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Sony indefinitely delays ‘The Last of Us Part II’
Naughty Dog has just about finished work on The Last Of Us Part II. It's taking care of the last few bugs and then the long-awaited sequel should be all set. However, Sony has delayed the game for a second time. It's pushing back the release date indefinitely from May 29th due to the coronavirus outbreak.
‘Uncharted 4' is free on PlayStation Plus in April
Since the start of the year, Sony has given PlayStation Plus subscribers the chance to play some of the PS4's best games for free. That trend continues this month with Uncharted 4: A Thief's End as one of the free PS Plus games subscribers can download in April. If you grabbed the Nathan Drake Collection when it was available in January, this is a good chance to see how the story ends. The timing is also fortuitous since Naughty Dog's next game, The Last of Us Part II, comes out at the end of next month.
'Uncharted' movie delayed to March 5th, 2021
So much for the Uncharted movie having a reasonably firm release date. Sony's Columbia Pictures has delayed the release of the game-inspired swashbuckler from its earlier December 18th, 2020 slot to March 5th, 2021. There wasn't a specific explanation, but it came just weeks after the project lost director Travis Knight. It would've been no mean feat to find his replacement and complete the whole movie within less than a year. The March timing suggests that it won't be a huge blockbuster, but it's at least not destined for the January/February slot frequently reserved for movies with low expectations.
'Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection' is free on PS Plus in January
Sony is giving the PS4 a proper send-off by making some of its most important games available to just about everyone... if they have PlayStation Plus subscriptions, that is. The company has announced that January's free PS Plus games will include Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, giving you a chance to play the first three games in Drake's story (no multiplayer, alas) in remastered PS4 versions. Some games have aged more gracefully than others (the original feels like a prototype for what the others would become), but it's a good way to catch up -- or just to avoid digging your PS3 out of the closet.
Naughty Dog is donating the money from its ‘Jak and Daxter’ reissues
Early this year, to celebrate its 35th anniversary, game developer Naughty Dog did a physical reissue of its classic PS2-era Jak and Daxter games for PlayStation 4. Fans apparently loved it. The collector's edition sold out in hours and the standard editions sold out in less than a week. Now, instead of pocketing the cash, Naughty Dog is donating all of the proceeds to a bunch of charities.
Mark Wahlberg is poised to join the 'Uncharted' movie
The cast for the Uncharted movie appears to be solidifying, however slowly. Variety understands that Mark Wahlberg is in "final talks" to co-star as Victor "Sully" Sullivan, the grizzled treasure hunter that serves as Nathan Drake's mentor. It'll represent a bit of a shock for people who expect a decidedly older and more gregarious character, but the current take on the movie is an origin story -- it's not too much of a shock that Sully would have fewer gray hairs.
'The Last of Us Part II' is delayed until May 29th, 2020 (updated)
Just one month ago, Sony and Naughty Dog announced that The Last of Us Part II would arrive on February 21st, 2020. At an event where we got to play the game for the first time, Naughty Dog stressed that it had been silent for months because it didn't want to talk or show off the game until they were confident in its release schedule. But here we are, a month later, and the game will be delayed. A few hours after Jason Schreier at Kotaku published a story saying sources confirmed Part II would be delayed until the spring, Sony confirmed it. Now it has announced the game will launch on May 29th, 2020.
'The Last of Us Part II' lands on February 21st, 2020
The Last of Us Part II will hit PlayStation 4 on February 21st, 2020. Part II takes place a few years after the events of the first game, which became an instant narrative and mechanical classic at its launch in 2013.
Sony will reveal 'Last of Us' details in a September 24th PlayStation stream
Sony will air its next State of Play, the company's new venue for sharing PlayStation-related news, on September 24th. Per the official PlayStation Blog, the live broadcast will start at 4PM ET/ 1PM PT and run "around 20 minutes." Sony says it won't share any information related to its next-generation hardware plans. However, the company promises it will reveal new games, as well as share updates on what its first-party studios have been up to behind the scenes.
More 'The Last of Us Part II' details will emerge on September 24th
Naughty Dog has been fairly quiet about The Last of Us Part II since E3 2018. You're about to hear a lot more, though. The studio has sent invitations for a media event that will discuss the post-apocalyptic action game in greater detail. While details aren't forthcoming at this stage, it won't be surprising if you hear a lot more about gameplay, the plot, and possibly a release schedule.
'Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled' gets a dinosaur-themed grand prix
If you've already mastered Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, the game has another challenge for you. When Activision and Beenox revealed their revival of the Naughty Dog classic last month, they kicked off the Nitro Grand Prix. With that first race complete, Activision is ready to launch the second: the Back N. Time Grand Prix.
The end is near for 'Uncharted' and 'The Last of Us' multiplayer on PS3
After nearly 10 years of operation, Naughty Dog is pulling the plug on PS3 multiplayer servers for Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3 and The Last of Us. The developers say the decision is "bittersweet to say the least," as the games marked "defining entries" in Naughty Dog's history. But you've still got time to get your fill, as the servers will remain intact until September 3rd. And, as part of a fitting send-off, Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3 and The Last of Us will be totally free on PS3 until then -- get the bundle from the PlayStation Store.
'The Last of Us: Part II' may jump between two points in time
Naughty Dog's E3 trailer for The Last of Us: Part II gave us a good idea what combat as lead character Ellie would be like, but the story is still largely a mystery. But during a panel earlier this week, game director Neil Druckmann dropped a tantalizing hint about how the game might be structured. It sounds like it won't be the totally linear affair found in the first game. Instead, the narrative may move between two different times, much the way that Left Behind (a three-hour, Ellie-focused add-on to The Last of Us) jumped between two points in time.
Jak 2 level remade in CryEngine is here to pump you up
Rockstar's Bully isn't the only PS2 game being remade by fans in a new engine; YouTube user Floordan has posted his work on a project dubbed "Jak 2 Renegade: Reborn," which uses the CryEngine to recreate Naughty Dog's Jak 2. The level you see in the video above is a pumping station, though depending on the view, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a scenic newlywed retreat. Those sunbeams are already making us feel warm. Naughty Dog themselves considered developing a new Jak & Daxter game years ago, but ultimately scrapped it and built The Last of Us instead. And we're not complaining about getting to roam the fungal countryside with Joel and Ellie, but did you see what a new Daxter would look like? [Image: Floordan]
The Last of Us gets weapons, skills, gear in new DLC
Naughty Dog launched add-ons for The Last of Us' online multiplayer Factions mode this week, each piece available for purchase individually or in convenient bundles. The game's new Tactical Weapons bundle ($2.99) features a tactical shotgun, burst pistol, frontier rifle and crossbow, each available for $0.99 separately. The Last of Us' Misfit Head Item pack costs $6.99 and includes eight clothing and gear options for players such as ski goggles and a viking hat, each available at varying prices individually. Likewise, the Risk Management Survival Skills pack ($3.99) includes five new skills that are otherwise $0.99 each. Lone Wolf boosts players that separate from their team, Second Chance grants a bonus health kit to those in danger, Jack of All Trades boosts grab-bag level one skills, Lucky Break increases supply box hauls and the special execution-improving Lethal Efficiency skill. Speaking of which, the game's Special Executions pack costs $2.99 and offers new animation sets for takedowns across nine weapon categories, each one costing $0.99 on their own. Lastly, Naughty Dog introduced two new gestures packs for $2.49 each, with individual gestures going for, you guessed it, $0.99. The developer noted that some of the special execution animations didn't make the cut for the game's PS3 version due to the system's memory constraints. [Image: SCEA]
Uncharted 4 gameplay trailer includes mini family reunion
With all the time Nathan Drake has put into learning more about supposed ancestors, you would think he'd take more time to acknowledge family members that are actually still alive. The above extended gameplay clip of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End fixes one such oversight, filling in an overlooked, brotherly branch of Nathan's family tree after a bout of the standard "climb, shoot, almost die" Uncharted gameplay. Nathan's brother will be played by Troy Baker (Joel in The Last of Us, Pagan Min in Far Cry 4), with the sibling apparently sharing Nathan's unwavering dedication to sniffing out treasure. We'll be able to follow the brothers (and Sully) through the jungle (and figure out who's seeking revenge) when Uncharted 4: A Thief's End arrives on PS4 in 2015. [Image: Naughty Dog]
Last of Us art director abandons swans for tombs
The Last of Us Art Director Nate Wells has joined with Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, according to a tweet from the artist. Wells departed from Giant Sparrow after spending roughly eight months with The Unfinished Swan developer. The art director previously worked at Irrational Games for 13 years before leaving the studio for Naughty Dog in August 2012, then Giant Sparrow this past April. Wells' departure from Giant Sparrow follows the release of The Unfinished Swan on PS4 and Vita in late October, and the developer's next project largely remains a mystery. It announced "Edith Finch" in March 2013 before changing its announcement to "Unannounced Giant Sparrow Project." The next project will not be a sequel to The Unfinished Swan, though the developer said it's "not a million miles away either." [Image: Giant Sparrow]
Celebrate Naughty Dog's 30th birthday with a Precursor Orb
You might not have properly appreciated Precursor Orbs when you were gathering hundreds of them throughout the Jak & Daxter series (or their Strange Relic counterpart in the Uncharted series), but Naughty Dog's online store can help fix that. In celebration of the studio's 30th anniversary, 1,000 polystone replicas of the Precursor Orb are now available for pre-sale. The $120 replicas are approximately 10" tall by 5" wide and feature an Orb atop a base modeled after stone. While the base's front features the Jak and Daxter logo and a 30th anniversary Naughty Dog emblem, it can be turned for a more simplistic appearance. The full total for a replica will be charged once an order is placed, but refunds will be available with cancellations prior to the ship date, which is currently estimated as March 2015. Considering their digital exchange rate in the Jak & Daxter series, we wonder how many secrets can be unlocked with a real-world, physical Orb ... [Image: Naughty Dog]
PlayStation Experience panel topics include God of War, Nathan Drake, PlayStation AMA
The PlayStation Experience will host fans of the PlayStation family next month as they try out recently-released and upcoming games, but about 20 panels are also on the agenda for next month's event in Las Vegas. While an exact schedule hasn't been nailed down, a recent PlayStation Blog post has outlined the topics for each confirmed panel. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, voices and animation sources of The Last of Us' respective Joel and Ellie, will be present for a panel on how voice-over and performance capture are integrated into games. Naughty Dog will host two panels, one featuring a video that looks back on the studio's 30 years of existence, the other following the process of character creation (including Nathan Drake's transition to PS4). Santa Monica Studio will offer up a God of War series retrospective, and Sony President Shuhei Yoshida, VP of Publisher Relations Adam Boyes and Software Product Development Head for Sony Worldwide Studios Scott Rohde will also be present for an "Ask Me Anything"-style presentation. A full list of event descriptions can be parsed through on the PS Blog, with additional panels covering N++, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition, the LittleBigPlanet series and what it's like to work in Japan's gaming industry. If any topics interest you or you just like the idea of playing games before they're released, PlayStation Experience is inviting those 18 and over to Las Vegas for the weekend of December 6. [Image: PlayStation Experience]
The Last of Us' GOTY edition hits European PS3s next month
Those that have yet to tag along with Joel and Ellie and would prefer to do so on PS3 will have a fresh opportunity to bash bricks on the skulls of clickers, presuming they live in Europe: PlayStation Blog Europe has revealed that The Last Of Us: Game of the Year Edition will be priced at 39.99 when it arrives on November 11. Game of the Year Edition will include the base game, its Left Behind DLC, eight extra multiplayer maps and Grounded Mode, a single-player difficulty setting that strengthens enemies, removes the HUD and strips the ability to track enemies by sound. There's currently no word on a comparable release reaching North American PS3s, but there's always The Last Of Us: Remastered for PS4. Survival might be gruesome and bleak in The Last Of Us, but Naughty Dog's emotional tale had nothing to cry about during last year's Game of the Year season, where it bested The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons to take home Joystiq's top honors. [Image: Naughty Dog]
