PlayStation refocuses on what its fans are asking for

In the world of online communities there’s hype, there’s not enough hype and there’s too much hype – and it’s getting increasingly difficult for major players in the video games market to find a safe spot between those three states of fanboy scrutiny. To, essentially, get it exactly right: create just enough enthusiasm so as to exceed expectations… but not so much enthusiasm that meeting those expectations would be impossible.

If anything, Sony’s June 2026 State of Play underlined how tricky this now is: what would, under different circumstances, be considered a very good show has seemingly led to vague or mild disappointment online, because it just delivered what was expected… instead of doing more.

It makes no sense, yet here we are: a Marvel’s Wolverine extensive look was promised and delivered, a new God of War game was heavily rumored and delivered, 2026 release dates for new entries of AAA franchises – from Tomb Raider and Ace Combat to Silent Hill to Rayman – were expected and delivered, a couple of noteworthy reveals (such as Until Dawn 2 and Kemuri) were not expected but were still delivered. But… because no GTA VI, no Intergalactic, no Infamous and no AAAAA-level, totally unexpected unveilings, this State of Play was “a disappointment” to some. By whose standards anyway?

In any case, it’s really hard to imagine that people who watched Sony’s presentation for the biggest first-party PS5 title of 2026, Marvel’s Wolverine, came away disappointed: Insomniac’s take on the most brutal X-Man in history looks as action-focused, as cinematically-presented and as visceral as Logan’s fans hoped for. It may even be a bit too bloody at times – yes, even for a Wolverine title – but yours truly doesn’t think that gamers looking forward to it will mind (it is a Mature 17+ game after all).

Marvel’s Wolverine is now available to pre-order for a September 15th release in standard and Digital Deluxe editions (at $69.99 and $79.99 respectively). Consumers get a few pre-order bonuses for both editions, as well as five exclusive suits and five exclusive claws with the Digital Deluxe one. There will apparently be no Collector’s Edition, so… no, no stylish 10-inch yellow statuette for your action figure displays, Logan fans. Marvel and McFarlane Toys already have a couple of those to sell you, though. Go… figure?

A new God of War, female-led and mightily impressive

This particular State of Play’s most important unveiling was the long-rumored God of War Laufey, Santa Monica Studio’s “next mainline entry to the series” – Sony does not consider this a “spin-off” – starring not Kratos, but his late wife Faye. This seems to have ruffled some feathers online with certain self-described “anti-woke” gamers not liking a female lead, but Faye seems every bit as capable of carrying one of the most impressive first-party productions seen on the PS5 so far, if the 20-minute gameplay reveal trailer is any indication.

The game takes place at roughly the same time the events in God of War Ragnarok took place in the past, as Faye is dead in Midgard but very much alive in Everywhen, the afterlife of the gods. It’s there that she realizes “the plans she had for protecting Kratos and Atreus are now at risk” and that she actually has to fight and survive in Everywhen in order to ensure that those plans do not fail.

God of War fans had found more than a few clues over the years regarding Faye’s journey in God of War Ragnarok and they now believe – Santa Monica Studios has not confirmed anything, of course – that this new title will lead straight into the next adventure of Kratos or the rumored spin-off revolving around Atreus (or both).

God of War Laufey looks absolutely amazing – being made specifically for the PS5 and the PS5 Pro – exhibiting a level of graphical detail God of War Ragnarok never achieved – while moving much faster and much more fluidly in the process. Faye’s style of fighting is much more acrobatic and much more visually arresting at the same time, as she uses both a sword and magic to great effect.

Sony has not yet specified a time frame of release for God of War Laufey, but the relevant post in the official PlayStation blog claims that “it’s coming soon” (!), leading many to believe that it may be a few months away instead of years. It’s obviously hard to tell right now without knowing anything about the game’s size and scope, but the gameplay video does not look like one of a title that’s in the early stages of development.

If the game is indeed as far along as people suspect, it makes sense for Sony to not reveal its release date yet so as to keep all eyes on Marvel’s Wolverine for now – but it could conceivably still be made available during the company’s current financial year (ending March 31st 2027). In other words, a February or March release – Sony had a number of those in the past – is definitely not out of the question. One can only hope.

More games than PS5 owners have time to play, apparently

Sometimes third-party titles unveiled for the PlayStation during State of Play presentations prove to be just as interesting as first-party ones… which is where Kemuri and Rayman Legends Retold come in. The former is “a stylish supernatural adventure where players will confront the paranormal as they explore a sprawling vertical city, traversing rooftops, back alleys, and hidden ruins alone or in online co-op with up to two other players”. Stylish does not begin to describe it: Kemuri‘s art direction and overall style look absolutely phenomenal. It will be out for the PS5 in 2027.

Rayman Legends Retold, on the other hand, is coming on October 1st and it is “a 3D re-imagining of the iconic multiplayer platformer, bringing new content and narrative twists”. It looks great too, but its support for up to four players in couch co-op is what we’re all here for. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is closer in nature and content to the original Tomb Raider than Rayman Legends Retold is, but it still brings some new things to the table while looking amazing doing it. It’s out on February 12th.

Other State of Play news of note: No Rest for the Wicked, Moon Studios’ unique multiplayer action RPG is finally reaching v1.0 and it will be out for the PS5 in October. Phantom Blade Zero will be released on October 29th – a bit later than expected for an extra layer of polish – and the fourth group of characters in the spectacular Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls are the Knights of Doom: Magneto, Green Goblin and Carnage, led by the titular villain.

Last but not least: because of Grand Theft Auto VI – and the November 2026 black hole it apparently created in the video games market – Dune: Awakening, Control Resonant, Silent Hill: Townfall, Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will all be out for the PS5 in September, in the same two weeks, along with Marvel’s Wolverine. Who needs to work or eat or sleep anyway?

Release schedule conflicts aside, Sony’s recent State of Play seems to have largely achieved what it set out to accomplish: it reminded people that – regardless of everything else going on in terms of PlayStation’s strategy and planning – the PS5 is still the default gaming console, that its content variety is still unmatched and that it’s still the de facto destination for AAA, exclusive, single-player cinematic games.

That last one may be the most important point in the eyes of vocal PlayStation fans: Marvel’s Wolverine, God of War: Laufaye, Intergalactic and Until Dawn 2 are all expected to hit within the next 18 months, while there’s reason to believe that at least three more AAA narrative single-player titles are deep in development for the PS5/PS5 Pro/PS6 right now. With the PS5 also being the leading platform for GTA VI, it seems that the PlayStation crowd has very little to worry about mid-term. To grumble about, though? That’s another matter entirely.