This State of Play landed right as Tokyo Game Show buzz hits and days before Ghost of Yōtai, and it felt like Sony deliberately recalibrating expectations: fewer “now” moments, more “here’s your 2025-2026 roadmap.” It wasn’t a fireworks show, but there’s real signal here-especially Housemarque’s Saros and the eyebrow-raising reality that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is coming to PS5 (and PSVR2) with bespoke DualSense features. That’s not nothing.
Housemarque followed up 2021’s Returnal with Saros, a fast, stylish sci-fi action game landing March 20, 2026 on PS5. The demo sold me on vibe and systems: a Soltari shield that not only blocks but absorbs and reflects enemy fire (ranged and melee), a “Second Chance” perk to revive a run after your first death, and a hostile world—Carcosa—that morphs after each death. That last bit is a neat way to keep runs fresh without ditching authored design entirely.
It’s UE5 and a 60 fps target, which matters—Returnal’s fluidity was non-negotiable. Casting Rahul Kohli as lead Arjun Devraj is smart, and the eclipse setup feels appropriately ominous. My only pause: 2026 is a long wait, and Housemarque’s magic lies in feel. The showcase hinted at it, but I want to know if the build-crafting and meta-progression will be as compelling as Returnal’s best post-launch tweaks. Still, this is the game I circled in red.
Mark December 8, 2025: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is landing on PS5 with the full suite of content and DualSense bells and whistles. Triggers reacting to speed and surface, ATC chatter coming through the controller speaker, gyro assist, light bar support—Asobo’s doing its homework. The bigger headline comes in 2026, when PSVR2 support arrives as a free update. A Microsoft-published sim, in PSVR2, with haptics dialed in? Five years ago I’d have called that fan fiction. Today it’s just the industry we live in: platform borders are porous when there’s money on the table.
Deus Ex Remastered (February 5, 2026) is the kind of announcement that makes old-school PC fans sit up. Aspyr promises sharper textures, overhauled lighting and shadows, synced VO, and modernized controls. I’m into it, but Aspyr’s remaster record is mixed, so the proof is in the input latency and UI work. Preserve the original soul, fix the friction—don’t sand it down to a bland modern shooter. If they nail controller feel, this could be a great on-couch playthrough.
Koei Tecmo is bringing Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition Remastered on March 19, 2026, with UE5 polish and the Xtreme Legends content folded in. As someone who burned weekends on PS2 mowing through 1 vs 1,000 battles, I’m here for it—as long as they modernize the camera, remap the controls sensibly, and keep couch co-op front and center.
Nioh 3 hits February 6, 2026 on PS5 and PC, following Tokugawa Takechiyo in a power struggle that looks peak Team Ninja: aggressive, stance-based duels, and a trailer stacked with “oh no” boss strings. Preorders are live with Steelbook, Deluxe, and the inevitable season pass. It’s a great-looking game, but I wish we’d move past “pay now for early access and cosmetics.”
Code Vein II lands January 30, 2026, leaning into time-tangled anime melodrama. The weapon spread is generous—one- and two-handed swords, bayonets, halberds, great hammers—with new dual blades and runic swords. Bandai Namco’s also rolling out Deluxe and Ultimate tiers with three-day early access and an expansion (Mask of Idris) baked in. The first game had a devoted niche; if the sequel tightens encounter design and AI partner behavior, it could step up from “guilty pleasure” to “legit recommendation.”
Last Epoch: Orobyss arrives alongside the console launch in 2026, bringing deeper skill customization and a “gratifying” loot revamp. Last Epoch already scratches the theorycraft itch on PC; if Eleventh Hour nails controller mapping and UI readability, this could become the console ARPG to beat between Diablo seasons and Path of Exile 2’s eventual climb.
Halloween launches September 8, 2026, letting you don Michael Myers’ mask or try to survive Haddonfield in an asymmetrical sandbox. The space is crowded (Dead by Daylight still rules), but dynamic maps and some properly gnarly executions could carve a lane—if matchmaking and netcode hold.
ZA/UM’s Zero Parades: For Dead Spies (2026, PC/PS5) is complicated. Disco Elysium’s brilliance was a team effort, and much of that team is gone. The new espionage RPG sells paranoia and social deduction vibes, which fits the studio’s sensibilities, but I’m keeping expectations measured until we see if the writing still cuts.
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds pops on September 25, 2025, with a Mega Man collab (Wily Castle track, Rush Roadstar, Proto Man) arriving in 2026. Crossovers are catnip, sure, but don’t let the cameos distract from the handling model—Sonic racers live or die on drift feel and readability at high speed.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin (January 28, 2026) goes free-to-play across PS5, PC, and mobile, with an original story starring Tristan and a buffet of biomes, fishing, resource gathering, and traversal. It’s built in UE5 and promises a full solo experience up to five players, but F2P anime adaptations usually mean gacha hooks—let’s see how aggressive it is.
Let it Die: Inferno (December 3, 2025) flips the climb—this time you descend into Hell, roguelite-style, and a death sends you back to the start. The original’s free-to-play grind was divisive; the new loop will only sing if the economy respects your time.
There was also a brief tease for Chronoscript: The Endless End from Shueisha Games and Desk Works (of “Time! The Legend of Wright” fame). File under “intriguing, but needs a deeper look.”
Sony’s State of Play was less about shock reveals and more about planting flags for 2025-2026. Saros looks like Housemarque’s next obsession, Microsoft Flight Simulator on PS5 is quietly huge, and the rest is a mix of safe remasters, confident sequels, and monetization-heavy bundles. Lots to like—just be ready to wait.
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