To kick off the gaming summer season, PlayStation held a showcase on May 24th featuring lots of new game announcements. We got to see some new PS5 games in development, as well as some stuff that’s currently in the works for PlayStation VR2. If you’re a PS5 fan, there’s lots to sink your teeth into, so let’s take a little trip back in time and revisit all of the announcements at the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase.
Fairgame$
The first game we got to see at the showcase was Fairgame$, a live-service shooter currently in development at Jade Raymond’s Haven studio. The game looks like a cross between Payday and Watch Dogs; it mixes the heist setting of the former with the colourful day-glo visuals and hacker aesthetic of the latter. We didn’t get to see any gameplay footage of this one, and we didn’t get a release date either, but as a first look, we’re excited to see what Fairgame$ has to offer.
Helldivers II
Next up, it’s Helldivers II, a multiplayer shooter that looks markedly reminiscent of Outriders (which is appropriate, given the two names are very similar). The original was a twin-stick shooter, but this one’s a third-person co-op affair with echoes of Starship Troopers about it. With a satirical tone and plenty of action to be had, Helldivers II looks like one to watch if you’re after a game to unwind with your buddies. It’s out in 2023 for PS5 and PC.
Immortals of Aveum
After Helldivers II, it’s time for another look at EA’s upcoming Immortals of Aveum, a magical first-person shooter that looks like a cross between Ghostwire: Tokyo and Hexen. The gameplay trailer we got to see looked suitably epic, with plenty of different spells to play with and lots of enemy types to challenge your playstyle. Immortals of Aveum lands on PS5, as well as PC, on July 20th.
Ghostrunner 2
If you don’t remember the original Ghostrunner, it was a sort of cyberpunk action game with an emphasis on speedy play and trial-and-error gameplay. There’s a second game in the works, it turns out, and this one gives you new toys to play with, including a motorbike that the protagonist stylishly rides down the side of a building during the trailer’s opening moments. Ghostrunner 2 is heading to PS5 sometime this year.
Phantom Blade Zero
Have you had your fill of Soulslikes yet? How about Soulslikes based on Far Eastern mythology? What about Soulslikes that meld Far Eastern martial arts movies with steampunk? That’s what Phantom Zero purports to offer. This game comes to us from a developer known as S-Game, and we’ll likely be hearing more about it as the months go by. We’ve got no idea when this one will be launching.
Sword of the Sea
Some developers have indelible marks that they leave on the games they create, and that’s certainly a claim you could make of the creators of Sword of the Sea. If you’ve played Journey, Abzu, or The Pathless, then you’ll be familiar with the visual style here; it’s a sort of artistically-rendered, clean style full of lots of sand and characters with no pupils. Sword of the Sea is coming to PS5 at some point in the future.
The Talos Principle 2
Now here’s one we didn’t expect. The Talos Principle 2 is an exciting-looking followup to Croteam’s excellent 2015 puzzler, and it looks to have the same heady dose of philosophising as well. Expect massive, beautiful worlds, plenty of thorny morality to get to grips with, and a lot of head-scratching puzzles into the bargain. Like some of the other games on this list, The Talos Principle 2 is coming to PS5 this year.
Neva
This is one you’re definitely going to want to avoid if you don’t want your heartstrings broken. Neva comes from Nomada Studio, the developers of artsy platformer Gris, and it looks to be in the same vein; an exploration of grief in the form of a game. This one, however, is all about your beautiful animal companion, which makes it even more potentially devastating. You’ll have to wait until 2024 for Neva to land on PS5.
Cat Quest: Pirates of the Purribean
Surely “Purrates of the Catibean”? Well, missed naming opportunities aside, this one’s another game in the rather cute Cat Quest series of RPGs. It’s coming to PS5 and PS4 in 2024.
Foamstars
Next, it’s a bubblegum third-person shooter by the name of Foamstars. This one looks like it wants to compete for the crowns held by Overwatch and Splatoon; it’s a colourful game that emphasises leaving coloured blobs on the battlefield rather than conventional combat. Time will tell whether this one achieves the same level of success enjoyed by the aforementioned games, but it’s coming to PS5 and PS4 at any rate.
The Plucky Squire
Remember the Super Mario Odyssey levels in which you jump into a pseudo-2D space and play old-school Mario for a little while? That’s essentially the basic idea behind The Plucky Squire, which blends 2D and 3D gameplay in a rather interesting-looking way. It’s all wrapped up in a cosy fantasy aesthetic that should be perfect for fans of Fable or The Princess Bride. Sometime in 2023 is the release window.
Teardown
PC players have had Teardown for a while, but it’s making its way to PS5 as well. The physics-based heist simulator with fully destructible voxel scenery hits Sony’s console this year.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
That’s right: Konami is actually working on that Metal Gear Solid 3 remake that’s been doing the rounds in the rumour mill for a while. Metal Gear Solid Delta is a somewhat silly title, but we’re very excited to check out Snake Eater. No further info on this one besides the fact that it exists, unfortunately.
Towers of Aghasba
Avatar meets Subnautica meets Horizon Zero Dawn. That’s probably how the elevator pitch went for Towers of Aghasba, an “action-adventure builder game” coming to PlayStation 5 in 2024. The game looks breathtakingly beautiful, and for additional cred, it’s got one of those sailcloth-style paragliders that have been so much in vogue since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild hit the scene.
Final Fantasy XVI
Next, it’s another look at the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI, which is taking the series in a darker and grittier direction after the melodrama of Final Fantasy XIII and XV. The action combat is looking sharp and fun here, and we’re excited to see where Naoki Yoshida takes the project after his success with Final Fantasy XIV. This one will be available on PS5 on June 22nd, so get ready for it.
Alan Wake 2
That’s right – Alan Wake 2 is still alive, and so is Alan himself! Coming to PS5 on October 17th, this game will have an FBI agent seeking Alan and attempting to free them both from a twisted horror story. It’s another survival horror adventure in which you’ll need to use light to battle shadow creatures, so make sure to go brush up on the original Alan Wake if you want to get up to speed.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Ubisoft is promising a back-to-basics approach for Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and the trailer we saw during the PlayStation Showcase certainly looks like it’s going to offer just that. As Basim, you’ll join an early iteration of the Assassins and help to shape the organisation into the legend we know it as today. The gameplay will move away from the RPG stylings of recent entries, too. Mirage is coming to PS5 on October 12th.
Revenant Hill
Here’s another rather adorable-looking project from some of the folks who created Night in the Woods. You are a cat (which is a popular choice of protagonist nowadays), and you’re looking to put down some roots. You’ll be able to explore a “world falling apart” and decide how you’re going to live in it. Again, this one’s coming to PS5 and PS4, although we don’t have any idea as to when.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
The Granblue franchise gets an action RPG in Relink, which heads to PS5 in winter 2023. The PlayStation Showcase trailer showed off some suitably epic-looking anime combat, as well as some characters with whom you’ll definitely be familiar if you’re into the Granblue franchise. Suffice it to say this one looks like it’s going to be on the wishlists of anyone who’s addicted to the mobile gacha game.
Street Fighter 6
We’re over to Capcom’s tent now to be reminded that Street Fighter 6 exists. It sure does, and it’s coming out on June 2nd, so give the trailer a look if you’re not yet suitably hyped for this fighting extravaganza.
Ultros
No, it’s not the octopus from Final Fantasy VI, but rather a cosmic mind-bending odyssey from the “creative visionary” behind Hotline Miami. You must explore a giant space womb known as The Sarcophagus in order to discover the truth behind the demon it’s holding and how to escape it as well. Yep, that sounds like the guy who thought up Hotline Miami, alright. 2024 for this one.
Tower of Fantasy
It was only a matter of time until Genshin Impact got itself a rival, and that rival has arrived in Tower of Fantasy. The open-world gacha RPG has already been on PC for a while, but it’s coming to PlayStation in summer.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma was always something of a curious proposition, and this sequel trailer reminds us why. Like the original game, you’ll get to decide your character’s appearance and vocation, as well as the look and combat approach of your party of “pawns”. The visuals and gameplay look a lot sharper and more refined this time around, though, so if the jank put you off Dragon’s Dogma, this sequel could be for you. No release date yet, though.
PlayStation VR2 showcase
Next, it’s a sizzle reel of upcoming PlayStation VR2 games. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 kicks things off, then we get a spooky look at Resident Evil 4. Following that, it’s zombie adventure Arizona Sunshine II, then Smilegate’s Crossfire: Sierra Squad gets all shooter-y on us. The VR segment of the show closes with an extended look at physics-y shooter Synapse and a new Queen-themed music pack for rhythm action game Beat Saber.
Marathon
Here’s a surprise! Turns out Bungie is working on a new Marathon game. Marathon was one of Bungie’s titles before the studio became known for Halo and Destiny, so this is likely to be pretty exciting for anyone who loved that game. This one’s a “PVP extraction shooter” rather than a single-player adventure, though. Again, no release date or release window, so we might be waiting a while for more info.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Hey, it’s another Destiny 2 expansion! The Final Shape looks to bring back some old faces and introduce us to some new ones, and there’s a giant mysterious purple triangle, so that’s got to be good for some intrigue, right? We’re going to learn more about this expansion on August 22nd, when the Destiny Showcase event airs.
Gran Turismo
One for the movie lovers here. Gran Turismo is getting a movie adaptation, as we knew, and we got another look at it during the showcase. It’s certainly looking like a movie that has cars in it.
Spider-Man 2
Last but not least, here’s a look at Spider-Man 2, the upcoming sequel to Insomniac Games’ excellent 2018 Spider-Man. This game will star Kraven the Hunter and Venom as its principal villains, and the gameplay looks pretty similar to what we saw in Spider-Man, albeit with more flashy and impressive setpieces and more tools for both Peter Parker and Miles Morales to use. The trailer serves as an extended look at one of the game’s action sequences, which look like they’re going to be exciting, if a little uninteractive. It’s a fall 2023 release window for this.