This December marks 30 years since the Japanese launched the original PlayStation, and Sony is now… revealed how it plans to celebrate the console series' big anniversary, with digital soundtracks, PlayStation-themed toys, and more on the way.
Sony’s celebrations kick off later this month, with a free online multiplayer event and esports tournament taking place from September 21-22. During the event, it will be possible to play online multiplayer on any PS4 or PS5 game without having a PlayStation Plus subscription.
In the meantime, the PS5 esports tournament will feature challenges for titles including EA UFC 5, Tekken 8, and Guilty Gear Strive, with specific details set to be released on the PlayStation website at a later date. There will be a special 30th anniversary-themed avatar and other game-specific prizes up for grabs, and interested players can sign up via the PS5 Game Hub or the PlayStation Tournaments button within the game.
Sony’s next anniversary release is digital soundtracks, which will be released monthly between October and January next year. God of War, God of War 2, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Twisted Metal, Starhawk and Unit 13 are on the list and will be available to stream on Spotify or purchase from digital retailers such as Amazon and Apple Music. Additionally, a specially created PlayStation 30th Anniversary playlist is available to stream on Spotify from today.
Which brings us to the new Shapes of Play, a range of PlayStation-themed games created by the team that designed Sony’s consoles. Shapes of Play: Battle is a board game where two players try to line up four different shapes of the same colour to win, while Shapes of Play: Create is a set of magnetic blocks. Finally, there’s Shapes of Play: Recharge, which appears to be a range of stress balls, and all three are launching in December via PlayStation Direct.
And finally, for now, there's My First Gran Turismo, a free trial designed to attract “players of all skill levels” to Gran Turismo 7. It promises cars, tracks, and racing events meant to “evoke the nostalgia and excitement of the first GT experience.” It's set to launch for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 “this holiday.”