No Man’s Sky developer Hello Games celebrates 10-year anniversary https://ift.tt/CSIrNG9
I feel surprisingly emotional today. Ten years ago, on 9th August 2016, PlayStation Travellers across the universe set foot on their first alien planet in No Man’s Sky.
The first words from their exosuit rang out in their helmet: “Hazard protection active”.
Perhaps you were there ten years ago, or perhaps you joined later. All around the universe, other Travellers have woken up on countless other planets, light years apart from each other. They took their first steps on their first planet and brought a new unexplored universe into existence together.
Since then, millions of players have made No Man’s Sky their home, built insane bases, built communities, made friends, and created custom ships that look like everything from Spongebob Squarepants to entire Cathedrals.
Over the last decade, the No Man’s Sky players have joined us in another type of journey as we grew, expanded and deepened what No Man’s Sky could be. With now 40 major updates, all free, we have expanded our sandbox universe with base-building, exocraft, settlements, mechs, pets, living ships, expeditions and rebuilt the universe several times over. On PlayStation we introduced support for PSVR, then PS5, and then PSVR2. Allowing players to immerse themselves in the universe in much deeper ways.
PlayStation Travellers have been there since the dawn of this new universe; it’s kind of our Big Bang moment! Since then, tens of millions of Travellers have spent hundreds of millions of hours exploring and sharing their discoveries and the universe is more vibrant now than it ever has been. Voyagers released last year saw more players than we’ve had since launch… and still, all these years later players have explored less than 1% of the planets in No Man’s Sky.
In a similar way our small team feels we have a lot left to explore in what No Man’s Sky can be. In the background we are busy cooking on our next game Light No Fire, and big things for the future of No Man’s Sky. More will follow!
PlayStation Store: July 2026’s top downloads https://ift.tt/xD4HAR1
It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped last month’s download charts. In July, Call of Duty: Black Ops II dominated the charts for PS5 and PS4 in the US and EU. While I Am Cat became the number one PS VR2 game in the US and EU.
Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month?
PS5 Games
US/Canada
EU
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
EA Sports College Football 27
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
EA Sports FC 26
EA Sports FC 26
Palworld
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Minecraft
Palworld
Halo: Campaign Evolved
NBA 2K26
Escape the Backrooms
Minecraft
NBA 2K26
Escape the Backrooms
007 First Light
UFC 6
UFC 6
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
007 First Light
It Takes Two
Echoes of Aincrad
Grand Theft Auto V
MLB The Show 26
Resident Evil 4
Grand Theft Auto V
Backrooms: Escape Together
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu
Battlefield 6
Forza Horizon 5
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Gran Turismo 7
It Takes Two
Battlefield 6
*Naming of products may differ between regions *Upgrades not included
PS4 Games
US/Canada
EU
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
EA Sports FC 26
Batman: Arkham Knight
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
Batman: Arkham Knight
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Gang Beasts
A Way Out
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
The Forest
EA Sports FC 26
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
The Forest
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Destiny – The Collection
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Mortal Kombat X
Mortal Kombat X
NBA 2K26
God of War
A Way Out
Unravel Two
Minecraft
Minecraft
God of War
Gang Beasts
Devil May Cry HD Collection
The Last of Us Remastered
Dying Light
Devil May Cry HD Collection
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Dying Light
Bloodborne
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Resident Evil 5
Mafia: Trilogy
*Naming of products may differ between regions
PS VR2 Games*
US/Canada
EU
I Am Cat
I Am Cat
Synapse
Job Simulator
Beat Saber
Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition
Job Simulator
Metro Awakening
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
Beat Saber
Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition
Alien: Rogue Incursion VR
Alien: Rogue Incursion VR
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Among Us 3D: VR
Arizona Sunshine VR Remake
Zero Caliber VR
Escape – Backrooms Horror VR
Arizona Sunshine VR Remake
Among Us 3D: VR
*PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included
Share of the Week: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced – Jackdaw https://ift.tt/ilMVqGN
Last week, we asked you to share moments about Edward Kenway’s pirate ship, the Jackdaw, using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
_GenieCrazy_shares the Jackdaw facing off against a British ship
gh_holy_mashshares the Jackdaw sailing into the rising sun
WarDragon989shares a smoky view of the pirate flag waving off the Jackdaw during a battle
lucaslu_cklishares Edward crouched on the ship’s bow
crisg_artshares the Jackdaw’s sails open and sailing at full speed
Photomode_Raroshares a view of a whale breaching as Edward steers the ship
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Big Walk SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on August 12, 2026
Next week, grab some friends and share moments spent puzzling together in Big Walk, available now as a PlayStation Plus Monthly game. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.
Celebrate 30 years of Quake with a brand-new episode, available today https://ift.tt/SMxvftq
In 1996, id Software smashed through to another dimension – in one sense of the word, pioneering first-person shooters in the third dimension with the release of Quake, and in another, hurtling players feet-first into Quake’s otherworldly realm – a place beyond our reality where kinetic combat and a moody eldritch setting took FPS players to new heights.
30 years later, Quake has inspired countless hours played and frags tallied locally or online in Deathmatch, not to mention real-world connections and a major role in the rise of FPS esports with QuakeCon, North America’s largest LAN party (also celebrating the big 3-0 this year!). To ring in the 30th anniversary of Quake, just in time for the 30th anniversary of QuakeCon, MachineGames, in collaboration with id Software, return to bring you a brand-new episode for the iconic FPS:
Available today as a free update for Quake on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, Dawn of the Machine features a full 19-map campaign accompanied by a brand-new soundtrack and Deathmatch map.
Dawn of the Machine is a celebration of Quake’s history and influence on the developers at MachineGames and id Software. Following the team’s work on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC, Lead Level Designer Andrew Yoder at MachineGames approached the studio’s Game Director Jerk Gusfafsson about an expansion for Quake. Gustafsson, Yoder and the rest of the team that worked on similar projects – dubbed internally as Quake Club – set forth three major goals for what would become Dawn of the Machine.
First and foremost, of course, was celebrating Quake’s 30th anniversary. “We wanted to create something that felt authentic to the spirit of the original game: Horror! Action! Madness!” says Yoder. As such, players will face deadly twists on familiar entries from Quake bestiary such as the Rocket Ogre, Demo Dog, and Blood Shambler, rising to the challenge with new weapon variants like ricochet-blasting Laser Cannon and the lightning-infused Super Axe for classic, fast-paced Quake carnage.
The second goal the team pursued was giving veteran Quake players a new experience. Previous Quake episodes released by MachineGames alongside id Software, such as Call of the Machine and Dimension of the Machine, featured a traditional hub structure which reset the player’s progression between major areas. Instead, Dawn of the Machine has players battle through a continuous episode with continuous progression, which according to Yoder provided the team with “a challenge, requiring much more coordination and iteration to create.”
To set the stage for its design, Dawn of the Machine has players back in the boots of Quake’s battle-hardened protagonist Ranger as he escapes an illusory dimension where time folds back onto itself. As the looping cycle of time progresses, so too will players as they discover ways to break the loop, uncover upgrades to their health and ammunition supplies and eventually take down The Nightmare Machine, the source of Ranger’s planar prison. “Nothing you see can be trusted,” says Yoder, “but there is a path to break through the illusion, defeat the schemes of the outer gods and escape.”
An early boss battle concept (left), plus early level plans (right) for what would become The Matriarch of Decay. Both underwent significant iteration during the production of Dawn of the Machine.
The third goal in developing Dawn of the Machine was allowing the multifaceted and multitalented team at MachineGames and id Software to exercise their skills collaboratively on a smaller project compared to a modern AAA video game project. Some members of the Quake Club have made their own maps since the game’s release in ‘96 while others, including Yoder, have joined in more recently, making Quake Club a place for anyone on the team to contribute something to the project.
“Quake Club has always been an opportunity for the team to learn and have fun,” says Yoder, adding that high-quality modding tools and Quake’s relative visual simplicity to the photorealism of modern day AAA titles allow team members to pitch in their expertise, even for tasks normally outside their area of specialization.
As one example, Dawn of the Machine’s new soundtrack came about from an offer from Christian Plogfors, Advanced Level Designer at MachineGames. In addition to contributing two levels to the episode, Plogfors created a soundtrack with a dark, ambient tone expertly suited to the trippy, ethereal world of the expansion. “Christian proceeded to make a fantastic set of tracks that give the episode its own identity,” says Yoder. “The whole episode is so much stronger thanks to his contribution, stepping outside his normal role and bringing his other skills and passions to serve the project.”
Reflecting on 30 years of Quake, Yoders says the opportunity to make Dawn of the Machine has been a privilege. “The team here owes a lot to Quake and its legacy,” he says, “Quake Club and our work wouldn’t exist without the wider Quake community and our friends at id Software.”
Ghost Recon Wildlands: Last Rites – Everything you need to know https://ift.tt/2H3waQs
Ghost Recon Wildlands: Last Rites is a major free update out now on PS4 and PS5. It revitalizes the game with new content, including a thrilling linear story mission, gameplay customization features, 4K and 60 FPS on PS5 and PS5 Pro, and more. To learn more about what you can expect, we spoke with Ubisoft Bordeaux’s Creative Director Olivier Leonardi and Live Strategy & Analytics Director Yossef Benzeghadi in a new interview.
Wildlands launched nearly a decade ago. What can you tell us about the community still engaging with the game?
Yossef Benzeghadi: Wildlands is a beloved gem within the Ghost Recon community, and taking down the Santa Blanca Cartel is fondly remembered. Either Solo or up to four players co-op, it’s a unique blend of open world and a fun immersive tactical military third person shooter that really stood the test of time.
Back in the day, I was part of the Wildlands live team, and we really took the time to picture all the gameplay behaviors, player profiles, and playstyles we could see emerging in the game from the whole community. It acted as our golden compass throughout postlaunch. It led to the release of various fan-favorite content, still available today of course, such as our challenging Ghost Mode, or multiple Clancy-verse missions featuring Splinter Cell or Rainbow Six Siege.
There was one key element that really stuck to me to this day – a group we initially called “Sandbox Players.” To be honest, at first, we did not really understand what the heck they were doing in our Bolivian Wildlands. Digging more, and more, notably thanks to community interviews and data-informed playtests, it finally clicked: they were role playing, ranging from cooperative mil-sim to simply adding extra optional layers of challenges on top of the game just for fun, taking hours to complete one mission perfectly. We had tons of players leveraging everything the game had to offer to transcend their gameplay experience to the next level.
The level of customization and the overall freedom of choice the game offers were praised all around and for us that’s one of the main reasons players are still engaging with Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands today. With Last Rites, we are following up on that legacy, and there’s never been a better time to jump in.
First, break down the features you’re adding in Last Rites, and why you added them.
Yossef: First, and by popular demand, we are very happy to confirm 4K and 60 FPS on PS5 and PS5 Pro.
To allow even more flexibility for role play fans and to bring more accessibility and freedom of choice to everyone, we are also adding various new settings to experiment with. With our new Ghost Parameters in the game’s Options menu, you can enable instant death or limitless revives, choose to have one or two primary weapons, and decide whether you keep remaining unused ammo when reloading or not. With our new World and Session Settings in the game’s Lobby page, you control the world itself. From the weather and time of day to alarms and jammers and even the rate of enemy patrols, you can craft your very own experience. You can even enable friendly fire in co-op, either to enhance realism, or allow some light PvP role play scenarios with your friends should you want to. We are also expanding existing categories from the Options menu with increased player agency. HUD and UI are more customizable than ever, and our new Difficulty settings now allow players to deep dive and tweak various elements such as Enemy Perception, Endurance, Vehicle Breakability and much more.
Then, there’s Last Rites itself. It’s a brand-new story-driven mission you can jump into right away. Set in a darker, more oppressive Bolivia, the Ghosts enter a region controlled by Los Penitentes, a new fanatical cult united by faith, sacrifice, and violent justice. Coming from all walks of life, its members turn the environment into a constant threat, drawing the Ghosts into a tense narrative of betrayal and moral ambiguity. They are led by an enigmatic new foe, La Llorona.
In addition, we’ve added tons of customization for your Ghost character and teammates, and many weapons and equipment have been unlocked for free, including previously unreleased camos and unobtainable challenge rewards. All Ghost War PvP classes can now be unlocked for free in the in-game store alongside many other items. And yes, we are adding some new Character Smith items to celebrate Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 25th Anniversary, with a mysterious Operator Skin you unlock by completing Last Rites. A special thanks to the talented team at Ubisoft Bordeaux who made it all possible.
Finally, PlayStation Plus members can get their hands on a brand-new exclusive Iconic Skin of La Llorona, unlock the powerful P416 Micteca, and embrace their presidential chic with the new 4-SHUR Blue Leader Sunglasses.
Last Rites has been created in part due to that community feedback. How did you actually gather and prioritize that?
Olivier Leonardi: We met our community leaders and had a very open conversation with them. The goal was to turn raw community feedback into actionable insights that improved player experience while supporting the game’s core principles. We did so across multiple channels, structured it into themes, and prioritized based on player impact, intensity, and alignment with several player profiles. We know that a large part of our community are avid role players, so we crafted some of the features around their requests.
Yossef: Working on Last Rites was quite an archaeological ride. Very early on the project, we broadly shared all insights and knowledge we gathered on Ghost Recon Wildlands during its postlaunch at the time, which was extremely valuable for the team. It served as a mirror to reflect on what we could do and explore on Last Rites, a vision which we fine-tuned over time thanks to those precious community discussions we had that Olivier mentioned. Notice we have been talking a lot about role play so far; this is the prime example of something we would have loved to explore further back in the day and are very happy we could prioritize now. At the same time, and for the same reasons, we know a lot of our players just love well-crafted and story-driven missions, and that’s why we are also delivering on that front with Last Rites.
Talk to us about the new story content – Where did La Llorona come from, conceptually?
Olivier: La Llorona has become an untouchable icon, a resurrected arbiter of justice, revered by the Bolivian people almost as a saint. Gathering devoted followers to her cause, she compels them to wear masks, erasing their individuality and demanding absolute obedience. These disciples, known as Los Penitentes, act as the ruthless executors of her will, delivering merciless retribution to anyone connected to the events that sealed her fate.
We wanted this new antagonist to be quite dark and complex, but also someone that was deeply wounded, betrayed by the people she loved and trusted. La Llorona survived, but survival came at a cost. The betrayal destroyed her sense of belonging, leaving her suspended between who she was and what she’s becoming. Her vengeance isn’t just directed outward; it’s a way to reclaim control, to make sense of that pain, after what she experienced. She becomes a force of raw justice and destruction.
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The mission is described as “unsettling” and the narrative shifts as players progress. How far did you push the tone, and why did you want to go darker this time?
Olivier: We wanted to introduce this new mission as a very standard incursion, putting players back into Nomad’s boots, leading the Ghosts to do what they do very efficiently, but things quickly turn into something else; the familiar Bolivian environment becomes weird and the Ghosts start witnessing the wrath of La Llorona, aiming at anyone who might be accountable for what happened to her, especially the corrupt Bolivian government and its armed wing: Unidad. The more the Ghosts advance in her territory, the more they discover her twisted personality and how devoted her disciples are. Through different documents and audio recordings scattered across the world, players will be able to discover more about her goals and what she represents for the Bolivian people.
Predator content returns with this update.
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What do you hope players take away from Last Rites – is there a single experience or moment you’re most proud of?
Olivier: I think the moment at Varga’s villa, the reveal of La Llorona with her weeping widow mask, the confrontation with her Los Penitentes cultists, and what Nomad discovers there is both a strong gameplay and story moment. That changes everything for Nomad, and he’s confronting Emily Price, his CIA handler, trying to understand what causes this brutal transformation.
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New to the game? Play Ghost Recon Wildlands with Ubisoft+ Classics, available as a standalone subscription, and included for PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Premium members.
Ghost Recon Wildlands Standard and Definitive Editions are also available for purchase at PlayStation Store. The new Definitive Edition includes the base game, the Season Pass, and the Year 2 Pass, alongside 4 additional content packs: Quick Start, Deluxe, Nightfall Protocol, and Cold Eye. For current owners, a Definitive Edition Upgrade is also available.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword opens up in the final preview https://ift.tt/Trq2LYi
At the outset of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Miyamoto Musashi is fixated on freeing himself from the Oni Gauntlet. This mystical artifact, through a strange twist of fate, has become bound to our hero. But the stubborn young samurai doesn’t want the gauntlet’s powers. Musashi’s sole desire is to prove himself by his hands alone. However, as the journey unfolds, Musashi’s views gradually shift and expand. He begins to embrace the path he’s found himself on, becoming more open to his new place in the world.
The action game starts to open up after the early moments. Missions with tighter scopes flow into a wider location that offers new challenges to overcome and more room to explore our growing arsenal of abilities.
This final gameplay preview picks up right where the Onimusha: Way of the Sword Demo leaves off. After Musashi duels rival swordsman Sasaki Ganryu on the stage of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, he’s transported to an otherworldly dimension, the “Oni Refuge.” It’s a surreal landscape where gravity is a suggestion. Islands float in the sky, and we conjure ruins from thin air.
Then the Genma barge in. Invading from the depths of hell, these demons clash with the sacred scenery, but they’ll soon meet Musashi’s blade. We swiftly cut them to shreds. When our katana connects with Genma, they’re carved apart at the angles our sword travels through their twisted forms. We call it dynamic dismemberment. This system splits them in two across the torso, hacks them from head to toe, and… well, you get the picture.
Before long, Musashi plucks an Oni Bow from the wreckage of this realm. Finally, we can return fire against Genma archers. The bow also allows us to solve environmental puzzles that require range. Our arrows can trigger traps, too. Eventually, they’ll even come in handy during a duel, severing a boss from its power source, once Musashi returns to Kyoto.
After excising the Genma from the Oni Refuge, the clouds of Malice looming above Kyoto begin to lift. Yet darkness still lingers here. Our next stop in Japan’s ancient capital is Rokudo Chinno-ji Temple. It’s one of many real-life locations in the game. Legends say it exists at the crossroads between our world and the gates of hell. For Musashi and his allies, this sanctuary becomes home. It’s their base of operations in the fight to save the city.
Kyoto is a vast location far larger than anywhere we’ve seen in the game. However, our ability to wander and explore its streets has bounds at the moment. Hellish structures erupt from the earth and a toxic fog sweeps through town, forming blockades that imprison any locals who haven’t yet fled the demonic corruption.
Our quest to liberate Kyoto begins by sealing rifts where Genma manifest in our dimension. These creatures spawn in all shapes and sizes, but Musashi slays them and absorbs their souls all the same. We’ll make use of these. Alongside treasures we discover, souls help us upgrade gear and unlock new abilities to face what awaits on the path ahead.
This trail eventually leads to Kiyomizu-zaka slope, a pilgrim road that climbs up the hillside to the temple where we started this journey. Here lies the key to unlocking much of Kyoto. But to even enter this place we must first face some truly formidable foes.
Back in the Oni Refuge, we had a run-in with Daidara, a towering Genma with a hulking frame and bottomless appetite. The gluttonous giant’s hunger even extends to devouring our hard-earned souls. We’re forced to make tactical decisions in the heat of battle about when to absorb souls, or risk losing them to Daidara’s ravenous maw.
This isn’t the only Genma after something of ours. Another offers to free Musashi from his gauntlet… at the cost of his entire arm. Our hero considers this deal, if only for a moment. Though Musashi has warmed up to his Oni Gauntlet, he still hopes to remove it.
It’s a wish Rasho-gan is only too glad to grant. This multi-armed monster has been posing as a deity at Yasui Konpiragu Shrine. Here, he fulfills worshipers’ desires in the worst possible ways. Constructed from the body parts of his victims (like the leg of a man who longed to be rid of knee pain), Rasho-gan wields his extra limbs to throw everything he has at us, including uprooting trees, boulders, and even entire buildings to crush Musashi.
Escaping Rasho-gan’s clutches with our lives drives us to make full use of the game’s deep arsenal of combat techniques. For our efforts, the shrine guardians reward us with Oni Strength. Musashi accepts this new power, and we can now tear down the demonic barriers around Kyoto. Now it’s time to take down the source of the toxic fog choking the city.
This life-sapping mist emerges from eerie plants, and it clears when we chop them down. However, Byakue stands in the way of our gardening. Before we can fell the final tree, this animalistic Genma charges in. As we brawl, the brute gets coated in its own blood and grows wilder. Skill alone may allow Musashi to outlast this creature, but another strategy proves wise. Delivering fewer but more devastating blows soon tames the beast.
After completing the mission, the evil haze over much of Kyoto clears. The townsfolk come out and rejoice. Now, more of the city is open for us to explore. This is just the start of our action-packed adventure. It’s one that players can look forward to experiencing for themselves when Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches for PlayStation 5 on September 4. Pre-orders for the game are available now at PlayStation Store.
The Power of Motherhood Amid Chaos – 1998: The Toll Keeper Story https://ift.tt/RhTsaNr
In Indonesia, there is a saying that perfectly captures the core concept of our game, 1998: The Toll Keeper Story—”A mother’s love knows no bounds, spanning across all time.” This beautiful sentiment slowly but surely transforms into a harsh reality when that very maternal instinct is tested against a backdrop of escalating, threatening chaos. This is Dewi’s story.
While deeply inspired by our own homeland’s history, the events of 1998 in Indonesia, where a severe monetary crisis triggered widespread social unrest that victimized innocent groups, remain tragic yet universally relevant today. It often feels as though the world refuses to learn from the mistakes of the past.
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Dewi, alongside other characters like Heru and Sinta, does not stand there to fight a massive tide that is far beyond her control. Day after day, from inside the toll booth she operates, she witnesses the raw human struggle for survival, all while fighting tooth and nail to keep her own baby safe and healthy.
This entire conflict unfolds through a document and currency-checking mechanic that will feel instantly familiar to fans of Papers, Please. Amidst the routine, Dewi’s toll booth becomes a sanctuary where affected citizens air their grievances, regardless of whether they support or oppose the government of that era.
The choices Dewi makes will ultimately shape the conclusion of her story. Without ever intending to romanticize the tragedy that inspired it, this narrative will be brought to life through hand-drawn cutscenes, rendered in the GameChanger Studio’s signature art style. A diary at the end of each day will also serve as a space to reflect on the deep anxieties Dewi faces, both as a woman and as a mother.
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With the features offered by the PlayStation 5, we are confident we can make Dewi’s journey even more immersive. The answer to this ambition lies in the Haptic Feedback technology, which will adapt uniquely to the various types of vehicles passing through Dewi’s booth. These vibrations will serve not only as vital gameplay clues but also as a physical representation of the earth-shattering challenges Dewi must endure while navigating her pregnancy.
We hope that the emotions and message we wish to convey through Dewi’s journey in 1998: The Toll Keeper Story will leave a lasting, profound impression on you when you experience it on the PlayStation 5.
