PlayStation Experience: 20 Panels Confirmed

Our big PlayStation Experience community event is all set to kick off in Las Vegas on December 6th and 7th! If you show up (and you’d better!!!), you’ll get an exclusive chance to play a big lineup of 2015 games including Dying Light, Battlefield Hardline, Tearaway Unfolded, and the one I’m most personally excited for, Mortal Kombat X (FATALITY).

You’ll also get a front-row seat for some big announcements, and a chance to pick up exclusive merchandise from your favorite studios and publishers. So far, so good!

Then there are the developer panels, which we’re revealing here today. We’re still finalizing the exact schedule, but approximately 20 developer-level panels are in store for PlayStation Experience attendees starting December 6th:

UPDATE: New panels confirmed!

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FROM SOFTWARE Presents: Bloodborne

Join game director Hidetaka Miyazaki and producer Masaaki Yamagiwa for an in-depth look at Bloodborne, the upcoming PS4-exclusive action RPG from acclaimed developer FromSoftware and JAPAN Studio. New information about the online features will be introduced here.

Word On The Street with Battlefield Hardline

Join us as we discuss how the cops and criminals theme inspired Battlefield Hardline. From TV and movies to the fantasy of being on either side of the law, we’ll show you how this will be the fastest Battlefield multiplayer and what Visceral is bringing to single player. Stick around to receive a one-time redeemable DLC code for Final Stand, Battlefield 4’s latest expansion pack.

Developing the Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) Art Style

From Maleficent to Hulk to Tinker Bell to Rocket Raccoon – hear from the Disney Infinity team on what it’s like to develop a unified style that creates toy versions of characters from across The Walt Disney Company. The team will talk about the inspiration for the Toy Box, show behind-the-scenes images and concept art from game and figure development, discuss the character selection process and tell stories on working with Disney’s greatest storytellers.

IGN Podcast Beyond: PlayStation, Predictions, and Portillo

The No. 1 PlayStation podcast on the internet comes to PlayStation Experience to talk shop, take your questions, and tell you stories that have nothing to do with PlayStation. Join Greg, Colin, and the Ever-Rotating Third Chair for insanity and Freedom Wars talk.

Virtual Reality: A New Era for Games

Earlier this year, Sony unveiled Project Morpheus, a prototype virtual reality (VR) system, to much excitement and critical acclaim. VR will offer PlayStation fans a brand new way to experience games that they have only dreamed of before. Developers working with Morpheus will discuss the excitement, challenges and opportunities presented by VR and give an educated glimpse into the future of gaming.

Getting into the Games Industry (PixelOpus)

Pixelopus is a new Sony Team which came out of an incubation program at the Sony San Mateo Studio. Starting with intern programs and relationships with various academic institutions, Pixelopus was formed to support new game industry talent and experiment with innovative, beautiful and fun gameplay experiences. Hear from 4 team members and learn about their unique paths into Pixelopus as well as what it was like to make their first game – Entwined.

GENERATION 8 – A New Golden Age

Gamers have never had it better! Games from all eras, GEN 8 is the start of a new golden age of gaming with huge diversity re: graphics and sound.

Greatness for Everyone – Bringing Different POVs to Gaming

The biggest variety of panelists at PlayStation Experience! Learn about what each panelist does for a living and how they got into the gaming industry. The PlayStation family is always looking to bring different points of view to game development. Hear directly from an HR talent acquisition representative about what types of skills PlayStation is looking for in applicants and how to separate yourself from the pack.

Actors and Their Voices: Casting Characters

Story, Voice-Over, and Performance Capture bring PlayStation games to life. See how it works, from the casting calls, to directing sessions, to the final product. PLUS: a live voice-over session where attendees can recreate scenes from God of War and The Last of Us! Featuring voice-over actors from The Last of Us – Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, and more panelists to be announced soon.

Choice Matters – A Telltale Games Panel

Telltale Games is at the forefront of the renaissance of adventure games. They gave us the award-winning The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, and now bring us two new series: Game of Thrones, and Tales from the Borderlands. Their games are about making choices, and then living with the consequences. In this special panel, YOU will choose the questions, determining the fate of a small band of plucky Telltale crew members, as they discuss the past, present, and future of Telltale and adventure games.

Far Cry 4: From the Developer’s Mind to the Gamer’s Imagination

Get a rare behind the scenes look at how Far Cry 4 came to life, and an exclusive peek at what’s coming next. Watch our panelists discuss building the open world Kyrat to be the ultimate “Anecdote Factory” and see some fan-created moments that were so amazing they even surprised the developers.

God of War Retrospective

Join Santa Monica Studio’s legendary team of one of PlayStation’s most iconic franchises as they talk about the original development and inspiration behind God of War and the creation of Kratos and his origins. Hear never-before-told stories and kick-off the 10-year anniversary of God of War. Panelists to be announced soon.

Good vs Evil in F2P Game Design

PlayStation Free-to-Play developers take the stage to discuss their approach on game design, and how they keep their games fair, balanced and NOT pay to win.

How to Become a Game Designer (or How to Consider It)

It’s the first job every gamer wants (or at least thinks they want). Learn from game industry veterans what it takes to become a Game Designer and what it really means to design a game. Join an unflinching conversation about the labor of love that is game design. Featuring Doug Holder (Game Designer, Naughty Dog), Quentin Cobb (Game Designer, Naughty Dog), Parker Hamilton (Game Designer, SuckerPunch), Ramone Russell (Game Designer, San Diego Studios), and Massimo Guarini (Game Designer, Ovosonico).

Inside the Dev Studio

World Wide Studios longtime members who have been a part of creating some of the greatest signature franchises that defined PlayStation eras – The Last of Us, God of War, LittleBigPlanet, Gran Turismo, Killzone, MLB The Show – talk about the history of the gaming industry, the rise and fall of concepts, and tell incredible behind the scenes stories. Featuring Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Cory Barlog (Sony Santa Monica), Pete Smight (Sony Xdev), Dylan Cuthbert (Q-Games), and moderated by Scott Rohde (SCEA WWS).

It Came to Japan! Working in the Japanese Game Industry

Find out what it takes to work in the gaming industry in Japan. Developers come together to chat about working in Japan and how to get started in the industry there. Featuring Jake Kazdal (17-Bit), Dylan Cuthbert (Q-Games), Massimo Guarini (Ovosonico), and Brad Douglas (SCEI).

LittleBigPlanet Retrospective

What did it take to bring LittleBigPlanet to the next generation of consoles? Learn about how Sumo Digital brought new ideas and concepts to the franchise and find out what’s next for Sackboy and friends.

Music Magic: How Your Favorite Game Soundtracks are Made

Music provides emotional depth, kineticism, and tone for PlayStation games. Listen and learn as SCEA Music Supervisors and Composers take you through their unique and varied musical scores. PLUS: An exclusive debut from the score for The Order: 1886. Panelists and special guests to be announced soon.

Modeling Nathan Drake: Bringing an Iconic Character to the PS4

Discover the process of making iconic treasure hunter, Nathan Drake, come to life for the PS4. From concept art to 3D model to the trailer you watched at E3 2014, go behind-the-scenes to learn how characters are built the Naughty Dog way. Featuring Frank Tzeng, Yibing Jiang, Colin Thomas, Ryan Trowbridge, and Ashley Swidowski.

Naughty Dog 30th Anniversary

The creative minds behind Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us have prepared a full-length 30th anniversary video detailing the history of Naughty Dog.

Pick Up and Slay: The Journey of Diablo III to PlayStation 4

Join key developers behind Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition as they discuss bringing a beloved PC classic to PlayStation 4 and what lies in store for the future. The team will discuss the challenges they faced, the origins of the Nemesis system, and how the PS4 version of the game influenced and evolved the PC version of Reaper of Souls.

Prototype to Product from PlayStation External Development

Indie developers showcase inspirational prototypes behind their games and the process of evolving such prototypes to the final product that we all enjoy on PlayStation. Panelists to be announced soon.

Putting the Plus Plus in N++

The Metanet Software team talk about what it takes to make a modern platformer and everything that makes N++ special, including the level editor and the ability for players to make and share their own levels.

Salt and Sanctuary: A Love of Darkness

Why make videogames? This is a question we get asked a lot, and the most crucial answer at the heart of everything comes down to one simple fact: we, like you, are massive fans. Take a journey with us through years of studio history and videogame culture as we celebrate those of us bold, brave, and fearless enough to let their creative works be driven by pure, exuberant fandom.

Story Time

It’s time to get intimate. Participate in an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with some of the leaders of PlayStation. Featuring Shuhei “Shu” Yoshida, Adam Boyes, and Scott Rohde.

Storytelling in Video Games – An Ever Evolving Model

Some of World Wide Studios’s biggest storytellers come together to discuss the different angles each comes from when approaching how to tell a story and how to connect with the audience. Featuring Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Tim Schafer (Double Fine), Rex Crowle (Media Molecule), Ru Weerasuriya (Ready at Dawn), and Until Dawn Executive Creative Director, Will Byles (Supermassive Games).

The Art of Creating Surprise & Discovery in Games

True to its name, the panelists and topic of conversation in this panel will be total surprises! Fans will definitely want to stay tuned to find out what’s in store here.

The Last of Us Multiplayer: An Inside Look

Come get an inside look into the development of The Last of Us Multiplayer. Learn how the team solved challenges like making stealth work in a competitive third-person shooter, building the latest DLC, and how new add-ons are conceived, produced, and balanced. Featuring Erin Daly (Lead Multiplayer Designer), Quentin Cobb (Game Designer), Elisabetta Silli (Game Designer), Robert Ryan (Game Designer), and Anthony Newman (Game Designer).