The Gamers Nation: August 2025

Sony dropped a free demo for its brand-new PS5 exclusive RPG on the PS Store, and it didn’t go down well at all. Lost Soul Aside‘s demo, which surprisingly isn’t locked behind a PS Plus subscription, has received an overwhelmingly negative response, resulting in some players canceling plans to purchase the game.

Free demo for PS5 RPG Lost Soul Aside has players saving their money

The demo introduces players to Lost Soul Aside’s world, and includes boss fights, but save data doesn’t carry over to the full game. As soon as the freebie went live, players flocked to the PS Store, only to come away unimpressed.

Complaints revolve around Lost Soul Aside’s performance and generic gameplay, which isn’t a good look for a game that’s been in development for nearly a decade with full support from Sony.

Developer UltiZero was forced to address the reception on Twitter, but going by the chatter I’m seeing, it seems that players have already made up their minds. While some say that they’ll await a price drop and performance improvement patches, others say that Lost Soul Aside’s demo has killed any interest they had in the game.

“We have received your feedback regarding the performance of certain cutscenes in the prologue of Lost Soul Aside,” UltiZero said in response to feedback regarding performance. “Currently, some of these cutscenes are pre-rendered 4K/30fps videos, which may cause occasional stuttering during playback.”

UltiZero went on to apologize, and promised to work on optimization and performance improvement updates.

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Thursday, 28 August 2025

Amazon Slashes All Its Margin on the New MacBook Air, Now Cheaper Than an Average Laptop

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Amazon Sells at a Loss, LEGO Star Wars Ahsoka T-6 Jedi Shuttle Reaches a New All-Time Low

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Wednesday, 27 August 2025

PS5 Exclusive Action Game Delayed, But Everyone Gets Free DLC

An intriguing upcoming PS5 exclusive game has been delayed due to a release date clash with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. TeamKill Media has announced that Dino Crisis-inspired third-person action horror game Code Violet will no longer release on November 14, as originally planned.

PS5 exclusive game Code Violet will now release in December 2025

Code Violet will now release on December 12, 2025, instead. As compensation, all players will receive two exclusive Christmas-themed outfits for the protagonist, Violet, at launch.

“This decision comes in light of the recently announced Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, set to launch on the same original date,” wrote TeamKill Media. “We recognize that competing with such a major release on a marketing level would be impossible.”

The good news is that TeamKill Media will utilize the additional month to enhance its character models, and further polish and optimize Code Violet.

In response to some fan queries, the studio said that Code Violet is “100%” PS5 exclusive and will not be released on any other platforms, including PC. “Code Violet from the beginning has been built for the PS5 and its features,” TeamKill Media added.

Code Violet will cost $49.99, and all preorders come with additional in-game bonuses.

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Over 7,000 PC Games Are On Sale Right Now On GOG

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PlayStation Store Update Worldwide August 26, 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

August’s PlayStation Plus Essential Lineup

Day Z (PS4)
The Lies of P (PS4/PS5)
My Hero One’s Justice 2 (PS4)

PS4 & PS5 Games

1989 After the War
Anime Assault: Hentai Girls 2025
Anime Dance-Off – Las Vegas
Antarctica 88: 4K Remaster
Arcade Archives 2 CHOPPER 1
Arcade Archives CHOPPER 1
BLOCKS FLYING AT ME
Boned Again: Survivors
BOULDER DASH 40th Anniversary
Buluk Mayan Warfare
Cauldron Forager
Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The Brainioids
Cube Merge 2048
CybeRage
Debtor
Discounty
Draconic Resurgence
EARTH DEFENSE STICKS
EmyLiveShow: How To Write a Bestseller
Evasive satellite
Flight Sim 2025
Formula
Fresh Tracks
Funko Fusion Deluxe Edition
Garden Catcher
Gas Station: Idle Simulator
Gears of War: Reloaded
Grit and Valor – 1949
Heart of Ice by Dave Morris
Herdling
Icenoid
Italian Brainrot
The Kebab House: Cooking Simulator
Knightica
Laundry Boss Simulator
Life in Terminal Simulator : Airport Adventures
Moontales Picbook
My Tiny Island
Nun of Your Business
Particle Hearts
Pic-A-Block
Pixicharm – Brotillery
Rattle Royale
Recycling Center Simulator
Robocrush
Robot Warzone Tactical Assault
The Rogue Prince of Persia
RPG Raiders: Battle of Realms
Scaffold now
Schedule I – Drug Dealer
Sengoku Dynasty
SF3RA
SIDE WALLS MULTI KICKS
Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening
Space Scavenger Origins
TCG Card Market Simulator
Tobacco Business Simulator
Tofu Dream
TRIANGLE STRATEGY
Trippy Trader : Schedule & Sell
Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus
W.U.R.M.
Zip’s Jumping Adventure
Zombie Royale io
Zoochosis

Next Page: European Update

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Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Amazon Shows a “Hidden Price” on These Headphones Since Sony Refused to Let It Sell Them This Cheap

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Grab A Ton Of Great Third-Person Shooters For Cheap During The Latest Steam Sale

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This Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB SSD Hits a New All-Time Low, Amazon Clears Out Stock for Labor Day

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This iPhone 16 Charger Costs 4x Less Than at Apple, Amazon Clears Out Stock for Labor Day

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Monday, 25 August 2025

Games Leaving PS Plus in October May Include Hit Action RPG

We’ll see the official list of games leaving PS Plus Extra and Premium in October 2025 in a couple of weeks, but as usual, here are some predictions for upcoming departures. We’re sharing this list a little sooner than we normally do because the next two months are packed with major new releases, and it’s a good time to prioritize these games. As a reminder, these predictions have a very high degree of accuracy as they are based on established patterns. So, players should starting wrapping up Dead Island 2 now.

Games expected to leave PS Plus Extra and Premium in October 2025

The good news is, Dead Island 2 is expected to be the only major game leaving in October, when it hits its 12-month mark on PS Plus. However, they are other notable games that are going to be completing a year on the service in October that players should keep an eye on.

As pointed out by Reddit user kayrakaanonline, Gris was was added a year ago alongside Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, and PS Plus Premium games The Last Clockwinder (PSVR2) and R Type Dimensions EX (classic).

Although Ghost Recon: Wildlands and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me are also completing one and two years on PS Plus, respectively, we don’t expect them to leave. Ubisoft games tend to stay quite a while, and none of the The Dark Pictures Anthology games added previously have departed yet.

However, players might want to wrap up Outlast 2, Elite Dangerous, and Far: Changing Tides as they all joined PS Plus two years ago.

As for games added six months ago, we aren’t expecting Hogwarts Legacy or Battlefield 1 to leave, but the former is a major game, so the sooner you beat it, the better.

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Shinobi: Art of Vengeance: The Kotaku Review

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Sunday, 24 August 2025

Fresh Tracks (PS5) Review: Ski to the Rhythm

fresh tracks review — (Photo Credit: Buffalo Buffalo)

It’s always great to be surprised by a game, and one of 2025’s most pleasant surprises is Fresh Tracks. The first game from Vancouver game studio Buffalo Buffalo, this rhythm roguelite puts the players on skis and challenges them with a ton of enemies and obstacles to attack and dodge. A successful blend of genres, it winds up giving you both the same feel of triumph at the end of a run as Hades, while also the joy of nailing a guitar solo in Rock Band.

Like a lot of VR rhythm games, you are constantly moving forward in Fresh Tracks. Taking on a series of gods along the way, including one played by the always-great Peter Stormare, you’ll find yourself choosing which paths to go on before you reach boss battles. This is the first layer of strategy in the game, as you’ll have to find a balance between going on tougher levels in order to unlock better skills during the run or just doing an easy stage to get your health up before a pivotal moment.

Each song will have you hopping between different lanes while simultaneously tilting your body, jumping, and crouching to avoid obstacles. Along the way, you’ll be tempted to collect health and currency in order to aid your runs. While that’s already enough to keep you plenty busy, you also use the right analog stick in order to swing a sword at foes and projectiles, with perfectly-timed swipes allowing you to eventually heal yourself. It’s a lot of mechanics, but they all complement each other well and are introduced during a nice tutorial, so you’ll never feel totally overwhelmed.

The highlight of each run is definitely getting to a boss fight. These get particularly intense as plenty of enemies are thrown your way, and the game also does a great job of building up these encounters through back-and-forth narration. Hearing the gods taunt you as you make your way through an encounter makes it all the more satisfying once you finally get through it.

The roguelite nature of the game comes out in a few ways. You can spend currency on charms that give you benefits for each run, but you are also able to buy permanent upgrades over time, such as better pairs of skis. There’s a nice mix of unlocks, including the ability to practice songs, so you never feel like progression is hopeless.

Fresh Tracks (PS5) Review: Final Verdict

With a wide range of difficulty settings and over 25 catchy songs, Fresh Tracks is the latest must-own PS5 rhythm game. Whether you’re a relative newbie to music-based games or look forward to mastering difficult runs, Buffalo Buffalo’s debut game is a triumphant success. Stylish and fun to replay, players will look forward to every restart rather than bemoaning a run coming to an end.

Great songs and presentation
Wide range of difficulty options
Enjoyable progression system and unlocks

Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital copy for our Fresh Tracks PS5 review. Reviewed on version 1.000.000.

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Friday, 22 August 2025

PS5 Getting 2024’s Surprise Hit Open World Game

Fall 2025 just got busier for PS5 players as a popular 2024 open world game has just been announced for consoles. Coffee Stain has announced that its unique sandbox / factory simulation game Satisfactory will be out soon for PlayStation and Xbox, and it’s available to wishlist now.

Hit open world sandbox game Satisfactory gets November release date for PS5

Satisfactory will launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 4. The award-winning title released on PC to universal acclaim from both players and critics. It currently holds a Metacritic average of 91/100, and an “overwhelmingly positive” player rating on Steam based on 119,000+ votes.

For the uninitiated, Satisfactory is Coffee Stain Studios’ largest open world game to date. Played in first-person, the game tasks players with building factories with “a dash of exploration and combat.” Satisfactory can be played solo or with friends via online co-op.

“Conquer nature by building massive factories across the land,” reads an official overview. “Venture on expeditions to search for new materials and be sure to put everything to good use. Nature is yours to harvest!”

Satisfactory offers a plethora of factory customization options and vehicles to aid players in their mission. Players can also automate their factories.

Satisfactory’s PS Store page doesn’t yet confirm PS5 Pro enhancements and cloud streaming capability.

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Thursday, 21 August 2025

Free PS5 Demo Out Now for Highly-Anticipated RPG

Free PS5 demo for RPG Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

Nihon Falcom and GungHo Online Entertainment just dropped a free PS5 demo on the PS Store for their upcoming RPG, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter. We just previewed this remake of the iconic 2006 PSP JRPG (originally released for Windows in 2004), and we can’t recommend the demo enough.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter free PS5 demo lets players try upcoming remake of iconic RPG

There’s no need for a PS Plus subscription to play the demo as it’s free for everyone. However, Premium members can stream it as a benefit of their membership. The demo isn’t PS5 Pro enhanced, but don’t worry, Trails in the Sky looks fantastic as it is.

Included in the demo is the game’s prologue. All save data can be carried over when Trails in the Sky releases on September 19. Do note that the final product may differ slightly.

“Join Estelle Bright and her adoptive brother, Joshua, as they set out on their path as bracers, taking on tasks across the Rolent region in their father Cassius’ absence,” reads an official overview. “When strange events begin to unfold on their quest to rise through the ranks of the Bracer Guild, they must quickly prove their worth in this gripping adventure of intrigue and peril.”

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter will also release on Switch and PC. An Xbox version was not announced.

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Wednesday, 20 August 2025

Mega-Evolved Pokémon Are Even Appearing In Cuddly Form

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PS Portal Cloud Streaming Gets Great New Update

PS Portal direct cloud streaming, which is still in beta, has received another fantastic update that players should take advantage of. PS Plus Premium users can now stream Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered straight from the catalog without turning on their PS5.

PS Portal direct cloud streaming update strengthens the handheld’s stand-alone library

Not all games make it to PS Portal’s direct cloud streaming library, so this is another great addition after Cyberpunk 2077. Players have been requesting Sony to turn Portal into a full-fledged stand-alone handheld that allows users to play purchased games without the need for a PS5.

Unfortunately, however, bypassing PS5 is currently only possible via PS Plus Premium. This means that the games PS Portal users have access to disappear whenever the catalog refreshes. The handheld already lost some fan-favorite games including The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and The Outer Worlds when the left the PS Plus catalog.

We don’t know how long players will have access to Spider-Man Remastered and Cyberpunk 2077, so enjoy them on the handheld while they’re still in the catalog.

Sony hasn’t said how long the direct cloud streaming beta will last, so we’ll just have to wait to regain access to the games that have already left PS Plus.

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Tuesday, 19 August 2025

Guy From Iowa Stole $145,000 From His Company To Buy Pokémon Cards And Other Stuff

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‘Unique’ Upcoming PS5 RPG Has Players Scratching Their Heads

An upcoming PS5 RPG, described as a “unique” thriller, has made a puzzling new appearance after its original announcement in 2021. Neo Berlin 2087, which was originally titled Shadow of Conspiracy: Section 2, has received a new Gamescom 2025 trailer and we can’t seem to wrap our heads around what we’re looking at.

New trailer for PS5 RPG Neo Berlin 2087 has left players confused

According to developer Elysium Game Studio, Neo Berlin 2087 combines both first and third-person elements in a narrative-based RPG set in a dystopian cyberpunk world. Ok, we’re with them here. But then, we see this:

Going by the comments under that video as well as the reactions I’ve seen on social media/gaming forums, I certainly wasn’t the only one who thought the dialogue was a bit strange. But we can chalk that up to the trailer only showing a miniscule portion of the game.

That said, the mishmash of genres and gameplay mechanics on display here don’t look too promising, and we can see why some players feel like they’ve watched dozens of different game trailers in a single two-minute video.

I think one player perfectly described Neo Berlin 2087 when they wrote, “Max Payne of Duty 2077: Deux Ex Matrix.”

Here’s hoping the next trailer does a better job of explaining what Neo Berlin 2087 is all about.

We’ll be covering Gamescom 2025 Opening Night Live today, so stay tuned.

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Highly-Anticipated New PS Plus Classics Disappoint Fans

Two much-awaited PS Plus classics launched today on PS5 and PS4, but the excitement quickly went away for some fans. Also available in stand-alone form, both Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis launched without trophies, pretty much confirming at this point that Capcom has no plans to add trophies to any of its new classics on the PS Store.

PS Plus classics Resident Evil 2 and 3 stand-alone PS5, PS4 releases also botched

Both RE2 and 3 classics are also available to purchase separately for $9.99 each, if you’re not a PS Plus Premium member. However, as was the case with Resident Evil Director’s Cut, not everyone who previously owned the games on the PS3 are able to claim the new upgrades for free.

Now, Sony did warn subscribers that not all classics will be available as free upgrades, but why players in some regions get them for free while others don’t is anybody’s guess.

Over on Reddit, players in Turkey who previously owned RE2 and 3 classics on PS3 claim that they received today’s new drops for free without a subscription. However, players in some European countries including Italy cannot claim the upgrades for free.

The lineup has yet to go live in the Americas.

We’ll keep an eye on the bundle entitlement situation and keep our readers posted.

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Monday, 18 August 2025

Some PS Plus Extra Users Can Play New August 2025 Game Early

An August 2025 PS Plus Extra/Premium game went live last week for some subscribers, and they might not have realized it. As previously announced, Sony is testing a staggered launch for PS Plus games in some countries as of last month. As a result, members in Australia and Singapore received access Mortal Kombat 1 on Wednesday, August 13.

PS Plus Game Mortal Kombat 1 Is Live for Some, Thanks to Sony’s Staggered Launch

We’re not sure what benefit Sony foresees from a staggered release schedule, but if you’re in Australia or Singapore, your eyes aren’t deceiving you and you’re not downloading a PS Plus Premium trial. It is indeed the full Mortal Kombat 1 game.

But the staggered launches mean you’ll get some games later than everyone else. The following games will be available in both countries tomorrow, August 19, when they go live around the globe:

Marvel’s Spider-Man
Sword of the Sea
Unicorn Overlord
Resident Evil 2 (Premium)
Resident Evil 3 (Premium)

The following games will be available in Australia and Singapore on August 26:

Earth Defense Force 6
Coral Island

And finally, the following will become available on September 9:

Atelier Ryza 3 Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key
Indika
Harold Halibut

As far as we know, Australia and Singapore are the only two countries impacted by Sony’s new initiative. Additionally, the staggered launches will only apply to Extra and Premium games, not monthly Essential games.

We’ll endeavor to keep a track of these releases for our international readers.

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Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Mod Rolls Back Game To Pre-‘Censorship’ Version

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Sunday, 17 August 2025

Everything You Need Know About Jumping Back Into Fortnite For Chapter 6, Season 4

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Saturday, 16 August 2025

Everything You’d Want To Know About Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

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If You’re On The Lookout For A Short, Worthwhile Horror Game, Check Out Ratshaker

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Friday, 15 August 2025

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 Price And Date Info Reportedly Leak With No Switch 2 In Sight

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McDonald’s Gets Tough On Pokémon Scalpers Ahead Of Another Weekend Of Giveaways

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New PS Plus ‘Badges’ Awarded to Members… With Wrong Info

Sony is displaying new personalized PS Plus “badges” for each subscriber, which carry the number of years one has been a member. The initiative is a part of the service’s 15th anniversary, and keeping things on brand for PlayStation, the badges seem to be displaying incorrect information.

New PS Plus Badges perfectly mark the service’s 15th anniversary

As far as I’m aware, the badge is only viewable via the PS Plus section on your console. When you navigate to the 15th anniversary tab, you should see something like this:

PS Plus 15th anniversary badge — Image: PlayStation LifeStyle

The image above is a screenshot from my PS5, and according to Sony, I’ve only been a member for a year. One problem: I’ve been a PS Plus member for well over a decade at this point, and I don’t recall my membership expiring over the last few years at least.

Out of curiosity, I wandered into Reddit to see if anyone else’s “badge” is displaying incorrect number of years, and unsurprisingly, this seems to be the case for virtually everyone.

“Mine says 15 years. I didn’t even have a PS3,” wrote one member. “Mine says 1 year even though I have been a subscriber since Day 1 and have also paid for the highest tiers when they were made available,” wrote another. Some players say they can’t see the badges at all.

To be clear, I’ve never upgraded or downgraded my PS Plus membership. Following the revamp, I stuck to the Essential tier, so if we consider that a “break” in service, the badge is still incorrect.

Happy 15th, PS Plus! These badges perfectly encapsulate PSN for me. My end-of-year stats and console playtime hours have always been wildly inaccurate, too. Oh well!

For the curious souls, clicking through the badge leads to the PS Plus library. Nothing further to see there.

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Thursday, 14 August 2025

Superman‘s Arrival On Streaming Is Marked With A 5-Minute Krypto Cartoon

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New Official PS5, PS4 Accessory Announced Out of Nowhere

A brand-new PS5, PS4 accessory has been announced, and it’s somewhat taken players by surprise. Turtle Beach was once the hottest gaming accessories brand in the market, and while it’s still fairly popular, we weren’t expecting to see its very first officially licensed PlayStation headset — the all-new Atlas 200 — in 2025.

Atlas 200 headset is Turtle Beach’s first officially licensed PS5, PS4 accessory

Atlas 200 is officialy described as a fusion of sorts of Turtle Beach’s Atlas Air and Recon 200. The company claims that the Atlas 200 “draws upon key design, engineering elements, and inspiration” from both PC headsets, resulting in a combination of “premium game sound and passive wired compatibility, plus superior lightweight comfort.”

All of the above for an affordable $59.99.

The Atlas 200 comes in black and white variants, each with blue accents that display the PlayStation logo. Pre-orders are live now on Turtle Beach’s official website, with a release date of September 12.

Technical specifications are as follows:

Connectivity: 3.5mm Wired
Driver Size: 50mm Nanoclear Drivers
Driver Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Microphone Type: Uni-Directional, Flip-to-Mute
Ear Cushions: Athletic Weave Fabric + Memory Foam
Audio Cable: 3.5mm 4-pole (Length: 1.2m)

Features include:

50mm Nanoclear Drivers
3D Audio Support
Lightweight Design
Ultra-Clear, Flip-to-Mute Mic
Floating Fit
Glasses-Friendly Comfort

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Wednesday, 13 August 2025

PlayStation Store Update Worldwide August 12, 2025

North American Update

August’s PlayStation Plus Essential Lineup

Day Z (PS4)
The Lies of P (PS4/PS5)
My Hero One’s Justice 2 (PS4)

PSVR Games

SCP-087 THE STAIRWELL HORROR VR

PS4 & PS5 Games

(Dis)Assemble
Alien Breakout
Anime Dance-Off – Las Vegas
Aquatic Life: Fish Simulator RPG
Arcade Archives D-DAY
Battle Mythic Maidens Arena
BOMBORDIRO CROCODILO Flight Simulator
Bullet Trail
Candy Trail
CASE RECORDS: Fear of Abduction
Deadliest Deep Sea Catch Fishing Simulator
Doors: Paradox
Echoes of the End
Galaxy Roll
Gas Station: Idle Simulator
Giant Machines 2017
GRADIUS ORIGINS
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Heretic + Hexen
The Jumping Bonbon Match 3 – PS4 & PS5
Kawaii Puzzle Quest 2
Knowledge, or know Lady
Laundry Boss Simulator
Mafia: The Old Country
Memory Holder: The Numbers
Money Laundering Simulator
Moontales Picbook
Narcissus
Peaked Climbing
Pixicharm – Spikoin
QUARANTINE AREA
Quarantine Zone: Border Zombie Checkpoint
Ra Ra BOOM
RTA New York Street
Sector Shooter
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Silence under the dome
Slopecrashers
Starfall Defenders
Temari Trials
tiny Cats
Tobacco Business Simulator
Tofu Dream
TUNG TUNG SAHUR EXTREME
ULTRASHOT: Kill Protocol
Unicorns – The Troll Adventure
Viking Colony Builder Valhalla
Zombie Royale io
Zooparasite

Next Page: European Update

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The Switch 2’s GameCube Library Is Finally Getting A New Addition

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Tuesday, 12 August 2025

Alan Wake Devs Plan A Big Relaunch For Failing Co-Op Flop

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PS5 Just Got Free Upgrade of One of the Best PS4 Games

PS5 owners can now claim the free current-gen upgrade of fan-favorite 2017 PS4 action adventure game. The native PS5 port of the award-winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is out now, and those who owned it on the PS4 are entitled to a free copy.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice free PS5 upgrade for existing owners comes with a new set of trophies

Hellblade PS5 trophy list is now live too, and it’s identical to the original. Since we can’t spot an option to import PS4 saves, we don’t think the new set of trophies can be auto-popped. However, Hellblade is a short, linear game and it won’t take long to pop the Platinum trophy.

We do think it’s worth going through the game again because it’s specifically enhanced for current-gen platforms. New features include ray tracing, support for up to 120 FPS gameplay, and DualSense haptic feedback. Hellblade is also PS5 Pro enhanced.

Those who are new to the game will have to fork out $29.99, but we can’t recommend it enough.

“Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover,” reads an official overview. “Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.”

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The Best 4X Games Ever Made Are All On Sale Right Now

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Monday, 11 August 2025

McDonald’s Pokémon Promotion Ends In Utter Chaos

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Battlefield 6 Just Smashed Call Of Duty‘s Player Records In Two Days

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PS4 Support Coming to an End Soon – Report

PS4 support may come to an end sooner than players expected, if a new report is to be believed. Sony has already begun winding things down, but following last week’s news of Genshin Impact shutting its PS4 port down, we’re hearing that the console is set to lose major third-party support soon.

2026 seems to be the beginning of the end for PS4 support

According to GamesIndustry.biz, “many other operators of major online and live service titles” are looking into timelines to pull the plug on their support for the PS4. The outlet attributes this to two main reasons, one of which — as we all know by now — are technical limitations.

The other reason for publishers dropping PS4 support is the install base of the PS5, which has finally reached a desirable state after a start marred by the pandemic and stock shortages that lasted years. The slow rise in the current-gen install base is also widely blamed for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S not receiving many games that introduced wow factors like previous generations.

As for Sony, we don’t expect PS4 support to fully end in the near future, especially considering that the PS3’s online services (including PS Store) are still live. However, the company is already removing some of the console’s beloved features, and has confirmed that PS Plus will be focusing on the PS5 catalog starting January 2026.

It is indeed the beginning of the end for the PS4.

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Sunday, 10 August 2025

PS Store Quietly Drops Free PS5 Demo for Surprise Hit Shooter

PS5 shooter Deadzone: Rogue free PS Store demo

In case you missed it, a promising new shooter just got a free PS5 demo on the PS Store, and you might want to check it out. Deadzone: Rogue, which is currently in early access on Steam, is headed to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in the near future. Console players can jump in now to see what the buzz is all about.

First-person shooter Deadzone: Rogue is already a hit with PC players, now heading to PS5

Deadzone: Rogue became an instant hit on Steam, where it currently holds a “very positive” player rating based on 5,000+ votes and counting. A roguelite FPS set in space, the game offers both solo and three-player co-op modes.

Deadzone: Rogue will exit early access on PC tomorrow, August 11. A console release date has not been announced, but it shouldn’t be too far away.

“Blast through hordes of enemies with devastating weapons,” reads an official overview. “Define your combat style with powerful augments and upgrades. Grow stronger with each death, solo or in co-op. Fight. Die. Revive. Repeat.”

Deadzone: Rogue isn’t free-to-play, so you will need a PS Plus subscription to play online. PS Plus Premium subscribers can stream the demo.

PS5 Pro enhancements have not been announced yet.

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Friday, 8 August 2025

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced Review: A PS5 Pro Showcase

I was completely wowed last year when I played through Hellblade II on my Xbox Series X. Now, a little over a year later, I’ve gotten the opportunity to replay an even better version of Ninja Theory’s sequel thanks to the release of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced on PlayStation 5. A real visual and audio treat, it’s one of the best-looking games for PS5 Pro and an experience that no one should miss.

The real highlight of the original Hellblade was the audio design, as the game brilliantly depicts psychosis as you hear separate voices in Senua’s head. While they initially can seem like a devil and angel on Senua’s shoulders, as the game goes on, you really understand that these voices are parts of the character and that they help form her final thoughts. It’s the type of iteration you love to see in gaming, as it is further fleshed out and really establishes a bond between character and player.

I was never a huge fan of the original’s combat, as Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was at its best when it was more of an adventure game, which was a surprise due to the developer’s background. Thankfully, every battle in Hellblade II feels like a real event, as you’ll parry your way past brutal encounters and slash your way through memorable fights. There’s a seamless transition from combat to puzzle sections, as it has been made as a whole experience rather than a segmented one. The puzzles are also significantly better than the first game, which had some really annoying sections, as you’ll find yourself feeling quite satisfied after figuring out some of the trickier solutions.

But the highest praise I have for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is for its story and how the game wonderfully blends gameplay and narrative together. Upon my replay, and thus knowing the game’s twists, I found myself really enjoying noticing the foreshadowing and how things are set up. I was just as wowed with the boss encounters as the first time around, so those that are coming back for a second run won’t be disappointed. There are few games that feel this fully formed, that never waste a second of the player’s time, and deliver a meaningful experience that will stick with you.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced is truly one of the best-looking games ever made from a graphical standpoint, especially if you own a PS5 Pro. From striking art design to its incredibly realistic character models, the game constantly looks like a showcase for the system. That’s why it’s great news that its photo mode has been much improved with additional settings and even allows for cinematic video capture as well. There are quality and performance mode offerings, and while the game plays fine at 30 fps (as that’s how I played it on Xbox), it was hard to go back once I got the smoothness of 60 fps with the performance mode. Players can also pick whether to use Temporal Super Resolution or the PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution as the upscaler, but both look great to my untrained eye (I’m excited for Digital Foundry to do a deep dive on the differences).

One of the main complaints about Hellblade II was its short length — it takes around 7 hours to beat the game. While I certainly see that as a positive, as there’s no padding and it constantly tops itself with great moments, Ninja Theory has addressed this by adding some meaningful replayability incentives. First is a developer commentary mode, which features over four hours of behind-the-scenes talk about how the game was made. I’m always a sucker for this type of inside look, and it works great here. There’s also a Dark Rot mode, which takes the gimmick of the first game — which pretended to act like you’d lose your save file with enough failures — and makes it real. Featuring more difficult fights, this is a great reason to replay it and should please those who wanted more of a challenge.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced Review: Final Verdict

The wait was certainly worth it for PlayStation owners as Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced brings players the ultimate version of Ninja Theory’s sequel. Featuring some of the most impressive cinematic gaming moments outside of Naughty Dog, Hellblade II consistently astounds with its big moments of spectacle. A technical marvel with two great reasons to replay the game after the credits roll, it’s an essential purchase for all PlayStation owners.

Meaningful new modes and reasons to replay
An unforgettable story with striking visuals
One of the best reasons to own a PS5 Pro

Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital copy for our Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II PS5 review. Reviewed on version 1.001.000.

The post Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced Review: A PS5 Pro Showcase appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Pokémon TCG Pocket‘s Allegedly Plagiarized Cards Are Finally Replaced

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Thursday, 7 August 2025

Sony’s Sold 80 Million PS5s In Five Years, Dwarfing Xbox

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PS5 Users Can Try Upcoming Shooter for Free Without PS Plus

PS5 players are reminded that they can try an intriguing upcoming shooter for free via the PS Store, and they don’t need a PS Plus subscription for it. Metal Eden, which looks like Cyberpunk and Doom had a baby, was originally supposed to launch in May but ended up being delayed into September.

PS5 shooter Metal Eden is brought to us by folks behind surprise hit, Ruiner

Publisher Deep Silver announced Metal Eden’s new release date yesterday. Developed by Ruiner studio Reikon Games, the sci-fi shooter will now launch on September 2, adding to a growing list of games being packed into the month.

The good news is that since the demo is free for everyone, it’ll help interested players prioritize their September purchases.

“The advanced Hyper Unit Aska is sent on a suicide mission to rescue the citizens’ Cores from the vast monolithic city Moebius – once a hopeful new home for humanity now turned into a deadly trap,” reads a synopsis. “Blast your way through the Internal Defense Corps in cybernetic warfare, confront the Engineers, and uncover the mysteries of the project Eden.”

The demo is PS5 Pro Enhanced and can be streamed via PS Plus Premium, eliminating the need for a download.

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PS Store Users Rushing to Preorder Battlefield 6 PS5 $100 Edition

Battlefield 6 open beta has yet to go live but PS5 players are already flocking to the PS Store to preorder its pricey $100 Phantom Edition. The game is comfortably sitting atop Sony storefront’s preorder charts in major regions.

Battlefield 6: Phantom Edition PS5 tops PS Store preorder charts around the globe

I first noticed Battlefield 6: Phantom Edition holding the no. 1 position in PS Store USA’s preorder charts. Out of curiosity, I checked the store pages for the UK, Australia, UAE, Japan, and France. You guessed it, the Phantom Edition is topping preorder charts in all of the above.

Battlefield 6’s standard edition also appears in top preorders, but is far surpassed by the more expensive edition, which includes:

Battlefield Pro Token
The Phantom Pack, featuring:
- Phantom Squad: 4 Soldier Skins
- 2 Weapon Packages
- Melee Knife Weapon Skin
- Vehicle Skin
- Weapon Sticker
- Weapon Charm
- Dog Tag
Phantom XP Boost Set

Despite being a massive Battlefield fan, I don’t think I’d be forking out $100 for the above, but who am I to judge?

Battlefield 6 isn’t the only game where we saw a similar trend. Ghost of Yotei’s $80 edition topped PS Store’s preorder charts around the globe as well, indicating that price hikes are unlikely to hurt blockbusters.

GTA 6 publisher Take-Two is probably taking note.

The post PS Store Users Rushing to Preorder Battlefield 6 PS5 $100 Edition appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Wednesday, 6 August 2025

PS4 Is Losing One of Its Biggest, Most Popular Games

PS4 players woke up to some pretty bad news today as it was announced that one of the platform’s juggernaut is shutting down for good. MiHoYo’s massive action RPG Genshin Impact will be removed from the PS Store soon, and will eventually be taken offline.

Genshin Impact PS4 version shutting down due to hardware limitations

MiHoYo blamed end of support on “hardware performance and platform application size.” The good news is that players have plenty of time to migrate to Genshin Impact’s PS5 version and/or wrap up their trophy progress on the PS4.

On September 10, Genshin Impact will be removed from the PS4’s store. Only those who add the game to their library before that date will be able to re-download it or continue playing, if already downloaded.

Genshin Impact’s microtransactions, however, will remain listed on the PS Store until in-game purchases are disabled on February 25, 2026. Players shouldn’t expect any refunds as they’ve been given plenty of notice. That said, purchased items will remain accessible in-game until it’s shut down completely. Items will carry over to the PS5 version, should players wish to upgrade.

On August 8, 2026, Genshin Impact on PS4 will officially lose all support and players will no longer be able to log in.

Starting December 2025, PS4 players will be prompted to transition to PS5 when they boot up Genshin Impact via login method “binding.” For more details, read the official announcement.

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Check Out The Best Cosplay At San Diego Comic-Con 2025

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Tuesday, 5 August 2025

Nintendo Taunts Silksong Fans With Surprise Indie World Showcase

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Peak Dev Would Rather You Pirate Their Game Than Play A Roblox Knock-Off

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Monday, 4 August 2025

Last Chance to Claim Hit PS Plus Free Games to Keep Forever

PS Plus users have another day to claim three great games for free and keep them in their libraries for good. As the August 2025 Essential monthly games go live on Tuesday, the July free games lineup will depart the service for good.

PS Plus Essential August 2025 monthly free games go live on Tuesday, August 5

July’s Essential games were a breath of fresh air for subscribers after a few underwhelming months. Players were were treated to Diablo IV, Jusant, and The King of Fighters XV.

As a reminder, should any of these games join the Extra/Premium catalogs on a later date, players should avoid downloading them from the temporary lineup as doing so will override the Essential license, and you will no longer have permanent access to these games.

This issue has existed since the service’s revamp, and there’s no indication that Sony plans to fix it.

If you’re having trouble claiming Diablo IV due to different SKUs, check out our previous article for a solution.

The August Essential games will go live at noon local time on Tuesday, August 5. It’s another solid lineup, with hit game Lies of P, Day Z, and My Hero One’s Justice 2 joining PS Plus.

As usual, we’ll update our readers when the games begin rolling out.

The post Last Chance to Claim Hit PS Plus Free Games to Keep Forever appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

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Switch 2 Owners Are Leaping On A Survey To Express Fury Over Game Key Cards

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Wait, What? Titan Quest II Is A Thing, And Is Out In Early Access?

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Saturday, 2 August 2025

From The Directors Featured In Death Stranding 2: 10 Incredible Films To Check Out

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PS4 Launch Exclusive Game Shutting Down for Good

PS4 exclusive game Blacklight: Retribution

A 2013 PS4 launch exclusive game is shutting down for the final time, its developer has announced on Discord. Players would be forgiven for thinking that Blacklight: Retribution was already offline because it was delisted and discontinued, but its PS4 version remained operational until now.

PS4 console exclusive game Blacklight: Retribution had a 12-year run

Blacklight: Retribution, which originally launched on PC, didn’t release on any other console. It was one of PS4’s first free-to-play games.

While the PC version didn’t last long and was discontinued in 2019, the PS4 version survived a PS Store delisting as well as a change in developers when its original team Zombie Studios shut down in 2015, passing the torch on to Hardsuit Labs.

Well, the 12-year PS4 run ends now.

“Hello Agents, On August 31st the backend services that Blacklight: Retribution depends on will be shutdown for the final time,” reads a notice on Discord. “Unfortunately, this is a necessary change as we have run out of options to support hosting of Blacklight’s backend services.”

The developer thanked PS4 players for continuing to support Blacklight: Retribution over the years.

“I still occasionally jump in and play a match or two just to see if everything is working or if I need to prod the backend back to life,” the statement continues. “Consistently finding a match 12 years after the PS4 launch is a feel-good moment — a moment quickly taken away as I watch the respawn timer count down because I stayed in HRV far too long.”

Were any of our readers still playing Blacklight: Retribution?

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Friday, 1 August 2025

Nintendo Is About To Raise The Price Of The Original Switch

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