- Sony held the latest edition of State of Play yesterday to showcase upcoming third-party games.
- The biggest surprise came from the nearly year-old Control and the upcoming AWE expansion.
- Developer Remedy Entertainment confirmed an Alan Wake tie-in in what it calls a ‘Remedy Connected Universe.’
Thursday’s PlayStation State of Play was always going to be a muted affair compared to Sony’s first-party ‘Future of Gaming’ showcase. Sony warned of this before the event, advising viewers not to expect any seismic PS5 or first-party game news.
Third-party developers flogged their wares with new trailers and tightly-rehearsed commentary, throwing up some surprise announcement such as VR mode for the upcoming Hitman 3, yet another look at the delightful Bugsnax and a surprise remaster of the indie gem Braid.
Video: Sony’s State of Play
The best part of the entire broadcast didn’t come from an upcoming title, but courtesy of a game that launched a few weeks shy of a year ago–Control.
Control and Alan Wake Steal the Show
AWE, the last expansion for Remedy Entertainment’s excellent 2019 supernatural adventure, arrives later this month. The developer nestled a surprise into the teaser trailer for AWE that should please fans of its previous output–an Alan Wake. The man himself made a brief appearance and lent his voice to the trailer’s narration.
Video: Remedy Teases Alan Wake Secrets
Fans of Control will be well acquainted with the Alan Wake Easter Eggs peppering the game. Remedy has now revealed that these aren’t merely a nod to the fan-favorite series but a legitimate part of Control’s universe.
In an accompanying PlayStation Blog, Remedy’s communication head Thomas Puha described it as a “Remedy Connected Universe,” teasing a “plan in place for over a decade on how some of our games are connected.”
Fortunately, we don’t have to wait all that long to find out precisely what Alan Wake secrets lurk inside the AWE expansion as it arrives in just under three weeks on Aug. 27.
Unlike the previous Foundation expansion, AWE will launch simultaneously on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, meaning no one will be left out by the pesky web of timed-exclusives Sony loves to spin.