Gravity Rush landed on PlayStation Vita earlier this year, introducing us to Kat. Her tremendous gravity powers, combined with a really charming personality made her an instant fan favorite, and thus an obvious candidate for PlayStation All-Stars. When looking at Kat’s play style in Gravity Rush two things immediately stood out to us: her reliance on aerial mobility and her arsenal of powerful kick-based attacks. We felt it was important to use these two elements as the cornerstone of Kat’s play style, and as such, her move set in PlayStation All-Stars makes liberal use of both.

For example, Kat doesn’t have a double jump! Instead, she relies on her Gravity Dash, an eight-direction mini-flight mode to move through the air. This cancellable move affords Kat an unprecedented degree of air mobility and attack potential.

Another example sees Kat using her powers of gravity manipulation directly against her rivals. Kat creates gravity wells, which draw in nearby players via her Gravity Attraction attack. Kat’s playstyle is such that she’s most effective when close to her opponents, and while her air mobility and varying kicks allow her to get in close pretty well, Gravity Attraction lets her pull her opponents directly to her. Success with Kat will require players to use all of Kat’s abilities in harmony, and Gravity Attraction plays a key role in accomplishing that.

I also want to give you guys a look at one of Kat’s Supers. Kat’s Level 1 Super, Gravity Squeeze, is based on her finishing attack so often used to dispatch the bosses in Gravity Rush. Kat leaps at her foe, stealing a giant orb of energy. As she destroys the orb, her victim explodes. If anyone is caught within the resulting blast of energy, they explode too! This is a very powerful Super, but one that will require Kat players to be clever in order to score maximum points.

This year also saw the release of Starhawk, a game set in the wild galactic frontier where the quest for Rift Energy comes with a terrible human cost. Starhawk’s main protagonist, Emmett Graves, is a man all too familiar with that cost, his body forever transformed by exposure to the toxic Rift Energy. Emmett makes wide use of varying weapons based on advanced technology, most notably through Starhawk’s Build & Battle system. It’s this particular mechanic that made Emmett such a compelling character to the PlayStation All-Stars Team.

The first of Emmett’s two most important Build & Battle moves is his Aerial M.A.W Rocket Launcher and Tetranite Grenade Bunker move. This allows Emmett to call down a bunker that when used, completely changes his weapon loadout. The Rocket Launcher gives Emmett access to a long range, powerful, aimable projectile. The grenade launcher provides an equally devastating attack, both in terms of AP generation and versatility, and is used primarily to stop the advancement of opponents in front of Emmett. Both weapons are somewhat slow moving, but more than make up for it in terms of sheer firepower.

The second, but equally important Build & Battle move that I want to tell you about is the Union Shotgun and R-Secs Proximity Mine Bunker move. Like the previous Build & Battle move, a separate bunker is brought in from low orbit, this time with ample shotgun and mine ammunition. Choosing this loadout supplies Emmett with devastatingly quick-hitting, short-range firepower via the shotgun as well as excellent space control through persistent mines. Neither weapon offers the range of the rocket launcher or grenade, so good Emmett players will need to be able to master alternating between both loadouts depending on the situation.

What better piece of anti-personnel weaponry is there in the Starhawk universe than the amazingly versatile Hawk? As the ultimate Level 3 Super, Emmett takes control of a Hawk in mech configuration, and is able to chase down his opponents with terrifying machine gun fire and tricky floating mines. And when all else fails, Emmett can transform the Hawk into flight mode and rain down a final hail of bullets that’s tough to survive. It’s an impressive Super, befitting of a universe filled with amazing technology.

Before I go, I want to give you all a look at what we have planned for our newest level, which during development has earned the codename Fearless. Fearless is a mash-up level that sees the fantasy world of Heavenly Sword meet the futuristic race tracks of Wipeout. In the short time we’ve been working on it, Fearless has become one of the team’s favorite levels, and we think you’ll see why.

The action in Fearless starts out atop a high column supported by gigantic ropes, creating a scene pulled straight from the world of Heavenly Sword. Our players will battle it out on this high column under the watchful eye of the forces of Bohan. It’s a medium-sized space, free of any platforms, and offers some of the most uninterrupted calm you can find in PlayStation All-Stars.

In the distance though, the hum of anti-gravity racing can be heard, and over the course of the match, a familiar floating race materializes. Soon, the battle is interrupted as stray fire from the famous racing ships of Wipeout hits the fighting column, and our fighters come crashing down into a new, more vertical part of the level, the race track cutting straight through the fight space! Any fighter unlucky enough to get knocked into the track or in the way of one of these terrific ships will pay the cost – literally – by receiving a hefty AP penalty. Knowing how to best leverage your character’s moves while avoiding the dangers of the race track are key tools to mastering your fear, and mastering Fearless.

We’ve still got a long way to go to complete Kat, Emmett, and our new level Fearless, but I hope you enjoyed this early look into where things are going. We think these new characters and level fit well into the gameplay already established in PlayStation All-Stars, while at the same time expanding the notions of what’s possible within our fight system. We can’t wait for you guys to get your hands on this stuff early next year, but there’s still quite a bit of work left to do before we can call anything finished. With that said, I’ll get back to work.

Throughout its almost 20-year history, PlayStation has allowed us as players to explore new worlds, triumph over adversaries, and realize our dreams of rapping superstardom. Three years ago, SuperBot Entertainment, BluePoint Games, and Sony Santa Monica Studio set out to create a game that pays tribute to the amazing memories we as PlayStation fans have all experienced together. Today is the day that we’re able to share that game with you. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale has arrived!

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is a celebration of the PlayStation history: its characters, its universes, and most importantly, its fans. And what better way to celebrate that with some good old-fashioned butt-kicking! In PlayStation All-Stars, up to four players can simultaneously control any of the 20 great PlayStation characters featured on our roster, including Kratos from God of War, Nathan Drake from UNCHARTED, Sackboy from LittleBigPlanet, Big Daddy from BioShock, and Dante from DmC Devil May Cry, and fight it out brawler-style on one of our 14 levels, each one created by mashing up two PlayStation worlds — like the topsy-turvy world of LocoRoco mixed with the war-torn battlefields of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

While our Versus Mode, which pits player against player (against player, against player) will undoubtedly provide endless memorable experiences, venture into Arcade Mode to find out what brings all of these great characters together into one crazy world. And if you’re strong enough, discover what it’s like to face the oldest and most powerful PlayStation All-Star, Polygon Man. Or, head over into the Combat Trials Mode to learn the ins and outs of the Battle Royale combat system. Insight into the various fight mechanics and individual character instructions come together in the form of a fun yet educational mode. And when you’re ready, jump online to challenge the world in either our Tournament or Quick Match Modes, which offer what we feel is an online multiplayer experience virtually indistinguishable from offline play.

Available on both PS3 and PS Vita (digital and retail), PlayStation All-Stars takes full advantage of the interconnectivity between the two platforms via Cross Play, allowing players to battle it out against one another on either device. Owners of both a PS3 and PS Vita can even transfer their saves from one machine to the other, allowing PlayStation All-Stars to be played wherever the fans want to play it. And best of all, if you purchase the PS3 version of the game, you get the PS Vita version at no extra cost! There’s no reason not to take advantage of such a great deal. As a friendly reminder, in order to redeem your digital PS Vita copy form the PS3 on-disc benefit, you’ll need to ensure your PS3 system is updated to the latest firmware, version 4.31.

Today marks the start of a great adventure for us – one in which we as developers get to celebrate with you as the fans. We couldn’t have made this game without you, and I hope you all enjoy playing the game as much as we enjoyed making it. See you online!

In the weeks that have followed the PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale reveal, we’ve been asking you all to stay tuned for more exciting announcements. Well it’s finally time to deliver! We’re very pleased to announce that in addition to coming to the PS3, PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale will also be available on the PS Vita with full Cross Play support! Equally exciting is that Nathan Drake of the famed UNCHARTED series and Big Daddy from the amazing Bioshock universe join us as the latest additions to the PlayStation All Stars roster!

The pick-up and play nature of PlayStation All Stars and the portable power of the PS Vita seem to be made for each other, so bringing the two together was a no-brainer. With Cross Play support, owners of the PS3 and PS Vita versions will be able to play against each other seamlessly, via both local and online play. Both versions of the game feature identical gameplay at a blazing-fast 60 frames-per-second, offering the complete PlayStation All-Stars experience. PlayStation All- Stars PS Vita takes advantage of many of the unique Vita features, including “near” functionality and both front touchscreen and rear touchpad support.

Equally exciting of course is the announcement of two new characters: UNCHARTED’s Nathan Drake and BioShock’s Big Daddy. Nathan Drake is a true PlayStation star known to never miss an opportunity for adventure, making him a perfect addition to our roster. Big Daddy’s introduction may come as a surprise, but we think he’s a character that typifies the celebration that is PlayStation All-Stars. This deep sea giant packs a serious punch when he’s angry, offering a fun play style that’s fresh and exciting.

E3 week is always an exciting time, and we’re really excited to be sharing this news with you all. If you make it out to E3, be sure to stop by the Sony booth to check out PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Vita featuring Cross Play, as well as our two new characters, Nathan Drake and Big Daddy. And of course, stay tuned for more feature announcements leading up to PlayStation All Star’s release this Holiday season.

Today marks a special day for us here at SuperBot Entertainment, as we finally get to share our game with the world! PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale existed as an idea in the hearts of gamers way before SuperBot got around to making it, and the expectations of the fans are really what drive us. This game is a labor of love, and we’re excited to be able to finally show it — learn more in our new video interview above.

So what is PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale? First and foremost, it’s a celebration of a storied history of great characters and rich worlds brought together in one game. And for us, there’s no better way to celebrate than by creating an experience that players can sit around one screen and enjoy together. There are probably a few types of games that can be enjoyed by four players simultaneously, but for us at SuperBot, a brawler was the obvious choice for one really good reason: the developers here at SuperBot really like fighting games. We love playing them and we love making them. With PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, we set out to make an experience accessible enough for all PlayStation fans to enjoy while also creating something deep enough for the serious fighting game aficionado. We think this “accessible yet deep” strategy is the perfect way to bring PlayStation fans of all stripes together.

The game features a number of cool game modes for both single and multiplayer, with a focus on online play which features a robust tournament mode. Players will be able to compete against each other as well as play cooperatively. We can’t wait for you all to try it for yourself.

Until then, please stay tuned; there are plenty more features, characters, and levels we want to show. And you definitely don’t want to miss what we’ve got in store for E3!