PlayStation September 2021 Showcase Recap: Everything That Was Announced
Almost a year after holding its 2020 PlayStation Showcase, Sony held its 2021 PlayStation Showcase and unveiled a selection of new games, offered a deeper look into God Of War Ragnarök, and another gameplay trailer for Deathloop. If you want to take a look back at everything that was announced during the September 2021 PlayStation Showcase, keep reading on or click on any relevant section below to find out more.
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic – Remake
There have been numerous rumours of a remake of Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic by Aspyr. The game was originally released back in 2003 for Xbox and Windows, before being ported to Mac OS, iOS, and Android, and is one of the most popular and celebrated video games made.
The game is set 4,000 years before the events of the original Star Wars trilogy and told a new story in which heroes and villains struggle for the fate of the galaxy. Throughout the RPG-rich game, players will meet a diverse set of characters, discover numerous planets, fight various battles, and make tough decisions that affect the game’s entire story.
As we originally reported, the remake of Knights Of The Old Republic – or KOTOR – is being handled by Aspyr and will release as a PS5 console exclusive at launch before coming to PC in partnership with PlayStation and Lucas Film Games.
According to the PlayStation Blog post announcing the game, the KOTOR remake will use a new generation of modern tech, and it will include new features and visuals while maintaining the “integrity of the story and characters”. Aspyr has pulled together some of the best talent from across the video game industry to create the remake, including members of the original development team.
In the post, Aspry Media Lead Producer Ryan Treadwell explained that they hope to give both series newcomers and long-term fans “an experience that can live alongside the very best modern releases”. Treadwell confirmed that they’re rebuilding the original game with the latest tech, but stressed that the title is still early in development with more information to come soon.
Project Eve
Project Eve was announced back in 2019 and developer Shift Up Corporation unveiled a closer look at the upcoming PS5 action game that is set in the not-too distant future where mankind is expelled from Earth after losing a battle against invaders known as the NA:tives. Players control Eve as she fights to win back Earth.
According to a PlayStation Blog post by Shift Up Corporation Director Kim Hyung Tae, the game takes full advantage of the PlayStation 5. Players will need to explore the post-apocalyptic Earth by scaling walls, sliding, swinging on ropes, and more. Players will also have to adapt to Project Eve’s fluid yet challenging combat where enemy attacks will need to be memorised and parried for successful battles.
Kim Hyung Tae confirmed in the post that Shift Up Corporations aren’t ready to announce a release date for Project Eve, but promised that more updates will be shared shortly.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Gearbox Software provided an update on its fantasy looter shooter Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, which is based on the Borderlands universe but takes place in a high-fantasy setting after the events of the Tiny Tina’s Assault On Dragon Keep DLC for Borderlands 2.
This stand-alone game will launch on March 25, 2022, and sees Tiny Tina embark on a quest to defeat the evil Dragon Lord, a tyrannical villain obsessed with ruling all of the Wonderlands. The PlayStation Showcase featured an in-depth look into Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ gameplay. The footage offered a look into several settings players will explore, including several majestic towns, mushroom forests, dangerous fortresses, and more.
As Gearbox Software Creative Director Matt Cox explains in a PlayStation Blog post, players will encounter a variety of monsters and bosses throughout the game and they will have to use a range of weapons to defeat them, including spells, guns, melee weapons, and more. The game will launch for PC and all Xbox and PlayStation consoles in March 2022, Gearbox Software have confirmed more information in the coming months.
Forspoken
Forspoken was announced by Square Enix and Luminous Productions back in 2020 as Project Athia. Officially titled Forspoken, the game will release for PC and PlayStation 5 in Spring 2022. It follows Frey Holland who stumbles into the dangerous world of Athia and discovers she has magical powers. Throughout the game, Frey must use her newfound powers to journey across Athia and survive its dangers.
In a PlayStation Blog post, Luminous Productions Creative Producer Raio Mitsuno revealed that the game is being spearheaded by several talented writers, including Gary Whitta of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Amy Hennig of the Uncharted franchise. Not much else was announced about Forspoken, but we can expect more information in the coming months ahead of its Spring 2022 release.
Alan Wake Remastered
Earlier this week, Remedy Entertainment Creative Director Sam Lake confirmed a remaster of Alan Wake. A trailer for the game debuted during the PlayStation Showcase, unveiling the remaster’s improved visuals and announcing a release date of October 5, 2021. According to a PlayStation Blog post by Sam Lake, the remaster will include the original game as well as its two story expansions The Signal and The Writer, which were originally released as DLC.
Alan Wake Remastered will feature new 4K visuals, updated environments and cutscenes, as well as a making-of commentary. The game will run at 4K 60 frames-per-second on the PlayStation 5, while the base PS4 will run it at 30 frames-per-second, and the PS4 Pro offering a choice of two modes; Performance running at 60 frames-per-second and Quality running at 4K 30-frames-per-second. The PlayStation 5 version will also include DualSense adaptive trigger support, with each gun giving different feedback, as well as Activity Cards for each episode and mission.
Alan Wake Remastered will release for all Xbox and PlayStation consoles, as well as on PC in October 2021. It will support free next-gen upgrades on PlayStation consoles as well as save game transfer too.
Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online
Meanwhile, Rockstar Games provided an update on its enhanced Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, announcing a delayed March 2022 release date. Rockstar debuted a trailer for the expanded game, showcasing the new technical and graphical improvements.
According to a PlayStation Blog post detailing the re-release, Rockstar confirmed that new and existing PlayStation Plus members can claim a GTA$1,000,000 bonus every month for the PlayStation 4 version of GTA Online between now and when the re-release launches in March. What’s more, the new version of GTA Online will be available to users for free for the first three months after launch.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Action-adventure game Ghostwire: Tokyo also appeared in the PlayStation Showcase. The game, developed by Tango Gameworks, will release as a timed PS5 console exclusive before launching on PC. In the game, a mysterious fog takes over Tokyo and causes the entire city’s population to vanish, with a masked group taking over the city led by a man known as Hannya. Players must use their supernatural abilities to combat the otherworldly spirits – known as Visitors – that haunt the city.
A PlayStation Blog post by Bethesda Softworks Content Manager Parker Wilhelm offers more detail on the game, stating that Tango Gameworks’ vision of Tokyo includes modern skyscrapers, traditional Japanese shrines, narrow alleys, neon-lit shops, crossings, and more. The game includes various supernatural enemies, including headless high school students, dolls, faceless ghosts, and more.
On PlayStation 5, Ghostwire: Tokyo will support ray tracing and 3D audio, and it will utilise the console’s high-speed SSD with near-zero loading times to allow for seamless exploration of Tokyo. In addition, the PlayStation 5 version of Ghostwire: Tokyo will offer a more immersive experience through the DualSense controller, using the controller’s built-in microphone, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback too. Parker Wilhelm explains that players will be able to feel the difference between their supernatural abilities and can feel resistance in the triggers when pulling out a Visitor’s essence, and the controller’s adaptive triggers will increase in strength as players become stronger.
Ghostwire: Tokyo doesn’t have an official release date yet, but will release on PlayStation 5 as a timed console launch exclusive in 2022. Expect more information in the coming months.
Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy
Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy is Eidos-Montréal’s take on the Guardians of the Galaxy. The game is set 12 years after a conflict known as the Galactic War and shortly after Star-Lord formed the Guardians of the Galaxy, with the team being together for less than a year. The group inadvertently spark a series of events that allows the Universal Church Of Truth to rise to prominence and threaten the universe as they look to bring their Promise to the galaxy, which will bring back everything lost in the Galactic War.
Players will play as Star-Lord and will have to utilise Peter Quill’s elemental gun to defeat enemies and use his jet boots to fly and explore environments. Other members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, including Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Drax The Destroyer, are not playable but controlled by artificial intelligence. Throughout the game, players will have to make important decisions via dialogue trees that affect the relationships between the Guardians as well as the outcome of certain missions. However, the branching dialogue paths will not change the game’s core story or ending.
Throughout the game, players will meet a colourful cast of characters, including the Nova Corps, telepathic dog and Knowhere guardian Cosmo, Mantis, and Kammy, a mysterious space alpaca. Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy will release on October 26, 2021, for PC, Nintendo Switch, and all PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Bloodhunt
Bloodhunt is a free-to-play, third-person battle royale game set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe. The game, which is set in the Old Town of Prague, where rivalling factions of vampires are betrayed and targeted by a secret society known as the Entity. Players will have to play as vampires from various clans, each with their own talents and abilities, and must use supernatural powers as well as weapons and wits to take on the Entity.
According to a PlayStation Blog post, the game includes deep customisation features to allow players to create vampires, including numerous options for clothing, tattoos, jewellery, hairstyles, piercings, make-up, and more. Additional cosmetic items will be made available through the in-game store and Battle Pass progression.
The PlayStation 5 version of Bloodhunt will support 60 frames-per-second and will utilise the DualSense controller, with adaptive feedback support for various weapons. It will also include 3D audio and utilise the console’s high-speed SSD for a detailed and beautiful city. Bloodhunt is available on PC via early access now and will launch on PlayStation 5 later this year with more information to come.
Deathloop
Deathloop also appeared at the PlayStation Showcase marking what may be the final trailer for the game ahead of its September 14th launch. The new trailer offered another look at the island of Blackreef as well as new gameplay and details of the eight Visionaries assassin Colt is targeting. The game will launch on PC and as a PS5 console exclusive on September 14th.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction
Rainbow Six Extraction is an upcoming Tom Clancy game in development by Ubisoft Montreal. A spin-off of 2015’s Rainbow Six Siege, the game is a cooperative multiplayer game where players are required to work together to defeat parasitic aliens known as the Archaeans, which have taken over the States of New York, New Mexico, San Francisco, and Alaska.
The game includes a solo and multiplayer mode where every incursion is unique, with dynamic objectives, Archaeans, and challenges to overcome. Players will gain XP from completing objectives, and this can be used to unlock new maps, Operators, REACT (Rainbow Exogenous Analysis and Containment Team) technology, and plenty more.
A PlayStation Blog post by Ubisoft Community Developer Richard Stanford confirmed that the PS5 version of the game will support haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, will have 4K resolution at 60 frames-per-second with HDR support, and the game will have minimal loading times between incursions due to the PS5’s high-speed SSD. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction will release PC, Amazon Luna, Google Stadia, as well as on all PlayStation and Xbox consoles in January 2022.
Kid A Mnesia
Kid A Mnesia is less of a game and, as Sony PlayStation has said, an “upside-down digital/analogue universe”. In short, Kid A Mnesia is a virtual exhibition based on Radiohead’s upcoming reissue of Kid A from 2000 and Amnesiac from 2001 on the Kid A Mnesia compilation album. Not much else is know, but PlayStation has said that it will include original artwork and recordings to commemorate 21 years of the two Radiohead albums. It will release in November 2021.
Tchia
Tchia is an open-world adventure game that was announced at The Game Awards 2020 Pre-show for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store and on Google Stadia. In the game, players play as Tchia whose special gift allows them to take control of any object or animal and use their unique gameplay to travel, uncover secrets, and solve puzzles.
The game, in development by Awaceb includes a heartfelt story with a diverse cast of characters inspired by New Caledonian cultures. The game features cutscenes voiced in traditional languages as well as an original orchestral score featuring local sounds. The game’s open-world is heavily inspired by New Caledonia and the island’s folklores, traditions, music, landscapes, music, and more. Tchia heavily focuses on exploration and traversal, and playing a Ukelele either alone or alongside NPCs.
In a PlayStation Blog post, Awaceb Game Director Phil Crifo explained that the development studio has worked with locals as much as possible to create the game and ensure that the soul of the experience is deeply rooted into the island’s culture. He said, “All characters are voiced in traditional languages by local talent. We also record Kanak (Indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia) choirs and musicians for the game’s soundtrack, giving it a unique energy that I think has rarely been seen in video games.”
Phil Crifo confirmed that the game will release on PlayStation consoles in addition to its PC and Google Stadia launch. No official release date has been shared, but expect more info soon.
Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection
The September 2021 PlayStation Showcase included the announcement of Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection, launching on PS5 and PC in 2022. Rochelle Snyder, the Senior Manager of Communications at Naughty Dog, explained in a PlayStation Blog post that the collection will include remastered versions of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
Rochelle Snyder confirmed that the game will release in early 2022 for PS5 and PC, with the latter being developed in partnership with Iron Galaxy. The blog post ended with Rochelle Snyder confirming that more information will be shared in the coming months.
Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 made an appearance at the PlayStation Showcase too, with Polyphony Digital announcing a March 4, 2022, release date for both PlayStation consoles. Kazunori Yamauchi, the President of Polyphony Digital and Creator of Gran Turismo, revealed in a PlayStation Blog post that the upcoming game will include a campaign mode where players can take on unique journeys and gain life learning experiences. It will also include the Livery Editor, which was first introduced with GT Sport, as well as the return of its historic Trial Mountain and High-Speed Ring circuits, which now feature improved detail.
The post also confirmed that GT7 will see players begin with a stock vehicle and build their car to gradually fir their preference through adjustments on engine performance, transmission gearing, brakes, tires, and more. The game also utilises meteorological observation data for time and weather change simulation. The game will release on March 4, 2022, and more information will release in the coming weeks.
Marvel’s Wolverine
One of the biggest surprises of the Showcase was Insomniac Games announced Marvel’s Wolverine, which will release exclusively for the PS5. The CGI trailer showed very little of the game, but Insomniac Games’ Head of Franchise Strategy and Studio Relations Ryan Schneider revealed in a PlayStation Blog post that the game is being led by the creative group behind Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Ryan Schneider explained: “Our goal here is to not only respect the DNA of what makes the character so popular, but also look for opportunities to make it feel fresh and truly reflect the Insomniac spirit. Even though Marvel’s Wolverine is very early in development, from what I’ve seen of its emotional narrative and cutting-edge gameplay, the team is already creating something truly special.” There is no release date for Marvel’s Wolverine, and it looks to be a few years off.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
In addition to announcing Marvel’s Wolverine, Insomniac Games announced Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, a sequel to the highly successful games Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The game is set to release exclusively on PS5 in 2023 and will continue both Peter Parker and Miles Morales’ stories as Spider-Men with the creative team behind the original Marvel’s Spider-Man returning for the fully-fledged sequel.
Insomniac Games’ Ryan Schneider explained in a PlayStation Blog post that the game will tell a “great superhero story, but also deliver a compelling human story, one full of heart and humour that dives deep into the people behind the mask.” The post also confirmed that the game will include new abilities for Peter and Miles, new suits, and new villains, including Venom, voiced by Candyman’s Tony Todd. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will release in 2023, and you can expect a lot of information in the coming months.
God Of War Ragnarök
Finally, the PlayStation Showcase included a first official look at God Of War Ragnarök from Santa Monica Studio. A story trailer as well as gameplay was featured in the Showcase, along with introductions to both new and returning characters. The game will dive deeper into the mystery surrounding Atreus’ Giant heritage as well as the prophecy Kratos saw at the end of 2018’s God Of War.
Atreus’ role as Loki in an upcoming conflict and his relationship with Kratos will be the sole focus of the upcoming game, and both Atreus and Kratos will have to make a choice about which paths they’ll take, all of which will greatly impact the Nine Realms and all those living within them.
Freya and Thor were unveiled as the game’s primary antagonists, and the game will include new abilities such as Atreus’ new Runic Summon. The sequel will build upon 2018’s God Of War with more intense combat and defensive tactics, and the game will allow players to visit all Nine Realms, including new areas from all of 2018’s realms, and the previously unreachable Asgard, Svartalfheim, and Vanaheim. God Of War Ragnarök has a planned 2022 release date and the game will launch on both PlayStation consoles.
All of the above games were either announced or detailed upon in PlayStation’s 2021 September event and showcase some of the games Sony PlayStation has planned for the next few years. Although some of this may feel far off, you can expect plenty of information as each of the games’ release dates approach, so make sure to check back regularly!
