Sony’s first State of Play for 2022 arrived last night. This brand-new showcase of all things PlayStation focused on Japanese developers, with plenty of development updates alongside new announcements. If you weren’t able to catch the 20-minute show on March 9, then we’re here to help. Read below for our roundup of all the big announcements at PlayStation State of Play in March 2022.
PlayStation State Of Play March 2022 Roundup
Capcom Announces Exoprimal
The first big new game was Exoprimal, a co-op shooter from Capcom. While fans were hoping for a new Dino Crisis game, this seems like a spiritual successor. Teaming up with friends, you’ll don exo-suits to take on a seemingly endless supply of jurassic cannon fodder. It’s due to release at some point in 2023.
Trailers for Ghostwire: Tokyo, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and Forspoken
Next up were three trailers for games due out this year. First was Ghostwire: Tokyo, a PlayStaton 5 exclusive game from Tango Gameworks. This first-person action game places you as a magical warrior in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo ravaged by demons, with a slew of magical powers. It’s due to release later this month, on March 25.
Next was a brief look at Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. It confirmed a playable demo on PS4 and PS5 available now, giving players the chance to access early stages of the game. Your progress will also carry over to the base game. If you’ve got it pre-ordered, then this is effectively a free trial before the game releases on March 18.
There was also a trailer for Forspoken, another PS5 exclusive that was recently delayed to October. This title from Square Enix is a brand-new IP, billed as an action-RPG with fluid traversal at its core. If the upcoming Final Fantasy Origin doesn’t quite sate your desire for Square games, then you won’t have long to wait for Forspoken.
Free-to-Play FPS Gundam Evolution Announced
There have been plenty of Gundam games in the past, but Gundam Evolution is different to them all. This free FPS looks more like Overwatch than the fighting games of the past, with varied operators and a range of colorful maps. Details are slim, but it’s due to release later this year.
Four New Games
After this was a look at four upcoming PlayStation games. The first was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. This remaster of thirteen console and arcade TMNT games is due out later this year. We then saw GigaBash, a multiplayer kaiju deathmatch game, as well as a side-scroller samurai slasher called Trek to Yomi. That was followed by the announcement of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R, the latest fighting game based on the anime. Boasting over 50 characters at launch, it’s set to be the definitive JoJo experience.
Returnal: Ascension Adds Co-Op Play
The crushingly difficult Returnal was one of the PS5’s first exclusives, and a new update is adding co-op. The Ascension expansion lets you tackle the game with a friend, as well as adding an infinite mode called Tower of Sisyphus. You’ll progress up the tower, battling bosses until you die, vying for a high score.
Square Enix Closes the Show
The final two announcements of this State of Play were from Square Enix. They announced The DioField Chronicle and Valkyrie Elysium, two very distinct RPGs arriving in 2022. The DioField Chronicle is a top-down squad RPG that’s more traditional. Valkyrie Elysium continues the story of the Valkyrie series, with more action-based gameplay and magic powers at your command.
It was a packed State of Play, giving Japanese developers the chance to showcase some huge titles due to release across the rest of 2022. While there may not have been the triple-A titles some were expecting, there are plenty of great games incoming!
