The PlayStation State of Play was held on September 14. With it came announcements of new games as well as progress on announced games that will be coming to the platform. We got to see new details—particularly gameplay and cosmetics—about Spider-Man 2. Stick with us as we talk about everything announced.
The roughly 27-minute show was punctuated by the voice of Shawne Benson, the Director, Head of Portfolio, Global Third Party Relations at Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), who doubles as the host for the show.
“Here at PlayStation, our team is always on the lookout for creative, inspiring, and original games to bring to PlayStation players around the world,” Benson said. “We are constantly canvassing game development studios as we search for the next exciting idea.”
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In our opinion, this should be an open call to African developers looking for a platform to showcase their games and original stories to the world. One of the smart things that African indie developers can do would be to pitch their games to SIE—and ride on State of Play and several other showcases to expand the audience for their games.
The September 14 State of Play showcased games coming to PlayStation and PSVR2 later this year—and in some cases with a 2024 release.
Spider-Man 2 and all other games announced at the September 14 State of Play
Apart from the different games announced at the September 14 State of Play, another important revelation by Benson was that “Roblox is making the jump to PS4 on October 10”. Roblox supports cross-platform play and has over 66 million daily active users across PC, mobile, and other platforms, according to Benson. Let’s dive into all the games announced at the September 14 State of Play.
Baby Steps
Kicking off the show was Baby Steps, a game by indie developers Bennett Foddy, Gabe Cuzzillo, and Maxi Boch. Slated for a Summer 2024 release, Baby Steps is an exploratory game that will see the player take the role of a clumsy adult in gray pajamas who walks like a baby. From skating to grappling, there are different activities and scenes to be explored. We can’t wait to learn more about the game.
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord (PSVR2)
The roster of games available for PSVR2 is gradually getting larger. Headlining the list of additions at the State of Play was Ghostbusters. The game brings new cosmetics as well as new ghostbusting gears like turrets, shields, decoys, and more. However, you need to purchase them. It was developed by nDreams and will be available on October 26. The books are now open for pre-orders.
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Resident Evil 4 (PSVR2)
Another PSVR2 game that was showcased at the September 24 State of Play was Resident Evil 4. It promises a more immersive experience. However, it will take a cue from the remake of the game that was released earlier this year. It will be released sometime this winter.
Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways
A new DLC for the Resident Evil 4 remake is also on the way. This time, it appears Ada will be the main character. The new DLC will be released on 21 September 2023. To play the DLC, you need the base game installed. The Mercenaries free update will also be available on the same date.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
We got to see more gameplay and in-game features from the upcoming Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora at the September 14 State of Play. The game is scheduled for a December 7 release. The story this time was focused on Na’vi’s struggle to connect with the tribe.
Ghostrunner II
The trailer of the Ghostrunner II showcased at the September 14 State of Play focused on how the main character was built to be faster, stronger, and more vicious. Developed by One More Level and published by 505 Games, the game will come to the hands of gamers on October 26. Fans of the game can try their hands on the free demo which is now available.
Helldivers II
The first thing that fans of Helldivers II need to know is that the gameplay will require Internet access. During the State of Play, Johan Pilestedt, the CEO and creative director at Arrowhead Game Studios, walked viewers through what they should expect from the game.
Players will start at the ship’s bridge where they will select a mission from the galactic war map. Once cleared for mission engagement, players go to the hellpod where they are launched to the planet. Helldiverse II will be released on February 8, 2024. Pre-orders will start on September 22, 2023, at 1 a.m. PST.
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Spider-Man 2
After the showcase of Spider-Man 2 earlier this year and a couple of other reveals at the San Diego Comic-Con, news about the game has remained fairly quiet until the September 14 State of Play. Bryan Intihar, senior creative director at Insomniac Games was present to walk fans of the games through some of the updates that have been made to the franchise.
Spider-Man 2 will come with an expanded map that includes two New York boroughs: Queens and Brooklyn. Thanks to the newly introduced web wings, players will be able to transverse the map at full speed. More than 65 suits from comics, movies, and original designs will feature in Spider-Man 2.
In-game activities—or side quests—will now be represented by visual cues like a flock of Kraven’s Talon Drones circling a building, a mysterious symbol projected in the sky, or an unfamiliar spider-bot ping emitting from a rooftop. These visual cues are intended to make these side quests easier to find.
In Spider-Man 2, the heroes will have new AR techs in the lenses of their masks. This will also provide players with a quick glimpse of discovered activities. Perhaps, what Insomniac is trying to do is to encourage players to explore the game more rather than rushing through the main story. The game will also feature an upgraded friendly neighborhood app. Spider-Man 2 is scheduled for release on October 20.
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn takes place one year after the great conflict between Dahna and Rena. Created by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., this is one of the games that lovers of anime will be looking forward to. It will launch on November 9, 2023.
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Starrail
Starrail will be coming to PS5 on October 11, 2023. The RPG was developed by miHoYo and published worldwide by Cognosphere, HoYoverse. It is another anime that fans of the genre wouldn’t like to miss.
Foamstars
Foamstars beta party is on the way and features 8 characters. The goal has always been to dominate the arena. However, the beta party will come with two new game modes; Smash the Star (where you need to defeat the star player to win) and Happy Bath Survival (where you dominate the arena to win). The open beta party will take place from 29 September to 1 October 2023.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
The remake of the Final Fantasy VII from Square Enix looked so good with improved graphics and cosmetics. The game will launch on 29 February 2024 on 2 discs. This is already an indication that the size of the game would be massive—not as if we are complaining.
Which of the games are you looking forward to the most? Share your thoughts in the comment box below. Find the video of the entire showcase below.
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