Latest Playstation, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Playstation, multi-platform News
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Surprise: God Of War Laufey Has A Release Date, And Its Kratos-Led Sequel Has Been Announced
The God of War Laufey release date has been announced and, much like we anticipated, you won't have to wait too long before you can play Faye's story. At San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Sony Santa Monica Studios officially announced that the God of War Laufey release date will be 16 February, 2027. https://twitter.com/SonySantaMonica/status/2080831512820519253 Game director Cory Barlog also announced that the game will ship with physical discs. That announcement comes just weeks after Sony announced that it would be halting the production of physical discs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/) entirely from 2028. The release date announcement wasn't the only surprise, as Barlog also confirmed that the next God of War game will put players back in the boots of Kratos. According to IGN(https://www.ign.com/articles/next-kratos-led-god-of-war-game-is-coming-after-laufey-and-connects-directly-to-her-story-comic-con-2026), he said, "Everything we are doing in the Faye game is a continuation of what came before and to set up and expand what comes next. Phranque has been around since the beginning. It's interesting to see how to build this world out. Everything in the game is setting up for something so amazing." While there are many theories about what, or who, Phranque could be(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/god-of-war-laufeys-phranque-is-far-from-just-a-cube/), it sounds like we'll have plenty of time to get familiar with him throughout the future of God of War. God of War Laufey was originally revealed(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-god-of-war-game-revealed-at-state-of-play/) with 20 minutes of gameplay during a Sony State of Play broadcast in June 2026. The game looked pretty polished then, so it's unsurprising that its release date is just seven short months away. It also means that February 2027 is looking pretty stacked now, with God of War Laufey, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, Persona 4 Revival, Fable, and Metro 2039 all slated to release within two weeks of one another.
New God of War game starring Kratos announced at Comic-Con
God of War director Cory Barlog announced a new GOW starring original protagonist Kratos, it will tie directly into Laufey's story.
Resident Evil Movie Trailer On PlayStation’s YouTube Page Is Full Of People Asking Sony To Change Course On Discs
The newest trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil movie from Weapons director Zach Cregger has arrived(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-why-the-new-resident-evil-movie-has-snow-and-smartphones/), and the version of the trailer posted on the PlayStation YouTube page is full of jokes and references to Sony's controversial decision to end support for physical game discs in 2028. The movie, which hails from Sony Pictures, doesn't have a heck of a lot to do with the PlayStation brand outside of the Sony connection, but since it was posted on PlayStation's YouTube page, people took the opportunity, and creatively, to boot, to voice their displeasure about the discs situation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7SwoJsSb7w&rco=1 The video has nearly 2,000 comments at press time. Some of the top-ranked comments read, "He's transporting the last physical game copy in existence" and "I cannot wait to get the physical version of this." Other top comments say, "Luckily, there was an old typewriter upstairs, and he was able to save" and "Leon... where are the physical discs?" Another comment reads, "I love using my PlayStation 5 as a Blu-ray player," while another states, "This movie looks like it's going to get physical." Sony's decision to end support for physical PlayStation game discs might make business sense(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/), but it's not sitting well with fans. Hundreds of thousands of people(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-220000-people-petition-sony-not-to-kill-physical-playstation-game-discs/) have signed a petition calling on Sony to change course, but experts believe Sony will no go back on its decision. While Sony itself will stop supporting game discs in 2028, other companies are getting started sooner. Rockstar Games, for example, is charging $80 for GTA 6 and not releasing it on a disc(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-is-not-releasing-with-a-disc-and-that-just-makes-sense-in-2026/). There will be physical boxes of the game sold at retail, but they only include a code, not a game disc. Even that code may not be worth anything forever, as people in Japan need to redeem it within 170 days(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-is-the-first-game-ive-seen-with-a-best-before-date/). As for the Resident Evil movie, the film arrives in theaters on September 18. It's coming to market behind a lot of hype, considering Cregger's last two movies, Barbarian and Weapons, were big hits.
Update: The PlayStation Network Is Back Online After Going Down For Roughly 8 Hours
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/24/b0bf5a1a/PSN.jpg.webp) Update, 2:37 p.m. ET, 07/24/26 After being down for roughly eight hours, the majority of PlayStation Network services are back online(https://status.playstation.com/en-US/). The only PSN service still experiencing issues is the PlayStation Store, but account management, gaming and social, PlayStation Video, and PlayStation Direct are back up and running. The original story continues below... Original story, 12:41 p.m. ET, 07/24/26 The PlayStation Network (PSN) is down. That means all of its online services, such as account management, the PlayStation Store, and gaming and social content, are unavailable to players, leaving only offline services in effect. PSN has been down for more than six hours, interrupting online gaming for many, including the highly anticipated open beta for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/07/16/the-open-beta-for-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-starts-next-week), which was set to begin today. With PSN down, PlayStation players are unable to check out the PlayStation 5 console-exclusive title. "We're aware that some PlayStation players are experiencing login and network issues," the Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls X account posted(https://x.com/MARVELTokon/status/2080634440670191989?s=20) this morning. "Our team is actively investigating the problem and working to identify the cause. We'll share updates as soon as we have information." Unfortunately for developer Arc System Works, which just revealed that Phoenix Cyclops will be the first DLC character to hit Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/07/24/phoenix-cyclops-revealed-as-first-dlc-character-in-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-at-san), it sounds like it's out of its hands. The PSN service page(https://status.playstation.com/en-US/) shows all services as "experiencing issues." Those services are as follows: - Account management - Gaming and Social - PlayStation Video - PlayStation Store - PlayStation Direct While PSN being down is never great, the timing couldn't be worse – PlayStation just earlier this month announced that it is ceasing production of physical discs for new games in January 2028(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/07/01/playstation-will-cease-production-of-physical-discs-for-new-games-in-january-2028). During PSN outages such as this, a physical disc often ensured players could at least access offline-playable content stored on the disc, while some digital games, even single-player ones, require an online check to play, leaving players unable to access those games when PSN is down. This move by PlayStation to end physical disc manufacturing is just another way the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S generation has been a race to the bottom(https://www.gameinformer.com/opinion/2026/07/03/the-ps5-and-xbox-series-x-generation-has-been-a-race-to-the-bottom). Game Informer will update this story when PSN comes back online.
Sega Won’t Ditch Physical Media, But Says Digital Expansion Is Vital
No one really loves Sony's decision to kill physical PlayStation discs in January 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/), but there is data that backs up the company's plan(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/physical-ps5-game-sales-are-weaker-than-you-might-expect/). Sega's president understands the choice and the numbers, but he says the company remains committed to producing physical media despite the push to an all-digital future. In a recent interview with Famitsu(https://www.famitsu.com/article/202607/81143) (that was translated by Eurogamer(https://www.eurogamer.net/playstation-physical-media-sega-ceo)), Sega president Shuji Utsumi spoke about how the company needs to be "more digitally conscious and become more global." For Sega, "digitalization" is an important part of the company's business going forward. "When it comes to titles we call 'full games' for consoles and PCs, we believe that a digital shift is crucial," Utsumi told Famitsu. "Of course, consoles are important, but the proportion of people who play on PCs is steadily increasing. Even in areas where consoles are not widely available, there are many people who say, 'I can play it on PC.' In order to cultivate that market, we believe it is important to strengthen our digitalization." In admitting that an all-digital future is seemingly inevitable, Utsumi acknowledged that physical media is still a vital aspect of the games industry and something he hopes Sega can balance. "We were originally a platform provider, and of course, we still value the culture of physical media," Utsumi continued. "Rather than completely abandoning that, we are currently challenging ourselves to shift so that we can think about and act on the important aspects of digital media in parallel." This is a somewhat stark contrast to what Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot recently said about Sony's decision. In a recent VGC interview(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-boss-has-a-hot-take-on-sony-killing-game-discs/), Guillemot remarked that the end of PlayStation disc production won't "disturb" the industry too much. The industry this decision will impact, though, is brick-and-mortar stores. Although GameStop's Ryan Cohen isn't concerned with the impact of Sony sunsetting physical PlayStation discs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/physical-games-are-irrelevant-to-gamestops-business-says-ceo/), an analyst believes game retail stores are doomed(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/analyst-says-sony-killing-physical-ps5-games-dooms-brick-and-mortar-stores/). The decision has riled up hundreds of thousands of people to sign a petition(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-220000-people-petition-sony-not-to-kill-physical-playstation-game-discs/) urging Sony to reverse course.
PSN Is Down
Sony's PlaYStation Network is experiencing network issues currently. The official PlayStation Status page notes that, "All services are experiencing issues." This includes account management, gaming and social, PlayStation Video, PlayStation Store, and PlayStation Direct. The website Downdetector(https://downdetector.co.uk/status/playstation-network/) notes that the PSN issues have been ongoing for hours already. People are reporting issues with logging in, launching games, and connecting to servers. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-24-at-11.07.28-AM.png?w=636) Oof. Whenever the PSN goes down, it's unfortunate, but the timing is especially tough for people wanting to try the Marvel Tokon multiplayer beta that started today, July 24. "We're aware that some PlayStation players are experiencing login and network issues. Our team is actively investigating the problem and working to identify the cause. We'll share updates as soon as we have more information," the developers wrote(https://x.com/MARVELTokon/status/2080634440670191989). On the PlayStation Status page, Sony wrote, "We're working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience."
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' first DLC fighter revealed at Comic-Con
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls will get Phoenix Cyclops as its first DLC character this fall, Arc System Works announced at San Diego Comic-Con.
Marvel's Wolverine hype new trailer is overshadowed by drama
Insomniac's bloody superhero action game is shaping up well, based on a recent Comic-Con panel. But few seem to care.
Ex-PlayStation Boss Calls For A Return To The Good Old Days Of AA Gaming
Shawn Layden may not be at Sony anymore, but the former PlayStation boss has a lot of thoughts about the company, its games, and the industry as a whole. Specifically, he'd love to see a return to the PS1- and PS2-era of games, and he has a (somewhat vague) plan to achieve it. In a July 23 interview with Eurogamer(https://www.eurogamer.net/former-playstation-boss-shawn-layden-bringing-double-a-back), Layden spoke at length about how unsustainable the current model of game development is. He discussed the untenable ballooning budgets of recent years, how niche gaming is compared to the universality of movies and music, and how the current structures just don't hold up. Tucked into the interview was a mention of PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 games. "The problem we see there is the current model incentivises or almost dictates that to get funding--certainly in the triple-digit million era--you better be a sequel or you better be based on something like Lord of the Rings, or you had better be 'it's just like Grand Theft Auto but…,' he said, "So we make all those kinds of games, we fund those kinds of games. But the quirky kind of stuff you saw on PS1 and PS2, we don't see so much." Layden admitted that the PS1 and PS2 had such "wacky" games because the incentives were different at the time and players weren't so siloed in their communities (re: more willing to try new experiences because gaming was still so new). Someone so steeped in Call of Duty may not play a Skate, or someone wrapped up in Halo may not give a Lies of P a try. But for Layden, that's the exact problem he hopes to solve with his plan. "We keep making more of the same thing; bad habits are hard to stop," he said. "That's why I'm trying to put together a publishing concern that will address that underserved AA market, not only from the consumers I believe it can appeal to, but the developers who want to go back there." A "publishing concern" certainly sounds like vague corporate gobbledygook. Maybe it is! Layden didn't expand any further on it with Eurogamer, but the theory is that he could be hinting at some sort of investment strategy to give AA studios--think of a developer like Asobo Studio (A Plague Tale: Requiem(https://www.gamespot.com/games/a-plague-tale-requiem/)) or Questline (Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon(https://www.gamespot.com/games/tainted-grail-the-fall-of-avalon/))--a chance at survival in what's becoming a succeed-or-die industry. He also touched on how much shorter games of that era used to be. Friends of his, according to Eurogamer, told him that they "miss the days" of finishing a game. That's something he'd love to bring back: the ease with which it is to beat a game (because now, games these days feel like 1000-hour affairs or even second jobs). "Let's go back to understanding not only 'What did you want to build?' but 'Who are we building it for?'" he continued. "When the average gamer was between 16 and 24, you are time-rich and money-poor; but if you're between 28 and 32, you may not be money-rich, but you're definitely time-poor. So let's keep that in mind, folks."
Disney’s Former CEO Seems To Have No Memory Of Approving Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is such a significant part of many people's lives, but for former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, greenlighting the iconic Square Enix franchise was just another Tuesday. Eisner must have taken a trip through Castle Oblivion, because he seems to have forgotten why he approved the series. Reporter Stephen Totilo of Game File(https://www.gamefile.news/p/delphi-interactive-james-bond-fifa-michael-eisner-disney) briefly had the ear of Eisner after a panel about video game company Delphi Interactive, for which Eisner is an investor. Totilo asked the 84-year-old businessman if he recalled giving the go-ahead for Kingdom Hearts, which launched on PlayStation 2 in 2002. Eisner simply responded: "No." Totilo says he clarified to Eisner that he was pitched the game in Tokyo and it was a crossover between Final Fantasy and Disney characters. While that jogged Eisner's memory a bit, he failed to remember why he gave Square the thumbs-up, according to Totilo. At least one person from that Tokyo meeting remembers how it went down--per Kingdom Hearts Insider(https://www.khinsider.com/news/Otocoto-reveals-history-of-how-Kingdom-Hearts-got-approved-by-Eisner-17299), Shuji Utsumi, then the managing director for Disney Interactive's Asia Pacific division, detailed that faithful day when he ran Kingdom Hearts by Eisner and over 100 members of management. Utsumi characterized Eisner's demeanor as that of an "ancient Chinese Emperor," and regarding the pitch for Kingdom Hearts, Eisner's response was "Keep at it, and do it right." The origin story of the wonderful and strange Kingdom Hearts series is well-known among hardcore fans, stemming from a chance encounter between Square's Shinji Hashimoto and a Disney executive on an elevator. Even with how big the first Kingdom Hearts and its subsequent follow-ups grew, it shouldn't be too surprising that it was just a blip to Eisner, who ran the behemoth entertainment corporation from 1984 to 2005. As for what's next for the franchise, Kingdom Hearts I-III Collection(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/preorders-for-kingdom-hearts-collection-i-iii/) is due for release in October, though its reveal was marred by some questionable artwork(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/players-think-kingdom-hearts-new-art-is-ai-generated/). There's no word on when Kingdom Hearts 4(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/kingdom-hearts-4-gets-a-surprise-look-at-nintendo-direct-2026/) will come out, but with any luck, we'll hopefully receive news at next month's D23 expo(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/whats-next-for-disney-games-d23-is-about-to-tell-us/). The Best Way To Play Kingdom Hearts !3975724-kh4sora.jpeg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975724-kh4sora.jpeg?w=636) !3975734-kingdomhearts.jpeg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975734-kingdomhearts.jpeg?w=636) !3975729-kingdomheartschainofmemories.jpeg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975729-kingdomheartschainofmemories.jpeg?w=636) !3975725-kingdomhearts2.jpeg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975725-kingdomhearts2.jpeg?w=636) !3975732-kingdomheartsre-coded.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975732-kingdomheartsre-coded.jpg?w=636) !3975727-kingdomhearts358:2.jpeg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975727-kingdomhearts358:2.jpeg?w=636) !3975728-kingdomheartsbirthbysleep.png(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1599/15997278/3975728-kingdomheartsbirthbysleep.png?w=636) View Images(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-best-way-to-play-kingdom-hearts/2900-4082/)
New PS5 Update Is Out Now, Makes Reading Easier
A new firmware update for PS5 consoles has been released, and as usual, it's not much to write home about. PS5 update version: 26.04-13.60.00 once again keeps things simple, offering a very incremental enhancement to the Sony-produced hardware. "We've improved the messages and usability on some screens," the extremely brief update notes(https://www.playstation.com/en-za/support/hardware/ps5/system-software-info/) read. The last major PS5 update was focused on the PS5 Pro, as it introduced an upgraded version of PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) for owners of the beefier machine. Beyond that, we've seen an improved Friends Activity widget, the option to check your PS5 console serial number, and a power saver mode added in older firmware updates alongside the usual rounds of stability improvements. Just in time for several highly anticipated games in August and September, like Control Resonant(https://www.gamespot.com/games/control-resonant/), Onimusha: Way of the Sword(https://www.gamespot.com/games/onimusha-way-of-the-sword/), and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls(https://www.gamespot.com/games/marvel-tokon-fighting-souls/). While these announcements are also usually brushed off, people online are using them lately to voice their displeasure with Sony's decision to kill PlayStation game discs in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/). Every post by the company online has been met with a flood of negative responses calling on people to boycott the system or purchase the games on a different platform, as part of a campaign(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-220000-people-petition-sony-not-to-kill-physical-playstation-game-discs/) to persuade the company(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-disc-death-sends-the-internet-into-its-physical-media-defense-arc/) to offer some form of physical media option in 2028 and beyond. Is it working? Probably not, as Sony and third-party publishers are weathering the storm of criticism, as a digital-only marketplace will be much more lucrative(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-sony-killing-discs-its-all-about-profitability-and-control-expert-says/?thumbnailid=1807886) for them in the future.
Analyst Says Sony Killing Physical PS5 Games “Dooms” Brick-And-Mortar Stores
Sony's decision to kill physical PlayStation games in January 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/) has, understandably, gotten under the skin of just about everyone. And while Disgea's creator says the company should just stop making consoles altogether(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disgaea-creator-says-sony-may-as-well-scrap-playstation-consoles-if-its-killing-game-discs/) if there won't be any more physical games, an analyst is sounding the alarm on how Sony's decision could be the death knell for brick-and-mortar gaming stores in the future. Michael Pachter, managing director of strategic planning at the LA-based financial services firm Wedbush Securities, spoke to CNBC on July 21(https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/22/sonys-playstation-disc-decision-threatens-a-7-billion-resale-market-.html) about the possible ramifications of Sony's choice. He said that the company's decision could save Sony some money, but it ultimately feels anti-consumer. Pachter then emphasized just how important the used-gaming market is for all consumers. "Realistically, at least 1/3 of games have been sold historically as used, and the games that were sold used also provided currency to the gamer who traded them in as cash to pay for new games," he said. "Brick and mortar game retail is doomed." This is in stark contrast to what GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen said on July 17. As the top man of one of the largest gaming retailers in the world, Cohen expressed how "totally irrelevant(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/physical-games-are-irrelevant-to-gamestops-business-says-ceo/)" physical games are to the company's overall business. It is true that software sales only make up 12% of GameStop's revenue, with collectibles (like Pokemon cards) accounting for 41.8% and hardware and accessories totaling nearly 40%. Gaming sales, new or used, are an ever-shrinking portion of GameStop's business, and there is data backing up just how little physical PlayStation 5 game sales(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/physical-ps5-game-sales-are-weaker-than-you-might-expect/) contribute to Sony's business. But the numbers haven't stopped hundreds of thousands of people from signing a petition(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-220000-people-petition-sony-not-to-kill-physical-playstation-game-discs/) urging Sony to change its mind and continue producing discs. The internet also had thoughts on Sony putting physical games in a coffin, with many lampooning how play apparently does have limits(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-disc-death-sends-the-internet-into-its-physical-media-defense-arc/). (This is a riff on Sony's common slogan: "Play has no limits.")