New reports say that Sony has development on a The Last of Us remake for PS5 going under original developer Naughty Dog, which is quite frankly a ridiculous proposition given that the original only came out in 2013 on PS3, got a Remastered version on PS4 in 2014—which, I should add, is available as part of the PS Plus Collection on PS5 for all PlayStation Plus subscribers—and had its sequel release just last year. Pursuing new ideas and sequels to big games aside (RIP Days Gone 2), The Last of Us is one of last games that comes to mind when looking at which PlayStation exclusives Sony should remake.

Putting out a remake (whatever “remake” actually means, in this context) of The Last of Us, built by the same studio who already put the game out less than eight years ago, feels devoid of creativity on Sony’s part. Even the 2016 Ratchet & Clank remake from Insomniac was 14 years after the original’s release. Whether it’s just the original game with some PS5-level enhancements, or its a full-blown remake that changes up multiple elements of the game (the reporting seems to suggest the latter), The Last of Us is very low on the list of PlayStation exclusive remakes that fans are clamoring for on the PS5.

Now, that’s not to say that The Last of Us is a bad game—far from it—but rather that it just doesn’t warrant a remake just yet. In no particular order, here are 10 PlayStation exclusives from Sony studios that deserve PS5 remakes more than The Last of Us.

10 PlayStation Exclusives That Deserve PS5 Remakes More Than The Last of Us

Jak and Daxter

If we’re mining Naughty Dog’s history for remakes, can we delve back a little further than the last franchise the studio worked on? In fact, let’s even jump back past Uncharted, to an era of platforming creativity in the early 2000s when Naughty Dog created one of the most beloved platforming duos of all time. Uncharted and The Last of Us are both excellent series, but Jak and Daxter were last seen in 2005’s Jak X: Combat Racing, and with Naughty Dog’s increasing focus on visceral realism, Jak and Daxter seems to have been forgotten. What could Naughty Dog do with the Jak and Daxter franchise now with the PS5’s tech and after all the lessons learned in the last 15 years? I’m much more interested in exploring this possibility than in revisiting The Last of Us again so soon.

Resistance: Fall of Man

A brilliant 1950s-era first-person shooter that saw aliens invade earth in the early 1900s and change history forever following WWI, Resistance: Fall of Man mixes the period setting with sci-fi in a brilliant and unique way. The Chimera were iconic foes. Nathan Hale’s story resonated with players. And then the series was largely dropped following 2011’s Resistance 3. The final entry was 2012’s offshoot, Resistance: Burning Skies, on PlayStation Vita. Insomniac have repeatedly expressed that there is no interest in returning to Resistance from either the developer itself or Sony, but it’s is one of those franchises that deserves another look far more than The Last of Us.

Infamous

Infamous was at one time a strong PlayStation exclusive franchise. Infamous: Second Son and First Light were early looks at the wonders of the PS4, but the franchise got its start in 2009’s Infamous. The series seems to have been dropped by Sony, following 2014’s First Light, and Sucker Punch moved on to make the lauded Ghost of Tsushima. With all the love that alternate takes on superhero stories are getting these days, revisiting that first Infamous on PS5 would be a welcome look back at a great PlayStation series.

Twisted Metal

Twisted Metal’s last outing was the PS3’s Twisted Metal in 2012, which controversially changed up a number of the series’ biggest elements—namely connecting individual drivers to their specific cars and giving each one a unique reason for entering the Twisted Metal competition. But we’ve seen what a classic return to form can do for a series, just look at what Activision did with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, which captured the nostalgia of the originals in a whole new way. We’d love to see a similar approach to Twisted Metal, remaking the classic PS1 games (notably Twisted Metal 2), or even a remake of the darker Twisted Metal: Black. With a Twisted Metal TV show on the way, now seems like a perfect time to revive the series’ classic and best games. If I won the Twisted Metal tournament, that’s what I’d wish for.

Sly Cooper

Sly Cooper is another classic cartoon-platformer that got dropped by Sony. The first game released back in 2002, while the last release was Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (effectively Sly Cooper 4) in 2013. Sly and his pals were at one time in the upper pantheon of PlayStation mascots, joining the likes of Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank in an era of fun buddy platformers that Sony ran through the early 2000s. Sly’s been a bit lost to time after his time traveling antics of 2013, but we’d love to revisit his origins again.

Ratchet & Clank

Yes, Ratchet & Clank is not a dead or dormant series, and yes, there’s a new game coming out this year, and also yes, Ratchet & Clank already got a remake with the 2016 game (which was free earlier this year from the Play at Home initiative). But, can you see where I’m going with this? I’d love to revisit other older Ratchet games too. Imagine Going Commando or Up Your Arsenal (ah, the classic days of inappropriately punny Ratchet game subtitles) built with PS5 tech. While certainly lower on the list than many of the other titles here, remaking classic Ratchet & Clank games is still something I’d want more than The Last of Us.

Legend of Dragoon

At this point it’s a pipe dream to see anything remade or continue from Japan Studio, but Legend of Dragoon was a classic RPG that was often compared (if somewhat unfairly) to Final Fantasy. Legend of Dragoon has gained a cult following in the decades since it released, so much so that it was heavily demanded as the Bluepoint remake (which ended up being the PS5 remake of Demon’s Souls). We’d love to see what a modern exploration of Legend of Dragoon could look like though. You could even have Shuhei Yoshida return to produce!

Syphon Filter

This one seems like a no-brainer. Syphon Filter was part of the “stealth shooter” genre of games that included the likes of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. With Metal Gear Solid seemingly dead in the water after Kojima’s split from Konami, and Ubisoft reluctant to actually put out a new Splinter Cell title, now seems like the perfect time to revisit Syphon Filter, especially because Bend Studio tied the world of Days Gone into it. Though with Days Gone 2 reportedly going nowhere, I don’t expect Sony to jump at this opportunity.

God of War

Like with Ratchet & Clank, it’s entirely possible to continue a series while having an appreciation for its origins. The new God of War is fantastic, one of my favorite games ever. The next one is sure to be a masterpiece as well, but I can’t help but wonder what the original 2005 God of War might look like remade for PS5. This isn’t really something I’m clamoring for, but I certainly think it’s more deserving of a remake than The Last of Us at this point, so it made the list mostly just to prove a point.

Killzone

Sony really got out of the shooter business, dropping many of its titles in favor of blockbuster experiences. Killzone last saw an entry at the PS4’s launch, and it doesn’t look like we’re set to see another one anytime soon. Still, it would be interesting the revisit the classic titles in the franchise. What could Killzone 2 be if made for the PS5? Sony clearly still has a love for the Helghast, so maybe there’s something here that can be revived.

The 10 games and series above are just the tip of the iceberg, with plenty of additional Sony franchises that deserve another chance more than The Last of Us, which at this point doesn’t need a fresh remake to remain a viable and beloved series. Just look at how many awards its sequel won just last year. Dark Cloud, Ape Escape, Heavenly Sword, Lair, Tokyo Jungle; the Sony vault is filled with games, IPs, and franchises that have seemingly been abandoned while Sony reportedly wants to keep printing money with one of its most recently successful series.

Maybe in another few years, we can start the conversation about what remaking The Last of Us looks like—I mean, at least let the game hit a decade, jeez—but for now, let’s look to other PlayStation exclusive games that deserve another chance. Or better yet, invest in unique new ideas or continuations for these beloved IP.

Which PlayStation exclusives would you like to see Sony remake rather than The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments below.

The post 10 PlayStation Exclusives That Deserve PS5 Remakes More Than The Last of Us appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

LinkedIn profiles for prominent members of staff at Sony can provide interesting nuggets of information. As noticed by @bogorad222 on Twitter, TJ Consunji has revealed God of War made $500 million in revenue; Horizon Zero Dawn made $400 million. His profile has now been altered to remove the revenue figures, but screenshots exist of the profile before it was adjusted.

Formerly PlayStation’s Group Marketing Manager, he oversaw God of War‘s brand strategy. As of 2019, the game had made $500 million in revenue, significantly exceeding Sony’s revenue targets. The title sold over 10 million units in its first year, 40% of which were digital sales. This set a record for both digital sales and the highest number of units shifted during a game’s first year of release. In fact, the game was the most successful PlayStation exclusive launch in history, selling 3.1 million copies in just three days and reaching $131 million in digital sales alone during its first month. The series as a whole has gone on to shift more than 51 million units.

Consunji also helped to launch Horizon Zero Dawn. By the time he left PlayStation in 2019, the title had made $400 million in revenue having sold over 8 million units. Of those, 35% were digital sales. The title was the biggest launch of a new PlayStation 4 IP in the UK and had previously reported selling 3.4 million copies in its first two months. By the time it reached its second anniversary, it had also passed 10 million units sold.

Meanwhile on PlayStation 3, Killzone 3 became Sony’s best selling first person shooter title, exceeding sales predictions by 20% in just five weeks. Killzone 2, Uncharted 2, and Uncharted 3 also flew past sales predictions by at least 20%.

Consunji wasn’t the only person to spill the beans though. Naughty Dog programmer Drew Thaler revealed several of their games have grossed $1 billion since their release. He went on to mention The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II, and Uncharted 4, but whether they all hit that target is unclear.

[Source: @bogorad222 on Twitter 1, 2, 3, 4)

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For the (likely) few of you that have still been playing Killzone 2 and Killzone 3, we have some bad news for you. Guerrilla has announced today that after more than six years of operations and countless battles, the online servers for both Killzone titles will be decommissioned next year on March 29, 2018.. The single-player campaign for both games will still remain accessible, but online play and related functionality will no longer work.

In a statement over on the Guerrilla blog, the studio expressed gratitude toward the fanbase for even supporting the two titles for so long and noted that their enthusiasm and love for the game is what helps them grow as a studio. While the Killzone 2 and 3 servers may be shutting down, the game will still live on with its single-player campaign and of course in the memory of all those who played it.

For the full quote from Guerrilla on the closing of the Killzone 2 and 3 servers, check out below:

On March 29th, 2018, after more than six years of operation and countless battles between the ISA and the Helghast, the online servers for Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 will be decommissioned. The single player campaign for both games will remain accessible, but online play and related functionality will no longer work.

As we near the end of the online lifecycle for Killzone 2 and Killzone 3, we’d like to express how grateful we are for all the support and feedback we’ve received from the community over the last eight years. Your enthusiasm is what drove us to hone our craft and grow as a studio. We hope you enjoyed playing Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 online as much as we did creating them.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.

[Source: Guerrilla]

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In the 20 Years of Play Q&A with Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida at EGX over the weekend, he touched on a variety of topics, including the possibilities of a new WipEout game:

Never say never. There are many game IPs that we kind of stopped iterating or releasing a new game. One of the reasons is we always love to work on new IP. I always encourage studious to look for new ideas and new IP. From a management standpoint, I try to balance the number of games in a franchise… Because our resources are limited – the number of teams we can have working on titles are limited – we have to make choices. In the future there might be a chance for us to come back to WipEout.

He added that Studio Liverpool is shut down, but many of the people are still working in the industry and some are working with Sony on The Playroom and PlayStation VR.

When Shuhei was asked by a member of the audience if PSOne Classics might come to PlayStation 4, he replied, “The PS4 doesn’t have backwards compatibility so that’s all I can say. For the future, when we announce things we do it appropriately. I’m not the announcer of things.”

After saying his favorite non-Sony console is the Wii U because he plays it with his daughters, Shuhei talked a bit about remasters. “We’re doing this remaster thing selectively. It’s not easy to do it right,” he said. Asked specifically about remastering Killzone 2, he added, “We might be able to come to Killzone in the future, but at this moment I have nothing I can say.”

If you’re hoping to see Crash Bandicoot on PlayStation, Shuhei said the IP is owned by Activision so it’s “not my business any more.” He then added that it would be up to Adam Boyes and Sony’s Third Party team to contact Activision about any new Crash Bandicoot title.

As for Sony Bend Studio, who is known for Syphon Filter and Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Shuhei said, “Sony Bend exists. They are making some awesome, cool game that we have not announced. I’m not allowed to say.”

Finally, Shuhei revealed that the “biggest selling launch title of PS2 was The Matrix the movie [on DVD].”

[Source: 20 Years of Play Q&A (YouTube) via VG247]

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E3 week is just a few days away; and with it, the usual host of surprises and megatons associated with videogame-dom’s “Super Bowl.” To mark this year’s special event, we’ve compiled the top 10 best E3 moments from Sony.

In the list below, we’ve enumerated the top 10 best moments Sony has had at the show by order of significance. And thanks to technology, we’ve also added each corresponding video to go along with it, so you can relive the experience again.

So, without further ado, let’s begin and list down the best Sony E3 moments to date.

Twisted Metal Storms the Stage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4PTErxSAzU

At its 2010 E3 presser, Sony was about to pull the curtain on the show but not before it showcased a live-action promo for a then, mystery game. All questions were answered mere seconds after when Twisted Metal’s Sweet Tooth appears in not only the trailer spot, but also in real life. Yes, Sweet Tooth’s ice cream truck went on stage to steal the show and even better, inside said truck was David Jaffe, creator of the vehicular combat series. Jaffe then spent the next few minutes talking about the game’s multiplayer to the delight of old-school fans.

Kevin Butler Takes Over the Presser and Unites Gamers Everywhere

Kevin Butler (played by actor Jerry Lambert) might now be a footnote in Sony’s PlayStation history; but it’s hard to argue that it might be Sony’s best PlayStation marketing move, and the brand’s most known “mascot.” This was emphasized more when Butler took the stage at E3 2010 and won gamers everywhere with his speech. Unfortunately, the love-fest came to a crashing halt when Lambert appeared on a Bridgestone commercial that feature the Nintendo Wii as part of sales promotion.

It might be wishful thinking on my part, but I hope the Kevin Butler character comes back at some point down the line. Yes, he a was a corporate-made character and was out to sell us on PlayStation products, but he was a lovable shill that hasn’t been matched since.

PlayStation Plus Introduces the “Instant Game Collection” and Wins People Over

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnKB43RELL8

While PlayStation Plus was unveiled way back in 2010, the service didn’t really take off until Sony unleashed the bomb that is the “Instant Game Collection.” Just two years after the premium service’s debut, Sony rocked E3 by announcing a list of top-tier games that will be made available to subscribers at no additional cost. What made the announcement sweeter was how the games available would be “rotated in all the time.” Needless to say, this has set a precedent among its peers, a fact evident at how much Microsoft is mimicking the service with its “Games With Gold” platform.

Surprise Gaben Appearance

Here’s another entry from Sony’s E3 2010 presser; and this one has the one and only Gabe Newell. Valve’s overlord made a surprise appearance at Sony’s conference and while he didn’t announce Half-Life 3, Gaben did reveal a Steam-PS3 integration for the highly-acclaimed Portal 2. Admittedly, the collaboration hasn’t been as successful as most would have hoped, but Newell appearing on Sony’s press conference was a megaton that would stand out many years after. And hey, who’s to say Valve can’t do the same for the PS4, right?

Final Fantasy VII Tech Demo Excites Fans

Way back in 2005, Square Enix unveiled a video that up to this day, is still getting talked about. I’m of course, referring to the Final Fantasy VII tech demo that Sony used to showcase the graphical capabilities of the PS3. Sadly, Final Fantasy fans are still waiting for the game’s proper remake. Will it finally happen this gen? Let’s hope so.

Next Page: More Massive E3 Moments>>

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Fred Dutton was telling the truth when he said we could expect a couple of different sales on the European PSN this week, with the PSP and E3 being the themes. Check out both sales in detail below, with each of them running until June 19th:

E3 Sale – 10% off Extra for PlayStation Plus Members

Games

• inFamous – Was €14.99/£10.99, now €9.99/£7.99
• inFamous 2 – Was €19.99/£15.99, now €9.99/£7.99
• inFamous Collection – Was €34.99/£28.49, now €17.99/£13.99
• inFamous: Festival of Blood – Was €9.99/£7.99, now €4.99/£3.99
• PSN Picks: Killzone + inFamous: Festival of Blood – Was €19.99/£15.99, now €9.99/£7.99
• Killzone 3 Multiplayer – Was €14.99/£11.99, now €7.49/£5.99
• Killzone – Was €14.99/£11.99, now €7.49/£5.99

DLC

• inFamous 2 Character Skin Pack – Was €1.99 /£1.59, now € 0.99/£0.79
• inFamous 2 Powers Pack – Was €2.99/£2.39, now €1.49/£1.19
• inFamous 2 Weapons Pack – Was €2.99/£2.39, now €1.49/£1.19
• Killzone 2 – Steel & Titanium Pack – Was €5.99/£4.79, now €2.99/£2.39
• Killzone 2 – Napalm & Cordite Pack – Was €5.99/£4.79, now €2.99 /£2.39
• Killzone 2 – Map Pack Bundle – Was €12.99/£9.99, now €6.49/£5.19
• Killzone 3 Retro Map Pack – Was €4.99/£3.99, now € 2.49/£1.99
• Killzone 3 Steel Rain Map Pack – Was €4.99/£3.99, now € 2.49/£1.99
• Killzone 3 From The Ashes Map Pack – Was €4.99/£3.99, now €2.49/£1.99
• Killzone 3 Map Pack Bundle – Was €9.99/£7.99, now €4.99/£3.99

June 5th – 12th

• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Was €29.99/£19.99, now €14.99/£11.99
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Was €29.99/£19.99, now €14.99/£11.99
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Was €69.99/£57.99, now €49.99/£39.99
• Call of Duty: Black Ops – Was €49.99/£39.99, now €24.99/£19.99
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Was €69.99/£59.99, now €49.99/£34.99

PSP Sale – 20% off Extra for PlayStation Plus Members

• LittleBigPlanet – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• God of War: Chains of Olympus – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• God of War: Ghost of Sparta – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• MotorStorm Arctic Edge – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• ModNation Racers – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• Resistance: Retribution – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• Patapon 2 – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• LocoRoco 2 – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19
• Killzone: Liberation PLA – Was €7.99/£6.49, now €3.99/£3.19

Are you going to take advantage of any of these sales? Do you wish some of these deals would come to North America? Let us know in the comments below.

[Source 1, 2]

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Amazon France may have let the cat out of the bag early, as a listing for a Killzone trilogy has just been spotted on the retailer’s site.

While Sony has yet to announce such a compilation, it certainly sounds reasonable, especially considering the recent releases of other PS3 collections like God of War Saga and the inFamous collection.

In all likelihood, it’s just a matter of time before we get official word from Sony and Guerrilla Games on this FPS bundle of gaming goodness.

The first Killzone launched on the PS2 and wasn’t received all that well by critics, so it will be interesting to see how it is handled in this alleged collection.

Will it be a straight port or an HD remake? Let us know what you think in the comments below. Just bear in mind that since Sony has yet to confirm the existence of this trilogy, this is all merely speculation.

[Via]

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The first week sales for Guerrilla Games’ Killzone 3 – released last week – has failed to beat its predecessor’s launch sales figures.

Killzone 3 is the 14th fastest selling game for Sony in regards to week one sales, however, Killzone 2‘s launch sales betters its successor’s by being Sony’s fifth fastest selling title. Killzone 2 also remains the fastest selling game ever in regards to week one sales.

Killzone 3 is, on the bright side, Sony’s second chart topper in 2011; LittleBigPlanet 2 being their other. The shooter, meanwhile, managed to beat Bulletstorm to the top of the UK charts announced this morning. For more on the game, check out PlayStation LifeStyle’s review of the shooter.

[Via]

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It’s no surprise that whenever high-profile PS3 releases hits store shelves, we hear talk of developers behind these particular titles who claim that they’ve done all they possibly could and have essentially maxed out the console. More and more often these days, however, that doesn’t appear to be the case, especially when it comes to Guerrilla Games.

Speaking with IndustryGamers, Guerrilla Games is pushing the notion that it really is difficult to max out the PS3, as there are always workarounds and more efficient programming techniques which can be utilized to free up major sums of space.  Guerrilla Managing Director/Co-Founder Hermen Hulst had the following to say:

“At the end of every project, we say, ‘we’ve maxed it out.’ I made that mistake at the end of Killzone 2,” Hulst admitted to IndustryGamers. “We felt that we’d pushed it absolutely to the max. We now know from experience there’s always more mileage in the tech. You can always find new techniques.”

Hulst then discusses how custom tech is the way to go if you want a true AAA product. The ability to manipulate technology that the team themselves have created has phenomenal advantages, and Hulst doubts that the high quality titles that we’ve come to know and love on the PS3 might not be possible had it not been for the custom engines developed in-house.

“The guys that created LittleBigPlanet, I don’t think they would have been able to create a game that looks as great on someone else’s tech and that’s the same with us,”

“For example, in Killzone 2, we introduced anti-aliasing to get rid of the jagged edges. We’re using that, but an improved version that is much more efficient, so we actually leave space for more detail, bigger environments and more polygons. Compared to Killzone 2, Killzone 3’s polygon count is three times as high, so we’ve been able to find new space, probably averaging out to 40 percent.”

Apparently, the freed-up space made room for the addition of the new jetpacks and melee attacks. Hulst has also taken a stand regarding 3D, stating that it’s here to stay and compares the difference between HD and 3D to mono and stereo, though a good few consumers, including myself, find it to be somewhat gimmicky. Let’s not forget that the PS2 really showed its muscle with games like God of War II towards the end of its life cycle, which means we’ve probably only experienced a Mustang’s worth of power, out of what is probably a Bugatti engine.

For all the latest gaming news, stay tuned to PlayStation LifeStyle.

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If you’ve played Guerrilla’s Killzone 2 then you’ll know the swearing used by the characters are of large proportions. The swearing used in the shooter, however, was used to a certain extent that it became more of a constant presence rather than having it produce an effect. The swearing will be reduced in the game’s successor to deliver a more impactful experience, Killzone 3‘s game director has said.

Killzone 3 director Mathijs de Jonge believes the studio has hit the sweet spot regarding the amount of swearing present in the soon-to-be-released Killzone 3. The Guerrilla Games man told Edge:

In Killzone 2 we ended up with too much of it. The thing about swearing is that it’s highly effective when it’s done right, and in Killzone 3 I think there’s some swearing but if feels a lot more impactful.

de Jonge added:

It’s at the right times. In total, I think there’s seven ‘f*** yous’ and one ‘mother***er’. I think that’s fine.

You bet that’s f****** right, Mathijs.

Killzone 3 will be released on February 22nd in North America and and February 25th in the UK. For more on the hotly anticipated shooter be sure to check out PlayStation LifeStyle’s review.

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