Kicking off this year's Not-E3 summer events, Sony finally returned with a short State of Play conference. On the official PlayStation Twitch and YouTube channels, the company live-streamed a 30-minute show at 6 p.m. EDT that showed off the games and projects currently in the works.
With Sony bringing a strong opener showcase, everyone is anticipating the other conferences that Not-E3 will offer, which will hopefully be better than last year's E3. From Tunic obtaining PlayStation ports to Resident Evil 4 getting a remake, here are all the highlights from Sony State of Play that gamers may have missed.
Tunic Ported To PS4 And PS5
Originally released in March 2022 for PC and modern Xbox consoles, Tunic is an indie isometric action-adventure game where players control a cute anthropomorphic fox in a Legend of Zelda-inspired world. As the player explores, they'll fight various creatures, solve puzzles, obtain new abilities, and slowly uncover the mysteries within the land.
During the presentation, it was announced that Tunic will receive ports for the PS4 and PS5. For PlayStation players who want to play this gorgeous and highly rated title, they should put September 2022 on their calendars.
PlayStation VR2 Games
As players patiently wait for the PlayStation VR2 (PSVR 2), which will be compatible with the PS5, Sony is already announcing launch titles for the upcoming technology. If players want to experience Lady Dimitrescu's towering height in all her glory, then they will soon be able to purchase the PSVR 2 port of Resident Evil Village, which doesn't have a release date yet.
Fans of the original 2020 VR first-person shooter survival horror title The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners can look forward to a sequel in late 2022 called The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution. Both a port of No Man's Sky and a spin-off title of the Horizon series called Horizon Call of the Mountain were announced with some gameplay footage but no official release dates.
New Sports Action Shooter Rollerdrome
From the British video game developer Roll7, who are best known for the skateboarding OlliOlli series, Rollerdrome is a sports action game scheduled to release on Aug. 16, 2022 that combines rollerskating with the third-person shooter genre. Taking place in the year 2030 within a corporate dystopia, the player is aiming to become the next champion in a new bloody sport called "Rollerdrome."
Unlike in real life where a "Rollerdrome" is simply a rollerskating venue, this sport has players shoot at their enemies while rollerskating and performing tricks at high velocities. As the player aims for the top, they might also be able to uncover the dark truths behind one of the corporations. With a vibrant cel-shaded comic book art style and an original soundtrack, this game feels like a modern, and more violent, return of Jet Set Radio.
New Atmospheric Adventure Game Season: A Letter To The Future
Scheduled to release in the Autumn of this year, Season: A Letter to the Future is a third-person atmospheric exploration adventure game being developed by the Canadian indie team Scavengers Studio, who also created the 2020 battle royale Darwin Project. As a young woman from a secluded village, the player bikes through a large beautiful world before an unknown event wipes everything away.
To preserve this soon-to-be-lost world, the player must photograph, record, and document their experiences. While exploring the various landmarks and societies, the protagonist may uncover what led to this alternate reality and what is causing the upcoming cataclysm.
Dating Sim Meets Hack And Slash In Eternights
From a new small indie developer called Studio Sai, Eternights is a dating sim hack and slash that takes place in an apocalyptic world where humans are turning into monsters called the Infected. After the protagonist's arm is cut off, it gets replaced by a new arm that can transform into a blade to fight these enemies. Now, the protagonist and their confidants must survive in this new world and find a cure.
Similar to the newer Persona games, the player will have a set number of days to gather supplies, explore dungeons, and develop relationships with their confidants. Besides gaining new abilities from these confidants, the player can also romance them, which will not only affect the in-game conversations and actions but will also change the animated cutscenes. The game is scheduled to release in early 2023.
Stray Release Date Revealed
After being delayed twice, the highly anticipated indie adventure game Stray announced that it will finally release on July 19, 2022. The game follows a stray cat who has fallen into a large futuristic dystopian city filled with robots inhabitants and dark secrets. To find their family, the cat navigates through these new surroundings and befriends a small flying drone named B12.
Ever since the game was introduced during the summer of 2020, many people have been excited to explore this cyberpunk world as a cute cat. During the game, players will explore, solve puzzles, and avoid dangerous enemies while also moving and acting like a cat. Together with B12, players will need to solve the mysteries of this world and find a way out.
The Callisto Protocol Release Date Revealed
Directed by Glen Schofield, who co-created the revolutionary science-fiction horror series Dead Space, The Callisto Protocol is a third-person survival horror that just received a planned release date of Dec. 2, 2022. While originally set to be within the same universe as PUBG, the game has since evolved to have its own story and universe.
Taking place in 2320, the game follows a young man named Jacob Lee who is currently a prisoner at the prison colony Black Iron, which exists on Jupiter's moon Callisto. When a mysterious outbreak causes people to start mutating into creatures known as Biophage, Jacob will have to fight for his life and uncover the dark secrets behind the facility and the people who run it. With Schofield and other Dead Space developers behind this project, fans are excited for this new title.
Release Window Announced For Final Fantasy XVI
Since the release of Final Fantasy XV in 2016, fans have been excitedly awaiting the next mainline installment of this beloved JRPG series. Although the release of the upcoming action JRPG Final Fantasy XVI was delayed at the end of last year, this State of Play conference gave fans a new trailer that showed off more gameplay and a new release window, which is the summer of 2023.
In this latest mainline title, players will find themselves in the fictional land of Valisthea where a disease known as the Blight threatens the tentative peace between the six factions, who each rely on the powers aether-producing Mothercrystals. The game follows Clive Rosfield, his brother Joshua, and their foster sister Jill Warrick as they embark on a quest for revenge. With Ryota Suzuki as the combat director, it's no surprise that the gameplay shares some similarities with the Devil May Cry series.
Street Fighter 6 Detailed Trailer
Another beloved franchise that fans have been waiting for since 2016 is Capcom's flagship fighting series Street Fighter. Although Capcom teased in Feb. 2022 that Street Fighter 6 is in development, Sony State of Play showed fans the first detailed trailer for the game, which revealed that the game is scheduled to release in 2023.
Along with the classic fighting game modes and a single-player story mode, it seems there will be an area for players to interact and free-roaming sections. Iconic characters Chun-Li and Ryu have already been confirmed for the roster along with Luke, who was the final DLC character of Street Fighter V. Jamie, a brand new fighter, will also join the rest of the cast.
Resident Evil 4 Remake Announcement
After the release of the Resident Evil 3 remake in 2020, fans have been anxiously waiting for a Resident Evil 4 remake to be announced. Since Resident Evil 4 largely impacted the third-person shooter and survival horror genres, people couldn't wait to re-experience Leon's historic adventure to rescue the U.S. President's daughter, Ashley Graham.
Luckily, Sony State of Play gave fans their first announcement trailer along with a release date of March 24, 2023. Despite the short length, the trailer already shows updated graphics, and fans are simply excited to see this favorite again.