It’s finally here – a PlayStation Showcase to announce ‘Phase Two’ of the PlayStation 5 games line-up. PlayStation’s flagship event has been missing for multiple years but returns with more excitement than ever before due to much unknown surrounding 2024 and beyond. The rumour mill has kicked into overdrive, and here are some of the announcements we may (or may not) see on Thursday when the hour-long show goes live to the world.
Definitely: Spider-Man 2
There is no doubt that Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 will feature at PlayStation’s Showcase. Considering it will release within four months despite no new trailers or any gameplay footage, the marketing strategy needs to commence now to reveal the evolution from the previous titles. Brimming with excitement, the pairing of our two Spider-Men (Parker and Morales) as well as Venom and a host of new features has every PlayStation gamer anticipating another Game of the Year nominee.
Definitely: PSVR2
While we won’t delve into hardware or software specifics, a chunk of the Showcase will be dedicated to the virtual reality arm of PlayStation. New titles, features and connections to other franchises will form approximately 15 minutes of the hour runtime. While not everyone will be watching for these announcements, PlayStation need to make sure that this is no gimmick.
Definitely: Final Fantasy 16
The game releases in under a month, but this will be the perfect opportunity to show fans a final trailer – ramming home one of the most anticipated titles of the year. This will be in the form of a 2-3 minute polished product.
Definitely: The next wave of Indie titles
Stray, Tchia, Humanity, Meet your Maker – Indie titles are releasing on PlayStation’s subscriber service on day one. This is where the next twelve months of Indie titles will be highlighted to further demonstrate the value for money when signing up. All the aforementioned titles have been hits and add another dimension to the powerful console’s offerings. Expect a big focus to be placed here.
Highly Likely: The Last of Us Factions
The multiplayer-version of The Last of Us has been teased for so long that many have lost faith in it actually being in production. But Naughty Dog have doubled down on it being released at the tail end of this year, therefore there is every reason to expect a cinematic trailer on Thursday. While PlayStation knows that single player games are where the focus is following a raft of genre-defining titles, this is a multiplayer game that offers narrative and co-op above novelty.
Highly Likely: DS2
Announced at the Game Awards with nothing else since (6 months of re-watching the same trailer, over and over) it is near certain that an update will be available at Showcase. This may be in the form of a shorter trailer with a release date, for it seems too early for gameplay or more story details. Kojima loves the mystery!
Likely: The next steps in the Horizon franchise and Astro Bot franchise
Aloy’s next adventure may not receive a trailer or name, but following the release of Burning Shores there is a need to continue the momentum. Something light and brief may be raised for Horizon, such as the Netflix series or a multiplayer update. Likewise Astro Bot, though that may be more closely linked to the virtual reality arm.
Likely: New IPs from favourite studios
Bend Studios, Sucker Punch, Santa Monica Studio and Naughty Dog are just some of the developers working on new IPs. All will want to make a splash for Phase Two considering their other franchises have been successful in the last decade but are starting to repeat the process. While it is exciting to see sequels, prequels and remakes, new ideas are where the gaming industry takes its biggest leap. All four mentioned can be innovative and lead the way forward.
Likely: BluePoint Games and the next revival
BluePoint has been the leader in remakes, including Demon’s Souls during Phase One. There is constant chatter over which game they will work their magic on next, and the Showcase is the likely platform to announce the decision. Metal Gear Solid, anyone…
Maybe: Wolverine
Insomniac are no doubt focused on Spider-Man 2, therefore Wolverine may be saved for another time – but they did announce it alongside Spider-Man 2 at a previous Showcase and would likely regret missing this perfect opportunity to at the very least reveal some core news (release date, voice actor, setting).
Highly Unlikely: Bloodborne 2 or Remake
Sorry, everyone. This is one IP we probably won’t be seeing anytime soon, despite its worship among FromSoftware fans. Though see above RE: BluePoint…
Highly Unlikely: The Last of Us Part 3
It couldn’t be…could it? This would be the one announcement that could successfully break the internet for a day.
No Chance: Ghost of Tsushima 2
Already ruled out last week, following the Showcase announcement.
Never in a million Showcases: Tears of the Kingdom to PS in 2024
We can dream, can’t we?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Watch the Playstation Showcase on Thursday, 25th May at 6am AEST on YouTube and Twitch.
