Today's PlayStation State of Play delivered 45-odd minutes of updates on key PS5 titles for this year and beyond, from Death Stranding 2 to Foamstars, Dragon's Dogma 2 to Judas.
Sony promised the event wiould feature over 15 games, including Stellar Blade, Rise of the Ronin and "other titles coming to PS5 and PSVR 2 in 2024 and beyond" and it certainly delivered.
Below we'll recap everything announced at the PlayStation State of Play followed by the blow by blow on how it all unfolded.
Everything Announced at the PlayStation State of Play
- Helldivers 2 gets a mech-filled launch trailer ahead of its Feb 8 release date
- Weird and wild PS5 action RPG Stellar Blade finally gets a release date, and I admit I'm pretty excited for it
- Sonic x Shadow Generations is a brand new Sonic game complete with baby skateboarding blue blur (and includes a remake of Sonic Generations)
- HoYoVerse's Zenless Zone Zero is coming to PS5
- Foamstars showed off skins, maps, seasonal changes and more ahead of its Feb 6 date
- Dave the Diver is getting a Godzilla expansion and it looks too perfect for words
- V Rising is also coming to PS5
- Silent Hill: The Short Message has PT energy and shadow drops for free on PS5 later today
- Silent Hill 2 also got a brand new trailer, but still no release date
- Judas, the new game from the BioShock creator, looks more like BioShock than ever
- Metro Awakening could be a single-player VR game to rival Half-Life Alyx, and it's out this year
- Legendary Tales drops on PSVR 2 on February 8
- Dragon's Dogma 2 got a glorious new gameplay trailer
- Rise of the Ronin gameplay walkthrough included a look at combat, climbing and gliding, combat and more
- Until Dawn is being rebuilt for PS5
- It's really called Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it's coming in 2025 complete with a sentient ventriloquist's dummy and a guitar gun
- With a new "action espionage game" to follow Death Stranding 2, Hideo Kojima is going back to his roots: "I am confident that this title will be the culmination of my work"
- Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth is getting a dedicated State of Play next week
So before everything kicks off in a few hours, let's run down what we're likely to see - and some of what we hope we'll see too.
Now let's start with the elephant in the room that is Hideo Kojima, who is supposed to be rocking up with Death Stranding 2.
Now, Death Stranding 2 - which is just a working title allegedly - was first revealed at the Game Awards back in 2022 with the below trailer:
However, the latest rumors are that the official title for Death Stranding 2 is going to be... wait for it... Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - and you can probably thank a 64-year-old movie for it.
Norman Reedus has also added fuel to these Death Stranding 2 title rumors. He posted on Instagram a clip from the original game featuring the line "I'll be waiting for you on the beach", which definitely adds a little credibility to the rumors doesn't it.
Death Stranding 2 aside, Sony has specifically confirmed two games that are going to feature in tonight's State of Play - Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin.
Stellar Blade is a title coming from Korean developer Shift Up, which was originally scheduled to launch in 2023 but slipped into this year. The developer itself has been pretty quiet on the title since 2022, having originally announced in as Project Eve - a then multi-platform title.
The last trailer we got was back at the September 2022 State of Play and showcased the game's story. It follows our hero Eve, on her quest to save Earth from a new big bad.
It certainly looks like fast-paced hack-and-slash action in the classic PlatinumGames vein.
Rise of the Ronin is the other game confirmed for tonight's State of Play, the latest trailer for which was this rather delicious pre-order number.
For those outta the loop, it's a Samurai RPG and the "biggest game to date" from the studio behind Nioh. Set in Feudal Japan near the end of the 19th century, you'll meet key historical figureheads like Ryoma Sakamoto and Soin Yoshida, with your choices impacting how the story plays out.
In terms of announced appearances at PlayStation's State of Play, that's it. Everything else appears to be theory and speculation alone.
But a particularly strong bit of speculation is that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will make some sort of appearance at today's event. Further fanning those flames, developer Insomniac Games just announced that a special 2-hour free trial of the game is coming for PlayStation Plus Premium members on February 6.
Save the city as the Spider-Men! Starting Feb 6th, PlayStation Plus Premium members can jump into Marvel's #SpiderMan2PS5 with a 2-hour time-limited trial. Progress from the trial will carry over if you purchase the full game! More info: https://t.co/Cur4uISKZE pic.twitter.com/JnsN7BWydpJanuary 31, 2024
Sony's not helping anything either with a mysterious teaser that looks to be for a new "Creator to Creator" segment between (in theory) the folks behind the animated Spider-Verse movies and Marvel's Spider-Man games.
You might recall that Sony previously did a similar thing for folks behind The Last of Us games and show last year.
Coming soon 🕷️ pic.twitter.com/rh6P98M6tdJanuary 31, 2024
As our own Joe Donnelly notes in his PlayStation State of Play predictions, it's been a minute since we've heard from Bloober Team on the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake. As you might recall, it's been confirmed for PC and PS5 only, so a PlayStation event seems like the perfect place to hear more about it.
There was also the whole thing earlier this month that basically implied we should expect to see the Silent Hill 2 remake at some point this year. Maybe Bloober Team, Konami, and PlayStation will even drop an actual release date instead of a launch window during State of Play. Do I dare to dream?
Mr. Donnelly only briefly mentions it in his aforementioned predictions piece, but if you were to ask me, there's one game that feels like the biggest "of course" inclusion that still, technically, hasn't been confirmed for PlayStation's State of Play: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
We're literally less than a month from launch! It's coming out February 29, 2024 for PS5 only!
The only possible reason I can imagine Square Enix skipping out on this one would be the simple fact that we've already seen a whole lot of what to expect from the upcoming remake -- including Cid and Vincent.
On the other hand, I've only just learned today there's a whole dang piano to play with a complex control scheme. There's almost certainly more that the developers have up their sleeve, right?
Today marks 27 years since the launch of the original Final Fantasy VII and while Cloud hasn’t quite mastered the piano yet, he’s getting much better…We can’t wait to hear your musical masterpieces in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth from February 29th. #FF7R pic.twitter.com/U81VX5WDJqJanuary 31, 2024
Or maybe just show more of Zack and... I mean, really, that's all I'd need. His whole deal is kind of a bit of an enigma in the remakes for reasons that I won't spoil here, but it seems fair to say that he did not play the same role in the original.
"As much as the Whispers within the story, Zack is an equally, immensely important, crucial, key character to this story that I believe fans will enjoy in Rebirth," Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth co-director Naoki Hamaguchi said in an interview late last year.
Our own Mr. Donnelly's predictions also includes Judas, the upcoming game from BioShock director Ken Levine and Ghost Story Games. We know relatively little about it beyond the official reveal trailer from The Game Awards 2022.
It, uh, looks a lot like Space BioShock. Or, at least, it did at the time.
"A disintegrating starship," the only description we have for Judas reads. "A desperate escape plan. You are the mysterious and troubled Judas. Your only hope for survival is to make or break alliances with your worst enemies. Will you work together to fix what you broke – or will you leave it to burn?"
We do know it's a single player, narrative first-person shooter. And that it's coming to PC, Xbox, and PS5. So, there's that.
It does seem like work has been chugging along in the background on Judas, however. As of early last year, for example, it seemed like it was expected to be out by March 2025. That window continues to close, and if I were Ghost Story Games and looking to show off more, a PlayStation State of Play might be a good place to do that.
This would also be a good time to show off whatever it is that Naughty Dog is cooking up these days. Following the release of The Last of Us 2 Remastered earlier this month, the documentary release later this week, and the canning of the much-hyped multiplayer game in December, the question now is: OK, what has the team been working on that's actually new?
Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II is coming on February 2!You'll be able to watch this documentary on YouTube and as part of an upcoming downloadable patch for #TLOU2Remastered. The update also includes additional new skins for Ellie and Abby! pic.twitter.com/kcWG2YVI6lJanuary 25, 2024
"To release and support The Last of Us Online we'd have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post-launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games," Naughty Dog's statement on moving on from The Last of Us Online last month reads in part.
"We have more than one ambitious, brand new single player game that we're working on here at Naughty Dog, and we cannot wait to share more about what comes next when we’re ready," concludes the same statement.
Maybe they're ready now?
Another gimme for today's PlayStation State of Play is Helldivers 2 from developer Arrowhead Game Studios. The third-person sequel to the popular twin-stick shooter was first revealed during a PlayStation event in the middle of last year, and it's set to release on February 8.
Enlist in the galaxy’s last line of offense on PS5 or PC and stand by for orders. We're launching on February 8, 2024.Pre-order HELLDIVERS 2:https://t.co/UoVClsnWJMhttps://t.co/AVImYfYNJRWatch our latest trailer:https://t.co/nrMmXBsXJLJanuary 16, 2024
"While the series started life as a top-down shooter, Helldivers 2 sees its core proficiencies re-engineered to fit a third-person shooter mold – giving you greater control over your recruit, and a more immersive perspective on the chaotic battlefields you'll be stomping across," our own Josh West said earlier this month while looking forward to upcoming PS5 exclusives. "You'll be able to team up with three other friends as you attempt to explore dangerous planets and fight off truly monstrous hordes of alien wildlife."
30 minutes to go before PlayStation State of Play begins!
Beyond all of that, the possibilities do feel a bit endless. Over 15 games, with only two definitively being included, means there's a lot of wiggle room. One thing we've not touched on much here is that the initial announcement does note there will be titles set to release for PS VR2. So, look forward to that, all three dozen people that own a PS VR2 and want to buy more games for it.
Before it all kicks off in earnest, let's get some copium out of the way, shall we? Some lingering possibilities, ranging from a chance to absolutely wild, that we'd love to see make some sort of appearance in even the smallest possible way:
- PS5 Pro
- Dino Crisis remake
- Bloodborne 2 (or even just a remaster of the original)
- Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver remaster
- Sonic Generations remaster
- ....Hollow Knight: Silksong, as a treat?
Less than 15 minutes to go before the PlayStation State of Play!
Now's as good a time as any to hit the bathroom ahead of the digital festivities.
What do you think? Did we miss anything?
What are you hoping makes an appearance during the PlayStation State of Play? Not long now...
10 minutes to go until the PlayStation State of Play!
Time to get cozy in a comfortable spot.
OKay here we go folks!
First up it's Helldivers 2 - due to drop in just a few days on Feb 8.
I'm guessing this is the launch trailer, lots of bugs and big guns.
Here's PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst!
Stellar Blade, as promised, is up next with a stylish new trailer with some seriously cool outfits.
Eve's got to save Earth after it's been overrun by aliens forcing humans to an off-world colony.
Eve's got a squad of pals that can give her new skills and abilities.
Looks like you'll have to make choices to help or hinder those that you meet too, including very sweet little robot guys.
Release date is April 26, 2024 for Stellar Blade.
It's time for Sonic!
Sonic on a skateboard!
Oh hey Shadow!
Sonic x Shadow Generations coming this fall.
Little new trailer for Zenless Zone Zero there.
Foamstars time now, with the trailer showing off some of the maps, costumes and 'foam-filled fun' you can have come February 6.
Oh and it's on PlayStation Plus too.
Dave the Diver coming to PlayStation?
Oh ho, with a new crossover? GODZILLA?
Dave the Diver Godzilla coming May 2024. Hell yea.
Forgot it was already on PlayStation, sorry folks.
What is this now? Top-down Bloodborne?
Oh V Rising - coming 2024 to PS5.
Oh ho, it's Silent Hill time.
I'm not entirely sure.... which Silent Hill, but it certainly doesn't look like Silent Hill 2.
Silent Hill - The Short Message. Full game free to play... now?!
It's a brand new original title, available today!
And now we're getting the teaser for Silent Hill 2.
Can't believe they just shadow dropped a new PT folks.
No release date, just says "in development for PlayStation 5".
Wow this is a good showcase, now we've got Judas from the maker of BioShock. The most BioShock not-BioShock game ever.
There are tones of weird little robots, and giant horse men, along with bizarre people roaming the halls. Lots of use of powers from the hands too - hmm where do we know that from.
No release date, but it does look excellent.
Moving onto PSVR 2 titles, and we've got Metro VR by the looks.
It's called Metro Awakening VR. Coming 2024, and you can wishlist it now.
A slightly more unpolished trailer for this next PSVR 2, featuring lots of swords and skeletons.
It's called Legendary Tales and it's coming February 8 - so just next week.
Capcom's Dragon's Dogma 2 up now with a formidable and lengthy gameplay trailer.
It's coming March 22, 2024 but we did already know that.
Rise of Ronin is up next, introduced by one of the developers.
We're getting a good tour of one of the settlements here, with a showcase of traversal where the hero uses his grappling hooks to leap to a rooftop before turning into an eagle to soar back to ground.
Here's that Dragon's Dogma 2 trailer.
We're also getting a look at Rise of the Ronin's weaponry, horses, and one on one combat.
It looks badass I must admit.
Reminder Rise of the Ronin launches March 22.
Are we getting a new Until Dawn?
Oh yes that's all the original characters back. Rebuilt and enhanced for PS5, coming in 2024.
Ah here we go, it's Kojima time with Death Stranding 2 and a demon cat.
The mask that looks like two hands holding her face is quite something.
Oh I think it is just two hands holding her face. And here comes BB.
'On the Ship' reads the text introducing Sam as a strange gray man.
It's going to be 'On the Beach' for the title isn't it.
He's asked to take a strange little puppet with him on the walk.
"You'll be the one leading the way to expand the network".
Now we're moving to 'On the Edge'. The beach is coming.
'On the Road'...
'On the Drawbridge'...
'On the Beach'...
Troy Baker's character is back again!
OK the puppet is quite cool, he's got bite and is kinda stop motion animated?
A guitar gun. Kojima, honey.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is the official title.
Is original BB now dead?
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach now coming in 2025.
Oh wait, Kojima has got another game up his sleeve and it's an action-adventure game. Development will start on it after Death Stranding 2.
Two years from now, Kojima is celebrating his 40th year in the industry, and he thinks this will be the culmination of his career.
"I cannot tell you much now" but he plans to bring together the best talent. It'll be a game but also a movie at the same time.
"Transcend the barriers between movies and games"
Come back on February 6 for an extended look at Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth too.
And that's a wrap folks. Let's tot up everything we saw there.
