Welcome to Urgent Fury

Hello everyone! I’m Takeshi Yamanaka, Producer of MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Today at EVO Japan 2026 in Tokyo, we revealed our third team to join the Challenge of the Champion: Fighting Avengers. Be sure to check out the new team reveal trailer below! Play Video A new team joins the battle: Fighting Avengers View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Joining the previously announced Captain America (voiced by Brian Bloom) and Iron Man (voiced by Josh Keaton) are Hulk (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) and Black Panther (voiced by Erica Luttrell), forming the brand-new team: the Fighting Avengers. Led by Captain America, this newly formed Avengers squad comes together to confront a new threat facing Earth. As heroes watched closely—and admired greatly—by people around the world, we hope you’re looking forward to seeing how they rise to the challenge in Episode Mode. New stage revealed: Wakanda View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image We’re also excited to announce a brand-new stage: Wakanda. Wakanda is a nation located in Africa, blessed with rich natural landscapes while also standing as a global leader in advanced scientific technology. Traditionally protected by its king, the Black Panther, Wakanda is now ruled by the young Black Panther, Shuri, who has taken on the mantle to defend her people. New playable character: Hulk View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image A green goliath whose strength grows with his rage, Hulk once fought alongside the Avengers to save the world. However, in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, his overwhelming power and instability lead the government, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even his fellow teammates Captain America and Iron Man, to exile him to the Savage Land. There, Hulk lives a quiet life, surrounded by nature and animals, but his distrust of the Avengers has yet to fade. During development, Hulk’s backstory was established early on. While staying true to the core design concept of a massive, gamma-radiated powerhouse, elements inspired by this narrative were incorporated into his design. Hulk adorns himself with dinosaur bone armor toreinforce his feral, untamed fighting style and highlight his raw power. Hulk can overpower opponents at any range with sheer force. Channeling his anger builds his unique Gamma Gauge. When it reaches maximum, Hulk enters Gamma Rage which significantly boosts his strength and speed. Build up the Gamma Gauge and unleash devastating one-shot attacks at just the right moment to deal massive damage. New playable character: Black Panther View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Ruler of the great African nation of Wakanda, Shuri protects her country as the Black Panther.  Having only recently inherited the mantle, she struggles with doubts about whether she is truly ready for the role.  As a new threat approaches, Shuri must make critical decisions, not only as a warrior, but as a queen who must balance tradition and progress. When we decided to include her in the roster, her character backstory was discussed and established early on. Having only recently taken up the mantle of Black Panther alongside her existing role of Wakanda’s chief scientist, Shuri’s design reflects this important transition. Sleek, athletic lines emphasize a sense of speed befitting an acrobatic fighter, while preserving the primal wildness that defines the role. At the same time, subtle touches of Wakandan royalty are woven into the finer details of her suit, reflecting the weight of leadership she now carries. In combat, Black Panther excels with swift movement and long reach using the Spear of Bashenga. She possesses a high-speed mobility skill called Bast’s Blessing, allowing her to dash in multiple directions. Bast’s Blessing consumes a dedicated gauge, but it can be canceled from normal attacks and skills, enabling varied and flexible combos and mixups. Dominate mid-range battles with precise spear attacks, then close the distance with lightning-fast movement to overwhelm opponents up close. New threat revealed: The Champion View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image The latest trailer also introduced a new character: The Champion. One of the Elders of the Universe, Champion has existed since the birth of the universe and travels the cosmos alongside his right-hand showwoman, Promoter. A cosmic conqueror obsessed with hand-to-hand combat, he journeys from planet to planet in search of worthy opponents. Those who fail to satisfy his thirst for battle face the ultimate consequence: the destruction of their entire world. And now, his next target has been chosen: Earth. Under Promoter’s direction, the “Challenge of the Champion” tournament has been announced. Teams of four will battle through qualifiers, earning the right to face Champion himself. But is there more to this sinister game than just sport? The Fighting Avengers enter the tournament as one of its leading contenders. More details about Champion will be revealed soon! What’s next? Did you enjoy the hands-on demo at EVO Japan? Thank you so much for all your feedback! We truly appreciate it and it is already helping shape development. Next up, we’ll be bringing the newest playable build to: Combo Breaker 2026, starting May 22 in Chicago, Illinois Hong Kong Comic Con 2026, starting May 29 in Hong Kong The build will include the newly announced Black Panther and the Wakanda stage, for a total of 13 playable characters and five stages. If you’re attending either event, be sure to stop by and try it for yourself! Development is entering its final stages, and the entire team is working hard every day to deliver the best possible experience at launch. Thank you, as always, for your continued support! We’ll have more news to share soon! View the full article

Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey, everybody! Sid and I are back this week to celebrate the launch of Saros with a special interview featuring Actor Rahul Kohli and Creative Director Gregory Loudeni from Housemarque. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: Wax Heads | PS5 Mixtape | PS5 Arc Raiders PS5 Pro update — The new PS5 Pro update is now available and it brings PSSR upscaling and other enhancements to the third-person extraction shooter. 4:Loop The Scanner boss design — The feature offers a walkthrough of the design process behind this ominous cube from the developers at Bad Robot Games. Learn how staying in motion is key to survival, and how each boss encounter is a unique puzzle. The Blood of Dawnwalker impressions — Coming to PS5 on September 3, dive into the unique time mechanics where time passes by a little or a lot, depending on your actions. Will you be able to save your family in the 30-day timeframe? NBA The Run gameplay reveal — Get your first look at the high-octane, momentum-based gameplay inspired by classic streetball video games. Make sure your sneakers are laced up for when this game comes to PS5 this June. 007: First Light hands-on — The latest look uncovers how Bond deploys stealth, action, and charm in his origin story. The game launches on PS5 May 27. The Cast View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

Last week, we asked you to share moments from your favorite cozy games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: elizado_ shares a plant and book-filled room in When The Past Was Around. PattyGnand shares Swann laying in bed with her cat in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. call_me_xavii shares the comfy quarters of Stardew Valley xenobitz shares a grilling picnic in progress in My Time At Sandrock. KevinFerna43259 shares the titular stray cat taking a nap in Stray. FuchsFeuer22763 shares a cozy sweater and scarf-based outfit in Infinity Nikki Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Celebrate SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on May 5, 2026 Next week, share moments from your favorite game where characters are celebrating. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

The first playthrough of Control Resonant is built around discovery: learning how the world behaves, shaping your build, and understanding what your version of Dylan can become. For those who want to return, New Game Plus offers a different way to experience that journey again – building on what you’ve already learned and unlocked. New Game Plus in Control Resonant allows you to start a fresh playthrough while carrying over much of what you’ve already earned. Your Aberrant upgrades, health and combat ability resource improvements, unlocked supernatural combat abilities, talents, and artifacts all persist into the next run. What does not carry over are traversal abilities, as those remain tied to story progression and how the world unfolds. Rebuilding your approach One of the goals for New Game Plus is to give players more room to experiment with builds that weren’t possible during the first playthrough, as you cannot unlock everything in your arsenal in one go. As you progress, you’ll unlock new talent nodes, expanding how your abilities and Aberrant attacks work together in combat. In addition, New Game Plus introduces new flexibility in how abilities are combined. You’ll be able to equip multiple different combat abilities from the same boss, opening up new combinations and synergies that change how encounters play out. It’s not just about becoming stronger; it’s about becoming more precise in how you play. Customization systems working together One of the ways you can shape your build in Control Resonant is Artifacts, a system we haven’t explored in detail before. Artifacts are equippable items with passive modifiers that allow you to fine-tune your build. They can affect survivability, combat performance, exploration, or the resource economy – and some come with conditions or trade-offs. Rather than being purely additive, they encourage you to tailor your setup for specific situations. You can equip up to three artifacts during your first playthrough. In New Game Plus, a fourth slot unlocks, allowing for more complex combinations. Artifacts are also tied to the crafting loop in the game. You’ll discover untapped artifacts throughout the world, which can be crafted into usable artifacts in the Gap. As your collection grows, so do your options for adapting your build. A world that pushes back Returning to Manhattan also means facing a more demanding version of it. As you progress through Control Resonant, the world itself evolves. Enemies grow more dangerous, encounters shift, and even familiar fights can take on new dimensions. Some bosses may surprise you with new behaviors, forcing you to rethink strategies that once worked. A fight you handled one way before may require a completely different approach the next time you face it. New Game Plus continues that escalation. While you return with more tools and knowledge, the world keeps pushing back – reshaping encounters and raising the stakes as you move forward. It’s not just about becoming more powerful. It’s about adapting to a world that refuses to stay the same. This is where the depth of your build really matters. The game supports different approaches, but success comes from understanding how those pieces fit together. ​​ Going back in Control Resonant is built to reward returning players, and not everything is necessarily found in a single run. It’s an opportunity to revisit World Quests, bounties, and collectibles you may have missed, or see different outcomes in certain side stories and conversations. New Game Plus is for players who want to spend more time with the systems and world of Control Resonant. The first playthrough already offers a wide range of options and experimentation. Returning to the game allows you to build on that foundation, try different approaches, and take on new challenges with a more complete toolkit. We’re looking forward to seeing how players approach their second run – and what new combinations they discover along the way. Control Resonant releases on PlayStation 5 in 2026. View the full article

When it was first announced that Hitman: World of Assassination developer IO Interactive was taking on the James Bond franchise with 007: First Light, it sounded like the perfect match of license and studio. The Hitman games focus on stealth, cunning, planning, and improvisation — a perfect fit for the legendary spy. I recently went hands-on with 007: First Light across three missions, and saw first-hand how IOI has created a Bond game that combines action with a more thoughtful spy experience. Bond from the beginning Unlike the Bond film series, 007: First Light tells a new story, set in the modern era, that delves into Bond’s origins. When we first meet IO’s take on James Bond, he’s serving in the Royal Navy, a crewman on a mission in Iceland. Suddenly, missiles hit the two helicopters on the mission, and they crash on a nearby coastline. Bond makes it to shore and immediately finds himself sneaking past hostile mercenaries as they search for any survivors. Before long, Bond is contacted via radio by an MI6 operative, and with no one else left, he’s pressed into service to retrieve some mysterious item. The mission gives a sense of Bond’s capabilities — even at this early point in his career, he’s able to keep his cool and analyze the situation thoughtfully, quickly donning a parka to disguise himself among the mercenaries and gather information. But we also see that this younger Bond isn’t easily swayed from his convictions, and that he can be impatient and maybe a bit reckless. He eventually ignores his new MI6 handler and risks his life to save other operatives who’ve been captured by the enemy soldiers. After a harrowing trip through the camp to save the captives, the mission culminates in an action-packed chase as everyone escapes. Welcome to MI6 Despite disobeying orders, Bond’s performance in Iceland got him noticed. After First Light’s take on Bond film opening credits, we headed to Malta for MI6 training. Bond’s goal here is to make it past a group of soldiers patrolling ruins while his instructors look on. You can use stealth, staying behind cover or hiding in tall grass, or go loud with your fists and any weapons you find along the way. You’re also outfitted with Q gadgets, which provide lots of ways of dealing with enemies, both in and out of combat. Holding L1 activates your Q Lens, which lets you see enemies through walls and highlights devices you can hack by hitting the X button to create distractions. Your watch can also fire a laser with Square to do things like cut ropes or explode devices to injure nearby enemies. If you are spotted, you can take on enemies with Bond’s fists. Throwing punches is done with the Square button, and you can block and parry blows with Circle or sidestep with X. Timing those moves correctly is essential — even on the easier difficulty settings, First Light’s enemies are brutal fighters, especially when they gang up. Luckily, Bond’s good at finding ways to gain an advantage. You can bounce enemies off hard surfaces to stun them, or grab nearby objects with Triangle to bash them. Holding L1 also gives you access to all your gadgets during fistfights and gunfights, so you can use your Q Watch’s laser to blind opponents or hack something to knock them off balance, before you come in with a haymaker. With an enemy off-balance, you can execute a takedown to finish them off by pressing X and Circle buttons together. In the training mission, I felt Hitman’s influence on 007: First Light in its mix of stealth and action, its emphasis on improvisation, and its freedom to approach problems from multiple angles. But 007 stands apart with how many ways you can put together different actions to get out of trouble, and how quickly Bond can switch between all of them. The fun is in chaining together options on the fly to beat enemies down or just slip out of sight. Practicing the craft The third mission, Kensington, showed how you’ll need to use Bond’s fast thinking, spy capabilities, and charm as much as his fists and his marksmanship skills. The level starts with Bond returning to his apartment after a mission, only to be attacked by assassins. After a tough fight, gunfire explodes through a window, forcing you to scramble over rooftops, staying behind cover and hacking distractions, to reach the shooter. He escapes, but Bond manages to track him across London to a gala at a museum. The gala is where 007: First Light drew most from Hitman in my preview, opening up into a “wide-linear” level with lots of options. To find a way into areas off-limits to guests, you can eavesdrop on conversations and talk to characters to gain information. You can also use your gadgets, including a poison dart that temporarily makes whoever it hits feel sick, to distract people so you can pick their pockets or sneak by. I overheard a public relations director talking about a journalist she was supposed to meet and opted to impersonate him to get past security. But while Bond is a smooth talker, you still have to listen closely; the director had actually mentioned two names, and I had to choose one. I picked the journalist she’d seemed less annoyed with, and she happily directed me past security to the press room — but when I used the same name at the press room, the woman handing out credentials said he’d already checked in. Bond smoothed over the flub with some flirting, and I used a dart to get the woman to leave so I could steal what I needed. All kinds of improvisation Tracking down the assassin in the museum’s basement led to an intense boss fight. Since Bond was unarmed, I stealthily used Bond’s gadgets to hit the assassin with traps, like dropping a chandelier on him. After some developments in First Light’s story, I spent the rest of the mission trying to escape the museum. When machine gun-armed mercenaries streamed into one art exhibit with walls covered in display panels, I combined all of Bond’s tricks — stealth, fistfighting, gadgets, and improvisation — to take them on. I thinned them out by dropping more chandeliers and blowing up the panels, confusing and disabling them. They eventually caught up with me, but a takedown on one let me grab his gun. I dodged from cover to cover as I shot at the mercenaries, before detonating a fire extinguisher with my watch laser to distract them as I slipped out the door. The mission eventually ended with the 007 theme music ramping up as Bond hijacked a garbage truck, with mercenaries in hot pursuit. I plowed through buildings, ran mercenary cars into walls, and eventually smashed through a mall to escape. The three missions in the preview highlighted how IOI’s combination of action, improvisation, and freedom captures not only the action of the Bond franchise, but the experience of being a smooth and savvy spy, too. You can earn your 00 status when 007: First Light hits PlayStation 5 on May 27. View the full article