Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound unveils a second playable protagonist

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound unveils a second playable protagonist https://ift.tt/mo2iYzK

Hello everyone! On behalf of The Game Kitchen, in collaboration with Dotemu, Koei Tecmo Games, and Team Ninja, we’re incredibly excited to reveal a brand-new addition to Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound: a second, fully original playable character from the Hayabusa Clan’s long-standing rivals: the legendary Black Spider Clan.

In this post, we’d like to take you behind the scenes of how this idea came to life, what you can expect from this new character, and some gameplay details we’re especially thrilled to share.

When we first began designing new characters for Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, one question sparked our imagination: Wouldn’t it be amazing to play as a member of an enemy faction? It’s something we always dream of in our favorite franchises, those rare moments when a game lets you get to step into the shoes of someone from the other side. The Black Spider Clan, a central presence in the 3D Ninja Gaiden installments, has always intrigued us with its fierce style and unforgettable characters. So we asked ourselves: Why not bring them back in a whole new way? That’s how the idea of Kumori was born.

Kumori is a proud kunoichi of the Black Spider Clan and serves as a compelling counterpart to Kenji, the game’s other protagonist. While Kenji is still learning under the guidance of his master, Ryu Hayabusa, Kumori has already earned her place as the top fighter in her clan. Following a near-collapse of the Black Spider Clan, she carries the burden of rebuilding and protecting their future. Ruthless and pragmatic, Kumori fights without restraint and embraces modern weaponry, enemy techniques, and even demonic powers to fulfill her mission. She follows no traditional code, only the path that leads to victory.

Unlike Kenji, who fights with a katana and focuses on close-range combat, Kumori wields kunai, granting her high range, rapid attack speed, and the ability to strike from nearly any position or surface. Her agility and adaptability make her an exceptional fighter, especially when engaging enemies in hard-to-reach areas or chaotic encounters.

Despite their differences, Kenji and Kumori share common values: they are both driven by loyalty, honor, and a fierce sense of duty to their clans. Though they come from opposing sides, they represent a new generation of warriors shaped by legacy but not bound by the past. Their paths intertwine in a pivotal moment when they face a powerful demonic threat, trapping both in the demon world. Faced with annihilation, they make an unthinkable choice: to merge their strength, knowing full well their clans would never accept such an alliance. This unholy alliance is both a blessing and a curse: a necessary bond that will forever alter their destinies.

As fused warriors, players gain access to the best of both characters, combining their weapons, abilities, and a new energy source: Ki. As players harvest Ki from enemies, Kumori’s spirit can summon powerful Spider Weapons, such as a Kama or a Chakram, capable of slicing through walls and enemies alike, unlocking new ranges, and delivering massive damage.

Their combined rage also fuels devastating attacks. Every time an enemy is defeated with a Hypercharged attack, their fury grows. Once their rage reaches a peak, players can unleash a screen-clearing attack, a spectacular display of vengeance and power. True to the spirit of Ninja Gaiden, the gameplay remains fast, fluid, and relentless. All weapons and techniques are seamlessly integrated and there’s no need to stop to switch characters. Combat flows naturally, keeping the adrenaline high and the action nonstop.

Equipping your characters also plays a crucial role. Players can collect Golden Scarabs to unlock new upgrades, talismans, and techniques. Kenji’s talismans focus on passive enhancements, such as boosting melee damage, improving defenses, or enhancing Hypercharge effects. Kumori, on the other hand, brings a unique twist with her Shadow Arts, unlocking new Spider Weapons and powerful Ragebound Arts tailored to different playstyles and tactical approaches.

Since Kumori’s physical body remains trapped in the demon world, only her spirit travels with Kenji, but through Demonic Altars, she can temporarily return to her corporeal form. These moments allow her to interact with an alternate demonic dimension, revealing hidden paths invisible to human eyes. However, her time in this state is limited, forcing players to think fast, solve puzzling situations, and overcome intense challenges before time runs out. These segments offer thrilling platforming sequences, strategic combat scenarios, and unique exploration opportunities that are designed to add to the game’s rhythm and depth.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this first look at Kumori. We can’t wait for you to experience both the path of the Hayabusa Ninja and the path of the Black Spider Ninja in this exciting new chapter of the Ninja Gaiden legacy.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound will be available for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 Summer 2025.

Cozy adventure Palia opens its doors May 13 on PS5

Cozy adventure Palia opens its doors May 13 on PS5 https://ift.tt/abBNL0O

Welcome home, PlayStation 5 players! I’m excited to share some news about our cozy fantasy life-sim adventure, Palia. First and foremost, we’re bringing Palia’s enchanting world to the PS5 on May 13 – complete with all the bells and whistles that only Sony’s hardware can deliver. I have a lot to share with you, so let’s get right into it!

Palia has more than 6 million players, which means that some of you are already familiar with our game. For those who aren’t, Palia is a stress-free refuge where you and your friends can unwind together and explore a gorgeous fantasy world at your own pace. It’s filled with crafting opportunities, customization options, and plenty of exploration to keep you busy for years to come. We know that self-expression is one of the cool things that makes us human, and we’ve extended that into our little corner of the virtual world.

Every Palia resident can design and decorate their own home to perfectly suit their individual tastes. Want to live in a cozy cabin and bask in the glow of a crackling fireplace? Go for it! Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more stately. How about an upscale Tudor Revival-inspired mansion (la di dah!)? Or maybe all you need is a place to store your loot and you couldn’t give a rip about aesthetics. I’m not here to judge, you absolute monster (jk, hehe! We’re all about letting you put your unique stamp on the world – and in the lives of our cast of charming (and romanceable!) Villagers.

The PlayStation 5 launch is timed around Palia’s most ambitious updates to date, the long-awaited Elderwood expansion. This drop provides all players a massive new location to explore, Elderwood. What a coincidence! This ancient overgrown forest is brimming with magical essence, some of which has been spreading in the shadows beneath its leafy canopy. You’ll be able to investigate the mysteries behind this stunning new Adventure Zone through an engaging line of story quests that will have you exploring the deepest cave to the tallest tree. During your adventures, you’ll face a variety of fierce(ish) new magical creatures… this is a cozy game after all! Don’t worry, though: You’ll be able to harness the power of the all-new Relic system, which grants buffs for your entire party.

At Singularity 6, we’ve been fans of the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller from the moment we first held one. Our team has worked hard to fully integrate the DualSense’s one-of-a-kind suite of cool features in Palia, and we think you’ll love what we’ve been able to do with it.

The Light Bar changes color based on what skill is currently in use, such as fishing, hunting, mining, and more. It also flashes gold when you make a Guild Store purchase or sale with in-game gold – ka-ching! Adaptive Triggers are tied to in-game skills, providing real-time feedback while hunting, choppin’ down trees, and performing other in-game skills. When you hook a shark on your fishing line (yes, we have sharks), you’ll definitely know! These features are all incorporated on PlayStation Portal, too, in case you want to tuck in and get really cozy.

Palia was designed with online multiplayer and community in mind, and we fully support cross-play multiplayer across PlayStation 5, PC, and additional consoles. The Elderwood Expansion is a particularly exciting moment for our community because everyone will be experiencing it together for the first time on May 13. While this is the first time all you people have the chance to kick back and relax with  Palia on PlayStation 5, we’ve been busy delivering monthly game updates and seasonal content to keep the game fresh since we first released it in late 2023. It truly is a great time to join our friendly and helpful community and carve out your own little cozy space in Palia’s charming world.

Details on Days Gone Remastered’s Speedrun, Permadeath modes and more

Details on Days Gone Remastered’s Speedrun, Permadeath modes and more https://ift.tt/bsvkWKQ

Welcome–or welcome back–to Days Gone,  Bend Studio’s sprawling open-world adventure-survival epic. In this PlayStation 5 remaster launching April 25, you’ll once again be able to enjoy Deacon St. John’s journey across the gorgeous natural beauty of the Oregon wilderness–provided you can deal with the mind-boggling amount of mutant Freaker monstrosities that want to shred you into tiny little chunks.

We reached out to Kevin McAllister, Creative and Product Lead at Bend Studio, for some additional details about the anticipated remaster, including its notable new additions. So grab your survival gear, gas up your bike, and read on to hear about how Days Gone is better than ever on the PlayStation 5.

Back in the days

We first asked how Bend Studio feels about revisiting their flagship game, “Days Gone is a special game for us,” says McAllister. “It’s a special game to our players, too. We got the opportunity to remaster a game that we released originally on the PS4 in 2019 and ported to the PC in 2021. Six years after the original, technology has improved–we have the power of the PS5 now. There was a lot more we could do to showcase the game’s potential.”

We then asked about how the PlayStation 5’s capabilities are enhancing the Days Gone experience. “The graphical improvements we’ve made–you’ll see the difference,” McAllister explains. “There’s increased lighting, increased shadow quality ,increased fog depth. For example, night time is now darker; the moon is more natural-looking. The blue sky is more natural, too–Days Gone is a very realistic-looking game. And we’ve taken that to a new level with the PS5.” Sounds like a great fit for the remaster’s new-and-improved Photo Mode, with more lighting options and instant day-and-night switches for beautiful environmental photography.

McAllister continues: “Gameplay-wise, right off the top of my head is increased horde sizes. That’s very specific to our new gameplay mode, Horde Assault. And these hordes, they get big. Like, how big? So, for example, the biggest horde in the story is the old sawmill horde, which is a mission that has 500 Freakers. In Horde Assault, we have hordes that range up to 800 Freakers. They cover the screen, that’s for sure.”

Crowd control

McAllister bringing up these huge hordes felt like the perfect time to ask him to dig deeper into the remaster’s new Horde Assault mode. “It’s our new survival arcade mode, a fresh, unique take on the core Days Gone gameplay loop. We took everything you had in the story mode, built upon that, and took the challenges that we released post-launch and evolved the concept. So, now you have these big open regions, you’re facing a bunch of hordes, and they’re coming from different angles on you. You’re seeing hordes at totally new locations than what you saw in the story, and the hordes at familiar locations are even bigger.

“Horde Assault gives you all the tools at your disposal from the start. New players can jump in and play it right away, and they can experience the core, open world gameplay of Days Gone, but now you’re having the maxed out motorcycle with you, and some new weapons, too. There’s also human enemies alongside evolved Freakers like breakers, reachers, and screamers. It’s a lot more chaotic, but it’s the true Days Gone gameplay experience. It’s a really cool and fun mode, and I think fans are really going to enjoy it.”

Another new mode coming to the remaster is a Speedrun mode. “Speedrun mode is separated from the other modes,” he explains. “When you go into speedrun mode, you can play it on any of the difficulties. There’s an always-on-screen timer that will pause during cinematics.  Each time you go through, it records your time next to that difficulty. At the very end of your speed run, you get a special graphic showing your detailed stats to share.”

We asked McAllister about the thought process behind this addition. “With Days Gone, there are players that have tried and done speed runs, but it wasn’t a big thing. So giving new players who may not have tried the game before a speed running mode–maybe that’s exactly what they wanted. Now they’re able to jump in, have fun, and use their expertise to finish the game as quickly as possible. I respect those players, because that’s something I can’t do, and it’s really impressive to see.”

High-stakes survival

Another major addition–and perhaps the most intimidating–is permadeath mode, which is exactly what it sounds like: If Deacon dies, the run’s over, no saving. Harsh, but also very fitting for Days Gone’s world.

According to McAllister, the players are to thank for helping the team cook this up. “Permadeath mode was implemented because of community feedback. It’s actually something we wanted as far back as 2019, so this was the perfect opportunity to add it. We’ve seen players create videos doing things like trying to go through a whole run taking no damage at all, only using the very weak boot knife. Well, what’s the ultimate challenge? Deathless. So now, you’re really getting that true survival experience. I think players are going to dig it.”

“You can play the mode on any difficulty, and there’s two settings to choose from. If you choose whole game, wherever you die in the story, you have to start from the very beginning–your save file gets deleted. If you choose per act, so say, if you die at the old saw mill horde again, you only return to that beginning of the act. That’s going to save you hours of gameplay in this mode. But for the players who do play the whole game: we salute you. We also think trees are going to be the biggest cause of death in this mode. I may be speaking from experience,” he laughs.

Finally, what sort of advice does McAllister have for people who want to take on this challenge? “You must be more cautious this time around,” he points out. “Scavenge supplies every chance you get and be more methodical with your approach. When you’re going through an ambush camp, you want to make sure you’re prepared before you leave, because you can run into a horde or a bear. If you don’t have the ammo, the run’s over. Also, there’s an early point in the story where you have to make a decision on which camp to give a stash to. Choose Tucker’s camp–you have access to better weapons quicker, which makes a huge difference in the early game.”

Days Gone Remastered will be available for PlayStation 5 on April 25.

How Bloom & Rage: Lost Records Tape 2 takes a dark and supernatural turn on April 15

How Bloom & Rage: Lost Records Tape 2 takes a dark and supernatural turn on April 15 https://ift.tt/R1mQiYI

The first episode of Don’t Nod’s narrative adventure, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, ended with a hell of a cliffhanger: a massive discovery of something unknown, possibly malevolent, and a devastating revelation about one of the story’s central figures. As the second episode, or tape, of this player-choice-driven, nostalgia-powered story aims to draw things to their conclusion when Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 launches April 15 day one into the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, players have been left wondering what to expect.

To dig deeper into the game’s ambitions and get some further insight on what to expect from Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat’s next escapade, we sat down for a chat with Michel Koch, Creative Director at Don’t Nod’s Montreal studio.

You Oughta Know

Koch was eager to tell us how this experience would differ from the first. “The first Tape, ‘Bloom’, is the nice and sunny part of the beginning of the summer, of you meeting and bonding with those girls. The second half is called ‘Rage’, which is mostly the aftermath of the cliffhanger at the end of Tape 1. We wanted Tape 1 to let the player find their own space within the group of friends, getting a feeling of a summer where you meet friends, but also giving hints of weird things. They’re finding the clearing. They’re finding the abyss. It’s a very natural story of four girls having a fun summer together before Swann moves away.”

“But Tape 2 will focus more on this weirder part of the story. We know what happened at the end of the summer. We still don’t know why, but we know that they promise not to see each other again. We know about the weird box, we know about Kat, but we don’t know the consequences of this revelation. How do you continue to have a normal summer with your friends? And, of course, the continuation of what’s happening with those weird things they found in the forest.

​​

Those supernatural elements will be more important. Personally, I love trying to blend supernatural things and surrealism revolving around the story of our characters. You can create a darker, weirder mood while still focusing on the characters and then adding the characters. We create this vibe, and it will get stronger and play a huge part of the story’s resolution.”

The pacing in this follow-up will be more brisk, as well. “Tape 2 definitely picks up the pace,” he continues. “We saw what happened with Kat and the end of the concert, and Tape 2 will start the next day with Swann having to face kind of the guilt, even if it’s not our fault, of putting friends in danger. We’ll advance through the month of August up to the end events. So yes, it’s faster paced, with higher stakes.”

Koch also emphasized that players will see more of how their choices in tape one affect the overall narrative. “We had a lot of choices. Who you are talking to, who you are getting closest to, all those interpersonal relationships with the girls, and so on. What was the choice you made during the ritual? What did you do at the abyss? How did you react to Corey and Dylan in the times you were with them? Are you behaving in a more violent or unlawful way, or are you sometimes taking the route to be cautious?  A lot of those will change the course of what’s happening in Tape 2.”

Girls on Film

One of the most interesting features of tape one was the camcorder, which protagonist Swann carries with her everywhere to chronicle her life in Velvet Cove, Michigan. Players could tape objects of interest as in-game collectibles or just film whatever and edit it together to make mini-movies. However, the camcorder becomes a crucial plot and gameplay element at several points.

We asked Koch about the role the camcorder will play in Tape 2. “We are expanding it a bit. We wanted to give you a tool that’s Swann’s ‘weapon’ or ‘shield.’ She’s filming people, but she’s also hiding behind the camcorder. We wanted to make it fun in a way that’s engaging like it was to film things in the 90s. We wanted to use these mechanics to link a lot of other mechanics of the game.

So, in Tape 2, there will be a few more exotic moments: unlocking a puzzle or finding a solution to a clue or something you have to do. There is a twist with the camcorder and your videos that I don’t want to spoil, that hopefully will resonate with players. It will be the way you film the game that will be important at a point story-wise, and hopefully, there will be a strong connection between those pictures and your own journey.”

Will Tape 2 also include more puzzles than the handful seen in the first half? Koch says yes. “There are puzzles that I really like in Tape 2. One is more like a narrative puzzle that’s still a blend of interaction, moving around, and dialogue. I think it’s very interesting because it uses all our narrative design elements, dialog options, and your knowledge about the characters to unlock situations, not just by finding objects but also by really knowing someone and using your main tools of dialogue and the camcorder.”

Tonight, Tonight

What about the other half of the narrative, the friends reuniting in a bar again 27 years later? “That part will still take place mostly in the bar,” says Koch. “We still need to finish remembering the past. We need to open the box, which will be an important scene. We have four different main endings at the end of the present-day portion, with variations on those endings based on your choices. During those endings, we will get out of the bar. You might discover a bit more of how the town is today, 27 years later.”

The bar, he explains, is what the game’s whole concept was built around originally. “Our pitch was a story where we were trying to convey the feeling of meeting again with old friends you haven’t seen for a long time, having a discussion with them, where you would be remembering your past and seeing if you can reconnect with them today. I thought of having a moment in a bar, in a restaurant, or a room where you start to connect again, and sometimes you reconnect perfectly. Sometimes, it’s iffy, and you don’t know if you can still be friends. That was the interesting part for me, the narrative aspect. Within these walls, you’re forced to talk. You’re facing each other, so you are obliged to remember the past.”

We asked Koch if he had any closing comments for fans. “I would say to the players, thanks for playing Tape 1, and I hope that Tape 2 will fulfill their hope of where the game goes. I also hope that Tape 2 will surprise them where the game goes, and that they enjoy seeing how relationship choice and morality choices they made in tape one play out. What will happen in Tape 2 will surprise, but also hopefully satisfy them, and they will love the end of the journey. For new players, I hope that they will love the characters, interacting with those girls, and engaging with this story, with us, with the summer.”

(For Southeast Asia) Marathon launches September 24 on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S, gameplay revealed

(For Southeast Asia) Marathon launches September 24 on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S, gameplay revealed https://ift.tt/RnXhpDG

What happened to the ghost colony on Tau Ceti IV and the infamous Marathon ship that started it all? Decades after the original Marathon trilogy, the Bungie development team is ready to dive back into the world of Tau Ceti IV in their upcoming team-based extraction shooter, Marathon. The game launches on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S on September 24.

Today we’ll be covering some of the highlights from the live Marathon Gameplay Reveal Showcase. For all the details, you can watch the livestream here.

A deadly competition

In Marathon, players work together in crews of three to scavenge the remnants of the lost colony on Tau Ceti IV. In their search for the powerful weapons and equipment left behind, they’ll face AI security forces, otherworldly threats, and rival Runner teams competing for loot.

Death is part of the journey—it’s a cutthroat world, and it’s not possible to survive every expedition. But every time you make it out alive, you get to keep everything you scavenged, which means you’ll grow in power and fill your vault across matches.

You’re only ever one run away from your next big score.

For your first look at gameplay, check out the Gameplay Reveal Trailer debuted in today’s livestream.
 

Enjoy your new shell

At the heart of Marathon are Runners.

Runners are cybernetic mercenaries who’ve given up their human form for biosynthetic shells. They’ve sacrificed a piece of their humanity for a slice of immortality that allows their consciousness to be transferred upon death.

In Marathon, you’ll choose from a roster of Runners with unique abilities, stats, and styles. While each Runner brings their own flare, they’re also a foundation for you to customize your playstyle. To do so, you’ll collect implants and other equipment during your runs that you can use to augment your Runner and dial them into how you want to play.

“For example, Glitch is all about agility, movement, and going fast. You can lean into this style harder by stacking implants and upgrades that reduce heat build-up and allow you to keep running, jumping, and sliding longer before having to cool down,” says Kevin Yanes, Senior Design Lead.

“There are also rare items that can really push the boundaries like Prestige Cores. Glitch has one that will upgrade her double jump to a triple jump, giving you a lot of maneuverability in the air.”

Combined with Bungie’s best-in-class gunplay and a wide range of weapons to loot, you can flex your Runner into multiple different playstyles.

Learn more about Runners (and more) in the new Gameplay Overview Trailer.

Returning to Tau Ceti

The original Marathon series released in the 1990s established a foundation for experiential storytelling that’s become a hallmark for Bungie games.

“The interweaving of narratives, events, and characters in the original trilogy delivered a world of discovery, wonder, and misdirection,” says Narrative Leader Jonathan Goff.

Players were challenged to engage with the stories they encountered on their own terms, either as passive observers or active investigators into computer terminal tidbits and other environmental clues.

“We’re embracing this approach to expand and explore what’s known about the worlds of Marathon through a new lens—the eyes of Runners, who are stepping into the world of Tau Ceti IV and Marathon to uncover the secrets hidden in the wake of the original trilogy’s events,” says Goff.

How and where Marathon overlaps, and sometimes clashes, with the original games is a story that’ll unfold over time. And just like those classic games, the truths, lies, and consequences of Tau Ceti’s mysteries will be placed in the hands of players to own, consider, and debate.

“At the end of the day, our goal with Marathon is not to tell a story, but to build worlds in which stories can and will unfold,” says Goff.

Experience the world of Tau Ceti for yourself in the cinematic short debuted as a final surprise in today’s showcase. Written and directed by the award-winning Alberto Mielgo, director of the “The Witness” and “Jibaro” in Love, Death & Robots.

Shape the future of Marathon

Bungie has been working with players and creators since early in Marathon’s development—the earliest Bungie has ever invited players into a game. Even before entering production, players were testing early prototypes and providing feedback that shaped the next builds.

Hearing player’s thoughts early and often has made Marathon better in ways big and small.

“When we first started playtesting, maps acted more like a persistent world,” says Game Director Joe Ziegler. “So you could drop in and out of the same map server instance multiple times. But we heard this made matches feel unfair and unpredictable, like someone could just be camping spawns forever, or the loot you were going for could’ve already been taken.”

“After hearing this feedback, we moved to the design we have today, where each match is a fresh start for everyone. This consistent starting point means you and your teammates can better strategize before each run, and then you can race enemy teams to fight for the loot you’re looking for,” says Ziegler.

With Marathon now revealed, it’s time to expand playtests so Bungie can continue development alongside players’ feedback.

“We’re beyond excited to invite more players into Marathon and to hear what they think,” says Ziegler. “Plus we have so much more to share in the weeks and months ahead. The journey is really just getting started.”

You can sign up for your chance to play in this month’s Closed Alpha Test by joining the community Discord.

Marathon launches September 24 on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S.

(For Southeast Asia) Marathon developer interview: Bungie shares more on its extraction FPS action

(For Southeast Asia) Marathon developer interview: Bungie shares more on its extraction FPS action https://ift.tt/RnXhpDG

This weekend Bungie revealed Marathon’s sci-fi-fueled gameplay to the world. The studio, celebrated for its sublime first-person gunplay and ever-expanding gameplay, is venturing into the extraction-shooter genre when the game launches on September 24. The Marathon premise is simple and enticing: load up your Runner with valuable gear, compete with other players to secure more loot, and risk it all trying to extract with all the goods. 

I had the opportunity to catch up with Marathon Game Director Joe Ziegler hot off the heels of this reveal, diving deeper into the details around Bungie’s next game. We cover lots of ground, including Bungie’s approach to a new genre, tapping into the power of PS5, the game’s bold art style, and more.

Tim Turi: Congratulations on the big gameplay reveal! How are you and the team feeling following the event?

Joe Ziegler: It’s pretty exciting. The term I’ve been using a lot is “nerve-cited.” It’s a labor of love we’ve been working on for a few years now, and that definitely comes with the passion that we’ve poured into it, iterating with our audiences, and this desire to produce something amazing to play and to see. 

Having it touch real players’ hands for the first time is thrilling, because we do this to excite and entertain them in amazing ways, but also nerve wracking. You know, you question a lot of decisions you made. You’re really hoping that all the things that you’ve thought of are really what players care about. And we feel like we’re there, but we’re really excited to see what players have to say.

During the development of Marathon, were there specific moments or experiences that made the Bungie team realize it was onto something special?

So many of them are these unpredictable moments. Moments where you thought one thing was going to happen, but another thing happened. In our game, you’re traveling to this mysterious world where danger could lurk around every corner. Sometimes you turn a corner and you’re face to face with the United Earth Space Council (UESC), these really brutal and dangerous opponents inside of our game. Or sometimes you’re just traversing across the map and bullets are whizzing by from another crew that has seen you. And some of those moments get extremely exciting, because you don’t think you’re going to make it out of it, and you turn the tables, or you just barely eke by, and you find your way out to the exfil. When you get out, you’re just shaking with an awesome intensity that you’re going to remember for a long time.

What’s the backstory behind the name “Marathon?”

In the original (1994) game, “Marathon” is the name of the colony ship sent out from Earth by the UESC. They sent it past the reaches of our solar system to establish the first colony on a system called Tau Ceti. And so the UESC Marathon is kind of a weird ship built into an asteroid-like moon, and then sent out to make the long journey. …if you were to make me guess, I’d assume that “Marathon” refers to the fact that it was a 500-year journey, and was an appropriate name for a very, very long commitment of travel. 

We’re using the Marathon name [for this new 2025 game] because of the legacy of the IP. We’re taking a lot of those familiar IP elements, the UESC Marathon ship as well, and bringing it to light in modern day. We’re reinterpreting a lot of things, but there are a lot of familiar elements as well, such as the ship and Tau Ceti, that I think fans from the past will really enjoy seeing.

Bungie is famous for its pitch-perfect gunplay. How do you go about being true to that legacy while making Marathon’s FPS action feel like its own thing?

A lot of it comes from the nature of the game and the types of decisions that you want players to be making and how you want them to make those decisions. This game is very much about survival. And in survival-style games, a lot of the pressure is on you to manage resources, be adaptive, and be situationally aware. What we’re doing with our gunplay and our systems is we’re taking a lot of that familiar action base that players really enjoy, and we’re adding intense survival layers on top. For example, you don’t regenerate health automatically very quickly, but you have consumables that help you heal. Part of that is to create moments where you make decisions to either go into battle or fall back. You have to think about the resources that you’re carrying. 

Do you have a message for any players curious about extraction shooters, but are a little nervous or intimidated by the risk/reward?

I will definitely say that this game is challenging and intense, but it’s very rewarding. As you learn it you’ll feel yourself developing survival skills that you may not have experienced before, that begin to make you feel masterful. We have also designed this game to feel really natural on controllers as well. There are a lot of PC extraction shooters where mouse and keyboard are a little bit more common, and so in designing for that what we’re trying to do is get the interface and gameplay finickiness out so you can play it naturally. We want you to be able to focus on adapting and learning those survival skills to pull off memorable runs.

Obviously players are risking their valuable loadouts in a given match. Can you tell us about any persistent progression elements?

We want to make sure the players feel like they get something for their time spent in every match. Some of that is going to be experience-based. For example, leveling your runner level in any given season. Some of that will be related to upgrades provided by factions. As you gather materials or get currencies, you’ll be able to increase some of your overall character stats. So you might get a little bit more stamina, or you might be able to loot boxes a little bit faster. Some of it will also increase the options that you have to purchase from an in-game item store called the Black Market. You can use the currency you collect in game to purchase different weapons, implants, and upgrades based on what you unlock inside of that upgrade tree. So as you play the game you’ll see a lot of your options grow.

What ways is Bungie taking advantage of PlayStation 5 technology for Marathon?

We definitely have haptic support for [DualSense wireless controllers], which is pretty fun when you get into some of those gunfights and you feel feedback on your fingertips. We’re also supporting the Tempest 3D Audio engine, so you’re going to hear a lot of immersive audio. 

In addition, a lot of the rendering technology on the PS5, and especially on the PS5 Pro, is really awesome. So we’re planning some awesome usage of PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution), and some additional support in upscaling and resolution. So if you have a PS5 or PS5 Pro you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how we deliver on the console. 

Marathon’s art style is not quite like anything else out there right now. Can you walk us through what makes it so striking and unique?

Our aesthetic is hugely inspired by graphic design and a lot of modern product design trappings. But I think what really sets us apart is whenever I look at a [Marathon] image, I go, “I think I understand it,” or “I think I don’t… but I really like it.” There’s something really enticing about visuals that look so bold and graphic like something you’d see in print but also pulled onto the screen and mixed with this technological sci-fi shaping. That, and also put against a very organic background and the contrast of all these things really pops.

It’s a mixture that I don’t think we’ve seen a lot of before, and we’re really excited by it, because it creates all those visual contrasts and conflicts that go together to help the tone of the game, which is really about paranoia. It’s about intensity. It’s about not knowing the truth you know, seeking to find it, and constantly being wrapped into a rabbit hole of information. You don’t know what’s true or false. So all those things kind of come together really nicely through the art style as well. 

Is there anything else you’d like to make sure the PlayStation audience takes away from this big reveal?

If you’re a person who really enjoys getting into survival experiences. If you’re a person who really enjoys testing your mettle with other players inside of that space trying to do the same. And if you’re a player who really, just wants to go on a thrilling ride that you never know the outcome of… I think this is going to be a game for you. Especially because we’ve focused so much on making this an experience that translates across platforms really well. I’m especially excited to see PlayStation players come in and experience the genre and our offering inside of it. We’ve poured a lot of passion and love into [Marathon], and we’ve played it a lot, and we played a lot for fun too. So we’re excited to have them join our community, show us what’s good, and show us how good they can be.

Marathon launches September 24 on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S.

PS5 price to rise in Europe, Australia and New Zealand

PS5 price to rise in Europe, Australia and New Zealand https://ift.tt/0rXebfi

With a backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, SIE has made the tough decision to raise the recommended retail price (RRP) of the PlayStation 5 console in select markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Australia and New Zealand. 

The updated PS5 RRPs are effective starting April 14, as follows*: 

Europe	PS5 Digital Edition – €499.99  (No pricing changes for the standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive)
UK	PS5 Digital Edition – £429.99  (No pricing changes for the standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive)
Australia	Standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – AUD $829.95  PS5 Digital Edition – AUD $749.95
New Zealand	Standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – NZD $949.95  PS5 Digital Edition – NZD $859.95

PS5 Pro RRPs remain unchanged. 

Additionally, the Disc Drive for PS5 will be getting an RRP decrease effective starting April 14, as follows: 

Europe	€79.99
UK	£69.99
Australia	AUD $124.95
New Zealand	NZD $139.95

* Select markets in EMEA not listed above may also receive RRP increases. Please check with your local retailer and direct.playstation.com where available.