The polls are closed and your votes counted for the PlayStation Blog Game of the Year 2022. The winners of these awards, spanning 16 categories, have been shaped entirely by player choice. A thank you to everyone who voted and – given the strength of titles released in the past 12 months – were stuck with some difficult decisions to make. And of course, our thanks to all the studios whose games have helped define PlayStation’s 2022. 

Now, on to the winners! 

Best New Character

Thor | God of War Ragnarök

2022 wasn’t short of memorable performances and iconic figures. For every fan sketch of Elden Ring’s fearsome Malenia, there was a cat owner seeing characteristics of their own finely-furred companion in Stray’s feline lead. And despite both offering riveting performances, a masterclass in manipulation could not outclass the heft – and directness – of a hammer. Father lost out to son, as Thor places Mjölnir down to hold aloft the Platinum Trophy for this year’s Best New Character award. 

Cat | Stray

Read more

Playing is believing when it comes to the DualSense Edge wireless controller for PlayStation 5. I had the opportunity to go hands-on with the ultra-customizable, high-performance controller, trying out multiple interchangeable pieces, on-console controller setting options, and tested everything out across a variety of games. The key takeaway — regardless of your overall experience with customizable controllers designed for precision play, the DualSense Edge controller experience combines premium construction with intuitive user options.

For a closer look at what inspired the controller’s form factor and customization options, we sat down with the minds who helped design it. Here’s a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how the first-ever, highly customizable controller developed by PlayStation was created:

Play Video

High-quality case

The DualSense Edge controller comes with a sleek and sturdy shell-like case to keep your controller and its accessories safe and organized. One nice touch is the removable flap where the included braided USB charging cable can fit, allowing you to charge the controller while nestled within its case. 

Familiar form factor

The controller feels immediately familiar since PlayStation engineers set out to match the original DualSense controller’s shape and size. Close inspection of the DualSense Edge controller reveals subtle examples of its premium build quality, such as increased surface area for the grippy white plastic around the handles and extra texture on the touchpad and triggers. 

Adjustable trigger length

Players can adjust the length of the triggers with built-in switches for both R2 and L2 buttons. This makes on-the-fly customization easy, without needing to adjust any controller profile settings. One example from my time included jumping from God of War Ragnarök, where I wanted full range of the R2 button, to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, where clicking into a shorter trigger length helped me shoot faster.

Switchable stick caps

The DualSense Edge controller features three sets of stick caps that make quick customization easy. The two standard caps the same as the DualSense controller’s snappy sticks, while the sets of high and low dome caps offer a satisfying concave feel. I appreciated being able to swap in a high dome cap on the right analog stick, which provided a greater degree of finesse when taking aim in Call of Du

On a spring afternoon in 2016, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles during the E3 videogame event, I crossed the stage between a packed house and a symphonic orchestra, to conduct an original theme I had written that had never been heard publicly. Even before the game’s title was revealed, the audience experienced a sweeping, symphonic score featuring Nordic folk instruments, choir, and strong, melodic themes. After my overture, the curtains parted and a vision of an older Kratos stepped out of the shadows, announcing that a new entry in PlayStation’s blockbuster God of War series was on the horizon, one which aged the character and promised a more mature narrative. The game launched in 2018 to universal critical acclaim and fan enthusiasm, cementing the vengeful god Kratos and his son Atreus a place amongst the most beloved videogame characters of all time.

In the spring of 2019, I found myself again in the offices of Santa Monica Studio, for creative discussions regarding the game’s sequel, God of War Ragnarök. Here the game’s previous director, Cory Barlog, introduced me to this new game’s director, Eric Williams. Cory and Eric have worked together for years on this franchise, and I immediately sensed Eric’s shared passion for the material and depth of experience. Having read the script, the scale of God of War Ragnarök became clear. This ambitious sequel’s story expanded upon the intimate character drama between Kratos and his son Atreus by introducing at least a dozen new characters, across all nine realms of Nordic mythology. The set pieces and action scenes were even more bombastic, and yet, the dramatic arcs were every bit poignant as those from the first story. In order to musically support this ambitious new narrative, I would need to fill God of War Ragnarök with new musical themes. At the same time, they would need to be interwoven with my material from God of War (2018). 

For that original game, I had jumped into the score with enthusiastic abandon, ready to completely reinvent the sound of the franchise to fit this entry’s more sophisticated tone. However, this time, I felt the pressure of writing music in the shadow of my own previous work.  Gamers the world over had forged emotional connections to my musical themes, and my work had won several major videogame industry awards. The thought of expanding on these ideas –  and daring to think I might improve upon them – exhilarated and terrified me.

I began composing God of War Ragnarök in the summer of 2019, fully aware that I was at the onset of a journey that would be among the most creatively challenging of my career.

Warning: the following contains moderate spoilers for God of War Ragnarök 

Play Video Read more

Last week, we asked you to head back to the Nine Realms and share epic God of War Ragnarök moments using the game’s newly released Photo Mode. After sifting through the action-packed shares tagged with  #PSshare #PSBlog, here are this week’s highlights: 

DotPone shares Kratos yelling while holding an ice charged Leviathan Axe.

crossedvisions shares Atreus standing on the edge of a structure in Helheim

sirevanztheduke shares Kratos swinging the Leviathan Axe at Thor in combat

discophotomode shares Angrboda tossing colored dust into the air

HazzaniVP shares A jellyfish-like Hafgufa floating over the lights of Alfheim.

NemesisNat shares Atreus drawing his bow surrounded by colorful lights

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: Share of the Year
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on December 31, 2022

The end of 2022 is almost here, which means it’s time to look back on an epic year of gaming with Share of the Year. Share your favorite capture from the year using #PSshare #PSBlog by Dec 31 for a chance to be featured.

The year’s end is over the horizon, which means 2023 is about to begin. While 2022 has gone out with a god-sized bang thanks to God of War: Ragnarök, that doesn’t mean 2023 has nothing in store. The coming year is huge for PlayStation, stacked with a lineup of exciting releases. Whether you’ve been looking forward to the release of the ultra-customizable DualSense Edge controller, virtual reality adventures with PlayStation VR2, fantastical new IPs like Forspoken, or sequels to iconic titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, this year has something for you. While there’s a ton coming to PlayStation in 2023, this article aims to highlight a handful of the biggest things announced for 2023.

Note: This is a top-level article highlighting specific launches and is not meant to be comprehensive.

Play Video

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Speaking of Marvel’s Spider Man 2, let’s kick things off with some exciting news from developer Insomniac Games confirming the release window for the web-slinging sequel. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on PS5 in fall 2023.

Following the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the Spider-duo of Peter Parker and Miles Morales are back in the next blockbuster action chapter of the Marvel’s Spider-Man series. Much is still to be revealed about the game, and going off the quality of the past two titles, we’re bound to be in for a fantastic new original Spider-Man adventure.

Read on for a special message from Insomniac:

“What a year it’s been for PlayStation Studios; here at Insomniac Games we’ve been in absolute awe of the work of our peers. Congrats to everyone on a successful 2022… and here’s to next year being just as exciting as we continue to get Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 ready for release next fall.”

– Bryan Intihar, Creative Director

Release Date: Fall 2023 | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS5

Now let’s dive into the more 2023 highlights for PlayStation.

The end of 2022 is almost here, and as we look back on all the amazing gaming moments we’ve shared, the PlayStation.Blog team wants to thank you for your support all year long. 

But we’re not alone in spreading holiday cheer! Our talented friends and colleagues from across the industry have created a festive bunch of season’s greetings cards for you to peruse over a mug of hot cocoa. Cheers to another great year of gaming! 

2K (PGA 2K23) ❅2K (Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands) ❅ 2K (WWE 2K23) ❅ Activison (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II) ❅ Bandai Namco (Tekken) ❅ Bandai Namco (One Piece Odyssey) ❅ Bandai Namco (Park Beyond) ❅ Bend Studio ❅ Bluepoint ❅ EA Games (Dead Space) ❅ EA Games (NHL 23) ❅ EA Games (The Sims 4) ❅ Extra Nice ❅ Finji ❅ Firaxis ❅ Fireshine Games ❅ Firesprite ❅ Guerrilla ❅ Housemarque ❅ Insomniac Games ❅ Kalypso Media ❅ Koei Tecmo ❅ Konami ❅ London Studio ❅ Media Molecule ❅ Microids ❅ Mighty Eyes ❅ Naughty Dog❅ Neat Games ❅ Pixelopus ❅ Playstack London ❅ Polyphony Digital ❅ Psyonix ❅ San Diego Studio ❅ Santa Monica Studio ❅ SEGA ❅ SEGA (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles) ❅ Spike Chunsoft ❅ Square Enix ❅ Striking Distance Studios ❅ Studio Sai ❅ Sucker Punch Productions ❅ Supermassive Games ❅ Travel Fast Games ❅ Wargaming ❅ Warner Bros. Games (Back 4 Blood) ❅ Warner Bros. Games (Gotham Knights) ❅ Warner Bros. Games (Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga) ❅ Warner Bros. Games (MultiVersus) ❅ Yacht Club Games

Holiday card from Santa Monica Studio

Holiday card from Guerrilla

Holiday card from Insomniac Games

Read more

Hello PlayStation fans, it’s great to talk with you again. I’m Kanda, the producer at Capcom behind Resident Evil Village. Resident Evil Village VR Mode was previously announced back in June 2022. Today, I’m happy to reveal that this additional mode will release on February 22, 2023 as a free DLC for Resident Evil Village. You can download and play it immediately when you get your PlayStation VR2.

The entirety of Village’s main story will be available to play on PlayStation VR2 in Resident Evil Village VR Mode, allowing you to experience all the events Ethan Winters faces with the greatest level of immersion as he sets out to rescue his kidnapped daughter.

Making full use of the PlayStation VR2, you’ll be wholly immersed when playing Resident Evil Village with this DLC. Visually, the vivid graphics of the 4K HDR display (2000×2040 per eye) and eye tracking produces a heightened perception of reality as if everything you see is actually there. 3D audio enhances the realism with audio from every angle, and your sense of touch is enhanced via the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers. With one controller in each hand, you can feel the vibration, recoil, and resistance as you interact with objects in the world and fire weapons.

The Sense controllers also enable intuitive movements like putting your arms up to guard and holding your gun out in front of you to shoot, and there are additional actions you can perform to heighten your immersion. Hold two weapons independently, load a clip into your handgun to reload, and wield your knife with slashing or stabbing attacks. It’s a truly captivating experience that puts you directly into the twisted world that Ethan Winters is fighting through.

Please note that Resident Evil Village or Resident Evil Village Gold Edition is required to play this free DLC, and that the DLC must be downloaded separately. For everyone picking up a PlayStation VR2 in February 2023, we hope that you will challenge yourself with this ultimate immersive survival horror experience!

Today, we’re happy to highlight six titles that are coming to PS VR2, which will bring multiplayer combat, rhythm-based celebrations, mystical-style team ups and a murder mystery to players. Without further ado, let’s kick things off with the reveal of Fantavision 202X.

Fantasvision 202X

Developer: Cosmo Machia Inc.
Publisher: Cosmo Machia Inc.
Release date: February 22, 2023

Originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2000, Fantavision is a puzzle game based on the theme of fireworks. The game returns in an all-new title for PS VR2 powered by the Unreal Engine. The game is an artistic combination of action, shooting, strategy, and puzzles. The PS VR2 headset and PS VR2 Sense controller provides an immersive experience for you to fill the star-studded sky with sparkling fireworks. With its simple yet addictive gameplay, it won’t take long for you to master the controls.

The basic goal of the game is to catch at least three fireworks of the same color and shoot them into the night sky. You can also catch fireworks of different colors at the same time by using Wild Fireworks and shoot them with Daisy Chain, which combines multiple colors, and collect items to start the bonus mode Starmine. In PS VR2, you catch fireworks by aiming at them and pulling the trigger, and shoot them with the Circle button.

In addition to the single-player mode, a replay mode is also available. You can change the camera’s viewpoint for incredible replays, stop time to enjoy the show, add different effects, and more. You can also experience the vibrations of the fireworks through haptic feedback, so you can fully absorb the breathtaking fireworks display.

Altair Breaker

Developer: Thirdverse
Publisher:  Thirdverse
Release date: February 22, 2023

Multiplayer sword-fighting action comes to PS VR2 in the form of Altair Breaker. The AI-created virtual world Altair was once a beautiful archipelago covered by a sea of clouds. Now, surrounded by its collapsed brethren, a single floating island remains. Atop its ruins roam experimental combat AI ruled over by a fully autonomous weapon Laws-Zero. Into this place of danger you must journey and face these vicious creations up close.

You are not ill-equipped, nor alone. Team up with up to three other players to tackle these killing machines together and explore the world. Glide through the air and climb walls as you wander the island, then enter into battle using full 360 degree movement as well as leveraging vertical spaces to your advantage. Perform aerial combos, AOE attacks, use special abilities and more. Parry or block strikes with your shield, then slice your opponents in half with a perfectly timed sword swing.

Read more

Today we’re happy to reveal the December Game Catalog lineup for PlayStation Plus. All but WWE 2K22 will be available starting December 20. Let’s dive in.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog

View and download image

Download the image

Close

Download this image

WWE 2K22 | PS4

WWE 2K returns with a redesigned gameplay engine and new controls. Play solo or against friends locally or online as the biggest and most realistic-looking WWE Superstars and Legends. Take on not one, but two MyRise single player adventures, featuring unique male & female storylines that let you choose your journey like never before. Call the shots as a WWE General Manager and take the reins of Raw, SmackDown, NXT or NXT UK and draft your ultimate roster,  then compete against rival GM’s to build the biggest brand in the WWE Universe.

WWE 2K22 will be available to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members on January 3. 

Read more

Gran Turismo players! The 1.27 update for Gran Turismo 7 arrives today December 14 at 10pm PST*. 

Play Video

December brings five exciting new cars and Scapes – Norway being added 

For those that participated in the limited timed Viewers Campaign in GT7 and answered the Day 4 question correctly, you will be given early access to the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo vehicle as a gift on December 15. For more information, be sure to visit www.gran-turismo.com

For everyone else, the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo will be available to everyone within Ferrari’s Brand Central, Ferrari starting December 23.

Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo

A single-seater concept that pushes the boundaries of the hyper car genre.

The Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo is the first Ferrari single-seater concept car dedicated to the world of virtual motor sport, with a spectacular and futuristic design founded in the Prancing Horse’s unequalled racing heritage. The Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo draws its inspiration from the fascinating world of Ferrari’s hugely successful 1960s and ‘70s sports-prototypes. Below hyper-modern bodywork and dramatic proportions, the car hides the DNA of masterpieces such as the Ferrari 330 P3 and the 512 S. It is a nod to the past, yet a powerful hint of the future of endurance racing. The Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo’s architecture is crafted around an advanced aerodynamic design and is equipped with the same engine architecture that powers the Ferrari 499P. Here, though, the engine has been made more extreme to develop no less than 1,030 CV (1,015.8 BHP) at 9,000 rpm, with an additional 240 kW (321.5 BHP) available through three electric motors, one on the rear axle and one on each of the front wheels.

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm ’20

The peak of the Giulia line-up, this model celebrates 110 years of Alfa Romeo.

The Giulia GTA and GTAm are special editions of the Giulia released to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the founding of Alfa Romeo in 2020. Based on the high-performance Quadrifoglio model, performance has been increased even further for these anniversary editions. The power output of the 2.9L V6 twin-turbo engine has been increased to 532 BHP. Use of lightweight construction materials throughout the car has decreased the weigh