Latest Playstation, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Playstation, multi-platform News
261 articles
Upcoming Souls-Like So Popular It Sells Out Of PS5 Preorders
While Sony gets ready to kill its disc production of PlayStation games in 2028, there are still plenty of games launching on physical media before disc-ageddon happens. One of those games is Mortal Shell 2(https://www.gamespot.com/games/mortal-shell-ii/), but unless you got your preorder in before its August 20 release, you'll have to wait if you want a specific physical version of the upcoming souls-like for PS5. Developer Cold Symmetry and publisher Playstack took to X on July 16(https://x.com/MortalShellGame/status/2077713025247613325) to share the unfortunate news. In revealing that the demand for the game's physical PlayStation 5 release "exceeded expectations," the studio confirmed that the supply just couldn't keep up. "We sincerely apologize if you were planning on preordering the Revered Edition and it is no longer available in your territory," Cold Symmetry wrote. "Due to Mortal Shell II’s release date of August 20, and the manufacturing time required to replenish stock, there is a very low chance of additional physical copies becoming available before the game’s release." https://twitter.com/MortalShellGame/status/2077713025247613325 "We are working with our distribution partner to review ongoing demand, and we'll update as soon as we hear their decision on next steps," the studio said. "To be clear, there is no guarantee of a stock replenishment plan after launch as this decision is not ours to make." It's worth mentioning that this supply-and-demand issue is specific to Mortal Shell 2's $70 Revered Edition for PS5, which comes with some extra goodies alongside the game, such as a collector’s tuck-in box, a steelbook case, fine art prints, and a physical artbook. Checking places like Best Buy and GameStop bears this out, too, as this edition is either "coming soon" or outright unavailable. You can still preorder the base game for $50 if you'd prefer a physical copy, but you won't get the aforementioned accoutrements. Mortal Shell 2 is a standalone sequel to the studio's 2020 outing, Mortal Shell(https://www.gamespot.com/games/mortal-shell/). It's a somewhat novel souls-like in that you outfit your character with "shells" that change your playstyle while providing you with distinct interactions in combat. While the game launches on August 20, there's an open beta (read: demo) you can check out on Steam right now(https://store.steampowered.com/app/4711740/MortalShellIIOpenBeta/) that, should you finish it, unlocks a very bloody Flayed Harbinger skin and the option to skip the prologue when the full game launches.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Will Probably Look Best On The Console That Costs The Most
Another year, another Call of Duty, with this year's entry featuring Infinity Ward as the lead developer. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4(https://www.gamespot.com/games/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4/) will once again be available across a wide variety of platforms, and Sony has dropped a few details about how the Microsoft-owned game will probably look best on its expensive PS5 Pro console. In a new look at the game, Sony briefly confirmed that Modern Warfare 4 will benefit visually from the recently upgraded PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps5-pros-upgraded-pssr-is-rolling-out-today-here-are-the-first-games-getting-it/1100-6538811/) (PSSR), and the game will support "increased graphics quality" from 120Hz and 60Hz, as well as an unlocked framerate when VRR and 120Hz are enabled together. Both the PS5 Pro and the base PS5 will run the game at 4K, but Sony didn't mention if the games will be upscaled from a lower resolution, as is the case with most new releases on the consoles. While it looks like the PS5 Pro may offer the best visual experience for this year's Call of Duty, that graphical bump isn't cheap. After Sony hiked console prices(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps5-price-increase-confirmed-by-sony-amid-market-pressures/1100-6539060/) earlier this year, the PS5 Pro MSRP rose to $900, making it the most expensive home console(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-ps5-pro-is-still-worth-it-for-now/1100-6539101/) of the current generation. While the hardware has become a lot more expensive, recent months have seen more games take advantage of the PS5 Pro and PSSR 2.0 to give their games a graphical bump. Cyberpunk 2077(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/cyberpunk-2077-ps5-pro-update-cd-projekt-red-once-said-no-to-is-almost-here/1100-6539252/), Alan Wake 2, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are some of the notable examples, and Ubisoft also outlined the extra features that players could expect if they play Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-ps5-upgrades-include-dedicated-hair-rendering-tech/) on the console. Ahead of its launch on October 23, Activision also showed off Modern Warfare 4's ambitious new Kill Block map(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/see-cod-modern-warfare-4s-constantly-changing-kill-block-map-in-action/), which looks like someone kit-bashed together several popular Call of Duty maps to create a unique arena. With only a few months left to go before it arrives, more details on Modern Warfare 4 will be revealed at the Fanatics Fest this weekend. Infinity Ward studio head Mark Grigsby and Activision marketing executive Tyler Bahl will join a panel on the game(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-of-2026s-biggest-movie-will-talk-call-of-duty-mw4-this-weekend/) alongside Obsession star Inde Navarrette and NBA player Kevin Durant.
Sony-Owned Crunchyroll Is Now Kneecapping Physical Anime Sales
If you watch anime regularly, you are certainly aware of Crunchyroll, a subscription streaming service owned by Sony that delivers many new and classic anime series to audiences across the globe. It's the biggest name in that space, regularly beating out Netflix and Amazon for rights to stream the medium's biggest hits. It's also got an online store where you can buy your favorite anime on physical media--which many devoted fans do, since streaming rights to shows can and do frequently expire. However, in a move that has familiar echoes to Sony's decision to end production of PlayStation game discs, the Crunchyroll store is being severely scaled back--and fans of anime on disc are very unhappy. Some background: In 2023, Crunchyroll purchased The Right Stuf International, an Iowa-based online retailer of anime DVDs, Blu-rays, manga, and merchandise, to bolster their sales and merchandising presence. Right Stuf was folded into the Crunchyroll store, where it continued to be a source of physical anime media, offering discs of not just Crunchyroll-licensed anime but also shows and films from a wide variety of licensors. Unfortunately, it seems that the time of the Crunchyroll store being a massive anime retail store with a broad selection open to all is coming to a close. According to a recent statement and FAQ posted online,(https://store.crunchyroll.com/us-store.html) the store will be dropping much of its current stock and transitioning to "a brand-new shopping experience that will be available exclusively for Mega and Ultimate Fans (subscription tiers)." Instead of physical discs, the Crunchyroll store will focus on "collectibles, curated drops, and limited-release products inspired by the anime series you love." Reactions online to the announcement have been swift and angry(https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1uwdgev/majorcrunchyrollstorechanges/), with longtime customers going back to the Right Stuf days particularly upset(https://bsky.app/profile/miketoole.com/post/3mqmm3yhhv22c). Besides culling their product offerings and limiting the store to higher-paid subscription tiers, many have pointed out that Crunchyroll has dropped the ball on supporting popular series that Right Stuf initially licensed and distributed after the purchase, leaving physical releases of Gundam and Macross shows in the lurch and mishandling an ongoing Kickstarter to release the classic Dirty Pair anime on Blu-ray. Other fans had noticed that Crunchyroll was already severely cutting down on stocking releases from boutique licensors recently(https://www.reddit.com/r/discotekmedia/comments/1sqhgoh/discotekisdownto27titlesavailableon/). The transition leaves many anime fans without their go-to disc shop, and calls into question whether or not Crunchyroll-licensed shows will even see a physical release in the future. Taken with Sony's sudden decision to kill off PlayStation discs by early 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonys-no-more-discs-debacle-was-inevitable-but-the-worst-is-yet-to-come/), it's hard for many fans not to see this as another act of hostility towards the physical medium they love.
PlayStation Store summer sale has deep discounts amid anti-Sony fury
Sony just launched a PlayStation summer sale as it continues to wade through controversy due to killing physical games on its systems.
PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium Games For July 2026 Revealed
Sony has revealed the latest games coming to the Game Catalog for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers in July. Like last month, the release schedule for these games has now changed for US, UK, and Japanese subscribers, with an initial batch starting July 21 and the rest arriving in later waves. Here's a closer look at everything on the way: PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Games for July 2026 - Rise of the Ronin (PS5) -- July 15 - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (PS5) -- July 21 - Firefighting Simulator: Ignite (PS5) -- July 21 - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind (PS5, PS4) -- July 21 - Dying Light (PS4) -- July 21 - Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (PS5) -- July 28 - Snow Bros. Wonderland (PS5) -- July 28 PlayStation Plus Premium PS Classics - Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (PS5, PS4) -- July 28 - Indigo Prophecy (PS5, PS4) -- July 28 Available right now, Rise of the Ronin(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rise-of-the-ronin-review-long-term-investment/1900-6418202/) is another fun souls-like from Team Ninja. It's not as punishing as the other games that the studio has produced in this genre--like Nioh--and players will get to shape the future of Japan in this open-world adventure. Kicking things off on July 21 is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/avatar-frontiers-of-pandora-review-the-good-blue-man-group/1900-6418162/). A tie-in to the recent Avatar sequel movies, Ubisoft's trip to Pandora does a great job at capturing the alien world in all its natural glory, and as a human-raised Na'vi, players have all the skills they need to reclaim the planet from the destructive RDA. Firefighting Simulator: Ignite hits the Game Catalog on July 21 as well, and it puts you in the fireproof boots of a firefighter. The game supports co-op for up to four players, and it features some impressive graphics thanks to the use of Unreal Engine 5. If you feel like a trip to Angel Grove, you can join the teenagers--with attitude!--in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mighty-morphin-power-rangers-ritas-rewind-review-the-90s-sure-were-weird/1900-6418325/) on July 28. A retro-inspired 2D brawler, the game features the classic roster of Power Rangers as they face off against their nemeses Rita Repulsa and her older form, Robo Rita. That same day, you can also grab the very first Dying Light(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dying-light-review/1900-6416018/) game from Techland. Still spooky--especially at night--players will have to use crafting skills and parkour to survive in a city overrun with zombies. Starting July 28, you can grab Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector(https://www.gamespot.com/games/citizen-sleeper-2-starward-vector/) and Snow Bros. Wonderland. Citizen Sleeper 2 evolves the TTRPG-inspired gameplay of the first game, giving players challenging contracts to pursue and difficult choices to make as they navigate through a hostile galaxy. Snow Bros. Wonderland picks up where the very first Snow Bros. game left off 30 years ago, and it shifts the 2D action to a gorgeous 3D isometric plane. Speaking of retro treats, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers can grab two new games from the PS Classics vault. The first of these is Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy(https://www.gamespot.com/games/psi-ops-the-mindgate-conspiracy/), a 2004 action-adventure game where you get to unleash telekinesis, mind control, and pyrokinesis powers in deadly combat scenarios and challenging puzzle sections. Fans of the developer Quantic Dream can check out the studio's very first interactive drama, Indigo Prophecy(https://www.gamespot.com/games/indigo-prophecy/). A paranormal thriller set in New York City, players will experience a story about supernatural murders and strange motives from multiple viewpoints. Don't forget, all PS Plus members can claim three free games(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-plus-essential-free-games-for-july-2026/) -- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, For the King 2, and CrossCode.
PlayStation FlexStrike will no longer launch alongside Marvel Tokon
PlayStation indefinitely delayed the FlexStrike fight stick controller, which was supposed to launch alongside Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls in August
PS5 emulation reaches new milestone as it loads GTA 5
Following Sony's announcement that it won't support game discs starting in 2028, all eyes are on PlayStation emulators.
Sony delays its new PS5 fight stick
Sony is delaying the launch of its FlexStrike fight stick controller for PS5 and PC, which had been set to launch on August 6th, to an unspecified date in the future. The company blames the delayed launch on "unexpected production delays." The original planned launch of the FlexStrike would have lined up with the release &8230;
The New PlayStation Black Ops Ports Feel Like The Bare Minimum
The first two Call of Duty: Black Ops games have launched on PS5 and PS4(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-ops-1-and-2-are-coming-to-ps4-and-ps5/), but they're not exactly the remasters that fans were expecting. Both games feature a high price considering their age--$40 each--while their respective DLC packs are being sold as optional extras(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-black-ops-1-and-2-ports-are-out-now-on-ps5-but-dlc-costs-extra/), an odd move considering how most remasters include that content to sweeten the deal. To make things worse, it looks like the technical presentation isn't much to write home about either, as the PlayStation ports feature barely any noticeable improvements at all. According to Digital Foundry(https://www.digitalfoundry.net/news/2026/07/the-new-call-of-duty-black-ops-port-charges-usd40p35-for-a-basic-1080p-upgrade), Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 have been updated to run at 1080p on PS5 and PS4, and that's it. No option for a 4K resolution on PS5 or the opportunity to push the framerate to 120Hz, no improved shadows or lighting, and no quality-of-life updates like you'd find in modern Call of Duty games at all. In comparison, the original Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 games get the resolution bump for free on Xbox Series X|S through the console's backwards compatibility program, while PC gamers have been creating custom mods for years now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUdEf79y7jw As mentioned above, each remaster is being sold for $40, and their map packs cost $30 each. That's $70 per game, but it is worth mentioning that Activision is offering a discount to PlayStation Plus subscribers, dropping the price to $20 per game and $10 per map pack. Still, paying $60 per complete edition of a game is expensive, especially when they aren't that much of an improvement compared to the original titles. "For a native PS5 title and a somewhat high-profile port, this is a deeply odd state of affairs. Even the game's obvious visual blemishes are preserved: shadow quality was necessarily poor back in the day, but why preserve that problem in the present day when so much more graphics horsepower is available?" Digital Foundry wrote. Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4(https://www.gamespot.com/games/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4/) was recently revealed and will be out later this year. Unlike the 2024 and 2025 games, Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7, Modern Warfare 4 will not be available on Game Pass at launch, and Activision is busy reminding players in ads for the game(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-promotes-call-of-duty-mw4-by-telling-you-its-not-on-game-pass/). Modern Warfare 4 will launch for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/modern-warfare-4-on-switch-2-has-been-so-smooth-for-infinity-ward/) on October 23.
Ghost of Tsushima anime gets trailer teasing connection to game's multiplayer mode
Ghost of Tsushima: Legends got a new trailer ahead of the show's 2027 release on Crunchyroll.
Rarest PS1 and PS2 games to buy before Sony closes the PlayStation Store
Here are 12 PS1 and PS2 games that cost hundreds of dollars used, but you can buy them digitally for a song on the PlayStation Store before it closes.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 1 And 2 Ports Are Out Now On PS5, But DLC Costs Extra
The ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) and Black Ops 2 (2012) are available now. The ports, which were confirmed in June, are developed by Iron Galaxy in conjunction with Activision. As announced previously(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/black-ops-1-and-2-are-coming-to-ps4-and-ps5/), these are not remasters or remakes--if you enjoyed the games in their original states, that's what you're getting here. The games cost $40, but PlayStation Plus members can get each for $20 through August 6. There is no bundle that puts them together. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-2.46.23-PM.png?w=1024) Black Ops 1 and 2 are out now on PS4 and PS5. The descriptions for each state that the games offer "a classic Call of Duty experience," and as such, cross-platform multiplayer is not supported. Beyond the base games, Activision is also selling each game's season pass for $30 (or $10 through August 6 for PlayStation Plus members). The season pass bundles include additional multiplayer maps and Zombies content. The next brand-new Call of Duty game is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which launches this October for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC.