Summary
A reliable insider has shared some interesting details and concept art for an unannouncedPlayStation Studiosaction-adventure game. It’s currently unknown whichPlayStationfirst-party team is handling this project, but if the alleged information is correct, it could be from one of the brand’s most decorated studios.
Although the PlayStation 5 generation is about to enter its latter half, Sony has remained unusually tight-lipped about its first-party release roadmap for the remainder of the console’s lifecycle. The company’s last big first-party blowout was at the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, which ended up disappointing many due to its over-reliance on live-service game reveals. This was further amplified bySony’s lack of tentpole first-party exclusives for 2024, and the general silence around PlayStation’s larger in-house studios has led to some concerns about potential development woes.
WhileSony has scaled back on its live-service strategysomewhat, it appears game development at its first-party studios is otherwise progressing as usual, which was evidenced by a recently shared report by credible film and gaming insider DanielRPK on his Patreon account. Discovered byMP1st, the report focuses on a casting call for an unannounced PlayStation first-party title, specifically an action-adventure game that will seemingly have “intense violence and potential profanity.” More interestingly, a reference image of two of the game’s characters was attached to the casting call, with their faces and clothing concealed.
The Heavily Concealed Concept Art May Be From a Potential Naughty Dog Game
The concept art snippets only show hair references for the roles of a salt and pepper gray-haired man between the ages of 40 and 60, and a brunette woman between 20–60 years old. While it’s apparently standard practice to hide characters' faces for reference images, masking their clothing is a bit of an eyebrow raise, and may have been done to keep the game’s theme a secret. It’s unknown what the project is called, but it was described to likely be rated “M for Mature.” Given the information, this project might beNaughty Dog’s brand-new single-player game, as the studio’s modern titles have had gritty and violent themes.
Further reinforcing this notion is the fact that the casting call went live in late May, which was around the same time Naughty Dog co-presidentNeil Druckmann teased the studio’s next project. Druckmann previously confirmed that Naughty Dog would release its new IP beforeThe Last of Us Part 3, so the casting call might well be for this unannounced project. Conversely, it could also be for another PlayStation studio working on a similarly gritty title. It’s difficult to speculate with this little information, but PlayStation fans are hoping for a Showcase in the coming months that may reveal more.
PS5
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is part of the ninth console generation and debuted with a launch lineup that included Demon’s Souls and Astro’s Playroom. The console comes with a Blu-ray disc, although a digital-only edition is also available for a cheaper price.
