After years in the dark, The Last Guardian will be released in 2016

By Williams Pelegrin June 15, 2015

Just when you thought your hope of ever playing The Last Guardian died some time ago, Sony kicked off its E3 2015 press conference with some long-awaited footage of Japan Studio’s long-awaited title.

Directed by Fumito Ueda, The Last Guardian is all about friendship and companionship, according to Sony. That friendship and companionship was on full display during the gameplay reveal, which showed a young male protagonist traversing various platforms with the help of his giant feathery friend, Trico. In the video, the duo helped each other escape the crumbling environment and get to safety.

Interestingly, compared to previous footage, the art style largely remains the same. The most visible changes seem to be the increased visual fidelity, due to the game being released on the PlayStation 4, as well as a newly-designed Trico. Our feathered friend now closely resembles some kind of hybrid between a gryphon and a dog rather than just a dog with wings.

In development since 2007, The Last Guardian was officially announced in 2009 for the PlayStation 3. When it was announced, the game was given a 2011 release, though thanks to numerous delays, the game missed that release window. Some people believed the game to be cancelled, with Sony Worldwide Studios chief Shuhei Yoshida revealing that the game had to be redone in order to ensure compatibility with the PlayStation 3. Since then, however, Sony reiterated on numerous occasions that The Last Guardian was still in development.

Even Ueda, who left Japan Studio but continued to serve as a freelance contributor for The Last Guardian, confirmed that the game was nowhere near cancelled and that it was still under his creative supervision.

The Last Guardian is a PlayStation 4-exclusive title, with no mention of a PlayStation 3 version, and will be released sometime in 2016.

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Williams Pelegrin

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…

Gaming

The Last of Us Part I should launch on PlayStation Plus Premium

Ellie looking concerned.

The Last of Us Part I is one of the most notable PlayStation 5 games to launch this fall. It’s also one of the year’s most controversial titles.
Despite the acclaim associated with The Last of Us series, there is heated debate surrounding the remake’s $70 price tag, which is more than the original release and The Last of Us Remastered cost at release -- even though it's lacking the multiplayer mode that came with both. This situation turned what should be a certified slam dunk for Sony into a divisive release, and Sony could fix it with one key change: making The Last of Us Part I a day-one title on PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium.
This isn’t because The Last of Us Part I isn’t worth $70. In fact, its improved visuals and the vast amount of new accessibility features clearly warrant the price tag in the eyes of some. That said, even defenders of the heightened price can recognize the controversy arising from charging more than ever for a remake of a twice-released game. The Last of Us Part I is in a rough situation, and being a PS Plus game would ease some of those concerns.
Why being on PS Plus would work
As The Last of Us is one of Sony's most popular modern franchises and has a TV show on the way, it's understandable why Sony and developer Naughty Dog eagerly want a modernized version of The Last of Us Part I on store shelves at full price. Still, those who've already bought the game twice and aren't impressed by the visual and accessibility overhaul don't seem as compelled to pick up the game for the third time. Sony would remove this significant roadblock plaguing The Last of Us Part I by putting the game on a subscription service.
The Last of Us Part I Rebuilt for PS5 - Features and Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games
There are plenty of examples showing why this would be a wise idea. The Age of Empire series' Definitive Edition games showed how well remakes work on subscription services. Several years after their original release, many players are still actively engaged with the first three Age of Empire games. While interested players can still purchase the remakes individually, putting those games on Game Pass for PC on day one ensured that the community didn't have to pay full price for a game they were already playing daily. Instead, they could just get the remake through their subscription and continue.
The Last of Us Part I is in a similar situation, even with the multiplayer content removed. This demonstrates why a subscription service release could lessen some of the negative stigmas around the game. The successful Stray, which was included in PS Plus at launch, shows that day one PlayStation Plus games can still generate plenty of positive buzz. The game's subscription service availability ensured that the conversation stayed on the game's cute cats, not the fact that it was a $30 game that only lasted about five hours.
Sony has recognized the power PS Plus can have on embattled games before. Destruction All-Stars was originally a $70 PS5 launch title, but ultimately launched as a PlayStation Plus game that was free to subscribers. Although The Last of Us Part I seems like it’ll be a better game than Destruction All-Stars, a day one game makes even more sense on PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra now than it did on PS Plus in February 2021.

Despite all of those factors, Jim Ryan made it clear that he does not want AAA PlayStation Studios games on PlayStation Plus Premium or Extra on day one during an interview with Games Industry.
“We feel like we are in a good virtuous cycle with the studios where the investment delivers success, which enables yet more investment, which delivers yet more success,” Ryan said. “We like that cycle and we think our gamers like that cycle … We feel if we were to do that with the games that we make at PlayStation Studios, that virtuous cycle will be broken. The level of investment that we need to make in our studios would not be possible, and we think the knock-on effect on the quality of the games that we make would not be something that gamers want."
His argument makes sense from a business standpoint, but data from Microsoft shows that people play more games (and games they might not have played initially) when they are available on a subscription service. Even if it seems unfair to judge, many people weigh the amount of new, entertaining content a game offers to its price tag. Sony's can't truly say whether The Last of Us Part I is worth $70, but it can shift the discussion in its favor with an act of goodwill.
The Last of Us Part I will be released for PS5 on September 2, 2022.

Gaming

The Last of Us Part 1 boasts a groundbreaking accessibility feature

Ellie pets a giraffe in The Last of Us Part I.

Naughty Dog and Sony have released a new 10-minute video featuring gameplay footage of The Last of Us Part 1. The video includes interviews with some of the game's developers, shedding light on many of the remake's improvements, including a range of accessibility features. Most notable is a detailed audio description feature built into the game, which narrates cutscenes, allowing more players to enjoy the experience.

The Last of Us Part I Rebuilt for PS5 - Features and Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games

Gaming

PlayStation makes a big esports play with latest acquisition

playstation repeat esports

Sony has acquired the esports platform Repeat.gg, a site that hosts leaderboard tournaments and tracks player performance.

In a statement to GamesIndustry.biz, Steven Roberts, Sony vice president of global competitive gaming said: "At PlayStation, our vision for esports has always been about breaking down barriers for gamers to compete at all levels."