It’s weird. The 2022 PlayStation Showcase seems inevitable this month, but Sony hasn’t said a word about this event even happening.
Why is it inevitable? Well, there’s a lot of good things coming to the PlayStation 5 (opens in new tab) — some sooner rather than later like God of War Ragnarök (opens in new tab), and another big September event (just like last year (opens in new tab)) would be the perfect time to host an hour-long stream about it all.
So, of course, don’t take this as gospel that an event is happening until Sony says otherwise. But let’s get the crystal ball out and make some predictions about what could happen at this year’s PlayStation Showcase.
Obvious predictions
So, what is pretty much certain to appear at the PlayStation Showcase? I won’t count these in my list of bets, as that would really take the fun out of doing an article like this.
- God of War Ragnarök gameplay: Game Informer is already showing gameplay, so of course we’ll see some sort of extended gameplay trailer.
- More PSVR 2 (opens in new tab) stuff: Be it Horizon (opens in new tab) or Resident Evil Village (opens in new tab), expect to see a little bit of additional gameplay and some more details about the headset ahead of its 2023 release.
- New games on PS Plus (opens in new tab): The September games have already been announced (including all the Sly Cooper titles for Premium), but Sony will no doubt use this as a chance to tell you what else Premium subscribers will be able to get their hands on.
Now with those out the way, let’s think big and go slightly ridiculous with some more outlandish hopes and predictions.
Prediction 1: Spider-Man 2 gameplay
Spider-Man 2 (opens in new tab) is slated for a 2023 launch, and if we take what happened in the run up to the original Spider-Man on PS4 into context, now’s the time we should get some sort of glimpse at the gameplay.
But what will we see? Of course it will be Hollywood-level chaos and combat with the control fluidity Insomniac has absolutely nailed for the web slinger. However, the twist here, as last year’s announcement trailer alluded to, is co-op multiplayer with one person playing as Peter Parker and the other filling the shoes of Miles Morales.
I’m talking combo finishers, humorous dialogue between the pair and strategies to send one Spider-Man to take out several snipers while the other eliminates melee opponents. The big bet to sweeten it will be the announcement that you can play co-op throughout the entire story.
Prediction 2: PlayStation Cloud Gaming
I’ve already talked at length about how now’s the time for Sony to announce PlayStation Cloud Gaming (opens in new tab) as part of PlayStation Plus Premium (opens in new tab), because everything lines up.
With the Backbone One PlayStation Edition (opens in new tab) and Xbox Cloud Gaming being so far ahead, it’s now or never for a true competitor that gives you wider cloud access to the PS Plus library via more dedicated apps and any web browser.
But here’s the sweetener that would be more of a hope than a solid prediction, as I doubt the company would do this: Sony cracks the DRM code and makes any games you’ve bought (online or disc edition) available to play on the cloud.
Remote play is great, but in a time of inflation, we simply can’t afford to keep the PS5 on at all times to access games, so to nail this would be a huge consumer-friendly move.
Prediction 3: The Last of Us multiplayer trailer
With The Last of Us Part I (opens in new tab) in the books, now’s the time to turn our attention to the multiplayer project and while we saw some captivating concept art at Gamescom 2022, now’s the time for a teaser trailer.
I don’t envision we’ll see gameplay until at least next summer. However, some sort of promo to establish the location, the variety of PVE and PVP combat on offer and signs of the Battle Royale framing of these huge battlefields where you have one mission: endure and survive.
Prediction 4: Spider-Man Miles Morales PC gets a Christmas release date
Spider-Man on PC (opens in new tab) and Steam Deck (opens in new tab) absolutely slaps, but what about Miles Morales? We already know it’s coming, so now is the time to drop a trailer and announce the game’s impending launch in December.
Given the setting of Miles Morales is within a wintry New York adorned with festive decorations, it’s the most obvious move to keep the PC players happy.
Going into specifics, I think the smart money’s on Friday, December 9, but time will tell and I will be bragging about this on Laptop Mag’s Twitter (opens in new tab) if I get it right.
Prediction 5: We get a glimpse of what Supernatural Studios is working on
One of my proudest moments here at Laptop Mag continues to be the exclusive scoop I got on the creative mind behind SSX making a new snowboarding game, codenamed Project Gravity (opens in new tab).
Shortly after this piece, the team at Supernatural Studios officially partnered with a “major global publisher” and went into stealth mode — meaning there have been zero details since.
This is more of a prediction that requires me to wish upon a monkey’s paw, while throwing salt over my shoulder and crossing all my fingers. But maybe even just a taste of what’s to come with a short teaser would satiate my appetite.
This list was going to stop at five predictions, but some last-minute news has captured my imagination. Gamesradar has reported on two things: Konami revealing a new game in a “world-loved series” at Tokyo Game Show (opens in new tab) and, more interestingly, increasing reports of a remastered Metal Gear Solid trilogy (opens in new tab).
Regardless of its wide platform availability, MGS has always felt like a PlayStation entity because of its history with the platform, to me at least (but feel free to disagree). So, while Konami will revel in its new entry into whatever series it is (my prediction: a new SIlent Hill), I think a PlayStation Showcase could be a great way to announce this trilogy with a new coat of paint.
And who knows, that may establish the basis for a Metal Gear Solid 4 remake. Please, Konami, give me what I want.
