Category: PlayStation

A studio only gets to launch its very first game once! Everyone here at Dreamlit Games is incredibly excited to debut our upcoming open-world fantasy builder, Towers of Aghasba, which launches into Early Access on November 19. We can’t wait for you to experience this fantastical world as you design your island with bustling settlements and nurture thriving ecosystems while fighting off the withered invasion.

Why early access? 

This project is an ambitious open-world sandbox developed by a small team, with core mechanics intended to let players shape their island however they like. It’s also one of the first in-development early access titles coming to PS5. By launching into early access, we can involve our community in the development process, allowing us to better balance, polish, and iterate on these core components. This allows us to introduce new content and features based directly on your feedback.

You can still count on a fun, fantastical experience, with lots of content to explore right from the start of our Early Acess journey— but we’ll be adding additional polish and updates in the weeks ahead. Here’s a roadmap of what to expect from Towers of Aghasba at launch— and throughout early access: 

Launch content

The initial launch of Towers of Aghasba is already brimming with content, deep gameplay systems, a compelling narrative, and a vast world to explore. We release with:

• Six regions to explore
  • Exploration across vast open-world lands—climbing, gliding, and riding mounts
  • Ruins and relics to discover, unlocking ancient knowledge
  • Leisure activities (eg. fishing!)
• Three types of settlements to build, design, and decorate
• Three types of ecosystems to grow
• 50+ unique creatures
• 150+ decorations to craft
• Single-player and co-op gameplay
• Invite up to three friends to your island to build up your settlements, tend to your ecosystems, take on challenging withered foes, and discover secrets across the world

Post-launch roadmap

As with any early access title, the launch is just the beginning. We have plenty in store for the weeks and months following the release, from introducing new systems while expanding existing ones, new quests and narratives, new regions to explore, and more.

Q4 2024

• Post-launch support
• Quality of life updates
• Polish and fixes

Q1 2025

• New regions to unlock and explore
• New quest lines
• A fresh cast of characters
• Time of day-related gameplay
• Offline play mode
• Expanded glider traversal mechanics
• Photo Mode
• Player Emotes

Q2 2025

• New mounts and mount management system
• Expanding multiplayer activities and experiences
• Crossplay
• Player character customization
• Improved Townfolk AI
• Improved Shimudex functionality

Q3 2025

• New regions unlocked
• New withered quest lines and characters
• Giant withered demon combat
• Cold environmental effects
• New creatures
• Creature relationship systems

Q4 2025

• New biome type–shallow water
• New ecosystem type–water ecosystem
• New village type–fishing village
• New creatures
• New foliages
• New quest lines and characters

Q1 2026

• New regions unlocked
• Hot environmental effects
• New creatures
• Town happiness system
• Building customization

Q2 2026

• Increased Tower levels
• New major questlines

Apart from all these exciting and ambitious plans for the road ahead, an important aspect in guiding the development of Towers of Aghasba through early access is you. 

We feel it’s important to have the community involved in the development of our game to provide the best experience possible. Your feedback and suggestions are integral in the decisions we make and we hope to expand our roadmap to accommodate our player community’s requests.

Let’s build an incredible, unique, ambitious, and special game together. You can pre-order the game now, and dive into the adventure with us next week when Towers of Aghasba launches into Early Access on November 19 on PS5.

Hey everyone, Thierry here speaking for Sabotage. Our friends at PlayStation extended an invitation to share more about everything that has happened since the launch of Sea of Stars, and how that led our team to work full-time for the better part of a year on a major free update called Dawn of Equinox.

Play Video

So let’s dive into a summary of what’s included, namely general updates, combat 2.0, and couch co-op.

Updates

Along with countless bug fixes and micro adjustments, we added a bonus pre-rendered cinematic cutscene and finally got to revamp the game’s first hour by adding combat animations for the kid versions of our heroes. This allowed us to ditch the flashback structure by having action directly in the intro, something we sadly had to give up on during production.

We also added difficulty presets, a bunch of new Relics to customize the experience, and even a comprehensive Speedrun Mode designed with the help of our community. There’s some new music, character portraits, and animations—the list goes on.

Combat 2.0

The update brings two key changes to the combat system: Sticky Combo Points and Mystery Locks. Along with a comprehensive balancing pass, of course.

Sticky Combo Points: The gist of it here is that Combo Points now remain after battle, giving combo moves a lot more use overall, whether to open more aggressively on a regular fight, or providing more options to deal damage of the different types when dealing with locks.

This one mainly addresses the feeling of there not being a enough variety of moves in the game. The vision was always to give each character a small kit (MOBA-style), where each move has situational utility, rather than a big list where players pigeonhole themselves into only using their couple of favorites. All good intentions, but while the game boasts over 40 unique and custom-animated moves total, the scarcity of Combo Points meant players seldom engaged with most of them, reducing the perceived scope of combat to feeling like only having three skills per character.

Mystery Locks: This is another one that should always have been there. In short, Mystery Locks bring a new gameplay loop around revealing how to break enemies’ spells whenever they are first encountered. Instead of displaying the damage types required for each lock, they are hidden, requiring the player to try different attacks to see what will break each lock. Note that this is on a per enemy type, per spell basis, meaning that progression toward revealing Mystery Locks is saved in real-time.

The main effect on the experience here is that there will be more enemy spells flying overall, bringing a small uptick in difficulty by relying on the occurrence of more gnarly enemy moves rather than relying solely on the intricate balance between damage done and damage received. This change also adds a “Reveal” function to some of the character skills and combos, adding more layers of strategy based on whether it’s time to map a new enemy’s spells, or to go all out with damage. Combined with Sticky Combo Points and difficulty presets, Mystery Locks gives us the definitive edition of the combat system for Sea of Stars.

Couch co-op (or online using Share Play)

We knew this one would be  challenging given the hundreds of cutscenes, interactive objects, camera work, puzzles, menus, NPC interactions, and countless other things that would simply break in thousands of ways if more than one player had full control over the game’s world.

But the co-op dream was very much alive within the team, so we went for it, manually implementing every single edgecase one at a time until we had a full-on three-player mode. You can even use PS5’s Share Play feature to play online co-op with a friend (PlayStation Plus required, here’s how to use it).

In combat: Combat initiates when any player touches an enemy or projectile. In this mode, it doesn’t matter who controls which character in the overworld; players take turns at random picking the next action from the character of their choice.

Whenever an action occurs, all players can chime in to perform Team Blocks and Team Hits for even more bonus effects. For example, whenever all three players time a block properly, the damage is always zero.

Out in the world: We aimed for maximum freedom outside combat. All three players can run, swim, climb, shop, change equipment, talk to NPCs, trigger cutscenes, initiate combat, etc. Anything that a solo player could do, we wanted to make available for all. There’s even 1v1 Wheels now.

Along with a friendly bubble to bring any stray players back into the adventure, a high-five mechanic brings a fun little way to interact with one another while gaining a short speed boost in the process. Oh, we also made the animation sets required for fishing to be available for all characters.

Looking ahead

With the Dawn of Equinox update in the rear view, the team is now focused on the upcoming free DLC Throes of the Watchmaker, which is on track to be released in the Spring of 2025.

We hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into what’s been going on at Sabotage over the past year. Thank you all once again for the overwhelming support. Whether you’ll be playing for the first time or going for another run, we hope you will enjoy Sea of Stars in its full expression.

Sea of Stars: Dawn of Equinox content update is now available on PS4 and PS5. Safe travels!

From on-track Ray Tracing to unprecedented detail with 8K, discover how EA Sports and Codemasters utilize the groundbreaking PS5 Pro technology to make F1 24 look and play better. Si Lumb, Technical Producer at Codemasters, shares insight into what players can expect when playing F1 24 on PS5 Pro — plus, more details about Season 4 and an upcoming Free-Play trial.

Enhanced for PS5 Pro, F1 24 takes full advantage of the console’s exclusive technologies and improved graphical capabilities depending on the display option players choose in the settings menu.

“PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) allows us to push a Ray Traced image to 4K without sacrificing image quality in Quality Mode,” says Si. “The increased power in the PS5 Pro’s GPU gives us the ability to double the 120Hz resolution in Performance Mode, and with some clever re-ordering of the frame, we have even managed to put the 32 Million pixels of 8K at 60Hz in Resolution Mode.”

Whilst Ray Tracing is available on PS5 in F1 24 race replays, the power of the PS5 Pro enables this technology during on-track racing when selecting Quality Mode.

“Ray Tracing allows us to simulate light to enhance realism, making reflections, shadows, and lighting more lifelike. These enhancements result in a more photorealistic experience, especially on the glossy and mirror-like chassis of the cars, the undulating and detailed track terrain, or the varied circuit surroundings. This is even more prominent in wet conditions, where reflections from puddles or shiny surfaces play a significant role in the immersion.”

In a first for EA Sports, the PS5 Pro F1 24 enhancements enable 8K/60Hz support when using a compatible display in Resolution Mode. All 25 circuits in the game are improved both on and off the track, and with variable weather and time of day options for each, players are bound to discover a new favorite in 8K/60Hz.

“For the ultimate showcase of 8K visuals, I’d recommend Spa Francorchamps at sunset in clear weather. The elevation changes and dense foliage at Spa, combined with the incredible detail and depth offered by 8K, make for a visually stunning experience. The track’s sweeping corners and long straights will show off the high pixel count, while the dynamic lighting and shadows give you a real sense of immersion as the light shifts across the circuit.”

 By leveraging the power of the PS5 Pro to work in harmony with F1 24’s EGO Engine, the development team plans to push the limits of graphical performance for future releases.

“We’ve learned a lot from this release, and the groundwork laid in F1 24 will help us take even greater advantage of the PS5 Pro’s power in the future. We’re especially interested in expanding our use of technologies like PSSR across more modes and further optimizing our Ray Tracing and high frame rate features. As we continue to push the limits of the EGO engine, we look forward to delivering even more groundbreaking advancements in upcoming F1 titles.”

No matter which graphical mode players choose, the PS5 Pro enhancements result in noticeable differences throughout the game when you load up F1 24 for the first time.

“Whether it’s increased clarity in the Performance Mode, the sharper details and more immersive visuals of our new 8K Resolution Mode, or the dramatic improvements to lighting and reflections—thanks to Ray Tracing—in Quality Mode, each adds to the realism, immersion, and scale in bringing the sport of F1 to life on your screen.”

For F1 24’s Season 4, players across all PlayStation platforms can race to unlock a number of new customization items, with one such item being fit for a champion. Plus, a new Pro Challenge at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas featuring Oscar Piastri, and a selection of Race Scenarios, including a pair from Abu Dhabi 2021, each with rewards usable throughout the game. Keep an eye out for the full reveal on November 19.

For those yet to pick up F1 24, there’s no better time, as from November 21-24, F1 24 will be free to download and play, with the opportunity to test drive the entire game, including its PS5 Pro features alongside a double XP period for Podium Pass. Everything from the revamped Career mode through to the thrilling multiplayer will be available, with all progress made carrying over to the full game.

LEGO Horizon Adventures, launching on PS5 and PC November 14, brings about a new take on Aloy’s story from her first adventure. Guerrilla and Studio Gobo met with The LEGO Group at their headquarters in Billund, and shared a few behind-the-scenes insights on creating the game. Watch the full video here and continue reading to find out how they built Aloy’s world, one brick at a time! 

Play Video

Senior Producer at Studio Gobo, Kat Woolley, talks about what it’s like to work on a LEGO game and how the story was adapted to fit this playful adventure. “There’s a layering of talent, passion, creativity and just joy – there’s such joy in working on a LEGO game, and especially something like Horizon where there is an effort to bring something quite serious from the world of Horizon over to LEGO Horizon Adventures. We needed to give it that element of funny, of light-hearted, of silly, of play.”

“Horizon is all about the mystery of the origins, especially for Aloy. It’s something we tried to replicate in LEGO Horizon Adventures where every character is on their quest for finding a family, building a home and making connections with each other in the story of LEGO Horizon Adventures,” Guerrilla’s Design Director, Stephane Varrault, explains.

Creating the world

Everything you come across in LEGO Horizon Adventures is made entirely out of real LEGO bricks, so if you have the right pieces at home, you could rebuild anything from the world, including the machines, the treasure chests, and Mother’s Heart!

Guerrilla’s Senior World Artist, Lucas Bolt explained, “The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is filled with incredible natural landscapes; it’s one of the core pillars of the game so that’s something that we also had to create for LEGO Horizon Adventures.”

“You can see how everything is made, all the little details, all the little LEGO elements that were used to bring things to life,” Joe Kyde, Senior Model Designer at The LEGO Group, adds.

Roy Postma, Art Director at Guerrilla, goes on to explain the process of visualizing and developing the Horizon world in LEGO form, “We started out in a very realistic way, by rebuilding the original Old World buildings from the Horizon games… Then someone sneaked in an official LEGO set in the background, I believe it was the LEGO gas station, and we were looking at it like ‘ah this can work, this is fun!’ It totally made sense for the Old World to be our LEGO world.”

Making the machines

“My favorite part of the machine design process is seeing the builds just develop,” says Joe. “How they naturally evolve from early versions, teams working together to figure out how to solve specific problems, how to get the movement we want, how to get the specific look we want.”

“Throughout development, we started by imagining what a LEGO version of each machine would actually look like,” says Studio Gobo’s Game Design Lead, Toño Gonzalaz, with Stephane adding, “For every machine, we looked at the traits of the machine, how it would behave in the game, and how can we make it work best with all the LEGO bricks?”

One of the machines featured in LEGO Horizon Adventures is the Shell-Walker, a crab-like machine responsible for carrying cargo to various cauldrons found in the world. “With the Shell-Walker it really came down to its personality,” says Toño. “It’s always trying to defend its cargo, so at the end of the day, the Shell-Walker feels like a mean, defensive machine, but at the same time in a funny way.”

Designing machines with LEGO bricks did not differ too much from how Guerrilla created them originally, as The LEGO Group’s Creative Lead, Frédéric Andre, explains, “We wanted to recreate the machine as detailed as possible, so you start with the skeleton of the machine and then you add all the details into it. That’s also how Guerrilla creates their own machines: they have the skeleton and then they add all the armor plating and everything on top of that.”

“All machines have their own unique, particular personalities and attacks that they do. They’re very different from one another, so when players are fighting combinations of them it creates really interesting, wacky, fun and creative combat,” Toño smiles.

Customize everything

The customization is a way for players to express themselves in a fun and charming way, including outfits from Aloy’s first adventure in LEGO form, or from existing LEGO sets that you may have at home!

Stephane explains: “One of our main pillars in the game is player freedom, which is why we built systems where no combat is the same, but also why we wanted to provide really open ways to customize your characters and the world. For example, we really wanted Mother’s Heart to be a reflection of players’ creativity to recreate the village of their dreams.”

Kat gives her view on how some of the outfits found in LEGO Horizon Adventures can completely change the vibe of a cutscene or conversation between characters. “It takes what can sometimes be quite serious conversations and just makes them ridiculous if you’re dressed as a pig or as a llama.”

“As soon as we realized that the customization options still felt like a quintessential Horizon experience, and that it worked within the game world, it made it feel more free and more fun.”

Bringing it all together

It was pivotal that the co-op experience of LEGO Horizon Adventures worked well to allow players to bounce off each other’s actions and work together to tackle the wilds. 

“We wanted players to play together and to get in trouble together,” shares Toño, and Stephane continues, “being able to get together, either on the same tv or online, you are now two players, two actors in the same world and that one is responding to your inputs and your actions, so it was the perfect addition to make the experience shine.”

Whether you’re already familiar with Aloy’s journey, or if this is the first time you’re jumping into the franchise; we can’t wait for everyone’s fun character combinations and combat sequences once LEGO Horizon Adventures releases on November 14.

Greetings, Travelers! Genshin Impact Version 5.2 “Tapestry of Spirit and Flame” is arriving on November 20, and today we’re excited to introduce two new Natlan tribes, the Flower-Feather Clan and Masters of the Night-Wind. By recruiting their elite warriors Chasca and Ororon or transforming into their Saurian companions, you may learn to command the power of the skies to move and fight in mid-air.

Using the skills of our new and familiar Saurian companions, we can also venture to the ancient, ruined city of Ochkanatlan, that towers into the clouds northwest of the two new tribes, the Flower-Feather Clan and Masters of the Night-Wind. At the same time, a mysterious incident has occurred in the Masters of the Night-Wind, which you can investigate together with Citlali and Ororon as part of the main seasonal event in the upcoming new version.

Soar and Explore Like the Saurians

The Saurians we’ve encountered so far have helped us traverse the challenging landscapes of Natlan with ease. Today, we would like to introduce you to two new species: Qucusaurs and Iktomisaurs, which will allow us to further expand our capabilities of exploration — to maneuver in mid-flight and to reveal what remains invisible to the naked eye.

Qucusaurs are the proudest of Natlan’s Saurians and consider themselves the kings of the sky. They once patrolled the entire Natlan region alongside the best riders of the Flower-Feather Clan. Qucusaurs are capable of gliding at full speed over long distances. They can dart through the wind in accelerated gliding mode, but also use Phlogiston to gain altitude or perform horizontal rolls in mid-flight.

Unlike Qucusaurs’ ability to travel long distances, Iktomisaurs can perform vertical leaps and reach great heights. In addition, these wise Saurians also possess a unique sight that allows them to detect things that would normally remain hidden. It is said that the great Iktomisaur Elder has served as a guide for the Masters of the Night Wind for generations, so your Iktomisaur companion and their exceptional sight can also guide you on the trail of secrets buried behind these glowing markings and graffiti. By activating this sight, they can draw energy from Phlogiston-infused objects or craft special items from graffiti patterns. Throughout your adventure, the Iktomisaur’s talents in detection and the impressive leaps that characterize them will prove essential for traversing steep terrain, spotting hidden passages and obstacles, and solving the most complex puzzles.

The abilities of Iktomisaurs, Qucusaurs, as well as your other Saurian companions will play a vital role in exploring the various layers of Ochkanatlan’s treacherous cityscape. Corrupted by the Abyss, this ancient city of Natlan is now inaccessible and no longer home to a living soul. However, a little companion named Cocouik will join you on your quest of ridding this place of Abyssal contamination.

Meanwhile, a rampaging dragon has occupied this area. In ancient times, the relationship between humans and dragons was completely different. A special token awaits here, which might reveal even more details about our journey together with Little One, our beloved little Tepetlisaur.

Unwavering Guardians Against the Abyss

Elite warriors from the Flower-Feather Clan and the Masters of the Night-Wind also learn from their Saurian companions and develop unique abilities in exploration and combat. With the latest update, we may have a chance to recruit Chasca and Ororon.

Known as a great warrior and the peacemaker in the Flower-Feather Clan, Chasca will finally become playable in Version 5.2 as a five-star Anemo bow wielder. Raised by a family of Qucusaurs, Chasca’s unique upbringing has shaped her sharp combat skills. Her trusty firearm, the Soulsniper, allows her to float in the air and fire bullets of different elements in battle. After finding an aerial advantage, the Soulsniper can load up to six bullets and is capable of hitting multiple enemies. Additionally, it can deliver a devastating strike that subsequently splits into homing bullets. These bullets can undergo Elemental Conversion when you have Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, or Electro characters in your party, making Chasca a specialist in amplifying damage through Swirling various elements. Finally, having Chasca in your party allows you to restore Phlogiston by eliminating enemies, which offers a significant advantage in prolonged combat.

Ororon from the Masters of the Night-Wind becomes playable as a four-star Electro bow wielder. He seems to have a profound connection to the Night Kingdom, and defends Natlan in his own way. Similar to Iktomisaurs, Ororon has the ability to rise into the air, and he also has a keen sense of perception. While charging an Aimed Shot, Ororon will enter the Spiritspeaker state, allowing him to extract power from Natlan’s graffiti and runes. In addition, having Ororon in your team increases gliding speed, making exploration faster and more seamless.

In combat, Ororon can be a great support especially if he teams up with Electro or Hydro characters. Ororon can gain Nightsoul Points when one of his party members triggers a Nightsoul Burst, or when other party members deal Hydro or Electro damage to enemies after Ororon unleashes his Elemental Skill. When enemies take damage from Electro-Charged reactions or other party members deal Nightsoul-aligned damage, Ororon can consume Nightsoul Points to enter the Nightsoul’s Blessing state and trigger the “Hypersense” effect, dealing Electro damage. He can also summon a Supersonic Oculus to taunt nearby enemies and deal Electro damage.

For Version 5.2 Event Wishes, the first phase will welcome Chasca and Ororon’s debuts together with Lyney’s rerun, while the second phase arrives with reruns of Zhongli and Neuvillette.

The Threat of the Abyss Still Looms

The war against the Abyss experiences a brief lull thanks to the efforts of the Traveler and the brave warriors of Natlan. The time has come to take a breather and lend a helping hand to the Flower-Feather Clan as it recovers from Abyssal contamination. The story continues with Archon Quest Chapter V: Interlude, “All Fires Fuel the Flame,” in which Iansan and the Captain will also assist the tribe in recovering from the physical and psychological wounds inflicted by the Abyss.

Meanwhile, other powerful threats such as a new boss called “Tenebrous Papilla” have cast their shadow on Natlan. This unsettling Abyssal monster can distort its body to become an even more powerful foe by absorbing the memories from Natlan’s corrupted Ley Lines.

More Events and Optimizations

In Version 5.2, Travelers will team up with Citlali and Ororon in the Iktomi Spiritseeking Scrolls event. Together, you’ll uncover the truth behind a mysterious accident that has caused turmoil in their tribe. As part of the investigation, you’ll face combat challenges to fend off enemies disrupting rituals, piece together scenes from the tribe’s woven scrolls, and gather lost spirits scattered throughout the region. Along the way, Travelers can earn exciting rewards, including Primogems and an exclusive 4-star sword, Calamity of Eshu.

Meanwhile, our dev team brings more optimized features in Version 5.2, including the Imaginarium Theater, Serenitea Pot, Artifacts, and other key gadgets. The Imaginarium Theater now offers a smoother experience, featuring a “Next Act” button for quick combat transitions, a Supporting Cast Record to track friends borrowing your support characters, and an optimized party configuration with detailed character recommendations and enemy information.

For the Serenitea Pot, gathering wood is now more convenient — the Seed Dispensary can hold more of every type of seed, wood is available for purchase at the Realm Depot with Realm Currency, and the Boon of the Elder Tree’s cooldown has been reduced to five seconds.

In Version 5.2, artifact management becomes even easier with the updated “Lock Assistance” interface. You can now lock artifacts in batches with a single click using recommended settings or custom plans.

That’s all we want to share for today! Fly freely in this exciting chapter of Natlan with plenty of fresh content to explore, and we will see you next time!

Last week, we asked you grab your bows and set off on Aloy’s original journey in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, sharing epic moments using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

sorathluna shares Aloy sitting in a field of blue flowers.

sirevanztheduke shares Aloy and Varl gazing out at the land before them.

ForgottenJasmin shares Aloy gazing up at the illuminated night sky from a desert valley.

Beat_Minerz shares Aloy scrambling up ruins and roots to reach a Tallneck.

MdeavorVP shares Aloy about to bash a Watcher with her spear.

dlazdagaming shares a view of the land with a Tallneck roaming.

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on November 13, 2024 

Next week, we head to Thedas to explore the realms of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Share moments in action or traversing the Fade with #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

The launch of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is fast approaching on November 14. We had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with the game’s producer, Masaaki Hayasaka, to chat about this stunning remake that brings back the iconic masterpiece in HD-2D.

Masaaki Hayasaka
Producer, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake

How HD-2D graphics draw out the full potential of this retro classic

PlayStation Blog: HD-2D has become much more popular since games like Octopath Traveler. What are some of the unique characteristics of this visual style?

In a nutshell, HD-2D is a visual style that combines pixelated characters with 3D backgrounds. Personally, I think this style works better in retro titles. When the original game first came out, players roamed the world while picturing how beautiful the landscapes must be. HD-2D actually brings that world to life.

Even though the game adopts HD-2D, it is still immediately recognizable as Dragon Quest III. What do you think are the most important aspects needed to achieve the iconic Dragon Quest-style?

The most obvious is the color palette. Dragon Quest games are characterized by rich, vivid colors, so we aimed to fully embrace that in the remake as well. If you compare the original game and the HD-2D remake side-by-side, the graphics will look completely different. Even so, the color palettes are similar so it shouldn’t feel far off from what OG players remember.

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Built in tandem with Yuji Horii

What sort of discussions did you have with Yuji Horii (creator of the Dragon Quest franchise), during development?

We connected regularly from the early phases of planning till the very end of development. We exchanged a lot of details. We discussed everything from new features like the Monster Arena and additional narrative episodes, to the game balance of battles, and even the size of the character pixels.

Did you make any changes based on Yuji Horii’s recommendations?

He made a comment around the blurring of the game background, and I find that particularly memorable. Background blur in games is usually referred to as depth of field, which is a technique also used in photography. In HD-2D, depth of field is extremely important. We had previous experience working on HD-2D games, so we thought we’d already mastered the sense of implementing background blur. However, when we showed it to Horii-san, he said that the blur was far too intense, and it made him feel like there was something wrong with his eyes. He then asked us to dial back the intensity. We were quite shocked, in a good way, by his suggestion from a player’s point of view. However, as a result, this change made Dragon Quest III stand out from other HD-2D titles, so his recommendation was on point.

So, different games leverage HD-2D in various ways?

Absolutely. The only common thread between all HD-2D titles is that they place pixelated characters in a 3D world. Otherwise, every title is completely unique.  For example, Octopath Traveler incorporates pixels in the background as well, but Dragon Quest III does not. The characters’ body proportions and pixel size also vary depending on the title. Dragon Quest III is the first-ever HD-2D title to integrate a world map where players can actually wander around.

Is the distance between towns the same as the original?

The layout of the buildings is exactly the same, but the scale of the map and distances have been changed. The most difficult part of the development process was scaling the map. If we had made the map as dense as the original, the game would have felt too compact in both volume and appearance. On the other hand, if we made the map too large, it would lose its perfect pacing and slow down the game. We spent a lot of time adjusting to find the ideal balance in terms of both look and feel. If you watch the teaser trailer that was released at the time of the announcement, you will notice that the scale is completely different from the finished version.

The passion behind the new character customization feature

In the remake, players can customize the appearance, like hair color, of party members. Why did you decide to add this new feature?

In the original, when you changed a character’s vocation from Martial Artist to a Mage, the young man suddenly turned into an old man and there was no way to alter it. I personally felt that was a bit strange. Character creators or customization is very common in modern games, so I thought players would find it a bit confusing if we kept it like the original. Character customization was intended to make the game feel more modern.

To tell you the truth, out of all the new features we added in the remake, I’m most passionate about the character customization. I proposed it to the development team, and even when they refused, saying it was unnecessary, I kept pushing that it was absolutely crucial [laughs]. I spent about three months working on it, so it would mean a lot to me if players spent some time creating their own distinct characters.

Even though you can change their appearance, the main colors for each vocation are the same as the original. How did you decide what to change and what to leave untouched?

I believed it was important to respect the vocation colors that Akira Toriyama originally designed. We didn’t change any of the main colors, so it’s easier for players to distinguish between each vocation at a glance. However, we wanted to give players the freedom to play around with hats and hairstyles as a fun new feature.

Power shifts as a faction within Avalon seeks to topple the Luttazzi Crime Family in the massive Season 01 update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone. Deploy across new territory in Multiplayer, Zombies, and Resurgence, wield new weapons and Loadout items, test your competitive skills in Ranked Play, and much more.

Season 01 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone launches November 14 on PS5 and PS4.

Multiplayer overview

New Core 6v6 Maps

Hideout (Launch): Master Omnimovement in this training site including target practice, an obstacle course, and vault.

Extraction (Launch): Battle across the landing pads and buildings of D’Avalon Héliport. Occupy the air traffic control tower for premium views.

Hacienda (Mid-Season): Return to the infamous vineyard estate first seen in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Fight in the two-story mansion or around the prestine grounds.

Nuketown Holiday (Mid-Season): Get festive as we celebrate CODMAS later in the season, including a Holiday-themed Nuketown!

New 2v2/6v6 Strike Maps

Heirloom (Launch): Enter a fine art museum that has been vandalized with paint. Navigate the sculptural centerpiece read up on some Avalon art history.

Racket (Mid-Season): There’s been a break-in in this labyrinthine bank vault. Fight around the bulldozer and ambush enemies at every chance.

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New Multiplayer modes

Ransack (Launch): Loot gold bars from crates scattered around the map and bring them back to your team’s stash. Raid the enemy team’s stash and protect your own.

Prop Hunt (Launch): The fan-favorite party mode returns! Blend into the landscape as a prop or be the Hunter, tracking down anything that looks out of place.

Plus, expect more Limited Time Modes as we get into the holiday season with Season 01 Reloaded!

Multiplayer Ranked Play

The definitive Ranked Play experience arrives in Season 01, starting later in November. Compete and climb through the Skill Ranks using the same competitive settings, maps, modes, and weapon restrictions as the Call of Duty: League. Earn new Ranked Play rewards and prove your standing as top Operator!

Zombies Overview

Major new Zombies arrives, here’s a preview of what’s coming:

Directed Mode for Terminus, Liberty Falls (Launch)

Witness the horrific human experiments being conducted on Terminus Island and assemble the LTG for the mysterious Dr. Panos in Liberty Falls. Directed Mode offers more guidance in completing objectives with a maximum round cap of 15.

New Map: Citadelle des Morts (Mid-Season)

Weaver, Maya, Carver, and Grey travel to an abandoned castle in Europe, a “citadel of the dead” introducing a medieval village full of ghoulish horrors and tantalizing secrets.

Call of Duty: Warzone Overview

New Resurgence Map: Area 99 (Launch)

Deploy to a brand-new Resurgence map inspired by the fast-paced action of Nuketown. Enter a blistering desert environment surrounding the central “bullseye” Reactor along with other points of interest like the Mannequin Assembly plant, an underground Bunker, and a sprawling Factory and Loading Bay where pre-fab Nuketown dwellings were once constructed.

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Returning Maps and Modes

Return to Urzikstan and Rebirth Island arriving one week after Season 01 launch. Play Battle Royale and Plunder on Urzikstan, and Resurgence on Rebirth Island and the new Area 99.

Call of Duty: Warzone Ranked Play (Mid-Season)

Ranked Play arrives during the Season 01 launch window! Outsmart, out-maneuver, and outlast the competition while earning exclusive Ranked Play rewards along the way.

Full Black Ops 6 Integration

Season 01 brings the Pick-3 Perk system, weapons, Wildcards, Omnimovement, global weapon builds, and much more as Black Ops 6 fully integrates with Call of Duty: Warzone. Plus, keep an eye out for the rare Specialist Perk Package, granting all Perks plus Irradiated and Shrouded on pickup!

Season 01 launches November 14

Black Ops 6 is available now. Experience the spy action thriller Campaign, the in-depth tactical chaos of Multiplayer, and soak in the gory glory of round-based Zombies experience! Click here to Purchase Black Ops 6.

Hello,

This year has already been a very busy one for No Man’s Sky, with 6 updates already this year, including the huge Worlds Update. Our last update, The Cursed, dropped just a couple of weeks ago, and players have been loving the spooky Halloween vibe. 

In game development some features take weeks or months, and others take years. Today we are releasing some features that have been years in the making.

PlayStation 5 Pro

PlayStation 5 Pro releases today and is an incredible feat of engineering. We were so excited to get our hands on it from early days of development. We couldn’t wait to see what was possible in No Man’s Sky with so much power at our disposal! 

We’re excited to be able to share an enhanced version of No Man’s Sky for PlayStation 5 Pro with players at launch. Bringing even more detail and higher image quality than ever possible on console before.

PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) allows for incredible upscaling to provide crisp 4K resolution at 60fps. No Man’s Sky will also be an early supporter of 8k resolution, with the universe looking incredible in 8K at 30fps.

As well as a much sharper resolution at higher framerates, the increased power of the PlayStation 5 Pro has enabled us to ramp up the graphical quality across the board. Players on PlayStation 5 Pro will see improved lighting, with ultra quality reflections and higher quality ambient occlusion in all modes. Explore the most beautiful and detailed alien worlds No Man’s Sky has to offer, for the first time on console.

Not only this, but all of these improvements also come to PS VR2! With our most stunning virtual reality imagery offering an even more immersive experience for Travellers amongst the stars.

Cross-save

Starting from today we are rolling out cross-save support on all platforms. This has been a huge undertaking, and is one of most requested features.

No Man’s Sky now supports cross-play and cross-save between a huge number of platforms including last and current generation consoles (including PlayStation 5 Pro – see below), and PS VR & PS VR 2.

Adding the ability to transfer saves between platforms via a server is especially difficult for No Man’s Sky, as the work involved increases with each platform supported and how long folks have already been playing for. Both those numbers are large for our tiny team. 

It’s very common for players to rack up thousands of hours of saves exploring across space, building elaborate bases and cataloging their discoveries, with incredibly detailed saves. Adding cross-save for us is a little bit like moving house, the longer people have lived there the more complicated it is to move them! We also have players who played once at launch, eight years ago, suddenly loading up that save on a platform that didn’t even exist back then!

The Normandy returns

Everyone here at Hello Games is a huge sci-fi nerd. One of our absolute favorite series is the incredible Mass Effect games. To join in Mass Effect’s annual N7 celebrations, we are pleased to welcome the legendary SSV Normandy SR1 back into No Man’s Sky! 

It was back in 2021 that the Normandy made its first appearance in one of the first expeditions we ever ran. The limited-time expedition culminated in players being able to claim the Normandy for their fleet.

In the intervening years since that event, we have welcomed a huge number of Travellers. Many of these new players have envied those who proudly displayed their Normandy in their frigate collection.

Mass Effect fans know that this legendary freighter only appears when it is most needed! Today, and for the next two weeks, as a love-letter from one science fiction game to another, we are giving everyone another chance to encounter the Normandy in an overhauled version of the original mission and add it to their collection.

Huge thanks to our friends at Electronic Arts and Bioware for helping make this happen.

It has been a momentous year for No Man’s Sky in a number of ways. We’re so grateful to be able to continue this journey with you.