It Appears PlayStation Is Building Towards Cross-Buy/Save For A Greater Ecosystem Beyond Console

In the realm of PlayStation, concern for more users outside of console is becoming monumental for Sony. The recent months have illustrated this best by the actions of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Back in May, the PC release for Ghost of Tsushima introduced a new ‘PlayStation Overlay’ which featured an in-house interface to view friends, trophies, and other PlayStation aspects. Additionally, the objective for mobile gaming is a continued push for PlayStation silently. Discovered in one job posting for Sony Interactive Entertainment only solidifies the drive to have a stake in the mobile market. What’s more, this ecosystem has loses its opacity when viewing PlayStation Network requirements for newer titles. Games including Helldiver 2 more notably alongside God of War Ragnarok & Until Dawn – all on PC, that is. Now according to a new report over on IconEra, eagle-eyed user Etifilio indicates that there is more in the greater scale of things. Alongside were Trophies for the game expected to roll out for more titles (Marvel’s Spider-Man), but the files also point towards cross-buy as part of the PlayStation Overlay as well as Launcher from PlayStation. However, it does not simply stop there. Also piecing together the previous Insomniac Games leak that took place, one document reveals “Services 3.0, The Future of PS Plus”, the push for PlayStation Plus to expand beyond its own hardware. The image shared mentions apps for Bravia displays as well as Amazon Fire, Android TV, and potentially Roku too. A step Microsoft just took with Xbox this week. Of course, this all comes down to how PlayStation plans to approach the venture ultimately. In fact, it is possible that these internal efforts could be shelved indefinitely. And if it were to be acted out, one thing is for certain – console remains the focus. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida says this in an interview. You can read the full report by heading here. Do you consider this plan for PlayStation to be materializing anytime soon? Source: IconEra
Ubisoft CEO Confirms Remakes For Legacy Assassin’s Creed Titles Are Underway

It is no secret – the cashflow of Ubisoft has Assassin’s Creed as one of the major arteries for the publisher. Even with the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage – a return to form; smaller-scale effort – it was the best-performing release on next-generation machines. So the idea that the firm will continue to invest in the IP is practically a given. Reports previously indicated that Ubisoft has more than a handful new titles in the pipeline already. This includes the codename projects from Ubisoft. Additionally, staffing is also being bolstered for the series too. CEO Yves Guillemot in a prior earnings report reveals that hiring is to increase about 40 percent for employees focused on Assassin’s Creed. Now in a new statement from Guillemot, he discloses that this effort now includes remakes for some of the classic releases – officially. Firstly, players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we’ve created in the past and modernize them; there are worlds in some of our older Assassin’s Creed games that are still extremely rich. Secondly, to answer your question, there will be plenty of experience variety. The goal is to have Assassin’s Creed games come out more regularly, but not for it to be the same experience every year. There are a lot of good things to come, including Assassin’s Creed Hexe, which we’ve announced, which is going to be a very different game from Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’re going to surprise people, I think. However, this was already understood to be underway as per online whispers made in the past. According to leaks from Kotaku, sources familiar within Ubisoft told that one specific title is planned to return – 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. The title was shipped on Xbox One & PlayStation 4, but it was indicated that dedicated versions for new hardware in underway. What’s more, Ubisoft is preparing to unify its titles with its own in-house launcher. Similar to COD HQ, the new ‘Animus Hub’ is to act as a mediator between titles and also ties into the lore of the franchise. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you surprised by the recent statement from the Ubisoft CEO? Source: Ubisoft
Livestream ‘Capcom Next – Summer 2024’ Scheduled For July 1st

Still in June, the high that was from this year’s Summer Game Fest still lingers as the season continues into July. However, there is still more on the way – specifically from publisher Capcom. Already, the Japanese firm hosted its own Capcom Highlights in two separate streams earlier in March. But, there is another coming the beginning of July. Recently, Capcom announced its new Capcom Next – Summer 2024 livestream and will headline upcoming projects from the publisher. One of the anticipated reveals includes Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. It was recently teased with fans left hungry for more on the title. Additionally, there will be updates for both Resident Evil VII on iOS as well as Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess during the presentation. “Your favorite Zombie Paradise is back from the dead! First details on the recently revealed Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster will be announced. We’ll also be sharing more news on Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, which launches on July 19, and RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard for iPhone/iPad/Mac,” the description for the YouTube livestream reads. Among other plans from Capcom, fans are still looking out for any updates on Pragmata. The game which was revealed to be the first major IP for ninth generation hardware is nowhere to be seen roughly four years later. The game most recently was revealed to still be in development with the release left undated – not even a release window was provided. Furthermore, Capcom has truly grasped at the heartstrings of its consumer this past June. Even if not for the biggest IPs, fans are sitting excited for new projects. Both Ace Attorney Investigations Collection & Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is prepared to launch later this year. How excited are you for the coming Capcom Next – Summer 2024? Capcom Next – Summer 2024 is to take place on July 1, 2024 at 3 PM PST / 6 PM PST. Source: Capcom
Frostpunk 2 has been pushed to September 20, 2024

Frostpunk 2 from 11 Bit Studios was planned to release this July 25, but the studio announced it has been postponed to September 20 which will have fans waiting almost two months to play the anticipated survival game. The delay will allow the team to deliver the best possible experience when Frostpunk 2 releases this Fall. “Based on the surveys we received after playing Beta, the average rating you gave us was 8 out of 10. We’re super grateful for that! At the same time, it was only a small slice of a work-in-progress, still-growing game. While our backlog is plentiful, it was an opportunity for us to listen to what you enjoyed, and what didn’t quite land yet”. “This allowed us to prioritise things better, and bring upfront the features and modifications we were already working on. But we also realised that to guarantee the best possible experience on launch, we need more time to finish the development of Frostpunk 2. That’s why we made the difficult decision to postpone its release to September 20th, 2024”. The scope of new works includes additions to the game mechanics, extensive UI & UX enhancements, and more. Frostpunk 2 will release for PC, via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S Source: Steam
The Xbox app is coming to Amazon Fire TV Sticks

Microsoft continues with its goal of letting people play games anywhere they can. On Thursday, it was announced that Xbox has collaborated with Amazon where Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members in over 25 countries can play games directly from the Xbox app on select Fire TV devices via cloud gaming. Starting in July, the Xbox app will be available on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023) – $59.99 and Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) – $49.99. If you are new to console gaming, this is a cheap alternative to enjoy the same games you could play on the Xbox Series X console. Players will just need the Fire TV Stick and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, and you will just need to connect a Bluetooth-enabled wireless controller. You’ll be able to play games like Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and much more. How to play Xbox games on Amazon Fire TV Stick When you go on your Amazon Fire TV Stick search for the Xbox app and install it. After that, you’ll need to sign in with your Microsoft account to play. If you are an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member you will have access to hundreds of cloud-enabled games. You can use different types of Bluetooth-enabled controllers including the Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Adaptive Controller, PlayStation DualSense, or DualShock 4. Source: Xbox Wire
Don’t Nod delays Lost Records: Bloom & Rage to early 2025

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a new story-driven journey through time developed by Don’t Nod and was planned to be released later this year. Developer, Don’t Nod Entertainment announced on Friday that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will be delayed until early 2025. Don’t Nod is going to be busy releasing games over the next several months as they will be releasing Life is Strange: Double Exposure on October 29, 2024. We've made the decision to move the release dates of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage to early 2025. We know you're all excited for both Lost Records and the new Life is Strange game, and we wanted to ensure both have adequate space to shine. The wait will be worth it! pic.twitter.com/PH1O7z3uUy — DON'T NOD (@DONTNOD_Ent) June 28, 2024 Film your last summer in Velvet Cove playing as Swann, a quirky introvert who loves capturing reality through the lens of her trusty camcorder. Get to know Nora, the rebellious firecracker; Autumn, the thoughtful leader; and Kat, enigmatic and strong-willed – the summer of ‘95 is gonna be one to remember! Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2025.