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Star Wars Episode I: Racer revived for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

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Star Wars Episode I: Racer, originally rolled out for the Nintendo 64 and PC in 1999, will be re-released for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch on May 12.

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The racing game was launched alongside Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and it is based on podracing, one of the film’s most memorable sequences. Aspyr, the developer behind the recent ports of Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy and Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, both for the Nintendo Switch, is also in charge of bringing Star Wars Episode I: Racer to modern consoles.

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Aspyr producer James Vicari said that remastering Star Wars Episode I: Racer was an important project for the studio “because good games should never be forgotten and great games deserve to be revisited as much as possible,” he told StarWars.com in an interview.

Vicari also discussed the racing game’s modernized controls, particularly for the Nintendo Switch. The studio made sure that controlling the podracers “feels comfortable in all configurations,” which includes using individual Joy-Cons.

Aspyr “uprezzed” the game’s FMV sequences, with everything natively re-exported into higher resolutions, according to a PlayStation Blog post. Trophies have also been added, so PlayStation 4 players will have something else to chase besides the podracers in front of them.

Players may choose between 25 characters in Star Wars Episode I: Racer, including Anakin Skywalker and Sebulba, with tracks across different planets in the Star Wars series, including Tatooine where the podracing sequence from Phantom Menace took place. Podracers may be upgraded, with races in single-player campaigns or split-screen multiplayer.

Nintendo Direct Mini in March

The port of Star Wars Episode I: Racer for the Nintendo Switch was first revealed in March, in a surprise Nintendo Direct Mini that was jam-packed with announcements of new games and updates.

In addition to the racing game, the presentation revealed a May 29 release date for Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, as well as an upcoming DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from fighting game Arms. Also announced were the third DLC for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 featuring the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom, and a free update for Ring Fit Adventure, for those who were lucky enough to nab one.

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Aaron Mamiit
Aaron Mamiit
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Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
Everything announced at PlayStation’s September 2022 State of Play
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Sony pops up every few months with a new showcase that highlights titles coming to PlayStation platforms. While fans were hoping for a full-fledged PlayStation Showcase this month as State of Play presentations took place in March and June, Sony decided to hold another State of Play on September 13 ahead of Tokyo Game Show to highlight games coming to PS4, PS5, and PlayStation VR2. As the June State of Play featured the likes of Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy XVI, and Resident Evil 4's remake, this presentation had a lot to live up to.
State of Play | September 13, 2022 | [English]
While it wasn't as impressive, lasting 20 minutes and featuring 10 games, every title shown looked intriguing in its own way. In particular, we got a look at the next Tekken game and an exciting trailer for God of War: Ragnarok ahead of its release in November. This is every announcement that PlayStation made during the September 2022 State of Play. 
Tekken 8 announced for PS5
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The announcement that kicked off the show was Tekken 8. We saw some cutscenes and gameplay featuring Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima, and it looks just as impactful and satisfying as ever. In a PlayStation Blog post, Katsuhiro Harada explained that this content was taken straight from the game's story mode, and runs at 50 frames per second. It has no release date but is confirmed for PS5.
Like a Dragon Ishin! is finally coming to the West with a remake
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Rya Ga Gotoku: Ishin is getting a full remake treatment. This game was released for PS3 and PS4 in the early 2010s but never came to North America or Europe as the Yakuza series was not yet popular in the West at the time. It's now titled Like a Dragon: Ishin!, remade with Unreal Engine 4, and will be released for PS4 and PS5 in February 2023.
God of War looks great and is getting a themed DualSense controller
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To wrap up the show, Sony revealed that a limited-edition DualSense wireless controller based on the next God of War game is launching on November 8 before providing a deeper look at God of War: Ragnarok. We saw more interactions between Kratos, Tyr, and Atreus, as well as some new gameplay featuring the awe-inspiring fantasy enemies and set pieces players will encounter during the game. God of War: Ragnarok launches on November 9.
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The final total of PlayStation 4 console shipments worldwide is now at about 117.2 million as of March this year.

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The Last of Us Part I should launch on PlayStation Plus Premium
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The Last of Us Part I is one of the most notable PlayStation 5 games to launch this fall. It’s also one of the year’s most controversial titles.
Despite the acclaim associated with The Last of Us series, there is heated debate surrounding the remake’s $70 price tag, which is more than the original release and The Last of Us Remastered cost at release -- even though it's lacking the multiplayer mode that came with both. This situation turned what should be a certified slam dunk for Sony into a divisive release, and Sony could fix it with one key change: making The Last of Us Part I a day-one title on PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium.
This isn’t because The Last of Us Part I isn’t worth $70. In fact, its improved visuals and the vast amount of new accessibility features clearly warrant the price tag in the eyes of some. That said, even defenders of the heightened price can recognize the controversy arising from charging more than ever for a remake of a twice-released game. The Last of Us Part I is in a rough situation, and being a PS Plus game would ease some of those concerns.
Why being on PS Plus would work
As The Last of Us is one of Sony's most popular modern franchises and has a TV show on the way, it's understandable why Sony and developer Naughty Dog eagerly want a modernized version of The Last of Us Part I on store shelves at full price. Still, those who've already bought the game twice and aren't impressed by the visual and accessibility overhaul don't seem as compelled to pick up the game for the third time. Sony would remove this significant roadblock plaguing The Last of Us Part I by putting the game on a subscription service.
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There are plenty of examples showing why this would be a wise idea. The Age of Empire series' Definitive Edition games showed how well remakes work on subscription services. Several years after their original release, many players are still actively engaged with the first three Age of Empire games. While interested players can still purchase the remakes individually, putting those games on Game Pass for PC on day one ensured that the community didn't have to pay full price for a game they were already playing daily. Instead, they could just get the remake through their subscription and continue.
The Last of Us Part I is in a similar situation, even with the multiplayer content removed. This demonstrates why a subscription service release could lessen some of the negative stigmas around the game. The successful Stray, which was included in PS Plus at launch, shows that day one PlayStation Plus games can still generate plenty of positive buzz. The game's subscription service availability ensured that the conversation stayed on the game's cute cats, not the fact that it was a $30 game that only lasted about five hours.
Sony has recognized the power PS Plus can have on embattled games before. Destruction All-Stars was originally a $70 PS5 launch title, but ultimately launched as a PlayStation Plus game that was free to subscribers. Although The Last of Us Part I seems like it’ll be a better game than Destruction All-Stars, a day one game makes even more sense on PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra now than it did on PS Plus in February 2021.

Despite all of those factors, Jim Ryan made it clear that he does not want AAA PlayStation Studios games on PlayStation Plus Premium or Extra on day one during an interview with Games Industry.
“We feel like we are in a good virtuous cycle with the studios where the investment delivers success, which enables yet more investment, which delivers yet more success,” Ryan said. “We like that cycle and we think our gamers like that cycle … We feel if we were to do that with the games that we make at PlayStation Studios, that virtuous cycle will be broken. The level of investment that we need to make in our studios would not be possible, and we think the knock-on effect on the quality of the games that we make would not be something that gamers want."
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The Last of Us Part I will be released for PS5 on September 2, 2022.

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