Fast Links
Sony announced last week that the company is inviting fans to watch the latest PlayStation Showcase scheduled for May 2023, and boy is it a big one! PlayStation fans have enjoyed some big names over the years, but when it comes to 2023, they’re in for a treat in terms of exclusives. And it’s high time, too, given that this year’s biggest games have either been on other platforms or entirely multiplatform. So, it’s time for the Japanese giant to deliver, and so let’s dive in to what we think is most likely to show up during Sony’s PlayStation showcase.
Insomniac’s 2-hit Combo: Spider-Man & Wolverine
All of us who enjoyed the spectacular Marvel Spider-Man game and its following Miles Morales spin-off have been dying to get more news on the game after its initial reveal. And since then, we’ve known that Spider-Man 2 will come out in 2023 (hopefully) but not much else. But if some recent reliable leaks are anything to go by, the game is doing perfectly fine in terms of development and should make it to consoles sometime around September. That would make the upcoming Sony PlayStation Showcase for 2023 the perfect place for a gameplay reveal and maybe even the release date.
But that isn’t all Insomniac Games has been cooking. After the amazing success of our favorite web-slingers, the company revealed that it is also working on a Wolverine game alongside Spider-Man 2. And since it also only got one CGI trailer, maybe now Insomniac Games is ready to show a bit more of the game. It still isn’t very likely that Insomniac’s Wolverine game will get a long gameplay reveal, but a trailer with some small snippets is pretty likely. The game is planned for 2024, soon after Spider-Man 2, so don’t be surprised if Sony decides to push the reveal a bit further. The chances of us seeing some Wolverine gameplay is probably around 1 out of 3 claws.
BluePoint Games’ Big Secret
We’ve been hearing whispers of what BluePoint has been working on after releasing the excellent Demon Souls remake on the PlayStation 5. Having been acquired by Sony a couple of years ago, the studio’s next project definitely counts as a first-party title.
As to what it might be, rumors have been pointing every which way. But here’s what seems to be most probable. Either BluePoint Games will stick with their guns, and remake another FromSoftware title, which will probably mean a Bloodbourne Remake. Or the studio will tread uncharted waters and bring back a franchise that we haven’t seen in a long-long time (more on that below). Talking about FromSoftware titles, it is also possible that Bloodbourne will get a remaster which will be on PC and current-gen consoles with 60 FPS support and more.
Metal Gear Solid Comeback
Konami has been off the scene for a while, leading most to believe that their most beloved franchises might not ever see the light of day. But then, the company recently announced that it is not only getting back into gaming but going all-in on what made Konami what it is today. The company opened a massive new workspace in Osaka and aims to develop AAA games that rival the best of the best in the market.
That’s all fine and dandy, but where does BluePoint Games fit in? Well, what makes it very likely that Konami will team up with a Sony first-party developer is that some industry news suggests that Sony and Konami might be collaborating for future titles, and what better way to kick things off than a Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater Remake? Other corroborating evidence has also been brought forth, that also lends credence to the possibility of our favorite eye-patch-wearing snake making a sneaky return to consoles.
This will be the first major Metal Gear project undertaken by Konami since Kojima’s departure from the company. No, Metal Gear Survive does not count. Not only because it was a spin-off of the amazing Metal Gear Solid V, but it was also just an all-around creatively limited endeavor. So it remains to be seen how the creative process changes for a mainline Metal Gear game without the core driving force that made the franchise what it is today.
Final Fantasy Remakes
Being a massive publisher, Square Enix pushes tons of games every year, all of which consist of different sizes and scales. One of the most recognized franchises from the company is, of course, the Final Fantasy series. While Final Fantasy 16 is one of the most anticipated games of this year and on its merry way to its release next month, it’s the other Final Fantasy projects that have been radio silent for a bit too long.
After the extremely successful launch of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, we found that there were more stories to tell in that world. That was followed by Square Enix releasing a short trailer showing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the sequel of the aforementioned remake. While the company didn’t officially announce a release date, it did confirm that the game would make it to fans in the next winter, which means late 2023, or early 2024. But some eagle-eyed fans found that the company’s shareholder statements for the financial year of 2023 said that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is definitely releasing within the period.
And since Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was revealed during a PlayStation showcase originally, it only makes sense for more Rebirth content to show up during another similar event.
Naughty Dog Might Finally Reveal Factions And More
Naughty Dog has been MIA since the release of The Last of Us Part 1 Remake. And fans have been wondering if the studio is working on any new IP or just milking the same games for as long as possible. Well, the latter is the only confirmation we have in the form of Factions, an online-only multiplayer shooter based in the Last of Us universe. It has been in development for ages and should make it to the latest PlayStation showcase event.
The first-party studio has been working on a new IP that was leaked in 2019, called Stray’s Cross, although unlikely, there is a very small chance that it will show up in the upcoming event.
How To Watch The May 2023 PlayStation Showcase
There are other whispers about what else might show up, but with zero confirmation. And even the ones mentioned above should be taken with a tiny helping of salt.
The Sony PlayStation Showcase for May 2023 takes place on Wednesday, May 24 at 1 PM Pacific Time / 9 PM British Time on YouTube and Twitch.
That wraps up our breakdown of what to expect during Sony’s PlayStation showcase. Keep it tuned to The Nerd Stash for all the coverage of the event over the next few days.