God of War: Laufey Announced, Wolverine Pre-order Available, Shadow Blade Delayed
Earlier, Sony held a State of Play game showcase, focusing on first-party and third-party games coming to the PlayStation 5, Click for details>>
Let's start with the highlights. Santa Monica Studio's Nordic mythology spin-off, "God of War: Laufey," was revealed, kicking off with a lengthy 20-minute deep gameplay demo. It's packed with content and seems to be progressing much faster than the Greek trilogy remaster announcement from six months ago, which only revealed a logo. This game focuses on the legendary warrior and leader who had a profound impact on the Nine Realms: Laufey, the wife of Kratos and mother of Atreus. Her will and wishes are also a central theme of the new "God of War." From the demo, it's clear that "Laufey" isn't a prequel showing how they met, but instead tells a story set in Faye's afterlife, happening concurrently with the main "God of War" narrative. The game retains its over-the-shoulder camera, one-shot style, unmatched combat punch in the industry, and seamless boss fight transitions. Expect the details to be even more refined than the Nordic saga.
(Since actress Deborah Ann Woll also played Karen Page, I keep feeling like it's not Kratos saving the day, but Daredevil or The Punisher stepping in.)
"Marvel's Wolverine," developed by this generation's workhorse Insomniac Games and following a series of hurdles like a hacker leak, is now available for pre-order! It launches on September 15. The Standard Edition is $69.99/548 HKD, and the Deluxe Edition is $79.99/628 HKD. In this 7-minute gameplay demo, the game showcases its UI, combat system, and faithful portrayal of IP-authentic gore. The story revolves around the conflict between mutants and humans, with classic Wolverine allies and villains like Jean Grey, Mystique, Sabretooth, and Sentinels all set to appear. Pre-order the digital version here>>
One less exciting bit of news: the Chinese action-adventure punk wuxia game "Phantom Blade Zero" has been delayed from its original September 9 release to October 29. The producer explained that this extra time is needed to polish the final stages and deliver a better launch experience. The game only had a small clip and a delay announcement at this showcase, but it's confirmed that an updated deep dive into gameplay and story will be featured at a dedicated State of Play in late summer 2026. Having its own showcase is a big deal, usually reserved for first-party titles, showing the deep collaboration between the team and PlayStation to ensure performance on PS5 consoles. The game will launch on PC and PlayStation platforms (console exclusive to PS5, Xbox not at this time). A new extended demo is expected at the upcoming Summer Game Fest, where pre-orders will likely begin.
"Onimusha: Way of the Sword" will be released on September 25 for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC. A playable demo is available now.
"Tomb Raider: Atlantis Ruins" is slated for release on February 12, 2027, with a gameplay demo revealed.
Other Updates:
"Silent Hill: Townfall" launches on September 24.
"Dynasty Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends Remastered" launches on October 1.
"Control: Resonance" launches on September 24.
"Ace Combat 8: Shephy's Wing" launches on October 2.
"Until Dawn 2" has been announced, set for a 2027 release.
Overall, there's a ton of information from this showcase, and most of it is about games playable this summer and fall. With Summer Game Fest in a few days and "GTA 6" entering its marketing phase, gamers are in for an incredible year!
