Sony Surprises with September State of Play, Showcasing Helldivers 2, Spider-Man 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

In an unexpected Thursday drop, Sony aired its latest State of Play event, delivering a punchy showcase that offered new looks at some of 2023’s most anticipated PlayStation titles. Helldivers 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth headlined the presentation, each generating significant buzz ahead of their respective launches.

Opening the show with a bang, Arrowhead Studios unveiled a new gameplay trailer for *Helldivers 2*, revealing its brutally chaotic co-op action and satirical sci-fi storytelling. Unlike the original game’s top-down view, this sequel shifts to a third-person shooter perspective, offering more immersive gunplay as players battle alien threats across different planets. The trailer also confirmed a November 8 release date for both PS5 and PC, marking a rare simultaneous launch for a first-party PlayStation title on multiple platforms.

The presentation then turned to *Marvel’s Spider-Man 2*, giving fans a deeper dive into gameplay mechanics and the sprawling New York City map. Developer Insomniac Games confirmed that players will be able to seamlessly switch between Peter Parker and Miles Morales, with each Spider-Man boasting distinct skill trees and combat styles. A new feature highlighted during the showcase was the ability to explore expanded boroughs like Queens and Brooklyn—a first for the series. The game is set to launch on October 20, and pre-orders have already skyrocketed following the event.

The most explosive reveal, however, came from Square Enix, who unveiled a brand-new trailer and release date for *Final Fantasy VII Rebirth*, the highly anticipated sequel to *Final Fantasy VII Remake*. Packed with emotional character moments and epic cinematic battles, the trailer teased major plot beats as the party ventures beyond Midgar. Most notably, Square Enix confirmed *Rebirth* will be released on February 29, 2024, as a PS5 exclusive. The game will span two discs, indicating a massive scope and possibly hinting at how far the story will go in this installment.

Though rumors swirled about potential hardware announcements, Sony stayed focused on third-party titles and first-party exclusives, giving players a taste of what’s to come in the final stretch of the year and into early 2024.