From Software’s Hidetaka Miyazaki Discusses His Approach To Difficulty

From Software games have garnered a reputation – alongside the rest of the Soulslike subgenre – for delivering difficult, punishing experiences that reward persistence with an unparalleled thrill of victory. The latest release, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, has attracted attention and, in some sectors of the fan base, controversy for how punishingly difficult it is. The week before the expansion’s release, we sat down with From Software president Hidetaka Miyazaki to talk about the notion of difficulty and how the passionate fan base has surprised him over the years.

The Soulslike genre, particularly From Software games, puts an emphasis on death as part of the gameplay experience. When you fight a challenging enemy, it may feel insurmountable, but by taking a studious and persistent approach, players can recognize patterns, develop skills, and, sometimes, with a little luck, pass the trials to progress through the game. “I think of all of the different ways I want to be killed as a gamer and as a player, and thinking about the difficult curve and certain challenges that we placed in front of other players is something that, as a gamer, I just hoped or wished would exist as an experience,” Miyazaki says.

From Software’s Hidetaka Miyazaki Discusses His Approach To Difficulty

The difficulty and the unknown build a certain level of tension, contributing to a feeling of dread that some players can’t get enough of. Not knowing what’s around the corner, then the feeling of seeing something you couldn’t imagine in your wildest nightmares provides the level of surprise that From Software hopes to achieve with each passing encounter. To achieve this, Miyazaki takes on much of the level-design responsibilities to ensure that players feel that tension in appropriate ways.

“The entire genre from Demon’s Souls all the way to Elden Ring – the so-called From Software Soulslikes games – I have always taken a very heavy involvement in stage design and level design because I want to create those exact experiences,” Miyazaki says. “As a player walks through this world, I know that they have a very fragmented understanding of the lore, the surroundings, the type of monsters, whereas I don’t. So, the map and level design are supposed to serve as this guide in a way to help players pick up more information and piece together what they think that world is. That is the reason why I level design myself: to make sure that those moments aren’t lost. And yes, it’s a very time-consuming process, but [fans recognizing the level design intent] makes it worthwhile.”

elden ring boss guide

But Miyazaki knows that many of the games he creates are inherently difficult, but the dedicated players of the genre always seem to rise to the challenge. “There is certainly a lot of surprise, especially when watching content from really, really good players,” he says. “We design certain experiences with the intent of, ‘Oh man, I’m sure they’re going to have a tough time with this,’ but somehow, these players are able to overcome all the obstacles with their skill. With regards to difficulty, I know we get a lot of credit for saying, ‘Yeah, our games are difficult,’ but it’s not a matter of simply cranking up the difficulty. It’s doing so fairly.”

“When players are killed, and they can understand why they were killed in an instance, and it feels justified – ‘Okay, yeah, that makes sense’ – that’s the game design we’re trying to achieve,” Miyazaki continues. “I know a lot of players out there are probably going to disagree: ‘What are you talking about?! This game doesn’t make sense! What the heck!’ But we try to make sure that there is a learning curve and a feedback loop that the players are able to extract from that they can then bring into the next attempt. We believe in difficult games, but not games that are unjustly or unfairly so. But, of course, there’s still room for improvement on our side, as well.” 

With Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree available now (read our review here), the Soulslike and From Software community is back to debating the merits of the developer’s difficulty. But regardless of the debate, history has shown that players will eventually adapt to this new level of challenge and defeat the seemingly undefeatable. From Software has shown an unprecedented level of mastery in understanding how to create content for its community, so while some players may currently feel like Shadow of the Erdtree is too challenging, it will be interesting to observe how that sentiment swings once those same players get more time with the expansion under their belts.

The June Nintendo Direct Airs Tomorrow

The June Nintendo Direct Airs Tomorrow

Nintendo has announced its previously confirmed summer Direct will air tomorrow, June 18. The roughly 40-minute presentation will focus on games slated for the second half of 2024.

The Direct begins at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET. Nintendo also reiterates that this presentation will not mention the Switch successor console.

With the next Switch console slated to launch by March 2025, this is likely one of, if not the, last Direct focused entirely on the current Switch. The company’s fall calendar currently only has Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time as the only Switch-exclusive with a release date (October 10). Beyond third-party multi-platform releases, the back half of the year is pretty barren for Nintendo, so it’s likely this Direct will fill in those gaps. 

With Summer Game Fest and other big events behind us, this Nintendo Direct is one of the few major showcases remaining. You can keep up with all of the upcoming presentations in our 2024 Summer Gaming Showcase Schedule. 

From Software Politely Asks Players Not To Spoil Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

From Software Politely Asks Players Not To Spoil Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree

Elden Ring fans are likely counting down the seconds until the release of its hotly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion this Friday. For those planning to dive into the experience the millisecond it becomes available, developer From Software has one request: no spoilers.

In an X post, the developer shared a short message kindly requesting players to be cool to each other and not go out of their way spoiling the expansion’s content online. The message reads:

Greetings, Tarnished.

With the release of the expansion of Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, please be mindful of spoilers for those who want to tread into the Realm of Shadow with nothing but their determination and their minds unclouded. 

Thank you for your cooperation.

Despite this reasonable request, if you’re worried about spoilers and don’t plan on shutting yourself inside on June 21 and ignoring the outside world until you complete Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll probably want to mute any mentions of it on social media; just to be safe. 

But if you don’t care about getting a small taste of what Shadow of the Erdtree entails, you can check out our recent hands-on preview or watch us tour a slice of the game in this episode of New Gameplay Today. 

Yars Rising Blends Metroidvania, Mega Man, And Stealth This September

Yars Rising Blends Metroidvania, Mega Man, And Stealth This September

Yars Rising is the successor of the 1982 Atari classic Yars’ Revenge. However, on the surface, it has little to do with the original game created by Howard Scott Warshaw. After all, one is a 2D space shooter while another is a modernized sci-fi Metroidvania. However, with homages to Atari and gaming’s past galore, all developed by a renowned studio like WayForward, this release could be one to look forward to when it arrives on its newly announced September release date.

Taking control of a hacker named Emi (codename Yar), players must blast, hack, and sneak their way through various areas. As she progresses, she unlocks new powers that allow her to take out enemies more easily and, in true Metroidvania fashion, access new areas. Yars Rising is published by Atari and pays homage to the company’s past, including bosses and minigames that borrow gameplay elements from classic Atari titles.

Though the game is coming to a broader array of platforms, PlayStation 5 and Switch players can pick up physical editions of the game. We recently had a chance to go hands-on with Yars Rising and included our impressions in our list of the coolest things we saw at Summer Game Fest. To read that entry and see the rest of the list, head here. Yars Rising arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on September 10.

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Impressions, Zelda, Metroid, And Lots More Nintendo | GI Show

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Impressions, Zelda, Metroid, And Lots More Nintendo | GI Show

This week on The Game Informer Show, we share our spoiler-free impressions of Elden Ring’s DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. We gave the expansion a 9.75 in our review. We also dive into Nintendo’s impressive Summer Direct showcase and chat about the first mainline Zelda game where Zelda is the protagonist, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, and just about everything else revealed during the show. Thanks for watching or listening!

Watch the Video Version:

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Follow us on social media: Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Brian Shea (@BrianPShea), Charles Harte (@Chuckduck365)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join us every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

The Game Informer Show – Podcast Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Intro
00:04:56 – Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
00:31:26 – June 2024 Nintendo Direct
01:24:30 – Housekeeping

Get Your First Look At Madden NFL 25 In Official Reveal Trailer

Get Your First Look At Madden NFL 25 In Official Reveal Trailer

Earlier this month, EA Sports revealed the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey graces the Madden NFL 25 (2024) cover, and now the company has formally revealed the game with a new trailer. The official reveal trailer highlights the “next level of FieldSENSE” and new “BOOM Tech,” which EA describes as a “new dynamic physics-based tackling system that lets you dominate the gridiron like a bonafide NFL superstar.”

The trailer also reveals the Madden NFL 25 MVP Bundle, which includes EA Sports College Football 25, Madden NFL 25, and bonus rewards for both. 

Check it out for yourself in the Madden NFL 25 reveal trailer below: 

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Madden NFL 25 hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (via the Windows EA App, Steam, and Epic Games Store) on August 16. 

In the meantime, read our thoughts on last year’s entry in Game Informer’s Madden NFL 24 review. 

Are you going to check out Madden this year? Let us know in the comments below!

The Biggest Reveals From The 2024 Summer Gaming Showcases

Introduction

E3 is no more, but in its place a new different kind of summer video game show has emerged. It’s Summer Game Fest… and friends? Geoff Keighley’s show has become an anchor of sorts for the whole thing, but there is plenty more happening just generally nearby. Whatever we want to call it, it has created a lot of content for our website (and the coming issues of the magazine) and below you will find a nearly comprehensive list of everything we wrote this weekend. Enjoy!

Round-ups

The Biggest Reveals From The 2024 Summer Gaming Showcases

Littlelands

Round-ups

Every Game Showcased At Day Of The Devs SGF Edition 2024
From mutant giraffes to house-based romance to hand-drawn voyeurism, the future of the indie games space looks promising.

Everything Announced During The 2024 Summer Devolver Direct Presentation
From Heart Machine’s new game to a new roguelite from the designer behind Dead Cells, here’s everything we learned from Devolver’s latest showcase.

Thirteen Of Our Favorite Games From The Wholesome Direct 2024
If cozy games are your thing, these are 13 games you should keep an eye on. 

Previews

Astro Bot

Previews

Monster Hunter Wilds Preview – The Chase Is On
We saw a live gameplay demo and spoke with the creators of the highly anticipated Monster Hunter Wilds.

Astro Bot Preview – Bigger And Bot-ter
After our hands-on experience at Summer Game Fest, Astro Bot is poised to be one of the highlights of the PS5’s already impressive library.

Black Myth: Wukong Preview – A Classic Tale Retold
I played Black Myth: Wukong at Summer Game Fest and walked away very impressed.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Preview – Katanas And Kunai
While in Los Angeles for Summer Game Fest, we got to see a behind-closed-doors demo for the next Assassin’s Creed.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Preview – Looking Forward To Next Time On Dragon Ball Z
We played a few matches in the upcoming successor to the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3D fighting franchise.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Preview – Hoping To Sprint In The Right Direction
We visited Treyarch to learn about the big moves the studio is making with the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops entry.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Preview – A New World Of Fantasy
We go played nearly an hour of the latest game from the developers behind the Persona franchise.

GreedFall 2: The Dying World Preview – Back To The Start
GreedFall 2 aims to give players more insight into the world of the first game, and we spent an hour with it to understand the various changes it makes to the formula.

Takashi Iizuka Explains Why Shadow Has New Powers In Sonic X Shadow Generations
The creative officer of Sonic Team explains why Sonic X Shadow Generations is giving players more power as Shadow this time around.

Marvel Rivals Hands-On Preview – Putting The Hero In Hero Shooter
Marvel Rivals brings to the table much of what initially drew me to Overwatch.

Metal Slug Tactics Preview – A Promising And Challenging Boot Camp
We played a full region of the upcoming spin-off and see a lot of potential in this neat reimagining.

Plotting Explosive Moves In Metal Slug Tactics | New Gameplay Today
Watch us enlist in this promising reimagining of the long-running series.

Wolfhound Is Inspired By Metroid And NES Metal Gear | New Gameplay Today
Join us for a look at some gameplay from the upcoming Metroidvania platformer.

Donkey Kong Country Fans Should Take Note Of Nikoderiko: The Magical World | New Gameplay Today
Crash Bandicoot fans should pay attention, as well.

The Plants Vs. Zombies-esque Metal Slug Attack Reloaded | New Gameplay Today
Join Kyle and Brian for a look at the other tactical Metal Slug game that surprise released today.

Nintendo Direct

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Nintendo Direct

Zelda Is Finally The Protagonist In The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Out September
The titular princess gets a long-overdue turn in the spotlight.

Metroid Prime 4 Reemerges With New Gameplay Trailer And Beyond Subtitle
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is coming in 2025.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership Is An RPG Releasing Later This Year
The duo is ready for a new RPG (with lots of action elements).

Marvel Vs. Capcom Collection Wants To Take Us For A Ride Later This Year
Seven classic Marvel games developed by Capcom are arriving later this year.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Is On The Way To Switch
The long-anticipated return of the platformer is on the way early next year.

Metroid, Perfect Dark, Zelda, And Turok Come To Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Today
Four oft-requested classic games arrive on Nintendo Switch today.

Nintendo Switch Sports Adding Basketball In Free Update
With the NBA season officially over, you can take to the courts in Nintendo Switch Sports this summer.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Announced, Launches September
Miles Edgeworth’s second spin-off finally comes to the west.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Is A New Strategy Game From The Makers Of Danganronpa
The game tasks players with defending their school for 100 days.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Super Mario Party Jamboree Revealed
Mario and his buddies are off to an island resort to enjoy a wealth of new minigames.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure Coming To Consoles And PC In 2025
PlayStation, Nintendo, and PC players can look forward to experiencing the popular mobile title on their consoles next year.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Is Coming In 2025
It seems Square Enix is so happy with the unreleased Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake that the first two games will also be getting the treatment.

Free Illusion Island Update, Mystery In Monoth, Launches Today
The new adventure includes sleuthing

Final Fantasy Creator’s Apple Arcade Exclusive Fantasian Arrives On Switch This Year
The acclaimed RPG released on Apple Arcade in 2021 and arrives as Fantasian Neo Dimension.

Ubisoft Forward

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Ubisoft Forward

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Highlights Character Differences
A new gameplay trailer shows off the distinct playstyles of the leads in the Japan-set release.

Star Wars Outlaws Gets Lengthy Gameplay Demonstration
Get a look at many of the game’s systems and locations in this guided tour.

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time Remake Is Coming In 2026
Sands Of Time exists again… but we won’t playing it for a long time.

Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown ‘Divine Trials’ DLC Available Now, Story DLC Out This September
The new Divine Trials DLC includes revisited bosses, new puzzle and platforming challenges, new amulets, and more.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gameplay Reveal Shows Off The Disparate Talents Of Yasuke And Naoe
See how each of these very different assassin’s play in this extended gameplay showcase.

Xbox Showcase

Doom: The Dark Ages

Xbox Showcase

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Gameplay Reveal Highlights Post-Cold War Action And Conspiracy In The 1990s
It’s our first look at the story for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Doom: The Dark Ages Revealed, And It Hits PlayStation, Xbox, And PC Next Year
Doom goes medieval for the threequel in ID Software’s modern reboot of the series.

State of Decay 3 Trailer Revealed, Coming To Game Pass Day One
Undead Labs showed off the third installment of the franchise at today’s Xbox event.

Starfield Shattered Space DLC Coming This Year, Additional Content Coming Today
Starfield is getting a big expansion later this year, but there’s new content to play right now, too.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trailer Introduces The Cast And Reveals A Fall Release Window
See who you’ll be fighting alongside in the game’s first trailer.

Latest Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Trailer Shows All Gameplay
We finally have a proper look at Metal Gears Solid Delta: Snake Eater’s gameplay, and it looks great.

Playground Games’ Fable Gets 2025 Release Window In First Gameplay Trailer
Though the trailer is mostly cineamtic, there are a few glimpses of gameplay within it.

Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn Sets July Launch
A44 Games is a little over a month away from release, according to a new trailer.

Perfect Dark

Perfect Dark Gets First Impressive Gameplay Trailer
The long-lost reboot shows signs of life.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure Is A Proper Follow-up To The First Game
It’s a murder mystery that plays out across two parallel timelines.

Diablo IV’s Vessel Of Hatred Expansion Gets October Release Date In New Trailer
The battle of Hatred has only just begun.

New Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Footage Shows Extended Cutscene And Teases Classic Boulder Run
The latest footage of MachineGames’ Indiana Jones game showed an extended cutscene, some gameplay clips, and a tease of the first film’s boulder run.

Get Another Look At Avowed’s Fantasy RPG Action In New Trailer
Avowed hits Xbox Series X/S and PC this year.

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl’s Latest Trailer Shows Plenty Of Gameplay
Stalker 2’s Xbox Showcase trailer was fully focused on gameplay.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Is A Fantastical Souls-like Action RPG Set During China’s Ming Dynasty
Battle demons as a pirate warrior with demonic powers.

Gears Of War: E-Day Is A Prequel Set 14 Years Before The First Game Starring Marcus Fenix
Gears of War goes back to the start of its war.

Three New Xbox Series X/S Models Are Coming This Holiday
If you’re looking to buy your first Xbox, Microsoft has expanded your range of options.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 Release Date Set For October
The latest entry in Treyarch’s long-running subseries arrives on consoles and PC this fall.

Fallout 76’s Skyline Valley Launches Next Week, Play As A Ghoul Starting In 2025
Head southward to the Shenandoah region.

Southern Gothic Action Game South Of Midnight Gets First Gameplay Trailer And 2025 Launch Window
The Bayou-flavored romp comes from the makers of We Happy Few.

Live Like A Mouse With Reveal of Winter Burrow
Pine Creek Games is crafting a new survival game all about making it through winter as a rodent. 

Mixtape Is A Sharp-Looking Coming Of Age Story With Music From Devo, Smashing Pumpkins, And More
The next game from the creators of The Artful Escape is all about getting into innocuous trouble as a teenager.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is A Slick-Looking Fantasy RPG Coming Next Year
Can you break a yearly cycle of death?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Will Let You Live Out Your Aviation Career Dreams This November
Become an ambulance pilot, aerial advertiser, VIP charter captain, and more later this year.

FragPunk Is A 5v5 Hero Shooter Built Around Cards And First-Person Action
It’s due out sometime next year.

Summer Game Fest

Summer Game Fest

Battle Suit Aces Is A Card-Based Mecha RPG From The Makers Of Battle Chef Brigade
Play your cards right, and you can build powerful mech suits and personal relationships.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream Is A New Stealth Game From Former Mirror’s Edge, Battlefield Developers
It’s due out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime next year.

Narrative Action Road Trip Game Dustborn Gets New Trailer And Demo Next Week
Transport a package cross-country disguised as a punk band with a crew of superpowered misfits.

The Star Named EOS Is A Wholesome Photography-Based Puzzle Game Releasing Next Month
It’s coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.

The Stanley Parable Creator’s Next Game Is About A Cozy Tea Shop (We Think)
Wanderstop tasks players with running a tea shop – but you can’t trust Davey Wreden.

Possessor(s) Is A Side-Scrolling Action Game From The Devs Behind Hyper Light Drifter And Solar Ash
It’s coming to consoles and PC next year.

Tenjutsu Is A Martial Arts Roguelite From The Designer Of Dead Cells
Developer Deepnight Games is calling it a “rogue-jutsu.”

Cult Of The Lamb’s Unholy Alliance Update Adds Local Campaign Co-Op This August
Player 2 will control a new character known as the Goat.

Amazon MMO New World Coming To Consoles With Major Updates
New World: Aeternum launches in October.

Monster Hunter Wilds Latest Gameplay Trailer Shows Off Thrilling Desert Battle
Watch an action-packed chase in this new gameplay video.

Get A New Look At Phantom Blade Zero In New Gameplay Trailer
There’s still no release date for the game.

Killer Bean Is A Humorous Open-World Action Roguelite Hitting Early Access This Summer
Play as a rough and tough bean assassin in an ever-changing open-world.

Skate: ‘Pre-Pre-Alpha’ Gameplay Revealed In New Trailer, Console Playtesting This Fall
Though there’s no release date in sight, at least players can soon play the game later this year.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind Announced
The new retro-themed game looks focused on side-scrolling brawling, but it also has some other surprises in the mix.

Supernatural Action Strategy Game Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess Launches In July
A new trailer shows off its colorful and bloody blend of action and strategy.

Valorant For PlayStation And Xbox Coming Later This Year
The popular hero shooter from League of Legends developer Riot Games makes the jump to PlayStation and Xbox later this year.

Alan Wake 2 Night Springs Expansion Releases Tomorrow, Physical Version Of The Game Coming Soon
The DLC will put you in the shoes of three familiar characters.

Battle Aces Is A Far-Future ‘Action Real-Time Strategy’ Game That Aims To Make The Genre More Approachable
Check out the reveal trailer for a look at its sci-fi action.

Sonic X Shadow Generations Gets October Release Date In New Gameplay Trailer
It’s been over 13 years since the original game’s release.

The First Descendant Is Coming In July
The highly anticipated free-to-play shooter is releasing this summer.

Cairn Is A New Climbing Adventure-Survival Game From The Developers Behind Haven
And it might be the first rope-lite.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Trailer Details The Story And Shows Its Sense Of Humor
Summer Game Fest offered us our first substantial look at the game and its story.

Silent Hill Creator’s Slitterhead Gets First Gameplay Look In New Trailer, Out This November
Slitterhead is the first game from Keiichiro Toyama’s Bokeh Game Studio.

Street Fighter 6’s Year 2 Fighters Include M. Bison And Fatal Fury Guest Fighters
Four new combatants are ready to hit the streets.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Arrives In October
The next big Dragon Ball fighting game arrives this Fall.

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Metaphor: ReFantazio Archetypes Detailed
The creators behind the recent Persona games took to the stage to reveal new details on the exciting new RPG.

New Batman: Arkham Shadow VR Pre-Rendered Trailer Teases The Story
We still haven’t seen gameplay, but the latest Arkham Shadow trailer teases the story and characters you will meet.

Neva Gameplay Trailer Shows Off Its Beautiful World And Graceful Combat
The creators of Gris have new footage of its next project.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 Announced, Coming To Consoles And PC Next Year
This reveal follows Geoff Keighley teasing that 2K had plans to reveal “the next iteration” of one of its biggest and most beloved franchises during SGF.

PlayStation Reveals Lego Horizon Adventures, Coming To PS5, Switch, And PC This Holiday
Aloy’s brickified adventure can be played solo or in co-op with a friend.

New Harry Potter Quidditch Video Game Is Coming In September
Harry Potter Quidditch Champions is coming later this year.

Sony State Of Play

Silent Hill 2

Sony State of Play

Open World Dress-Up Game Infinity Nikki Gets A Delightful Gameplay Trailer And Beta Test This Year
It’s glam time later this year.

Path Of Exile 2 Begins Early Access Later This Year And Is Coming To PS5
The popular free-to-play action RPG is coming to consoles with some cooperative friendly additions.

Alien: Rogue Incursion VR Gameplay Revealed In New Trailer
It hits PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 3, and Steam (for other PC VR devices) this holiday season.

Until Dawn Arrives On PS5 And PC This Fall
The modern horror classic looks like it’ll arrive on modern platforms just in time for Halloween.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins Coming In 2025
The long-dormant franchise is making a return on PlayStation 5.

A New Astro Bot Game Is Coming To PS5 In September
And it’s called…Astro Bot.

Silent Hill 2 Remake Gets October Launch Date And New Gameplay Trailer
Just in time for Halloween.

Capcom Reveals First Monster Hunter Wilds Gameplay In New Trailer
It hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC next year.

Where Winds Meet Brings Wuxia To PS5
The upcoming action game embraces ancient China’s supernatural mythology, and today’s new trailer gives a deeper glimpse of the action.  

God Of War Ragnarök Hits PC This September
The game exclusively hit PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 9, 2022.

Ballad Of Antara Is A Gorgeous Free-To-Play Fantasy Action Game Where You Carry A Kid On Your Back
We don’t know what’s happening, but it looks great.

PlayStation Reveals First Look At Concord’s 5v5 FPS Gameplay, Out This August On PS5 And PC
A beta will be held this July.

News

Into the Dead

News

Possessor(s) Is A Side-Scrolling Action Game From The Devs Behind Hyper Light Drifter And Solar Ash
It’s coming to consoles and PC next year.

Polaris Is A Co-Op PvE Shooter Coming To PC This Year With Fully Destructible Environments
You can sign up for a beta playest right now.

Hotel Galactic Is A Sci-Fi Management Sim With Studio Ghibli-Inspired Visuals Coming To Consoles And PC
Developer-publisher Ancient Forget is launching a Kickstarter for the game next month.

Get Another Look At Into The Dead: Our Darkest Days’ Texan Zombie Action In New Gameplay Teaser
The game is getting a Steam demo this October.

Streets Of Rogue 2 Gets August Early Access Launch Date
The wacky procedurally generated sandbox welcomes players to its chaotic world.

Phantom Line Is A Co-Op Shooter Set In A Post-Nuclear Europe From Former BioShock, Cyberpunk 2077 Devs
Its reveal trailer, which you can watch here, is quite spooky, too.

What was your favorite announcement from the Summer showcases?

Ahead Of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, The Entire Series Is On Sale For $10

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is shaping up to be one of our most anticipated RPGs of 2024 – find out why in Game Informer’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard cover story – and if you’re also excited about the game, you might be wondering if you should dig into the series’ past. If you’re thinking about a first-time playthrough of Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and Dragon Age: Inquisition, or your twelfth playthrough, Steam has you covered because you can purchase all three games for less than $10 right now. 

Steam launched a Dragon Age franchise sale yesterday, with a 90% discount on all three games in the series. Here’s the prices for each and the order to play them in if you want to start at the beginning: 

  1. Dragon Age: Origins – Ultimate Edition (which includes the Awakening expansion): $2.99
  2. Dragon Age II: Ultimate Edition: $2.99
  3. Dragon Age Inquisition: $3.99
Ahead Of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, The Entire Series Is On Sale For $10

Ahead of Veilguard, which launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime this fall, we highly recommend playing Inquisition as it ties directly into the new game. However, there will likely be appearances, cameos, and story ties from Origins and its sequel, too, so if you want to know everything you need to before jumping into Veilguard, this sale might be the way to go. 

For more about Veilguard, be sure to head to Game Informer’s coverage hub, which features exclusive interviews, features, and more about the game. Here’s some of what you can read about right now: 

You can also click the banner below to be taken right to Game Informer’s Veilguard hub, which is a great link to bookmark to ensure you don’t miss any of our upcoming features about the game. 

Which of the Dragon Age games have you played? Let us know in the comments below!

Minecraft Is Finally Getting A Native PS5 Version

Minecraft Is Finally Getting A Native PS5 Version

Developer Mojang has revealed that a native version of Minecraft is finally coming to PlayStation 5. It’s currently in a testing phase, but if you own the PlayStation 4 version of the game for your PS5, you can take part in the preview right now. 

Though Minecraft has been playable on PS5 for years, it’s always been the PS4 version; this native version, however, is a new build of Minecraft made specifically for PS5, which means it will theoretically perform better on the console. 

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“Currently, however, the only way to play Minecraft on a PlayStation 5 is by purchasing the PlayStation 4 version of the game,” the announcement reads. “By developing a native version of Minecraft for PS5, we’ll be able to make the game run more effectively on the PS5’s hardware.” 

Though Mojang hasn’t revealed how long the Minecraft PS5 version preview will last, all are welcome to take part in it, so long as they own the PS4 version of the game. To access it, go to “Settings” on your PS4 version of Minecraft while playing on a PS5 and select “Preview.” This preview includes the new Tricky Trials update, so you can venture into the trial chambers, meet a breeze, craft a mace, and more. 

Mojang asks that players who encounter bugs during this preview report it to the developer, and more generally, provide any feedback they might have. 

For more about the game, read Game Informer’s Minecraft review, and then check out this story about how actor Jack Black has all but confirmed he’s playing Steve in the upcoming live-action Minecraft movie. After that, read about Netflix’s animated Minecraft series. 

Are you excited about a native Minecraft version for PS5? Let us know in the comments below!

Update: Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition Is Real And It’s Out Next Week

Update: Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition Is Real And It’s Out Next Week

Update, 3:42 p.m., 6/20/24:

Earlier today, Ubisoft accidentally posted a trailer for Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition alongside news the game would be coming to all platforms next week. However, shortly after, it deleted the post. Now, Ubisoft has reposted the news, confirming Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition is, in fact, real and launching on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC on June 25. 

Check out the trailer for yourself in the announcement below: 

The original story continues below…

Original story, 2:22 p.m., 6/20/24:

Last year, an Xbox store listing for Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition accidentally went live, with Ubisoft later stating it went up early due to a “technical error.” Now, in what appears to be another technical error of sorts, Ubisoft might have accidentally revealed Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition launches June 25. 

Earlier today, the official Ubisoft X (formerly Twitter) account posted a trailer for the game, which runs for nearly two minutes and features a look at the game’s seemingly remastered visuals and performance, alongside the following text: “You’ll be able to relive Jade’s adventures in Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition, coming June 25.” That post is no longer available, as Ubisoft has deleted it. Nonetheless, June 25 is next Tuesday so it’s possible this beloved classic is coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC in just a few days. 

While the Ubisoft post has since been deleted, some X users were able to grab the trailer, and you can check it out below: 

As you can see, the game will feature up to 4K/60 FPS resolution and performance, an art gallery, and other features, and it’s due out on “all platforms” June 25. Ubisoft has not commented on the deleted tweet, but if the game is, in fact, coming out next week, we’ll likely learn more about it very soon. 

Strangely, amongst Ubisoft’s silence on the deleted announcement, Limited Run Games has announced it is publishing a physical edition run of Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition, due out on July 12 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and Switch. 

In the meantime, read our thoughts on the game’s HD remake from 2011 in Game Informer’s Beyond Good & Evil HD review here. 

Are you excited for an anniversary edition of Beyond Good & Evil? Let us know in the comments below!