cash will allow you to upgrade your starting weapons and purchase new armaments, equipment, Perks, and Killstreaks during Buy Rounds that happen between Combat Rounds.

It’s in the Buy Rounds that the real strategy comes in (more on that below). No two matches will be the same, since the way that you use  cash throughout each match (e.g. held for bigger upgrades as the Rounds go on, or used on smaller, more incremental upgrades along the way) will greatly change how you and your squad counter every other squad. It’s a chess-

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Welcome back! This week the team assembles to interview Marvel’s Avengers narrative consultant Evan Narcisse and T’Challa voice actor Christopher Judge on the War for Wakanda expansion. Then we take it to the field and chat with EA’s Mike Mahar about Madden 22.

Stuff We Talked About

• Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
• Fracked
• Quake
• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Marvel’s Avengers War for Wakanda expansion (interview begins at 21:37)
• Madden 22 (interview begins at 38:38)
• Our favorite DLCs

The Cast

Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE

Tim Turi –  Manager, Content Communications, SIE

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Last week, we asked you to find reflections in the game of your choice and share them using #PSshare #PSBlog. From rippling water and shiny objects to confrontations in front of a mirror, here are this week’s highlights: 

Ratchet and Clank are reflected in the glass of Rivet’s space helmet in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, shared by PeteyReilly.

mellydarkeyes’s strikes a pose before a pool of water in this Ghost of Tsushima Legends share.

Eivor wades through water to find an Assassins flag in this Assassin’s Creed Valhalla share by yuxi_noir.

Ellie can’t look at her own reflection while talking to Dina in this The Last of Us Part II share by Izzat_Bahiki.

Jesse tries to ring the ominous motel desk bell in Control, shared by BarryPaust. 

May takes a breath in front of the mirror before singing in It Takes Two, shared by ellngeroide.

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 Director’s Cut
SUBMIT BY: Wednesday 9 AM PT on August 25

Next week, we’re steadying our blades in Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. Share moments that define the Ghost’s journey using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Hello Travelers! This is Genshin Impact’s dev team, and we hope you’ve enjoyed exploring Inazuma in the past month. With Version 2.1 “Floating World Under the Moonlight” coming on September 1, you can expect even more islands and stories to explore in Inazuma, more playable characters to recruit, and more relaxing moments to embrace with our old friends back at Liyue Harbor.

Meanwhile, Aloy, the legendary Nora Huntress from Horizon Zero Dawn, answers the call of adventure in Teyvat and embarks on an all-new journey. If you reach Adventure Rank 20 or above during the Version 2.1 and Version 2.2 updates, you’ll receive the five-star crossover character “Savior From Another World” Aloy and her four-star bow Predator via in-game mail when you log into Genshin Impact on PS4 or PS5.

“Savior From Another World” Aloy

When Aloy traveled to Teyvat, she acquired a Cryo Vision, and became able to use her new powers to enhance her masterful bow and arrow attacks. Her Elemental Burst “Prophecies of Dawn” sees her throw a Power Cell filled with Cryo in the targeted direction, which she then detonates with an arrow, dealing AoE Cryo damage. Not only does her Elemental Skill “Frozen Wilds” and Talents buff herself and her teammates, they also debuff her opponents while dealing Cryo damage.

Aloy’s Frozen Wilds skill throws a Freeze Bomb in the targeted direction and triggers an explosion, dealing Cryo damage. After the explosion, the Freeze Bomb scatters into multiple Chillwater Bomblets that explode on contact with opponents immediately or after a short delay, dealing additional Cryo Damage. When a Freeze Bomb or Chillwater Bomblet hits an opponent, the opponent’s attack is decreased and Aloy receives 1 Coil stack. Each Coil stack increases Aloy’s normal attack damage. After unlocking the talent Combat Override, the whole party’s attack will increase for a certain duration after Aloy gains the Coil effect.

When she has 4 Coil stacks, Aloy will gain the Rushing Ice effect, which lasts for a certain duration, during which her Normal Attack Damage will be converted into Cryo damage. In addition, after unlocking the Passive Talent “Strong Strike,” Aloy’s Cryo damage bonus will constantly increase during Rushing Ice.

Meanwhile, Predator, the four-star bow, can further empower Aloy with its unique weapon effect. When Aloy equips Predator, which she brought from another world, her attack is increased by 66. Dealing Cryo damage to opponents increases its wielder’s normal and charged attack damage by 10% for 6s. This effect can have a maximum of 2 stacks. This unique bow can only be obtained from PS4 and PS5 and can be used on any platforms with the cross-save function. However, the weapon’s effect Strong Strike only applies when playing on PlayStation.

“We’ve been very excited to work with Genshin Impact, especially when we have fans of each other from both teams,” said Mathijs de Jonge, director of Horizon Zero Dawn. “Aloy is a proven agile hu

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is available today on PS5 and PS4! Whether you’re returning to Tsushima or it’s your first journey, we’re so excited for everybody to dive in, and especially can’t wait for you to explore the all-new Iki Island expansion.

Just in time for launch, we also have some brand new Ghost of Tsushima merchandise on the way, with some items available for pre-order and others shipping immediately. Here are some of the things we’ve been working on.

PlayStation Gear Store

On the PlayStation Gear Store starting today, we have a whole new Ghost of Tsushima collection, including a new line of apparel:

Ghost of Tsushima Samurai Pose Tee

Will Jin follow the path of the samurai or the dishonorable Ghost? This 100% combed ringspun cotton tee features a threshold of designs of Jin in two of his iconic armors on gold and red backdrops. 

Available for preorder now

Estimated ship date 8/25/2021

Ships to USA, Canada, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and UK.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut Key Art Tee

Featuring Jin in his iconic pose from the Ghost of Tsushima key art, this 100% combed ringspun cotton tee represents the newly-updated Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, surrounding Jin with golden ginkgo leaves straight out of Ariake.

Available for preorder now

Estimated ship date 8/25/2021

Ships to USA, Canada, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and UK.

Ghost of Tsushima Key Art Hoodie

This 50% cotton/50% poly pullover hoodie includes red and gold accents with the iconic Sakai mon emblem and Ghost of Tsushima logo on the sleeve.

Available for preorder now

Estimated ship date 8/25/2021

Ships to USA, Canada, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and UK.

Ghost of Tsushima Logo Hat

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On November 11, 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim made its debut, making its mark in gaming history. This November, Skyrim celebrates a decade of epic journeys, dragon battles, arrows in the knee, and of course, countless stories told by Skyrim’s most important denizens: you!

That’s why Bethesda Game Studios is celebrating Skyrim’s 10th anniversary by focusing on those who chose Skyrim as their home away from home – the fans.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition

For fans looking to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Skyrim – or newcomers ready to take their first step into Tamriel’s northern landscape – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition releases November 11, 2021 for PlayStation 4 consoles with backwards compatibility on PlayStation 5 systems.

The Anniversary Edition contains the full game plus all three expansions – Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn – as well all the enhancements found in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. The Anniversary Edition also contains over 500 unique pieces of Creation Club content, including quests, dungeons, bosses, weapons, spells and more!

Skyrim in concert

Tune November 11 at 11am PST / 8pm CEST on the official Bethesda YouTube or Twitch channel as The London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices Choir takes us on a musical journey through Skyrim, broadcast from the historical Alexandra Palace Theatre. Experience the iconic themes and ambient tunes of Skyrim in this special concert paying tribute to you, the game’s fans.

The Skyrim Museum

From detailed cosplay to stunning artwork, Skyrim fans have made a name for themselves for their boundless passion and creativity. Now, that passion and creativity has a home with The Skyrim Museum,  allowing fans to submit their Skyrim-themed artworks for fellow fans to enjoy. Have your own Skyrim masterpiece to share? Join the fun and submit your own creation today.

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years, but it only shows how Skyrim’s community has come together to make this a game worth remembering and playing even to this day. We can’t wait to join you in this incredible celebration of Skyrim and its fans – don’t miss it.