Earlier this week, Sony announced its first PlayStation-focused event of the year that is set to highlight both new titles and updates from existing games coming from the industry’s beloved Japanese third-party publishers across PS4 and PS5.
PlayStation noted that there will be no updates on PlayStation VR2 titles or hardware in the presentation. Knowing the focus is on Japanese games, unrealistic expectations are always so high for this presentation to see some games from franchises like Final Fantasy, Persona and much more. With all things considered, this State of Play was a good showcase of Japanese games and more coming this year and 2023 for PS4 and PS5 during the 20-minute presentation.
Here are the highlights of everything announced in the March State of Play presentation.
Exoprimal (PS4 & PS5) – TBA 2023
First up is a brand new IP from Capcom, Exoprimal (which is sadly not Dino Crisis) that’s set om 2043 and is coming to PS4 and PS5 in 2023. The trailer gives players a look at a futuristic city where portals dump a massive number of dinosaurs into the metro area, and groups of futuristic soldiers called Exofighters in high-tech armour are the ones who must take them down. The trailer notes that the game will feature online play, so expect to team up with friends to take down dinosaurs in mech armour.
Ghostwire: Tokyo (PS5) – March 25th
We got another look at Ghostwire: Tokyo before it releases on March 25th. Ghostwire: Tokyo is an upcoming action-adventure video game developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda Softworks.
Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins (PS4 & PS5) – March 18th
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by Koei Tecmo Games and Team Ninja, and published by Square Enix in celebration of the series’ 35th anniversary. When the game launches, a new demo will be released for players to get one last try at the game.
Forspoken (PS5) – October 11th
While Forspoken was delayed from its previous May release, we get another look at the game in the Worlds Collides trailer. Frey is pushed to her limit in the strange and cruel land of Athia. She must use her magic-enhanced combat and parkour abilities to survive against the fearsome, twisted creatures that lurk in the break.
Gundam Evolution Nextwork Test (PS4 & PS5) – Spring 2022
Suit up and take control of the battlefield in the world’s first free-to-play Mobile Suit FPS, Gundam Evolution, coming to PS4 and PS5 in 2022. Select from a wide range of Mobile Suits from across the Gundam multiverse, each with its own unique attack and support skills. Employ your best strategies and lead your team to victory in high-intensity objective-based combat. A network test was also announced and scheduled for this spring.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (PS4 & PS5) – TBA 2022
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is a collection of thirteen previously released video games from the Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super NES, Sega Genesis, and the Nintendo Gameboy. This collection provides a unique opportunity for gamers to experience these titles with a fantastic set of new quality of life features including online/local couch play, save anytime and rewind, eleven Japanese regional titles release versions, button mapping, HD texture updates, unique development art/sketches and historic TMNT media content.
GigaBash (PS4 & PS5) – TBA 2022
After that is Kaiju brawler, GigaBash where Rawa, the Dragon King begins his march. It’s too late to escape his wrath, his imperious presence floods his surroundings in a sea of cataclysmic fire. After all, he is nicknamed… the Extinction Dragon.
GigaBash is a 4 player Arena Brawler featuring giant monsters, kaiju and heroes developed by Passion Republic Games. Unleash mayhem in fully destructible maps and battle among your friends as you rise as the true apex among Titans when GigaBash comes to PS4 and & PS5 in 2022.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle R (PS4 & PS5) – Early Fall 2022
Up next is a port of the fantastic PS3 fighting game, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure All Star Battle R. The enhanced port is set to features 50 characters from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, each from different arcs, is scheduled for release in 2022! Enjoy the epic expressions in battle, as if the very characters created by Hirohiko Araki come to life.
Trek to Yomi (PS4 & PS5)– Spring 2022
Trek to Yomi is coming to PS4 and PS5 in Spring 2022. As a vow to his dying Master, the young swordsman Hiroki is sworn to protect his town and the people he loves against all threats. Faced with tragedy and bound to duty, the lone samurai must voyage beyond life and death to confront himself and decide his path forward.
Returnal Update 3.0: Acension (PS5) – March 22nd
Time for the only PlayStation Studio title on the presentation, 2021’s Returnal. Selene is no longer alone as Returnal is adding a co-op mode in the Acension update, allowing you to share your entire journey with a friend as you shift through labyrinth of Atropos together. This update also adds The Tower of Sisyphus accessible as long as you’ve unlocked the Icarian Grapnel. It’s an ascending gauntlet of increasingly dangerous phases, with each containing twenty floors. Upon entry, eliminate all the enemies on each floor and secure your passage to the next one up. Just be ready for what you might encounter within.
The Diofield Chronicle (PS4 & PS5) – TBA 2022
Up next is a new IP from Square Enix, The Diofield Chronicle which is an all new tactical RPG with a deep and engaging story brought to life with a stellar cast, mesmerizing soundtrack, and introducing the new “”Real-Time Tactical Battle”” system (RTTB).
Valkyrie Elysium (PS4 & PS5) – TBA 2022
Up next is Valkyrie Elysium is an action RPG with an epic story, beautiful environments, and new, fast-paced combat that incorporates the Valkyrie series’ classic special attack and combo systems. Coming to PS4 and PS5 in 2022. The world is on the brink of destruction as a new Valkyrie’s story begins.
