Kotaku’s Biggest Gaming Culture News For The Week May 31, 2025

From mergers to memes, the landscape of interactive entertainment is always in motion. Here’s your cheat sheet for the week’s most important stories in gaming.

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The President Is Dead (In Helldivers 2)

“The President of Super Earth has been killed in action by the Illuminate during the fall of Prosperity City.” That was the message that greeted Helldivers 2 players when they logged on last night in one last bid to repel their invading squid-like foes. Some truthers think the hit was inside job. When the dust settled…

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Rumored PlayStation Handheld May Have Lost Its Rival Already

It looks like the long-rumored PlayStation handheld, expected to launch as part of the PS6 generation, has lost its Xbox competition already. A new report claims that Microsoft has shelved its dedicated Xbox handheld device for now. The company remains focused on its other next-gen Xbox devices.

As PlayStation remains tight-lipped about its handheld, Xbox shelves its device

According to Windows Central, the handheld that’s being sidelined for now was specifically meant to run full Xbox games. The website claims that Microsoft is still committed to the project, but has other priorities at present. One of those priorities is a handheld that it’s developing in partnership with ASUS, which will play Windows games.

Back in November 2024, a Bloomberg report claimed that with its yet-to-be-announced PlayStation handheld, Sony’s eyeing a slice of Nintendo’s market share in addition to competing with Microsoft. It was further stated that this device will be able to play PS5 games.

While Microsoft’s handheld plans are an open secret complete with leaked protoype images, Sony has kept its project tightly under wraps. The company has said that it plans to “focus on strong and profitable peripherals such as PlayStation Portal” but has stopped short of spoiling its plans for the future.

The post Rumored PlayStation Handheld May Have Lost Its Rival Already appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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PS Plus Essential June 2025 Bonus Monthly Game Available Now

The first PS Plus Essential June 2025 monthly game is rolling out now, following a brief delay. PS5 and PS4 players in most regions can now download Destiny 2: The Final Shape, which is one of the four titles that’s included in June’s Essential lineup.

The remaining PS Plus Essential June 2025 monthly games will be out next week

As we previously mentioned, June’s Essential lineup is an outlier in that it comes with four titles as opposed to three as part of the Days of Play 2025 celebrations. Although The Final Shape is an expansion, it’s a pretty hefty piece of content.

The remaining three games — NBA 2K25, Alone in the Dark, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk — will release next Tuesday, June 3.

As a reminder, The Final Shape includes the new story campaign, three new Supers, a new destination, new weapons and armor, and access to one episode (the one that is currently active) in the year of The Final Shape. Players will need the base game to access the expansion since it’s not stand-alone.

If The Final Shape isn’t available in your region yet, wait for the PS Store to update around noon local time. It’s currently available in Australia/New Zealand, Asia, and Europe/U.K. American regions are typically the last to update.

The Final Shape can be claimed by Extra and Premium members as well. Players will have permanent access to the content as long as they have an active PS Plus membership (and the content remains live).

The post PS Plus Essential June 2025 Bonus Monthly Game Available Now appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Weirdest Award-Winning PS4 Game Is Under $5 on PS Store

One of the weirdest award-winning games that’ll make you question your existence is up to 80% off in the new PS Store sale. David OReilly’s Everything, which launched as a timed PS4 console exclusive in 2017 (playable on PS5), is hard to describe. What we can say is that it’s an interactive experience worth checking out.

David OReilly’s Everything is $2.99 for PS Plus members in latest PS Store sale

Everything, which is narrated with the philosophy of the late Alan Watts, is about seeing things from every level of existence — from basic objects to insects in a vast, interconnected universe.

“Everything is an interactive experience where everything you see is a thing you can be,” reads a PS Store overview. “Learn to change what you are to create worlds within worlds within worlds, or let go any time to allow Everything to take over and produce a never ending documentary about the world you live in.”

I originally played Everything back when it launched in 2017 and found it to be a unique experience. The game received positive reviews from critics, and has a Metascore of 80/100 on PS4. It was later ported to Switch, but never saw an Xbox release.

For the trophy hunters, Everything comes with a quick and easy Platinum, provided you can sit through highly philosophical interactive experiences.

Those who aren’t PS Plus members can buy Everything for just $4.49.

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First Set of PS Plus June Bonus Freebies Available Now

Following a bit of a rough start yesterday, the first set of PS Plus bonus freebies for June 2025 is rolling out now as part of the Days of Play event. Headlining today’s new additions is the fantastic action game, Another Crab’s Treasure for the PS5. The game is available as part of Extra and Premium subscriptions.

List of PS Plus Extra, Premium June 2025 bonus freebies available as of May 29

Another Crab’s Treasure is already available in some regions, with the Americas to follow. In addition to this, PS Plus Premium users now have access to two brand-new game trials: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (PS5) and Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (PS5, PS4).

Civilization VII may be a niche title, but is a fantastic new addition to PS Plus Premium Game Trials alongside the universally-acclaimed Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — a game-of-the-year contender. As a reminder, progress from trial carries over to the full game including trophy progress and save data.

Speaking of full games, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is currently 20% off as part of the ongoing PS Store sale that ends on June 12. Meanwhile, Civilization VII is 15% off.

As for the length of trials, Civlization VII trial lasts two hours and players can spend four hours swashbuckling in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at no additional cost

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The Internet Reacts To The Last Of Us’ Second Season Finale

The Last of Us concluded its second season on Sunday with a pretty big cliffhanger, as HBO plans to adapt the story of The Last of Us Part II across three seasons in total. Here at Kotaku, I’ve been recapping each episode of the show, and I have not been having a good time. Frankly, I find it to be a mostly…

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2024’s Best Hidden Gem Is 50% Off in New PS Store Sale

One of 2024’s most intriguing game is half price in a new PS Store deal as part of the ongoing Days of Play sale. Developed by Critical Hit Games, Nobody Wants to Die is an action adventure game that respects your time while offering a solid narrative in a unique setting.

Nobody Wants to Die PS Store deal is worth your money if you like cyberpunk and noir

I may be a little bit biased in my recommendation of Nobody Wants to Die because I’m a huge fan of detective noir games (any L.A. Noire fans out here!?). Still, if you’re looking for a 7-8 hour story-focused adventure in a cyberpunk setting, I do recommend sparing $12.49 for this one.

Nobody Wants to Die comes with a straightforward trophy list. If you’re going for the Platinum trophy, you’ll be spending no more than eight hours (or less) in the game, depending on your play style. However, if you only play for the story, you’ll only need an investment of 6-7 hours.

“Lose yourself in the world of New York, 2329, where immortality comes at a price that someone has to pay,” an overview reads. “Following a near-death experience, Detective James Karra takes an off-the-books case from his chief with only the help of a young police liaison, Sara Kai, to assist him. Time reveals all as they risk everything in pursuit of a killer, uncovering the dark secrets of the city’s elite.”

PS Plus Premium subscribers can stream Nobody Wants to Die. The game is only available on PS5.

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PSA: PS Plus June 2025 Essential Game Goes Live Today

PS Plus users are reminded that the first June 2025 Essential monthly game will be available today to all subscribers. Players would be forgiven for overlooking the announcement of Destiny 2: The Final Shape (PS4, PS5) joining PS Plus today amidst all the Days of Play hoopla.

PS Plus Essential gets four monthly games in June 2025

If The Final Shape isn’t available to claim in your region yet, wait a while as Sony staggers the rollout of PS Plus games and the PS Store is updated at specific times. You will need to install the free-to-play base game to make the add-on work.

The Final Shape includes the new story campaign, three new Supers, a new destination, new weapons and armor, and access to one episode (the one that is currently active) in the year of The Final Shape.

June 2025 is a bit of an outlier for Essential users as subscribers get four titles as opposed to the usual three. Besides The Final Shape, the lineup comprises of NBA 2K25, Alone in the Dark, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. The remaining three games will be added on the first Tuesday of the month as usual. In this case, that’ll be June 3.

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows Free DLC Out in New Update

Ubisoft is releasing Assassin’s Creed Shadows update 1.0.5 today, which adds free DLC quest “Thrown to the Dogs” for all players. The update also brings a Dead by Daylight crossover event and Balatro crossover alongside bug fixes and improvements.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows free DLC was previously limited to preorders

Thrown to the Dogs quest was previously only available to those who preordered Assassin’s Creed Shadows. With today’s update, everyone can access the quest at the Tennoji Temple once they have completed “From Spark to Flame.”

Patch notes for update 1.0.5 are as follows:

Dead by Daylight Event

This event comes with a new free quest that you can access from the Hideout upon unlocking Yasuke as a playable character. Once the event is completed, you will obtain a free trinket and banner.  

Balatro Trinket

We are also adding a new trinket for Naoe, and an amulet for Yasuke called “Winning Hand” — directly inspired by Balatro.

Parkour Improvements

• New Vertical Jump
• Sprint Toggle Lock
• Enhanced Back and Side Ejects

New Photo Mode Features

• Change the time of day 
• Play around with numerous poses and facial expressions 
• Toggle headgear on/off  
• Play music while editing your shots 
• Sticker colorization 
• New customization frames 
• Save Custom Filters 
• Reset only one parameter 
• Tweak camera speed 
• Improved preview mode 

Bug Fixes

General

• Fixed the issue where players had a persistent New Item notification in their inventory.
• Addressed an issue where some players were given a new save file at level 60, with gear and all objectives uncovered.
• Fixed an issue where the desynchronization warning for ‘killing civilians’ would appear without any reason.
• Fixed an issue where romancing Lady Oichi before romancing Rin could cause a breakup.
• Fixed various localization issues.

Balancing

• Fixed an issue where the Samurai Daisho and Ronin occasionally gave an extremely high amount of Mon regardless of their level, disincentivizing other methods of gaining Mon.
• We have also partially rebalanced the Mon economy to encourage more world exploration and gameplay activities to earn Crafting Materials and Hideout Resources instead of purchasing them through merchants.
• In pursuit of this, we’ve bumped up the cost of Crafting Materials and Hideout Resources sold by Merchants and lowered the quantity available each season for each Merchant.
• If you still want to purchase them, we’ve increased the amount of Mon acquired from completing contracts.

World

• Fixed an issue where Yagoro would become trapped in a Kofun and not return to the hideout.
• Fixed an issue where players could remain stuck inside the construction site at Osaka Castle.

Quests

• Fixed an issue where players could not exit the quest “Vision of Realms” if they selected ‘Quit to Memories’ and loaded their progress from the Animus Memories menu.
• Fixed an issue where quitting during the “Nobutsuna Sensei” quest caused Yasuke to become stuck in the flashback.
• Fixed an issue where Yaya doesn’t join “The League” after being successfully recruited.
• Fixed progress issues in the “Showdown in Sakamoto” quest that happened if Katsuhime previously died.
• Fixed an issue in the “Wake Up Call” quest where the “troublemaker” couldn’t be hunted down.
• Fixed an issue in the “Find Local Dishes” quest where Narezushi could not be obtained from merchants.
• Fixed an issue in the “Wolves and Foxes” quest where players were not able to speak with Hattori Hanzo. 
• Fixed an issue where players could not progress in “A Peculiar Guest”.
• Fixed an issue where players could not complete the “Missing Missive” quest due to being unable to retrieve the letter.
• Fixed an issue where the game would crash during the “Temple of the Horseman (An Eye for an Eye)” quest.
• Fixed an issue in the “Diary of Lady Rokkaku” quest where Katsuhime’s letter would sometimes disappear. 
• Fixed an issue where the game incorrectly believed Katsuhime was dead and players could not complete the “Diary of Lady Rokkaku” quest.
• Fixed an issue where players could not complete the “Diary of Lady Rokkaku” quest due to Naoe and Katsuhime being attached to surrounding water. 
• Fixed an issue where players could not complete the “Diary of Lady Rokkaku” quest due to Katsuhime dropping into the water and swimming to shore.

Stealth

• Fixed an issue where the Shinobi Bell effect was blocked by line of sight from NPCs.

Combat

• Adjusted an issue where the +600% affliction buildup engravings was a text error. It now has been fixed to reflect the real build-up amount of 6%.

Visuals and Graphics

• Fixed visual issues.
• Fixed some issues where the “Kaen” and “Sekiryu” mounts would not fully fit in the stables.
• Fixed a visual issue with the “Samurai Daimyo Armor”.
• Addressed an issue where players could sometimes see a giant NPC in towns.

Hideout

• Improved stability for heavily customized Hideout.
• Fixed an issue where players could sometimes not interact with Gennojo in the Hideout.

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Underrated Open World Adventure Just $1.99 on PS Store, DLC Free

An underrated open world action adventure game is down to just $1.99 in a limited-time PS Store deal that ends next week. Released in 2017 by now-defunct Volition, Agents of Mayhem didn’t quite resonate with critics, but at 90% off, it’s worth picking up along with some free DLC.

Agents of Mayhem PS Store deal will scratch your Saints Row itch

Agents of Mayhem’s base PS4 game (playable on PS5) is $1.99, but if you have an extra dollar to spare, you can get the Total Mayhem Bundle for $2.99. Here’s what it includes:

• Agents of Mayhem base game
• Franchise Force Skins Pack
• Firing Squad Skins Pack
• Johnny Gat Agent Pack
• Bombshell Skins Pack
• Lazarus Agent Pack
• Legal Action Pending – Day One Edition
• Legal Action Pending – Digital Edition
• Legal Action Pending – Retail Edition
• Carnage a Trois Skins Pack
• Safeword Agent Pack

As for the free DLC, players can grab the Franchise Force Skins Pack at no additional cost. It includes:

• Hollywood Geo-Skin
• Hardtack Geo-Skin
• Fortune Geo-Skin

Agents of Mayhem also has plenty of cheap add-ons as low as $0.39 on the PS Store.

For the uninitiated, Agents of Mayhem is set in a universe parallel to the Saints Row series. It received mixed reviews upon release, but does have moments where it shines. At this price, we recommend giving it a shot, especially if you’re a fan of the Saints Row series, which won’t be returning anytime soon.

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Brand-New Game Has Big Free DLC on PS Store for Limited Time

PS5, PS4 players are reminded that a newly released game has major DLC available for free on the PS Store for a limited time. Released on PlayStation last week, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate’s “Casey Jones & the Junkyard Jam” DLC can be snagged for free until next week even if you don’t own the base game.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate free DLC available on PS Store until June 3

TMNT: Splintered Fate, which we recently reviewed (spoiler: we loved it), is currently 20% off for PS Plus members. However, if you want to wait it out, make sure to add the DLC to your cart before it’s gone on June 3.

Casey Jones & the Junkyard Jam adds new enemies and challenging bosses, five new artifacts that offer new ways to play, and co-op. Those who somehow miss out on the free DLC and don’t have access to it will be able to play co-op with their friends provided the match host owns the content.

“The Junkyard brings an all new narrative starring Casey, the Punk Frogs, their mechanic, Gigi, and a surprise Punk Frog encore,” reads an official overview. “Make sure you visit Gigi’s Chop Shop, the Crane Vista, and complete your stay with a lively bop in the Battlebot Arena.”

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The Last Of Us Season Two, Episode Seven Recap: Abby Road

We made it, everybody. We’ve reached the end of HBO’s The Last of Us. Wait, sorry, I’m getting word in my earpiece that…we’re only halfway done with it because this show’s going for four seasons. At this point, I’m mostly feeling deflated. Last week’s episode was such a catastrophic bummer that it cemented for me that…

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The Week's Top Tips For Doom: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur, Oblivion Remastered, And More

Whether you need help locating some of Doom: The Dark Ages, want to make the most of Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, or you’d just like to learn some essential things that Oblivion Remastered doesn’t tell you, read on, we’ve got all this info and more.

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Fortnite Criticized For Use Of AI Darth Vader, Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Will Introduce New City, And More Top Stories

This week saw Fortnite targeted by SAG-AFTRA for its use of an AI-powered Darth Vader voice that mimics that of the late James Earl Jones. Also, the folks behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows told us why they opted not to let you kill animals in the open-world adventure, fans of Clair Obscur react to the trollish behavior…

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Tom Cruise's Hair In Every Mission: Impossible Movie, Ranked

The Mission: Impossible film series is, unlike most Hollywood franchises, built less around lore and callbacks and more around recurring moments we expect each time we sit down in our seats to watch the latest entry. I expect to see people in lifelike masks, some twists, some turns, a few dangerous stunts, a car or…

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New PS Plus Day-1 Game Already Getting Final Content Update

A PS Plus Extra, Premium day-one game that released in April is getting its final content update soon, its developer has announced. Dogubomb’s Blue Prince received universal acclaim upon launch, but its solo developer Tonda Ros says he never planned to “continually tinker with the game.”

PS Plus game Blue Prince will get its definitive version with update 1.10

In a post on Steam, Ros said that Blue Prince is his first game and he’s proud of what he’s achieved, but there are “a few minor things that were not quite completed” before the game’s launch, which will be included in the final content update 1.10 — the game’s definitive version.

Here’s an overview of what’s coming in Blue Prince’s final update, per Ros:

• An overhyped arcade game
• A curious house cat
• Accessibility features including color assist mode, controls remapping, cursor size/opacity settings, and widescreen support
• UI/UX improvements
• More variations for end-of-day manor descriptions and accompanying house illustrations
• HUD display customization
• Final room/item balancing
• Handful of extra cinematics

As for when update 1.10 will launch, Ros didn’t give a release date but did suggest that it’ll take a few months. “We will continue to release bug-fixing patches intermittently in the months leading up to 1.10 and some of these updates may preemptively roll out some of the above-mentioned features,” he wrote.

Ros also pledged to continue fixing Blue Prince’s bugs “far, far into the future.”

The post New PS Plus Day-1 Game Already Getting Final Content Update appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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GeoGuessr Bails On Controversial Saudi Tournament After Map Makers Revolt: 'When You Tell Us We’ve Got It Wrong We Take It Seriously'

GeoGuessr will not be one of the games participating in Saudi Arabia’s Esports World Cup this year, after criticisms of sportswashing and the country’s poor human rights record. The competitive guessing game that’s popular on Twitch had previously agreed to be part of the event alongside Riot, Blizzard, and other game…

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How To Master One Of Marvel Rivals' Best Heroes, The Winter Soldier

Bucky, AKA: The Winter Soldier, is one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Rivals, and he gets more powerful the better you play. If you believe in yourself and want to see how far skill can take you, Bucky is an incredible choice. He fits in virtually every team composition and has an incredibly well-rounded…

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Four Tips To Get You Started In Blades Of Fire

Developer Mercury Steam is perhaps best known for 2010’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and, more recently, Metroid Dread. The studio’s newest game, Blades of Fire, is a tough action-adventure RPG with Soulslike elements and a surprisingly in-depth weapon-forging mini-game.

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Mission: Impossible's 19 Best Characters, Ranked By Irreplaceability

We all know there is no Mission: Impossible without Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) ultimately saving the world from a nuclear disaster, a bombing, or anything some nutcase came up with that day. He is the central figure, one whom an entire universe revolves around. But, it would be a shame if you watched years of Mission:…

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PlayStation Store Update Worldwide May 20, 2025

Each week Sony brings PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR, and PlayStation Plus owners new content, add-ons, games, and more. Here is the complete global PlayStation Store update. PlayStation LifeStyle catalogs the PlayStation Store updates for the major regions across the globe. Check back every Tuesday to keep up to date with each week’s PlayStation Store Update.

North American Update

May’s PlayStation Plus Essential Lineup

• ARK: Survival Extended (PS4/PS5)
• Balatro (PS4/PS5)
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PS4/PS5)

---

PSVR Games

• Pirates VR: Jolly Roger

PS4 & PS5 Games

• Alien Rush
• American Arcadia
• Anime Girls – Fantasy Desire
• Arcade Archives NEBULASRAY
• Aureole – Wings of Hope
• Battle Engine Aquila
• BRAINROT TUNG TUNG SAHUR
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2
• Car Parking – Garage Simulator
• Cats Clean Ocean
• City Bus Manager
• Criminal Cleaner Simulator
• Cubic Odyssey
• Death Kid
• Death Park: 4K Remaster
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Drive Me Crazy
• Forgotten Fields
• Garten of Banban 0
• Hidden Kittens: Kingdom of Cats
• I’m in Love With Your Dead Grandmother: Online Battle Royale
• Into the Restless Ruins
• IRON GUARD
• The Jumping Peach – PS4 & PS5
• KVARK
• Mythos Dash
• Neon Apex: Beyond the Limit
• Olympic Games Quiz
• Pirates VR: Jolly Roger
• Project Zombie
• Recycle Master
• RoadCraft
• Shadows Over Loathing
• Shovel Knight Dig
• Smash Drums
• Super Engine GT Turbo SPEC
• Supermarket Anime Collector’s Simulator
• SYNESTHESIA
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
• TRALALERO TRALALA BACKROOMS POOLS
• Tralalero Tralala: Battle Royale
• Trientank
• TUNG SAHUR Supermarket Simulator
• Two Strikes

Next Page: European Update

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Rip And Tear These Ominous Wolf Statues In Doom: The Dark Ages' 'Resurrection' Level

Doom: The Dark Ages differs from many previous entries with more open-level design in some instances. “Resurrection,” the twentieth mission in the game, is the last one of these, after “The Siege Part One,” “Ancestral Forge,” and “Kar’thul Marshes.”

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Mission: Impossible's Secret Weapon Is Luther Stickell

Tom Cruise’s blockbuster action spy franchise Mission: Impossible is ostensibly about his character, agent Ethan Hunt, pulling off extremely dangerous missions to save the world from terrorists and other evildoers. So it’s not surprising that Hunt appears in ever Mission: Impossible movie. But you know who else…

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PSA: New PS Plus Games Have a Bunch of Free DLC on PS Store

PS Plus Extra, Premium May 2025 games have begun rolling out, several of which have free DLC / add-on packs on the PS Store. It’s always worth downloading the freebies as they can be used as long as you have access to the base game.

Which PS Plus May 2025 games have free DLC on PS Store?

Players can grab the following add-ons at no additional cost today:

• Sand Land – Decal and Special Main Weapon Pack: Customize all vehicles with special decals and customize the Battle Tank with a special main weapon. Includes:
  • Rao and Thief Decal Set
  • Enemy Decal Set
  • Vron Decal
  • Geji Dragon Decal Set
  • Special Main Weapon
• Soul Hackers 2 – Useful Item Set + Extra Difficulty: For ambitious players seeking a challenge beyond HARD mode. Your battles will be brutal, intense, and thrilling. Continues and mid-battle item use are disabled. Item set:
  • Bead x2
  • Chakra Pot x2
  • Balm of Life x2
  • Original Flame x1
• Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life – Free costume packs:
  • Mukumuku Outfit: Dress up as Forgotten Valley’s most huggably hairy resident!
  • Pumpkin Patch Costume: Celebrate the spooky season by dressing up as this hero of Halloween!
  • Red Happi Coat: Celebrate summertime with this firework festival fit!

PS Plus May lineup began rolling out earlier today. Folks in the Americas should be able to access the games soon.

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The Last of Us 2 Player Finds Amazing In-Game Detail We Missed

Image credit: V4LKILLS on X

The Last of Us Part 2 packs a lot of amazing details into the game, but a recent discovery has left players’ minds blown. Over the weekend, a viral thread on X revealed an in-game animation that shows how Dina handles her pregnancy around Ellie.

The Last of Us 2 game details still surprising players 5 years later

As shared by X user V4LKILLS, in one scene, Dina can be seen rubbing her pregnant belly when Ellie is turned away and isn’t looking at her. As soon as the player turns Ellie around to look at Dina, she stops touching her stomach.

she also stops when you make ellie look at her https://t.co/pOhbcBrz6l pic.twitter.com/XDZ3L0p6H5

— lina (@V4LKILLS) May 17, 2025

From the looks of it, a lot of players missed this detail (us included). One player also pointed out an impressive Abby animation that shows how much she’s scared of heights. Although this detail didn’t no unnoticed before, players will find that when they look down from an elevated place while playing as Abby, she changes her posture to reflect her fear.

The Last of Us Part II released five years ago so the discovery of Dina’s animation is pretty impressive and speaks to Naughty Dog‘s quality of work.

Did our readers notice this detail before? Let us know your thoughts on HBO’s take on Dina’s pregnancy in the TV show.

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2025 PS5 First-Party Game Reportedly in Trouble

Sony doesn’t have a whole lot of PS5 first-party games due out in 2025, and one of them is already in trouble, according to a new report. Following its admission that Marathon features stolen art, Bungie is reportedly struggling with low employee morale and internal concerns about launching the game in September.

Marathon is among the few PS5 first-party games due out in 2025

Forbes has spoken to sources familiar with goings-on at Bungie, and has been told that the studio is undertaking an extensive audit to remove stolen art from Marathon that — as we reported last week — Bungie blames an ex employee for.

“The vibes have never been worse” at Bungie, it has been said, with sources adding that morale is in “free-fall” mode. There are also concerns about how Marathon was received following its reveal and closed alpha, and with this new plagiarism debacle, devs are concerned about releasing the game in a “now actively hostile environment.”

It doesn’t help that things turned sour at a recent Marathon livestream. What was supposed to be a gameplay showcase ended up turning into an apology delivered by a visibly distraught Joe Cross, who is Marathon’s art director. The livestream’s chat was flooded with comments about plagiarism.

As for a delay, Forbes claims that there’s no internal chatter about a potential delay at Bungie. However, given the state of things, it’s a possibility.

The post 2025 PS5 First-Party Game Reportedly in Trouble appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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The Last Of Us Season Two, Episode Six Recap: Days Of You And Me

Look, y’all, I try to start these recaps with lighthearted jokes and gags that all of us, both lovers and haters of The Last of Us season two, can enjoy, to set a welcoming and pleasant tone before I start unleashing my critiques of a given episode. However, I don’t think I have it in me this week. I’ve been dreading…

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How To Start Strong In Doom: The Dark Ages, How To Master Sciel In Clair Obscur, And More Of The Week's Top Tips

This week we’ll tell you how to which upgrades to grab early in Doom: The Dark Ages as you strive to become the best Doom Slayer you can be. We’ll also help you master Sciel in Clair Obscur, find the right home for you in Oblivion Remastered, and more.

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Former Activision Boss Bobby Kotick Wants To Buy Tiktok: Report

TikTok is in an exceptionally tough spot these days. Despite everyone you know using it for hours on end, the video-sharing app is currently facing legislation that would force its ban in the U.S pending a potential sale, and prospective buyers are lining up. One of these potential buyers is reportedly Bobby Kotick,…

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An Artist Spots Her Work In Bungie's Marathon, Nintendo Isn't Sending Out Switch 2 Review Units Until The Last Minute, And More Of The Week's Top Stories

This week, it was reported that in a strange turn of events, Nintendo may not be sending out Switch 2 units to would-be reviewers before launch, which could result in a dearth of coverage at a time when you’d expect to see impressions and reviews of the console plastered across every gaming site and YouTube channel.…

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Legendary PS5, PS4 Shooter Just $3.99 on PS Store

Image: Sony (PlayStation Store)

A legendary shooter has been discounted by 60% for the PS5 and PS4 in a limited-time PS Store deal that ends in a week. Id Software’s 1997 classic Quake II is just $3.99 until the sale ends on May 22.

Quake II PS Store deal saves players $6

If you’re craving an id Software classic after Doom: The Dark Ages, Quake II is a no-brainer. The modern version comes with both online and local multiplayer as well as co-op alongside one of the most popular single-player shooter campaigns of the 90s.

Quake II mostly retains its original aesthetic, but with support for 4K, widescreen resolution, improved animations and AI, enhanced cinematics, improved lighting, and much more. The package also includes the all-new “Call of the Machine” expansion.

“Mankind is at war with the Strogg, a hostile alien race that attacked Earth,” reads Quake II’s synopsis. “In response, humanity launched a strike on the Strogg homeworld…it failed, but you survived.”

A Quake 1 & 2 bundle is also available, but unfortunately, isn’t discounted at the time of this writing. Quake 1 is currently full price as well.

PS Plus Premium subscribers can stream Quake II. Trophy hunters will be pleased to note that the game comes with a quick and easy Platinum trophy.

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Marathon Dev Bungie Under Fire for Repeated Plagiarism Incidents

Sony Interactive Entertainment developer Bungie is under fire for plagiarism once again — this time, in upcoming shooter Marathon. An artist took to X to complain that their work from 2017 was simply taken without credit, with some images even carrying their portfolio title “Antireal.”

Bungie admits Marathon art plagiarism, blames former employee

The artist, who goes as 4nt1r34l (Antireal), claims that several Bungie employees including Marathon’s lead developer have been following them on X for years, which hasn’t gone down well with players. X users jumped into action and uncovered some pretty blatant examples of Marathon using Antireal’s work, prompting Bungie to respond.

That response, however, has left players angrier. Using a Marathon dev team X account with significantly fewer followers than the game’s or Bungie’s official account, the studio admitted that the artist’s work was used without permission, but blamed a former employee for it.

Many accused Bungie of purposely using the dev team account to release its statement for lower visibility, especially since this isn’t the first time the company has been caught plagiarizing.

Back in September 2024, Bungie “resolved” a dispute with an artist whose design was used without permission for a physical Nerf LMTD blaster based upon Cayde-6’s hand cannon, Ace of Spades. Then, too, Bungie claimed to be “investigating” how the issue occurred with a “partner.”

The post Marathon Dev Bungie Under Fire for Repeated Plagiarism Incidents appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Contract And Cure Vampirism In Oblivion Remastered For The Ultimate Nightlife Experience

Whether you just finished binge-watching the entire Underworld franchise, dove into some classic vampiric lore such as Carmilla, or just want your fifteenth playthrough of Oblivion to feel slightly different, vampirism is always an option. It’s not the best option. But it’s an option!

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How To Defeat The Mourner In Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Same old goddamn story every time. An old crush comes calling saying it’s been a while, we should get lunch, catch up. Also, by the way, I know we haven’t been close in a real long time but it’s been a rough couple of months, will you murder several dozen people in honor of my dead brother the warlord? I’m usually not…

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Another PS4 Shooter Quietly Delisted From PS Store

A 2019 PS4 action shooter has been quietly pulled from the PS Store. Developed by High Voltage Software, Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip was delisted sometime last week. The top-down twin-stick shooter was based on the 2019 movie of the same name.

PS4 shooter Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip’s PS Store delisting leaves players confused

Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip’s delisting is a bit puzzling because the Zombieland IP is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The only “warning” we found was on the game’s Steam page, which states, “This game and any related DLCs and bundles will be removed from sale on May 9, 2025.”

Double Tap – Road Trip is no longer available on the console store or the PS App, but a PS Store webpage for the game is still up in “announced” state. We’re pretty sure the game isn’t coming back, though.

High Voltage Software has some bangers in its portfolio, but unfortunately, Double Tap – Road Trip was a huge miss. It currently holds a Metacritic average of 39 percent.

The game’s delisting makes us wonder how long PSVR2 game Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded will remain on the PS Store. The VR game released in 2023 to positive reviews and holds a user rating of 4.27/5 on PSN.

We advise picking up Headshot Fever Reloaded sooner rather than later if you’re interested in the title.

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I Just Murdered A Very Rare, Near-Worthless Keyboard And I Might Have To Stop Playing PC Games Forever

I just threw half a pint of Cherry Pepsi Max across my keyboard. It was the penultimate keyboard I’ll ever be able to use. I’m down to my last one.

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Sony Says PS5 Price Hikes Are Possible As It Faces $680 Million Hit From Tariffs

All eyes have been on Sony to see if it follows in Microsoft’s footsteps and, in response to increased U.S. tariffs, dramatically raises the price of the PlayStation 5 . The company confirmed to investors on Wednesday that it might end up doing exactly that as it faces a potential $680 million hole in its bottom line…

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Free PS5 Remaster of 2019 Adventure Game Shadow Dropped

An underrated PS4 gem has just received a free PS5 remaster for existing owners. Frogwares’ Lovecraftian action adventure game The Sinking City has received a significant overhaul, and comes with bells and whistles like 4K textures.

The Sinking City PS5 remaster is free for existing owners, discounted for everyone else

The Unreal Engine 5 remaster comes with the following upgrades:

• Lumen Global Illumination and ray tracing
• 4K textures and extra environmental details
• Performance (prioritizes frame rate) and Quality (prioritizes visual fidelity) modes
• Photo mode
• Improvements to controls, combat, game balance, crowds, and tutorials

Those who didn’t already own The Sinking City on PS4 have until May 22 to avail a 50% discount offer on the PS Store. The remaster will be available for $24.99 until then, after which it’ll cost $49.99.

PS Plus Premium users can stream The Sinking City Remastered.

“The Sinking City is an adventure and investigation game set in an open world inspired by the universe of H.P. Lovecraft, the master of Horror,” says Frogwares. “The half-submerged city of Oakmont is gripped by supernatural forces. You’re a private investigator, and you have to uncover the truth of what has possessed the city… and the minds of its inhabitants.”

For those wondering, the PS4 version and PS5 remaster are currently the same price, so there’s no benefit to buying the last-gen version and then upgrading.

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The Very Best Cosplay From LVL UP Expo 2025

Cosplay season is in full bloom, and the epic team at Mineralblu have once more captured some of the very best outfits at this year’s LVL UP Expo in Las Vegas.

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The Last Of Us Season Two, Episode Five Recap: Seeing Red

Ellie finally got a little bit of revenge this week. How are we feeling? Not as cathartic as you thought it was gonna be, huh? HBO’s take on The Last of Us is finally back in the trenches after a few weeks of levity, or at the very least with its grisly revenge plot out of sight and mostly out of mind. It’s been…

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How To Deal With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Elusive Petanks And More Of The Week's Top Tips

This week’s tips hodgepodge will shed some light on Clair Obscur’s elusive Petanks, help you score the best weapons and armor in Monster Hunter Wilds, and highlight some great console commands you should try out in Oblivion Remastered.

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PS4 Game Going Offline After 4 Years, Free PS5 Upgrade Offered

Another PS4 game is set to shut down this year, with a free PS5 upgrade offered to existing owners. Multiplayer survival game Rust will be going offline on last-gen consoles, including Xbox One, four years after launch as its current-gen version is released on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S this summer. The PC version remains unaffected.

Rust owners will get free PS5 upgrade but the game will be pulled from PS4

Developer Double Eleven has said that Rust won’t be playable on both current and last-gen consoles simultaneously, choosing instead to focus its attention on the PS5 version. PS4 players can claim the free PS5 upgrade whether they own a current-gen console or not, but won’t be able to continue playing as it is.

Rust PS5 will be available in standard, deluxe, and ultimate editions. Prices and release date will be announced in due course along with upgrade options.

As for when Rust will go offline on PS4, Double Eleven has said that support will end in late October. “To mark the occasion, we are planning something special: the ‘Wipe of Wipes,’ a memorable send-off to celebrate the legacy of old-gen,” the studio wrote.

Rust is currently full-priced on PS Store. We’ll update our readers if it goes on sale.

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Games Should Let You Skip Boss Fights, Nintendo Shouldn't Brick Switches Over Piracy, And More Of The Week's Top Takes

This week, we’ve got some pipin’-hot takes on offer. For one, South of Midnight gives you the option to skip boss fights, and our own John Walker argues that a lot more games should. John also has thoughts on the new revelation that Nintendo has updated its account user agreement to expressly give itself permission to…

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13 Things We Noticed In The New GTA VI Trailer And More Of The Week's Top Stories

After last week’s announcement that GTA VI was being delayed into next year, Rockstar Games surprised us this week with a new trailer for the upcoming crime epic, and we studied it for every cool detail it might offer and every hint it might provide as to what we can expect from the game. Also, we learned that Destiny…

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Another Big Microsoft Title on PS5 Won’t Have Full Game on Disc

Update: The report below has now been confirmed.

Original story follows…

Reports have emerged that the next major Microsoft published game on PS5 won’t have the full game on disc, leaving players concerned. Following its acquisition, Bethesda has been putting game keys on physical discs in line with Microsoft’s policy, and it looks like Doom: The Dark Ages is getting the same treatment.

Microsoft putting game keys on PS5 discs irks players

Some players have managed to get their hands on Doom: The Dark Ages ahead of release, confirming that the Xbox disc only carries game keys. There are some conflicting reports about the PS5 disc, but as pointed out by X user DoesItPlay, the cover states that an internet connection is required to play. Doom: The Dark Ages is single-player only.

A similar label was also slapped onto Indiana Jones discs, which didn’t contain the full game on PS5.

DoesItPlay claims that some early PS5 players have reported that they’re locked out of playing Doom: The Dark Ages without an internet connection, and screenshots circulating on ResetEra support that claim as they purportedly show that the game requires a download.

DoesItPlay reached out to Bethesda but didn’t receive a response.

If you’re worried that you’ll be buying a coaster, we advise waiting for release on May 15 to ascertain whether the full game is on disc or not.

The post Another Big Microsoft Title on PS5 Won’t Have Full Game on Disc appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Doom: The Dark Ages: The Kotaku Review

Doom as a franchise has evolved a lot over the decades since it first arrived in the ‘90s. But through all those changes, there remain a few things I need in a Doom game to feel satisfied with it. A Doom game checklist, if you will. It’s not long, but it does make up the core of Doom.

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John Cena vs. Randy Orton: A Timeline of Their Iconic Feuds

John Cena vs. Randy Orton isn’t just a rivalry. It is the rivalry of a generation, and it will be rekindled again—perhaps for the final time—at WWE Backlash.

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PSA: New PS Plus Game Has a Major Save Data Issue

A new PS Plus Essential monthly game is wiping out players’ save data — a long-running problem that hasn’t been addressed. Ark: Survival Ascended, which we recently lauded for supporting the now-rare local splitscreen co-op feature, also suffers from numerous performance issues.

PS Plus game Ark: Survival Ascended doesn’t play well on PS5, players complain

The issue of Survival Ascended scrubbing chunks of single-player save data was brought to light by a PS Plus user, but it certainly isn’t new — we just assumed that Studio Wildcard would have fixed it by now.

It’s unclear what’s triggering the problem for some players. Survival Ascended is currently in early access. The game launched in 2023 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC as a remaster of 2015 game Survival Evolved, which also released on PS Plus at one point.

“Genuinely stay away from this game,” one player cautioned. Another complained, “I played Ark on my PS5 for about half an hour. Afterwards my PS5 screen started flickering, even outside the game. This has never happened in over three years of owning the console. Never again.”

We advise our readers to manually back up their save data onto the Cloud. It’s a safer bet than relying on automatic updates.

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