Sony has revealed the ‘future of PS5‘ in its stunning PlayStation Showcase September, blowing the lid off some of the most anticipated games for 2021. From Gran Turismo to the return of Spider-Man, the September Showcase was an all-out feast for the eyes, ears and thumbsticks. Best of all, Sony put its best foot forward, revealing gameplay that confirms Thor will take on Kratos in the long-anticipated new God of War Ragnarök. Get ready for all-out carnage.
PlayStation Showcase September
The PlayStation Showcase kicked off on September 10 at 6am AEST, giving fans a rare glimpse into what Sony has in store, particularly considering the brand’s quiet start to the year. While 2021 saw the return of E3, PlayStation was a notable absence, much to the dismay of fans. Just a few short months later, however, Sony has let the cat out of the bag in its own unique way, kicking off with the 40 minutes of trailers and gameplay footage. Importantly, Sony did leave some cards off the table, choosing not to delve into the long-speculated new PlayStation VR reveal, but all was forgiven once the titles were revealed. Here’s what Sony unveiled at the PlayStation Showcase September:
God of War Ragnarök
The biggest announcement of the showcase was undoubtedly the first look at God of War Ragnarök. The long-awaited new instalment of the hit franchise picks up a few years after the events of God of War and throws Kratos, Atreus, and Mimir into the freezing winds of Fimbulwinter have come to Midgard in a quest for survival. The trailer gave a bit more of an insight into the relationship between Kratos and Atreus, which was explored in the previous game, while also showing off the two main antagonists you’ll face in God of War Ragnarök: Freya and Thor. Apparently, Kratos’ actions at the end of the previous game has seen once-ally-turned-enemy Freya swear vengeance for the death of her son, Baldur.
“We wanted to remind players that Freya isn’t just a terrifyingly powerful user of Vanir magic, but also that she’s a formidable warrior in her own right. Enraged by Kratos’ evasion of justice by her hand, Freya will turn every weapon at her disposal towards her son’s killer,” Grace Orlady, Sr. Community Manager at Santa Monica Studio said.
“Whatever your choice of combat strategy, the enemies that await in God of War Ragnarök will be ready. The realms have grown harsher, and a whole host of new creatures from across Norse mythology will test your skills. From the trailer you can see what happens when Kratos finds himself under the hooves of the Stalker or grabbed between the jaws of a Dreki, and that’s just the beginning.”
Also suffering the loss of his sons and half-brother, Thor’s wrath, and indeed Mjölnir, will be aimed at Kratos and Atreus. While no release date has been set yet, Orlady Sr did confirm that the new God of War will be coming in 2022.
Initial release date: 2022
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Series: God of War
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Mode: Single-player video game
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genres: Action-adventure game, Fighting game, Hack and slash
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
At the PlayStation Showcase September, Marvel also dropped two major teasers. The first was the official reveal trailer for Spider-Man 2, the follow up to the wildly successful Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The new instalment will include all-new stories for Peter and Miles, which Ryan Schneider, Head of Franchise Strategy & Studio Relations at developer Insomniac Games said was critical to crafting a human aspect beyond the mask.
“We’re so thrilled to continue the journey of both Peter Parker and Miles Morales in their most epic single-player adventure yet, coming exclusively to PlayStation 5 consoles in 2023,” Schneider said.
The game trailer gives a glimpse at what fans can expect from the new release, along with new abilities, suits, and the villains that will try to hunt them down. Specifically, Tony Todd (of Candyman fame) will be voicing the symbiote-fueled Venom in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Bring it on.
Initial release date: 2023
Developer: Insomniac Games
Series: Marvel’s Spider-Man
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Genres: Action-adventure game, Fighting game, Hack and slash
Marvel’s Wolverine
Second to the Spider-Man 2 announcement was that of Marvel’s Wolverine, a somewhat unexpected take on the iconic X-Men character. The new game comes by way of Brian Horton and Cameron Christian, who recently led the creative efforts on Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. While not much is known about this one, Schneider said that early development is “something truly special”.
“Back when we were working on Marvel’s Spider-Man, there would be times where all of us—Insomniac, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Marvel—would brainstorm together about the future beyond the web-slinger. And even in those early discussions, Wolverine continually came up as the character we’d be really stoked to work on together,” Schneider said. “Fast-forward a couple years and we’re suddenly standing in front of Sony Interactive Entertainment and Marvel formally pitching a PlayStation 5 game starring the adamantium-clawed Mutant!”
Developer: Insomniac Games
Series: Marvel
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Genres: Action-adventure game, Fighting game, Hack and slash
Gran Turismo 7
For racing fans, the PlayStation Showcase also delivered a major bombshell. Sony announced the official Gran Turismo 7 release date, confirming that the iconic motor racing game will be coming to PS5 and PS4 on March 4, 2022. In more good news, Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Gran Turisom creator Polyphony Digital Creator confirmed that GT Campaign mode is coming back, with players starting from the GT World Map. GT7 will also improve the user interface, utility and accessibility of the Livery Editor. add historic circuits like Trial Mountain and High-Speed Ring, while also reintroducing the customisation aspect, GT Auto.
“The objective for GT7 in current culture today, is to design a game to convey everything from the last 150 years of car and racing culture, whether you are a lifelong fan or discovering cars for the first time,” Yamauchi said. “GT7 is both the culmination of the series which answers the expectations of GT fans throughout the years, and at the same time it is a title that marks a beginning of a difficult mission to contain the full breadth of car culture from the past into a single video game.”
Initial release date: 4 March 2022
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Director: Kazunori Yamauchi
Series: Gran Turismo
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Mode: Multiplayer video game
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Uncharted is set to come to the PlayStation 5 console and PC with the release of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. Rochelle Snyder, Sr. Manager Communications at developer Naughty Dog revealed a brand-new remastered bundle that includes Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, featuring Nathan Drake as he hunts for Captain Avery’s long-lost treasure. It will also include Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which chronicles Chloe Frazer’s breakout exploits as she moves from frenemy to hero.
“Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection will be available in early 2022 for PS5. The PC version is in development by our partners at Iron Galaxy and will release shortly after the PS5 version,” Snyder said.
Deathloop
Beach. Die. Beach. That’s how Bethesda is describing the new PS5 game Deathloop. In the PlayStation Showcase September, Anne Lewis Senior Content Manager at Bethesda Softworks gave a bit more insight into the time-looping game, which sees players assume the role of Colt, a resident caught on the mysterious island of Blackreef.
“At the beginning of the game, Colt is in this exact position. When Colt first opens his eyes on this particular morning on the frigid, sandy beach of Blackreef’s shore, he only has fleeting, dreamlike memories from the day before,” Lewis said. “His constant companions through his journey are strange, floating messages and radio calls from a woman who calls herself Julianna, and often the two have conflicting agendas that Colt will need to navigate. Because of his amnesia, Colt gets to know himself as you’re getting to know him. You’ll be learning about his past as you’re uncovering the island’s strange story and unravelling its mysteries.”
Filled with ‘visionaries’, clues and a host of telling reveals, Deathloop plays out like Shutter Island, but with more murder, and that’s not a bad thing. Deathloop launches exclusively on consoles for PlayStation 5 on September 14.
Bloodhunt
Another big announcement was that highly anticipated free-to-play shooter, Bloodhunt is coming to PS5. The third-person battle royale game is set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, taking you to the Old Town of Prague. Here, rivaling vampire factions are thrown into turmoil after a treacherous betrayal and with both sides targeted for annihilation by a secret society known as the Entity, you will have to use your supernatural powers, weapons, and wits to dominate the night and restore the Masquerade.
According to the Showcase, Bloodhunt on PS5 has a performance target of 60 FPS and will make full use of the DualSense wireless controller. You will be able to feel the differences between the calibre of the weapons as the adaptive triggers are planned to have different resistance per weapon.
Initial release date: 7 September 2021
Developer: Sharkmob AB
Genre: Battle royale game
Mode: Multiplayer video game
Platform: Microsoft Windows
GTA V and GTA Online Coming to PS5
Big news for Grand Theft Auto fans, as developer Rockstar revealed that GTA V and GTA Online will be coming to PlayStation 5 in March 2022. New and existing PlayStation Plus members can take advantage of additional bonuses including GTA$1,000,000 every month for the PlayStation 4 version of GTA Online until the game launches on PlayStation 5 in March 2022. Additionally, the new standalone version of GTA Online will be available to download for free exclusively on PlayStation 5 for the first three months from launch.
“The arrival of Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online on PlayStation 5 next March 2022 will bring the world of Los Santos and Blaine County to life in brand new ways,” the developer wrote. “Players can expect a range of technical and graphical improvements across the entire experience including performance enhancements for select vehicles in GTA Online, and so much more.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-RfE-ioJ8
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Finally, Aspyr Media, Lucasfilm Games, and SIE announced that a remake of the classic RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is in the works. Set over 4,000 years before the events of the original trilogy, the iconic game introduced a new story of new heroes and villains to the galaxy, and now it’s getting a modern refresh.
“We’re rebuilding one of the greatest RPGs of all time for a new generation with modern tech, features, visuals and more, while maintaining the integrity of the story and characters that we’ve come to cherish,” Ryan Treadwell, Lead Producer at Aspyr Media said. ” The original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was a truly groundbreaking achievement: an award-winning RPG of incredible scope, immersion, and ambition with an epic narrative to match. A diverse cast of characters to meet, multiple planets to discover, challenging battles to fight, and cinematic storytelling that responds to the choices you make — it’s no wonder that to this day KOTOR remains one of the most celebrated video games ever made.”
Production is in its earlys stages, but Treadwell confirmed that some big names are helping to steer the ship. The team behind classic Star Wars games like Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Star Wars: Episode I – Racer, and even the original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic are set to work on the remake. The new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake will be a console exclusive on PlayStation 5 at launch.
Everything Revealed at PlayStation September Showcase
While the highlights are listed above, there were a few extra announcements from the team at Sony. Here’s everything that was announced as part of the showcase:
- Knights of the Old Republic Remake (Aspyr, Lucasfilm)
- Project EVE (Shift Up)
- Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (Gearbox Software) – March 25, 2022
- Forspoken (Square Enix, Luminous Productions) – Spring 2022
- Rainbow Six Extraction (Ubisoft) – January 2022
- Alan Wake Remastered (Remedy Entertainment) – October 5, 2021
- Grand Theft Auto 5 & GTA Online (Rockstar) – March 2022
- Ghostwire: Tokyo (Tango Gameworks) – 2022
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos Montréal) – October 26, 2021
- Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt (Sharkmob AB) – 2022
- Deathloop (Arkane Studios) – September 14, 2021
- Kid A Mnesia Exhibition (Radiohead, Epic Games) – November 2021
- Tchia (Awaceb)
- Uncharted Legacy of Thieves (Naughty Dog) – Early 2022
- Marvel’s Wolverine (Insomniac Games)
- Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital) – March 2022
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games) – 2023
- God of War Ragnarök (Santa Monica Studio)
General FAQS
At the PlayStation Showcase September, Sony revealed the trailers and gameplay for upcoming games such as God of War Ragnarök, Gran Turismo 7, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine.
As announced by Sony, the Gran Turismo 7 release date is set for March 4 2022.
While no hard release date has been set, Sony has confirmed that God of War Ragnarök will release on PS5 in 2022.