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PlayStation Stars Campaigns and Digital Collectibles for March 2024

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Hello PlayStation Stars members! This month introduces more exciting Campaigns, from earning Points on acclaimed titles to celebrating award-winning franchises and fan-favorite games. Let’s dive into the featured Campaigns awaiting you in March.

Campaign: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 “Exterminator” Trophy Hunt  | Digital Collectible: Symbiote Canister

Available March 7

Ready for a challenge? Play Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and earn the “Exterminator” trophy. When you do, you’ll unlock the Symbiote Canister Digital Collectible.

Campaign: MLB The Show 24 Launch Day | Digital Collectible: MLB The Show 24 | Slugger

Available March 15

MLB The Show 24 is almost here. To complete the PS Stars Campaign, play MLB The Show 24 on PS4 or PS5 before July 31 to get your  MLB The Show 24 | Slugger Digital Collectible.

Campaign Name: 20 Years of Far Cry

Digital Collectible: Boomer, Available March 19
Digital Collectible: Chorizo, Available March 24 

Happy 20th anniversary, Far Cry! Celebrate the award-winning franchise with a Boomer or Chorizo Digital Collectible. Play any one of the games below to unlock your Digital Collectible. Many of these titles are in the Ubisoft+ Classics collection.

  • Far Cry 5
  • Far Cry 6
  • Far Cry Primal
  • Far Cry New Dawn
  • Far Cry 3
  • Far Cry 4

Campaign: We Got the Beat | Rock Music Games| Digital Collectible: Melancholy and the Finite Sadness

Available March 21

Celebrate the perfect blend of music and gaming. Play any one of these music-infused titles to earn your Digital Collectible.

  • Drums Rock
  • Rock Band 4
  • Ragnarock
  • The Artful Escape
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PlayStation Plus Game Catalog: Must-play this Month | Reward: 50 Points

Available March 1

We’re shining a spotlight on six titles in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. Whether you’re diving into them for the first time or revisiting these treasured titles, playing any one of the following games will earn you 50 Points.

  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider
  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits
  • Control: Ultimate Edition
  • Sea of Stars
  • NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…
  • Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition

Preparing for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – Who is Zack Fair and what’s happening with the timeline?

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Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth are two masterfully made retellings of the classic PlayStation RPG from 1997. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Remake project and continues where the previous title left off, hopefully bringing answers to questions posed with it. Not only is this new sequel a nostalgic experience for veterans of the 90s original, but Square Enix has crafted it to be another perfect spot for newcomers to join Cloud and the gang. 

Regardless, the Remake project is bursting with intriguing stories, colorful characters, and rich lore. Here, we’ll reflect on the story so far, how Final Fantasy VII Remake differs from the original, and some of the mysteries it left us with.


Spoiler warning for Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth


Where we left off

Preparing for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – Who is Zack Fair and what’s happening with the timeline?

Final Fantasy VII Remake took us down memory lane, beginning with Cloud’s first mission alongside the eco-terrorist group Avalanche and ending with the team leaving the steel skies of Midgar. But throughout this story, things happen differently from the original 1997 FFVII, following the constant theme of the antagonist Sephiroth’s proposed defiance of fate. 

This is further showcased by characters facing off against Whispers, ghost-like creatures that fight the characters to ensure they don’t deviate from the initial timeline. However, the Whispers fail at many points of the story, resulting in certain characters being depicted in a different way than the original game. One of those characters is Cloud’s brother-in-arms, Zack Fair.

Gran Turismo 7’s 1.43 update features three new events, new cars, and Café Menu

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Gran Turismo players! Update 1.43* for Gran Turismo 7 is available as of Wednesday, February 28 at 11:00pm PST / February 29 at 6:00am GMT / 3:00pm JST.

Gran Turismo 7’s 1.43 update features three new events, new cars, and Café Menu

3 new cars added this month

Audi TTS Coupé ’09 

(Can be purchased at Brand Central or Used Car Dealership)

A high-performance model aggressively evolved from the TT. 

The TTS is the high-performance version of the TT, which first debuted at the North American International Auto Show in January of 2008. The powertrain combines a 268.2 BHP @ 35.7 kgfm 2 L direct injection turbo engine with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission. Though it has the same displacement as the standard 2L turbo model, the TTS features a bespoke engine block, pistons, and connecting rods, and the turbocharger has been improved to increase performance. It produces 71 BHP more power and 7.2 kgfm more torque than the normal 2L turbo unit in models such as the 2.0 TFSI quattro. As a result, the 0-62.1 mph acceleration time is 5.2 seconds for the S-Tronic model, and 5.4 seconds for the 6-speed manual transmission. 

Aside from the standard coupe body, a convertible ‘Roadster’ model was released in certain regions. On the mechanical side, the car is equipped with the ‘Audi Magnetic Ride’ variable dampers system as standard. When selecting the sports mode from the switch on the console, the ride height drops by 10 mm, allowing for more dynamic handling. This also provides a more aggressive ride befitting the TTS name.

PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for March: EA Sports F1 23, Sifu, Hello Neighbor 2, Destiny 2: Witch Queen  

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The PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for March sees racing sim thrills in the shape of EA Sports F1 23, martial arts-powered face-offs with Sifu, a slice of stealth horror in Hello Neighbor 2 and sci-fi action with Destiny 2: Witch Queen. 

All four will be available to PlayStation Plus members on Tuesday March 5 until Monday, April 1*. 

Let’s take a closer look at each game. 

EA Sports F1 23 | PS4, PS5

Be the last to brake in EA Sports F1 23, the official videogame of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship. A new chapter in the thrilling “Braking Point” story mode delivers high-speed drama and heated rivalries. Race wheel-to-wheel at new Las Vegas and Qatar circuits and earn rewards and upgrades in F1 World. New Red Flags add an authentic strategic element, and the 35% Race Distance feature delivers more action and excitement. Drive updated 2023 cars with the official F1 lineup of your favorite 20 drivers and 10 teams. Also, F2, the ultimate training ground for

How the Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster devs Nightdive Studios enhanced the classic FPS

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Last year, it was revealed that the masters of remasters at Nightdive Studios have taken on the task of bringing the beloved 90s classic Star Wars: Dark Forces to modern audiences. The remaster is set to release February 28 on PS5 and PS4, nearly 30 years after the release of the original game from LucasArts in 1995.

Similar to Nightdive’s previous endeavors with titles like Quake II and Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered, Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster honors the strong foundation of the original while updating it for modern consoles through the studio’s proprietary KEX engine, allowing the game to run at up to 4K resolution at 120FPS on PlayStation 5.

With this, fans of the original as well as a whole new generation of gamers, will be able to experience Star Wars: Dark Forces and appreciate what made it such an essential title within LucasArts’ (now Lucasfilm Games) impressive catalog. Further honoring the work that went into its initial development, it’s been revealed that Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster will feature a special Vault jam-packed with never-before-seen content from the making of the 1995 original!

With improved spritework and remastered cutscenes, those looking to dig deeper into a truly unique story within the Star Wars galaxy will be able to enjoy a visually pleasing narrative experience as they join protagonist Kyle Katarn, a defector turned mercenary for hire working for the Rebel Alliance, in foiling the Galactic Empire and its secret Dark Troopers Project.

As much as we’d love to continue gushing over why this has been such an exciting project for Nightdive and must-play title for fans and newcomers alike, let’s dive deeper into the fascinating history and behind-the-scenes work of breathing new life into Star Wars: Dark Forces with Nightdive’s Project Lead and Producer, Max Waine.

Exploring The Vault

PlayStation Blog: What was the most exciting challenge you faced while working on Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster?

Max Waine: For me, it was bringing something new and worthwhile to existing fans of the game. Our way of tackling that was by bringing in The Vault. It was imperative that I find and present interesting snapshots of the development of the game. From there, it was a lot of coding to make it all work, conversion of various assets to be able to load in the remaster, and a great deal of text to write for the titles and descriptions; balancing being informative of what I did know from the development files without drifting into speculation proved exceptionally difficult.

When diving into the Remaster, what details about the original LucasArts spritework stood out to you from a historical development perspective?

From a development perspective, Dark Forces seemed to have a relatively typical way of approaching sprites for the time and genre. A combination of touched-up scanned models, hand-drawn sprites, and rendered 3D models (from 3D Studio) are ordinary fare. The software they used for spritework, DeluxePaint Animation, was also seemingly pretty standard. One interesting detail is that many of the human sprites seemed to be mostly hand-drawn but would use incredibly basic models to provide things like poses and such.

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Foamstars new season Groovy Disco begins on March 8

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Foamstars released on February 6 as a PlayStation Plus Monthly Game, and we’re elated that so many players have tried out the game. It’s not too late for PlayStation Plus members to add it to their library before March 4.

Foamstars new season Groovy Disco begins on March 8

In Foamstars, each season will last about 5 weeks, so we’d like to share details on the new season, Groovy Disco, which begins March 8.

New Foamstar – Coiff Guy

Groovy Disco features the new Foamstar, Coiff Guy. Coiff Guy can use a rocket launcher-style foam gun to take down enemies from a distance, while his skills include an up-close body slam inspired by his background as a pro wrestler.

Coiff Guy can be unlocked by progressing the Season Pass to Tier 31. He may also be unlocked immediately for users who purchase the Premium Pass.

New season Groovy Disco – Season Pass details

Earn XP via online matches, completing missions or clearing Challenges to progress through the Season Pass tiers and unlock new items. In the Groovy Disco Season Pass, on top of the new Foamstar Coiff Guy, Foam Gun skins for multiple characters and a Character skin for The Baristador are also available for free.

By purchasing the paid Premium Pass, you can unlock even more glorious rewards. Players will immediately unlock any rewards up to their Season Pass Tier at time of purchase.

New Solo Missions added

Missions 4 through 6 will be added to the current Foamstar Missions.

In Mission 6, Dark Ramzey will appear, offering a harder challenge compared to the previous bosses.

Please try to use what you’ve learned thus far to beat it!

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Share of the Week: Best Friends

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Last week, we asked you to shine a light on gaming best friends using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

KenKenVega1 shares Ratchet & Clank from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

K_Alien121 shares Clive and Gav sharing a drink in Final Fantasy XVI

jdbolzan shares Boozer and Deacon in Days Gone

Lny_Trpr_EE7 shares the titular Stray and robot friend B-12

scottoka1 shares the Persona 3 Reload protagonist and companions

HomuraChihiro shares the Hunter and their eagle companion in The Pathless

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:  Comfort
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on February 28, 2024

Next week’s theme is all about games that bring you comfort. Share a moment from your go-to comfort game using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Rise of the Ronin: Inside Team Ninja’s diverse weapons and combat styles

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Since the mid-90s, the developers at Team Ninja have earned consistent praise for their precise, satisfying combat. Look no further than the Dead or Alive franchise’s dynamic fighting system or Ninja Gaiden’s lightning-fast combat for prime examples. The developer aims to continue and expand that legacy of satisfying melee mechanics in Rise of the Ronin.

Rise of the Ronin allows players to battle through a storyline set in the final days of the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan, known as Bakumatsu, where they can enjoy an accessible but deep combat system using different play styles combining melee weapons and firearms. This involves draining enemies’ Ki, mastering Martial Skills, and becoming proficient with multiple fighting styles. Mix and match to find your approach on PlayStation 5 on March 22. 

To help players get ready to battle through historic Japan, Team Ninja shares a new behind-the-scenes developer diary diving into the combat of Rise of the Ronin.

Rise of the Ronin: Inside Team Ninja’s diverse weapons and combat styles

Ki-depleting battle actions

In Rise of the Ronin, Team Ninja combines its signature combat action with Katanas, spears, other melee weapons, and ranged weapons like foreign firearms. As a Ronin, you will battle foes utilizing these two types of weapons. 

The basic combat strategy involves performing melee attacks with Square, defending yourself from foes’ attacks with L1 to guard and Circle to dodge. When your foe’s Ki is completely depleted, they will become vulnerable and incapacitated, making it easier to deal massive damage with critical hits.

Similarly, when your Ki is exhausted, you temporarily won’t be able to attack or run, so pay attention to your Ki as you battle.

Using Counterspark and Martial Skills to damage Ki

When facing formidable foes, effectively parrying with the Counterspark action and utilizing Martial Skills can lower their maximum Ki, making it easier to defeat them.

Counterspark is an action that parries enemy attacks. To Counterspark, press Triangle to rotate the melee weapon in a large arc to counter the foe’s attack. When you use Counterspark to evade damage from attacks that you cannot guard yourself against, your foe’s Ki reduces, and they will be stunned briefly. This can create a window to deal even more damage to reduce their maximum Ki.

Martial skills (holding down R1 while pressing Square/Triangle) inflict more significant damage. They are also highly effective against strong foes.

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Coming soon to PS VR2 – Zombie Army VR, Little Cities: Bigger!, Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate, The Wizards – Dark Times: Brotherhood, and more

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PlayStation VR2 launched one year ago, backed by a 40+ game launch window lineup which included all-new experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain and Pavlov, as well as PS VR2-compatible titles such as Gran Turismo 7 and Resident Evil Village. Over the next 12 months, our experiences were expanded further: intense first-person adventures such as Synapse, Red Matter and Resident Evil 4 VR Mode; puzzlers like Humanity and 7th Guest VR; action rhythm add-ons for the likes of Beat Saber, Synth Riders and Drums Rock; multiplayer fun in the form of Among Us VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, C-Smash VRS and more. 

Now, following on from recent reveals of Metro Awakening and Legendary Tales by way of last month’s State of Play, we’re highlighting a number of games in today’s PS Blog post. New announcements, release date reveals, DLC debuts and a game launch: find them below, all introduced by the creators behind the games. There’s so much to look forward to.  

Also, we’re pleased to share that we are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024, so stay tuned for more updates.

Without further ado….

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 update adds New Game Plus and new suits on March 7

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We cannot explain to you how grateful we have been for everyone who has picked up Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 over the holiday season. Everyone here at Insomniac Games is proud of the game, and we’re very excited to share details with you about the major title update that will hit your PS5 console on March 7

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 version 1.002 will bring New Game+ to the game. We know many of you have been eager to replay the game on a harder difficulty, with all your suits and abilities carrying over. Or perhaps you want to just replay a favorite mission or two – you can do that, too! And there’s more to unlock – with Ultimate Levels, Golden Gadget styles, and more!

Speaking of styles: we’ve added suit styles for several of Peter’s symbiote story suits in the game, allowing you to further customize your look if you play and unlock them via New Game+ Ultimate Levels. And yes, you’ll be able to set which color your symbiote abilities are as well. But we couldn’t just stop at new styles – we know how much you all love when we add suits with no additional cost to the game. You’re in luck – we’ve brought Marvel’s Hellfire Gala suits to the game for both Peter and Miles. Peter sports the design created by Russell Dauterman, and Miles gets his iconic look from Bernard Chang’s gorgeous Hellfire Gala variant cover for Miles Morales: Spider-Man #8.

And you’ll want to show those looks off as much as possible with our updates to Photo Mode – including action figure mode and stickers. You’ll also be able to change the time of day once you complete the story, allowing you to get all those cool Photo Mode shots with just the right lighting. Make sure you share them with us on social by using the #InsomGamesCommunity hashtag!

This update also contains some major updates for Accessibility. We’ve added Audio Descriptions** and Screen Reader** to the game. We know that these features were highly anticipated, and we’re thankful to the community for giving us a little extra time to ensure they were polished and ready to be released. We also have additional features like Cinematic Captions and High Contrast Outlines, among several new features added to this update.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 update adds New Game Plus and new suits on March 7

We’re also excited to announce two new suits for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 that Insomniac Games, Marvel Games, and Gameheads have part

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