Category: PlayStation

PlayStation Plus gets a dose of colorful 3D-platforming fun this month in the form of Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

Originally released in 2020 and created by Sumo Digital, the UK-based developer tapped into its previous experiences across platformer and multiplayer genres (LittleBigPlanet 3, Team Sonic Racing) to craft a captivating yarn. Levels are imaginative and reward exploration, and occasionally stray into musically-led stages backed by pop hits. Collectibles are many and worth discovering – offering secret pathways and increasingly dazzling costumes to deck out your character. Co-op (up to four players local or online) is joyful in its continuous tandem of cooperative and competitive.

To mark its launch on PlayStation Plus, we talked about the game’s origins with XDEV Producer Mark O’Connor. O’Connor shares some early concept sketches and gives his insights into how the core gameplay pillars came to be.

A highly interactive 3D world

“The concept for Sackboy: A Big Adventure started way back in 2017. The original pitch was simple (to say the least): Sackboy: A Big Adventure at its heart was to be a brand-new platforming experience set in Sackboy’s familiar home of Craftworld; complete levels, battle bosses and save the world!

“We wanted to reimagine the LittleBigPlanet franchise within a vibrant, (and for the very first time) fully 3D environment, that had that familiar feel of physicality woven into the game’s DNA. Everything is physical, from the gameplay, to the world, through to the UI and beyond.  Advanced real-time physical behaviors create a highly interactive 3D world: cloth stretches and tears, sponges squash and absorb, balloons inflate and burst, fluids ebb and flow.

Caption: These early concept sketches show how real world materials influenced the look and feel of the levels and their inhabitants. At the top, a Himalaya-like area built with carved foam and metallic paper, below, an enemy with a cardboard cylinder halo.

“We wanted to make certain that each level had a unique twist ensuring there’s something new and fresh around every corner. All whilst making sure it was responsive, had accessible controls and took advantage of what the PlayStation 5 had to offer.”

Levels tailored for both solo and multiplayer…

“The LittleBigPlanet titles were always designed as games that could be played solo or co-op and this is something that we didn’t want to change for Sackboy: A Big Adventure. It was always important to us that Sackboy’s very first 3D platforming adventure could still be played solo or with family and friends, with every player still being able to create and control their very own Sackperson.

“So, Sackboy: A Big Adventure was built from the ground up as a four-player co-op adventure with fun, physical character interactions that give players loads of ways to cooperate (and target each other). We wanted to encourage players to join forces to push, pull, slap and roll into objects (and each other).

“One great example of this is being able to stack Sackboys and Sackgirls to create a precarious “Sack Totem” and get to hard-to-reach places. These different ways to play make the game truly co-op. Players now have more meaningful interactions and are no longer just running through the same level side-by-side.

“Players of all abilities can join in the fun! Simple catch-up mechanics make sure that no one gets left behind. If one player can navigate an obstacle, then everyone can!”

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…and enjoyably competitive co-op

“Players of all skill levels can enjoy the adventure together, as we wanted the co-op and competitive mechanics to create a rich social experience.

“Playful interactions and scoring mechanics introduce loads of opportunities for friendly competition. Trigger a flash event and be the first to grab the shower of prize bubbles. Slap their hard-earned Collectabells currency out of your friend’s pockets. Score the highest on a level to earn bragging rights and the winner’s trophy at the end of the level.

“We decided early on that we wanted to showcase the character customisation options that allow the player to express themselves and make their Sackperson their own… So what better way than adding a photo finish at the end of the level? This way you can bask in the glory and focus on what pose you want to display.

“Besides, have you really played a Sackboy game… if you have never slapped or thrown your friends off of some high platform? We know that you all do it!”

High-level play with rewards for exploration

“We wanted a level of difficulty which is welcoming to new players and scales as you progress and gain experience.

Having desirable unlockables and rewards encourages you to keep on playing. Some are on the general gameplay path, but others you must seek out, which means there are always new areas to explore and new experiences to enjoy with Sackboy and your friends.

“These are all brought together within a rich narrative that provides a sense of purpose and gives context to the gameplay.”

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Music-themed levels

“The franchise has a history of using music in creative ways and we wanted to make sure that a range of music from upcoming, leftfield and world music artists soundtracked the many worlds in Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

“However, massive internationally-known pop hits had never really featured before – the challenge was what could we do with these well-known songs that would bring surprise and delight to the players. The answer was to design the levels around the songs – something the team at Sumo did brilliantly.

“There were some design considerations – the songs had to ideally run at a set tempo and have contained sections (verse, chorus, bridge etc). We would also look at where each level was set, to see if there might be some appropriate lyrical or thematic content – ‘Jungle Boogie’ in the jungle just made a whole lot of sense!

“Ultimately, the designers went to town synchronising the track to events in these levels. Every stage in Sackboy has a different approach to music design, with each track developing over the course of the level. For us, every level is a music level but these stand out as a wonderfully harmonious example.

“Check out the soundtrack and licensed playlist to put a swing in your step once you’ve played the game!”

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is available for PlayStation Plus members now. Find out more here.

During the Necrom Chapter Preview livestream, the Elder Scrolls Online team showcased the upcoming chapter’s (arriving June 20 for PlayStation) new features and gameplay, including the Arcanist class, new group challenges, and a part of Apocrypha never seen before in an Elder Scrolls game. 

Master the arcane

When it came to the Arcanist, ESO’s first new class in four years, the team saw an opportunity to integrate it and its mechanics into Necrom’s setting and themes. As a result, the Arcanist draws power from Apocrypha itself, and the team relished the opportunity to combine elements of Hermaeus Mora’s realm into almost every aspect of the way the class looks, feels, and plays. 

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The Arcanist utilizes three unique Skill Lines, each supporting a different playstyle: Herald of the Tome (damage), Curative Runeforms (healing/support), and Soldier of Apocrypha (tanking). You’re never locked into any one Skill Line, and you can mix your abilities with any others that are already available.  

The team also discussed the Arcanist’s all-new mechanic, the Crux System. When in combat, select Arcanist abilities generate a new resource called Crux, while others spend any saved Crux to receive a buff. If you seek to master this new class, you must learn how you utilize both your Crux-generating and spending abilities effectively. 

Explore a new aspect of Apocrypha 

In the Necrom Chapter, you can explore the realm of Apocrypha, an endless library containing unknown volumes of knowledge. Be warned—many seek to understand Apocrypha’s hidden secrets, but Mora’s realm also contains a terrifying host of dangers for those who come unprepared. 

The team also revealed an all-new aspect of Apocrypha not seen in the Elder Scrolls series before now: Chroma Incognito. A roiling landscape of mind-bending color, Chroma Incognito is a world shaped by what never came to pass—a realm of possibility rejected by cruel fate that stands in vivid contrast to the rest of Apocrypha. 

This distinct biome was an opportunity for the team to create something brand-new for Elder Scrolls fans while expanding upon the Prince of Knowledge’s domain. 

Chroma Incognito, of course, is packed full of adventure and danger, including unique quests, delves, group bosses, and a public dungeon—all ready to be explored! 

Overcome new challenges

During the preview, the team also had the opportunity to break down some of Necrom’s new group challenges. 

Bastion Nymic is an all-new world event, specific to the chapter, that sees you and up to three allies enter one of Hermaeus Mora’s strongholds to reclaim it from invaders. The fortress safeguards countless names of power, and should that knowledge fall into the wrong hands, it could spell doom for Apocrypha and Nirn alike. 

However, gaining access to the bastion is no simple task, since you need to acquire special items first by defeating the Herald’s Seekers found wandering both the Telvanni Peninsula and Apocrypha. Acquiring enough items allows access to Bastion Nymic, but be aware that a host of malevolent Daedra infest the stronghold, including Mora’s own traitorous forces—good luck!

In addition to the new world event, Necrom also introduces a 12-player Trial: Sanity’s Edge. In this PvE group activity, you venture into the mind of a member of the Mages Guild to undo the damage inflicted by his unsanctioned research.

As you explore the battleground of this sundered psyche, you discover a host of sinister foes standing in the way, including three uniquely challenging bosses and surprise champions. 

If you help the mage recover control of his fractured sanity, you receive special Trial rewards, including new item sets and some of the rarest collectibles in the game, such as the Ram of Dark Dreams mount. 

Discover Necrom this June

These are only a preview of the new features, adventures, and challenges you can experience in The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom. If you’d like to learn more, check out the full VOD of the Necrom Chapter Preview. 

The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is part of the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure and arrives on PlayStation consoles June 20. Pre-purchase Necrom now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch.

Our PlayStation VR2 MMORPG, Zenith: The Last City, has its next major content patch – Skyward Summit – on the horizon, and with that we are bringing a host of new features to the game.

Today, we are thrilled to announce that one of the features we will be introducing is player versus player (PvP) combat! We believe this feature will add a new layer of depth and excitement to Zenith. Players will now have the opportunity to test their skills against each other in a fun and engaging way.

Challenge yourself with thrilling one-on-one and team duels that will test your skills and push you to the limit. With our unique class system, including the brand new Cyber Ninja class, you can explore an endless variety of playstyles and strategies. While we are exploring additional options for PvP in future patches, Skyward Summit’s PvP will primarily focus on the implementation of one-on-one and team duels.

We believe that the addition of PvP in Zenith is a significant update that opens up new gameplay opportunities for players. We’re excited to see how players will explore new tactics, test their strategies, and learn from their opponents. We’re confident that PvP will provide a thrilling and engaging experience for our players.

Alongside the highly anticipated PvP mode, we’re excited to introduce the brand new Cyber Ninja class and a host of other thrilling additions. From player housing to resource harvesting and crafting, this patch has it all. We can’t wait for you to explore these exciting new systems and discover everything Skyward Summit has to offer.

Mark your calendars – the Skyward Summit patch is projected for release in Q2 2023. Stay tuned for more information and get ready for an unforgettable adventure.

As nearly all of Tokyo’s populace vanished in an instant and beings from another world took their place, players in the role of survivor Akito made an unlikely alliance with the ghost detective KK to save the city from catastrophe. With the free Spider’s Thread update, available for all Ghostwire: Tokyo players on PlayStation 5, Akito & KK face new stories and challenges that require their supernatural expertise. 

Featuring a new rogue-lite “The Spider’s Thread” game mode challenging players to navigate a 30-stage gauntlet putting their ghost-hunting skills to the test, this update also includes added enemies, enhanced combat abilities, extended story cinematics, Photo Mode enhancements and yes, areas to explore with two new side missions to uncover! 

Fear for the Children 

Akito & KK explore the new Middle School location added with the Spider’s Thread update to investigate reports of missing students, only to discover the two aren’t alone as something – or some things – stalk the school’s hallways. Uncover the secrets behind the strange phenomena occurring in the haunted school, including an eerie science mannequin, a paranormal sighting in the bathroom and even the legend of “Hananko-san,” a malevolent spirt that’s been doing some nasty studying-up of her own…

Spirits of the Modern Age 

Our duo uncover a series of 25 strange photographs, each seemingly taken near a source of supernatural evil. Noticing the photos respond with psychic effects and unsettling markings as they near the places they were taken, Akito & KK set out to find on a mission to find and purge these areas using their detective skills. Use landmarks, signage and other key clues in each photograph to find and stop the darkness that’s encroaching.

“Spirits of the Modern Age” also offers an opportunity to use an all-new feature debuting in The Spider’s Thread update: Reduced Psychic Effects. When toggled on, it eliminates certain psychic effects and replaces them with adorable SHIIBUYA♡HACHI stickers, allowing players to sprinkle some cute over their creepy as they explore.

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Whether you’re starting Ghostwire: Tokyo for the first time or planning a return visit, there’s ton to discover lurking in the alleys of Tango Gameworks’ supernatural vision of Tokyo with the Spider’s Thread update. Check out the Spider’s Thread update for Ghostwire: Tokyo today on PlayStation 5.  

God of War Ragnarök’s New Game Plus (NG+) update is now available and with it comes a ton of new options for Kratos builds!

Without our amazing QA team, both God of War Ragnarök and NG+ would not have been possible. Not only do they have incredible game knowledge, but our QA folks are also some of the most creative when it comes to coming up with unique playstyles.  

We went to a selection of our top combat specialists in QA to get their favorite builds that are now possible with NG+, scratching just the surface of the many powerful combinations that can be made with this update!

Can’t Touch This

Build by: Wilson Santiago, QA Analyst

Try this if you like:

• Glass cannon playstyle
• High mobility and damage output
• Last-second evades/counters
• Realm Shifts

This set-up will let you dance around your enemies until you get the perfect opening to strike with massive damage. Built around proficiency with last-second evades and counter-striking, this build uses Realm Shifts and increased damage against status-afflicted enemies to bob and weave between opponents while punishing every miss. If you’re confident in timing your dodges, this set-up can shred even the likes of Valkyrie Queen Gná and King Hrolf… just don’t get hit!

Armor

• [NEW IN NG+] Cloak of the Black Bear – Increases immunity duration while evading, last-second evades fire a volley of Bifröst shards.
• [NEW IN NG+] Gauntlets of Zeus – Increases Melee and Runic damage by 20%, but also increases damage received by 40%.
• Belt of Radiance

Enchantments

• [NEW IN NG+] Meign – Strength/Cooldown stat boost. 
• Vanaheim Set Bonus    
• Sigil of Doom
• Emblem of the Nine Realms  
• Memento of the Ailing
• Emblem of Elusion
• Boon of Valor or Boon of Wrath

Weapon Attachments

• Leviathan Axe: Grip of the Nine Realms
• Blades, Spear, Shield Rönd: Anything prioritizing Strength stat.

Relic

• Hilt of Hofuð

Spartan Rage

• Valor or Wrath

Companion – Weapons

• Atreus: Jötnar Bow
• Freya: Mardoll

Companion – Accessories

• Runic Potency III
• Nocked Proficiency III
• Sigil Amplification III

Companion – Runic Summon

• Atreus: Falcon’s Dive
• Freya: Player Preference

How does it play?

While squishy compared other builds, the new Cloak of the Black Bear pairs perfectly with the Belt of Radiance to reward you for timing those last-second evades with both Bifröst damage and a Realm Shift. By equipping the Grip of the Nine Realms and the Hilt of Hofuð, you’ll also have two activated Realm Shifts at your disposal, which means you can cut through the toughest of enemies while they’re stuck in place long enough to make Heimdall jealous. 

This build is also amazing at keeping the Hex status applied on enemies, as Atreus and Freya can do so using only two arrows. Between Kratos and your companion, you should be able to keep your enemies consistently status-afflicted to make the most of your buffs.

This build allows Permafrost, Immolation, and Maelstrom gauges to fill incredibly fast, so you’ll be able to take full advantage of each Realm Shift to melt enemy healthbars.    

Status Striker

Build by: TJ Gilbert, Senior QA Analyst

Try this if you like:

• Bare-handed/Shield combat
• Frequent Runic and Rage usage
• Status Effects
• Stunning enemies

This set-up is built around rapidly applying the poison status and building up stun with bare-handed attacks, while also reducing the cooldown time on your powerful Runic Attacks and Relic for frequent use. Pummel your enemies into submission while building up Rage to release a massive wave of damage once you’re ready to unleash your Wrath.

Armor

• Giptumaðr’s Breastplate
• Lúnda’s Lost Bracers
• Fate Breaker Belt

Enchantments

• [NEW IN NG+] Lúnda’s Engraving – Bare-handed attacks, Parrying, and Blocking have a chance to deal bonus damage and poison enemies, lowering their Power Level.
• Boon of Wrath
• Stunning Fang
• Vanaheim Set Bonus
• Svartalfheim Set Bonus    

Weapon Attachments

• Leviathan Axe: Grip of Weighted Recovery 
• Blades of Chaos: Cursed Empress Handles
• Draupnir Spear: Hind of Weightless Recovery 
• Shield Rönd: Player Preference

Relic

• Hilt of Garm 

Spartan Rage

• Wrath

Companion – Weapons, Accessories, Runic Summons:

• Atreus and Freya: Player Preference

How does it play?

This build uses the new Enchantment Lúnda’s Engraving to give you access to the powerful Vanir Poison Perk from Lúnda’s Lost Cuirass while having Giptumaðr’s Breastplate equipped to grant you Fortune’s Refresh. As both Perks scale off Luck, this build invests heavily in that stat to ensure you’ll have a high chance to proc their effects with your attacks.

Start the encounter by applying poison to your enemies with bare-handed attacks to make the most of your set buffs that increase damage against status-afflicted enemies. This set also increases stun and damage to stunned enemies, so using your fists and shield creates a lot of opportunities for extra punishment on top of status application. Use your Runic Attacks and Hilt of Garm to proc the Fortune’s Refresh Perk to restore Cooldown on your powerful abilities for frequent usage while consistently building up Rage.  

Once you have enough in your Spartan Rage Meter, make sure your enemies are status-afflicted and activate Wrath. With the Boon of Wrath and Vanaheim Enchantment Set Bonus, the shockwave from your activation will consume the status and deal massive damage!

The Minefield

Build by: Wilson Santiago, QA Analyst

Try this if you like:

• Frequent Rage usage
• AoE burst damage
• That noise Health and Rage Stones make when they get crunched
• Lots of Explosions

This build is all about the RAGE! Using pieces of the new Ares Armor, this set-up boasts high burst damage capabilities by maximizing the chance that Health and Rage Stones drop, turning each one into a deadly blast. Make even the most unassuming arenas a minefield of pain for your enemies with this explosively good combo!

Armor:

• [NEW IN NG+] Cuirass of Ares – Rage hits have a chance to drop a Health Stone. Health Stones will also grant Rage and all stones trigger bigger explosions.
• Giptumaðr’s Gauntlets 
• [NEW IN NG+] War Belt of Ares – Activating Rage when Rage Meter is fill increases all damage done for a short duration.

Enchantments:

• [NEW IN NG+] Mannvit – Runic/Cooldown stat boost.
• [NEW IN NG+] Fjölkyngi – Runic/Vitality stat boost.
• Niflheim Set Bonus
• Stone Idol of Souls  
• Seal of Runic Storm
• Eir’s Armament
• Boon of Valor

Weapon Attachments:

• All: Anything prioritizing high Runic and/or Luck

Relic:

• Hilt of Hofuð

Spartan Rage:  

• Valor

Companion – Weapons:

• Atreus and Freya: Player Preference

Companion – Accessories:

• All 3: Player Preference

Companion – Runic Summon:

• Atreus: Bitter Squirrel 
• Freya: Player Preference

How does it play?

This build is very unique and a TON of fun! The primary goal is making use of exploding Health and Rage Stones as much as possible during the fight to turn the ground just as hostile to your enemies as Kratos.

With this set-up, you’ll get incredible value when you activate your Spartan Rage. The Boon of Valor and War Belt of Ares will both provide you a powerful damage buff, while the Cuirass of Ares increases the chance that a Health Stone will drop, as well as the damage caused when you explode them. Additionally, the Cuirass will synergize well with the Stone Idol of Souls Enchantment to give you more consistent Rage replenishment for frequent use.

With this build’s extremely high Luck stat, you’ll have a big chance for a stone to drop from any Runic Attack or Rage hit. Combine that with the Bitter Squirrel Runic Summon and you’ll be stomping stones left and right throughout every encounter. 

Once you’ve got the ground covered, get in close and activate the Hilt of Hofuð Relic to keep your enemies locked in place with a Realm Shift while you crush the stones to chain high damage explosions!

Zeus’ Wrath

Build by: Evan Gilbert, QA Analyst

Try this if you like:

• Huge AoE damage
• Crowd control
• Frequent use of Runic Attacks and Relic
• Swapping weapons

This build encourages repeated Runic Attacks and Relic usage through Cooldown buffs to keep the ground covered in high-damage AoEs while cycling weapons. Not only does this set-up mete out punishment to multiple enemies at once, but it also emphasizes crowd control and positioning capabilities so you can take full control over the battlefield like a true Spartan general.

Armor:

• Giptumaðr’s Breastplate
• Berserker Gauntlets
• [NEW IN NG+] War Belt of Zeus – Increases Melee and Runic damage by 20%, while increasing damage received by 40%.

Enchantments:

• [NEW IN NG+] Vald – Cooldown/Strength stat boost.
• [NEW IN NG+] Mannvit – Runic/Cooldown stat boost. 
• [NEW IN NG+] Hjartablóð – Vitality/Luck stat boost.
• [NEW IN NG+] Guiding Light Engraving – Chance to increase Strength, Runic, and Luck of Kratos’ weapons. 
• [NEW IN NG+] Fallen Stars Engraving – Greatly reduces damage taken when using a Runic Attack or Relic.
• Attuned Runic Gem
• Seal of the Runic Storm
• Boon of Wrath 
• Use for Multiple Enemy Encounters: Eir’s Armaments 
• [NEW IN NG+] Use for Boss Encounters: Radiance Engraving – Chance to grant a Blessing of Runic on any last-second evade.

Leviathan Axe:

• Attachment: Grip of the Nine Realms – Chosen for stat boost, do not use Momentous Shift unless necessary as it will consume your Permafrost gauge.
• Light Runic: Winter’s Bite
• Heavy Runic: Mists of Helheim

Blades of Chaos:

• Attachment: Pommels of the True Flame
• Light Runic: Flame of Anguish
• Heavy Runic: Meteoric Slam

Draupnir Spear:

• Attachment: Hind of Weightless Recovery 
• Light Runic: Whisper of the World
• Heavy Runic: Vindsvalr’s Windstorm 

Shield:

• Dauntless Shield
• Rönd of Expedition

Relic:

• Hilt of Hrotti

Spartan Rage:  

• Wrath

Companion – Weapons, Accessories, Runic Summons:

• Atreus and Freya: Player Preference

How does it play?

This build is especially great when dealing with groups of enemies. It has an emphasis on large AoE Runic Attacks and Cooldown reduction, so reaching multiple foes across any arena won’t be a problem. Frequent use of your Runic Attacks and Relic may leave Kratos vulnerable while he casts them, so be careful with your timing and positioning when using this build.

Begin an encounter by using the Hilt of Hrotti. This Relic will apply a mark to enemies that heavily reduces Cooldown when dealing damage to them. Then quickly use a Runic Attack from each weapon to activate the effect of the Seal of Runic Storm for additional Bifröst damage. If you need to group enemies up, use the Draupnir Spear’s Light Runic Attack Whisper of the World before you start applying your heavy-hitting AoEs.

Continue cycling through your weapons while using your Runic Attacks to build momentum which will result in even more buffs and reductions in cooldown times. Since you will be applying status effects with your Runic Attacks, once your Spartan Rage Meter has filled you can activate Wrath to deal heavy damage.

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We hope these builds have inspired you to jump back into God of War Ragnarök’s New Game + mode! There are countless combinations waiting to be discovered, we can’t wait to see what our community creates. 

Got a creative build? Share it with us on the official Santa Monica Studio Discord!For the latest updates around God of War Ragnarök, make sure you follow Santa Monica Studio on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Each year, the workshops and activities from Girls Make Games (GMG) leave me feeling more proud, surprised and excited about the gaming industry than the last. Last year, women accounted for 48% of gamers in the United States, and at every level of the industry, women are accounting for more and more of the gaming workforce. Whether in development, publishing, marketing, competitive esports, journalism, or any other area of the gaming sphere, women are making their collective presence known and their individual voices heard.

Girls Make Games was founded to help cultivate the voices of the next generation of women in games, giving them a platform and the resources to pursue their passions. For this year’s iteration, and in celebration of Women’s History Month, Sony Interactive Entertainment provided participants with an unprecedented opportunity to visit with one of three development studios—Sucker Punch Productions, Insomniac Games, and Bend Studio—to learn, listen and connect with other young creatives in a welcoming and instructive environment.

Let’s take a closer look at how each event went:

Sucker Punch Productions

This event invited attendees to participate in interactive workshops hosted by GMG instructors, allowing them to learn the nuts and bolts of game design, like art, sound and coding. Every GMG event is open to girls of all skill levels, but in this case, many attendees had already begun developing their craft.

“I was surprised by how many of our participants were so experienced already,” said Brian Fleming, founder of Sucker Punch Productions. “For [some], it was perhaps their second or third event with GMG, and they were pushing well beyond the curriculum for the day. It was awesome to see!”

At its core, GMG is about engagement at the grassroots level, as part of a wider push throughout the industry to challenge an outdated culture of homogeneity. “I see GMG and similar efforts as the most impactful solution to the profound gender imbalance in our business,” Fleming said. “It requires patience and a long-term view, but to my mind it’s [a] real solution.”

The workshops held at Sucker Punch’s studio in Bellevue, Washington were broken into two groups, accounting for the different experience levels of each participant. Within those groups, each attendee was able to practice their skills and make their own individual contributions to a collaborative project.

Joanna Wang, Production Art Director for Sucker Punch Productions, highlighted the importance of encouraging each girl’s specific interests. “They may like art, they may like coding—a little piece of how to make a game. And what we can do is give them the big picture view, explaining how those pieces fit together.”

She continued: “We’re showing them some of the tools needed to make a video game, and they can see what part of that process interests them. So hopefully, they can identify a personal strength, and start thinking about how they can apply that to their future.”

Sucker Punch is known for many hit PlayStation titles, like the beloved Sly Cooper series and their most recent success, Ghost of Tsushima. But they still retain a tight-knit work environment. “We’re big enough to have some exciting facilities: mocap, our foley studio—and of course snack bins in the kitchen,” Fleming laughed. “But we’re also small enough that I don’t think it was overwhelming for them.”

The welcoming environment helped encourage a creative mindset for each participant. “We really valued the fresh perspectives they brought, the questions they’d ask,” Wang said. “One girl was into traditional painting, but wanted to translate that skill to video games. That motivated me in turn to bring that same creative energy to our own games—she wanted to be one of us, right? And that made me proud of what I do, but also proud of what she’ll bring to the industry in the future.”

She added: “Another girl asked me about what internships Sucker Punch offers! She was so ready, so into it. In moments like that, I can feel the passing of the torch to the next generation.”

Insomniac Games

Located in sunny Burbank, California, Insomniac Games was founded in 1994, and their offices provided the perfect environment for the GMG workshops. “We had around twelve eager kids come through, from our local community here in Burbank to as far out as New Mexico,” said Aaron Jason Espinoza, Sr. Community Manager at Insomniac Games. “We wanted them to learn not just about making games, but how games can affect players’ emotions, and the importance of thinking about the player’s experience.” 

After a brief tour of the studio and some photos with Ratchet’s Omni-wrench and Rivet’s hammer, participants sat down to meet with several key employees—or Insomniacs—to ask questions and learn about the many hands involved in making games. Animators, writers, audio designers, programmers, community managers; all of these and more shared their experiences with the group, and highlighted their contributions to the team’s projects.

“It was a brilliant look at how game dev is a collaborative effort,” Espinoza explained. “The kids were amazed at all the avenues they could take to pursue a life and career as a game developer.” Participants then were given a chance to apply what they’d learned by developing their own side-scrolling platformer, and Espinoza was impressed by the results. “They were thinking about platform placement, enemy locations, and what worked best for the player’s experience.”

“The experience was awesome, and our team was delighted to host it,” said Espinoza. “We can’t wait to see what these kids do with the knowledge they’ll develop as they grow into game developers themselves!” 

Bend Studio

This workshop marked the first time that Bend Studio had ever hosted a Girls Make Games workshop, inviting thirteen participants from the local community to their offices in central Oregon. Like the other two events, this day of activities centered around the hands-on workshops that provided real experience in the basics of game development, as well as the opportunity to pick the brains of the women of Bend Studios.

“We started the workshop with a tour, showing the kids around the multiple floors of the building where our different departments sit and collaborate,” said Kevin McAllister, Community Manager at Bend Studio. “Of course, the big Rager Bear statue received a lot of attention,” he added with a laugh. After the tour’s completion, participants settled in to start creating their own side-scrolling platformer, with the goal of realizing a finished product by the end of the day.

“They were so excited to see their work come to fruition and how their creativity turned into something they were truly proud of,” McAllister said. “From cute little foxes to a blinking frog, the characters they created to implement in their level even had our own developers impressed by what they achieved in such a short amount of time.”

As with the workshops held at the Insomniac and Sucker Punch offices, the developers encouraged each individual participant to identify a personal strength as it relates to game design and development, and sharpen that skill through the workshop’s exercises. Following a lunch break, members of the Bend team from various disciplines within the studio hosted a dev panel to talk about their journeys into the gaming industry, share their roles and responsibilities, and answer questions from the attentive group.

Between the creative activities and the conversational discussions about finding a career in the gaming industry, the Bend team worked hard to deliver a well-rounded, informative, and fun experience for every attendee. “It was an absolute privilege for our team to host this incredible experience,” McAllister said. “We had a lot of fun talking about games with the next generation of game developers. Maybe one day, we’ll even see them working on a future project at Bend Studio!”